A Long Weekend at Kruger National Park

The Kruger group

This weekend was a long, holiday weekend for South Africa. Tuesday was actually Human Rights Day, so many South Africans take a long weekend in advance of the day off. 

Our team was able to visit Kruger National Park, which is in eastern South Africa. Kruger is one of the largest game reserves in Africa, covering more than 7,500 miles. All Big Five wild animals can be found in the park, which includes: lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo and rhinos. The park is home to one of the largest elephant populations in Africa. 

So, last Saturday morning, we boarded a bus headed to Kruger. We ended up driving to the park, which normally would take about four hours, but on African time (we have found things take much longer than expected here), it took us all day. We left around 8 a.m. and arrived close to 6 p.m. It was a long day of traveling - which meant, a long day of me lying down in the back of the bus, trying to sleep and recover as we made our way across the country. 

About halfway through the trip, I realized I probably should have stayed at the hotel to recover. This was the same point in the drive when the roads went from being relatively smooth, to feeling like we were off-road driving down a rock and pothole filled highway. It was the bumpiest drive I have ever experienced. Forget sleeping at that point!

When we arrived at our accommodations, they were certainly well-worn. But we had air conditioning, which was much appreciated. I ended up in the guest house, with my teammate Dominika. We actually had our own individual rooms and bathrooms, which gave me a huge sigh of relief. I was not looking forward to sharing a room while I was battling the bacterial infection and thankfully, I didn’t have to. But we did have some rather aggressive monkeys try to squirm their way into our room - thankfully, we were able to shoo them away. 

Trying to keep the rain out!

After we dropped our baggage, we headed out on an evening game drive. Initially, we didn’t see anything but ant hills, birds, and antelope - not very exciting. But as we continued to our outside braai (South African BBQ), our driver found a family of giraffes, who walked right past our vehicle. We also came across a rather angry, black rhino. In fact, he stomped his feet and charged toward our jeep - in the direction of my friend Javier and me. The driver began shouting at the rhino and making noises, which persuaded him to stop and turn around, but he was still not happy with us. We didn’t see any lions that night, but did find a few more zebras, so it was fairly successful. 

Sunday morning we set out for Kruger. We spent the entire day in the park. However, the weather took a turn and for most of the day we battled pretty strong winds and on and off downpours. The wind was actually preferred though, because it kept mosquitos away and the temperature down. Our jeep was open-air, but had plastic windows that hung down to protect us from the rain - except the windows and the ceiling both leaked, so we fairly soaked by the time the drive was over. 

Kruger was beautiful though, despite the weather. We saw quite a few animals. In fact, Kruger has one of the largest populations of elephants in South Africa. We saw so many herds of elephants, including babies! We saw one elephant bathing himself in a fairly deep pool of water, another running to catch up to his herd, shouting through his trunk. We saw two elephants play-fighting with each other. So.many.elephants.

Lioness and her cub napping in the distance

We also saw a large number of girrafes - they’re all over Kruger, along with antelope and zebras. We managed to see one female lion, but from quite a distance. She was sleeping in a dried-out river bank. I was able to zoom in closely with my camera to watch her as she slept. At one point, she stretched and turned over, to reveal she had a cub sleeping on her stomach. And on our way out of the park, we ran into a pack of baboons walking down the road. 

We left Kruger just as the park was closing for the night and headed to a tree house camp. We expected to all be sleeping in the high in the trees that night, but it turned out the treehouses were more like shacks, with straw ceilings, no air conditioning and less than optimal conditions. . . . As a girl who fully admits she hates camping, this was my own personal nightmare. It got worse when a frog decided to join me in the bathroom. Thankfully, it was only one night. 

Domi’s and my cabin was quite a long trek from the main area, where we had dinner and breakfast the next day. We had to follow a dimly lit path, that twisted and winded over bridges and rocks. We got lost on more than one occasion trying to find our way to and from our room and the main reception area. To spend as little time in our rooms as possible, a few of us congregated in the dining area, where I taught my international colleagues how to play a fairly aggressive card game, which my brother and college friends and I call “Egyptian Rat Screw.” Thankfully this helped pass that time, before Domi and I made our way back to our cabin.

A shot of Blyde River Canyon

On Monday, we packed our bags and headed back to our hotel. On the way, we stopped at Blyde River Canyon, which was in a word: beautiful. We felt like we were standing on top of the world, looking out over a beautiful waterscape. After spending about 20 minutes exploring, we headed back to our van…when someone started shouting for a doctor. We found out, an elderly woman who had been walking on the rocks near the canyon had fallen and very clearly broken her leg. I did not envy her. 

Our dive home was again, on African time and took what felt like forever. We finally reached out hotel about 5:30 p.m. at which point I went directly to bed, not to be seen again until later the next morning. My body needed rest - which is what I should have done all weekend, but I was glad to have had the opportunity to see Kruger and more of South Africa. 

More photos below: 

View from our morning Bush Walk

One of the pesky monkeys trying to enter our room

So many beautiful elephants in Kruger

Saw quite a few giraffes

A baboon eating seeds from the riverbed plants

My First International Hospital Visit

This was one post I was hoping I wouldn't have to make.

Ever since I landed in South Africa, I've been dealing with some rather annoying stomach issues - primarily some pretty painful cramping and other symptoms. I actually thought I had food poisoning.

My first night here was horrible. I didn't sleep at all, thanks to jet lag and to the stomach illness. I was up every hour with pain. In fact, I spoke to our facilitator the next morning, because I was concerned I might not make it through our first day of meetings. I rallied as best I could and followed along, but the first day was brutal. I was breaking out into cold sweats, cramping, wishing I was in bed. By Sunday (three days after I started having issues), I finally started to feel better again. I began eating normally - instead of relying solely on bread, toast and crackers.

I thought I was good to go, until last Wednesday, when the cramping started again. This time it was worse. That same day, I did a more demanding workout and ended up simultaneously throwing out my back. Thursday into Friday was the worst night here so far. In addition to terrible stomach cramps, I could hardly move, because my back was in so much pain. My guess is I aggravated my herniated discs. By 4 a.m. I had about given up on the day - just getting out of bed was a challenge. I ended up staying in bed until 4:30 p.m., icing my back and popping ibuprofen.

By the end of the day, our facilitator thought it was best if I was checked out by a doctor, so she took me to the hospital, which is across the street from our hotel. This hospital was a private hospital, which accepts foreign visitors. Our facilitator said the level of care is much higher in a private African hospital, as opposed to a public one.

Even though we all speak English, it was still difficult to communicate with accents and such, mine included. We had to sort out my insurance, among other paperwork, as well as insure proof of payment through a company IBM uses when employees travel abroad. Lots of miscommunication happened between the hospital and the company, which caused a lot of frustration. Just when we thought we had everything sorted out, I realized they had transcribed my wrong birthdate, which meant they had to reprint all the forms and have be re-fill them out again, which just meant more time spent before getting treated.

When I finally got into my hospital room, I was assigned a nurse. Her name was Roxy and she was so nice and patient. She was funny too and said she loved treating Americans because we were so friendly, as compared to other countries. She also understood how difficult it was for me to sometimes understand what was happening - there are some thick accents here in South Africa, so she  would help translate what people were saying or write things down for me, so I could better comprehend what was happening. This was probably the scariest part - not knowing why a needle was going into my arm, or not understanding the instructions for medicine. I was very thankful to have had her as my nurse, she made the process so much easier.

They did a number of tests - blood work, urine samples, x-rays. Each time someone came to administer a test, I had to pull out my credit card to pay ahead of time, before they would be able to move forward. I think I ended up spending about $500 total - which ultimately isn't too terrible for an emergency visit (I should be reimbursed by my insurance company when I go home). When the tests came back, my white blood cells were fairly high, which they said indicated my body was fighting what they believed to be a bacterial infection. It wasn't worth figuring out what kind of infection it was they said, but that likely I picked something up on the plane or ate something here in Africa that caused the infection. I was given an IV with pain medication and a broad spectrum antibiotic. They also sent me back to the hotel late that night with a stack of pills.

Now, day seven into the second wave of this infection and my stomach is starting to feel normal again. I'm just hoping this is finally the end of this - it's been so frustrating.

Being away from home for so many weeks, has been an amazing experience. But it has also made me realize just how lucky I am. I never worry about housing, I never worry about electricity or internet connections, I never worry about good medical care or access to medicine. Even though this infection has been frustrating, it could have been so much worse and I'm sure thankful it wasn't.

A week in South Africa: My Initial Thoughts

I’ve been in South Africa just over a week now. Time is flying by, even though I still have about a month left before I head home. 

I thought I’d be incredibly homesick and while I do miss my family, friends, and particularly Miss Lincoln, I’ve been doing just fine so far. Then again, talk to me in a week and maybe that will have changed. 

South Africa is a beautiful country, with some of the friendliest people I have ever met among my world travels. Each person I meet, introduces themselves and then tells me what their name means. Since a large portion of the South African culture is based on tribal communities, their names all have specific meanings based on their particular language. One of our driver’s told us his name meant “hope.” Another hotel worker, that her name meant “trustworthy.” A tour guide, that her name meant “love.” 

While the culture here has been a joy to be a part of, South Africa’s challenges are vast. While in some ways, South Africa appears to be a fully developed nation, it’s still learning and growing. It hasn’t quite reached its full potential. 

Housing and poverty in particular are major problems. I learned this week that many South Africans don’t even have a postal address. While they might know what community they live in or the area they reside in, they can’t give an actual address. Which makes things like mail and government assistance difficult. 

Electricity and internet are also challenges. Very few of the informal settlements and backyard shacks made of mud, bricks, cardboard or steel have electricity. While some of the shacks have access to these services via the main house (remember, many of these shacks are built in the backyard of established homes), many children go home to no lights or running water. 

Internet within the home is low and while a large portion of South Africans have cell phones, internet access via a mobile device is still a challenge. In the West Rand alone, less than ten percent of households have internet inside their homes. Many rely on cafes and schools to access the web. Again, this lack of connectivity makes it difficult for certain South Africans to get the support they need. Instead, they have to rely on taxis or their own feet - sometimes walking many miles - to reach government offices to apply for services, like housing subsidies or other governmental subsidies. 

I keep having to remind myself that this country didn’t fully come together until the early 1990s, after apartheid was abolished. So while they have accomplished so much in just 23 years, there is still work to be done. 

I’m hopeful that our team’s project, looking at the housing subsidy system, will be helpful. I’m hopeful whatever we deliver brings some relief and that we contribute in some way to their momentum. The people here are beyond passionate. They’re smart  and talented and committed to making a difference - if our project helps, even in a small way, then we’ll have been successful. 

Lions, Elephants, Hippos! My first African Safari and a Visit to the Elephant Sanctuary

View from within Pilanesberg 

This weekend was full of animals. And it started very early with a 3:25 a.m. wakeup call on Saturday.  My team and I were headed for Pilanesberg National Park & Game Reserve - a two hour drive from our hotel - for my first African safari. 

When we arrived, we boarded a large open-air truck, that probably seated about 25 people. Our guide was clear from the start, while the park was full of animals and things to see, he couldn’t guarantee that we’d see anything at all. I would have been pretty disappointed to wake up at 3 a.m. for nothing! 

Although it has been quite warm in South Africa, and that day in particular was forecasted to be close to 80 degrees, it was very cold on the safari. I had a light sweatshirt on, so I was thankful when our guide handed out blankets for all of us. I was even more thankful when we stopped halfway through, at a small cafe for some hot chocolate. 

Our fears of not seeing any animals were quickly tossed to the side. Almost immediately after we entered the park, we saw a small herd of antelope. Beautiful, but for some reason an antelope just doesn’t compare to the Big Five. Immediately after we left the herd, our guide told us he received a report of lions. As soon as he made this announcement, the bus took off, speeding down an unpaved, dirt road. It was a very bumpy ride, which came to a quick stop, when we reached a small pack of female lions. In the distance, we could see four lions, laying in the grass, appearing to be keeping their eyes on some buffalos a fair distance away. The Lions didn’t do much, just sat there, with their ears perked, but it was pretty amazing to see wild lions just a few hundred yards away.

Our CSC team on the safari truck 

The safari was certainly fruitful. We saw an elephant, a giraffe, herds of zebras, as well as a hippo and its baby in the water. We didn’t get terribly close to anything, except a couple of rhinos enjoying their breakfast of grass and shrubs. The rhinos were maybe a few feet from our truck. 

The safari lasted between two and three hours, before we headed back to our van and made our way back to the hotel. The early wake-up call had me pretty sluggish most of the day, so I ended my day at the hotel spa and headed to bed early. 

Sunday was probably one of my favorite days on the trip so far. Two other colleagues and I went to an elephant sanctuary in Hartbeespoortdam. On our way there, we took another bumpy, dirt road, which weaved it's way through a valley of sorts. As we were driving, all of a sudden, I screamed, "Monkeys!" They weren't monkeys though (my brain was too excited to be specific I guess), but instead a pack of baboons, running across the road and up the mountainside to our left. They were too quick for us to take photos, but it was amazing. I never imagined I'd see wild baboons.

By the time we reached the sanctuary, my excitement was at an all time high, with butterflies in my stomach. To be honest, I  was hoping to see a baby elephant - I've had dreams of a baby elephant laying on my lap, although I'm sure they're probably too heavy to do that. This sanctuary was home to five adult elephants - so no babies to be found. But there were three male, two female adult African elephants. 

As part of the experience, we were able to touch the elephants - which actually made me a bit nervous, because these elephants were enormous. I know that might seem obvious, but standing next to them, is a whole new experience. After spending a few minutes petting the elephant, you could choose to have the elephant kiss you with his trunk. This is where a baby elephant would have been preferred, but in this case, I watched as other participants received a very generous, slimy, dirty kiss. As great of an experience I am sure that would have been, I decided to pass once I saw a woman with dirt and snot covering the entire half of her cheek. 

So excited to touch an elephant! 

We learned a little about the elephants' histories. One was rescued before he was sent to a circus. Two others were orphans - their parents had been killed and the babies had to be raised at the sanctuary. One came from Kruger National Park (which is where I’ll be going next weekend). The sanctuary is currently looking for a private preserve where these elephants can go to live out their lives, without human interference. While they have taught the elephants verbal commands, they are all actions that an elephant would do in the wild - so for instance, raising their trunks, or shaking their ears. The goal is to keep them as close to their natural state as possible. If anyone has a particularly large preserve in South Africa, let me know.! Apparently it's very expensive to maintain an elephant, because of their eating habits - consuming massive amounts of grass and leaves all day long. I offered my backyard, but apparently that just won't do! Lincoln will be so disappointed.  

After we had the chance to meet the elephants, we were taken to another area where we were able to feed them. The food consisted of pellets - similar to treats we used to feed our horses. We’d gather the pellets in our hands and then put them in the elephants’ trunks - which are like vacuums - and they would then feed themselves. Once you were out of food, you had to walk away immediately, because as our guide said, "No food, no friends." 

We were given a large bucket to feed the elephants with, but once we ran out, the elephants were no longer interested in us, so they went off for mud baths. At that point, we transferred to yet another area, where we were able to walk the elephants. We’d hold onto one of the fingers in their trunk and lead them forward. Don’t be fooled though, they might be giants, but they walk quite quickly. I actually had a hard time staying ahead of the elephant, because he was so quick on his feet.  

There is so much beauty here in this country - so much wildlife and beautiful settings. I'm excited to see more, Kruger next weekend, Amboseli (Kenya) in April, Cape Town as well. So much to see, so little time! 

One of the elephants we met at the Sanctuary

Rhinos eating breakfast

Elephant at Pilanesberg 

Gaining Some Perspective: A Tour of the West Rand District and a Special Visit

This week has been a whirl. 

On Monday, we met our clients face-to-face, beginning with a welcoming ceremony at the District Office. Local dignitaries attended and the Executive Mayor addressed the crowd. As people spoke, the bar was set in terms of what we’ve been asked to deliver. We were called the “best IBM could offer from around the world" . . .  no pressure, right?   

Members of the press also attended and a local newspaper wrote a short story on our work, you can read it here. 

An example of one of the larger subsidized houses 

We spent Tuesday touring West Rand and various housing settlements (communities).  These are low income, subsidized communities, where many of the residents are unemployed.  Residents making less than 3,500 Rand (or $245) can apply for a housing subsidy which will cover the cost of a two-bedroom, 42 square meter house (roughly 450 square feet). 

As part of these communities, you’ll also find a variety of informal settlements - resident-built “shacks” made of steel, cement block or cardboard - where resident’s rent these spaces, often located in their backyards, to other residents, as a source of income. In actuality, this is illegal in South Africa, but difficult to enforce. 

It was amazing to see what people will do when they have no where to live. Some of these shacks were the size of an average American walk-in closet. Some had flowing water and electricity, others did not.  Our client reminded us that we were seeing the "poorest of the poor." But, regardless of whether a person was living in a backyard shack or a subsidized house, one thing remained the same in each neighborhood we visited - the community support. 

Our Braai - Delicious grilled meat!

The communities prescribe to a principle called, "unbuntu" which means: I am, because you are. The members of the community take care of one other. If someone is short on food or supplies, another member will provide it, knowing he/she will receive the same help in return. The community is at the heart of the African culture - people working together for the common good. 

We stopped for lunch as part of our tour. Our client was incredibly generous and arranged for us to have a traditional braai - basically a South African barbecue. The food was delicious. We had mounds of grilled beef and chicken, with salads and mieliepap (or pap for short - basically a thick, cornmeal, rice type texture). The restaurant owners were so proud to have a "foreign delegation" visiting them. They actually took pictures of us as we ate. 

Before we headed back to the office, our client wanted to share with us something dear to his heart. In an effort to inspire and encourage us, he took us to St. John the Divine Orphans and Outreach - a local orphanage for children, many of which have lost their parents to HIV or Aids. Our client wanted us to see firsthand that good things are happening in South Africa. 

When we arrived, dozens of children ran out to greet us, waving and smiling and cheering. Each one wanted their photo taken, making faces and laughing. As you can see by my blog, we happily obliged (we were also granted permission to take these photos). 

We received a tour from the head of the Orphanage, Patricia - a woman they call the “big Mother.” She was so proud to walk us through the orphanage, showing us their kitchen, playrooms, and computer lab - which ended up being a room full of inoperative computer monitors from the 1990s. 

Dozens of elementary-aged children greeted us with smiles!

Of course, our team was incredibly moved by what we saw and by the wonderful work happening at the Orphanage.  You couldn’t help but want to do something to improve their circumstances. 

We scrounged together a few hundred Rand, the equivalent of about $35. When we gave Patricia our meager offering, she was so incredibly thankful. She told us the money we provided would allow the children to eat beans and meat later in the week. She said she would be using the money to purchase chicken at the local market. 

When we left the Orphanage, I could’t help but want to do more. Not only do they need computers - which they plan to use to raise money as an internet cafe and to educate the students - but they also need basic items like clothing and shoes for the children, or vegetables and alternative forms of nutrition. In the US, we often hear about orphanages and children overseas in need of assistance, but to see it firsthand, really tears at your heart. I hope to help in any small way I can - even if that means making another donation, or maybe purchasing a few supplies to donate before we leave. At the very least, I look forward to staying in touch and hearing more about the good work Patricia, her husband, and the community are doing for these beautiful children. 

I've spent a total of six days in Africa so far - and every night, I go to bed reminding myself how lucky I truly am. 

Our team at lunch 

All smiles!

Children working on their homework

Computer Lab at the Orphanage

Patricia, or "Big Mother" - She leads the Orphanage 

An example of a well-done subsidized community 

Another example of a some housing we saw - this was mining housing

Living in a Way that Respects and Enhances the Freedom of Others: Visiting the Apartheid Museum and Soweto

I'm two days into my Corporate Service Corps assignment, based near Johannesburg, South Africa - and what an experience it has already been.

Zulu lunch - chicken and maize - it was interesting!

In just two days I: managed to catch and suffer through a severe stomach bug/case of food poisoning (really not fun, in case you were wondering); learned how to play African drums (video proof below); rode in a tuk-tuk around Soweto; waved to a couple of zebras (or Zeh-Bras as my best friend Christine correctly pointed out is the appropriate pronunciation); visited the Apartheid Museum; and tasted authentic/traditional Zulu food and drink (Umqombothi to be exact).

From the minute we stepped off the plane, IBM has kept us on our toes, fully immersing us in the South African culture - and it's been fantastic. Tomorrow we meet our client in person for the first time. My team, which represents four countries, including the US, Japan, Poland and India, is eager to get started. Our goal: find quick wins and be as impactful and as helpful as we possibly can - in just four weeks - I have faith in us to do just that.

Outside of our drum lesson yesterday - my favorite activity was the Apartheid Museum, which also featured an exhibit on Nelson Mandela, his life and impact on the South African country. It was a truly moving experience.

The museum walks visitors through the creation of Apartheid - what led to it's enactment, the uprising against it, it's ultimate downfall, and the aftermath. While we had our own Civil Rights Movement in the United States, which saw it's own viciousness, the amount of violence and death that occurred in South Africa is startling. What was most powerful to me, was visiting Soweto, the birthplace of the Apartheid uprisings, following our museum tour.

Tuk-Tuks in Soweto - Taken with my new Panasonic Lumix.

We took a tour of Soweto - which means South West Township - and had a chance to interact with the residents living there today (interestingly, many of the original leaders of the movement, including Desmond Tutu, still maintain residences in the township). The people we met, the faces we saw, were so welcoming and kind and happy. These are people who are walking down the same streets where children were murdered for protesting inequality in their schools, where stones were thrown and shots were fired. The difference is, that today they walk those streets having gained the freedoms they and their neighbors fought so hard for. It was truly inspiring.

As little children ran along side our tuk-tuks, laughing and cheering and saying hello to us, it hit me. I'm actually here, in South Africa. And what a beautiful place it is.

Our entire CSCZA17 Team - Below is a short drum video 

Deployment Activated: My IBM Corporate Service Corps Assignment in South Africa

Thank goodness!

I’ve really neglected this blog over the past couple of years. I look  back on the posts and can clearly see, this blog was an outlet for me to process the passing of my father - which honestly, I’m not sure I’ll ever truly “process."

I’ve often thought over the past couple of years. about updating my blog, but with work and life, my writing has taken a back seat. 

So what brings me back to the blogosphere? Well, after five years at IBM, I’m finally deploying on my Corporate Service Corps assignment to South Africa. In fact, I’m typing this first post on the tail end of my first 12 hour flight - I have another eight hour journey ahead before I arrive in Johannesburg. 

To paint a brief picture for you - I’ve been sprawled out on a three-seat row, which thankfully I’ve had all to myself. But the wonderful couple in front of me, decided to recline all three of the seats in front of me, full extension, the entire flight - so I’m currently jammed between my seat and my laptop, with little room to see my screen. I’m not bitter at all.

So what is Corporate Service Corps? I’ve explained it in two ways to those who ask me - it’s like the Peace Corps for business - or more accurately, a pro bono work assignment in a developing nation.  In our case, we’re working in West Rand on a housing subsidy project. 

When I made the decision to come to IBM five years ago, it was not a decision I made lightly. It took hours-long phone calls with my Dad, discussing the pros and cons, weighing my options. Many of those phone calls ended in tears, as I struggled to leave my first job and take a chance with a enormous, international company. 

Photo I texted to Mom before takeoff 

There were many factors that led to me finally taking a giant step into the land of Big Blue, but one very big factor was the global presence IBM had and the opportunities I would have as an employee, to explore the world. Case in point - the Corporate Service Corps program, which I was keen to apply for the minute I was eligible (I basically held my breath for two years, waiting until I qualified for the program . . . just kidding, sort of). 

To have the opportunity to share my skills with others, to learn from colleagues from around the world and to immerse myself in a completely new and rich culture is a rare and exciting opportunity. As I collect my things and “prepare for landing,” I think I’m finally letting the weight of this experience begin to sink in. I’m nervous and anxious about the six weeks that lay ahead, but I’m so ready to dive in, head first. 

My goal is to blog throughout the journey - and hopefully, this will inspire me to get back to writing - please feel free to follow along. You can also follow me on instagram and twitter, where I’ll be sharing photos from our weekly excursions.

And now, it’s time to close all electronic devices and power down laptop computers - So, here we go!