I'm a rockstar!

Dahlia gets her first lesson in guitar. According to Dad, lesson 1 is "how to look cool"-- mess up your hair, wear a tie-dyed shirt, stare into the camera and be sure NOT to smile.

Lesson 2: Take your instrument and rock hard!

We'll try to post a video clip of her progress...

Dahlia learns to swim!

Dahlia June: living the life aquatic

Is she laughing at being in the pool or Scott's farmer's tan?

Dahlia wishes she could grow webbed feet.

She's recently grown fond of the salt water pools around Durban. "Mmm, tastes like chicken... wait I mean sweet potatoes." (Dahlia's still young, and also developing her sense of humor.)

American Holidays

Halloween in Tugela Ferry is celebrated with a 'fancy dress' party. Many of the staff get together in traditional Halloween costumes but minus the trick-or-treat. Good thing Dahlia is too young to know how much candy she was missing out on. (Tania reminded us all though.) Instead, we dressed the little junebug up in her cousin Kiki's old costume from last year... a chili pepper. She looked hot! Look who dressed up as Dahlia!




Thanksgiving was celebrated in style given the number of turkey hungry Americans are currently living in Zululand. We found a couple of frozen birds in Pietermaritzburg, traditionally a Christmas meat in South Africa, and accompanied the meal with pumpkin risotto, cranberry sauce delivered kindly by our friend Kathleen who came all the way from Shiprock New Mexico to visit, and pumkin pie. We have a great deal to be thankful for this year.



We worked through the Thanksgiving holiday here but were able to take Kathleen for a weekend in Hluhluwe game reserve and St. Lucia beach. Tania and Kathleen went for a game drive and saw rhinos, hippos, and lots of bird and buck.

Wouldn't you like to see some pictures to go along with Scott's wonderful descriptions? Stay tuned... we'll attach them after we get back to India and we fix Scott's computer. Yes, we are horrible bloggers!

See you next year!

Heritage Day

Heritage Day: September 24th

This aptly named national holiday was celebrated at our hospital as a festival to demonstrate the various cultures around us. Each cultural group was asked to give an example of their typical dress, food, song and/or dance, as well as a marriage ritual. As you may notice, Dahlia appeared intent on taking in all the different activities, but was most impressed by the high-kicking Zulu dance enacted by the young girls.

Most of the major Zulu tribes from area represented themselves, as did the Afrikaaners, the Nigerians (there are at least 5 Nigerian ex-pats working here), and the Indians (although we struggle to outnumber the Nigerians in these parts).

Due to the lack of Indian participants, Scott and Krisda (a medical student from U Michigan here for the year doing research with us) were roped into the marriage proposal that we had to act out for the crowd as well as the Garba dance that we performed to celebrate the marriage. The center of the hospital grounds turned into a stage and dance floor and the scene inspired even a few patients, despite the hospital gowns, to show their moves.

After the festival, we participated in one of the most beloved of South African tradtions, the braai. Not too much different than a BBQ in the states, the South Africans take their braai seriously. Krisda poses near our grilled veggies, lamb, peri-peri chicken and ostrich.... mmmmm (the veggies, that is).

Weekend at the Beach

Our first attempt to visit the beaches around Durban was interrupted by the weather. On a trip to Ballito, a touristy beach destination north of Durban, Dahlia had to wear her fleece onesie to the beach instead of her swim "costume."




A few weekends later, we went to Durban where the weather cooperated. She started her day on the beach by relaxing in her new tent. If you can see through the mesh screen, you'll find her sleeping peacefully in the shade.






















She woke up and went for a dip in the Indian Ocean, but the water was a little colder than her usual bath water, so she pursued other interests and learned how to surf with the lifeguard's rescue board.

Back in Tugela Ferry

Sawubona! Greetings from South Africa.

As most of you know, we arrived here in South Africa on August 23rd and soon settled in to our new place in Tugela Ferry. Dahlia turned out to be an excellent traveller. We've been here for about 2 months and have already moved in to our 2nd home here (pictures to come later). The new place is nice, complete with a spectacular view of the mountains, the Tugela River, and the large community garden that the locals tend to every morning.

Tania has settled into her new job in the Pediatric Ward and the HIV Clinic, while Scott is keeping busy with the various research projects as well as taking care of patients in the adjacent step-down facility for those with HIV and TB. But enough about work for now.

We've been trying to explore the area on the weekends. Our first trip was to Giant's Castle in the Drakensburg Mountains. This section of the mountain range is known for its ancient cave drawings from the San people, the so-called first Bushmen. In the picture above Scott's left shoulder, you may be able to see the eland (a local ungulate), subjects of a hunt.

Despite being springtime, it was quite cool up there. Dahlia didn't seem to mind the weather, and seemed more preoccupied with her thumb. While out on a hike we saw a family of baboons, and on the way home we drove through a game reserve where we saw zebra, ostrich, and warthogs.