Exams and the fourth term

Dear Danny and Becky,

How are you both this Friday. On Monday is Columbus day in the United States, so it's a public holiday. It's the last public holiday before winter.

I put a picture of this women sleeping by her guava fruits. Do you both drink guava juice? It's my favourite, but there are no guavas in Boston.

My exam went well. How is the fourth term for you?

Much love,
Jo

Rosemary, sage and lavender.

Hello Danny and Becky,

This is a picture of the special olympics opening ceremony in Shanghai, China. It's the olympics for people who have disabilities.

I have my first exam this evening, in a class called Health care policy and management, but I wanted to send my love to you guys this morning.

How was KZN? I heard your place in Howick was really spacious and beautiful. Staying in a farmhouse sounds pretty awesome.

I'm starting to look for jobs right now. It's quite fun because although it's a very important decision for me, I can apply anywhere and see what type of organization would like to have me working for them. That's exciting.

It's starting to get colder and the leaves are changing colour and starting to fall. Autumn is called Fall in America. It's probably the most beautiful season in this area of America (the Northeast). I had to throw away many of my plants, because it is getting too cold for them. Now all that is left is rosemary, sage and lavendar. I hope they will live inside for the winter, and still grow even though they don't have as much sun as they would like to have.

Much love,
Jo

Sunday

hi Danny and Becky,

I don't think you can read this because you have just gone on holiday. I hope the plane ride was a lot of fun. I am so happy for you both to have a special break! I'll also take a break from writing to you, but I thought I'd write one last time before you come back.

This picture won an award for the photographer. It was taken in Japan. In Japan, women are often shown looking down or looking "cute", which can make women seem less strong than they are. This photo won an award because it showed people looking very strong, almost defiant. I liked it. I hope you both can grow up to be very strong people, able to support other people.

New York was good. I saw my friend Caroline briefly. I wanted to see our cousin (your second cousin) Kate but she was at work. She lives near New York, on an island.

Much love,
Jo

New York

Dearest Danny and Becky

How are you both today?

These days I am drinking a lot of tea because I got 2 teapots from friends. They're really fancy and keep heat very well (and are very heavy. I drink rooibos out of tiny cups, because it's really good for you and if I just drink a small cup at a time, it stays hot... Mmmm... this is not very interesting is it?!

Tomorrow I'm going to New York for Glory's memorial service. New York has a whole section of the city that is supposed to be almost like being in China-- it has Chinese bakeries, Chinese restuarants, and Chinese shops. It's always bustling with people. This is where my friend's memorial service will be, because her parents were from Hong Kong. It takes about four hours on the bus to get from Boston to New York. I like the bus ride alright because I usually listen to music or read on the way.

I heard you are going to Ballito and to Howick really soon. That's wonderful! Are you getting excited? Do you know what you'll do once you're there? Those are two really beautiful places.

Much love
Jo

Lemon trees

Thank you for taking the picture of the lemon tree. I can't wait to see it! How are you both? I put a picture of a lemon tree above, but I'll change it to yours.

I heard you have to read a book every day. Today I got a parcel from mom and dad but I didn't pick it up from the post office yet, because I am at work. It's pretty exciting because I have something to look forward to tomorrow!

My friend Glory died today. It was very sad because she was young, like me. She was very strong and tough. She had a good name, no? She had had cancer many times so I think it is a lot better for her to be in heaven with God, though I will miss her. In heaven she won't have to be in pain. She was always getting the latest treatment, but that was really hard because sometimes the doctors didn't really know if the latest treatment would work or not. So sometimes it would hurt without helping her. Her mom and dad will be very sad for a very long time I think. I'm thinking about them today.

I am well. It is very beautiful here, and Eugene and I are not too busy so we have some time to think and also to sit together and talk. School is interesting. I'm thinking of how to work well at my studies and at my job. Work is interesting as well, although I have free time sometimes.

Love you both lots,
Jo

Hello

Hello Danny and Becky.

How are you both doing? How is the garden? I heard about the lemon tree. Eugene really wants a lemon tree, but we don't have a garden and plus it gets so very cold here. Eugene has positioned the pig and duck fluffies for pictures, but our camera is in the car and we are too lazy to go and pick it up, so they are staying positioned for photographs for a long time. I'm pretty sure they are getting bored.

Can you tell me something you learned at school? Today I learned about health care amongst women in the United States. Women's health and men's health are quite different because many different expectations are placed on women. Women often have to work, study and raise children effortlessly but that's really hard to do-- it's hard to focus on many things at once. Sometimes they get different illnesses because of that. It's hard to think in many different ways at the same time. Does that make sense? Even in America people from different race groups get treated badly by doctors, even though the doctors don't mean to do anything wrong. I think it's really sad that we can do things wrong and hurt people without meaning to. I think that happens a lot in health care.

Here the weather is really good. It's quiet at the moment in our apartment, because it is already the evening. Our tomatoes are just making their last tomatoes, and our peppers their last peppers, before they die. All plants die during the winter.

Are you reading any good books? I know you don't really like reading, Becky, so thank you for reading my letters. I have Tini's picture of the trees up in our apartment and I like to look at it. Tini was your mom and my great aunt. She painted fruit a lot. Maybe you like art a bit because of her.

Thinking of you both.

Love, Jo

Happy New Year

Dear Danny and Becky,

How are you both doing? I hope school is going well. Today is Ethiopian new year. It is the Ethiopian Christian millenium. I am not sure what that means exactly, I just know there are many celebrations and it is very important for Ethiopia. The picture shows some of the celebration, because they are excited about all the things that Ethiopia is good at, like athletics.

I heard the garden is getting beautiful! Can you take a picture of the lemon for me? I am pretty excited to see lemons. Enjoy them!

Your mom is going to visit Eugene and I in November, in 2 months time. I am really happy about that.

We are doing quite well here. The weather is starting to get colder and so I'm getting a little nervous. Winter is so very cold. It's cloudy.

Here in Boston we follow the Boston Red Sox, a baseball team. They are quite famous, and people wait a long time to try to get tickets to see them. A bit like the South African rugby or cricket teams. It's strange because they're city teams, and most of the players aren't from Boston, so it feels different from the South African national teams. It's also strange because they sometimes get players from Japan, who play baseball super well. I'm starting to understand how baseball works, and now I like it better.

Are you playing any sports at the moment?

Love you both
Jo