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

Wednesdays

The weekend is almost here! Halfway through the week!

Today I was at work half the day, and at school half of the day. We learned that because the world's population is getting older, it might mean that health care will get more and more expensive (because older people usually need more health care).

I read a book called Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence, this monk who lived over three hundred years ago. He said that we can pray to God through our actions, and during our day's work, so that we can feel God with us even if we're not all alone quietly praying. I thought that made a lot of sense. I read the book once before but I like reading it twice.

We don't have a washing machine so we have to go to a laundromat to do our laundry. We just put our clothes in the machine and use it like a vending machine-- wait there while it spins. It's a good time to read!

Some people arrived here from Burma last week and also tonight! They were in refugee camps in Thailand.

Hope your week is going well.

Love, Jo

Beginning of classes

Hey,

Classes started for me today, so I'm just going to say hi and I hope your day went well. Eugene got me pad thai for when classes ended at 9. Pad Thai is very lovely and tasty. It's noodles that are made out of rice with peanuts, green onion and chicken or some other meant (or shrimp). I think it's simple to eat so its nice at the end of the day. It's starting to cool down here. I heard it's already starting to get warmer over in Cape Town, right?

Be well both of you,

Much love,
Jo

Splash

Hi Danny and Becky,

The beginning of the week has already started! Becky, is your arm ok?

In America, the 3rd September is a holiday. It's called Labour Day. It was made as a day of rest for the "working man", to mark the end of the summer. In Boston it's the day when all the university students move into their houses after being away for the summer. Boston is probably the city with the most university students in the whole world. Eugene and I went to this huge stadium where new students were finding out about different organizations. They could decide whether they wanted to play sports, go to Bible study, learn how to sing. We were there to tell them about Bible study. There were a lot of different Bible study groups there, so I guess the idea is that God works in a lot of different ways because God wants to reach every different type of person.

So tomorrow I begin classes again. Sometimes I am busy from very early until quite late during the term time, so I like to have some time on the weekend to think and relax. Do you both have times for that? Did your mom tell you that when you're young, you always want to sleep less but when you start working you always want to sleep more? That's how I feel sometimes! Hehe.

What else? I hope to learn a lot this semester about health care management-- like how to run a hospital or a clinic. I'm learning how to cook new things, too. I cooked bread for my mother-in-law. In Korean, I call her Ummanim which is like saying "mom" with added respect. I like making this bread with courgettes/baby marrow inside because you're eating vegetables without thinking about it. That just seems awesome. Tell me if you both would like to try it sometime. I'd bet you could make it together, maybe with Bobsie, to help you.

Could you both give your mom a big big hug from me?

Love you both.
Jo

Oops

I forgot you said in the park, Becky. How are the trees doing these days? My mom says they're starting to get leaves. How are things going Danny? You're in my thoughts.

The cartoon is for you. What do you both do on the weekend? See friends? Sometimes I see friends, or sit at a cafe and work, or read. We need to move our bed out of the living room but I'm afraid that if we do the squirrels will come back to haunt our plants. They're pretty evil. Did you know squirrels are evil? No, I didn't think so either, but I now think they are. On par with hippos.

Love, Jo

Cool!

Hi,

That's pretty cool that you got to fly a kite, Becky! Was it after school? Where did you go to fly it? On the beach? What is your favourite beach in Cape Town?

Tonight, after work, I am going to have dinner with my friend Christine. In my first year of university Christine was my roomate. You know when you go to sleep it's only the middle of the day here?

Love, Jo

First Post for You Both

Hello!

I hope you're both doing well. I put the picture up there because it's really beautiful. A butterfly is supposed to be a symbol of growth and beauty coming out of something completely different (caterpillars). I think you probably already know that. What do you think? You could suggest other pictures, and I'll put them up. If I see something beautiful online, I'll put it up here.

I wanted to write somewhere here so that you know even though I'm not nearby, you guys are in my thoughts and I'm praying for the amazing adults you will become (and for who you are becoming right now-- at school, at sport, in your immediate family, etc).

Nothing too much is happening in Boston. It's still really hot, so Eugene and I sleep in the lounge because it's cooler there. Eugene and I sometimes play Blokus (the game we played in mom and dad's house) and usually whoever goes first wins. There's not much space, though! I am also going to school again, from next week. At work I help people figure out how to adjust to living in the US-- how to get jobs, how to communicate, etc. I also test doctors on how well they know how to treat refugee patients. They are usually not used to having refugee patients, so they sometimes have problems. Refugees come from everywhere in the world.

Much love,
Jo