Picasa Web Albums - Brandon & Rachel

Craft Fair

We went to Pretoria to the US Embassy to take part in a craft fair. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos at the embassy though! Then on Sunday we went to Chanda and Jacobus's farm. We experienced one of the most memorable storms ever!!

Nov 13, 2008

Photos: 50

Lambano Sanctuary

We visited Lambano Sanctuary back in August when Rachel's parents were here. We just now got our hands on some of the photos from that day.

Nov 9, 2008

Photos: 32

Farewell Function

We had a combined awards ceremony for the PGC and PBC as well as a farewell for us. Also, photos of Rachel and some girls fundraising in the village and the PNGC Awards Ceremony in Seleka.

Nov 5, 2008

Photos: 63

October 2008

Barb and Ruth's visit, first rain of the year, Dewald and Erika's house, and more.

Nov 2, 2008

Photos: 45

The North

One final trip in South Africa, seeing a part of the country we've been wanting to for a long time ... northern Kruger, Venda, Musina and more.

Oct 4, 2008

Photos: 180

Nitza Family Visit

Brandon's field trip to Mapungubwe, Rachel's sewing day, the Nitza family's visit, Khutso, Caden, dinner with Jess's mom and sister

Sep 22, 2008

Photos: 42

September 2008

Nothing real big going on this month, but we do have some random photos to share. We went to SA18's PST, saw a lot of dust, and Rachel visited the local hospital to do some research.

Sep 21, 2008

Photos: 35

Jana's Wedding

Jana's wedding, our fourth anniversary, and yoga and dancing with the PGC

Aug 23, 2008

Photos: 28

Niebauers in Africa

Rachel's parents, Jerry and Rosy Niebauer, came to visit for 11 days. We had a wonderful time and now have a lot of photos to show for it (over 10,000). After several hours of sorting and sorting and sorting, we narrowed things down to 250. What a task!! Our trip included St. Lucia, Swaziland, Kruger National Park, Blyde River Canyon, Hazyview, and much more. (Many of the photos in this gallery were taken by Jerry and Rosy!)

Aug 14, 2008

Photos: 250

Cape Town Trip

We traveled with our good friends Paul and Jess Vig down to Cape Town.

Jul 7, 2008

Photos: 198

COS Conference

The last days at site leading up to our COS Conference in Pretoria

Jun 25, 2008

Photos: 36

Meet the Student Councils

Here are some photos of our student council kids in front of their houses. You can see the variety of houses that these kids live in. Some of our best and smartest kids live in one room tin shacks with their entire family ... a reminder of the poverty that is still overwhelming here.

Jun 4, 2008

Photos: 8

Selling in the Village

We had another busy week: PGC, PBC and then a day of selling beads and jewelry in the village.

Jun 4, 2008

Photos: 65

End of May

May 20, 2008

Photos: 50

AIDS Candlelight Memorial

We had another week of clubs that ended in a special gathering on Sunday night for the "International AIDS Candlelight Memorial".

May 12, 2008

Photos: 52

Normal Club Routine

We are finally back into a routine with the clubs. We had all three of them this week and all went very well.

May 8, 2008

Photos: 48

Back to Clubs

Rachel had her PGC Student Council girls over to help make candles, she had a PGC Leader Training, we took all 50 of our kids up the mountain ... and then we went to Paul and Jess's for a weekend with some other PCVs.

Apr 23, 2008

Photos: 48

Ryan's Trip #1

Brandon's brother Ryan came to visit for two weeks and we did a 7000 kilometre road trip through South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia. This is the first set of photos.

Apr 8, 2008

Photos: 100

Ryan's Trip #2

Here's the second set of photos.

Apr 8, 2008

Photos: 100

Ryan's Trip #3

And here's the last set of photos from his trip.

Apr 8, 2008

Photos: 100

Student Councils

Rachel held a PGC leaders meeting, we had the club kids fill out a questionnaire and we spent an afternoon with our Student Councils.

Mar 19, 2008

Photos: 35

At the Farm

Some photos from the village and then a day we spent with friends, Chanda and Jacobus, at their family farm.

Mar 15, 2008

Photos: 44

Fun at Home

We've been having some memorable moments this week at home, connecting with our family. We also had another week of PGC and PBC at Klipspruit.

Mar 12, 2008

Photos: 40

PGC, PST & Baby Shower

During our busy week, we had time to take numerous photos...the only one we missed taking was the warthog/roadkill that our taxi stopped to pick up on our way home Friday from PST!

Mar 9, 2008

Photos: 50

Recent Weekends with Friends

We celebrated a February Christmas with our good friends Paul and Jessica, and spent a weekend at the newest guesthouse of our friends Dewald and Erika.

Feb 29, 2008

Photos: 40

Cross-Stitch and Drawing

PGC Week 4 and PBC Week 5 at Klipspruit. PGC Week 3 at Letlamoreng.

Feb 25, 2008

Photos: 83

Beauty and Respect

This week was PGC Sr. Week #3 and PBC Week #4. There was no PGC Jr. this week due to a Sadtu union meeting. PGC talked about "Inward Beauty vs. Outward Appearance" and made necklaces. PBC talked about "Respecting Elders" and also made necklaces and bracelets.

Feb 19, 2008

Photos: 41

Tebogo and Adam

We went back to Ellisras on Saturday to watch the District Athletics. Maam Ditsela's daughter, Tebogo, was running as well as another boy, Adam, from Klipspruit. We had a great day with them!

Feb 16, 2008

Photos: 16

Applique & Rockets

Week 2 of PGC Sr. and Week 3 of PBC

Feb 13, 2008

Photos: 69

PBC Week 2

We had another busy start to the week. We had teacher training on Monday and PBC on Tuesday.

Feb 4, 2008

Photos: 86

Weekend with Shepherds

We went to the regional athletics meet on Friday in Ellisras and then spent the weekend with our friends Stephen and Jolene in Onverwacht.

Feb 4, 2008

Photos: 46

PGC & PBC Week 1

We started off the club year this week with our first meetings of the Palala Girls and Boys Clubs at Klipspruit.

Jan 29, 2008

Photos: 60

PGC Training & Athletics

Rachel held a training workshop for the leaders of her current PGC and the new one she is starting this year. We also had Athletics (track) this week at school, which is one of the biggest events of the year.

Jan 10, 2008

Photos: 35

Mom & Dad's Visit

Jeff & Nancy (Brandon's parents) visited us for two weeks and we did an amazing road trip throughout South Africa and Swaziland.

Jan 4, 2008

Photos: 327

Journey to the Summit

Ben & Susie came over for the weekend and we had a great time. On Sunday we hiked up our mountain, but for the first time, went all the way to the top. As you can see from the photos, it was an exciting adventure!

Dec 13, 2007

Photos: 40

School Break

School is out for over a month now. It's the middle of the summer and we are trying to find ways to keep busy.

Dec 5, 2007

Photos: 49

Morning Hike

We got up early and went for some morning exercise with some of our friends in the village.

Nov 26, 2007

Photos: 27

Meet Happy

This is Matome's little brother, Happy. We discovered he has a few different personalities. What a perfect subject for the camera!

Nov 24, 2007

Photos: 23

Kgonyane Family Day

We had Thanksgiving at our place with Paul and Jess, and then our host family had a huge family gathering over the weekend.

Nov 23, 2007

Photos: 65

PGC Awards Ceremony

The 2007 Palala Girls Club year came to an end with the big celebration and awards ceremony at Klipspruit. The whole community was invited and there was a great turnout to support the girls. It was a great time!!

Nov 13, 2007

Photos: 48

Ben & Susie's

We went to Ben and Susie's house in Abbotspoort on Friday night. They are our second closest volunteers. Their village is about 30 minutes away.

Nov 13, 2007

Photos: 24

Love Life Games

We went to neighboring village, Seleka, where our friends Paul and Jess live to help out and participate in the Love Life Games.

Nov 11, 2007

Photos: 24

Final PGC & Pension Sale

The PGC girls had their final club meeting at which they learned about personal hygiene and made Boo Boo Bunnies. The PGC also set up a display at pension in the village to sell their duplicate crafts projects from the year.

Oct 28, 2007

Photos: 67

RWC & MST

Paul & Jessica came to stay the night in our village, we went to Stephen & Jolene's house for the Rugby World Cup, we had our MST (Mid-Service Training) in Rustenburg ... then ended our journey at Paul & Jess's house for another night on the way home.

Oct 28, 2007

Photos: 37

Ben's Birthday Party

Ben's birthday weekend in Ga-Seleka and the Palala Girls Club during physical fitness week.

Oct 16, 2007

Photos: 21

Keeping Busy

Sports day at Klipspruit, Rachel's embroidery weekend in Pretoria and the PGC digging a garden at Klipspruit.

Oct 9, 2007

Photos: 42

Pizza and PGC

Making pizza with Maam Ditsela and her family, the PGC working on crocheting scarves, and the beginning of the school garden.

Oct 2, 2007

Photos: 30

The Fouries

We went to Pretoria for the swearing-in of the new volunteers. Then we spent the weekend at Pieter and Denise Fourie's house. There are also some photos from home and Tshepo's birthday.

Sep 23, 2007

Photos: 52

Village Photo Day

We spent a morning just walking around Klipspruit and taking photos.

Sep 15, 2007

Photos: 27

More Than PGC

Sewing coin purses at Palala Girls Club and some other random things including morning exercise at school.

Sep 12, 2007

Photos: 24

Reservoir and PGC9

We took a walk up our "mountain" to the new reservoir/dam that is being built. Also, girls club did "Cookies in a Jar" this week.

Sep 3, 2007

Photos: 27

PGC Week 8

Sewing baby bibs at PGC.

Aug 30, 2007

Photos: 21

SA16 PST

We went to help with the training of the new group of volunteers to South Africa. They are the 16th group, and so we refer to them as SA16. We are part of SA15.

Aug 25, 2007

Photos: 24

Thanksgiving

Aug 15, 2007

Photos: 65

PGC Week 7

The girls finished their quilting project this week at PGC. They learned a lot about HIV/AIDS and then we had a photo shoot outside with the finished quilt.

Aug 8, 2007

Photos: 24

Village Wedding

One of our neighbors had a wedding at their house over the weekend. We didn't know the bride or groom, but you wouldn't know it by the photos. We're like village celebrities. Everyone wants us in their photos :)

Aug 5, 2007

Photos: 21

PGC Week 6

The beginning stages of the HIV/AIDS quilt project with the PGC, and a random picture of the Grade R class at Klipspruit.

Aug 3, 2007

Photos: 20

PGC Week 5

Pen-pal party at the house, making earrings at the PGC, and other pictures of our host family and friends.

Jul 23, 2007

Photos: 35

Chuck & Mike's Visit

Chuck and Mike came for 10 days and we did an awesome trip around the Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and KZN Provinces ... even hitting Swaziland along the way.

Jul 14, 2007

Photos: 111

PE and Lesotho

We took a wild 6-day roadtrip with Rachel's roommate from Taylor, Rachel Oliver-Stevenson, and her husband Micah. We saw Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Jeffrey's Bay, Grahamstown, Addo Elephant Park, Lesotho and Bloemfontein ... Micah and Brandon bungee jumped from the world's highest, the Bloukran's Bridge, and we rode ponies in the mountains of Lesotho. It was an awesome trip!!

Jun 18, 2007

Photos: 82

Family and PGC4

Cats, goats, family and the Palala Girls Club Week 4

May 28, 2007

Photos: 50

PGC Week 3

Making necklaces at PGC

May 21, 2007

Photos: 30

Fines

A weekend in Polokwane with Dave and Marti Fine.

May 14, 2007

Photos: 20

PGC2 and More

Pizza, computer class, Jana, and friendship bracelets at PGC

May 8, 2007

Photos: 30

PGC Week 1

The very first week of the PGC, learning about peer pressure and making thank you cards.

Apr 23, 2007

Photos: 30

Birthday and PGC

Matome's birthday and the beginning of the Palala Girls Club

Apr 18, 2007

Photos: 30

Remodeling

During the March holiday we decided to paint our entire house. Although it's a pretty small place, the job was not as easy one!

Apr 5, 2007

Photos: 40

Puerto Rico

We went to Puerto Rico for Micah (Rachel's brother) and Patricia's wedding. It was a great place for the occasion!!

Mar 19, 2007

Photos: 46

Rugby

We have a friend in Ellisras that plays rugby for the local Mogul Club. We've gone to see a few of his games.

Feb 19, 2007

Photos: 27

Parties and Track

Birthday parties for our host sister, Nhlasi, and friend from town, Jana ... also the annual track meet for the area primary schools.

Feb 6, 2007

Photos: 24

IST

Our week at IST (In-Service Training) near White River.

Jan 24, 2007

Photos: 15

Tzaneen to Graskop

On our way to our IST (In-Service Training), we traveled from the town of Tzaneen through Graskop to White River. It is beautiful country over on that side of the country. We also met a guy named Phil, who was kind enough to give us a free ride.

Jan 24, 2007

Photos: 44

Chobe National Park, Botswana

Chobe National Park and Chobe Safari Lodge in Botswana

Jan 5, 2007

Photos: 60

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

We visited the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls during our Christmas break trip into northern Botswana.

Jan 5, 2007

Photos: 30

Road Trip, Botswana

We drove from our house all the way to the northern corner of Botswana - Kasane. It was a very adventure-filled trip, including two flat tires and about 17 elephants on the side of the road. Oh yeah, and pizza in Francistown for lunch!

Jan 4, 2007

Photos: 14

Christmas 2006

Hanging out with Jana in Ellisras and Christmas at the Moloko's house in Matshipe.

Dec 25, 2006

Photos: 28

Summer Break

Hanging out in the village during school break, going to Emily's site for a few days, and going to Ellisras.

Dec 14, 2006

Photos: 29

Brownie and More

Our beloved Brownie, along with photos of our hike to Thabo Mbeki and a few other random things.

Nov 27, 2006

Photos: 29

Mama Tau

We visited Mama Tau White Lion Breeding Project near Ellisras and had a Thanksgiving meal at our house afterwards.

Nov 27, 2006

Photos: 29

Company

Birthday party for Lerato, hanging out with our nearest Peace Corps Volunteers (Becca, Alicia and Melissa) and other pictures from the house.

Nov 14, 2006

Photos: 29

The Mountain

Hiking the mountain (hill) behind our village and visiting a teacher's house in Onverwacht.

Nov 4, 2006

Photos: 16

Letlamoreng

Some photos of one of our cluster schools, Letlamoreng, along with some other random photos from home and the village.

Oct 27, 2006

Photos: 29

Mokwele

Random pictures from home, but also some photos from one of our cluster schools, Mokwele.

Oct 18, 2006

Photos: 30

First Few Weeks

The first few weeks spent in our village, Kgobagodimo.

Oct 7, 2006

Photos: 39

Kgobagodimo

A look at what our village of Kgobagodimo was like for us at first.

Sep 29, 2006

Photos: 42

Panoramic

This is a set of pictures that provides a panoramic view of our host family's compound.

Sep 29, 2006

Photos: 10

Matshipe

Matshipe is the village where we lived for two months while doing our pre-service training with the Peace Corps.

Sep 28, 2006

Photos: 53

Training

We had Staging in Philadelphia and then flew to South Africa for two months of Pre-Service Training (PST) where we learned language, culture and got a bunch of shots :)

Sep 27, 2006

Photos: 23

Training Family

This is the host family we stayed with during our PST in Matshipe village.

Sep 27, 2006

Photos: 26

Brandon & Rachel
photos

Linked Galleries View All

	Paul and Jess photos
	Justin Johnson photos
	Ryan Johnson photos
	Jeffrey Johnson photos
	Jerry & Rosy photos