The Story Behind the Title

After college my best friend, Liz, and I travelled to Kenya. We lived in a small rural town called Meru (pictured on the right).

When we first arrived we were welcomed with smiles and open arms. We quickly learned that pronouncing Liz's name was a difficult task and she was soon called Wiz by the locals. I was loving this, the first time in my life an entire community could actually pronounce my name and a seemingly common name like, Liz was difficult. As we began travelling into the very rural areas of the country where no one spoke English, it became clear that Shira was not in fact a unique name and several people we came across presented themselves as Shira.

I figured it was not that my popularity had spread, but it was wishful thinking. It was soon there after that I was informed my name in the local dialect meant, Born on the Side of the Road.

Thus, I begin my new journey in South Africa with the amazing, heart warming, and life changing experiences that I left with in Kenya, knowing that this journey will also bring wonderful memories that will last a life time.

Moving to Acornhoek?

For those of you who don't know the story, I thought it might be important to share the details of how I have ended up moving to Acornhoek, South Africa.

Most of you know that I have always dreamed of working and living abroad and my dream was only further piqued when I spent 3 months working and travelling in Kenya.

When the opportunity came to work on a research project in a rural part of South Africa, I jumped on it. Not knowing many minute details, like if I would have electricity or plumbing, I started planning the next year of my life. I asked important questions such as what type of work will I be doing, who will I be working with, and where can I sign up! Although I did just learn that I will in fact have both electricity and plumbing….perhaps I will have a bed too…..I will update you when I actual get there.

I have always been the type to do things and think about the reality of them later. So that is exactly what I continue to do. I leave in less than two weeks and have no real clue what I will encounter, so let the adventures begin.

In the meantime, this is what I do know. I will be working with some amazing researchers from the University of Witwatersrand on a home based health care project in rural South Africa. Basically, we will be trying to figure out what type of home health is being delivered, how the care givers are trained, and how we can improve the care being given. My technical title is: Community Oriented Primary Care Expert. Hope I live up to it.

I will be living 5 hours north of Johannesburg. I am 20 minutes from Kruger National Park and 2 hours for Nelspruit. I will be living with my electricity and plumbing on Tintswalo Hospital premises, the only rural public hospital in the country.

For more information on Acornhoek check this out http://www.kruger2canyons.com/travelguide/acornhoek.php.