This weekend, we returned to Kashoba to film our movie about XDR-TB, Fight Like a Boy. The Mkokos would be our cast. Kashoba would be our location. We were ready. But in order to make sure we used our time to the fullest, we created a bucket list. We achieved far more than we anticipated.

1. Scout our talent in Manzini. (Read: find the Mkokos in Manzini. As we were driving to Kashoba on Day 1, the Mkokos let us know that they were not home as planned. They had gone to Manzini for the to do some shopping (See 2). This would prove tricky for our filming schedule as the Mkokos were the only actors in the film. We stopped in Manzini to pick them up. After waiting near the local KFC for a bit, Mrs. Mkoko eventually found us among the swarms of people. Though Musa Mkoko had to stay in Manzini, Mrs. Mkoko drove with us to Kashoba. We blasted power ballads the entire way, including some moving music by Brad Paisley.)
2. Witness the birth of a business. (Our first day of shooting happened to coincide with a very important day – the birth of Musa & Sons, the Mkokos’ egg business. As we were preparing to film our first scenes, Musa Mkoko pulled up in a white truck with one hundred chickens stuffed in the back. One. Hundred. Live. Chickens. Bought fresh from the market in Manzini that morning. We congratulate the Mkokos on the start of their business! And we mourn the loss of two chickens who died during the journey. But do not fret, readers! Those two chickens had the lucky opportunity to “act” as the main course for one of the dinner scenes. Talk about method.)
3. Experience clean water. (Simultaneous with the creation of the chicken business, a rusty, ailing tractor  arrived at the Mkokos. It was time to refill the water jug. While this massive piece of metal proved tricky for certain shots in the film, we welcomed the challenge. That’s where the fun comes in.)
4. Learn to cook cheaply. (Delicious + delicious = delicious has been proven true once again. Try bread with cheese, chips and some cookies on top. It’s really, really good.)
5. Get a job. (“We need a chicken cage kicker!” Read simultaneously: “I got it!” “I need a job!” “I’ll do it.” “I get to do it next time.” “Want to draw in the dirt with me?”)
6. Interact with the wildlife. (Adri and I successfully caught a chicken and a baby goat. Jared was not as successful. We also discovered that baby goats play dead! They do. It’s quite endearing.)
7. Go to a Swazi party! (Complete with proclamations of love, cow heads on thatch roofs, dancing, and slabs of fresh meat.)
8. Watch as a star is born! (Zola played our protagonist in the film. And he was great. At times it took bribing, at times it took ear plugs, but Zola’s tenacity and playfulness were perfect for the lead character in the film. We couldn’t have done it without him.)
9. Go on an unexpected but helpful fast…  (i.e. return to Sibane with dreams of buffet. Wait a few hours for ordered food to arrive. It’s a hard knock life, folks.)
10. FINALLY HAVE THE SOCCER GAME OF OUR DREAMS WITH THE LOCAL KIDS! MY TEAM WON!
11. Be proposed to. (This didn’t happen to me, sadly. Adri took the cake this weekend. One of the Mkokos’ friends offered ten cows for her! But she refused… she said she wouldn’t go for anything less than twenty-five. Never settle, am I right? It’s important for us women to know our worth.)
12. Learn about the local flora. (Some plants are indigenous. Some plants grow on all continents.)
13. Learn about dental hygiene (Tyson showed us a very special tree. Break off a branch, bite the end. And you have a tooth brush. It’s awesome.)
14. Witness the most beautiful sunset. As we finished shooting, the sky turned an exquisite fire red, pink, dusty purple. The sun was radiating gold. In Africa, the sun is unique in that you can stare directly at it for as long as you desire. I’ve never experienced this anywhere else, but here you can truly watch as the sun sinks through the sky, rests atop a distant blue mountain, and disappears. Slowly, silently.