And so it happens…summer break comes to an end

Before I start this let me acknowledge that I do realize I owe many of you messages, and they are coming it just takes some time to type letters on a phone key pad. Though I’d imagine Peace Corps volunteers from 10 years ago, heck probably 5 years ago would shocked that we have access to internet like we do.

Anyways I made it back to my village safe and sound just in time for rainy season. It hadn’t rained in almost a week, which seemed to be shocking but that came to an end today. The village is a different place now with grass and ponds everywhere. There was actually so much water between my host family’s house and school that I’ve moved back to teacher housing for probably the next 2 years. I’m kinda bummed b/c I really liked living on the homestead, but now I have electricity! I will hopefully spend a few more holiday with them and make some turns by there on the weekend. Another plus living with the teachers is that I am back to being an adult, and have a bit more freedom to come and go. Anyways it will be nice to be able to walk to school without having to wade thru water!

I do have one funny story from rainy season so far, however at the time it didn’t seem quite so funny. The day started off quite nice and my friends and I went to Oshakati to do some shopping, eat some good ole KFC and just explore a bit. Everything was totally fine until I got in my last taxi to go back to Tsandi and as we approached I noticed that the clouds were nearly black. I thought maybe if I hurried to the hike point to my village I might be able to beat the rain. I was wrong. As I got to the hike point the rain started to come down, so I huddled beneath my umbrella at the hike point trying to wait out the rain. This lasted until i realized me and my shopping bags were sitting in a newly formed river. I made the decision to trek back to the petrol station with my bags because there was some covering there. A very kind man allowed me and my bags to wait out the rain in his truck. He then started to ask me where I needed to go and when I told him my village he said that was not possible because of the rain and he wanted to know where I would go in Tsandi. And to that I had no response because the 3 people I know in Tsandi were on Holiday and no one in my village was responding to texts. If this were America I wouldn’t be too freaked out because even the smallest of towns have at least some sort of dingy motel, but there is nothing like that in Tsandi. So I was beginning to panic. The man initially said he would take me to the police but then changed his mind and took me to the hospital. By this point I was really freaked out and really cold because I was dripping wet and wearing a sun dress, so when the nurses persisted with the question where am I going to stay in Tsandi that night I told them that I didn’t know and began crying. They were all so nice and gave me a blanket and hot Milo. One even offered to let me spend the night at her home. Luckily as we were waiting for the rain to stop a fairly large bakkie stopped by telling us they would be passing my village so I got a ride with them! They even let me take the blanket with me and I was able to return it to the clinic in my village the following week. So this is not one of my most proud memories by any stretch of the imagination but it happened and I was and still overwhelmed with everyone’s kindness. I know eventually it will be another story I look back on a laugh about my time in the Peace Corps. It’s a little bit crazy how on edge you life your life during your time in the Peace Corps and things you would never loose your cool on in America test you to your limits here.

One final thing, after nearly 5 months in Namibia I am going to finally do what I came to do and come Monday the learners will return to school. I returned today for a very long teachers meeting where I learned that I will be teaching English Grade 7 and, Basic Information Science grade 5-7, Art grade 9 and 10 and finally life skills grade 6-8. And my first summer break in January comes to a close.