Home, sweet home

Well folks…false alarm. Last night, just as we were finally settling into the idea of traveling to Tsumeb, the power came back on! So this afternoon I headed back to my village.

I have to say, although the idea of staying in a nice a lodge for a few nights, ordering cool drinks and pizza, and swimming in the pool was beginning to sound appealing, being back at my village only solidifies in my mind how happy I am to be living here. I just finished unpacking some groceries, doing a little laundry, playing with my puppy, and eating a delicious calzone with a nalgene full of peach iced tea (thanks Deedee!). Tomorrow I’ll start teaching! I’m really excited to start getting to know my learners!

One of the things I forgot to write about last post was the flag hoisting I went to on Sunday. It’s a traditional event in my region that takes place one week before a wedding. The bride and groom are both somehow related to my principal (on different sides of the family!) so when he offered to bring me, I jumped at the chance! At a flag hoisting, money is collected for the couple, placed in a metal box, and then put in deep hole in front of their house. When everything is ready, family members carry a white flag on a long pole, amidst singing, clapping and dancing. The flag is then hoisted into the hole, everyone cheers, and the celebration begins! The flag stays there for one year, signifying a newly married couple, and on their first anniversary, the couple is allowed to dig up the money. It’s a really fun tradition! Then there are speeches and songs prepared by friends and family, food and champagne, followed by a dance party. I got to meet a lot of people, make them laugh as I practiced my Rukwangali, and then laugh even harder as I attempted to dance… all together, a great evening! The wedding is Saturday, so I’m looking forward to another day of cultural learning :)

Hope everyone is doing well stateside! I’ll keep you posted about my first couple of days teaching!