Okay…so I’ve been waiting for my random thoughts to
magically organize themselves into a cohesive blog post for a few weeks now.
Unfortunately that hasn’t happened. So, instead…here are some rambling, rabbit
trail musings! :)
1) Murphy’s Law of Rainy Season Urination – No matter how
long it’s been since you emptied your bladder, when it starts pouring, you WILL
need to pee. Badly. And you’ll end up in an internal wrestling match over
whether or not to get soaked on your way to the latrine, or endure the torture
or staying inside and listening to the (normally beautiful but currently awful)
sound of rain hitting your thatched roof. Every. Single. Time.
2) Meetings in Namibia can be… overwhelming. I’m not even
sure that’s the right word. My beginning of term staff meeting began at 1:00pm,
just after school let out, and I got home at 6:00pm. Let’s just say, surviving
a meeting can take some considerable strategic planning.
The Sestito Guide to
Nam Meeting Survival
step 1 – Have a good morning. Do whatever you need to do to
put yourself in a
good mood. Listen to happy music, treat yourself to some American goodies (like
Starbucks via!)… anything that will give you positive energy. Trust me, you’ll
need it.
step 2 – Eat before the meeting, even if you’re not hungry
yet. By the middle, you’ll be starving.
step 3 – Prepare a mental list of things to think about once
you zone out.
step 4 – Always begin the meeting with your water bottle
less than full. At some point, you’ll want to stretch your legs… and filling it
up will be a good excuse.
step 5 – smile! :)
3) Shitenges, a traditional cloth in my region are amazing.
I always have one with me now. Always. Somehow a piece of fabric, about two
yards long, has become an integral accessory to everyday life. I’m keeping a
running list of all the ways to use them I’ve come across.
- As clothing. Most women in the village wear them as a
wrapped skirt. I’ve also used mine as a beach cover-up, shawl, and dress.
- As shade. While walking in the sun, draping a shitenge
over your head is surprisingly helpful. Also, if the sun is shining into the
car, you can use it as an instant window shade. :)
- As a shower curtain.
- As a quick dry towel.
- To carry laundry, or other various items
- To carry babies (I thought they deserved their own bullet
point…)
- To cushion your head when carrying heavy containers of
water
- To lay on the ground when sitting outside.
And, did I mention they come in all sorts of awesome
patterns, and cost approximately $2.35 USD?
4) Teaching is challenging, rewarding, frustrating,
exciting, and hard work. Most of the best and worst moments I’ve had in the
past month have been in the classroom. But, I’m getting there. I’m starting to
develop some good routines. I’ beginning to get better at planning good lessons
(that are at the appropriate level for my learners, and take the right amount
of time). I’m doing my best to learn all of their names. And I’m starting to be
relaxed and confident enough in the classroom to have fun while I teach.
5) I cannot get over how beautiful the sky is here. Whether
it’s raining, sunny, morning, dusk, or evening… it’s always mind blowing-ly
gorgeous. Neither photos nor words do it justice. Come and see.
Okay…..that’s all for now. Much love to everyone!
