Home for the Holidays

So I survived the long trek home and back... even with the week of travel it took to get there and back I am so glad I got to go home and see my family. It was a crazy, busy,relaxing, fun time with my family and friends and I would not have wanted to spend my holidays any other way. I did a lot of traveling around FL and made it up to South Carolina. The weather was cold but I have already forgotten how cold since it is hot and humid back on this side! Tank tops and skirts are back again! A lot of people went out of their way to make a special trip to see me and I can not express how grateful I am to those people. I am so lucky to have such great friends who I love unene!! I did learn when I was home a few things... 1. people can not read Rukwangali (roo-kwan-gal-e) so I am going to phonetically spell out my words from now on so hopefully this will help you. 2. Now matter how far or long I have been away some things will never change. 3. The Beer is so much better on that side!!

Some fun events that made going home special...

1. Getting off the plane to my dad telling me I need to keep up with the music scene because there are some good songs that I am missing!

2. My first American beer at Sticky Fingers and me grossing my family out at the table when I licked Ketchup from the table...some things in life you just don't waste!

3. My "last" Christmas with the Cherrys... I promise you will get a year off from me NEXT year!

4. My friends from GA driving 4 hours (both ways!) to come visit me for a few hours. Charlotte, Jenny, Kristen, Stephen and Mrs.Young...That meant the world to me to get to see you guys and I can not thank you enough. You guys are the best friends a girl could ask for!

5. All the yummy home cooked food (thanks Aunt Gladney, Maria, Mom and Jenn)I think I will have to fast for the next two weeks to detox from American cooking!

6. Dinner at Dragonfly (YUM!) with some of my college friends and my favorite old students! THANKS FOR COMING OUT GUYS I LOVED SEEING YOU!!

7. Jenn putting the bag of marshmallows on the oven and them getting melted to the door!!! CLASSIC!

8. Mom giving me a big butt jar of change she has collected with Maria for the past year... thanks for the $88 bucks please keep collecting!

9. Seeing Mimi in the nursing home looking happy and alert! She remembered me, always a plus!

10. Sitting on the couch with Amanda, Justin and Chris cracking me up... man I miss long practice days with you guys!

11. Watching a live GATOR FOOTBALL GAME!!!!

12. The oyster roast and starting the fire "all by myself" (the logs were wet it was not my fault!)

13. Being able to watch Urban Meyer change his mind 50 times on LIVE TV!!

14. Spending time with the Castanoody's in the car... "He is a D something, something K" - Johnny "I see" -Jamie :) "You are getting my daughter is going to listen to Bob Marley, that is scary" - Jamie "That is great"- Me

15. Not being able to stay up until midnight on New Years... WOW that will have to change I am only 23!!

16. Drinking FIREFLY when ever I got the chance!! YUM,YUM,YUM!!

17. Driving a car to Gainesville for the day all by myself!!

18. Eating everything on my "I want to eat when I get home list" (thanks for everyone who helped me complete that list)

19. Ash and Pete's wedding @ the library

20. Spending my last few minutes with my family in a circle of rocking chairs just laughing and enjoying our time together!

It was a great trip home and it was a nice break and really helped me to appreciate my job and life here in Namibia. Again thanks to everyone who I saw and made some more great memories for me to think about on those lonely days over this side.

Thanks even more to MOM and JB for getting me home.. YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

Family Weddings... LOVE THEM!

My last few weeks in Nam at the end of the year were very busy. Somehow my schedule was filled with family events and work events up until the time I left. One of my cousins got married in a village right out side of Rundu(Roo-un-du) called, Kaisosi (Ka-e-so-si), it was a good time. This time no one is my family was in the immediate wedding party so there was not all the craziness there was last time for Aunt Betty's wedding. I will start from the beginning since this time my family took me to ALL of it!

A week before the ceremony...

My family picked me up at my flat to take me to Church. It was a Catholic Mass and even though it was in Rukwangali (Rook-waan-gal-e)I still knew what was going on thanks to the many masses I have attended. I would answer in English and I think my host mom was proud that her daughter knew when to kneel and stand. I am not a total heathen! At the end of mass they announced the wedding of the bride and groom! After church we had a celebration procession (this happens a lot at weddings) to the brides homestead. We got here at 10 and we were just going to hang out until 4 to start the next event. My mom offered to take me home and pick me up, but I wanted the full experience so I sat around on the homestead and listened to people talking about different things. At 4:00 the meme's who were cooking snuck me into the room to feed me. Then we took a procession to the bride and grooms house and hung the flag outside to symbolize the start of the celebration! After a lot of dancing and cheering I went home at about 9 or ten at night. The food was good, the people were great!

The next Saturday...

My family picked me up at 8 am for a day of festivities. We went to the same Catholic Church for the wedding had the ceremony which was a few hours then went to a lodge nearby to take pictures. The reception took place at Rundu Secondary School (I got a little mixed up and went to the wrong wedding reception.. whoops! At least it was a wedding reception!) The ceremony was hot b/c it was in a small room with bad ventilation and about 200 people. It was a great wedding I think the pictures show it better than I can explain it.

Kavango Won't Be The Same

It is already time for the 26 and 27'ers to finish their contract and leave. They are slowly leaving a few at a time. Kavango is going to be losing 7 volunteers. It would be OK if these people sucked, BUT they are great people and have been great friends. Since I first arrived at the airport they have been so supportive and understanding. It is hard to imagine this place with out them. Its like they were my parents teaching me about Namibia and now they are making me fly on my own. To say goodbye to the townies we went out to Kavango River Lodge to have a nice dinner and watch the sunset... it was a great place to spend some time together.

Rachel, Kerri, Kathy and Me

Kerri and I ... I can not begin to put into words how much this girl has done for me!! She is hands down the most amazing, kindest, positive person I know!

One of the best views in Rundu

Thank goodness Kathy is not leaving me too!!

A Proud Mama

I can't believe it is the end of term!! On the 20th of Nov. my first group of Bronze members graduated to SILVER!! We had an awards ceremony and celebrated their completion of the year with medals, certificates, mama bears and cake!! The picture is of my first class. They are wonderful kids and I have loved working with them I can not wait to see what next year will bring for us. They will become the mentors to a group of new learners who will take on the role of Bronze participants next year. They make my life in Rundu so much better. I was telling another volunteer, Peggy, that I can't imagine my life here with out those kids. I don't think I would be half as happy as I am. They are a wonderful reminder everyday to smile and be thankful for all that I have. Most of my kids go with out food, new clothes and both parents to love them, but what I love most is no matter what life is throwing at them they are always respectful, positive and motivated. Did I mention that I LOVE these kids??

The week after the awards ceremony we had a Christmas party with the kids and I let them do a photo booth type thing so here are some of those pictures... how can you not think these kids are so cute??

Thanksgiving Three Times Over

It is tradition to have a Rundu Thanksgiving and we did not forget that tradition this year! There is an RPCV, Patrick, he was in group 12 or 13 and met the love of his life, Terri, and has stayed here to raise his beautiful family. He owns a lodge and hosts the volunteers for Thanksgiving. The deal is he provides the turkey and the volunteers make the sides. We had cornbread, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, apple pie and of course turkey. After everyone ate we played a game of football. I was on team "High Five" and even though we did not win it was too much fun. A few days after we had Thanksgiving #2 where we ate the leftovers...then on REAL thanksgiving we had another one!!! Its no wonder my pants are too tight this week!! It was a lot of fun and it reminded me how thankful I am for the life I have been given. I love the path that I am on right now and can not imagine being anywhere else!!

Some of my favorite girls!!

Me and Rachel with one of Patrick's beautiful daughters, Grace

Before dinner we played at the pool :)

After dinner we played at Backstage!

Not Your Everyday Emily Post

When you are standing in line at the post or at the bank if your phone rings you step out of the room and come back into your place when you are no longer on the phone. You don't have to worry about missing your turn because the line moves so slow you could make 5 phone calls before its your turn!

When you are walking down the road you must say hi to everyone who you pass. When you pass people nod their head but where I nod my head down they nod their head up. There has been some confusion to my politeness because I go down not up. Some people get your attention by whistling, honking the horn or yelling white person. You must always say hello and greet people.

There is a special language here called Namlish... When you talk to people it is helpful to know what these words mean otherwise you might be waiting for a long time or go to the wrong place.

Namlish-Translation in English

Learners- Students

koki- Magic Marker

Silly- Stupid/Dumb

Help Me- Please

Bakkie-Pick-Up Truck

Combi- Van

Lorry-18 wheeler

Foot- To walk

Is It? - Really?

I'm Coming Now- I'm going/I'll be back

Now- It is happening in an hour or two

Now Now- Will happen sooner than now (maybe 1/2 hour)

Robot- Streetlight (Rundu does not have any of these)

Queue- Line

Make a Turn- Stop By

This Side- Where you are

That Side - Over There

Is That Smell Coming From Me?

I was at Etosha National Park with my host organization and while we were taking a break from the game drive the kids got to go into the pool. There were tourists sitting in the pool and asked us "where are these kids from" which started a conversation on everything! Finally, the conversation is over and I stand up to walk away. They see my massive dirt stain on the seat of my pants and asked me what happend. Not thinking how dirty I would sound I said, "I got a ride in a dirty bakkie a few weeks ago and I haven't washed my clothes since then" They looked completely grossed out!!

I noticed a change in myself right then... when I was at home I would wear something once maybe for a few hours and I would throw it in the dirty clothes pile. It was such a waste of washing powder and water. Now I can go at least two weeks with out washing anything. I do the smell test. If I can smell myself I know its time to do laundry :) kidding... well kind of!

The weather is so hot now that I feel like I can never stay clean. The minute I get out of the shower and get dressed I have already started sweating. Now it is just normal feeling for me to never feel clean. Now I know what it feels like to be the smelly kid.