Settling In

Thama!

That is just another way of saying "hello" in Sepulana, a dialect of Sepedi. I want to start off this post by thanking all of you who've left comments on the blog, they mean ALOT to me. Especially the comments from my students back in Jordan. I miss Jordan ALOT more than I expected and I hope the 400 wing is holding it's self together without me. It warms my heart to know that some of you are reading my blog.

I've spent the past few days buying basic necessities for my "condo". I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but that's what I'm calling my two bedroom house. It sounds so much more trendy. I've had to shop for a big plastic bin to bathe in, buckets, a hot plate, an electric water kettle, more buckets, cups, basic food items, silverware, did I mention buckets! Buckets are a hot commodity here in my village and amongst those of us who don't have regular running water.

For instance, today the water was running in the outside spicket so my host mother (whose AWESOME) came knocking on my door to let me know so I could fill up anything and everything I could find with water while it was on. I'm still not sure why, but sometimes the water is shut off at various homes so you live off your reserves or go to the neighbors house if they have water.

I had a great time today plucking my first batch of fresh avocados off our tree in the back. The tree is VERY tall, so the family uses a ridiculously long stick with a hook on the end. You then break your back and neck reaching up as high as possible to the avocados and try to wrap the hook around them. My little brothers and sisters stood under the tree with a blanket to catch the falling ones. The family has a make-shift tarp set up under the tree to catch the ones that fall once they are ripe. The avocados here are the size of a small cantaloupe. IT'S RIDICULOUS!!! I can't wait to start eating them. My neck/back is killing me though (haha...)

I attended an interesting workshop today with two of the principals I'll be working with on School Budgeting/Financing. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of financing workshops, especially when they are in a language other than English. But it was great opportunity for me to meet other principals in my school district (we call them circuits here) so they know who I am and recognize my face. It was also interesting to hear about some of the circuit's policies on finances.

I'm trying to get my condo organized, but it's difficult w/o some pieces of major furniture, like a wardrobe for my clothes. My province's Department of Education will provide me with a bed, desk, two chairs, and a wardrobe. I know....pretty cool eh.....except for the fact that they haven't delivered them yet. Thankfully my host family is letting me borrow one of their beds. I don't mind living out of a suitcase for a few weeks. The key word for Peace Corps Volunteers is P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E.

I spent a few hours today laying in my hammock (yep....I said hammock) reading a book and listening to music. It was very relaxing. Tomorrow I'll head to my shopping town to pick up some more items, like a pot for cooking, string to hang my clothes on in my "condo", an iron, and....can you guess the third thing?....you got it....more buckets! I'm lucky because a PCV who has lived in my village the past year just ended her service and gave me ALOT of her stuff. So she gave me a great jump start.

Time for me to cook "LaTosha's Famous Pasta", which is pasta cooked with random spices until it smells and looks pretty.

Sepela Gabotse Bagweras! (aka...goodbye friends)