Inauguration of an Icon

My ten year old host brother came up to me the other day as I was sitting outside on my "stoop" reading a book. This wasn't unusual, b/c lately my three younger host brothers/sister have become more at ease around me, and often come sit with me as I read outside. Anywho....that day my ten year old brother sat down and said (in Sotho of course) "Barack Obama, Tuesday". After my usual 30 second look-of-confusion-pause, I realized what he was saying and I just started grinning. I said (in my broken but quickly improving Sotho), "WHAT!?!?" He said it again, and I knew I heard right the first time. I asked him how he knew, and he said he saw an "advert" (what they call commercials or any advertisement) on TV.

The fact that this ten year old village boy who barely speaks a work of English knew Tuesday was a big day for Barack Obama blew my mind away; but, more so, spoke to the magnitude of this icon and this mounmental moment in America's (as well as the world's) history!

Tonight I'll watch the Inaguration with another PCV and her South African family. The pride felt here, by Blacks, for Obama is amazing. It almost makes up for me missing all the festivites back home. I think alot PCVs are more homesick now than we were around Christmas b/c so many of our friends and family are participating in activites and events in celebration of the Inaguration. Its difficult b/c we're missing out on something so big; but then again, I get the opportunity to experience the reactions of this event in a completely unique environment.

Today is a GREAT day! Its raining, and I'll probably get all muddy and wet on the 20 minute walk to my main primary school, where I'll give a library orientation to Grade 7 learners. And I'll more thank likely struggle through the entire lesson like yesterday b/c of the language barrier/ shyness of the students/students' having difficulty expressing their opinions and/or thoughts. But none of that matters....

I'm walking on @$%# clouds today!