Reconnect

This week I am at reconnect, which is supposed to be an additional training after we've been to our sites for a significant amount of time (6 weeks) and before we start full-time teaching, but it's really just an excuse for us to all party together and laugh a lot in a controlled environment.

On that note, we're staying at a conference center in the mountains outside of Windhoek, and I literally don't know if I could be happier. They were very right about the ups and downs of service-- a couple of weeks ago I was in my village all alone and crying because I was missing Thanksgiving for the first time and no one seemed to care, and now I am relishing in beautiful weather, tons of great food, hot coffee, hot showers, and spectacular views, sunrises, sunsets, and even a downpour that left a double rainbow as the sun was setting.

Saturday I went to town to do some shopping and eat some good food. It was exactly what I needed. It absolutely gave me a burst of reverse culture shock that I've been needing. The mall here is nicer than many malls in the States, and being there on a weekend of holiday shopping season was more than overwhelming after being at site for so long. There were multiple Santas that didn't pull the look off very well, not to mention slutty helper elves and SO MANY white people. I was extremely uncomfortable being a minority, mostly b/c this country has the largest income gap of any, so I knew that the packed mall was filled with the wealthy 5% of the population while something like 80% of the rural population lacks sanitary latrines and literally has to poop in the bush. It was a huge reminder as to why our work here can be so difficult to accomplish with the racial tensions that are still operating.

Anyway, highlight was a ham and cheese panini paired with a greek salad with feta (!) cheese.  Also, was able to pick up a few things that for site, and on Sunday a group went to see Harry Potter (yes, there is a movie theater in Nam...) I stayed back and nursed a cold and soaked up free internet. It was maybe one of my favorite weekends ever.

Next weekend I'm going to a diversity committee meeting in the city. The goal is to organize a nationwide tour for learners who never get to leave their villages in the bush. I'm really excited at the prospect.

More soon!