September 27th, 2015

My final week at site visits was a busy one! Monday and Tuesday I toured the community and talked to most of the key stakeholders. I met with the primary and junior secondary school principals, I spent an hour at the clinic meeting everyone on staff, I visited the general store, post office, etc. There were so many people to talk to! I am gaining so many ideas of things that I can help with and be apart of in my village, to the point that it’s sometimes overwhelming. I am only one volunteer, after all. It’s important for me to find what the national priorities are (which are HIV related) what my community needs are, and what my personal interests and experiences are, and to combine them to decide the best ways to direct my service. Wednesday and Thursday I spent all day at school, getting to know more students, and continuing my tutoring in Setswana by a brilliant form 5. Friday I finished my massive to do booklet with a visit to a traditional healer. He gave me a lot of insight into the history of the village and some of his services. Friday afternoon I attended a colloquium at the school that was in honor of a freedom fighter. Many important people were at the event, including the Minister of Education and parliament members from both Botswana and South Africa. It was extremely educational as well as entertaining as there was traditional dancing and singing to accompany the festivities. Personally, it was also a hectic and thrilling week as I found out my best friend (for almost 20 years now) said yes to her engagement! I am unbelievably happy for both of them and can not imagine a better time for them to start the rest of their lives together. This also meant calls back and forth between my parents and I as well as desperately seeking out internet to chat with my friend while I went back and forth about whether or not I could or should come home for the wedding. I’ve known that this was a large possibility for quite some time, and I had thought I wouldn’t come home for it, but the longer I’ve been here, and the more I’ve thought about it, the more I’ve realized how much I would regret missing such an important day for such an important person in my life. Although we’re still working out the details, I’m hoping in about a years time I’ll be able to fly home for her wedding. Speaking of home: being here, I’m constantly reminded of how incredible my parents are and how lucky I am to have their full support. During our last day at training before site visits, I received a package from them that was filled with Kind Bars, spices, a journal, a few things that arrived in the mail after I left, and a beautiful hand written note from both of them. It felt like Christmas, honestly. We’ve talked once every other week on the phone for an hour or so at a time, and they are always willing to listen to whatever boring comments I have about life here, as well as long detailed personal theories of why things are the way they are. They try to call when my niece or nephew are at their house so I can hear their voices, and they give me updates on everyone at home. With my limited internet and inability to talk to everyone, they really help me feel connected and involved with everyones lives. I can’t wait for them to come visit so I can share my life here with them. It was nice to get back to my host family in my training village and to feel at home. I’ve said it before but I can’t say enough how much a part of the family my host family makes me feel. I had another wedding to attend on Saturday and then a day of washing and relaxing Sunday to prepare for the final stretch of training. Two and a half weeks to go until we swear in on October 14th. I can’t believe it’s practically here already!