End of Year 1

RANDOM UPDATES

I’m counting the days until vacation. What more can I say? I never thought PC would involve so much counting days and general “survival” but that’s what it is.

Thank God Obama won! I knew Americans weren’t as stupid and proud as we sometimes act. The rest of the world finally agrees with us. I ate the broccoli I grew myself to celebrate. Woo!

Toby, my dog back at home, died. I knew he would die before I got back. I made Mom adopt him a long time ago. It doesn’t feel right that I was there at the beginning but I wasn’t there at the end.

My emotions are all over the place lately. I’m down, then I’m up. I’ve lost all hope that my kids will ever get out, then I regain it. I feel like the oppressor, then I feel that I’m doing good things.
Coping Mechanism 1: Writing my novel.
I’m too bored to do nothing. So I turn that boredom/feelings into a creative work. I hope it turns out to be good in the end, but I have my doubts.
Coping Mechanism 2: Altering my “Plan for Post-PC Life”
This plan has changed dramatically over the last year. It started as extend to PC Latin America, move to Latin America and work, work for the UN, and now its move to DC, get a decently paying job that requires no weekend work or emotional commitment, and write my novel in the down time. I wonder what it will be next month?

The rains came. I’ve hated rain my whole life. But now, suddenly, I love it. Even when the wind knocks out the electricity, and I have to do everything by candlelight. It feels like I’m a “real” volunteer.

LEARNER WISDOM
I thought I’d let my African kid speak for themselves. Here’s what they wrote in a dialogue about Dordabis:
Why Dordabis is a good place:
You can see wild animals.
It has a clinic, school, shop.
There is lots of meat.
Why Dordabis is a bad place:
People are throwing away rubbish in the street.
Big men take small girls.
The childrens are drinking.
The people drink too much alcohol.
Dordabis School is bad.

Here are some of the best Haikus we did in 6th grade about HIV:

If I get AIDS my
mother and father will beat
me. I will go die.

Condom prevents AIDS.
I must go and take condom
If I get boyfriend.

Condom prevents AIDS.
HIV and AIDS can kill.
Safe sex all the time.

I get HIV.
My sister got HIV.
HIV killed her.

Also, some of my more cherished learner bloopers:
1. Werewolves look like normal people during the day, but at night they turn into bohemians. *Correct answer: wolves* (If you’re wondering why my 6th grade kids know the word bohemian, it’s because I was dressed up like a bohemian for halloween—the best I could do with given wardrobe constraints).
2. Americans are used to seeing people of different tacos each day. *Correct answer: races*
3. The kangaroo is a nice animal. It does not beat the white man.
4. HIV attacks your lunch. *Correct answers: white blood cells / immune system*

December is more than going to make up for these doldrums. I’m traveling through Namibia to Cape Town with my mother and uncle. Then, I’m meeting with the girls and traveling across South Africa to Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, and perhaps Botswana on the way back. I’m thinking New Years on a beach in Moz and Christmas somewhere in-between. Should be just the break I need. I've been here for a year and each day the progress is just not there. But then sometimes something will happen, and I'll be like, wait a minute. You learned that? From me? I didn't think anyone was listening that day. Or I'll read a letter the kids wrote, and it will say that they love me more than their mother. Or that they love me as a teacher because I know everything and teach them everything. Oh, kids: I love em and hate em. But when I leave here, I have a feeling all I'm gonna remember is the love.