I stayed in my village over the holidays this year. I think it would have been hard for me to do last year, to be away from home, family and friends over Christmas. But I don’t feel alone any more, I’m surrounded by my host family and friends, and no longer notice many of the cultural differences that used to separate us. It’s very odd having Christmas in the middle of summer (which is the case in the southern hemisphere). It’s been hot and rainy, with the temperature well into the eighties. It might seem strange to miss snow, but I haven’t seen snow on the ground for more than a couple hours since 2010, the winter before I left the U.S. Christmas carols and other things that make it feel like the holiday-time aren’t very common out here.
The typical Christmas in my village involves weeks of cleaning, moving everything out of the house and cleaning it till it shines. I was told not to bother holding any classes or workshops in December because everyone would be too busy cleaning. For all of December. On the 25th most of the day is spent cooking a special meal, although none of the dishes are the same as what I would usually have for a Christmas (or Hanukkah) meal back in the U.S. It usually consists of rice, carrot slaw, beetroots and chicken. Like most holidays it is celebrated with drinking, which can make towns not as safe over the holidays, but in my village it is fine, though everyone does seem in especially good spirits. How safe I feel despite all of the drinking is a testament to how warmhearted and protective my village and friends are here. Presents aren’t very common, but all the children get a new outfit on Christmas day, which they immediately put on and walk around in groups to show off. I spent the morning handing out donated clothes to the orphans at the community center, very fun. I have to say I have never seen my village or the kids looking so good.
While I do miss home, especially on Christmas, I am happy that I got to experience the holiday time here. It certainly was less exciting and festive than my previous Christmases have been in the U.S. But just spending the day with my host family and friends here meant so much to them, maybe something is missing in all the Christmas hype back in the U.S. Here it seems to be all about just sitting with each other and sharing the time together, it doesn’t seem to matter that there aren’t all the presents, decorations or festivities. Not a white (or even red and green) Christmas, but a good one all the same.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Community Center Opening & Journal Excerpt
This week we had an opening celebration for the community center. And the following are excerpts from my journal.
The opening was a big success! Even though four organizations that RSVP-ed didn’t show. Kick4life brought four coaches and had great activities, teaching about AIDS and healthy living through sports. Almost everyone got involved in the games and had a really great time. We had about 200 people of all different ages come to the opening. And we didn’t run out of popcorn or fruit, and the drink mix was a surprisingly big hit and seemed to make up for the fact that there wasn’t any meat.
Before the opening I worked an American work schedule, 8 – 5 everyday, organizing the library, painting, and cutting, sealing and building the chicken tractors with the villagers. The design seems pretty simple, who would have thought they would turn out to be so much work? And we only finished one of the seven chicken tractors we have planned.
My home-life is going really well, I’ve had many little fun moments with my host family lately, like jumping rope with my host mom and sister and reading Where’s Waldo with my brother. Those every day little moments add up to so much. Also ausi Lebohang is back [in the village] and I spent a lovely afternoon with her, chatting and eating papa and meroho. She’s back on holiday from University, and is probably one of the few friends here that fully understands me and my American life. It’s great to have her back.
I just finished Daniel Deronda, my 57th book in Peace Corps, I’m not sure I’ll make it to 100 if I always pick such long books. And I’ve started running every morning again, now that both [my dog] Makoenya and I are back to being healthy. Although since it’s really hard to eat wholesomely here, I don’t consider myself as being really that healthy, but running at this altitude must help. And people have gotten used to my running and no longer stare in awe as I run past without an emergency or any particular destination.
The closer it gets for me to leave, less than seven months now, the less eager I am to go home. As different as it is, this has become my home. My life out here might be harder and certainly can be lonelier, but it has more purpose, more meaning, and more hard-earned joy. For some reason since happiness comes easier (at least for me) in the U.S., it seems less meaningful. But no matter where I am I know I can be happy. I’ll probably always miss or be nostalgic about some other time or place, but if I can focus on present joys and little fun moments, I know I can always be happy, not matter where I am.
The opening was a big success! Even though four organizations that RSVP-ed didn’t show. Kick4life brought four coaches and had great activities, teaching about AIDS and healthy living through sports. Almost everyone got involved in the games and had a really great time. We had about 200 people of all different ages come to the opening. And we didn’t run out of popcorn or fruit, and the drink mix was a surprisingly big hit and seemed to make up for the fact that there wasn’t any meat.
Before the opening I worked an American work schedule, 8 – 5 everyday, organizing the library, painting, and cutting, sealing and building the chicken tractors with the villagers. The design seems pretty simple, who would have thought they would turn out to be so much work? And we only finished one of the seven chicken tractors we have planned.
My home-life is going really well, I’ve had many little fun moments with my host family lately, like jumping rope with my host mom and sister and reading Where’s Waldo with my brother. Those every day little moments add up to so much. Also ausi Lebohang is back [in the village] and I spent a lovely afternoon with her, chatting and eating papa and meroho. She’s back on holiday from University, and is probably one of the few friends here that fully understands me and my American life. It’s great to have her back.
I just finished Daniel Deronda, my 57th book in Peace Corps, I’m not sure I’ll make it to 100 if I always pick such long books. And I’ve started running every morning again, now that both [my dog] Makoenya and I are back to being healthy. Although since it’s really hard to eat wholesomely here, I don’t consider myself as being really that healthy, but running at this altitude must help. And people have gotten used to my running and no longer stare in awe as I run past without an emergency or any particular destination.
The closer it gets for me to leave, less than seven months now, the less eager I am to go home. As different as it is, this has become my home. My life out here might be harder and certainly can be lonelier, but it has more purpose, more meaning, and more hard-earned joy. For some reason since happiness comes easier (at least for me) in the U.S., it seems less meaningful. But no matter where I am I know I can be happy. I’ll probably always miss or be nostalgic about some other time or place, but if I can focus on present joys and little fun moments, I know I can always be happy, not matter where I am.
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