February is the shortest month of the year, and somehow it felt very, very long at times. I did reach a pretty big point in my service though… 6 months in country!! Some days it seems like time is moving slowly (normally the days when the wind blows ever so slightly and the phone network goes down), but most days it seems like time is flying by.
I’ve been keeping busy with teaching classes, spending time with friends, planning vacations, being a part of media committee, working to start a garden at my school, and perfecting my weather forecasting (aka judging how much longer I can stay at school on the wifi before I have to make a run for my house before the monsoon hits).
I wouldn't say that it has been an easy 6 months here, but most days are fun and I'm learning LOTS. It's a learning curve that I'm slowly working my way up. Learning local language, learning the pronunciation of some English words, teaching 5 classes a day (and keeping up with ALL the marking that comes along with 120 learners), getting sick away from home, getting places without a car (during rainy season), and learning to deal with constanly having flies landing on me (I don't think this will actually ever happen though). It's been an interesting time so far and I wouldn't trade any of my days here, because the overall experience of being here is so wonderful. Getting to meet people like my neighbor who takes care of me like her own child, getting to see a look of understanding on my learners faces when they grasp a new concept, seeing the smile on a mekulu's (older woman) or tatekulu's (older man) face when I greet them in Oshiwambo, it all balances out. The ups and downs are constant, normally changing throughout the day, but I finish most days watching Indian soapies with my neighbor and her daughter and it gives me a constant that I look forward to at the end of each day.
My main focuses for March are to stress less, have a little more fun with my learners, enjoy time with friends, and explore new places. Stay tuned for next month’s update video! (Spoiler alert… I’ll be visiting a few new countries.)