On My Own

   Usually when I walk home  from training I'm with a group of about 5people. I enjoy spending time with the other trainees so this is something I typically appreciate. However, the other day we had our site interviews and I was finished earlier than the rest of the group staying in the same neighborhood as me. Initially I was going to just wait for them to finish and walk with them, not because I felt unsafe walking alone, but because I thought the walk alone would be boring. I ended up deciding to walk back on my own because I really needed to wash some of my clothes when it was still light out and because before I know it I will be at my own site without the other trainees and need to get used to being on my own anyway. 

   Walking home alone felt liberating and wonderful. Normally when I have been walking with friends here I have been quieter and will say "Dumela" (hello) and kind of just let my more outspoken friends do most of the talking. This time I was more talkative and felt proud of the strides I am making in learning Setswana. I also realized that for the past month I really haven't been on my own at all. I'm always around other trainees or my homestay family, and as much as I enjoy all of their company, it felt good to be on my own (minus all of the Batswana that kept chatting with me off on my entire walk of course haha). It is a very different experience being the only white person walking through a village rather than one of a group of white people walking together. Even though I came here realizing that at some point I will likely be in a village where I am the only PCV, it wasn't until this walk that I really started to think about what that will be like. I now feel more confident that I will be alright on my own and that it will actually be good for me in many ways. Yes, I would still like to be able to travel within a couple of hours to visit  other volunteers if possible, but I'm also looking forward to being at my site. 

  

And a couple of side notes:

~Some teenage girls whom I met during my walk asked me if I personally knew who killed Osama Bin Laden, and it took some explaining to convince them that I do not! They said they learned that the US found him at school, but they didn't learn who specifically did and they really wanted to know and thought that I may have that answer for them. Sorry kids, I am not that much in the know. 

They also told me I was very pale and that I probably will :get brown" living here. I pointed to my sunburn and told them I will probably "get pink" and wished I would turn brown instead; they laughed.

~ My parents and little brother are amazing! They sent me the best care package ever full of letters, pictures, snacks, clothes from home, and even my favorite pillow case! It made me a little teary when I opened it, but I appreciate it more than they will ever know!

rata care package thata !(  "I love my care package very much"…not perfect Setswana but close enough for me!)

~KShep