Christmas Week

Mira in her makeshift laundry basket swing on Christmas day.

Another busy week with people coming and going. I spent Christmas Eve with my school colleague, Claudia, and her family. One thing I hesitate to share is that I tried one of Henry’s hand-rolled, with a filter, cigarettes. I enjoyed it so much that I must be careful not to take up the habit again!

Christmas Day was an all-day braai with H, the matrone, her family, Sam, Sara, and me. It was fun and casual. My contribution to the meal was lasagna. I learned to make ricotta cheese from the Mali Peace Corps cookbook, found on an online resource that PC provides. It was easy to make, very good, and the lasagna was well received by all.

The surprise for this week was receiving a package on Christmas Eve from an RTI colleague, Vanessa. She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) who served in Namibia years ago. RTI has many RPCVs cheering me on and supporting me but none more than Vanessa. This package included difficult-to-find spices for me, a “can” robot model kit to make with my learners, spice bread mix and herbal tea to share with my housemates, and a bag of cars for Blessing. I made the bread, served the tea and Ester could not believe that my friend in America would think of them and was very grateful.

Oh, we had another surprise. On Thursday evening, two of our Group48 volunteers, Nikki and Dionte, came to town unexpectedly on their way to Okahandja. They came for dinner with Sam, Sara, and me. It was such a treat to see these friends/Namily that we haven’t seen since swearing-in in October. Sara decided to join Nikki and Dionte to Okahandja to visit some other PCVs that are there, so it will be their turn for impromptu guests.

If nothing else, PCVs learn to take advantage of opportunities, welcome fellow PCVs with open arms, and make our food stretch! That’s why we call it Namily.

All for now with all my love