Monday, December 30, 2013

Dec 16th-22nd Week 19: A Narration of a Pleasant Afternoon

This time of year is called the festive season, which makes me happy and feels fitting to the mood around the village. Moshana is filling up with all the family members who work in other parts of the country but are coming home for the holidays.


Some days are long and challenging but then other days make it all worth it. It was rainy and cool the other day so I spent the morning with a cup of tea and being productive typing up a report. Then I went over to a friends house where I taught her kids some yoga, shelled peanuts and I tried to explain American Baseball and became nostalgic for a past that I don’t really have, drank coffee, and discussed Motswana dating practices. Then she showed me how to eat a “prickly pear” the fruit from the cactus, which may also be in the States but not where I am from so it was quite exciting. I then went to another friends house and on the way ran into some of my running buddies who regardless of the fact that I was not running ran at me gave me a big group hug and we then promptly ran down the middle of the road and I felt like there was some epic movie music playing in my head as the breeze caught my hair. Moments later this image was shattered by the fact that there was a combi behind us trying to get by haha but the kids still loved it. Upon arriving at my friends house I came across my two favorite three year olds who I was concerned were mistreating each other since one had a rope in his mouth and was running while the other was holding the edge of the rope. I then quickly realized that this was in fact a game between two consenting parties and was a simulation of a donkey cart, genius. My friend was plaiting her sisters hair as her seven month old son was sitting on a mat patting his belly. He was doing this in the most jolly way making himself laugh every time. I was reminded that we have so much to learn from children particularly about joy. My friend then shared dinner with me giving me a traditional vegetable that they picked from the bush and paleche, which dare I say it, I think I am starting to like. The vegetable is called tepe and to an untrained eye (aka mine) it looks like a weed. Paleche is one of the staple foods here and is a porridge made of finely ground maize meal.

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