(Somewhat Successfully) Getting a Grip

NOTE: This post was actually written on Sunday, January 20^th, but has been delayed until now due to the fact that I have no internet at school.

I feel like I’ve been transported back to the first day of college, except none of the sounds around me make sense, and I am sitting in a bucket of sweat.

Here I am in my new house in Orotijtombo Primary School. I live on school property, as do the rest of the teachers here. So after being introduced to my co-workers and having gone on a quest to use the bathroom—resulting in the entirety of the school learning that the American had to pee—I am now sitting in my room with the door wide open, trying to encourage interaction while I unpack. The whole emotional spectrum is whizzing through my body at the same speed and nonsensical pattern as this nasty bug that is in my room.

Honestly, I could write a saga about this weekend, but let me instead rehash in minute detail.

On the way to be dropped off at Orotjitombo, I received a call from my Field Director saying that my room (along with another volunteer’s) was not ready and that we would both be staying in Opuwo, a nearby town, for the night. Staying the night turned into staying the weekend, mix-ups happened, adventures happened, and we made many friends in Opuwo.

The town is small, but has mostly everything you need, and contains quite the array of persons. The area around Opuwo is home to the Himba people, whom you see where ever you go. Including bars. Because the Himba still live and dress in traditional ways, they attract a lot of tourists. So amidst this small African town, you will also see herds of overweight white people dressed to the nines in safari garb, clicking away on their behemoth cameras. Needless to say, the potential for people-watching here is just bananas. That said, I am also a large contributor to the people-watching eye candy. The two other volunteers and I receive quite a lot of stares, friendly greetings, proposals, and the occasional scowl.

Moving on to my apartment. The concrete building is divided into two…dwellings. Homes. Apartments. Whatever. Mine is on the left, and two other teachers live on the right. I have 3 rooms. The first room has a stove, soon to be the kitchen, and the bed is in the back room, which is already turning into a decent bedroom. The only furniture that I have so far is my bed and stove, but I am supposed to get a dresser and a fridge at some point. I also have a shower room, which is basically a small room with a grate in the floor. So, I will be a master bucket showerer in the near future. 

looking into my kitchen, bedroom to the back, shower to the left

The water pump is outside in the middle of the school grounds, as is the bathroom. 

I have to pay for my own electricity, which I do by buying it at the super market and then punching in a code to this little device in my room.

Once I get more decorations, and you know, maybe a table or something, I think it could be quite nice.

Think I’m being very calm? Good. I’m working on it. I was not this calm when we first pulled into the school driveway, however. Especially not after a weekend of wondering WHAT IS GOING ON WHY IS THE SUN SO HOT WHY IS EVERYONE PERPETUALLY ONE TO FOUR HOURS LATE, etc. Then I remembered to go with the flow, and so that’s what I’m doing. It’s helping me function. At least until the next hurdle, which will start at 6:00 am tomorrow, when I start school.

Until then, I’ll enjoy this unreal sunset and eat copious amounts of peanut butter.