I hardly function without water. I unsuccessfully washed my hair in a bucket, completely neglecting the back of my head which continues to accumulate grease and probably bugs at this point. I didn’t want to bother with finding water to clean dishes so I ate an apple for breakfast and lunch. It has been at least two days since I’ve eaten something other than an apple as the staple to my meal.
After Setswana lessons I set out to find an internet cafe. We had a nice, long walk to one of the main shopping centers. On our way we passed a sign that said internet cafe. We decided to stop and ask a young girl passing by. She immediately asked us for money which we respectfully refused. This girl about 13 years old continued to be persistent stating that her mother beat her up, so she needs money. If this would be anything like what we would be experiencing the next two years I will come back with a broken heart. Either her mother truly does beat this poor child or she has learned the most effective ways to haggle money off people. I hate to consider either as being true, but sadly I’m sure it is one or the other.
When we finally found an internet cafe I spent the majority of my 30 minutes paid time while waiting for my email to load and then loading the messages. I could have easily spent the entire day at the computer spending every last pula I had, but I was dependent on my friend’s schedule to walk home. I cried several times while reading emails as I was reminded of what I am missing back home. Little things Sam said like waking up and smelling my hair or attempting to quantify how much we love each other made my heart melt and miss him that much more. I knew this would be one of the hardest things our relationship would ever endure, but I didn’t expect the extensive loneliness after just barely a week of being separated. The walk home was refreshing and necessary to clear my mind and reinforce why I am in the Peace Corps and the positive impact I will be making as a result.
No comments:
Post a Comment