The Real Peace Corps Experience...

OK So BIG NEWS! I mean, seriously! You all are either going to immediately gasp or just completely fall over laughing. If you really love me then you’ll cry for me…OK not really, but maybe a little. Hahaha I got my 2 year site assignment yesterday….meaning that I was told where I’m going to be living and working for the NEXT 2 YEARS!!!! Get ready….I’m going to be living in Metsebotlhoko which is off the main roads in a tiny village about 2 hours from Gabs (the capital) and probably like an hour or so from the Kalahari Game Reserve. Now, Here’s the thing! That seems cool, in all honesty I don’t know enough about Botswana to really know yet what I would rather have. BUT my program in the PC’s is still a pilot program so I knew that we would only be in 2 districts of Botswana that would been only a few hours from Gabs. A big part of how you learn about the PC’s when you arrive here is to talk to current volunteers…and rumors. We all here rumors and think we are getting information about our sites, placement, jobs, etc….yeah, well I learned in elementary school that rumors sucks and aren’t true and I should have kept that in mind! HAHAHA
I had heard from everyone that Life Skills people, me, were supposedly pretty set up. That I would more than likely have government housing which meant electricity at the very least and probably running water. I was wrong! OK, ready to brace yourself! HAHA I am spending my next 2 years with NO ELECTRICTY, NO RUNNING WATER, A PIT LITERINE (which is cement port-a-potty outside of my house), I’m in a village that DOESN’T SPEAK SETSWANA (which is the language that I have been learning for 4 hours a day for the last 6 weeks), and It’s a 2 hour drive at least to the nearest grocery store. I’m told there isn’t a place to shop in my village… also I still don’t even know exactly what my new language is and I have to teach it to myself. There is now written documentation for this language!!!! Learning it is gonna be a bit tough! BUT there you go. I signed up for the PC and I really am going to be getting the PC experience!!!! I’m one of the only ones in my group, (or at least I think so) that is truly living with no amenities! HAHAHA It’s insane! I’m not gonna lie, I cried! I instantly started to cry when I found that out. Totally cried! Not one of those, “oh my god I hate my life! Send me home kind of cries.” More of the I was laughing and smiling and telling myself I could do this while making jokes about how insane this all is…kind of a cry. I was having a “I’m in shock, holy mother!.” Kind of a cry! People thought I was funny cause I was crying but freaking out and laughing about it all at the same time. They probably thought I was insane…which would be pretty legit at this rate. haha
Its one of those things were its just such a shock, its so overwhelming to have to think of that the majority of things I have done my whole life I have to find new ways to do it. Cooking is going to be interesting. I’m not sure if I’ll even have a refrigerator…I don’t have electricity! I might have a gas one, but I don’t know. It was a huge blow. I feel kind of selfish getting so upset….but the truth of the matter I that yes, I signed up for this and I knew when I did it could be this…but then I got Botswana! Botswana is pretty modern and everything we heard was that like 95% of volunteers have electricity and 80% running water…so truthfully, it never occurred to me that I would be part of 5% that got nothing! There are people here that I’m with that wanted my site and the true PC’s rural experience…I was not particularly one of those people. HAHAHA I was the one that thought if I can help people and have electricity at the same time…that would be amazing! I was that person! I’m down for roughing it, but for 2 years….that’s a long time! Can’t I just go camping when I get home or something instead! HAHAHA

They say that every year there is a PCV that cries at site placement and I was totally that person. Which doesn’t surprise me actually cause I’m crier. I’ll cry at anything! Happy or sad, I’ll cry in a heartbeat! You all know that and more than most have witnessed it….many times! HAHAHA BUT I was laughing and smiling the whole time that I was crying…I think in a total shock. A few people that that I shouldn’t be upset because this is what I asked for, BUT seriously everyone mostly was like, “Oh my god! I would be crying too!!!! I wanna cry for you….you can visit me to charge to phone.” HAHAAHA Yeah! I know I can do this. Its not the end of the world and it’s not even enough to make me think I want to go home…but its just a shock! That reality that this is really happening! I’m really doing this! It’s finally sinking in that I’m here and really doing this! No turning back now…not that I could anyway…but you know what I mean!
My new village has really wanted a PCV and is a tiny village that runs off of solar power for their own electricity…so I think its mostly the schools and clinics that even have electricity. Which is where I will be charging phone from now on…at my school! Haha BUT the chief of the village and the whole village has wanted a volunteer for so long, which as kind of freaked as I am….and as challenging as I know this will be….I’m excited to be going to a village that really really wants me there! I would much rather have nothing then have everything and be in a village that didn’t care or didn’t want me there. I feel like its will be better to actually help change things and be with people that want change and that is way more beneficial for me! I found out thought that I’m in a tiny house but its in VCD housing which is Village Development Committee housing, which is meant for the policemen and court officials of the village and now me, I guess. HAHA I also heard that the chief of my village is really a cool guy and that I’m going to be living literally next to the Kgotla. Which is where the chief hold all of the village meetings and is known to be a sacred place. So everyone keeps telling me that I am going to be incredibly safe….so that’s cool!
The last awesome thing I was told is that I have lions in my village! I have lions that just roam around…mostly in the bush I’m sure but still. So, while I have my toilet outside….I shouldn’t go outside in the dark because of the lions. HAHAHA I’m serious though! Apparently the Chief wants to honor me with a goat’s head when get there, which here is a great honor, but I have no idea what I’m going to do if that happens. Oh lord. BUT all the lions have been eating the goats, so they might not have enough goats to sacrifice one for me….which in that case, I totally agree with the policy that it’s the thought that counts and I’m good with that! Haha While see though…
I leave for my site on Wednesday and stay til Sunday. It’s a trial to meet people, get to know the village and see what things you need to buy for your place. In a few weeks before we really go to site we have a shopping day in Gabs where we buy for our new homes…my list will now be mostly candles. Haha sweet! Haha Anyways, I’m excited to see the place and meet the people. I meet my counterpart on Monday. My counterpart is the person that I will be working with for 2 years and kind of a little bit responsible for me and helping me get acquainted with everything. I have no idea what I have really gotten myself into, but I’m in it….so here I go. Haha This is a bit surreal and a part of me that still has feels like I have absolutely no idea what is happening. That’s probably for the best to be a bit numb for a bit….or maybe a while. Wow! Yep! Think happy warm electric thoughts for me! HAHAHA