May 2007 Archives

As Brian mentioned in the previous post we’ve been beyond busy this last month wrapping things up in Moleps and helping Peace Corps with training of the new group. We’ve been spending the better part of the week at the training site and therefore haven’t had access to the internet in the office as we’ve become accustomed to. So, that’s our excuse if you haven’t heard from us in a while.

Last weekend I hosted “All-Girls, All-Oprah Weekend” with a few of my PCV girlfriends Kathi, Anne and Erin. The idea of “All-Girls, All-Oprah Weekend” started shortly after Kathi received the Oprah 20th Anniversary DVD collection for her birthday last year. It was only the imminent departure of Kathi (who officially COSes on the 31st) that finally pushed us to get our act together. It was definitely worth the wait. We made chili in our big black pot Friday night and just spent the weekend playing German board games and watching as many of the Oprah DVDs as possible. We even stayed up until 2 a.m. Friday night, by far the latest I’ve been awake since coming to Botswana! (I also have to thank Brian for being a great sport for the weekend and spending A LOT of time in our room playing the guitar.)

Over the next couple of weeks we will be officially wrapping up activities in Moleps and transferring to our new jobs. Everyone keeps asking if we’re excited to move to Gabs and I never know what to say. We are excited for the new opportunities we’ll be getting this next year, but it is bittersweet to be leaving the village life behind. I can definitely see the advantage that our friends who left Botswana had because they knew they were leaving and really had to wrap everything up. On the other hand, I know that we’ll still be around so it’s easier (but not the best practice) to leave things open-ended just in case. The transition is also difficult because you really hope that the next PCV will carry on what you’ve been doing but at the same time want them to have the opportunity to make their own impact and have to accept that some things may go by the wayside.

I just realized this morning that we have to move our stuff out by the 4th when the new DAC PCV comes for a week long visit so my to-do list just doubled. It’s going to be a crazy few weeks. I’ll try to be better about staying up-to-date here.

So things have been really crazy. I am trying to close out things in Moleps, my new projects are already requiring a lot of my time and I have been working with the new Peace Corps trainees a few days a week. I wake up each day not know exactly what I am doing or even where I am. The worst part is feeling like I am failing at EVERYTHING.

I am really going to miss Molepolole and my friends there, but I feel like moving out of the village and leaving the office will bring a lot of closure. I had my last quarterly district AIDS meeting on Tuesday and had the opportunity to give a farewell speech in Setswana. I promised to find time to visit, but told everyone to keep the firing burning(Bagaitso, a molelo o se time.) while I am gone, which is a traditional Setswana proverb.

Hopefully I can find time to write more about my new projects and life in the city. It is going to be an adjustment, but I am looking forward to new challenges.

We will be moving to Gaborone the second week of June. But please update your address books and begin sending any postal mail to our address in Gabs (below). We already have access to this post.

Brian Awsumb
c/o U.S. Peace Corps
Private Bag 00243
Gaborone
Botswana