Here Comes the Sun

(Written 4/28)

If you haven't guessed from the title of the post, the rain has stopped! The dark clouds have literally lifted, and it's amazing what a difference it makes. Yesterday was somewhat miserable- the fifth straight day of rain and cold, and to top it off, I was sick all night. I have never missed indoor plumbing so much. I woke up feeling slightly better, but still exhausted even after 11 hours of sleep. The morning was gray and misty, the type of morning I usually love, but was less than thrilled about after being damp for almost a week. We struggled through 4 hours of Setswana, which is a lot, even if you love languages and have a good teacher, which I do. Tempers and patience were in short supply. Some familiar comfort food from KFC for lunch made things a bit better, and by the afternoon, the rain and mist had left. We sat through a lecture on behavior change models and finally the day was over. Most of the group went to the stadium, but a few of us who were not quite up to playing sports made our way over to the lodge instead. At some point during the conversation there, we realized that it was bright outside, and we could see shadows. Upon further investigation, we saw it- the sky! It was blue, bright, and beautiful. I have never been so happy to see the sky in my life. When it rains in the US, it's an inconvenience, and we retreat to warm dry houses and cars. Here in Botswana, rain is a big deal. Because the country is mostly desert, rain is highly valued, so much so that the words for rain and the currency are both 'pula'. However, because rain is so infrequent, heavy sustained rain can cause a lot of damage. Botswana has done a great job of paving roads, but many smaller roads are not yet paved, and get washed out when it rains. The garden walls my host grandmother built from cow dung and mud have collapsed, and our yard is flooded. Rain also keeps some chores from being done, namely laundry. I can't wait to have clean, dry clothes again!
I'm sure that in a few months, in the midst of the dry season, this post will sound ridiculous, but so be it. Bring on the sunshine!
In other news, I had my first interview with my APCD yesterday, and I think it went really well. The APCD is the person who matches volunteers with their sites, but this first interview was meant as more of a 'getting to know you' session. I'd been feeling a little insecure about my skills and capabilities (so many people here are so accomplished!!), so it was good to go over the experience I do have and to head the APCD say she thinks I could contribute a lot as a volunteer. I still have no idea where my site will be or exactly what I'll be doing- no one does at this point. We did, however, discuss some potential projects that I'd be very excited to tackle- some projects mentioned were mother/child health programs, vaccination programs, nutrition for the HIV positive population, sustainable agriculture projects, youth groups, and library building. These types of projects are exactly what I'd hoped to be working on when I applied to the Peace Corps. I'm not getting my hopes up for anything, but if I could work in any of those areas, I'd be more than content. Discussing site placement and potential projects makes everything feel much more real and meaningful- let's hope the rest of training goes quickly!