Ke kopa SUNO!

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Well, this weekend was boring, yet fun. We had such a full week that when Friday finally came around, it was TIME TO DROP. A run down of the week:

Monday: first day of work. It was great and draining and I think I blogged on it...but the week got progressively more interesting. 😊

Tuesday: Second day of work, bonded with SAPSSI staff and students. We had made reservations at this restaurant "Khwest" (which I also think I mentioned). Evening was great. Funnily, or unfunnily enough there was about 5 breakdowns that night- between Dee, Tereya, Sadi, a random Motswana and myself. There is something moving about poetry that opens people up to reveal things that they may not otherwise reveal. Nothing huge- really- just cartharsis galore. I think it was the point in all of our lives that we realized that Africa has been a huge turning point...making us uncomfortably comfortable in finding out who we are by being placed in places and seeing things we'd rather not come in contact with...all the while, appreciating every single second we're able to have here. I know all of this seems shallow, and writing it down seems to ...I don't know... devalue it all? Anyway- let's just say that night was a bonding night and a loving night and a night where we knew that when we went there together, physically and metaphorically, we were leaving together.

Wednesday: Another kick-arse day at work. Christy, the pure-hearted 40-something bimbo that is on our trip, was sick and didn't go to work. She is Dee's partner at SOS (the daycare for orphaned children), so Dee decided to come with Tereya and I to SAPSSI. We were able to give our creative input into some of the projects that were being presented to the kids, but ultimately, the day was so lazy that we ended up leaving work around 1pm. CRAZY!! Our boss dropped us off at "Game City Mall" which is a typical western mall...so westernized that when we were in it, we didn't even feel like we were thousands of miles away. Anyway- moving on...we ate, shopped, messed around, etc...and when it was time to go, we went outside to get a cab. This is always amusing. To get anywhere in the city, you get charged 20 Pula (about $3.25)...not bad. However, when the cabbies see that you're not a Motswana, they want to charge you 30P. No no no. So, we got them to agree to 25 P, haggled as much as we could...so we got in the car and Dee being Dee started chatting up the cabbie. He thought we were drunk (which just goes to show that you don't need substance to 1.feel loopy, 2.act like a fool, 3.make people laugh!)....but we started dancing and singing, etc...he was complaining about the 25 P so Dee gave him 2 cigs and called it a day. He laughed at us and it was a great cab ride home.

Wednesday night: Soccer game party at Attie's, but I promised some of my SAPSSI co workers that I'd go out with them. We met up at a bar called "Pure Drop" in the Phase 4 part of town. Kind of like a sportsbar, except outside there are cars with loud stereos and lots of great house music, people dancing around, having fun. That night I met many cool, very educated people with lots to give but no outlet for their skills. It's a shame when there's so much educational talent that goes unused.

Thursday: Up and to work!!! Ellan, the canadian girl who works for SAPSSI was having a "braai" (pronounced "bry") at her home and all the SAPSSI staff were the guests of honor. 😊 I went to her house immediately after work and helped her prepare. It was a lot of fun because we got to go to the store and buy FRESH BREAD...straight from the oven (OMG!!!!!!!!!)...walked around, went to the butcher, bought the meat for the braai and went back to chill. We waited for the rest of teh SAPSSI staff and once they got there, the party started. Thabang made the "chakalaka" (bean salad...like baked beans only, with other veggies and...lol- not baked. :-p), Sips brought the beer and when Desmond showed up, he brought house music star/musician "VEE" with him...Bose, Jonathan and Sadi showed up a bit later and we grilled out and danced and sang "yele marabele"- a traditional Batswana song that is kind of call and response- lots of fun. 😊 It was a great night. 😊

&NR=1 the dance went a little something like that 😉 lol

Friday: The meat from the braai got the best of me and I ended up having some GI stuff going on that wasn't fun. Anyway- Friday was to be a short day at work, so when I called Desmond, he said just to stay home....SO I DID. The sleep was appreciated and savoured! 😊 Dr.Pillay saw me at my worst, feeling sunken in and dehydrated...but he takes care of us. Anyway- all that passed throughout the day, btu because I was still drained, I stayed in Friday night. Everyone else went clubbing but, this old lady stayed at home!!! 😊

This weekend was filled with chilling and complaining. :-p I think some of the ppl on our trip are really starting to miss the modern conveniences of the States....ehh- I'm over that. :-p 😉 All I really miss is a hair dryer...you'll notice on the pictures I'll post soon that many of them don't contain pix of me...that's because I"m lookin' like a total grubby a-hole over here. :-p 😉

Today, Bethany (an ordained minister and a masters student that is in my program), preeched at a church in Tlokweng (village nearby)...so I went to experience that. It was great and the chuch congregation was accepting and warm. Hilariously enough, there was a woman in the choir- probably 60-something that stopped singing to text!! lol The sermon was beautiful and it was a great time.

After church, Dr.Pillay took the lot of us out to lunch. I had to return the cell back to Tah-tay (which I was sad about- but...ehh), and we had a good time b-s-ing, 😉 My big chest accidentally got into some ketchup and I let out an "awhhh sh*T!", at which time Dr.Pillay just started laughing and said, "I'm glad you guys can be yourselves around me." lol

OK...that's enough for tonight. I'm excited for this week. Tuesday is a holiday and tomorrow Bose's mom is cooking for us. 😊 CAN"T WAIT!!!!!!

Much Love,
~Sarah

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