Out with the old, in with the new...

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So, where do I begin my final blog???

So school ended yesterday for all of the Learners and I was a mess. The kids were crying, I was crying...it's just so sad to think that I will probably never see these kids again! But we really did have a great last few days.

Last weekend, the teachers took me to Swakopmund for some fun partying, then on Wednesday I borrowed my friend's laptop and showed a slideshow to the whole school of all the pictures I took throughout the whole year....they loved it! They were laughing, screaming, clapping and crying!

Then on Thursday, I threw a party for my Library Committee (all of the kids who worked pro bono with me in the library) and the Grade 5's after their last day of finals on Thursday. Andi and her mother-in-law, Jackie, had sent these beautiful beads so everyone got to make a necklace or bracelet with their names on it 😊

Then yesterday was World AIDS Day and there was a parade and celebration in my town...phew!

Oh yeah, I actually celebrated Thanksgiving last week and it was really nice...there were these 2 new Peace Corps Volunteers who just got to my town the day before and 2 new Japanese Volunteers who came about a week before that, so they all had just arrived so I invited them over for dinner. It was the first time I had a dinner party in my room! I think it's funny that the whole year, I was the only volunteer here, and now that I am leaving, there are going to be 4 of them! I think I liked it better being the only one, it made me feel special 😉

So now, it's just time to pack up and ship out on Wednesday. I am going to the beautiful beaches of Mozambique with two of my friends and am pretty excited for it! Just some rest and relaxation and then I'll be home on December 19th.

I still can't believe the year has come to end. A few times in the past few weeks, I literally picked up the phone to call my Field Director to extend, but I didn't. Something is telling me it's time to go, so I am. And as a good friend wrote me, I'm moving on to the next adventure!!

Lastly, I would just like to thank everyone who has taken this journey with me...I know it sounds corny but it is so true! Besides all of your generous donations last year, your kind words of support and encouragement through this blog, in letters, and packages have really carried me through the year. My Namibian friend once asked why I e-mail and write this blog as much as I do, and I told her that it was my weekly (ok, lately it's been about monthly!) "therapy" session decompressing all that was going on in my life and it was always nice to know that people cared and were interested in what I was doing over here...so thank you, thank you, thank you!

I hope to see or talk to you all soon!

Love, Jessi

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Photos

Braii
My farewell party in Swakopmund...we ate goat, sheep, lamb, and pork! I am REALLY going to miss the meat here!

Giving things away
I gave as much as I could away...magazines, sunglasses, t-shirts, shoes....

LosVedis
This girl is great...she has lost both her mother and father, so now her Uncle, who is a heavy drinker is her guardian and he takes the money she gets from the government and only pays her school fees and nothing else. So I gave her as much as I could...

Worlde AIDS Day march
A pastor gave a speech and he was actually very negative. He was like, "I think this is a waste of time, waste of energy waste of money...we keep preaching to abstain, use a condom and be faithful but no one is changing...." It was true but not very uplifting for a march!

Comments

[nikki]

THANK YOU!
thank you for sharing this adventurous year with me! have a safe trip home and see you soon! xoxo

[michelle]

well done!
Hi Jess! Well, I am sure you can't believe how fast the year flew by. You have accomplished more in one year, than some people do in a lifetime. Be proud...we sure are! Hope to see you at mom and dad's over the holidays! Happy Chanukah...you are the gift of light! Travel home safely. Love, Michelle

[stacy]

so proud of you!!!!!!!!!! come home safe!!

[Cuz Jeff]

Incredible
Jess, So proud of you. What an amazing experience. I always thought I was the adventurous one but you take the cake for sure!! Congratulations on a job well done. You are very special and I can't wait to see you over the holidays. Love, Jeff