Perks

Hitchhiking on a cold day!

You can immediately spot the lekgoa by the backpack and number of bags he/she carries.

So glad I can actually post a blog without it taking 30 minutes to load!

I am here at the Botswana Police College/International Law Enforcement Academy in Otse! It is a really nice facility. That or I just haven't gotten to experience first world perks in a while and it is amazing! I will never be ungrateful for it ever again. By first world perks I mean actual toilets, electricity, running water, etc. Also, when I found out we were staying here for In-Service Training and that my (OWN) room had air conditioning, I cried a little bit. Not gonna lie.

I've had some struggles here lately, physically and emotionally. Although I won't go into detail about it all because I'd like to stay positive, I will assure you I am okay. I've been down lately and also missing a lot of people and experiencing some devastating things in my village and it's been rough. But today I talked to different people here, at the college, from countries all over Africa and all over the world and it was really nice. Tonight, the weather felt great and I talked with friends and they really helped to reassure me that crying and feeling sorry for myself is just stupid because I could be using that time enjoying their company and enjoying the perks that Africa and life have to offer. As I sat with a friend tonight on a veranda I realized how beautiful life was: the sky, the birds flying overhead, the wind as it shook the leaves of the palm trees (palm trees! I know, right?!)...I noticed every detail. I spoke to a Motswana man and he was very excited to learn that the Peace Corps was staying at the academy. He told me about a married couple he remembered from the Peace Corps who taught at his Junior Secondary school. He told me about the subjects they taught, how it must have been well over 20 years now, and how much they impacted him and made him want to be where he is today...and then everything was okay. All of this past weeks' problems slowly faded away. I hope to make an impact like that married couple did for this gentleman. With everything that happened recently I still remember why I came to Botswana. There will never be a day I won't be able to handle because when I am going through these emotions I know it will soon past. There are always days that make me realize I am strong and I can do anything and those days somehow come right after I've had bad ones, luckily.

Although I will probably cry when I leave the college on Saturday (bye, bye electricity!), I know the best perks in life are not luxuries like air conditioning, internet, and nice accommodations; the best perks are the ones that make you feel alive. The ones that make you stay humble and appreciate the simplicity of a nice summer night or a good friend you can talk to. The ones that assure you that life is beautiful and everything really will be okay...even if you have to roll with the punches first.