New Year, New Goals

Happy New Year everybody!

I’m not a resolution type of girl but I do make goals for myself. 2012 was a great year for me and I hope I can say the same for 2013. It’s funny to think that 4 holidays have passed since I’ve been in Botswana yet it doesn't feel like anything here. It just seems like another day and for some reason, it’s kind of nice in its own way. I spent New Year’s Day with my friends, Liz and Eden. It was finally my turn to host a weekend sleepover and it was really cool to host people at my tiny place. I showed them the life of a volunteer (out of school) in Hebron. We walked to and from my school both days to get food to cook, we watched movies and TV shows, we cooked popcorn and had hot cocoa, danced and sweated our asses off, did different yoga poses, planned our travels for the next 2 years, shared ideas of what we’d like to accomplish in our communities, and even talked all through the night, just like our adolescent years. I almost forgot to mention that we were awakened on New Year’s Day by the sound of knocking on my door and someone yelling, “coco” (knock, knock). It was my neighbor who came to gift me a big chicken that he expected me to kill, pluck, and eat right then and there because that is the tradition in Botswana. No. I was not ready for all that at 6:00 a.m. I didn’t want to offend him because I know that when Batswana offer you something, you take it, but I did not want to kill that nice chicken that visited my yard daily. I convinced him that I’d have no way to cook it in my house, which is true, and that it’d be better if they took it and we prepared and ate it together, with his family. He agreed. Whew! I’m glad I got to experience the start of the New Year with new friends and new traditions.

cheesy, sorority girl pose

being weird

Ringing in the New Year

dancing

getting kinky

Here are some goals for 2013 that I’ve come up with thus far:

• ·         See Africa! Take vacation days to travel around Botswana and neighboring countries like South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, and Mozambique.
• ·         Save money for all those trips.
• ·         Learn more Setswana and get a higher score on my language proficiency test. Preferably move up from Intermediate High to Advanced Low/Medium. (Wishful thinking.)
• ·         Really get to know my village and the people and identify the needs of my community.
• ·         Plan a camp for students at my school and schools in surrounding areas with sessions on leadership, substance abuse, bullying, respect, etc. Also introduce them to American summer camp games and arts and crafts.
• ·         Make a better effort to tell the people I love how much they mean to me and that I love them.
• ·         Be fearless of crazy African creatures that visit in the night. (Thank you, mosquito net!)
• ·         Befriend the teachers at my school and collaborate with them on different projects.
• ·         Teach guidance & counseling and substance abuse prevention and awareness to students/teachers at school.
• ·         Be open-minded in a country where it may be difficult at times.
• ·         Become better with direction.
• ·         Eat healthier and do small exercises that I’m able to do in my small house.
• ·         Don’t be so hard on myself.

 Most of these aren't big goals but goals that are realistic, nonetheless. The last one is one I am constantly working on and am getting better with time. I hope all of you are having a great start of the year and making realistic goals you can be proud of! I know I am.