Thanksgiving

Although overnight temperatures in the upper 80s usually don’t signify Thanksgiving, the holiday hasn’t passed by unnoticed. School-wise, we’re in the home stretch – only 2.5 weeks until the year is over. Due to this, and the fact that I’m belatedly attempting to save for vacation, I decided to stay put this Thanksgiving weekend. But, perhaps, being stationery is most appropriate because, by staying in the village, I’m surrounded by the people and things I’m most thankful for. Here’s my top 5:

My Namibian family – There’s nothing like a family to make you feel at home in a foreign land. With this said, I’m extremely thankful for my Namibian host family, the Pendukenis, and especially Meekulu. I’ve learned so much about Owambo culture from them that I wouldn’t have learned if I’d ended up in a city or at the teachers’ housing. Plus, they put up with my crazy American-ness, like forgetting to shut the doors during snake season (oops!) and locking myself in my room with a book after a frustrating day at school. Yesterday I was feeling especially festive so I decided to bake a pumpkin pie for them so that they could learn about and taste a bit of American culture. I could only find butternut squash (but it turned out to be a great substitute for pumpkin – you should try it!), and I think my attempted expression of gratitude got a bit lost in translation, but I tried nonetheless.

My colleagues – They make me laugh every day. In addition to the laughter and good food that we share, they’re always there to answer my questions and listen to my frustrations. To an American, the Namibian school system can sometimes be incomprehensible. Thanks to my colleagues, however, I’ve been able to navigate it somewhat successfully (I made it through the first year, didn’t I?).

The rain – In Namibia we discuss the weather, especially the rain, not as small talk, but as a serious point of conversation – and rightly so: after nearly 6 months without a drop of rain, grey skies and a shower can seem like a miracle. My fixation with the rain may border on obsessive; I watch the skies like a hawk, pray for rain at the first sight of a thundercloud and text other volunteers to get a heads up on the coming weather. I even have my own humidity indicator – my bedroom door, which latches when it’s humid but refuses to catch when it’s dry. Unlike me, these goats try to avoid the rain!

My quiet place – I don’t get to escape to my quiet place nearly enough, but I’m thankful to have it regardless. On the occasional weekend where there isn’t a soccer game at school or grade 10 camping, I’m able to put up my hammock chair and spend blissful hours reading in the shade. Books have an unrivaled power to immerse the reader in a different world, and in this past year I’ve gained an even deeper appreciation for the power of literature.

Cadbury bars – That’s right, I’m thankful for chocolate. Specifically the Cadbury Delectable Trio – a milk chocolate bar with toffee pieces, almonds and mini chocolate cookies buried within. I’m so thankful for this delicious chocolate bar that I usually can’t restrain myself and end up eating the entire thing on the day I buy it. Cadbury really needs to expand its American distribution beyond their Easter cream eggs!