Just Keep Trying. Just Keep Trying.

This was a really long and at times rough week. I can’t point my finger on why exactly that was the case. After my miserable second week at site and lots of negative posting I am trying my best not to report on bad days (which usually turn into weeks) for several reasons. Thankfully, this week was nothing in comparison to that week. I am happy, healthy, and safe here. In my opinion, these are the most important things in life (no matter where you live) and those bases are covered. There is so so so much good I do not want to pound away typing all my complaints. I am trying to keep those on this continent and more importantly in perspective. I am determined! I know I will suck it up ad bad days will pass.

Possibility Number One: Teaching is a full time job and overwhelming at times. I leave for school at seven. When I make it to school I slave away preparing lessons, marking papers, and teaching classes. At four I either stay after school for my newly founded environmental club or to coach the soccer team (and as of this week the track team). I get home at six and eat. One of my four students shows up for tutoring at 6:15 PM. The schedule leaves time for two students a night, one hour each, Monday through Thursday. And when there is not teaching, tutoring, coaching, and club leading I am attending meetings, sporting events, and accompanying the school on field trips. Before stepping foot in this country I knew I was a workaholic. Despite learning there is more to life than slave driving yourself upon arriving, knowing and doing are totally different things. I will find a middle ground or I will be on a plane ride to reality. And that simply does not sound like fun AT ALL.

Sunday, I am heading to Maseru for phase three (the final phase!!!) of training where I will learn how to write grants, start working on my school library, and gain knowledge to be able to start assisting at the clinic. Translation: more work, more responsible. If thinking about this stresses me out I have issues. I need to decide what is important to me and what I find to be the most sustainable. I already feel like I am stretched too tin consequently no one is getting my full attention.

Possibility Number Two: It is time for a break. I mentioned Sunday I am peacing out of Thaba Tseka for 17 days split between 12 days of training in Maseru followed by five blissful days in Durbin, South Africa. As fond as I am of my district, my home, my family, and my adorable pups maybe some time away will be nice. I feel burnt out at the end of the day and especially at the weeks end. I am going to be able to reconnect with the other volunteers in my class and exchange stories. There will be access to four computers (divided by 29 volunteers) with internet. Bliss. Most of all I am looking forward to returning to Thaba Tseka refreshed, inspired, and more motivated than ever.

Possibility Number Three: March Madness. Those first two possibilities were pretty good cover-ups for what I know if bothering me the most. I am homesick for sports. Most volunteers struggled through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Those days were not the easiest, but I am feeling it now. Each minor challenge this week was escalated by the fact that I could not help but think about how I would spend my time these next two weeks if only I was in America. I would study the brackets, watch the games, and then talk them out with C.D.H. or M.L. I adore the drama, the build-up, the excitement, and entertainment of March Madness. I have officially been gone long enough to miss an entire season of my greatest love, basketball. And it won’t be just this season. I will have to go through this all again next year, more armed and prepared, of course. The best (or worst when you are far away) part about sports is the day of the national championship game the Braves open their season at home. Some people live day-to-day, some live for the holidays, some live by a schedule. I live sports season to sports season. It never ends!

I did get to fill out a bracket. More correctly, I got to make picks for a bracket for my dad to fill out for me. The internet here is ridiculously slow, even more unreliable, and too finicky for my patience. It would let me view a bracket but not fill it out. It will let me upload my blog entries but not the pictures. It will let me get on facebook but not reliably respond to emails. I am allowed access to my gmail account but not my yahoo. It will not let me go to any website that might provide insight to the world (of news and sports), meaning no CNN or ESPN. Who knew how much data all the pages I view on the internet required? And how little capacity Lesotho has!