Challenges

I have experienced many challenges since coming here. Here are just a few:  

·      I cannot roll my r’s! In the Setswana language, you roll the r’s.

·  The water and electricity went off last night. Taking a bucket bath, with no electricity, is challenging. However, having a headlamp has proved very useful when going to the pit latrine in the dark (which, in general, is not recommended, as cockroaches and rats tend to frequent the pit latrines at night!).

·      Dogs, chickens and roosters and donkeys are very active and loud at night. Sometimes, with all the noise, it is incredibly hard to sleep.

·      The weather is getting quite hot. No matter what I wear, I can’t get cool enough! This is going to become a problem when the weather starts to get hotter, as it is starting to transition into the summer months. During the summer (the hottest months occur from October-February), the temperature can get up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (or so I've heard).

·      Communicating with friends and family in America is hard without regular Internet access.

·      Red dirt: It is everywhere, and gets on everything!

As I continue throughout my service, I will add to this list. And, hopefully, I will be able to take some off this list as well!