Wednesday 21 May 2014

how real is real?

It occurs to me that any well-intentioned individual or the like stumbling upon this random assortment of ramblings might mistake this for a collection of thoughts dedicated to my Peace Corps service. Though, probably only if they've misplaced their spectacles. I must admit, that while I do expel my frustrations by way of writing, I would never post them, in full, here. 

Or at least I haven’t yet.  Let’s hope I do not reach that point where I get to my passive aggressive meanest and make public my laundry list of vexations. Besides, I share those anyway in the daily morning briefings with my Namibian colleagues — I prefer being courteously aggressive. Not that all of my interactions are aggravating, but it seems, some days, that they slide that way.

That said. We all struggle, and rise to the challenge, within our service in very different, and yet sometimes strikingly similar ways… And one can accumulate a collective idea of what we experience by reading the assortment of writings from the volunteers that are stationed throughout the country; each with different living, working, and societal situations and pressures. At least that’s what I did after accepting my invitation within minutes of receiving it—without bothering to tell my family or friends first where I would be traipsing off to for two years.. Oops.

Wait. No. I staggered unseeing down the hall to A— C—’s office. And possibly M— L—’s. So, I was not completely impulsive in this. I think. It’s hazy. I remember getting celebratory organic maple bacon doughnuts afterwards at Do Rite Donuts..  (Gah, J—, T—, why’d you have to go and get me addicted?!)

Anyway. For those of you who don’t know, now you know.
So. Continue to wise up and feast your eyes on some of these excellent blogs from a few of my fellow volunteers in Namibia. Some are funny, sobering, hopeful, and others, admittedly with postings few or far between.

You can find a few handfuls of them here on the PC Namibia site.
And, here are a few more, but not all, of my favorites to check in on every once in a while..

For the rest… you know how to Google.. Probably.
Unless we’re related and you've exceeded a certain age.
Enjoy the smattering.


Now playing:
15 songs | 54 minutes, 36 seconds

Smile | Nat King Cole
Wink and a Smile | Harry Connick Jr.
Sara Smile | Hall & Oates
Be Young Be Foolish Be Happy | The Tams
Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile) | Van Morrison
Happy Jack | The Who
All Right Now | Free
Run On | Moby
The Happy Birthday Song | Andrew Bird
Smiley Faces | Gnarls Barkley
Just Might Be OK | Lupe Fiasco ft. Gemini
Raise Me Up | Hercules and Love Affair
Everybody’s Gonna Be Happy | Queens of the Stone Age
It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy | Passion Pit
Somewhere Over the Rainbow | Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Please keep all your limbs inside the carriage while the ride is in motion.
This has been the day’s public service announcement.