Birthday, depression, and Windhoek

Well, it's been a while since I wrote a long email and a lot has happened. I got two M-bags (from my parents) and three packages today (school supplies from my mom and dad, a package from the old PCV, and a box of stuff from one of my Wheaton Professors-- Professor Wright) Also today they changed my electricity box over to the pre-paid box. I was a little annoyed, but it's not as expensive as I was expecting. I think it'll be OK. I went to the shop and bought $20 worth of electricity (40 kilowatt hours--I think it'll last a little over a week if I don't use the oven too much.)

Last week on Wednesday it was my birthday. By the way, thank you to everyone who sent me birthday messages. My inbox was stuffed. It was wonderful. It was a good birthday and then a tough day. The village was really great about my birthday. They sang me the birthday song in English and in KhoeKhoe (!Gai !Gaxa !Gai Tses.) The learners made me cards with messages like "This flower is very niceful" and "May the Lord sunshine on you and give a big light" Some girls actually came to my door to sing me a song (Amisa America, Amisa ta ge a /nam "Amy is coming from America, we love Amy.") I made myself a chocolate cake and I watched a bunch of Daily Shows that my friend from south of Windhoek had sent me.

Unfortunatly the next day I went into a weird depression. It was probably the most depressed I've been since I came to Namibia. I was at the teacher meeting and I was trying very hard not to cry. The thing that scared me the most was that I wasn't crying about something. It was just culture shock, compounded by over-working and all of the emotions of my birthday just sort of pushed it over the edge. After the meeting I actually ducked into the library to cry. After my first class, Mr. Geiseb called me into his office and asked me if I was OK. I told him I was feeling a little homesick and he said that he thought that was the problem. We had been planning that I would go to Windhoek on Friday to get the new copier for the school and he said that he had rearranged his schedule so we could go a little early.

It was a very nice visit to Windhoek. I got to see Jason, Irene, and Dylan and Sandra. We ate Indian food for my birthday celebration. I got the copier and got it all the way back to Anker. I'll send pictures later. I also got to stare at tourists a lot. I think I just needed to see other Americans, especially other volunteers. It was nice, but I'm also glad to be back in Anker. Windhoek is too fast, with cars and people going every way so fast.

Anyway, I'm back and in the swing of things again. I was thinking about going to Otjiwarongo this weekend but I just couldn't handle another weekend away from Anker. Today I baked biscuits with Ms. Julianne. Ricardo came and cleaned my back yard, but when it came time to pay him something was wrong. I gave him a big bowl of porridge, but he didn't want any. I really don't know what was going on, but I'm a little concerned. He seemed really upset
about something. Anyway, that's about it. Not much to report.

I'm doing well. Hope you all are too.