Packages, insects, and an essay (email from Amy)

I have been going through the packages that I got on Thursday. I am almost through sorting and entering the new books into the accession register (the kids are raring at the bit to get at them.) I'm still sorting out the school supplies. Someone sent multiplication flash cards which made Mr. Asser so happy and I'm trying to figure out how to sort the crayons evenly (I think the primary teachers will be really happy about that.)

For me, I got about 20 copies of the New Yorker and 20 copies of Time and Newsweek, they should keep me busy for a number of months. The volunteers in Gobabis will be happy about the New Yorker too. The last time I got New Yorkers I gave them to them when I had finished reading them. I also got a bunch of food-- 4th of July candy, good coffee (Thank You!- Nescafe with chicory doesn't do it for me), Crystal Light, granola bars, various food mixes, and Lasagna noodles. I also got some long pants (less useful now, but they'll be great in a few months), and a nice sundress.

The past week the seasons have suddenly changed. The heat has been a little ridiculous. On Sunday it poured for about 4 hours and then it rained again on Monday. The rain started out the biblical plague of insects that are now assaulting my house. It started with the assault of tiny tiny ants. If I put down food on my table for a few minutes it would be covered with ants. After Sunday there were a whole bunch of other things--black half-dollar sized white furred beetles that fly noisily around the room until they noisily hit the wall (they're really stupid), red winged grasshoppers, winged termites, anophales mosquitos rice sized brown beetles that attack in swarms, and a counle of other random insects that I have no way of keeping out of my house. I am very thankful for my mosquito net. Someone told me that they sort of hibernate until the first big rain of the season when they hatch. I can't wait until the 6-inch mopane butterflies hatch

Things are going OK with the pre-paid electricity meter. I've been keeping track of my electricity usage and I think I use about 4.5 kilowatt hours a day if I cook two meals on the range. It costs 50 cents a kilowatt hour, so I should spend between $60 and $80 a month.

This is an essay I got from one of my learners. The topic was "Who is your hero and why?"

My hero is Mrs. Amy. I like Miss Amy because she is speacing English with Mr. when I was visiting him at her home she gave me some food when I was helping him at home. I will be like Miss Amy. She was write people. I was go with Miss Amy to USA stand for Unitet stade of America

Oh, I've been getting messages from Amazon.com and they've been getting weirder and weirder. Before the Peace Corps I bought a pair of Birkenstocks online and a few days ago I got this message "Based on your past purchases in Apparel, we thought you might enjoy incredible savings on top designers like Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, and more." Yeah, nice thinking Amazon. That's just what I need. Anyway, that's about it.

Take care,
Amy