Learning to click.

What a week!

This week started with our new little group, of what I would now call friends, learning how to hand wash our clothes and bucket bathe. Sounds simple enough right? But there is a certain art to these things.

In order to bucket bathe you must have stored water and be ready to freeze.

In order to hand wash your clothes you must have multiple buckets, running water (if not, stored water), special soap, a killer technique and arm muscles. Two of these things I am lacking (I’m sure you could guess which 2), however in 12 months I’m sure my arm muscles will be huge.

Now those that know me well I’m sure are laughing at this point, with the image of me hand washing my clothes, but believe it or not, I am loving it! It feels great to just sit in the sun, washing clothes and talking to friends. Every challenge that we come across seems new and exciting.

— ask me in a few months if I still enjoy this and the answer may be different, but for now, I am enjoying every moment!

Later in the week our language teachers came over. Myself and Abby (another teacher from the USA who I will be living close to) are learning Khoekhoegowab. We call it Quaqua. This beautiful language has 4 extra symbols than the English alphabet and they are all clicks! It is so difficult to learn but so amazing to listen to! After 4 hours of language classes Abby and I have mastered 3 of the clicks and a handful of words. Our teacher Mabasen, speaks 4 languages, which is not unusual for Namibian people. Very clever! I love how willing they are to learn different tribes languages so they can communicate with more people. This is definitely the kind of attitude I want to adopt.

For now, !Gâi tses uhâ re.