August Break Highlights

Here are the highlights of the August break, reverse order and in random phrase form:


Note: Before break had begun, I chose to only make decisions related to bodily functions (eating, sleeping and the like) – my friends readily made the other ones for me. I was that burned out.


Hiking back to Tses in a dust storm. The Princess Bride in Gibeon, the night before losing power and water. "It's possible, pig."

Sitting around last weekend in Mariental watching old episodes of The Daily Show (btw, Megan's boyfriend is awesome – sending dvd's of Lost, Daily Show, Simpsons, Family Guy, yada yada yada). Watched about 7 hours of Daily Shows from April through August 16^th, causing my legs to go numb and it felt grrrreeeeaaat! Making pizza, eating toasties and truffles.

Aside: Is this a joke ... a movie titled, “Snakes on a Plane”?!! With Samuel L. Jackson?! Maybe I've been away too long, but this looks like one of the greatest movies ever!

Watching High School Musical with Megan, Dylan and Sandra. How good can a musical about high school be? Pretty bleeping hilarious when you mock it (just like we did for Batman Begins - striking fear into the hearts of his enemies ... a bat? How about a well ... why not Well-man?!)


Before my escape from Windhoek, a 100 hole mini golf marathon with Matt, Brock, M-dogg and Amy. I took 2^nd place. It's my first loss on African soil. Burning music and getting cd's from other wonderful PCVs! You can only hear “Baby Don't Go” by The Dogg so many times before you reach for a pencil to drive it through your temple. NBC National Radio has like an eight song playlist throughout most of the day.

Eating Japanese (sushi), Chinese, Indian, Mexican and Ethiopian food. And chilli with real cornbread at the CD's home, before Swakop trip.


To Swakopmund for relaxing, window shopping, sitting on the beach and poolside, sarcastically helping Encyclopedia Brown solve crimes, reading, talking, watching movies with Dylan, Sandra and Amy. Absolutely brilliant! I laughed more than I have in a long time.

Watching Austin Powers 1-3, American Treasure, Shark Tale, Dumb & Dumber. A quick search in Swakop for Wesley Snipes (there for a pre-movie shoot visit). Going to the tourism place to see what there is to do and realizing we just want to relax, with no agenda to follow. Drinking hot chocolate out of origami cups and one metal cup to boil water. Getting locked in a youth hostel bathroom and taking apart the toilet to construct a handle for the door.

Eating chocolate cake, blueberry tart, pizza, KFC, ice cream and anything else I can't get at my site. Drinking cappuccino.

HOT SHOWERS every day!


Back in Windhoek for medical and dental check-up (Aug 21^st or so). Winning an impromptu hold'em game. Seeing The Sentinel in a movie theatre. Taking care of some December travel plans. Seeing most of the education volunteers – yea! People watching – like at the state fair (I saw more cars in five minutes than I see in an entire month at my site). Getting hooked on Lost and Robot Chicken.


A short break, but a much needed one. Ready to take on the last trimester of my first school year in Namibia!