EXPECTATIONS. I continue to discover that life is not easy here! I keep putting my/American expectations into my daily life, and onto their culture and just don't always get postive results! Some days/weeks it's two steps forward and three or four back. Dealing with internet service providers over bills, scheduling, plans, people leaving town, lack of communication, then add in lack of water and/or electricity some days, dog fights all night, donkeys braying loudly by my window. Yikes!

I felt very sad today when one of the girls said her sister, who is one of my best computer students, continues to be sick after a month of illness. I believe I understand correctly that she has bad tonsilitis but they don't have the money to take care of her medical needs. We forget how lucky we are.

And, I am also lucky to be able to vent to another volunteer who has been here a year longer, who reminds me that many of the seemingly, inconsequential little things we do likely have a much more profound effect than we realize. If we didn't believe that, it would be nearly impossible some days to maintain a positive outlook.

They told us that it could be very likely that our projects would not be able to be completed during our service, and that another volunteer might need to continue our work. I thought that rather preposterous. I mean, two years, after all!! But now I can understand why. Schwia b schwia. Little by little.

Weather is pretty great. Nice warm days, getting chilly at night but not bad yet. It's Friday night and a good time to watch an old American movie on my computer! Then a really good long walk tomorrow before brushing up on my Excel skills so I can teach some of the girls.