My dear, beautiful, intelligent, wonderful friends,
I'm alive, well, and as cheery (and fat) as Santa at CeCe's pizza.
I know that Christmas is the time for Jesus, presents, and Mariah Carey, but I'm hijacking it and remixing it with a Thanksgiving flare.
Today I want to tell you how thankful I am to have you all in my life, even if you are at the edge of the world (oh wait, it's ME at the edge of the world).
What would I do without your letters, text messages, phone calls, and packages? I'd be okay, sure, but they definitely keep the pep in my village step. More than anything now, it's the memories. Dazing off in a sea of cornstalks or better yet, in a five-hour meeting, my mind creeps back to senior year of college, freshman year of college, high school, and gasp, sometimes in my dreams, middle school. Wow, have we had fun.
We've had crazy fun. Reckless fun. Drunken fun. Wild fun. Foreign fun. Naked fun? Good clean fun. Food-binge fun. Marathon TV fun. Party fun. Pajama fun. Study fun. Adventure fun. Travel fun. Holiday fun. Crystal Light and Vodka fun. Gosh have we had fun.
I hear all the time that God is watching over Americans. I don't know if that's true but I know enough to know I don't understand how good I've had it. We have been privileged to the biggest luxury of all: time. We've generally got it in spades. Now that most of you have entered the real world, the 'luxury' of laying in bed til 3pm on a Tuesday is no longer an option. But generally, if you need to pencil in a little Sunday afternoon me time, it's there.
In Tanzania me time is forever we time. I'll spare you the history lesson, but African communities are collectivist, not individualist, and it's practically unheard of for an unmarried girl (yours truly) to live alone. When you live as an extended and agricultural family the work is never done. Even on Sundays, cooking and cleaning cannot be escaped. Order a pizza right? Oh, if only. Cooking takes about 3 hours per meal and cleaning is just as strenuous. There is a ritual here of sweeping dirt. It doesn't sound strange to write that now, but I remember being incredulous in the beginning so it seems valid to mention.
What I'm getting at is wow. We have made so many memories! We had the time to let the good times roll. And roll and roll and roll they did. I am literally brimming with shared moments and know that in my life there will always be time to make more. I get pretty sad sometimes thinking that my friends and family in the village never catch a break. Granted, they find more pleasure in the moment than I am capable of, it is no wonder 'take a load off' just doesn't tranlsate no matter how you dice it.
So today, I'm saying thanks. Thanks for time. Thanks for friends. Thanks for all the great things that transpired when we used our time wisely and more often, when we did not. I could probably manage without you. After all, I've taken a profound liking to talking to myself in voices. But I'm not living in a village in Africa to be a martyr. I have no intention of shaving my head and shunning the white people!
Sometimes I have to remind myself that I didn't postpone my life, I only relocated it. I have no intention of letting any of my friendships fall by the wayside. I think about you all often and with so much happiness. For living in the bush, I'm pretty persisent about communication. Even if you want to make a sneaky exit from my life, I won't let you! But that's not going to happen right?
Wherever you are and whoever you're with, happy holidays. Take it all in and enjoy. While I might be killing my dinner on Christmas Eve (and wouldn't have it any other way), I'll be thinking about every one of you. But in case I forget, you should probably give me a call to remind me of your name.
Here is a big hug for all of you. Cheers to friends!
Your pal,
Kate
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You are wonderful Kate! Happy Hannukah to you! I love you and miss you lots.
ReplyDeleteHOW MUCH DO I LOVE YOU. More than you know. We think about you all the time . Paps and I are always telling Katie stories..People look at us in wonder..our baby so far away..keep those locks growing..use a sharpe blade on your goose at Christsmas and and most important..be safe. Hugs from your Momma
ReplyDeleteWow, extremely profound and meaningful holiday reflections, thank you. I can only add this, made possible because I'M taking some "time", namely, I perused YouTube and looked at the words to Coldplay's "Viva La Vida". First of all, you're in there (missionary's), but I was struck by the refrain "that was when I ruled the world". Talk about the ultimate sarcasm. No one can even come close to ruling the world, or events, or circumstances around us. Kate, you hit the nail on the head. Take care, and budget some time to tell us all about it when you can.
ReplyDeleteHappy Hannukah,
Tom
Happy Hanukkah my sweet little sister!! I am sending out a package...hope it gets there by your birthday!! You amaze me every single day. Love you!! Marcy
ReplyDeleteSo I was having my vaccinations done for my upcoming trip to South Africa in Feb (I grew up in SA- lived there for 18 years) when the RN (at UM in Ann Arbor) told me about your blog and I just had to google it. It's a great little blog. Your stories are very neat and what you are doing is very cool.
ReplyDeleteTip: If you want to prevent further theft perhaps get a snake warning sign in whatever local languages they speak there with the symbol and that might help. (Unless they keep snakes there as pets- which I doubt.)
In SA, many people put that on their front doors or house windows (and even cars) to prevent theft and break ins. On that note: my sisters designer jeans that I send to her was stolen off her clothing line too! How annoying! The black community in SA is quite phobic of snakes- they consider it to be associated with the devil. (not to be steotypical- it's a fact)
You could alternatively make reference to having a "tokkeloshy" in your house. I don't know if you have ever seen black families homes during your travels- ever notice that their beds are elevated with huge bricks? That's to protect them from the "tokheloshie", not for decor purposes. Here is the actual definition of one: "The Tokkelosh is described as a short, naked, hairy, black man – or rather half man, half animal. A close resemblance to a Cape Baboon. It supposedly has a face that could either be that of a man or of a monkey. Although he is predominantly covered with hair, he is often described with a beard. His hands and feet are exceptionally big. His genitals are also unusually large – sometimes ridiculously so. His scrotum (and testicles) are often described as so big that he can carry it over his shoulder. (From this his Zulu name “tikolôsj” that actually translates to “Bag-carrier”.)
Other sightings include attributes like the ability to make himself invisible by putting on a hat. There are also legends where he pretended to be human – by hiding under clothes and actually helped people to complete tasks, such as difficult manual labor, but that is about as positive as the descriptions go. He is known to suck the milk from the udders of cows. He is also the messenger for witches and sorcerers (sangomas). He would be the one to deliver a message from the “masters of the dark art” and even deliver illnesses that in many cases cause death.
The Tokkelosh is also a brutal killer. He would kill his victims with his bare hands, breaking their necks and leaving them with faces looking back."
It's quite funny but even the mention of the tokkelosh makes the people who believe in it run and cover their ears.
Keep up the good work!
Hey Kate, it's Christmas day over here in the States, and I know you are Jewish and all, but Merry Christmas! I am thinking about you today and all the great work you are doing. Love you.
ReplyDeleteSaw your picture with a group of your friends on another blog...It was late here and when I saw you I started to sob..I had a sad Katie moment..You look so good and soooo happy..did the hair get done like your old rose do??Miss you oodles. All the kids are on the way over for a wil night of Chanukah. BUBBIE AND ZADIE STYLE..BE SAFE..LOVE YOU
ReplyDeleteHey Lil Sis~ you have become quite introspective! We miss you and talk about your recent adventures to all that will listen...Happy New Year!!! xoxoxox Barney & Gang
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