I can't believe how fast it's gone.

Our last day of school with the teachers and a few of the older students.

Some of my Standard 6 class that I enjoyed teaching in when I got the chance.

This is just one picture of Naledi, the village we spent every day teaching in. This is only a very small idea of what the whole place looks like.



Nicole and I with our babies.

My favorite picture of all time.

Where did all the time go? It feels like we have only been here a month and yet Friday was already our last day at school. It's bittersweet ya know. On one hand I miss home terribly and I am ready to come back and eat cheeseburgers and chipotle. On the other hand it's hard to tell people you have built these relationships with that you are going home and the reality is that you are probably never coming back. We have continuously been asked when we are coming back. The hardest part is with the younger ones because they don't understand. I told one of my favorite kids at the feeding project that it was my last day and I was going home. He just smiled and shock his head yes when I asked him if he understood. He didn't. I think all of us have just tried to brush off our goodbyes and the fact that we are leaving. I just acted like it was another day and tried to enjoy it. It's much easier to just not say goodbye.

Saturday Nicole and I spent the day out at Gamadubu with Teacher Shirley. She is one of the best people I have ever met. The lady works out at Naledi during the week with 40 some preschoolers in her class that she teachers by herself. Then Saturday she goes out to Gamadubu and takes all the food that she has collected from donations and counsels and cooks for these kids. All she ever does is spend her time helping people. I've honestly never met someone with such a big heart. She just takes these kids under her wing and cares for them as if they were her own. She is wonderful and it will be hard to say goodbye to her. Anyway, we went out there and helped cook all this food peeling carrots and potatoes and what not. It was a good time. We are going back out there Wednesday for a big party that is going down so I think we are all really excited for that.

Today we went to church for the last time. We went to the Naledi Baptist Church. It was nice to be able to say goodbye but I am also VERY glad to be done with 3 hour church services for a while. Haha. The kids at school are on holiday so we are doing random things this week. Visiting some organizations about guest speakers and stuff at the school, doing final paperwork at the school, going to Gamadubu for a big party, and then PACKING. It's surreal we are leaving Botswana on Friday. But you ask "Elizabeth, you aren't coming home until August 1st, where are you going to be if you are leaving Botswana on Friday?" We will be heading for a short adventure in MOZAMBIQUE. Originally we were going to spend the last little bit of time in Cape Town. Well after talking to some locals from down there and being reminded of the cold weather...we decided why not try something different and head to the glorious beaches of Mozambique. After freezing all winter here warm weather just sounded so much nicer.

So Saturday Nicole and I were standing outside of the fence at the project at Gamadubu and this car stops and turns around to talk to us. They said they saw "lighter people" and wondered what we were doing clear out there in the bush. We just told them we were out there helping out and told them what we had done all summer. Then then asked us what we learned while in Botswana. I laughed. There is so much I could not even pick out one thing. Pick a broader question would ya. I don't think I will really understand the impact of everything on me until I get back and readjust to life and process everything.

Random:

I never realized how big of a luxury running water is. Many people in Gabs don't have running water in their house and use outhouses. Also, I am so blessed that I have never had to know what it feels like to be hungry. I thought things were dismal at Tlamelo, but then we went to Gamadubu. I left about 1/3 of my food and the kids took it, ran, and it was licked clean in 3 seconds. I kid you not. I felt guilty for eating any of it. Most people here live in a house the size of my family room, and 5 people live in that little space. Having a car means you have done well and are mature and responsible. Life is much simpler and you do not need a lot to be happy.

I am going to miss:

-The little kids shouting my name from the fence when we get to school. It turned into a chant. E-Liz-A-Beth. No, I did not tell them to do that

-Being pulled on from every angle, people jumping onto me, being tackled to the ground, and people constantly crawling through my legs.

-Tabo pelvic thrusting through every class I ever taught in Standard 6 while he was supposed to be writing notes.

-All of our wonderful friends we have made.

-Combi rides. You never know what interesting thing is going to happen.

-Bogamoso.

-Life in Botswana.

-How having food is reason enough to be happy.

-I can't begin to explain everything else.

So I wrote this post on Sunday night....today is Tuesday. There is so much I could say and I wanted to say so I just kept waiting to post it. I finally decided I'm just leaving it at this for now :)