Day 24

July 18
Wow. What a day. It feels unreal thinking about it, and writing it doesn't change just how unreal it feels. Today was my last day in Mogobane. There is no way that 2 1/2 weeks went by so quickly, but there you have it. As of 9:00AM tomorrow morning, the homestay will be completely finished. Today was really bittersweet. I am happy, because I know that great adventures lie ahead of me and I will get to see my family in America again soon. This day is sad, though, because I know that I will have to leave my new family, my Botswana family, behind. I really love my Botswana family, and they love me. My momma is the sweetest thing, and she calls me her baby. My sisters and brother always keep me happy and laughing. My father, while taciturn, has really opened up to me, and we really bonded today. My nieces and nephews kept me up and running constantly, but no matter how many times I would stop for air, they would never tire of me, and would always say, in their broken English, "I love you, Naledi." Even Kitso, who still calls me "Malady" (which sends the family into hysterics), will say "I love you," even if he doesn't yet know what the words mean. I love this family so much, and I will stay in touch, and I will make a point to come and see them again.

Me and my mom

Me with Rorisang and Refilwe. Sibling love!!

My daddy

Kitso!! Look at the face on this kid. Too cute.

I love these kids

Back to the actual events of the day, we started at the secondary school. This was basically just for us to see the final results of our hard work. The benches and tables look absolutely amazing. I am actually proud to say that I helped put these structures together. We started painting Botswanan chess boards onto the table tops today, and those look just as amazing as the tables. I hope that the kids enjoy their benches and tables, as they already expressed their gratitude towards us.

Look at the chessboard!

Me at the table. So proud!!

We broke early for lunch today, our last with our families. During the lunch break, I helped Masego make coleslaw, which we then brought to the farewell dinner.
The dinner was great. We started with Banki, the headmaster of the secondary school, and a host mother all saying a few words, thanking everyone. Then we ate. My, what good food. Oh I stuffed myself to the point of explosion, and I loved every second of it. The food was just SO GOOD!! Such a food coma. So worth it.
Then, we had our performance. It went perfectly. I was so pleased. We started by introducing ourselves and singing the national anthem of Botswana in Setswana. Thomas dressed up as Banki. In a dress. He was beautiful in traditional Batswana garb. (Batswana is the term for the people of Botswana.) We also performed a traditional song and dance to "Naledi e ya benya" with yours truly as the lead singer. My group was looking for some irony there, I guess. It was a song about stars, not me, I promise! In my favorite skit of the night, we made fun of Generations, and I was Mawande. Mawande was a woman on the show who was shot in the neck/ grazed by a bullet in her general neck area and was in a coma for weeks as a result. The only thing protecting her "life-threatening" wound from the outside world was the flimsiest piece of gauze I have ever seen. It was actually very funny, and I really enjoyed imitating her life threatening situation. After that skit, we sang some more, and we finished the night with our Setswana names and one way in which we have now become Batswana. We made our families proud, I hope.

Sarah posing with Thomas/Banki

It's Mawande!

After the dinner, we went home. I handed out the host gifts that I brought from America. I brought a book about New York City, some frisbees, American Kit-Kats, dolls and a coloring book (with crayons) for the girls, and toy dinosaurs and bubbles for the boys. Everyone loved what they received. We all watched Insidingo together tonight instead of Generations because the time of Generations was changed just for tonight, and we didn't realize it. Instead of Generations tonight, there was a soccer match between Manchester United and Amazulus. Everyone in the family went to bed, but I stayed up with my dad and watched the entire game. It was a great bonding experience because, even though we didn't speak very much to each other, every time something happened in the game and we made a sound, we did it at the same time with the same sound. Each time this happened, we looked at each other, and laughed. It was great.

Palesa and Same enjoying their new coloring book

Same learning the art of the frisbee

Watching the soccer game with my dad

After the game, I packed. I finished a little before 11PM, and now I'm ready to go to bed, even though I doubt that I'll be able to sleep. What a day. Mogobane, I'll miss you!!