Much ado about nothing

First thing yesterday morning, we were told that DEFINITELY we would be going to the Immigration office for what would be the final step in achieving residency. So Russ and I juggled our schedules and waited for Diesel the driver to take us down to the office. Diesel is great about greasing the bureaucratic wheel at most government offices, so we were happy to wait for him. One hour turned into two, two turned into four, and then without much resignation Lydia, the administrative secretary, told us that the right paperwork was not yet done and that perhaps we should check back on Friday. With a smile, I told her that Russ' tourist visa expires next week, and with an equally wide smile, she told me it would be no problem. So, as Linda Newell told me many years ago, "trust the process." Ok.

THE QUEUE FOR THE DAY is at the bank (45 minutes), not to deposit a check into our own account, but to make a payment for a holiday trek into the Tuli Block in eastern Botswana. It's a cash-based society with few people willing to take credit cards. It is only November 23, but the end-of-the-month crowds have already started. It does seem that the end-of-the-month phenomenon where people are paid and spend their paychecks takes a good two weeks straight out of thirty days.

The December holiday essentially starts on December 10 and we are planning on going to the banks of the Limpopo River in the Tuli Block for a few days, then return to Gab to hopefully collect our shipping. If everything goes as planned AND we have our visas sorted out, then we will go to Zimbabwe for three weeks. If not, then we will stay in Botswana where we have another invitation to go up to the Moremi Game Reserve.

Setswana saying that I learned today - "You are making me hungry" (you say this to someone that you see a lot or run into frequently). Funny.

My lime green toenail polish is apparently causing quite a stir with the grade 3 girls. That makes me smile.

I really like working with my three ESL students who I see at least two to three times a week. There is a grade 6 boy from China, a grade 4 girl from Japan, and a grade 2 girl from Norway. They are delightful. Most of the other work I do is in reading groups with students who have learning issues.

Kgale Hill and the surrounding hills around the city are starting to remind us of the Berkshires in the middle of summer. Everything is so green and the vegetation is filling in previously barren and rocky land. Even in our backyard, grass is starting to grow although I would hardly say that we have a lawn.