Gelukkig Nuwe Jaar!!

("Gelukkig Nuwe Jaar" means "Happy New Year" in Afrikaans)

Hello all! I hope you all had a great holiday with friends and family, and a wonderful celebration, bringing in 2013. Wow. 2013. I can't believe it's here already....Let the countdown begin!!!!!

Just thought I would bring you up-to-date where I'm at in getting my head and heart on straight for this upcoming life-changing event....

First of all....I DID get to see snow for Christmas!!! I actually got a lot of it....and with cancelled flights, I had a few extra days up north to do some more research on Namibia, and such....

• I bought a book called Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the Heart of an African Village. It's a book written by a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Sarah Erdman, where she served in the Ivory Coast. Although it's not Namibia, I was told by another RPCV that this book is a great read...and may shed some light on what it's like to be a PCV in Africa...

• I purchased another book (Kindle edition), Colloquial Afrikaans: The Complete Course for Beginners. In Namibia, Afrikaans, along with English and German, are the official languages. And although I don't know for sure what, if any, language I will have to learn, I figured it wouldn't hurt if I knew a little of this new speech. Afrikaans seems to be highly influenced by the Dutch language. Here's a little more info: Afrikaans.

• Another book for Kindle I purchased is the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. I've been told that reading, and even movie-watching (via my computer), will probably become a big hobby of mine, to help pass the time, entertain me, and at times, take my mind off my frustrations and loneliness that will probably occur at certain points throughout the 2 years....So, I'm slowly building up my Kindle repertoire...along with some yoga, pilates, Tai Chi and Qi Gong videos! Now, I just need some movies....

As part of my New Year's celebration, I made a traditional Afrikaans dessert - 
Melktart (Milk Tart)
I also brought some mini brownies for the party, 
just in case my creation didn't work out.
BUT, I must say, the Melkterts turned out pretty darn good!
I found many versions, but here's the recipe I used, if you'd like to try:
Melktert Recipe

Oh, and the last update for today - I finally got the correct version of my birth certificate, to prove I'm alive, so I can send in my visa and passport applications. I need to get these in ASAP. So, I went yesterday to the post office, after having to work in the morning. Aaaannnnd....wait for it....they closed at noon. Ugh. So now I have to find another time to go - and get out of work again - since they're only open 9-3 M-F (if only I didn't have a job!). 

And good news, I get the yellow fever vaccination tomorrow (I need to send in proof of this, along with a second Chicken Pox vaccination by Jan. 11)! Yippee! I wonder what more vaccinations are in store for me......

I've also been trying to catch up on the reading the PC has sent me. I'm almost done - with a little more of the HIV/AIDS info, and I've gotten through about 1/3 of the PCV Handbook so far....(See My Assignment tab for both of these reads).

Well, totsiens (goodbye) for now!

p.s. 68 days, 6 hours, 48 minutes and 53 seconds till Namibia...but who's counting.... :)