As soon as I got there I found this project beneficiary with his tablet and his friends! I have to do a lot of encouraging and technical support, but the format of the project was thought of with the context of the local culture in mind. It's very cool to see something working with relatively little foreign intervention.
It's a weird feeling. I've already said goodbye, but I'm back. This time, because the goodbye feels more permanent...it's harder. There is no way to keep in touch with the majority of my students, and the neighbor kids aren't old enough for cell phones. Even for my students and friends who have cell phones - robbery is common, many live without electricity (therefore not having a phone that's turned on very much) and they lend phones to other people all the time (so when I call, sometimes I talk to someone I don't know). Leaving is going to smash my heart into a million little pieces, but I keep having to remind myself that it is time to go. My wise aunt Janet and I were talking about being of public service while I was at home and she had a very good point for mental health: it's important to do things for fun, to do things that aren't in the service of those you are helping. Go swimming, not to teach anyone to swim, just to hang out in the water. Go out to dinner - not to start a new project, not to fix current issues, just to have a pizza (and beer). It's time for me to do that - but it doesn't mean that I wont miss the mountains every day.
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