WARNING:

This is not a paper I would turn into grad school that was proofread, spell checked, and cared about but never or barely read. This is a blog that people will actually read but not grade. I write like I think and talk, which is not organized or correct in many ways. I was diagnosed with chronic sarcasm as a child, its genetic.

The views expressed on this website are entirely my own and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Why movies are great

~this again, was written over a month ago, but still very very relevant~

6 June 2011
Why movies are wonderful
I have realized it is probably a good thing that I do not have electricity in my room, because then I would never have to turn my computer off to charge it. 

I never used to be a TV or movie person, two hours was just always too much of a commitment when I was busy or just really didn’t like sitting doing nothing. Movies always have something bad that happens, and even when there is a happy ending, those 20 minutes of wondering if the person will live or couple get back together was just too much for me.

Then, I moved to South Africa. 

I sit in the office from 8-4 listening to a language I do not understand. Very little is explained to me, but why would it be important for me to know a missionary group is coming or the department is doing checks today? I pretty much am always “in the darkness” as the financial manager describes me. Sometimes I know the people around me are talking about me, but I have no clue what about. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out when the yelling is in anger or excitement. When the slaps are out of love or hate- or just simple dominance. But still, it’s a lot of hours not knowing what the hell is going on.

After work I usually run, or if my stomach is not cooperating I just lay in my room. When I run it is more laughter, usually at me but whatever. Kids follow me and I have a grand ol time with them. But it is another hour of not understanding what people are saying and all eyes on me. 

When I am at my home it is me, the old man, and the 4 dogs. I have a better chance of having a conversation with the dogs than the old man. I have a lot of time to think, and talk to myself, a lot. 

Then it is either read or a movie. These are better options than actually talking to someone- as internet and airtime was cut in my budget when congress cut ours. I got a bunch of movies from another PCV that are now waiting for me on my external hard drive every night. Really any movie that is in English will do the trick. It is 2 hours of not thinking about anything important, understanding the language, and no attention on me. 2 hours lost in a completely different world, which will most likely have a happy ending.  Who knows, by the time this two years is up maybe I’ll catch up on all those movies that people are generally disgusted that I haven’t seen. Or I will just watch ‘Beauty and the Beast’ ‘Overboard’ and ‘Rent’ 600 times in the next two years.

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