A Day in the Life

Life in Nasir is very different from the states, as anyone can imagine. It has been a huge shift as we have been trying to figure out what work looks like here. Everything is very dirty, so no matter how often the floor is swept, it can still use sweeping. Laundry by hand is time consuming, but quite a workout…. So it’s kind of a two in one deal. Cooking takes a lot more time as well because everything must be made from scratch on the kerosene stove; there is no just opening a can of beans. Dishes must be done regularly as well.  Initially, I thought that just staying on top of things and surviving was all I could manage. I didn’t see how there would be any time to do anything else. However, with some practice, we have been able to get a system down and are much more efficient with our time. So here is an outline of a typical work day in Nasir:

8am—team prayer, devotional, and any business discussions

9am-12pm—classroom style language learning (we sit in a circle with our language tutor, asking how to say different words and phrases)

12pm-2pm—lunch/chores/answering emails/reviewing language (sometimes a short nap can be snuck in)

2pm-5pm—language practice in the community (we either visit neighbors, practicing what we have learned or we go to the market)

5pm—dinner preparation (we rotate dinner preparation between houses, so if it is not my night to cook, this is when I catch up on emails, more chores, or practice my ukulele/clarinet)

6pm-bedtime—dinner (sometimes with the whole team), then personal/family time 

On the weekends, Saturday is our rest day/house project day and Sunday is church—4 hour service in the morning and team church in the afternoon. Then comes our favorite tradition on Sunday evenings... taco night and watching a few episodes of the office.