**2010**

I found internet two towns away so this might mean I'll be posting more oftne! We'll see...

So Christmas was great! Nine of us volunteers went down to Xai Xai beach for a few days to soak up the sun and speak English for a bit. It didn't feel ANYTHING like Christmas, it being 100 degrees and summertime, no Chirstmas music or decorations, but it was wonderful all the same. We made hambugers and french fries and enjoyed each others company. Chirstmas morning Valerie and i sat under a mango tree after retieving said mangos for a snack, and enjoyed the breeze while (unfortunately) listening to a squeeling pig being made into Christmas dinner. Not something that I've ever experienced in the states for sure. After the beach, I went home for a few days to spend time with my neighbors, althugh most everyone was gone for the holidays. I regret to inform you that my electric porch has been fixed and I now have about 20 kids that come by regularly. I'm learning a bit of Changana so I can tell them to "get away" when necessary, but really they can be a lot of fun. I taught them how to throw a frisbee even though I'm awful at it, so that's been a nice change in activities, rather than them sitting and staring at me. I came back out to Chokwe for New Years, which turned out to be so much fun. Five of us went with a Mozambican friend to his house to celebrate- for the most part the festivities are the same here as in the states. We danced, corked champagne at midnight, had a huge dinner around 11pm, and stayed up as late as we could keep our eyes open. New Years day had to have been about 110 degrees so we stayed inside in front of the fan, made french toast (I'm becoming a good cook!), and eatched movies. Pretty tame, and it was great. We walked down to the Limpopo river and sat under the bridge for a bit watching people swimming in the rivier, and one of our Mozambican friends asked if I was used to all the cows and bulls wandering around in front of us. It's something I'm still trying to get used to.

I'm looking forward to starting school next week. I'm nervous about the whole experience but I'm ready to have something to do with my time. And once school starts there will be more people in my town (the teachers and students willl come back from break) and I'll have more people to converse with and practice my Portuguese with.

We (those of us in Gaze; Clancy, Valerie, Jenna and Louise) have come to the realization that all the things that used to shock us when we first got here (no running water, lack of electricity, chickens in the yard, carrying water on my head,the herds of cows walking down the street, the market, my two to three baths a day, peeing in a whole... the list goes on) no longer seem that strange. It's become comfortable. I miss my family and friends like CRAZY, especially during the holiday season, but i know things will get easier.

And I'll try to get some pictures up! Definitely something I'll work on in these next few weeks. But feel free to blog-stalk other Moz volunteers and look at their pics. I know some of you already do ;)