India

The last 2 weeks has been a whirlwind- at times I feel like I just got here to India and other moments I feel like I’ve been here for years.  I’m loving every moment of my time here, no question.  So many things remind me of Mozambique- cows and goats in the middle of the street, trash everywhere, weird smells, stray dogs and cats in all directions, cockroaches roaming the house, no hot water (at least there’s running water!), beautiful women in vibrantly colored cloths, men staring and making kissing sounds at me... the list goes on and on.  I became comfortable with the views, people, smells, and atmosphere of Bombay very quickly.  Yet the pace of life, the constant movement, the availability of amazing street food, the plethora and variety of food options, and the constant noise are all still difficult for me.  I’m used to going to bed when the sun goes down, or shortly there after, and waking up with the sun.  Wow is Bombay different! People don’t go into work until 10 or 11am.  People don’t go out to dinner until 9 or 10pm.  And people don’t come home from hanging out until 2, 3, 4 or 5am.  I was not ready for this!!!  Regardless, I’m having an amazing time and seeing/experiencing so much.  I’m so thankful I have over 2 months here.  

Street Food

Today we went down south of the city to see the gateway and just a new area of town.  This town is enormous- I understand not as much land area as many other cities, but maybe too many years in Moz has skewed my view.  The south was beautiful- the architecture is so different, majestic, and powerful.  We wandered around the streets for a few hours, looking at things, eating street food, and stopping in the new Starbucks (we had to- it’s new).  

My first street food experience was an interesting one. First the vendor handed me a tiny (empty) bowl.  He then took a crispy puff thing, poked a hole in the top, and put spices in it.  Then he added a corn-looking mixture, then water, then handed it to me.  I should’ve eaten the whole thing at once but I was confused, so when I bit into it, the liquid came running out, down my face, into the bowl, and onto the street.  The vendor just laughed and made another.  I kept eating and he kept making.  Ben told me I was suppose to get 6 but I swear I ate at least 10.  I said thank you and I was full and he kept making the little crispy puffs. This man was so amused by my lack of understanding as to what was happening he just kept feeding me.  Finally I threw my bowl away and told him I couldn’t eat anymore.  Then he made me a different kind of crispy puff thing, which was a bit sweeter.  Again I told him I couldn’t eat anymore, and thankfully this time he listened.  Between his constant smile and laugher throughout the ordeal, I really think I made this man’s day. 

Abu Dhabi

In transit from Joburg to Mumbai I happened to have a layover in Abu Dhabi- an 18 hour layover.  I was excited at first, I'd have the entire day to tour around the city, but then after not sleeping a wink on the 8hour flight in I became a bit more hesitant.  Thankfully I ran into another American who had just spent 12 hours in the airport, regretting his decision to not leave the airport.  He gave me tips I needed about transport, how much things should cost, and explained a few things I could do in town.  I caught a bus into the city and finally fell asleep! Great, yet I missed my stop so I got off at the end of the line and just started walking around.  It was so beautiful- mosques around every corner, clean streets, glass skyscrapers, and parks.  The men would step off the curb to give me space as I passed.  There were meter maids.  The skyscrapers had a green tint to them, so it legit looked like the Emerald City.  The park had hundreds of kids playing and no trash to be found. Amazing city.  To top it all off, after spending about an hour hanging out on the beach, watching speed boats race around in circles, I asked a man where to catch the bus back to the airport.  Turns out he was headed that way, delivering food from his restaurant- offered me a ride.  We ran in to the restaurant to pick up an order and I left with hummus, chicken masala, and oh so much garlic butter nan.  Even though I still had about 10 hours to wait at the airport, I had a full, happy belly the whole time.  Abu Dhabi was amazing!

Table Mountain

Yesterday, my last day in Cape Town, I went off on my own and hiked Table Mountain.  It was quite an intense hike, I will admit, but a fantastic view.  And after the emotional rollercoaster that was yesterday, I needed some time alone to clear my head and blow off steam. I'm so happy I climbed both up and down the moutain (90mins up, 60down), I needed the workout, but today I feel like I ran a marathon yesterday.  I look like an idiot trying to stand up, sit down, or climb stairs.  Totally worth it.

Last Days with PCVs

Saying goodbye sucks.  There is no other way to put it.  Over the last few weeks I've said goodbye to so many people (and places), without knowing if or when I'll ever see them again.  Of course I'd love to stay in touch, but with people traveling all over the globe and lives moving in different directions, it's hard to know anything for certain.  All my emotions about moving on to a new chapter of my life came crashing down on me this morning, when I hugged Val goodbye.  Val and I have been together since October 2009, when this crazy Peace Corps experience started.  We have been through so much together- she was my closest neighbor during my first two years- and her leaving, in my mind, marked the true end of an era.  She was my last tie to my 3 year long PC experience.  Of course I love Mike, Chris, and Laurie (who I'm still with for the next 36 hours), but they are so new to PC (one year in) that the relationship is different. Even though it's extremely difficult at the moment, I must keep reminding myself of all the truely wonderful people I've met, the relationships we've created, the places I've seen, and all the magnificent experiences I have in my future.  That said, goodbyes still suck.

Movie Theater!!

I saw a movie today- in a real movie theater!  I ate popcorn, buttery and delicious, and I even got to choose my seats in the theater.  After the movie, Chris, Laurie, Mike and I went to a fancy dinner at a seaside restaurant, where Val met us.  We felt a little out of place, with our shorts and tank tops, but the food was amazing.  Ostrich and apricot raviloi, mushroom risotto, fresh calamari.... Cape Town in blowing my mind!!!

Cape Town!!

And I'm back!!!!  There is something about this place that just keeps pulling me back.
Val and I traveled to CPT together and once here met up with 4 other PCVs and another American who was living in Moz.  Day one was pretty calm, wandering up and down Long Street, people watching, and getting over shell shock.  Things that I still can't get over: I can drink tap water, there are trash cans and clean streets, people speak English, and food option are endless.

Wine Tour- Amanda, Val, Mike and I went on a wine tour and had a blast!! The wine was great, obviously, but spending the entire afternoon with those guys was the best part.  Our tour group consisted of 12 people (a few other Americans, 3 Canadians, a South African, and a Dutch girl) and I'm pretty sure the PCVs shocked them at first, but throughout the day they warmed up to us. By the end of it we were all great friends.  And another great part- the winery I went to with my parents on my birthday we visited again!  Pierre, our wine expert, remembered me, and we spent a lot of time chatting, catching up, and drinking delicious port :)

On Amanda's last day, we spent the day together wandering around the waterfront, drinking amazing beers, and eating fresh seafood.

Cape Town is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodbye Mozambique

I'm officially an RPCV! Technically Returned Peace Corps Volunteer but I feel the R is better as Recovering. The COS (Close Of Service) process is a bit intense- medical check up, dentist visits, language testing, "interview" with the country director, etc.  All of it went by pretty smoothly- plus I was able to spend time with so many awesome volunteers that were coming through town.
Cristina, my empregada from Hokwe and best friend from my old site, happens to be living in Maputo right now with her father and sister, so this afternoon she came to the PC office to visit and say goodbye.  It was SO wonderful to see her! And heart breaking.  I would love to come back to visit Mozambique in the future but I honestly don't know when that could happen. And even if it does, tracking down certain people without email or telephones could prove to be quite difficult.  I think she realized this, hence a very sad parting.  I will miss her, Rafito and Eloite (her beautiful babies), and all of our great times very much.
Tonight is my bus ride to JoBurg with Val and Scoot.  So excited for this next chapter, and very thankful I have a few great friends by my side for the journey.

Extendee dinner party

Last night, Custodio (one of my bosses) invited all third year extendee volunteers over to his house for dinner.  The four of us (Me, Jordan, Scooter, and Val) spent the evening with Custodio, his wife, and his daughter, talking about our service, future plans, America, food we’ve missed, most embarrassing moments from service, and everything in-between.  I am so thankful to have had one last opportunity to spend time with one of my favorite people.

Swear-in!!!

Congrats all 68 Moz 19ers for making it through training and I can’t wait to hear about all your adventures throughout the next two years.  You have made my last two months so enjoyable- I will miss you all so much.

Sunday Funday

Every Sunday for a the past two months (besides the days we were out of town), Scooter and I have hosted a handful of trainees at our house for cooking parties.  The first Sunday started because two of the trainees are Russian and Scooter and I were curious what Russian food was.  So we invited them to come over cook for us.  We had Pelmeni, kind of like dumplings.

After such a successful party, we decided to continue the tradition.  Week two was Thai theme so we cooked Pad Thai and a spicy peanut dip. 

Week three- Mediterranean night and The Sound of Music. 

Week four- Mexican Fiesta.  Week five- American night with mac and cheese, onion rings, grilled cheese, and tomato soup.  Sunday afternoons easily became one of the highlights of my week.

Eu estou a sair

My last days in Namaacha were spent full of hugs, packing, playing, sharing photos, and reassuring everyone I will be back someday and I will make sure to tell President Obama and Celin Dion I will say hi next time I see them. It was easier than leaving Hokwe, because this time around I have fewer close Mozambican friends, but still hard knowing I’ll most likely never be back.

This is Avo, my and Scooter's grandmother, with a few of her grand and great-grandbabies. I'm showing photos my mom has taken.

I keep having moments of Graduation Goggles. Let me explain- the term comes from How I Met Your Mother (great show) and means roughly the things, people, or places that drive you crazy start to seem pretty great or at least not so annoying. For me, the heathen neighbor kids started to seem less annoying. The long walk to the office in the hot sun was not so unbearable. The overstuffed chapa rides where I hardly touch the seat because I’m crammed between three “Big Mamas” and I lose feeling in all limbs because I can’t move seemed strangely comfortable. Because I know it’s all coming to an end, I weirdly enough miss the things I couldn’t stand. Graduation Goggles, if you will.

SwaziLand

Sounds like an amusement park, and today it felt like one. A co-worker from Swazi came and got Scooter and me from the border and took us into town for lunch. During lunch, not only did Scooter and I share yet another milkshake (I’m pretty sure we freaked him out, yet again), but I made friends with a little Swazi boy, who shared my pizza.  At the restaurant there happened to be an in-ground trampoline, swing sets, and a giant playground.  Awesome afternoon in Swazi!!

Also HAPPY WORLD AIDS DAY!!!

Goodbyes



Teachers bar with exiting Moz 15ers



Each week there is a new group of between 8 and 14 volunteers that come down to COS- Close Of Service.  Last year I was able to come into Maputo every week to say goodbye to my friends, the PCVs that I arrived with 3 years ago.  This year I’ve also been able to come into the city to spend time with people.  It’s extremely bittersweet.  Everyone is sad to leave Mozambique, our acquired family of volunteers, and the familiarity of the strange and unknown, but everyone is also so excited to get out into the world and start new lives. 




I’m in the last round of COSers, which too is good and bad.  Good because I get to say goodbye to everyone as they come through, but bad because I watch my friends leaving, week by week, like slowly taking off a band-aid, small rip by small rip.   



Maputo with our 19ers



Thanks giving

Moz 14ers and 15ers celebrate together

I spent Thanksgiving this year with the trainees in Namaacha.  It was an amazing spread!! 10 turkeys, buckets of mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green beans, sweet potatoes, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate banana bread, apple crisp… I ate myself into a coma.  It also occurred to me that this is my 4^th Thanksgiving in Mozambique.  Year 1- Namaacha. Year 2- Chokwe. Year 3- Mapenhane. Year 4- Namaacha, coming full circle.  Each year has been extremely different- playing American football with 20 other trainees, trying to cook “American” food when all we could find was mandioca (cassava root) and squash, getting a turkey drunk before killing it, or cooking copious amounts of pies in dutch ovens because the power went out, again.  Each year has been so interesting and I’ve made a million different memories.  I can’t say any one year was a traditional Thanksgiving (not that I’m too used to that anyways- always dancing in The Nutcracker growing up, or eating crab rather than turkey for dinner), but each year has brought something new to my concept of Thanksgiving.  I’m so thankful for the experience I’ve had over the last three years.  I’ve gained working experience, I’ve grown tremendously as a person, I’ve gained family and friends, both Mozambicans and Americans, and because of Mozambique, my life has changed forever.  Thank you to everyone who’s supported me throughout this experience, helped picked me up when I’ve fallen, encouraged me to keep my head up even when I wanted to give up with every ounce on my being, and shared in all the amazing memories and joy I’ve experienced.  I could not have made it here without you.

Despedida

This weekend I went up to Inharrime to visit Erin and participate in her despedida (going away party). For the party, Erin arranged 25 chickens (maybe more), french fries, potato salad, normal salad, rice, chema, beans (made into a soup-like sauce with veggies, served over rice or chema- also, one of my favorite dishes), 300 beers, and 100 soft drinks, enough food for 100 people. I arrived Friday night and we spent from 6:30am Saturday until people started arriving around 5pm peeling potatoes, cutting onions, washing beans, creating music playlists, and making everything look beautiful and presentable. At one time I was cutting onions for the beans, then started cutting onions (in the same manner, thin strips) for salad and I has heavily reprimanded by one of Erin’s co-workers, “You can’t put onions that look like that into a salad! We can’t use those! They must be cut in complete circles.” Just one more way I will never understand Mozambicans. Anyways, the party went wonderfully. So many of Erin’s colleagues and friends from her town were there, as well as a few other PCVs. We ate, drank, danced, and mingled. Erin was given presents, hoisted up onto a chair and carried around above people’s heads (may I note, not something that should be done after consuming beers), and praised by all of her friends and co-workers for all the amazing thing she has done. I am so happy I was able to come visit for this! Part of me is jealous I never had a party like this, but the other part of me understands why not- I wasn’t able to build the same strong, solid bonds Erin was. For that I’m jealous.

Halloween!!

Enough Said

Election night fun

Five weeks

It has officially hit me.  We have 5 more weeks at site before we pack up our house, pass Amenduim off to a new volunteer, and finally get our Rs (RPCV- as we say, Recovering PCV).  The last few weeks have been great, wrapping up the work I've done over the last year, spending time with PCVs who come to visit, and getting to know all the newbies.  But today is just one of those days I imagine I'll be having over the next few weeks/months- a bag a bricks in my stomach. Five weeks and everything is going to change.  Five weeks until a new adventure.

Running into family

This morning on my run I ran into Gilda and Pai, my host siblings.  I don't see them very often because they live 3+ miles from my current house, and to walk that far just to say hi can be frustrating when I get to the house and nobody is there  (yes that happened to me last Friday.  I’m still slightly bitter).  Anyways, they were walking to school for p.e. class and happened to be a bit late.  I convinced them to get a little exercise before getting exercise by running the 2.5miles to school with me.  I was glad I got to see them, chat with them a bit, and still get a comfortable run out of it.  And even in flip flops, Gilda was right there with me the whole time.  That girl impresses me.

Swaziland

I’m not sure if I’ve written a blog about my future plans yet, so here goes… I’m officially finished with Peace Corps in December 2012 ( Fun fact- I entered PC 9/09 and I’m leaving 12/12. It’s the little things in life :) ) However, unlike most people who miss America, family, and friends as much as I do, Scooter and I have decided to stay out here for a bit longer. Scooter has family friends that run a Catholic mission in Swaziland, and a few months ago we decided to go volunteer there from January through April 2013. Yes, volunteer (someday I will actually make money, but apparently I’m in no huge hurry). We’ll be working with the youth center they have, working towards strengthening their monitoring and evaluation system, organizational development of the program, and trying to work towards sustainability (like all work we’ve been doing over here). We’ll also be spending a lot of time with the kids. I’m really looking forward to it! It will be a dramatic change from what I’m doing here, yet continuing on the lines of working with youth development.


It’s been funny (and slightly uncomfortable) when people ask Scooter and I, “So are you excited to finally go home?” or, “Are you two going to be ok when PC is over and you have to move away from each other?” Well, turns out we don’t have to leave each other! People look at us a bit strange (3 years wasn’t enough?) but most aren’t surprised.

In the meantime, I’ll be headed to India!! Rather than going all the way back to Alaska for Christmas and New Years, I’ve decided to visit India for a few weeks. I’ve always wanted to visit, and since I have a friend living there now and a month to kill, it was the perfect opportunity :) It’s going to be a good next few months!!

Session time

The last few training groups that have come through I have met, but have not spend a significant amount of time with. I’ve felt a little underutilized by PC staff- not being invited to share my experiences, lead sessions, or even hang out with the trainees- considering I live in the same town as training. But this time around it’s a bit different. I’ve already developed and led several sessions!!


Yesterday was my session on Secondary Projects (aka what I’ve been doing here my third year.) I got to talking about the projects in Moz and project ideas and I caught myself talking a mile a minute. I got so excited to share what amazing things PCVs are doing throughout the country!! Considering I (along with everyone else) have been denied the opportunity to talk about secondary projects (like REDES, JUNTOS, Science Fair, English Theater, and others) during the last 4 training groups, I think I handled my bundled-up excitement and enthusiasm very well. At the end when the trainees told me it was an amazing session and super helpful, I felt pleased :)

I hope to do a bit more work with the trainees over the next 6 weeks. I feel like I have a lot of experiences to share and can be a great resource for the trainees (as well as PC staff), so I really hope it works out. For now, I’m a happy PCV.

Newbies!!!

A whole new group of Peace Corps Trainees has arrived!!! Our town is now overrun with Mulungos. For example, this morning on our run, Scooter and I saw 11other Americans out running. We're taking over!!


As much as Scooter and I love each other, it's been nice to meet the new trainees and spend some time with new faces. There are several volunteers that have come from Cape Verde, where they spent one year as volunteers before being transferred here due to lack of PC work in CV, so talking to them and learning about their experiences in another country has been really interesting. It's also been fun to see how far I've come in the last three years. It's interesting to look back to when I was in their shoes, fresh into Mozambique, not knowing a word of Portuguese, not knowing how to teach, juggling new friends and new family, and struggling to get through each day. Everything was so new when I got here. I forget that sometimes (passing a goat on the street or scooping frogs off our floor to put outside just seem like daily occurrences now). I'm looking forward to spending more time with the new group- they all seem pretty amazing. And I think it'll be a great way to end my service.

Denim Day!

So three of my good friends just left Mozambique, and as a going away present, we had a Denim Day in Maputo, complete with denim clothing, denim jewelry, and denim accessories.  Scooter and I took it upon ourselves to create rings, bracelets, and/or hair bows for everyone.  See, this is what happens when you've been in Peace Corps too long... and it was amazing.

Moamba REDES Exhibition

 

Yesterday, Dia da Paz (Peace Day), a fellow PCV in Moamba threw an exhibition for her REDES group.  Scooter and I traveled to meet her and participate in the festivities.  The REDES group invited government officials throughout Moamba to learn about what REDES is, what the girls do, and how they as community leaders can contribute to and support REDES.  The girls put together several dance pieces and invited students from a secondary school across town to dance and sing.  They then showed pictures of the REDES group and talked about activities they've done throughout the community.  Finally, the girls put together a fashion show of the products they make (everything from earrings, necklaces, and belts to place-mats and bags).  We then all got together for a snack (of DELICIOUS Indian finger foods), browsed and bought items the girls had made, and talked about their REDES experiences.  I don't think this type of event happens often, and I was happy I could participate.  It is a great way for knowledge of a program to spread through a community, gain support from community members and government officials, and motivate the girls to continue working and growing as a group and as individuals.  I was impressed with the leadership they took of the exhibition, and I was extremely impressed with the Mozambican group facilitator and all she did for the event.  I hope other PCVs take this idea and implement it at their sites, encouraging knowledge sharing, support, and participation.