Written June 21, 2012

Posted – meh, who knows.

Well here I am again. Sitting at the lovely plastic table in my room, aka my desk haha. This is where I do all of my important thinking. Aka- a place to escape to, to write in my journal (thank you Tara), to type up these entries, to read my book, listen to music, do my homework etc. The little plastic table that would.

Had a great day today – spent the morning in language class, learning about various clothing vocabulary, and putting them into practice describing what we were wearing today, and what we wear in various seasons. Then had an all day tech session at the HUB touching on everything from diarrhea to  planting a garden haha. Quite a spectrum of topics, no?

We have been instructed from top to bottom how to handle gastrointestinal issues, and (knock on wood) I have yet to have any GI issues. But I know that eventually its going to happen. Its not a matter of if, but when haha greattt.

Last week, we had the option to take a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, so I went for it. Why not right? See what kind of personality type I am at this point in my life (I am sure that it will continue to evolve as I evolve as a person). So my “score” was a ENTP – Extraversion, iNtuition, Thinking, Perceiving:

“Quick, ingenious, simulating, alert and outspoken. Resourceful in solving new and challenging problems. Adept at generating conceptural possibilities and then analyzing them strategically. Good at reading other people. Bored by routine, will seldom do the same thing in the same way, apt to turn to one new interest after another”  “one exciting challenge after another”  – argues both sides of a point to learn, tests the limits, enthusiastic, new ideas “most inventive”

Sound like me? Yeah I thought so too. It was an interesting feedback, something I kind of assumed but its interesting to see where I am at this point in my life. I hope to take another towards the end of my service here in Moz, just to see how I have changed as an individual (if I have at all).

After that, we had an intro session into Permagardening – something you all should really look into if you have a green thumb. Or if you want to see what I will be doing for the next two days here in Namaacha. The basic gyst of this activity is to teach permaculture and bio-intensive home gardens to help promote growing family nutrition security, and fight against HIV/AIDS. There is an inextricable link between food/nutirion security and HIV/AIDS, food an nutirion insecurity are structural issues contributing to the spread of HIV, where hungry people may turn to unsafe practices in order to feed themselves. Once infected, malnutrition increases susceptibility to opportunistic infection and hastens the onset of AIDS.

The idea here is that, with a Bio-Intensive Permagarden, families can begin to feel in charge of their own futures. High yields of nutritious fruits, vegetables, staple grains and proteins can give a family reason to be hopeful for a future free of hunger (and hopefully, eventually HIV/AIDS).

It was a very interesting class, we received a handbook about the various practices, and an oversight DVD about various people who have had successful permagardens. We even touched on compost – how to make a compost pile here in Africa, and what the benefits of having one are. Incredibly interesting stuff. I am very excited to get my hands dirty these next two days. It feels good to finally be putting some theory into practice.

Not to mention, I was able to describe this gardening idea to my host family! The language is really coming along – not to the point of being comfortable by any means, but I am doing more than grunting, and don’t need so many gestures any more. Although I tend to use them still, as I am a very animated individual (like you all didn’t know that).

Small victories today- teaching my family that after chicken is steamed, it doesn’t need to be fried afterwards. Teaching my family about permagardening. Teaching my younger sister (8years old) how to multiply – love that math is the same in every language – and finally think I have a handle on the food situation here at home.

Breakfast was a small piece of bread, some peanutbutter and a banana – yum. Snack was some crackers and an avocado, lunch was some sort of bean stew with delicious green leafy veggies in it (mom you would die for this stuff its incredible) dinner was a sort of hodge-podge, we cooked potatoes, eggs and fish and combined that all together with some tomato, onion, green pepper and a bit of lemon juice, into sort of a chunky mixture (potato salad consistency) and then had the boiled chicken in addition.

I do miss cheese, yogurt, hummus and ice cream though. Small battle everyday (first world problems).

First movie I watched here in Africa was “Gone in 60 Seconds” so so so cheesy, but so good. First music I blasted from my computer and danced to was a mixture of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Goo Goo Dolls. Oh! I saw a total stranger in town yesterday with a chili peppers t shirt on, and about freaked out, he was slightly afraid I think, because he had no idea who the band was. I promptly made him listen to my iPod, sadly, because it wasn’t Beyonce, Justin Beiber or Chris Brown, he didn’t like it.

Next mission – introduce rock and roll to my homestay family. Before ya know it, they will all be air-banding with the best of them. (here’s hoping!)

‘everything’s different, with my head in the clouds . . .” – So Damn Lucky, Dave Matthews Band

I bid you all a musical farewell for now

td