Written Sunday, October 28, 2012

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a pleasant end to your week and a nice weekend!

This week went by really quickly again, and the work continues to go well. The SWOT analysis on Wed with ACOMUZA went really well. People got involved, and we were able to do a full analysis and discussion on one of the projects they have. This coming week we will be doing another about a different project. Continuing this course of action until we have done an analysis on all of the different projects. After that, the goal is to put some of the changes we want to make into action, and follow through with them.

My palestra about purifying water on Thursday with Despertai went really well. Again, people were involved, interested, asked a lot of questions, and at the end of our meeting everyone said they were proud of me for giving my first solo palestra. I was surprised how well it went, and we even talked about some plans for the future. This week coming up we are going to overhaul the garden, and get some things planted that will last through the hot season. And the next big meeting we are going to continue to talk about water, but this time things like how to make homemade oral rehydration salts, the importance of washing hands etc. My next goal with this organization is to get them meeting more than once a month. I’m thinking after the holidays would be best.

It seems like come December time, a lot of people go traveling, because there is time off from school/work etc. sound familiar? Haha

So its almost Halloween time! Does anyone have a great costume idea? Anyone having a Halloween party??

The rest of my week went really well – Friday I was in the hospital until noon, then came home and made stuffed peppers (yep you read that right), and hung out with neighbors. Yesterday I did domestic thigns around the house – laundry, dishes, and a general clean before I went down to one of the churches to watch a choir competition. Listening to people sing here is one of my favorite past times. . . and to watch an organized event of beautiful singing. . .couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday afternoon. Not to mention I score a lot of points with the community and colleagues when I go to any church function here. So, with that said, my Sunday will be spent going to the Methodist church right near my house. Afterwards I have tentative plans to hang out with the neighbors. . . . I love hanging out with them, it always means free food and that I don’t need to cook haha. Plus, its better than sitting around my house alone doing nothing.

I tried to start re-teaching myself how to play guitar, but its so out of tune, that I need to find someone here with a tuner before I could continue. I am about halfway through watching the Soprano’s on my computer, have finished another 2 books, and go for walks with the puppy every now and then. I don’t really feel like I have a lot of down-time, listening to past stories of volunteers, and even current ones. . . I feel like I’ve been keeping busy with both work, and trying to be social here around site. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that I didn’t leave for an overnight trip the entire first 3 months. I did day trips here and there, but always was here for the nights. I want to travel and see Moz, but I also really like my site here, and the friends that I am making. And personally for me, that’s what this experience is all about. Getting to know the people in your community, and having them get to know you.  Plus, if anything, my language is getting better because I hardly speak in English throughout the day. And by hardly, I mean almost never – unless I am on the phone with a fellow volunteer. So I guess that’s a plus.

Anyway, not much else to report here- my hair is greasy, and I should take a bucket bath before church, but instead I’m going to put my hair in a braid, and put on a little extra deodorant . . . welcome to my life in Moz haha.

Missing you all-

td

           

Written Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Good morning!

Its an overcast and slightly chilly morning here in Moz, so this blog is being written from inside my house over a cup of hot instant coffee (yuck). The coffee sucks, but it does in a pinch I suppose.

The week has started off really nicely – spent time in the hospital Monday, working on organizing the paperwork of those who have abandoned their antiretroviral treatments for HIV. I am putting them in chronological order, from oldest to newest. The grand idea is that once this is all organized, I can create lists of Abandono’s (people who have abandoned treatment) organized by neighborhood/surrounding areas, and give those lists to the Peer Educators. The Peer Educators are supposed to spend one day in the hospital, and one day in the field looking for those who have abandoned treatment, and getting them to come back. Hopefully this list, and system of organization will help streamline that process/get it started, because word on the street is that the Peer Educators have yet to do these “buscas” (searches).  So stay tuned to see how that goes. Hopefully I’ll have the paperwork done by this week, and the lists by next week. I’d love to get this process started before the holiday season is upon us.

Tuesday morning was the same thing, hospital from about 7am until noon. . . I came back to my house and did a big clean – washed dishes, swept my yard, swept the house etc. We had our final REDES meeting for the year at my house, so the plan was to have a small party to celebrate. I made banana pancakes for the occasion. The girls LOVED them, and wanted to learn how to make them. I think that’s going to be incorporated into our future plans. During our little get-together we talked about what we wanted to do in the future. We have some girls heading off to a new grade level in Jan/Feb, so our thoughts were – start a new REDES group. Have one that meets in the afternoon one day out of the week with the younger girls (ages 12-14ish) and one that meets in the morning another day with the older girls (15-18ish). Older kids have classes in the afternoon, and vice versa, younger kids in the morning. So the general game plan is to create two REDES groups, and have different projects going on, getting more girls involved – to then have one general meeting with everyone once a month on a Saturday or something. I have high hopes for these plans. The girls seem really involved/invested, and hopefully we can get more on board and involved.

So the little meeting was great, we had some food – banana pancakes, some fruit, veggies and juice. It was an odd combo of food haha but it was good. It was “girl time” Moz style. We talked about boys, clothes, I showed them pictures from my life in the states, they even braided my hair haha yep –I have cornrows. Not the best look for me, but I indulged them. They aren’t super tight, so I can take them out later today, but it was a cool experience, and the girls got a kick out of it. Like I said, “girl time” Moz style. Music, chatting, and doing hair. Some things stay the same, no matter where you are in the world. It was a really cool bonding experience, and I’m happy that I have this REDES group to work with. I’m excited about our future.

Today I am off to ACOMUZA. . .hopefully to start the SWOT analysis of our ongoing projects. I will let you all know how that goes. I’m foreseeing a very long meeting – they usually run until 11ish or so, but with this project, in addition to everything we usually cover on a weekly basis… let’s just say I’m bringing a snack with me haha.

Tomorrow is my water talk with Despertai – I have some good material organized, ways to purify water, places to collect water from, and how to make homemade oral rehydration salts. We are also going to touch upon our future projects, and give a little attention to our garden.

Friday I’m back at the hospital to finish up the organization process. . .and then BAM! Another week in Moz over. Madness.

Hope all is well at home –

Smoochies- t

 

Written Saturday, October 20, 2012

Good afternoon everyone – written from my front porch after a lovely lunch of a papaya and a cucumber salad. All is well here in Quissico – me and the pup are hanging out today (shocking I know).

This week passed quickly, as they all seem to do here, my days are long, but the weeks seem short. I’ve settled into a semi-routine here, something that I was missing from since I arrived in Mozambique – surprisingly I really missed having a routine. I’m up around 5/530am, making instant coffee, and watching the sunrise with my book on the porch. I have breakfast with the pup, and get dressed for my day. By 7/730 I’m out the door this week, Monday and Tuesday I went to the hospital where I have started helping them organize paperwork of people who have abandoned treatment – its my hope that the Peer Educators can start using these papers to go out into the community and find those who have gone astray.

Tuesday I had a REDES meeting in the afternoon – I’m really getting to know the girls so that’s something that I am really enjoying. We are talking about our next project – they want to do something involving cooking, so I am thinking we may make jams or something along those lines, where they can then sell them, and use the money to do other projects. Stay tuned to see how that goes.

Wednesday I had my weekly meeting with ACOMUZA, my one community based organization – again that went really well, we started a loan project – every week people give money (any amount) into the collective account, that money will then be used to start new projects, help those in the community who need it, or help the volunteers involved in the project. It’s a really cool idea, and I did not do it justice explaining it here – but its not something I’m fully involved in, this is something they are doing on their own, so again, I’ll just see how this plays out. Next week we are doing a SWOT analysis on the current projects, and will use that to fine-tune any problems we are currently facing. That way we can strengthen our existing projects, and expand upon them.

Wed afternoon, I went up to Inharrime (I hitchhiked both ways – free rides – good stuff) to go to the modista (seamstress) and have lunch with fellow volunteers there. The one is from the Pittsburgh area, so her and I reminisced about Primanti’s and nights spend down South Side. It was nice to get away for a few hours, it makes coming home all the better.

Thursday I had “Cha Positivia” in the hospital early in the morning – its an opportunity for those who are HIV positive to come to the hospital, talk about their experience, problems, medication etc. . . basically anything dealing with living with HIV. Doctors are present for this to help answer questions, provide guidance etc. It’s all done in the local language of Chopi, so I just sit there and try to catch on the best I can. Its more of a cultural experience for me than anything, and I’m happy just to sit there and smile haha.

After the hospital (on Thursday) I walked down to Despertai, my other community-based organization, and had a really good talk with the president and a fellow colleague there. They have some cool projects going on at the moment, and we have some plans for the future. Firstly, they have a machamba (garden) that has kind of fallen into disrepair so we are going to focus on righting that, that way they can use it to produce food for themselves, the community etc. Also, this coming week I am giving a palestra (informative speech/presentation) about water, and the ways to purify it. I’m going to use that opportunity to talk about possible waterborne illnesses, and things like how to make rehydration salts from things around your house. The manners of purifying water for drinking are simple, as is the recipe for the rehydration beverage- all things that can be easily accessed here in Quissico – so hopefully it’ll go well. Also, starting in January/February we want to start doing health related palestras in the community and high schools, so we will be discussing topics for those.

Yesterday I went to the hospital and worked on the paperwork organization again – I arrive a little early so I can walk through and say hi to the Peer Educators and some of the doctors I like. I’m usually at the hospital from 730ish until maybe noon… rough work day right??

My afternoons and evenings are filled with things like, going for a walk through the market, buying things for lunch/dinner, going on walks with my dog (he is loving that) hanging out with the neighbors, watching movies/tv shows, or reading a book. It’s a really laid-back lifestyle here. At times I find myself thinking that I should be doing something, and then feeling guilty that I’m not – but that usually passes, or I find something to do.

For example – today is Saturday. . . I have no work today, and really didn’t need to do anything. But I was still up at 5ish, I washed my clothes from the week, did dishes, fed the dog, gave myself a pedicure, started a new book, went for a walk in the town – stopping in to talk with my favorite shop-owners, bought some things for lunch/dinner, and then came back to the house where I hung out with some neighbor kids, and my older neighbor. A lot of my day is just spent sitting around talking to people. Its about 2pm here, and my day is over haha.

My house is clean, clothes and dishes washed. . . I may go for a walk with the pup soon, then take a nice bucket bath and make some dinner. This place is starting to feel more like home – and while I still have my moments of “WTF am I doing here” (had one Thursday morning) I’m getting more comfortable with myself, the language, having a house, dog etc. . . I guess I’m growing up haha. Look at me go! I jest, I jest. I’m still as silly as ever, but the only one who ever sees it is the dog – I don’t think my neighbors would understand my eccentricities, there are some things that just don’t translate.

With much love for always- td s

 Written Friday October 19th ... nothing  about my life here in Moz today (i'll write one sometime this weekend) instead, i thought i'd pay a little homage to my hometown of Pittsburgh. I miss you dearly Black and Gold. What i would do for a Primanti's right now or a funnel cake from Kennywood.

Subject: PITTSBURGH -- One and Only


True Pittsburghers


This is great - read the last poem--soooo true!

Being a Steeler fan means so much more than football. It means being
from a corner of the world unlike any other.

It means being from a place where the people are so tough-minded that
they survived the Homestead strikes, the John stown flood and most
recently the Etna Floods. These people have the DNA of hard work, in
mills and mines, without the necessity of complaint. They live simply,
with no frills. They don't have movie stars or fancy cars.

Instead, they have simple traditions like kielbasa, Ken nywood, and
celebrations.

They live in distinctive neighborhoods like Polish Hill and the Hill
District and all of the surrounding counties. These people are
genuine.

They don't have chic internet cafes and cappuccinos, but they have The
Original Hot Dog joint, Primanti's, Eat n' Park and Iron City Beer.
People from Pittsburgh don't have sunny beaches or fancy boats, but
the rivers roll gently, connecting the small towns of people whose
histories have been built on strength and humility.

People from Pittsburgh don't have the biggest shopping malls or the
best nightclubs, but they'll take Friday night high school football
and Steeler Sunday over anything.

Steeler football means so much more than you think. It symbolizes a
Diaspora of generations who had the best childhood they could imagine.

They ran free without a care or concern in the valleys of those
Allegheny Mountains . Their blue-collar world was easy ... there was
no one to tell them that they lacked material things. There was no one
to tell them that they needed more.

As the steel mills closed and the jobs disappeared, some of these
people had to leave. While the world benefits because they spread
their Pittsburgh values, they long for their home where things were
simpler and more pure.

They teach their kids about Jack Lambert, Lynn Swann, Terry Bradshaw,
Franco Harris , Jack Ham, L.C. Greenwood, Joe Greene, and Myron Cope
in hopes of imparting not just the knowledge, but the feeling that
they represented.

They are everywhere, those Terrible Towels. They wave, not just for
the team, but for the hearts they left behind.

They wave in living rooms in Fort Lauderdale and in the bars of
Washington , D.C. They wave all the way to the Seattle Superdome!
They wave for the Rooney family, whose values mirror our own -
loyalty, grit, and humility.

They wave for football players like Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward,
whose unselfishness and toughness have allowed sports to be about the
game and the team.

Make no mistake that Steeler football is not just about football. I
could not be prouder to be from the Pittsburgh area than I am right
now!!

Even if you no longer live in the area, you have South Western
Pennsylvania in your blood no matter where you go.

And deep down in your heart of hearts, you can still hear the Super
Bowls of times past, the excitement in everyone's voices especially
our fathers, cousins, and anyone else who gathered around the TV on
Football Sundays!

Make no mistake, it’s just as exciting right now! It's not just about
rivalries and who is better, it's about family, tradition and roots!
It's more than football, but its football at its finest! If you now
live in Arizona , Colorado , Ohio , Indiana , California , Florida ,
Nevada , or Texas , be proud of where you were born and who your FIRST
favorite football team was!

Go Steelers

Picksburgh GO STILLERS! Ah yes! "Picksburgh"

Yunz is from the Picksburgh area or maybe you grew up there if:

1. You didn't have a spring break in high school.

2. You walk carefully when it is "slippy" outside.

3. You often go down to the "crick."

4. You've told your children to "red up" their rooms.

5. You can remember telling your little brother/sister to stop being so "nebby."

6. You've gotten hurt by falling into a "jaggerbush".

7. Your mother or grandmother has been seen wearing a "babushka" on her head.

8. You've "worshed" the clothes.

9. I ask you to hand me one of those "Gum-Bands" an' you actually know what I'm
talking about.

10. You know you can't drive too fast on the back roads, because of the deer.

11. You know Beaver Valley , Turtle Crick, Mars, Slippery Rock, Green
Tree and New Castle are names of towns. And you've been to most, if
not all, of them.

12. A girl walks up to three of her girl friends and says, "HEY, YINZ GUYS!"

13. You hear "you guyses" and don't think twice. Example: "you guyses hause is
nice."

14. You know the three rivers by name and understand that "The Point"
isn't just on a writing instrument.

15. Someone refers to "The Mon" or "The Yough" and you know exactly
what they're talking about.

16. You remember the blizzard of 1993 (or 1976, or 1950, or 1939,
or...) and remember not being able to go outside because the snow was
over your head and you would have suffocated.

17. Someone starts the chant, "Here we go Still-ers!" and you join in.
In the proper cadence, waving the appropriately colored towel.

18. Bob Prince and "There's a bug loose on the rug." hold special
meaning for you.

19. You've either eaten a Farkleberry Tart or know someone who has.

20. You drink pop, eat hoagies, love perogies and one of your favorite
sandwiches actually has coleslaw and french fries ON it.

21. You know what a "still mill" is.

22. You expect temps in the winter to be record-breaking cold and
temps in the summer to be record-breaking hot.

23. You know what Eat 'N Park is and frequently ate breakfast there at
2:00 AM after the bar closed and made fun of people.

24. You order "dippy eggs" in a restaurant and get exactly what you wanted.

25. You spent your summers, or a school picnic at Luna Park ,
Kennywood, Westview, Sand Castle , or Idlewild.

26. You've been to the Braun's Bread Plant or Story Book Forest for a
school field trip. We went to the Heinz plant and the Isaly's plant .

27. "Chipped ham" was always in your refrigerator when you was growin'up.

28. You refuse to buy any condiments besides Heinz unless a Pittsburgh
athlete's picture is on the side of the container.

29. When you call the dog or the kids you shout, "Kum-mere" and they come.

30. Franco, Roberto, and Mario don't need last names and you can
recite their exploits by heart.


Wonder how many of yinz guys actually understood all dat? Some folks just don't.

It's winter in Pennsylvania
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At twenty-five below.

Oh, how I love Pennsylvania
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave Pennsylvania
'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!!



You'll send this on to family and friends who used to live in the
Pittsburgh area as well as to those who have never lived there, just
so they can appreciate how different western PA really is.

Written Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Wow. . .its hot. And I know that’s its only going to get hotter. It doesn’t help that its against cultural norms to wear shorts or tank tops… well, tank tops at times are acceptable. But most of the time, shirts need to have some sort of cap-sleeve, and skirts or pants must be at or below the knee.

What I would give right now for a pair of shorts, a tank top, and a cold beer. Even Ceu is passed out from the heat right now, sprawled across the floor, eyes shut, mouth open and panting. Poor guy… a fur coat in this heat? Unthinkable.

The weekend passed by without anything major happening… did some laundry, dishes, cooked a bit, hung out with Sota, hung out with my neighbor and did some reading. Pretty uneventful stuff, but I suppose I’ve now fully entered the life of a “peace corps volunteer”.

Yesterday I went to the hospital in the morning- again, I’m finding myself at a loss of things to do there, so I kinda just wander around for a bit, bring books or work with me, or talk with the Peer Educators. I’m trying to help out with some of the paperwork, but that’s not my job, nor is it a sustainable thing for me to do. Afterwards I went to Acomuza to try and get a head start on this SWOT analysis, or to download some Microsoft programs on their computer… but to no avail. The people I needed to talk with weren’t there, so I hung out for a bit, and then wandered back into the villa.

Bought some things for lunch/dinner – made a soup of rice and veggies (which tastes great cold today for lunch) – chatted with a few shop owners, and then headed back to my house. I did a great yoga workout, took a cold bucket bath – refreshing – cooked dinner, and watched a movie.

Today I went again to the hospital, helped them with some paperwork, talked with the Peer Educators, and started looking up research for my palestra about agua next week with Despertai…. Afterwards, I stopped in at Acomuza just to say hi, and then headed into town. Again, talked with some people in the street, bought some bread for the dog, and came home to eat lunch/read for a bit. I have a REDES meeting today at 3pm, so I’m just killing time until then with my book and this blog.

Tomorrow I have a meeting with Acomuza, then am going to head over to Inharrime to pick up a pair of pants I had made at the modista – think MC Hammer pants – in a crazy awesome print. They are totally wild, and I’m stoked about them. Yep – any and all fashion sense that I may have had before PC has gone right out the window. But I suppose that happens with the best of us… people don’t really care what you look like here – you are already an anomaly haha.

Again, I really wish I had more to say or to write about my life here, but so far this week as gotten off to a slow and semi-boring start. Such is life here some days, but I welcome it, and will try to grow and learn from it – if anything I will read a lot of books, and play with the dog.

With a nice sweaty hug, and a tail wag from the pup – I wish you all a pleasant week, and hope to hear from you all soon.

xo

td

Written Friday, October 12, 2012

Good morning everyone, another week has passed here in Moz. . . hard to believe its already the middle of October. Only 3 weeks until my Reconnect conference – a week long conference in Maputo where everyone from my group (Moz 18) gets back together to discuss the first three months at site, some plans for the future etc. it’ll be really really great to see everyone.

Today I am expecting a visit from one of the APCD’s here in Quissico. He is coming to check in on how my living situation is, my organizations, etc. Everyone gets a visit during the first three months, just to see how things are going. I’m happy that I am receiving the visit now that I am settled in my new home (pictures to come soon). I am officially unpacked, did my first load of laundry and everying.

Things are going better with my health, just a little stuffy today, with a slight cough. Fingers crossed that the worst is behind me.

Yesterday I went down to Despertai, one of my CBO’s. I spent a bit of time talking with the president about future plans- things we would like to do together, and then went out into the field with her. I got to meet a new family, people that were very close with Angela, so that was really nice. These people have been through so much, and still are some of the nicest people I’ve met here in Quissico. I hope to maintain a good relationship with them over the next two years, and help in any way that I can.

It was overcast and rainy yesterday, and it looks like its shaping up to be that way again today. I don’t mind too much, it’s a nice break from the insane heat, and I know that the gardens here need the rain/water badly.

Soooo that’s it really. Not too much to report here today. Going to see my APCD, get over to the hospital, Acomuza, and Despertai.

I have some things in the works for Acomuza, we are going to do a SWOT analysis on some of their ongoing projects, and I’m going to try to get them set up with using computer systems like Microsoft word, and Excel. They got their computers up and running, virus free, so hopefully we can do something productive with them.

With Despertai, I will continue to do home visits, at the end of this month I am doing a Palestra about water, and ways to purify it for drinking, and how important that is. In the next few months, we will be designing health related palestras about various topics to then give to the community and local schools. Much of this will be decided the last week in October during our monthly meeting. . . secretly I’m really hoping to get them to meet more than once a month (ok not so secretly) because they have some really great ideas, we just need to be together more to actually make them happen.

Tomorrow is going to be a day of domestic duties, more laundry, dishes, and I’m going to do a general clean of the house. Who knows, if its nice maybe I’ll head to the lagoon. Sunday I have promised some friends here that I would go to church with them. So stay tuned for another great church story.

With lots of love-

td

Written Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Good afternoon everyone. It’s a hot one again here in Mozambique, reporting in at 2:30 this afternoon. . . I didn’t go to my meeting today, on account of waking up with a fever, sore throat, and runny nose. . I had a slight fever on Monday, and yesterday was just a bit stuffy, so I thought I was “kicking” my cold right in you-know-where. . . apparently it thought otherwise. Woke up today feeling worse than ever, and have gone through almost an entire roll of toilet paper blowing my nose.

Being sick in the summertime at home sucks, as many of you know. Imagine the temperatures a bit hotter, and the air a bit more humid. . . now, toss in a fever and other ailments. . .lovely day right?

Anyway – didn’t want this to be another depressing blog post. . . so I’ll cut that out now.

Yesterday was a really great day actually. I went to the Hospital in the morning, hung out with some of the Peer Educators there – trying to learn what they do in a more in-depth manner, afterwards I went walking around town, getting odd things for the house (new light bulb, food for the dog etc) then came home to do a bit of cleaning, and preparing for my REDES meeting that afternoon.

It was my first meeting with the girls without Angela, so I was a bit apprehensive. My language is nowhere near as good as hers is, and the girls absolutely adored her. I was worried that I wouldn’t be up-to-snuff for them. So I was reading in one of our many books given to us by PC about activities to do with a young group of girls. The first one – great for introductions – make personalized name-tags. So I cut out some larger circles of paper, and took with me some colored pencils and markers. The idea was to incorporate your name, as well as designs for things that you like to do. So I had my name, a drawing of a soccer ball, book, the beach, friends holding hands, music notes, and a dog. I think that’s all pretty self-explanatory.

The girls really liked this activity, which made me really happy. It was a chance for me to get to know everyone a lot better and helped to break any remaining ice there may have been. Lucky that I brought this activity too – my counterpart was traveling back from Inhambane City, and was about an hour late to the meeting. We talked about some ideas for the future, what we want to do with our group. . . we are thinking about making jams or doing a cooking project, possibly for some income generation, a project dealing with the introduction of REDES into the community in a more prominent manner – many don’t know what REDES is, and we think its important that they do.

Then in the evening, I did my yoga, cooked some dinner, and hung out with the puppy dog. He’s currently passed out on the flood in my sala. Looking cute as ever. He’s a crazy little dude, but I’m really happy for the company, companionship, and never-ending kisses. Its nice to be loved.

So this morning, since I woke up feeling like death warmed over, I decided to stay in my house and rest. Sadly, the American in me, felt it was bad to just literally do nothing all day. So I washed a load of laundry in the morning, and did the dishes too. That took me until maybe 11:30am. And after that I took a two-hour nap.

Woke up to write this blog, and am considering walking up to town to buy some onions and other veggies to make an egg scramble for dinner. But seeing as I haven’t had much of an appetite today (heat and sick make it disappear) I may just go back to sleep.

Lazy day here with the pup – hopefully tomorrow will be better – health wise. I’m supposed to go out into the campu with my one organization. Friday I have a visit from Ilido, the Assistant APCD – he’s coming to check in on my housing situation, and my work. Sunday I’m going to go to church with one of my activistias, it’s a new one, so I’ll have interesting stories from that I’m sure.

Next week, no big plans as of yet, just the standard meetings, and going to the campu – Friday my landlord is coming to help me fix the latrine (the back part of the floor is caving in, and I’m terrified of falling in) and fix an overhang on one of my windows that’ll provide some more shade during the day in my sala.

Other than that, same ‘ol same ‘ol here in Quissico, missing Angela still, but I’m trying to focus on life here, and getting settled.

With the sound of a nose being blown –

td

Written Sunday October 7, 2012 – from the porch of my new, and official home here in Quissico.

Well kids- this is it. I’m home for the next 2 years.

It’s a surreal feeling.

How can I even put this into words? Angela was here this morning. Its taking a lot to realize that she isn’t coming back. This is my home now, I have a dog, I have a house. Its an incredible place, and for that I am very happy to be here – but I will miss Angela a lot. She’s been a constant in my life here in Africa, from week 1 when I pulled her name out of a hat for site visits – to the visit itself, to then spending the past 2 months with her. . . She has done such incredible work here, been though so much, and has integrated so well. I have some big shoes to fill, but the fact that we got to work together, and she helped introduce me to the community is appreciated more than words can ever say.

It is very strange knowing that very soon, she will be off on new and exciting adventures. She has been an amazing mentor and friend. Miss you already lady – don’t worry, I’ll be a good Tia to your baby, we will have some grand adventures here.

Wow- it has been an emotional day for sure.

It’s like I’m back to my first week here. I’m alone at my site, and suddenly I have a lot of responsibility. It’s really hard to put into words all of the crazy emotions that are running through my mind. I had a good cry today, and probably will have others during this week. It’s scary, exciting, stressful and rewarding.

I’ve been distracting myself with unpacking my things, and trying to get settled here. I was lucky enough to get a lift from the people who took Angela down to Maputo – they had an extra car, and the man driving said it was no worry to help me move. Thank goodness! Two duffel bags and two boxes, as well as various other things are a hard thing for one person to try and carry! I got all of my things into the house by 10ish I would say, and immediately got to work.

I have most of my clothes put away and hung up – makeshift closets in the corners of the room, hung up the mosquito net, organized most of my kitchen supplies, started hanging up pictures on picture boards (pieces of cardboard with capulana covering it) … took a walk into the town (so much closer compared to my first house) and got some tomato, onion and garlic. I made a nice sauce for some pasta, and had that for my “lunner” (lunch and dinner) having not had much of an appetite today.

I have meetings this week, but most of my time is going to be spent attempting to unpack everything and get settled.  I cant help but constantly think, that my first real “home” in my adult life is in Africa – how strange right? I was back and forth between college and my parents house from the age of 17, after college it was between my parent’s house, and my housesitting opportunity, and after that, my brief stint in my apartment with Laura before leaving for Mozambique, and then even here, I’ve been in a homestay family’s house, hotel rooms, and a temporary house. I haven’t been in one location for more than 6 months or so since I was in high school. And now here I am. . . living in a small two room house with a dog.

Really looking forward to the phone call from the rents tonight…. I need some mommy and daddy love. Being a grownup is tough.

On the plus side, the sunset from my porch is absolutely amazing.

Sometimes it’s the little things.

Xoxo

td

Written Friday, October 5, 2012

Off to a slow start today, not too much on my plate. . .no complaints here, its hot, and yesterday was a long day.

Yesterday (Thursday) I went out into the campu or “matu” (the bush I guess you could say) with a colleague from my one organization, Despertai. We do home visits to check in on people, talk to them about good health practices, taking medicine, getting to the hospital when they are sick etc… each month we decide on a topic to discuss during the month when the activista’s go on these visits. This month the discussion is about malaria.

We went to three different houses yesterday, walking from 8am until about noon. It was a long walk, in hot sun, but totally worth it. I got to see a whole different part of Quissico, on the other side of the lagoon, in the bush, where I finally felt like I was “in Africa”.  The home visits that I have been on have been mostly on the hillside along the lagoon, this trip was in the opposite direction, so I got to experience a totally different environment. It was beautiful in its own way.

Each home visit went well, my activista took the lead, talking about some medicinal plants that we discussed earlier in the month, about some home remedies that help prevent malaria, and aid in the recuperation process if someone does have malaria. She also stressed how important it was to get to the hospital to receive appropriate medication that would aid more so than any homeopathic remedy. People were very receptive towards the information that we shared, I talked about the importance of using a mosquito net, and if they don’t have one, using long pants and shirts during the night.

During one of the home visits, I had a very harsh wake-up call. To tell this part, I am going to copy a segment from my personal journal that I write in at night –

“I had my first true encounter with a person that has fully formed AIDS. He was a boy who couldn’t have been more than 12 years old. Tall and gangly, the child wore tattered pants that were tied up with a frayed rope around his protruding hip-bones. You could see every rib in his chest, and his shoulder bones stuck out of his body menacingly, like spikes. His eyes were yellow from constant bouts of malaria, the skin on his chest, and part of his face were scabbed – literally decaying in front of me. To see this suffering, to smell, yes smell (for the stench was almost unbearable) a decomposing person, to know that there was nothing that anyone could do for him . . .the word ‘heartbreaking’ just doesn’t do it justice.”

I have never felt so helpless in my entire life, for there was literally nothing I could do for this boy. This child, this boy who should be happy and healthy, playing with friends, looking forward to his future, is instead wishing for the day that his suffering would be over. He had been taking the medication for HIV, but for a month he went without it because they were unable to get to the hospital. His virus (I am assuming) took that time to build up a resistance to the medication, and when he finally was able to start taking it again, the medication did no good. Not to mention he was not getting proper nutrition (due to the heat and lack of rain for the gardens).

I know that this experience is just one of the many I am going to have here. I feel I’ve been living in a happy little ‘bubble’ if you will of my organizations, and time spent with neighbors etc. It was a shocking experience, one that is hard to explain how it made me feel. I hate to think about how it makes ME feel, when he is the one who is suffering. I’m such an American that way. . .thinking about how other people’s suffering affects ME. . . self-centered.

Anyway, the rest of the day went well, I hung out at Angela’s house to be there when some guys came to fix the bed frame, spent the evening with her and Sota, and came home to sleep.

Like I said, I don’t have too much going on today, probably going to take a trip into the town here soon, just to go for a nice walk and see some people. Tomorrow I’m thinking about going to the lagoon, and probably will spend the evening packing up for my move on Sunday. I am going to pay someone with a truck to help me move my things. It’s a bit of a walk, and I have 2 bags and 2 boxes. . not something I want to carry across town haha.

That’s all for now kids-

X’s and O’s

t

Written Monday, October 1, 2012

Happy October everyone! I can’t believe its already fall at home. . . when I left, it was just starting to warm up for summertime. . . I want everyone to drink some apple cider, wear flannel, enjoy the changing leaves, and have a pumpkin flavored beer. . . some of my favorite things about falltime that I’m not going to see for a while.

Another week starting here in Moz. . . going to head to the hospital today, out in the campu tomorrow, wed and thurs I have meetings with my orgs, and Friday probably back to the hospital. . that’s probably how my weeks are going to go here.

I’m debating about this what to do this weekend. . . some friends are going to a near-by beach (about 2 hours away) and it would be nice to see them, for it has been a long time. But on the other hand, Angela leaves on Sunday, I’d like to be around to see her off, and then start moving into my real house. The debate inside my mind continues.

This weekend was Angela’s Despedida (going away party), so Friday after my meeting with ICAP at the hospital, Sota and I started preparing things for it. We had the help of some Moz women for the cooking on Saturday, and made feijao, chicken curry, rice, this cole-slaw type stuff, and a potato-like salad that I don’t like because its smothered in mayonnaise. Gross. All the cooking was done Saturday morning, and the festa started around 1pm, people showed up, had some pop ate some food, said goodbye to Angela. . . it was nice, we had some great times dancing that night, and woke up with a bit of a hangover. But that happens.

Talking with the family last night was really nice. . . if some of you don’t know by now – my dad, after 20 some years FINALLY cut his hair. I leave town, and the whole world turns upside-down, I tell ya what man. Madness.

Things continue to go on about the norm here. . . I wish I had more to report, but last week not too much happened that I haven’t already said, and this weekend was a blur of party planning, and hanging out with friends. Its going to be very sad to see Angela go. It’s really interesting, this overlapping experience of volunteers. . . she is in a very different place than I am. I’m still trying to figure out how to say complete complex sentences, and she’s planning adventures in other countries. For one person to be at the end of their journey, and the other to be just starting, you can imagine how strange that is. I hope to be as integrated, speak as well, and have done as much in this community as she has – she is truly an inspiration.

That being said, I am really excited to get out of this temporary housing situation. I’m ready to unpack, to sit down with my guitar, to cook, to hang out with the dog, to have a front porch . .etc. I’m sure you are all sick of hearing it by now, but as nice as this little house is. . . I’m over it haha.

Anyway. . . that’s all for now –with love always    -t