should i stay, or should i go?

Because I’m sitting here at the hospital with nothing to do, I thought I’d create a pro/con list of staying for you all to see and potentially comment on.

Pro’s-

-       I would be living in Quelimane, which is a big city that potentially offers more creature comforts like running water, a possible ex-pat community, allowing me to ‘blend in’ a bit.

-       I would be able to run outside without it being considered strange, or getting hit by a chapa

-       A better food selection, and more restaurants because I’m in a city

-       Easy travel because everything leaves from Quelimane

-       Its on a river, so there is a pretty place to go and sit

-       It's a safe town

-       Work potential/opportunity for networking

-       Meeting new people (pcv’s and host country nationals alike)

-       Opportunity to travel an entirely new region of Mozambique

-       I can extend with grad school for one year, and peace corps has granted the opportunity to COS early so I could make it back in time to start

-       I get 30 days at home whenever I want

-       One more year of fruit season (mangos!!)

-       The beaches in Mozambique

-       I would be able to improve my Portuguese even more

-       Possibility of getting more visitors from America

-       Not having to find a home for Lua just yet

Con’s

-       The possibility of having no work

-       Moz 18 (my closest friends/family) will not be here

-       It is very hot and very humid in Quelimane

-       Eating Mozambican food for another year, its delicious, but there isn’t much variety

-       Medical issues, like stomach viruses, eye infections etc

-       Being away from friends/family

-       Transport in Mozambique (always a crapshoot, and totally out of my control)

-       Unwanted male attention, and yet limited dating prospects

-       Being on a subsidy again

-       The possibility of having no work (said twice, because if I spend another year that is anything like the past few months here I’d go crazy)

-       The inherent frustrations of life in Mozambique

-       Another year of bugs/snakes/creatures of Moz

-       Not moving back home to start grad school yet, which is something I’ve been looking forward to for months

-       Missing things at home like the holidays, weddings, social events etc.

-       Living on a subsidy for another year

So while it seems that most of my Con’s are indeed creature comforts, and wanting to be back with family and friends. . . a lot of it also stems from my experience here already. I know that I just cant go through another year of feeling useless, not included, and like I’m wasting my time. But I also don't want to come home, and always be wondering “what if”…

back at site

Hello all-

Yes I know that it has been quite a while since I posted a blog, and for that, I am sorry. Last we talked I was in Tofo with my aunt. . . that was the best weekend. We lived it up in a nicer spot right on the beach, had great food, hung out with my friends, and enjoyed the sun, sand and surf.

The remainder of her vacation in Mozambique was split between time at my site, going back to Bilene beach in Gaza Province, and then two nights in Maputo. It was a great time spent together, hanging out just the two of us, and then with some other PCV’s. I couldn't have asked for a better person to visit, miss you already.

The end of our trip was spent in Maputo so she could catch her airplane out, seemed to be a pretty easy plan, go spend 48 hours there, get her to the airport, and head back to site. But then life in Mozambique happened. . . .  my eye had been bothering me for a day, itchy, red and a bit irritated. I had the Peace Corps medical officer take a look at it and she decided that it was infected enough to go to a specialized eye clinic. Add a day to my stay in Maputo.

After the first consult, I was given some sterilizing eye drops, and was told to wait a day or two to see if the infection cleared up. . add another day to my stay in Maputo. Sadly the drops did not work, and my infection seemed to be getting worse, so I was sent back to the doctor a day early and had a full workup done. My eye was dilated; I was given all sorts of medication, drops, creams etc. and the best part- a huge eye patch. It was epically hideous. All sorts of white gauze and tape everywhere, it didn't look anything like an eye patch, more like I had lived through a war and had shrapnel removed from my face. Stunning.

Anyway, the story has a happy ending- the medications I was given seem to be working, so I was allowed to return to site yesterday. After spending an unexpected week in Maputo, I have never been happier to return to my little reed house. I have 2 weeks of the medications, and then a month wearing my glasses (yuck). But I’ll do whatever I have to, to keep my eyes healthy.

So the biggest news I have is this; once again, I am considering extending my contract with Peace Corps for a third year. (pause for reaction)

The position in consideration, located in Quelimane- Zambezia Province, is sort of a double placement; a PCVL (peace corps volunteer leader) and the other half would be a placement with the provincial health department (DPS) which is partnered with the CDC. In theory the position with the DPS would have me working directly with a health team, moving around to different hospitals and health centers to introduce and start the GAAC program. The PCVL position would more or less be a liaison between the Peace Corps staff and Volunteers themselves. I would participate in site development, site visits, various trainings etc.  In theory, it sounds like an amazing opportunity. I would have the chance to explore a whole new part of the country, I would be living in a bigger city so I would have more creature comforts than I do now, and it sounds like a very interesting job description. IN THEORY.

I have been making pro and con lists all week about staying. . . some big pros are the ones I listed before, a chance to see a new part of this country, an amazing opportunity for networking, skills acquisition with this PCVL position etc. but there are also some massive con’s. . . there is a gigantic potential for no work, or being in a position where people just don't know what to do with me.

What about grad school you say? Well, I have sent away for information about potential deferral for a year, and it appears that I can do just that- defer for one year without repercussions. I would also be able to COS (close of service) with enough time to get back and start school in the fall of 2015.

In all honesty I have been leaning towards staying, I mean, why not?! If grad school will be there when I’m done, what is the harm in hanging out one more year? I would be able to come home for 30 days, so I am thinking holidays this year so I can maximize time with friends/family while everyone is around for the holiday season. And after that it would just be 6 months or so until I leave. I say this all, and then come to work this morning and am greeted with a sharp dose of reality. . . I walk into the CCS office at the hospital at 8am, just like I told my counterpart I would to be told to go and wait somewhere for 30+ minutes while the “team” has a meeting. Just like I was told two weeks ago that I wasn't needed in the field because the “team” was going. . . correct me if I’m wrong, but should I not be part of this “team”? Isn’t that what I’m doing here?

Job descriptions may look awesome on paper…. Reality of the situation, they aren’t all that wonderful.

Lua is in heat again, so while I am at the hospital she is locked inside my house. As she was all last night. . . while 6 huge dogs  prowled around my yard, fighting one another, barking and growling like crazy. Sigh…. The problems of owning a female dog in Africa. I just don't want to see her go through pregnancy again; I really think she is just too small of a dog to handle it. Also, that wasn't a fun thing for me to experience, and I’m going to do everything I can to prevent it from happening again.

So while yesterday I was around 86% sure that I wanted to stay, today I’m like 71%.... reality of life. It's a back and forth thing every day. Sometimes during the day.

Suggestions on what I should do are welcome.

xoxo

t

there and back again!

Hello all! Writing this blog beachside at Tofo Beach! Jealous?? You should be!

So my aunt Sara's visit is in full swing at the moment, hence my lack of blogging as of late. She and her friend Lisa arrived on the first of March, via the Intercape bus from South Africa. They had been traveling all through that lovely country about a week before arriving in Mozambique. We spent the night in Maputo, to get up very early in the morning and travel up to a beach in Gaza province- Bilene. One of my personal favorite spots in the southern Mozambique area.

The travel was not bad, Sara had all sorts of memories from her service rush back to her as we crammed into a very hot chapa (the only way to get to the beach on a Sunday unfortunately) and traveled the last 30 minute leg of the journey smashed between our new best friends. Arriving at the beach, a bit worse for wear, we unloaded and went to our lovely lagoon front houses. Sara's friend, unaccustomed to the pace of life and travel in this country brought me back to just how integrated and used to things here I have become. Fortunately we had a lovely evening at Bilene, and a nice slow morning.

Unfortunately, we didn't have much time, as Lisa had to make a flight back to the states on the 4th, so back to Maputo it was. We were able to hitchhike down to the city, and once within the city limits take a tuk-tuk to the backpacker. Lisa elected to stay in a nicer hotel, so we checked her into there, and then hung out for a bit, eventually getting dinner at a local spot in the capital city.

The next morning it was back to the Junta bus stop for Sara and I. Fortunately we didn't wait too long for the bus to leave (only 2 hours, which by Africa time is not that long at all), and the trip to site was quick and painless. Once we arrived in Quissico, we walked to my house and just hung out until the heat of the day passed and we were able to walk into town. Drinks by the overlook with my sitemates, and a nice dinner of market food .... couldnt beat it!

We spent the next 3 days at site (wed, thurs, fri) doing a mixture of things- my community organization meetings, a stop at the hospital, a REDES meeting, and then a google hangout for the REDES leadership. On Friday we took the entire day to make a lagoon trip. It was a fantastic day spent in the sun and clear, calm water. Sara was wrapped up in capulana's and a big floppy hat to protect her from the sun, while the rest of us just enjoyed the vitamin d.

On Saturday we hitchhiked up to Tofo Beach, it was an easy day of travel, and we arrived to the lovely Turtle Cove backpacker. I have stayed there a few times, and took Dad there (he loved it) it is a bit far from town, maybe like a 10/15 min walk, so its not exactly 'beach front'. We spent a night there, and while it was lovely, it wasn't exactly what we were looking for. Sooooooo.... we upgraded.

We are now staying at Casa na Praia, right on the beach at Tofo, our room (more like a honeymoon suite) opens directly onto the beach..... not a hard life.

This place is seriously ruining me for accommodations here. It is absolutely beautiful, the people are super friendly, and we are in love with it. Sooo.... of course we decided to stay an extra night haha.

Tomorrow we will wander back to Quissico, and eventually back south so Sara can catch her plane on the 18th... but until then, I'm going to hang here with my toes in the sand.

big x and o from the both of us.

t & s