when the pavement runs out

Good morning Quelimane!

Finally back in the city after a couple of weeks spent on the road assisting with site development and preparations for the incoming volunteers. Exciting fact- they arrive on May 1. Our pre-service training is changing its style a bit this year, rather than spending 10 weeks in the homestay family of Namaacha and going to site afterwards, the trainees will spend 6 weeks in Namaacha with these families, 3 weeks at their site with a homestay family there, and then return to Namaacha for the final 4 weeks of training. The idea behind this, is to introduce the trainee to their site a bit sooner, while keeping the homestay family experience going. At their sites during these three weeks, they will begin the integration phase- find out where the market is, where they pay for energy, how the hospital is working, potential projects to get involved in, introduce themselves to the administration and other higher-ups of the town etc. Essentially getting a feel for where they will be spending their next two years rather than having Peace Corps drop them at a totally unknown location after the swear-in conference and wish us ‘good luck’.

So what have I been doing to help with the preparations for this new program? Good question – I’ve been on the road in the Zambezia, Niassa and Nampula provinces meeting with the health staff of communities where we wish to put volunteers, introducing the program, explaining a bit what it is like to be a volunteer here, what our skills and assets are, how we work etc. Giving the health staff a first hand view and example of a volunteer (touching on my experiences from the first two years a great deal) rather than just having someone explain what the organization does. It gives doctors and directors of the health centers a first hand look at what it may be like to have a volunteer working for them. I go into detail about what we may be like as Americans/foreigners/men/women etc. Habits of a different culture, how our language skills may not be up to snuff when we first get to site, blah, blah.

After our meetings with the health staff, we also meet with community based organizations if there are any around, and then meet with various homestay families, to conduct a mini-interview, assess houses, and end up choosing one after its all said and done.

Honestly, I really enjoyed this work over the past few weeks- it reminded me why I chose to stay in Mozambique for a third year. It was because of the people, the wonderful people I’ve met on this journey who open up their homes, want to know about other cultures, and want to work with volunteers to hopefully shape the future of some Mozambicans for the better. The country is so incredibly vast and beautiful. I’m going to post a bunch of photos with this blog from my time on the road that will hopefully show you some of the beauty that I’ve been privy to see.

I didn't really journal in a normal sense when I was on the road, instead, I penned down some words and quick descriptions that came to me as I was traveling. I’d like to share a quick few with you now – afternoons on the road; big huge sky that is a fluid combination of vibrant, rich colors, the trees reaching towards it, caressed in the setting sun, the mud huts set ablaze by the reddish orange light as it sinks farther down the horizon – the open road stretches before me, a lazy winding mixture of pavement and dirt that lead to unknown beauty, smiles and waves of children as we pass through a grouping of small buildings nestled together on the side of the road, those smiles, so pure and innocent, true beauty – the clouds create a proverbial ceiling between the hot earth and the crystal clear blue sky, how flat they are on the bottom compared the luscious tendrils that top them, the stark contrast between the sheer white and blue as they stretch over the brown road and green vegetation . . This is what I will remember most. 

It is hard to capture the true beauty of Moz in just words. And my words hardly do it all justice, as my photos will also not. . . but along this journey I was fortunate enough to view some truly majestic sights, and spend time with some wonderful peace corps staff- the first weeek was spent with Osvaldo, and the second was with Lucio. We traveled well together, I introduced them to some great bands from the states, and we got into some really great discussions that tested my Portuguese, and were enlightening.

While it is nice to be home in Quelimane, sleeping in my own bed (rather than a floor), not living out of a backpack, and not sitting in a bumpy car for 8+ hours a day -  - I’m not really feeling ‘at home’ here. For me, home is where you stand not where you sleep, where you are at that moment with your ever-evolving life, finding oneself in things that are totally and completely different than what you are-  bringing a glorious mixture to your personal world.

With that, I leave you with some photos from my adventures! 

Enjoy. And be well.

a classic shot of life on the road in mozambique

this is a protected tree, located about 2 hours northwest of Quelimane, its over 250 years old

chasing the sunset, one of the many i was privy to see

mountains in Milange, Zambezia, the dividing line between Moz and Malawi

Malawi peanuts vs Moz peanuts

smiles from Malawi! Yep, we hopped the border for a quick lunch, and a new stamp on my passport

one of the many sites I visited doing the development work

the view of stunning mountains, through a bug spattered window

dusty roads were the norm in Niassa

a beautiful forest in Massangulo, Niassa province

We drove from Mandimba to Ribaue in a day, and that was a small section of our journey

munching on sugar cane! YUM

love and memories

Do you ever get overwhelmed with a smell that instantly takes you back to a moment in your life? I had one this morning that left me with an immense smile on my face. 

It's a rainy morning here in Quelimane, which means its humid, but a bit cooler than normal (read, I’m wearing long sleeves and shorts rather than a tank top).  I ran outside quickly this AM to buy some phone credit and enjoyed some of the cool rain on my face as I greeted my normal credit vendor with a still-half-asleep smile. Thinking longingly about the coffee in my French press waiting for me upstairs. Taking the steps two at a time back up to my apartment I opened the door and was hit was the wonderful aroma of steeping coffee, rain, and a cool breeze from the veranda. The smells combined instantly took me back to weekends at The Cabin with my family and our close family friends. So many summer and early fall weekends were spent there, running amok in the woods, playing in the creek, building campfires, swinging in the hammock under the trees, and always the smell of coffee in the morning to go along with our eggs and pancakes.

It was one of those moments that I was instantly transported to a carefree time of natural beauty and loving relationships. Hence. . .the big smile on my face.

So as I sip my coffee this morning – I hope that you all take a moment to think of a happy memory.

Good friends are like stars...You don't always see them, but you know they are always there

tick. tock. tick. tock.

Good morning all-

In the ICAP office this morning, the entire team is in their weekly meeting, I was told that my attendance was not necessary about a month ago, so here I am hanging out waiting for my coworkers to be done.

Kind of a frustrating morning here in Quelimane – currently I feel like I’m in a gigantic waiting room . . .waiting for the DPS to get back to me about site development information, that I can then pass onto Peace Corps so then we can organize our travel schedule for this month’s visits. Waiting on ICAP to get their request forms for volunteers submitted to me (which should have been handed in, back in January) so I can then submit them to Peace Corps and we can add those locations to our site visits.

In addition to all of this, I’m waiting for responses from Peace Corps Medical Office regarding some severe back pain I’ve been having (I’ve been self medicating with Yoga, stretches, and ibuprofen), and waiting for news about scholarships and financial aid regarding graduate school.

Have you ever been told “no” in so many ways so many times that you eventually just stop caring? That's kind of how I’ve been feeling as of late. . . maybe that's the wrong way to say it. I’m still here and trying to be present in the moment, doing my work, and doing it well. . . Just not investing myself in things anymore because I’ve continuously been set up for disappointments.

Back in November it was- if things don't get better, we will consider moving you to Namaacha to help with PST and work there. Then when things didn't get better, it was – we don't need a volunteer in Namaacha, you are staying where you are . . .only to find out a month later they have a volunteer working full time there. (small slap in the face).  Found out this weekend that I’m not going to PST at all this year, and not being involved with the training of new volunteers in any way because they want to use current volunteers for the trainings . . .(so what exactly am I?).

I’ve been trying to organize a yoga retreat for volunteers, hopefully doing it the first weekend of July at two beach resorts here, one in the north, one in the south. . . just gauging volunteer interest at the moment and trying to determine logistics of it all. Peace Corps denied funding assistance to the proposed weekend, which is fine I suppose, just another semi-no. Hopefully it gains some traction and in the future it can be a PC organized and funded activity. Fingers crossed.

Recently I discovered that I have 45 unused vacation days here in Peace Corps. . . So I asked PC if I could use 30 of those days to COS early (close of service) allowing me a bit more time stateside to organize my life before school starts, see my parents before they move to Texas, etc . . . they said no. SO . . . I’m going to be using some of those days for my trip to Swaziland at the end of May and beginning of June to visit Quissico and other sites in the south.

That leaves me with many remaining days. . . and as of now, the idea is to travel to Myanmar to visit a Buddhist temple and see an old friend who is living there. I’m thinking travel dates of July 13-30^th or so, coming back in time to pack up, and get to Maputo by August 10 to start my COS process.

I am not meaning to bad mouth Peace Corps . . .when talking to other volunteers about potential extending I continue to be very positive about it all. I’m trying to be a positive influence in volunteers experiences here, and a good resource for them. When people ask me if I could go back and decided to extend again or not - I still would. That's the insane part about it. This year has by far been the hardest of the entire experience. I’ve encountered a lot of “no”, a lot of frustration and personal struggle . .. but. . .I've also learned a lot. And its forced me to look deeper into a lot of things, allowed me a chance to focus on my health and wellness more, and shown me another side of Moz.

I’ve experienced the good with the bad as in all aspects of life. I had an incredible first two years, and had a not so great third year, therefore giving me a full perspective.

Not too much going on this week – just work per normal, and working out. I started the Insanity workouts and have been interchanging one day of Insanity with one day of a good yoga flow. My lower back has been killing me, but I need the cardio and exercise to keep me sane. The yoga helps my back from fully falling apart, and my mental health in check.

Namaste