Moz Revolution Day

Today is a national holiday, which means there is no work, no shops are open, and a majority of the population are already at the bar drinking (its 15:30). So I took the day to clean my small apartment, do a yoga workout, walk to the open air market where I bought all sorts of delicious fresh fruits and veggies, enjoyed the sunshine on my face as I walked through the bustling streets, and returned home to have a sun-ripened papaya with lemon juice on it - while sitting in my hammock. 

I listened to a few good podcasts while making some home improvements; capulana wall hangings, setting up my new table/desk/work area, and just did a general cleaning of my house. I feel somewhat accomplished, and content with my day.

It has been an enjoyable, slow day, mainly spent at home because of all of the political commotion going on around town right now. Nice to just recharge with some alone time.

I hope that you are in good health and spirits.

happy thursday

td

new wall hangings, and my work station

another view

my hammock and bedroom doors (that i finally got to open)

par for the course? or boredom?

Why the hell am I still here in Mozambique?

It’s a question I have been asking myself as of recently, more and more. I do not love it as much as I should, or as much as I did the first two years. A lot of it has to do with moving sites, seeing my friends leave, and all that shit. Living in the big city now means that I am just one of the masses- another face in the crowd. And because my face is a white one, and I am a woman, and I am working with an I-NGO sooo many people expect me to have money. Including my co-workers! When I try and explain that no, I do not receive a salary – I get eye rolls and the standard tongue-click of disbelief, and then the numerous questions start to flow, well if you don’t have money, how did you buy the tea you are drinking? If you don’t have money, how did you buy the fancy clothes you wear? You may not be receiving a salary now, but when you go back to your country, you’ll have money waiting for you there, and you’ll get a salary for your work here, right?

Sigh…

It is very hard to explain my life to people here in the city. When I tell them about the conditions I lived in before in Quissico, again, many do not believe me - while others begin a long list of questions about how I survived in these conditions etc. When I state that I had visitors to this house, people become shocked and almost dismayed- how could you let people experience those horrid conditions?? At this point, I generally get fed up, and want to yell at them ‘I want to go back to that house and life!!’. At least there, being the foreigner meant that people knew me, and knew my story, and I was enveloped in a sense of community.

This past week has been somewhat productive work-wise. I have been eating healthy, doing a mini-workout every night. . but a life without music, media, or company is a truly boring one. I get up in the morning, shove a banana or two in my face, put my coffee or tea in my travel mug, and hop a bike taxi to work. I am at work from 7ish until whenever my day ends. Sometimes it is over at 3pm, others it’s not over until the fat lady sings. I don’t have a specific job description yet, because no one is giving me the goddamn time of day.

I am finding work to do, trying to stay busy. My supervisor is happy with the progress I have made thus far. . . so I guess that’s a good thing.

I just think I expected more.  More from my coworkers, more of a game plan, more organization within a work day, more involvement in the planning of things…. Rather than just ‘show up for work and find out whats happening in my life today’…. Annoying.

I like Quelimane enough… it has all of the necessary things someone may need. Good fruits and veggies, lots of shops to get whatever I need for my house etc… but there are still the same frustrations of living in a third world country. . . people don’t show up on time for appointments, house repairs  on a budget, being dependent on a third party to get things done, constantly being upcharged in the market for produce, the stares and cat calls I get just walking down the street (mind you, I can be in a dirty, three day old t shirt, hair in a bun, glasses on and still get these, simply because my skin color stands out) etc… the list goes on.

And now that my computer charger has shit the bed, I have difficulty getting work done in the evenings; I have no way of getting music, or watching media on a weekend when there really isn’t anything to do, and there are only so many times I can go walk around the town to pass the time. Especially in the heat here …. Ugh Quelimane is fucking HOT.

Alright. That’s enough venting from me. It’s the same shit, just a different day. Tomorrow will be better. Or it won’t be. Either way, I’m here.

who needs a computer in africa?

 Hello hello -
Again, sorry its been a bit since I’ve posted. I think that this year, blogs will be a but more sporadic due to my workload and such. I appreciate all of you sticking with me though, and promise to try to keep it as interesting as possible.

So I am officially settled here in Quelimane. I have started hanging things on the wall in my apartment, hung up my hammock on the veranda, done the first load of laundry etc. Moving into a new house takes time. You have to go through each room and make it your own, introducing yourself slowly as time goes, and making modifications to small things. And on a Peace Corps budget, it is just that – slow goings haha. 

Work has been going well, just like the house it takes some time. Pouco a pouco as they say, little by little… however I feel overall that i am making good steady progress. I just need to remember to be patient with myself, the process itself, and those that I am working with. It still amazes me just how quickly time slips away here in Mozambique. . . how did it suddenly become mid-September? 

Quelimane has been a tricky place to get used to… while it has a very fun social scene, one can become a bit dependent on specific people, and when those people travel for work and other reasons you can kinda get left behind. I am trying to branch out and make friends, my work colleagues do not really seem interested in getting to know me outside of the office, which is fine (a bit disappointing) but I suppose that’s the way it’s going to be. I cant help but compare this experience to the one I had in Quissico- there all of my coworkers were very involved in my life, actually providing my social circle aside from a few families in the community. Here in Quelimane, I have my work circle between ICAP the DPS and the CDC, and then some friends I have happened to make in town. Most of my evenings are spent at home, cooking, reading my books and laying in my hammock. 

a fellow pcv and i enjoying a beer on a friday night

My computer charger has decided, after years of dedicated service, to die. So most of my work is now being done here at the ICAP office at the computer… Most of my work, or at least thus far has me in the office at the computer, or in various reception areas at various health centers in the city. Those are interesting days, full of many different emotions – even after being in this country for over two years, I can be appalled and disheartened by the conditions of some of the health facilities here.

work at the office...  

Imagine, you walk through an old rusty chain link fence into an overgrown sandy yard where many stray dogs that are covered in mange are laying. Chickens run amok in the yard, barefoot babies, some without clothing cry in their mothers laps – a majority of the people are huddled under the shade of a solitary mango tree, waiting, sometimes for hours for a consult. During this consult, the exhausted doctor or technician will only speak to the patient in Portuguese, not caring that the patients’ language ability starts and stops with a basic greeting. During these consults the technician will often shame the patient for not knowing better than to get sick, hand off a prescription for a potentially improper medication, and send them on their way.

And that’s just the consult rooms. In the reception area and HIV testing centers, where I do most of my work, paperwork and patient files are organized in such a clusterfuck, its amazing that any work actually gets done. The facility I went to on Monday has many patients who are consistently getting their medication from the pharmacy, but are not going to their consults. This is a problem for many reasons… one – the patients CD4 count may have changed, meaning that their dosage of medication should also be changed, two- the patients should not be able to get medication without a receipt from their clinical consult, which means that the pharmacy is handing out medication to potentially incorrect people. Etc. . 

So what we did on Monday was go through all of the ‘abandono’ files and separate the ones who are actually active in the pharmacy, but not in the clinical consults. It was a lot of paperwork, number dictation, and not mentally stimulating at all. But necessary, and it will help us streamline the ‘busca’ process for that specific health center.

Yesterday I participated in a meeting with the DPS, CDC, Ministry of Health, and various implementing partners that discussed the current situation of HIV and the accelerated plan to get more people on treatment, and retention of these patients. Very interesting facts and statistics, again some more disturbing than I was expecting. Out of 4,682,435 people in Mozambique, 294,993 have HIV. Out of those, 117,997 are considered eligible to start ARV medication (meaning they have a CD4 count fewer than 300) however, only 83,767 are actually on the medication. And who knows how many of those who are on treatment will continue to stay on it, or have already abandoned it. 

My day today has been spent writing up project proposals – 

Community Mapping Project for Abandonos and Target Groups

Proposal: Using a terrain-view map of each district or area surrounding a health facility, outline the neighborhood demographics of abandonment rates. These statistics can also be broken down into target groups such as, pregnant women, people who have abandoned treatment within the past 6 months, children at risk, etc. This Community Map could not only be used as a resource for the local community, but in conjunction with the Montly Busca project proposal.


and the second is


Monthly Buscas for Abandonos

Proposal: Once a month, using the resources from ICAP (car/team) go into the field to help with the buscas activas that are further than Peer Educators can achieve alone. Choose a centralized location according to the Community Mapping project, travel there in the car and from a decided stopping point, walk in small groups to locate patients. This project could be completed once a month with an assigned team.


I look forward to seeing where these proposals can go, and am preparing for a proposal meeting tomorrow with a representative from the Ministry of Health about the GAAC toolkit. Lots going on. Lots of work is deskwork, and project management…. So I’m not loving it, missing the hands on lifestyle of my small community, but feel that its good I have that basis of understanding and can use those experiences to further my work here in a practical manner.

 

I have 80 days until I am stateside for my leave, and while I am in no real rush to go home, obviously, I am looking forward to it. Until then, I'll have a cold one at my downstairs bar, and send you all some love...

 

~ t

~starting over~

Year 3- Quelimane

Hello all! It has been a very long time since I’ve posted a blog, and for this I apologize – however my life has been a bit crazy as of late, and because of this communication on my end has been a bit faulty.

I am officially moved in to my apartment here in Quelimane, Zambezia Province. It is in a safe, and relatively quiet corner of the town, the building itself only 3 stories tall and overlooks a big square (where I hear that the Carnival celebration happens). I live on the 2^nd floor; the first is shops and a bar (convenient, right?) and there are 4 apartments that share my hallway. It is a veryyy spacious place, high ceilings, big doors, etc. My old home in Quissico could probably fit inside it three times over. I’m not sure how much I love it just yet, to be honest. It's a bit dark, and dingy, a bit shabbier than it is chique. Little by little I am adding homey touches to it, and am doing my best on the Peace Corps budget to make it home. There was just no instant love like I felt for my home in Quissico – that little grass hut will always have a special place in my heart.

Life in Quelimane is vastly different than life in Quissico as well. Because it is a big city, things like bonding with your neighbors, having a tomato lady in the market, being known around town –are much harder. There are benefits to living in the city; supermarkets where I can buy just about anything, a big central market that has all sorts of fresh produce all the time, lots of movement, and fun social activities to do, so that's a plus. I just haven’t really met enough people yet to go out and enjoy things, and some of the fun activities do cost a decent amount of money (live concerts and such). I also don't have the loving comfort of Lua, I knew that I depended on the furry creature to keep me sane, and for company, I just didn't realize how much- until I found myself sitting in my house alone yesterday, staring at a wall haha.

This past weekend I played host to quite a few PCV’s, and on Saturday I helped out with the provincial science fair, a secondary project started by Peace Corps. It was really a neat experience, seeing what high school kids do for science experiments here. I was happy to see that some of the classics were present; light bulbs powered by lemons, remote controlled planes, making glue from styrofoam and gasoline etc. It was a long day, and at points stressful for the PCV who was running it, but overall I think it was a great success, and I’m happy that I had the opportunity to participate.

Anyway.... on the work aspect, I think things are going well - I had a very productive conversation with my contact at the CDC last Friday about where we are with the GAAC toolkit, and we are working to hopefully have it all completed by the end of the month. I want to try and present it to the Ministry of Health when they come to Zambezia province next week.

My work at ICAP is a bit more complicated … I am trying to schedule a meeting with people some time this week to finalize my job descriptions. However it is a busy time (closing of the fiscal year etc) and I think that my arrival has been put on the back burner. Not a bad thing, but just how it is. So I’m just sitting in the office with the team here, writing this blog to you all.

I have yet to return to the DPS (provincial department of health) where I will be working with the community outreach/linkage programs. The timing hasn't been right, with hosting PCV’s, trying to get work done with ICAP, the GAAC Toolkit, and moving into my house… plus this past weekend was a holiday weekend… so hopefully sometime this week I will get back there. I don’t know if I should go alone and just try to meet with my contact there (she hasn’t been very responsive to my communication attempts) or if I should ask someone from ICAP to accompany me there again. I will try to get in touch with.

So, I suppose all in all - its starting off slow, and I'm a bit disappointed with some things, and very stressed out about others, but know that the trick to life here in Moz is patience. I am going through some pretty big life changes, and just trying to keep it all in order, and keep my head up looking forward.

welcome to the north!

Greetings from Quelimane!!

I don't even know where to start with updating you all about what’s been going on in my life; truth be told its been a whirlwind of awesome adventures, meeting a ton of new people, and great new work opportunities.

The last time we talked I was in Maputo, having just finished my week in Namaacha with the new volunteer group. Since then, they have all taken their oath at the ambassador’s house, and were sent off to their respective sites! There is a fantastic woman living in my old house, and she seems to love the little grass hut, and town as much as I did (do).

After the swear-in ceremony a fellow 18er extendee and I took the new volunteers out for a night on the town, cheap beers, karaoke – the works. It was a great night, and a much needed opportunity to let off some steam. Unfortunately the next morning was a bit rough for some, as some had to travel north to Nampula for the Supervisor’s conference there. We were put up in a very lovely hotel, right in the center of town, and while Nampula isn’t the safest place in Moz, it does offer a lot of opportunities to buy things for volunteer’s homes (stoves, small refigerators etc) for cheaper prices. I bought a two-burner gas stove, and am keeping it with me until I move into my house in September.

The conference itself went extremely well, I just finished writing up a report consolidating the feedback from everyone about it- most, if not all responses were positive ones. It was an introduction for many supervisors/counterparts to what peace corps is, the role of volunteers in the community, and how we work for our two (or three years). I facilitated a few sessions about relationships with supervisors/counterparts, what its like to integrate in a community, conflict resolution etc, and even with my Portugues da Rua (Portuguese from the street) people understood the message, and the sessions went well.

One of the nights we were there, I decided to take myself out for a cold beer at this cool balcony bar that I remembered from a year ago (when I did a big northern travel with my friend Olivia) – so I’m sitting there casually sipping, and suddenly I hear “hey, are you peace corps?” haha! I turn around, and there is an RPCV (Moz 15er) who happens to be doing the same exact thing! We ended up chatting and just having a great time catching up. That's the beauty of this country; you never know whom you are going to meet, or where the day is going to take you.

After a few long, but productive days in Nampula, I traveled south with my supervisor Lucio to Quelimane, to facilitate the same conference for the volunteers working with ICAP in Zambezia province. There was the same feedback given, productive, positive etc. Which is always a heartwarming and hopeful thing. Since then I have moved my things into the FGH guest house, where I will be staying for my time here in Quelimane (before retuning to Maputo for a week).  This brings the number of places I’ve moved/stayed at since leaving my home to 5. Fortunately I am able to carry all that I own on my back (2 big bags, a black trunk, and a backpack).

I have been able to explore the city of Quelimane a bit, and am quickly falling in love with it. There are so many things to see and do, and while it is a big city, it has such a chill and comfortable feel to it. I feel safe enough walking around alone, there are bike taxi’s everywhere (literally a bike, with a small cushion to sit on above the back tire) that will take you anywhere in the city for 5 mets. It takes a bit of practice to balance properly- but I think I’ve gotten the hang of it.

I am working with ICAP this week, in the office doing a bunch of administrative things, and working on my other projects. I was formally presented to the Provincial Department of Health (where I will also be working this year), and am working out a time to go and meet the Hospital Staff here in Quelimane. Lots of new faces, new names, and lots of work – which is making the time FLY by. I cannot believe that it is already Mid-August?!?! What is that?

Anywayy…. That's all for now. Send me some emails, or hit me up on whatsapp- I have a working phone again! Phone number is +258 84 398 5044

xo

-t

quick update

Hello all

I found a spare moment or two at the Peace Corps office, so I thought I’d send a quick update about what is going on in my semi-crazy life.

As many of you may remember, I have since left Quissico. It was a good parting, filled with lots of love, good food, and very few tears. Lua has settled in nicely to her new home in Panda, hanging out with two great PCV’s there who work at the local school. Her new past time, according to them is playing soccer with the kids, she chases after the ball with them- but her mouth is too small to actually catch it, so she is left snapping after it! Haha what I would do to see her running amok with the kids. . . sigh. I miss that goober.

(photo of the baby i got for my birthday- yes, she is sleeping like that)

So since leaving my little grass shack, I have been living out of my backpack for a few weeks now in Maputo at my friends house. I first traveled from Quissico, to Maptuo... then spent about a weeks time in Namaacha helping with pre-service training for the new volunteers, and am now currently living on my friends floor here in Maputo. 

I will be here in Maputo until the 6th, the new group of volunteers swears in on the 5th at the Ambassador's house. From that I will fly to Nampula City, in Nampula Province to assist with their supervisor's conference from the 7-9th. On the 10th, I will be going overland to Quelimane in Zambezia Province (my new home for the next 13 months). There we are having a separate supervisors conference from the 11-13th for the volunteers who will be working with ICAP in the province. So then I am in Quelimane for a week and a half (living in a guest house or something….details still to be worked out). 

From the 13-23rd I will be in Quelimane, getting to know my new town, meeting my work team there, etc. just sort of settling in (while still living out of my backpack). On the 24th I fly back down to Maputo to help with Moz 20 MidService Conference, so back to living in the big city here, in yet another hotel. 

But the very best part of all of this craziness is- on the 29th (because I will be in Maputo) I have been granted approval to travel back to Quissico to help/participate in the Timbila Festival!!!!! So even though its about 6 hours out of my way, I am making the bus trip up to my wonderful town of two years, to see friends and family for the festival. SO EXCITED! 

So... the 29th-31st I will be in Quissico. Bussing back south to Maputo on the 1st, and flying back to Quelimane on the 2nd. 

that is my life in a nutshell.

hectic. crazy. adventurous. fun.

Since being here in Maputo I have been working heavily with this new GAAC toolkit, ICAP and Peace Corps. I have been spending my mornings at the ICAP office, meeting the team there, getting introduced to the various programs I will be assisting with. Afternoons have been spent at the Peace Corps office, working on programming prep for the new incoming volunteers (I found out who is replacing me in Quissico, and think it is going to be a great fit!)

I have completed the final drafts of a few documents with this GAAC program, and turned them into the CDC for final review/feedback/revisions. Hopefully we will have word from the various implementing partners this coming week, in regards to them both.

In addition to the work I’ve been doing, I am also here in Maputo doing medical tests and such, similar to the ones I did at Mid-Service – a physical, dentist, etc. I am hoping to get new glasses while I am here too. Oh, and beauty of all beauties- I had to poop into a cup (testing for parasities)…. Ahh the glamorous life of a volunteer.

(one of the goodbye nights with some fellow 18ers)

With that lovely image in your minds, I’ll say ta-ta

loving every minute of this crazy adventure  

missing you all even more. 

bosse, ahnna na na manguana

Writers note; this will be my last blog probably for a bit because of my upcoming transition. I will be spending this last week at site packing up my house, and saying my goodbyes. from there I will be living in Namaacha, then Maputo. I move to the north in August after the new group swears in. Also, the title of this blog- bosse, ahnna na na manguana is how you say "bye, see you tomorrow" in the local language, Chopi. 

So, I have spent the past week sorting through all the assorted junk that I have accumulated in my house over the past two years here in Quissico. I was slightly shocked and appalled at myself for the amount of crap that has amassed in my small abode. 

During all of this cleaning and thoughts about packing (because in reality I won’t put things in bags/boxes until the final hour), I have done some serious soul searching. While I am still staying in Mozambique for a third year, my life here is about to change drastically.

Not to sound too morbid, but in these last few weeks I have almost felt like I have been told that i only have a few weeks left to live, and that I need to start getting my affairs in order. If you turn your head and squint in a very dramatic way, that statement could be construed as true, in a week, I wont be living here anymore. In reality it is the end of a life, that I lived to my fullest capability. I experienced both emotional and physical intensities I never would have anticipated when I was first sitting in the student union at my college, filling out my application. 

Packing up my little house, I start thinking about all the work I have done to/within it, how I have turned it into a home- and know that next weekend I  am going to walk away from it, never to return again (at least not under the same circumstances and not in the foreseeable future).

How do I get the people whom I have lived amongst to understand that I am actually leaving? --This I have found to be the most frustrating and saddening part of my upcoming departure. When I say that I'm departing in 6 days, they always joke about how I'll be able to just come south and visit, when in reality, I probably won't. 

How do I deal with those, who I thought I made meaningful connections with, who’s sole desire to strip me of my material possessions as I prepare to leave instead of maybe expressing the sadness in your departure? --This has been the second most frustrating part of my departure. "Estou a pedir, _____". It seems that in the end, all I am good for is my stove, my chairs, my clothes, my shoes etc. . . consumerism and materialism- not just a problem in the United States.

But then there is the rebuttal internal argument that I have about how Mozambicans, especially those I have made close friendships with, are incredibly caring, generous people who opened their homes, and lives to me.  For example, Tia Julia is always there to offer me meals, voices her concern of my (and my family’s) well being. She is overly curious about my habits, and life choices.  I have loved sharing recipes with her, watching as she marvels in shock that Americans make black bean burgers, vegetable stir fry, and banana bread.

Two years of life here in Quissico is now at its inevitable conclusion. Its an odd thing, coming into Peace Corps, knowing that I will have 2 years to serve in a small community, thinking that it is going to be a long and uphill battle the entire time. I know that I have attempted to express my experiences, failures and successes here, but words fail to tell the story. It has been a wild emotional and physical roller coaster. Sometimes within one day I can experience; joy and suffering, accomplishment and disappointment, success and frustration, friendship and familial love - and lets not forget all of those glamorous times when I've had to poop on the side of the road while traveling (or the rare occasion that I didnt actually make it to the side of the road) because of a previous day's indulgence in cheap market food. (ahh, the gastronomic adventures of a PCV)

I have not cried all that often in this country, but when I was walking around town yesterday, I had to put my sunglasses on because the tears started to well up in my eyes as I passed all the familiar scenery which I don’t know when I will see again. My relationship and love for this small town has been created and nurtured by the numerous frustrations and challenges that I went through here. It has been much like a hazing experience, or as my friend jokingly said, like Stockholm Syndrome, making the separation all the more difficult. 

I have been challenged by life here on a daily basis, which I both appreciate and loathe. But through it all I have felt the love of this town, and its people in an indescribable way. I am leaving this amazing place for my next adventure in the northern city of Quelimane but the unforgettable experiences here have left me with a new perception of life. And that, that will never leave me.

thoughts, musings, and observations

Sometimes I feel like I’m the grandmother on an episode of Teen Mom. Lua is a great dog, and a decent enough mother, considering how young she is- but there are instances when I want to smack her and say “you are the one who got pregnant, this is your responsibility” and then I realize that I’m talking to a dog. Not a person.

I have become quite adept at soothing puppies (see on my resume under the section “special skills” – puppy whisperer) and starting to teach them right from wrong. Lua hangs around during the day, but then in the evening goes and wanders around, doing what she does. As the time has gone on, she has become more Mozambican, and less dependent on sleeping indoors etc. She prefers to be outside at night now, and oftentimes digs her own little bed in the sand. All of this is a good thing, especially considering that I wont be caring for her in a week or so. –side note, she is going to a set of PCV’s, but I’m sure that there will be an adjustment period.

who doesnt love a puppy pile

I started cleaning my house yesterday, taking down photos, organizing clothes to pack, throwing out a lot of old papers and such. . . Its strange to walk into my house and know that next week, it wont be my house anymore. I have been trying to think about how to word a note to the new volunteer about what life is like there, but don’t really know where to start. Every individual has a different Peace Corps experience, and what they make of it is completely their own. I will be leaving the keys to my house with the other PCV’s here at site, and will also leave money for the July energy bill. I have already written a note to the new volunteer about where to pay the bill, and will be leaving some old paid slips as examples. . . how strange. Some total stranger will be living in my house, my home in a few short weeks haha. Is it bad that I have created such an attachment to this house? It is my port in a storm, when things become too much to handle here, I go home. Its comforting, its beautiful, its small and shabby, but that's the beauty of it.

I have learned that as a human being, you don't need much to live comfortably. Yes, my house is not the best for hosting people (though I have hosted over 35 people more than once), but it is a perfect size for one, plus a canine companion.

home sweet home

On my walk to work today, I marveled (as I often do) at the stunning view I am privy to on a daily basis. The steep drop off from the main highway, down into the dense palm tree packed matu that leads to the edge of the lagoons, and the solitary strip of white sand dividing the two lagoons that is my private beach, the other bank of the lagoon is the dividing piece of land between the lagoon and the ocean.  The lagoon was a placid stretch of pale blue, the mirrored image of the two banks with the abundance of palm trees perfectly defined in the water, while on the other side of the dividing stretch of land- the ocean was a turbulent mess of waves, the white froth from the crashing giants visible from the highway.

That view… that spectacular image that presents something different every day for the eye to see will never be forgotten. I feel truly lucky that I have been able to call this spectacular place my home.

view from the highway, looking down onto the lagoon

 - the strip to the left dividing the two is our beach

a cloudy day at the beach

On a side note- my cousin tied the knot the other day to a wonderful man. To find someone that you are willing to commit to forever and ever is no small feat. I am so happy for her and her husband, wishing them a lifetime of laughter and love. It was when I started scrolling through some of the photos my family sent me of the even that I realized just how much I have been missing since being gone.

I wish I could have been a part of that wonderful day, to celebrate with loved ones and family, but (for better or for worse) my life has me going in a totally different direction.  

the happy bride, my aunt and uncle, and her new hubby

its the final countdown

Morning everyone!

Sorry it has been a while since my last posting, it has been a very busy few days for me. Where I last left off, it was the day before the GAAC toolkit weekend with fellow Peace Corps Volunteers, a representative of the CDC, and our supervisor from Peace Corps. The purpose of this weekend was to take all of the documents and things we had been compiling over the weeks on a google drive, into a working Toolkit for the GAAC program. During this meeting (Thursday through Saturday) we were able to complete a working mandatory checklist for all health centers interesting in having the GAAC program, two skeletons of informational flipbooks to train health staff and patients, and a 10 page toolkit (rather than the 45 page one in existence) that will be used to present to the Ministry of Health.

For those of you who haven’t read my past few blogs, GAAC is a community-based ART distribution and adherence-monitoring program by self-forming groups of patients on ART. This is  a great program not only because it creates a community based strategy for helping adherence to HIV treatment, it also helps reduce stigma and discrimination of patients, and helps increase the retention rate of those on the medication. We spent our time at a beach house (I know… though work weekend right?) and after our long and productive days some of us watched the world cup games that were on, while others cooked. It was a fantastic weekend. Productive, and enjoyable. I love when my coworkers are also friends. . . it creates a great work environment.

After this weekend, I had plans to return home to site, but my boss had other plans for me. I instead went to Maputo to participate in numerous meetings on Monday and Tuesday, to present what we had been working on that weekend. I was able to stay with a friend in the city, which was nice- first world comforts, and long working days. It almost felt like I had a real job and was a productive human being haha something that can be rare in a health volunteers life here. We are currently working on finalizing the presentations and toolkits to be given to the Ministry of Health, and the various partners (I-NGO’s that fund the health centers and the GAAC program), and I am helping Peace Corps with defining the PCV role in the GAAC program, in addition to a few other things they have me working on.

I got back to site on Thursday, after having spent Wednesday (which was Mozambique’s independence day) at Bilene Beach with a few close friends. We hung out on the beach, sat on the boat that stays tied up in the water- because we are too cheap to actually pay to have it take us around, cooked good food, and played some fun games. Never a bad time hanging out with good friends at one of my favorite spots. That’ll probably be the last time I’m there for a long time, if ever. Which is such a crazy thought.

hanging out at Bilene

The testing center here in town is open and running every day, which is amazing! I’m so happy that this project came though, and seems to be going well. There are still some kinks to iron out, and things to fix, but hopefully the next volunteer can help with the upkeep of the center. I posted a bunch of photos on facebook, but will put some on here as well.

Oscar opening the center for the day

testing our first patient

what it looks like from the outside.

The puppies are getting really big, they all have their own personalities, and have started to recognize me. We play together, and they are eating solid food now (xima, fortified with dried milk powder, and dried shrimp) Lua is continuing to nurse them, but not as often. I am a bit worried about how skinny she has stayed. Not really sure why she isn’t gaining weight back. . . hopefully her life in Panda is a good one. . . I cant believe I have to say goodbye to her in a week. Its going to be really really tough. The puppies all have homes, and will be looked after.

puppo's hanging out in the yard

I really cant believe that I have two weeks left. That's it. Its Monday the 30^th, in two weeks I’ll be waking up in Namaacha, and from there, moving forward with my life here in Mozambique. I couldn't even imagine if I was actually moving back to the states.. that's insanity. WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

Just so everyone is clear about what is happening in my life these next few weeks- I will be in Quissico until the 12/13^th of July, from there, I will be going to Namaacha to be a visiting volunteer for the new volunteer’s training. When that is over on the 20^th of July, I will move to Maputo to work with Peace Corps, ICAP, and hopefully the CDC until August 6^th, when the new volunteers swear-in. From there, I fly with them to Nampula City, where I participate in their supervisor’s conference, and then I will bus south to Quelimane – where I will be living until August 2015. The volunteer that I am replacing will be in Quelimane for about a month of overlap time, so I’m still not sure what my housing situation will be like for the first month I’m there. By September I should have the home I’ll be in for my third year. I get home leave from December 10^th to January 10^th, which will be a nice break- 30 days stateside to see friends and family over the holiday season. Aside from the fact that the cold weather will shock the hell out of me, I am really looking forward to the visit.

Lots of life changes coming up in these next few weeks. . . just trying to stay on top of it all. Today I went to the hospital for a bit, but then came home to start going through my home here. I have plans to put things in bags (I can have 2 bags and a box) on Sunday… so I’m just doing a lot of the prep work this week. I’ll be selling my refrigerator to the boys here, but aside from that, leaving a majority of the things for the next volunteer.

I kind of have the same feeling I did before leaving the states for Peace Corps. . that anxious, butterfly in the stomach, procrastinating packing, and not really wanting to say goodbye feeling. I know that it has been an incredible two years, and am very happy that my adventures here in Moz aren’t over yet… but this is the first “home” I’ve made on my own as an adult. . it will be very hard to say goodbye.