Bem Vindo Mocambique!

Ok...this is going to be a long post so bear with me. Check out my photo and video page for uploaded photos. The last 3 weeks have just flown by. This has already been a life changing experience and I haven't even started my actual service yet. I couldn't be more happy with the people I will be serving with. We all get along and enjoy hanging out together. The flight to get here was long and exhausting. I managed to watch about 7 movies. The country director and a current volunteer met us in the airport in Maputo to pick up and take us to the Hotel Cardosa, beautiful place with a great view. We enjoyed the food and running water while we had it. The chapa ride from Maputo to Namaacha was entertaining. It is just a completely different world here and really hard to describe when I am constantly trying to process it all. I think by the time I am done I will be able to better describe my experiences but for now they may seem lacking in some respect and I apologize. Once we arrived in Namaacha, the families we were going to be living with met us. My family's empregada (housekeeper) picked me up and took me home. I was actually surprised with my accommodations. The house was nice and the bathroom was inside! Granted the toilet didn't flush and I still had to take a bucket bath in the shower but I was expecting a lot worse. My family consisted of a mother, father, niece and granddaughter. Super nice people and very patient. It is hard going into a situation where you are not able to communicate well. We managed though. The first three weeks have consisted of intense language learning and mini seminars on teaching, skills, safety, health, etc. My house was right next to a bar...Hallelujah! A fellow PC trainee lived next door so it was nice to have someone in the same boat so close. The first weekend his brother and his brother's friends took us and another trainee to the Cascatas (waterfalls). They made it seem like it wasn't far. Well it was far...for me. I think it took about an hour or so to get there. It was cool but I was exhausted! I was recently moved to a different house because the health of my mother was not good. It was a scary and upsetting experience for me. I was finally connecting and getting used to my family. My new family is great though too. I live with a mom, son and grandmother and frequent family visitors. I am learning a lot more. I do have to take a bath and do my business outside but I am getting used it. The bugs and frogs taking a bath with me...not getting so used to but o well, welcome to Mozambique, right?!

I think I am going to end it here for now...Like I said I am still processing a lot and it really is hard to describe what I am feeling because it is a lot. I feel like I go through every emotion multiple times a day. I want to leave, I want to stay, I want some oreos, I am sick of eating rice, I am sick of peeing in a hole in the ground, I love the people, I love the other volunteers I am with, I wish I packed more clothes, I wish it would stop raining, I hate being woke up by roosters and turkeys every morning, I love eating the fruit here and I love me some Maria cookies. These are just a few things I deal with daily.

Check back for more photos, insights, inspiration, etc...Thank you for all your support as well!