To new beginnings!

'Wow! Where to begin?! I am quickly approaching my one year mark in Mozambique and can honestly say where has the time gone?! There are days where I feel like I just arrived and others where I feel like I have lived here forever. It has been a pretty challenging year; more so than I expected. I have never been challenged mentally/emotionally so much in my life. Going into this experience I know I was naive but I also tried to not have expectations. What can one really expect in a completely different culture anyways? 

Here is a brief summary of the challenges I have come across so far....

1.  Bucket baths...were different at first but nothing beats a cold bucket bath after a scorching, dusty day! 

2. Cohabitation with creepy crawlies and such...I started off being super freaked out at the site of lizards roaming around everywhere but eventually realized that they were cute compared to the rats that liked to cuddle with me in bed and eat holes through all my things. Grosssssssssssss! I also think spiders and cockroaches here are on steroids! What else would make them sooooooooo huge...again....Grossssssssss! 

3. Life in a developing country....We all go through trying times, myself included before moving here, but a lot of 'first world' people have no idea how great they have it...clean water is scarce as well as food security, corruption, medical assistance...what's that?, walking miles to get where you need to go, etc. All I can say is look at the obstacles and challenges in your life and rise above them! It may seem impossible but it can be done! I witness it every day! 

4. The world is soooooooooo full of unnoticed potential! I have had the chance to know some pretty brilliant people who live, what some would say 'mediocre/sub-par lives, and have very little resources at their disposal. I have felt that there is no way I can help these people here without resources but I am slowly realizing that just by giving my time and inspiration, that I am helping and that is enough and can really make a difference!

5. I am a very resilient person...most of you know of our burglary problems. I lived in a house that was broken into 6 times and then moved to a safer house where two more attempts were made. I have never been so emotionally/mentally vulnerable. I still really can't explain my thoughts/mentality through the whole ordeal. It definitely left me exhausted! 

Due to our security issues in Liúpo, we were forced to move. I will be living in Invinha, a small village in the Zambezia province. This whole experience and process has been really difficult. I hated having to leave Liúpo, my home for the past 9 months, due to our situation. I felt like I was punishing all those who benefitted from my work just because there were some bad apples in the bunch. It was very tough to say goodbye to the friends we had made. I am looking forward to helping more people and experiencing more of this beautiful country! Invinha is in the mountains and absolutely gorgeous! 

On another hope I am spending Christmas and New Years in the states! I am looking forward to eating my way through my little break and sharing my experiences with family and friends! 

I still want to thank all of you for your prayers, kind words and support! Muito obrigada!