Site Visits and More!!!

Ola as pessoas festas! Not sure if that translates right but what I want to say is, "Hello party people!" I am finishing up my 6th week of training...4 more to go! Time is flying by now. I haven't been up to too much. Still working on my Portuguese and lesson planning. Last Saturday I had a cooking day with my mae. It was great! She makes some really good dishes! Cooking takes all day...literally. We started to make lunch around 10am and finished it at about 12:30pm. Then we did dishes and chatted for a bit then started on dinner around 3pm. We finally sat down to eat around 7:30pm. It was exhausting. The women here are super hard workers. They go nonstop all day long. It is exhausting to watch. During our relaxing time after lunch we sat out on the veranda with my mae's brother, Castro. He is my English buddy and I really enjoy hanging out with him. We were watching kids play and called some of them over. They were pulling each other on a water jug. I wanted to give it a whirl, thinking there was no way they were going to be strong enough to drag me. Boy was I wrong! We got pics and videos so I will upload them when I can. I did laundry last weekend too. One of my least favorite activities. It is a workout!

Sunday we all left for site visits. I went to Inharrime, Inhambane with a colleague. We had met the volunteer there 2 weeks ago when she came to help out with training. I had a blast getting to see what a site is like. We interacted with the locals, helped proctor exams at the secondary school, played pool with some locals, ate some delicious food, cooked breakfast for dinner, ate mangoes right from the tree, almost got eaten by a spider, etc. etc. etc. It was a great time and it got me excited. The trip also made me realize how much I have to learn in Portuguese, but my hopes are high for being pretty fluent by the end of my two years.

Other than that, not much is going on. Check out my other pages for updates. I usually update them a little more frequently than my actual posts. Thanks for all your support!

Chega!

Ok so chega means...Enough! I say it a lot! It is one of my favorite words, along with chiki (sp?), which means fancy! I am making more progress on my language and getting along well with my new family. I have learned how to prepare coconut from scratch and will be cooking with my mae (mom) this weekend. It has been super rainy here and I am not a fan. It gets so muddy but I did buy some chiki rain boots so those help. I have made a great Mozambican friend who speaks English really well. He took me to my first wedding last weekend which was cool to experience...lots of singing and dancing, which is one of my favorite parts about the culture. We also had a dance party of our own at my house after dinner. I needed that so bad. I have been frustrated with my language progress and it was nice to unwind and forget that my speaking is total crap. I am learning a lot every day and processing everything like crazy. A fellow trainee, also my neighbor, taught some of the kids the game Hot Hands, so I am swarmed by kids after training on my way home who want to play.

Lets see what else...Went to shopright last weekend. It is a huge market that is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Had fresh chicken with xima (think mash taters but thicker, not a fan!) and a salad. It was probably the best meal I have had so far. I bought some tomatoes for my mae. The food, though, has been great so far. It is a lot of rice, chicken, veggies and fish. My mae makes this amazing potato soup. I think I could do a blog post on just food alone which I will probably do once I get to site. We are half way through training already. We are being sworn in on December 3rd. I am looking forward to having my independence again. I got my skirt from the modista (seamstress) on Monday. It is great...very chiki! Heading to Inharrime, Inhambane next week to visit a current volunteer...stay tuned for a post on that adventure!

Check out my pics and other pages for more fun stuff!

You will see pics of Ngoma time. Once a week all 51 of us are together for training sessions on health and safety. At the end of the day we have what is called Ngoma time. Ngoma is a drum played here in Moz. It is a time where we share American culture with the Mozambicans and vice versa. It was one of my favorite parts of the week. We have done songs, dances, games, etc. and have learned about different Mozambican activities as well. We usually start off by singing the Mozambican national anthem and then the American national anthem. I always get a little choked up. It is a really proud moment for me, personally, to be apart of two great countries.

Thank you all for the support!

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!

You are brave...crazy but brave!

I can't believe how fast this summer went! I also can't believe that I am leaving next week. "So much to do so little time," says the procrastinator in me. I told myself two months ago that I was going to start practicing my packing techniques so that I wouldn't feel stressed about it now...guess what...THAT NEVER HAPPENED! It is a rough week saying my goodbyes to the first world and preparing for the third world. I spent last weekend in the Smoky Mountains and was able to clear my mind a bit as I sat out on the porch looking at the gorgeous view.

I have never doubted my decision to pursue this adventure. I feel like it is an adventure that was made for me. Yes, I am scared and nervous. I am sad to say goodbye to everyone. "You are brave...crazy but brave," says my big sister. I am worried that no one will like me and that all these ideas I have floating in my head won't work. What do I want to do when my service is up? Where do I want to end up? I am hoping that I can get these questions answered during my adventure.

After working at the Boys & Girls Club, my mind has been on overdrive on all the things that I learned and want to tryout with the community I will be working in. I have the best support system with BGCA and so happy our paths crossed. I look forward to working together again in the future.

My family has been super great through everything. They love talking to their friends about it and always ask questions. I am told I need to bring lions and giraffes home for my nieces and nephews. I will do my best on that one!

I hope you all will view my journey with an open heart and mind, and really reflect on what is important in life. Love each other, respect each other, and help each other, no matter what the color of your skin is, what religion you practice or what your sexuality is...There is not one thing that makes us more or less than one another. I have found that negativity takes more effort than positivity and you never know what kind of impact your positivity can have on someone else or even the world. 

I leave you with this quote that my sister-in-law sent me:

“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.”

The Moment Has Arrived!

Ok so I told myself after posting the previous entry that I wouldn't post the next one until I got the invitation. So guess what????

MOZAMBIQUE, AFRICA HERE I COME!!!!!

Rewind.....this past month has been a roller coaster for me. I received my invitation May 3rd while celebrating food from around the world with my Culture Matters group at the Boys & Girls Club. I think they were just as excited as I was! A week later I graduated from Arizona State University, a feat that has taken me 8 years to do but I did it! Thank you all that supported and encouraged me to never give up! That same day I had to say goodbye to the kids at the Club. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. These kids have forever changed my life and I am grateful that they all allowed me to be a part of theirs! 3 days after that I hopped on a plane and said goodbye to Arizona, my home off and on for the past 8 years. Oh I forgot to mention that my 26th birthday was the day after graduation too. I was a busy girl that weekend! 

So that brings me to now. Let me tell you what I do know...

1. I will leaving for my service September 24, 2013 and will be returning December 4-5, 2015.

2. I will be doing my pre-service training and living with a host family around the capital of Mozambique called Maputo and then I will be placed in a different community to do my actual service for 24 months.

3. I will be teaching secondary education, specifically science.

4. I will be learning Portuguese and that is Portugal Portuguese not Brazilian Portuguese!

                                            

Teaching will be my primary objective during my term of service but I will also be trying to accomplish a secondary objective...a satellite Boys & Girls Club! It is a project that will help support my primary objective but will also support the community as a whole. I have seen first hand what the Boys & Girls Club can offer youth and their families and it is an amazing organization! There are going to be a lot of differences but I am hoping to create it so that it operates under the same values and beliefs as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America but also operate under the culture and beliefs of the Mozambique community I will be serving in. The ultimate goal is to have a sustainable club that relies on its own community to fulfill the mission of "enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." I am lucky enough to have the support of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the East Valley, the Boys & Girls Club of South Africa, as well as some amazing individuals who work at the corporate level with Boys & Girls Club of America. 

The next two years are going to be an amazing adventure and I look forward to all the experiences and opportunities that will come my way. 

"All the knowledge I possess everyone else can acquire, but my heart is all my own." Goethe 

  

Patience is....Still a Virtue I Don't Have!

But I am working on it! I found out through a conversation on twitter that there was a Future Peace Corps Volunteers group on Facebook...SIGN ME UP!!!! I signed up...and got depressed. Everyone was getting invitations for JUNE!!! Wait a minute...I am supposed to leave in JUNE!!!!! I found out yesterday that JUNE placements are full....bummer! My placement officer has been great though. I email her a lot with secondary project ideas. I also contacted the nurse that will be completing my health review in the next three weeks. She seems really great too! So it looks like possibly a JULY/AUGUST departure, which my parents are happy with because they get to keep me longer. There is my Peace Corps update...

Now...life update...I graduate in 52ish days. I am beyond excited. I started on my undergrad journey in 2005 so it has been a long time coming. I am soooooooooo glad I stuck with it. It has been a difficult but awesome journey so far. I don't think I have told you all how in love I am with Boys & Girls Club of America and specifically Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley. The kids are amazing, especially my North Tempe kids, and the staff is beyond awesome, especially my co-workers at North Tempe Branch. I urge you all the support an amazing organization. Here is what has been up at the club...

• Power Hour/Discovery Zone Theme Days-Not only do I do countries of the week but I also put a theme to every day (ex. Crazy Sock Day, Twin Day, Oreo Day, etc). Mondays are focused on reading/writing, Tuesdays focus on Social Sciences/Humanities, Wednesdays focus on Math/Science and Thursdays are catch up days. 
• I started a Book Club with 8-10 year olds. We are reading Holes right now. I make a study guide for each writing assignment to help facilitate discussion. It has been going really well. We chat, eat snacks, chat and eat some more.
• Drama-Boys & Girls Club Got Talent t.v. show...ENOUGH SAID!!!
• Culture Matters-Kids participate in a variety of activities that teach them about diversity and different cultures. 
• Passport to Pedal Power-10-15 kids have a chance to set a goal and then achieve in 6 weeks to receive a bike, bike lock and helmet. This is one of my favorite programs. I believe setting goals is sooooo important and the Pedal Power Foundation believes it too! 
• Triple Play Mondays-The gym staff puts some kids through some fun and exciting physical challenges.
• Soccer Fridays-The gym staff creates a soccer tournament that all kids can participate in. Kids get to create their own team names or use professional ones.
• Game Room Tournaments-The game room staff holds a variety of tournaments (ex. pool, air hockey, fooseball, bumper pool, mancala, etc.)
• Sports-Just finished our basketball season and ready to kick off our soccer season. 

If you are looking for something for your kids to do this summer, sign them up for a Boys & Girls Club Summer Camp. They are so much fun! We go on a variety of field trips and have a lot of fun at the club. 

LIVE.LAUGH.LOVE.

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

Wow...I haven't posted anything in a super long time. I haven't been slacking, I promise! I have actually been super busy. School, work, nap...repeat. I feel like that is my life at the moment. I do occasionally throw some food into the mix just to keep me on my toes.

School...for most it's a dreaded word and sometimes for me it is too. I just love learning though so a lot of the time it is happy word for me, especially when I graduate in approximately 116 days. The journey in school has been a long one and for awhile one that I thought I wouldn't continue. I started off with this goal of going to Arizona State University. It was the only school I applied to in high school. That is how much I wanted to go to that school. School is expensive...especially if you are an out of state student. When money got tight, I found myself heading back to Illinois. It was hard. I felt defeated but at least I tried, right? I lost a close friend while I was home during that time and at first things just didn't work for me. I didn't handle it well. I didn't understand why this person was taken away. I had a conversation with my friend's mother. This conversation changed my life. The mother had told me how much her daughter looked up to me and admired me. I had inspired my friend to want more from life, to have goals and pursue those goals. I didn't realize I had that much of an impact on her. Something switched in my head and I felt like I had a purpose: inspiring and helping others. I was getting ready to embark on a new adventure. While I was home I started to think about what I could do for others, and in particular, kids. I became a Big Sister! I knew I could be a positive and encouraging person in my Little's life. I had the best time with my Little. She is a very sweet and funny girl and I hope she realizes the potential she has! During my time with my Little, I decided I needed to complete my first goal...graduate from ASU. With the help of my family and friends, I reapplied and got in and will be graduating in May. I am going to have to say that this past year and a half has probably been the best year and a half of my life.

Work...I cannot say enough good things about the Boys and Girls Club and what they offer their members. I have met so many brilliant people, kids and co-workers, alike. They make my job fun and it's something I look forward to every day. My time at the club, though, is coming to an end. It is something that breaks my heart every time I think about it. Saying goodbye is never easy and this time will be no different. I have enjoyed being a part of their lives and I hope that I can still be apart of their lives after I leave. Which leads me into my next spiel...Peace Corps!

So any day now, I could be receiving my invitation to serve in an African community. Having a hard time saying goodbye to the kids motivated me to create a potential project that will allow me to take the Boys and Girls Club with me to my potential community and also bring the new culture to the Boys and Girls Club. I am working with a variety of different people in hopes to making this happen. I have sent rough drafts to a variety of family members, co-workers, as well as my Peace Corps recruiter and Placement Officer. Fingers are crossed, toes are crossed, eyes are crossed...everything is crossed. I have never felt so strongly about something in my life. I KNOW I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN SOME ONE'S LIFE. I have so many ideas and projects that I can bring with me to my prospective community and I can't wait to do it.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela