Meow

Hey!!! It's been awhile. Right now me and the other 40 PCTs are on our  beach vacation. Its so amazing here, We are in Pangani at a place called Mkoma Bay. The view is breath taking. The Indian Ocean is amazing and warm like bath water and the pool, bar and bungalows are like living in luxury for us! I was walking to my room yesterday afternoon and there wee like 12 monkeys just chilling on the lawn, some with little babies latched on. It was so cool.

 This vaca is much deserved though. The past 4 weeks have been so intense...think 8 hour days of leaning KiSwahili in100 degree weather.A PCTs have been sick and a couple have gone to the hospital ( I have been lucky so far) but everyone is better for now! Learning about the Tanzanian health problems and cultural differences. A lot of the time someone will die from a "stomach ache or malaria" but they really had AIDS. HIV/AIDS work is going to be challenging.  Training is intense but we are doing it and doing it well. Friday before we left for the beach we had out midway written exam, next Friday we have the oral exam....I am a little nervous. In 2 weeks we shadow another volunteer at their site for about a week, VERY excited for that and right before that we find out our site announcements-aka where I'll be for the next 24 months of my life!! Homestay is going well, I am getting used to handwashing my clothes, pooping in a hole and cooking with a Jiko. I am adjusted to bucket bathing , I actually l prefer bucket bathing under the stars in the roofless bamboo hut. I also adjusted to not having electricity and running water fairly quickly.

here is my typical day
630am bucket bath
7am breakfast- usually bread and tea
8am class
1030-11am chai break
130-lunch-rice beans, pumpkin leaves
5pm-go home study/help with dinner/play with the kids
8pm-dinner
830-9pm bed

On that note I love chai breaks!! I cant imagine going back to the states and not having the snack & tea /coffee  mid morning. Well this is all for now. I think I am going to take another dip in the Indian Ocean and have a few more beers before we head back to training/homestay. PS. I was swimming in the waves all weekend and haven't gotten hurt!!
I do have tons of pics to upload but that will have to be another time
-I'll keep you posted.

First couple weeks in Tanzania

I dont even know where to start!! Lets see about 10 days ago I was dropped off at my homestay family. I was super nervous but they are so so awesome. There is no electric or running water and a banana,orange,papaya and avocado tree in my backyard. Right outside my bedroom window there is an amazing tree with pink flowers. My Mama is one the the happiest, relaxed people I have ever met. We are always singing and dancing together. She is pretty good at the thriller dance. My baba (dad) is a farmer and is really chill as well. We have a lot of laughs together daily....usually about me trying to speak Kiswahili. One night  tried to say  I was going to brush my teeth but accidentally said I was going to fight someone. Then I have a little kaka (brother) He is the cutest 9 yr old I have ever met. His smile can light up a room. I also have 2 dadas (sisters) One is 20 and is a nurse, just like my best friend! They help me with the language a lot and teach me how to cook, clean and o laundry TZ style. I went with my kaka to get water yesterday and carried the bucket back on my head....everyone got a huge kick out of that. Oh and I went to the neighbors and fed a monkey an orange. Think Aladdin. Apparently the monkey then got eaten by a dog...sad.

Training is very intense. We have 8 hour days of language learning, other days we have technical training. I am picking up on the language more and more everyday. I have training with 3 other PCTs that are staying in the same village as me. They are all really awesome and our LCF (language and culture facilitator) is the best. We really lucked out. On certain days we go to the training center and we get to see everyone. I love those days, its like a family reunion. I Just got a cell phone my number is 078597 4834. Plus the country code, Ill let you figure that out since I dont have much time.
I think I am finally getting used to bucket bathing....the 1st morning I was standing outside inclosed in a topless hut made of bamboo bating from a bucket was the time it really hit me....wow I am in Africa and this is my life now. Once I talked to everyone else they had the exact same moment. Like I said training is tough but it's already flying by and before I know it Ill be finding out my site & where Ill be the next 2 years. I just need to get down the language and pass the tests. In 2 weeks after our mid training test we are going to a swanky beach resort for a weekend....just the volunteers. That will be great.
Oh and this month is apparently one of the hottest. I wake up and go to bed sweating but I know I can handle it. I think this is all for now.
I'll keep you posted,
Maria

First couple days in Tanzania

The 7 hour  flight from NY to Amsterdam was fine. I stayed up and drank wine with a couple girls and watched movies etc. The 10 hour flight from Amsterdam to Tanzania went by fairly quickly...I slept about 7 of the 10 hours.. We were all delirious and sweaty but managed to get through a short session on safe water and the next days schedule then we crashed. We are staying inside a fairly large, really pretty Catholic compound. There are so many awesome plants and interesting bugs. My fav is a tree with yellow flowers growing on it.The staff is all great and there are 2 current PCVs here to answer questions and help with the training overview. They are both amazing. Tomorrow, after we get more shots,we are going out in Dar to explore the Peace Corps office and do a little shopping. Tuesday we go to our host families and start the 9 weeks of intensive training. I doubt I'll have Internet access very often if at all those 9 weeks so letters letters and more letters =).We had a survival Swahili class today basically so we are able to have some communication with our host families...it's still going to be awkward but pretty awesome...... I am excited to meet them. I am updating my wishlist.... apparently the first 2 packages I get while in training the PC covers the fees on.I could really use some bicycle shorts and more wet ones/baby wipes whatever kinda wiped you want. Just try to sent stuff in padded envelopes under 4 pounds or Ill have to pay massive fees when picking up the packages.

I have had some crazy vivid dreams since taking the malaria pills...they dont make any sense but they seem so real they stick with me. I could tell you every detail of them. I am so very tired I am going to go eat dinner then sleep.Oh yea, I washed my clothes by hand today for the first time. It seemed like no matter how much I rinsed there was stil a layer of soap on them ha.
Ill keep you posted!!

Staging in a half hour!

I made it to Philly last night!I was a nervous mess...at first I couldn't find where I put my luggage key (yikes). Thankfully, I eventually found it and I was also having trouble forming complete sentences. Then I met up with several other volunteers who came in a day early for dinner and drinks and started to calm down a bit.They are a great group of people. At first I was hoping to have a room alone for a night but I can say I am very very glad I am sharing my room with someone both nights. When I am by myself I start to get nervous and freak out. Her presence is very calming and she is easy to talk to.

Packing is sooooo much fun!!

Really,packing is so fun & I am so good at it.. errr....yea, no, not at all. After reading lots of blogs about packing throughout the last year I thought it would work out okay. I read several blogs where it seemed like they were over packing but had enough space and met all the weight limits. I started organizing first- stuff I need now ,stuff I can have people send to me etc. I also packed one bag to use throughout PST and another that I wouldn't need until swear In and I was at my site.My packing gear consits of an Osprey  Kestrel 48 backpack, a rolling duffel my brother found in his closet- I'm guessing its around 36in- those are my checked bags. A JanSport 1830 cu in Kaweah day pack along with a smaller backpack to use as carry on items. I tried packing and got my carry on items and the Osprey packed and moved on to the duffel. I failed miserably on the duffel. I swore it was not big enough and started stressing that I needed something else. After a day of shopping with my Mom I pretty much had my heart set on a huge duffel from REI that another girl from my group recommended. When we got back home my Mom actually dove in head first and packed the rolling duffel (that I swore off) in no time....uhh turns out it was big enough, thanks Mom!! She showed me what was up. She swears tomorrow she is going to unpack and repack the Osprey pack so maybe I can just have one carry on instead of 2.
Here are a few picks or my packing challenge.

I'm not 100% on the weight. We tried using the bathroom scale but it's hard to fit them on and still see the weight. I think the hiking pack is around 25 the rolling duffel is right around 50, give or take 5 pounds. I didn't weight the carry on items but they are heavy, probably around 20 pounds total. That is way over the 11 pound carry on limit they gave us. Do they actually weight carry on items though? I am hoping to bring the duffel down to an exact 50lbs =) No fees, please.

Now lets talk about food. I have been stuffing myself with everything I am going to miss...I really need to stop,my pants feel a little tight. For example, today I had cinnamon toast for breakfast, Chinese for lunch, peanut buttercup ice cream cone, then a home cooked dinner consisting of BBQ burgers, cheesy potatoes and green beans. Oh yea, there is also a chocolate cake in the oven right now =/...probably wont be eating any of that tonight. I am going hiking tomorrow so I don't feel like such a slothy slug! 11 days!!!!

WHY?? and packing trial runs.

Why? I am tired of answering this question, are you?  I know it's a legit question and everyone who means the most to me knows my many reasons. I'm going to start answering it with "why not"?

I made yet another mini shopping spree at Target today, I think I just about have everything! I am buying my friends netbook in a couple weeks & need an external HD and that's about it...oh I still need host family gifts.
I did a packing trial run on Sunday. I still have a little over a month before leave but packing lightly is a huge struggle for me. The trial run went pretty well. My suitcase weighed about 30 and my backpack was 15 (granted, I was missing a few things), so I have room to work with. Maybe I will succeed at packing 80lbs for 2 years! I plan on making a  packing list along with pics in a few weeks.

Staging info should be arriving in a couple of weeks. I have 3 more weeks left of work...hooray!

Should I sell my car???

For the longest time I wasnt planning on selling it be fore I leave for Africa. I just paid it off last year and have never (knock on wood) had any problems with it. My Mom was going to out the title in her name and pay the insurance while i was gone. Now I am debating selling it for the cash money. It would be nice to have it for the some of the stuff I wanna take,  and to have a little extra in the bank.

The things I wonder are- when I come back will I be able to find a good enough job (quickly enough) to afford/get approved for a new car AND pay student loans again?
or what if I do keep it and it totally breaks down while I am away, then I sm sol.

Any suggestions??