I've been in Mozambique for more than two years now (if you don't count the six weeks at home post-accident). I haven't left Africa since returning from med-evac in February 2012. Been living the life here, I guess. It's only when we get visitors or talk to incoming trainees (I spent the last week helping out at training for the incoming group) that day-to-day life seems particularly remarkable. Sleeping and waking with the setting and rising of the sun, occupying hours of my day procuring and preparing food, really just being outside a lot; it's a good way to be.
I've filled the last few months teaching my last trimester of physics, planning and realizing the Cabo Delgado Provincial Science Fair, traveling to Maputo for my group's close-of-service (COS) conference, putting together our school's English Theater team, and focusing on figuring out post-Peace Corps life (i.e. grad school applications). After being here for a couple of years, few of those things are particularly stressful. I've got solid command of my classroom and deal with few to no classroom management issues. I know the role I have to play working with the government on Science Fair. I've had some good opportunities to visit friends in my province. English Theater is a low-key, fun project (and we got 2nd place!). Grad school apps are a pain in the ass, especially given that I have to bike 6 km for electricity and internet, but the pace of life allows for plenty of time to edit the hell out of essays and to get things organized.
Kind of cruising to the finish line now. Awesome. Exciting. Terrifying. Will leave Chiure on November 10th, fly to Maputo on the 11th, spend a few days "COS'ing," bus to Johannesberg, then fly to Amsterdam on November 16th. Plan is to visit friends in Amsterdam, check out potential grad schools in Delft, Netherlands and Leuven, Belgium before making my way to Paris to fly back to D.C. on December 5th. Paris. Cheese.
I'll miss the lifestyle here: the pace, the time outdoors, the calm evenings cooking feasts on the charcoal stove, the disconnect from the literal and figurative noise of the modern, more fast-paced world. Will have a lot to reflect on in the coming weeks. Couldn't be more excited to see family and friends, eat cheese, and function in a more organized world. But couldn't be more terrified to leave behind the tranquility of my backyard living space and the general simplicity of life.
I often focus these posts (and associated photos) around big events, travel, etc. I was happy to have some visiting friends shoot a bunch of photos of more day-to-day scenes in the Chiure life recently. Enjoy:
I've filled the last few months teaching my last trimester of physics, planning and realizing the Cabo Delgado Provincial Science Fair, traveling to Maputo for my group's close-of-service (COS) conference, putting together our school's English Theater team, and focusing on figuring out post-Peace Corps life (i.e. grad school applications). After being here for a couple of years, few of those things are particularly stressful. I've got solid command of my classroom and deal with few to no classroom management issues. I know the role I have to play working with the government on Science Fair. I've had some good opportunities to visit friends in my province. English Theater is a low-key, fun project (and we got 2nd place!). Grad school apps are a pain in the ass, especially given that I have to bike 6 km for electricity and internet, but the pace of life allows for plenty of time to edit the hell out of essays and to get things organized.
Kind of cruising to the finish line now. Awesome. Exciting. Terrifying. Will leave Chiure on November 10th, fly to Maputo on the 11th, spend a few days "COS'ing," bus to Johannesberg, then fly to Amsterdam on November 16th. Plan is to visit friends in Amsterdam, check out potential grad schools in Delft, Netherlands and Leuven, Belgium before making my way to Paris to fly back to D.C. on December 5th. Paris. Cheese.
I'll miss the lifestyle here: the pace, the time outdoors, the calm evenings cooking feasts on the charcoal stove, the disconnect from the literal and figurative noise of the modern, more fast-paced world. Will have a lot to reflect on in the coming weeks. Couldn't be more excited to see family and friends, eat cheese, and function in a more organized world. But couldn't be more terrified to leave behind the tranquility of my backyard living space and the general simplicity of life.
I often focus these posts (and associated photos) around big events, travel, etc. I was happy to have some visiting friends shoot a bunch of photos of more day-to-day scenes in the Chiure life recently. Enjoy:
15 mt lunch from a bucket; standard; I rarely have time to return home from town before going to school - a $0.50 bowl of rice, beans, and salad, served from a bucket powers me through my afternoon classes.
Throw me a bone; the boys get excited when we cook meat; chopping pork on the porch.
Oven, latrine and shower area; still standing.
Standard evening scene; bedroom on the left; zen moment in the center; guard dog and kitchen to the right.
Got this thing down.
How I spend two hours of every day; cruising in town.
Food, friends, and fido; classic Peace Corps gathering on the porch.
Salting the pork in the kitchen; feast time.
Warm Manica beer to pass the hours managing the oven fire.
Chiure District Science Fair Team.
Manja gets accosted by her children; the piglets are getting a bit big for this (time to eat mama?).
Goodbyes to the family in Namaacha.
The Namaacha family grows up quickly.
