Boring conversation anyways

It is Tuesday morning, i wrote most of this yesterday as i was hitch hiking and riding chapas home.

Im traveling back to Mabalane. I have had a nice weekend down in the Maputo providence. I met my friend Kaitlin in Maputo Saturday and we stayed at her site in Moamba. She has a very nice home by Mozambique standards. Its a big house, hard work floor, high ceilings, running water, energy, toilet/bathroom inside, and it is bug and rodent free. She lives on the campus of a Catholic school, with priests, brothers, nuns, and all the students. Her community is very nice. And she is only an hour from Maputo.

Then Sunday night i stayed with friends at this teacher trainer institue near Manhiça. They also have an awesome site and home. Their school is very nice and the compound looks like an older military base. There apartment style house is nice by any standard. They have cable TV (CNN, ESPN, ect), an oven, and nice furniture. I had pizza and brownies waiting for me when i arrived. The school has a music department so i got to jam with another guitar player and pianist, Anne one of the volunteers. It was really fun, although i didnt get any videos. Next time! Then thier students cooked us dinner. Their students are awesome and were a blast to hang out with. In my group of volunteers there are many cool, smart, talented, and interesting people. Barbara is one of the most awesome people. She is near seventy years old. She grew up in the Bronx, is a 13th generation descendant of 2 passengers who came over on the Mayflower, she was a model, she has a PHD, is a retired teacher, a mother, a widow, and now a Peace Corps volunteer. So needless to say she is a great person to be around. She is full of wisdom and is always hounding me about why im not dating any of these nice young ladies out here with us. Her and Anne were great hosts. I was well fed and slept like a rock. It was like being with family. Actually it is a lot like being with family whenever i stay with the other volunteers.

I have been thinking that i have it so great out in Mabalane. This weekend i realized i actually have it pretty rough, living conditions and work. I still love my site and students and would not trade for any of these other sites. Mabalane is perfect for me, if anything i would want less luxuries. But these other sites are something else. Barbara and Anne are really living the dream. Im just living my dream.

I have been thinking about how i have always wanted and tried the harder challenges in my life. And there is something appealing to me about living without power, having struggles with water, and all the little challenges that come with life in Mabalane. Im not sure why i like to struggle or suffer but that is why i joined the Marines and probably why i enjoy running and hiking so much. Plus doing something harder is more rewarding, at least for me.

Saturday i had the luckyiest series of chapas (buses). I went from one bus to another all the way to the Peace Corps office. I was chillin in the PC office seven hours after leaving my house. Ill be lucky to get home in ten to twelve hours.

Im in the process of an interesting chapa ride home. Everyone is speaking the native language and i keep hearing the word for white person, haha i feel like Ace Ventura. This chapa has some much weight on it. Not only packed with people but stuff under all the seats and strapped on the roof. Ill be lucky to get home before my class starts. I hope nothing else crazy happens but in case it does im waiting to send this.

Ok last update. There was a very unsanitary diaper change on the chapa, im glad i was not sitting next to that lady. Got home at six pm, about twelve hours not too bad.

Peace, love, and do good things.

Jimmy