Impossible to see the future is

Ok i'm enjoying my last days without energy. Well, without my energy activated atleast. I know there are plenty more energyless days in my future. So the energy in all the village had been out the last few days. I have been reading, playing music, working a little at school, cooking, eating, working out and reading more. The usual! In many ways not having connections to the outside world is nice.

I have some more exciting things to share for a change. But first i want to comment on how i feel like i'm half Mozambican now. I can comfortably ride on top of coals in the back of trucks, or almost anywhere when i travel. I eat a stupid amount of salt with my all my meals. I really enjoy corn meal porridge. I get a bit cold when it is below seventies.

Before returning to site i had an action packed weekend. There was a lot of volunteers in Maputo because people are going home for good and the holidays. I had gone to pick a few things up from the Peace Corps office and hang out.

Friday night, our big group split up and i ended up with the crazy latino ladies group. We crashed this party for the bank. No big deal, except everyone was Mozambican, dressed very, and all wearing white shirts or dresses. Everyone except us of course. There was an open bar which the girls took full advantage of. I ended up at this American's house at the USAID compound because the people i was staying with were still partying. Their house was crazy nice full of stuff from America. Maputo is a different world for us PCV's.

Saturday, i met up with Mona, one of the crazy drunk latinos, and we walked around the outdoor market. She had spent hours buying things for her family because she was leaving the next day. Well we get on a bus and she leaves her bag on the bus. Luckly she noticed quickly so we got on this little golf cart like taxi and explained what was up. This ride was like something out of an action movie. He was driving in and out of traffic and literally in the middle of the road. This was a two lane street with cars going both directions. It was awesome! Looking back it should have scared the poop out of me but in the heat of the pursuit it was great. Finally we catch the bus and extremely luckly the bag was still there. Then he gave us a ride back like a normal person. Mona meet this Marine a while back. We were on our way to his house before that ordeal. His house is even more ridiculous than the other one i mentioned. First time ever i was wishing i was back in the Marines. This house could have been on MTV Cribs. It had a pool table, ping pong table, bar, giant flat screen, a cook, four frigs, and an amazing gym. I'm so jealous!

Saturday night, i was with four of the girls that live near me in Gaza. We were going to watch this band and walking over to a bar when two guys tried to rob us. One guy grabbed my arm and i noticed he had a matchete and the other guy didn't. The other guy tried to grab one of the girls bags. It all kind of happened fast but i grabbed the matchete and the guys hand, the girls ran off, the other guy came to help with the Matchete, and i pushed the guy away and ran after the girls. It was crazy but we were all safe and nothing was stolen. I had a small cut on my hand but it was fine and it's pretty much healed now.

Sunday, i went to visit my host family. My host mom is so awesome. I got there and lunch was waiting for me and my old room was ready for me to stay there. Just like always! We chatted and ate. Then i took a nap and washed my clothes. It felt so nice being back in Namaacha and being treated so well. My host mom wasn't just nice because the Peace Corps paid her. She actually treats me just like a son. She makes sure to remind me that there is my first home in Mozambique and that i'm welcomed anytime. She also makes sure to tell me that i have to marry a good woman, one who will cook for me, wash and prepare my clothes, and all that stuff. I try to explain to her that isn't important for me but she says she won't allow it, haha. Sorry ladies!

Old man, tried to call back but couldn't. I'm learning blackbird that isn't that hard, look it up on youtube.

Jodi, that is about all that is new. Thanks for the update! The last place Alicia should go with Gallo is the Whiskey River, haha. How was that outcome?

Peace, love and do good things


Jimmy
ps i cant remember what Star Wars quotes i have or haven't used, sorry if it's a duplicate

I don't know where you get your delusions

It’s been a while. I’ve alternating being bored and busy. Ok maybe not busy but having things going on.

I have been chilling on the beach a lot lately. The beaches here are so awesome plus it is summer. So to rub it in a bit I am tanned and constantly out enjoying the sun while it gets cold back home. I hurt my foot but it is better now. I ran the other day on the beach in Tofo. I went surfing twice while I was in Tofo. Google search Tofo, it is very beautiful. The waves were ok but not for me I was getting beat up out there. It was so much effort to swim out and then just getting rolled up by the waves. But it was a lot of fun and a good workout.  I’m in Maputo now. I might go visit Namaacha to see my host family. Then I want to head up north.

I miss traveling. The last week I was hopping beaches and you meet so many cool people traveling. You hear their cool stories. Travelers are so interesting to talk with.

We hosted our first Couch Surfers a couple weeks ago. That was really fun, a couple from Europe. They stayed with another volunteer and wanted to see something different. So she sent them out to us. We cooked, chatted, jammed, went to the river, and showed them around Mabalane. On our walk back from the river I accidently took them through the prison. That was interesting. They were a little freaked out when the guards started yelling at us and had AK47s. Then the guards took us to their office and started giving us a hard time. I knew I wasn’t supposed to walk through there but everything in Mozambique is very relaxed and I didn’t think it was a big deal. Apparently it is. After scaring our guest they let us go. Almost getting locked up aboard was an exciting twist to the normal couch surfing experience.

School is over. I found out my neighbor, who is also the other English teacher stole my test from my computer and was selling it to students in the village. That was cool and a waste of the student’s money because I gave them all lower grades than the students who didn’t cheat. My neighbor said he wasn’t and wouldn’t do that but I know he was lying. Then the first week of national exams was interesting. One of the other teachers was giving students the answers without even trying to hide it. But not all the students, probably just the students who paid him money or he wants to have sex with. But I checked those student’s results and they were horrible, so he must have not know the correct answers either. I told him to stop when I found out he wasn’t helping all the students. But it was good to see those things, I can just imagine how the classes I wasn’t in were. Figuring out how to handle those things is difficult. I just let it all slide. I feel I’m here to teach not get teachers fired and fail students. I might tell my director later but he has to know already, he is intelligent. So I just want to try to reach out to as many students as possible and hopefully they can help improve things in the future.

I gave an assignment before school ended about their happiest day of their life. It was very interesting how a lot of students said it was the day they got their job. Some said the birth of their child or wedding. Many of my 11^th graders failed. I felt really bad and tried to help them by giving more time and extra credit. But so many just didn’t do the work. I feel bad because I don’t think it is their entire fault. I hope next year I can be clearer on my expectations.

Well this blog seems boring to me. Sorry! Maybe next time. I have been reading a lot. I read 18 books the last year. Which is a lot for me, I probably only read about 20 something books before that. I hope to read even more now that I have a kindle. Thanks mom!

I just found out that Uncle Mikey passed away. So my thoughts and love are with him and my Aunt Jojo.

Many of you I want to send personal messages to. Jodi , don’t cut me off. I read all my emails, even if I do not reply so don’t be afraid to write and keep writing. Peace, love, and do good things

Jimmy

Ps I need to go. I didn’t spell check or reread. My bad!