August

I have learned a great deal about sharing my life experiences in Peace Corps with people, actually only one thing: people lose interest real fast. This mostly comes from returned volunteers, but even from some of the expats and missionaries that are here with us. Also, I have steadily seen the decrease in curiosity throughout my stay in terms of the amount of inquiries I receive about my life here. I don't really mind, I didn't come here for the narcissism of being a volunteer, but I am glad I learned this now, instead of 2 months after I returned from completion of duty.
So the mountain we climbed last month was quite tiring. It is about 2,500 meters high and most of the climb is incredibly vertical. Then on our way down, while we were passing through the clouds, it began to rain, a more horizontal rain because of the winds. There were a few instances when I stated that this is a little dangerous. For a moment, I was a little scared. The walk to the mountain was 8 hours, continuous, then we arrived a house where a family told us we could camp. She made us chima and we brought some beans. Then we slept, 3 of us, in a small tent on the ground and spent 8 hours the next day climbing and descending. Sat by the fire at night while all our clothes dried (I amused the kids with natural light mixes and my t-shirt which I wore as pants) and talked with some Mozambicans. The next morning we made the 8 hour trip back, we left at 3 am. A volunteer that went with me, Cameron, is making me a CD of all the pictures, so I will try to put that on the internet in early September. Jimmy called the trip a "spiritual holocaust". It was extremely grueling.
Work is every the more stressful. I actually just completed all my calenders for all the volunteers and schools and typed out all information about HIV, malaria and Nutritional education that we will be sharing with the children in the schools. Thankfully, there are wonderful American missionaries here in Nampula who have opened their house to me (and their refrigerator) and allowed me to finish a lot of work and remove some stress, that is ever building, from my life. I am still planning on coming home for the holidays, so keep the can drive going to raise money, Laura is wonderful and taking care of everything, while working 2 jobs, taking care of our dog (I love you Bunting family)and just being her genuine self.
I am going down to the capital, Maputo, in a week and a half for a training with PC. It is the equivalent of heading from to Detroit to Orlando, more or less. So you can imagine what the people in my village are thinking. I wanted to keep it secret so they didn't think I was any richer than they already believe I am and so I would not receive 50 requests to buy things, but it got out. I will take a few days to visit my host family and eat wonderful food, have not seen them since December and try to meet with people from the World Bank. I want to say they are not to responsive. And they should be, because last time I checked, The United States of America "controls" that institution and our tax dollars go to it. I am not happy with the lack of cooperation.
Life is normal, still going to churches and giving speeches, learning a little local language and realizing I have turned into a radical feminist. Yeah, some people just don't respect women and girls. I really do enjoy forcefully speaking out about infidelity, sexual abuse and the lack of women's rights, especially in the church, where the patriarchical society is perpetuated (perhaps only in my community?).
Also, the President of our group, though he has helped me a lot, also has two women and 6 children in total with them, so everytime he hears it it just drives the dagger a little deeper.
Too bad about the Tigs, quick rundown of what I think they should do. Get rid of Renteria, he ain't worth the $11 million option next year and play ramon santiago at SS, everyday. He could win a gold glove and he would never be as bad at the plate as Inge. Use that $11 million to get a reliever, has Papelbon signed an extenstion yet? If not, give it all to him. Could care less about Sheff, he is a cancer, though he does have some guts to play through such horrendous pain. Bye bye Todd jones, that's another 6 million, and kenny rogers, i think that is another 6 million. Alright I am done, take care and Love you all.