Unexpected Perks

The area that is now Cabo Delgado, my province, was the last land in Africa to receive a charter for development. I live, quite literally, on the final frontier of Africa. As Peace Corps has developed over the last 51 years, there are very few Peace Corps sites as rural and isolated as mine. Along with its obvious drawbacks in comparison with American life (i.e., lack of access to Target stores), there are some pretty great unexpected benefits to the traditional Peace-Corps-hippe-granola life.

1. Nobody cares if you smell bad. In fact, you probably smell better than the next guy.

2. Shaving your legs is way overrated.  There’s something liberating about feeling the breeze through my leg hair.

3. Hot showers are for wimps. I never knew I could get pretty dang clean with 1 liter of water in a bucket.

4. The internet is for wimps. Actually that’s not true at all. I miss it desperately.

5. Local produce is way cooler than prepackaged food. I also can’t afford it on my salary.

6. Everything’s organic. Including the salmonella.

7. Hitchhiking is a good way to get to know people. And you might even get a seatbelt.

8. Washing your clothes by hand makes them last longer. I only travel with one shirt.

9. I haven’t had a haircut in eight months. Of course, my vitamin deficiency takes care of that for me.

10. Outdoor pit latrines > toilets. Seriously, how have I missed this all my life?

In other news, we successfully completed our first trimester of school just in time to head to our In-Service-Training conference in Nampula. Just before we left, Peace Corps staff visited Mariri and brought us a total of SIX care packages and four letters from home:

Thanks Grandma! And Mom! And Mariah! And Theresa! And Christina! And Jamie's mom! And Jamie's friends!

The conference was followed by a trip to Vilankulos, a famous beach in the southern province of Inhambane. It was relaxing and very fun until I was diagnosed with a questionable case of chicken pox. 

We got home in one piece, and are now tackling semester #2. I got switched (without notification) from teaching 10^th grade chemistry to 9^th grade physics. I’m generally not a huge fan of physics, but so far it’s been pretty easy, and it’s nice when my former students tell me they miss me.

I still fill a lot of my free time reading and cooking, but we now sponsor a weekly youth group (JUNTOS) and have plans to build a library at a primary school about 10 kilometers away. I’m also hosting an informal English class for adults in the community (mostly teachers and neighbors), and Jamie wants to start a general English club. Life is crazy but I’m so happy and grateful to be here!

Beijos,

Elizabeth

P.S. Okay, so the kitten didn’t exactly work out. He died literally the day after my last bog post. So we are back in the kitten market. 

We’ve had some other pet options in terms of visitors to our house: mostly geckos, skinks, and mice, but also scorpions, tarantulas, and one very confused bat. I think we’ll wait for another kitten.