Much to update!!

Merry Christmas Eve!! Again, many apologies for my blog posts being so few and far between. I'm at site now (yay!) and there's no internet there so that makes keeping this up to date a little difficult. Ok, so my site! Here is my address for the next 2 years:

Chelsea Harrower
CP #36
Morrumbene, Inhambane
Mozambique Africa

Please remember that if you want to send packages you need to write "Jesus Saves" all over the box! That is incredibly useful in deterring theft.

Morrumbene is a really beautiful, quaint town that's near the beach. It's pretty ideal in that I'm a 30 minute chapa (taxi) ride from Maxixe, which is a larger city with all of the nice amenities (restaurants, cheese, ginger snaps). I've only been at site for a week and I've already traveled to Maxixe 3 times...I live in a 1 1/2 room reed hut. I say 1 1/2 because there is the main room that has a table, 2 burner stove and shelves, then there is a 3/4 wall to separate my bedroom from that main room. I have a little curtain as a door. It's very cozy. I have a large quintal (yard) area with lots of pretty trees. My latrine is in another hut thats separate from my main house and then my shower hut is also separate. I'm the proud owner of 3 huts total. I inherited a dog, Lucy, who makes sure I don't get too lonely. She barks at everyone and everything. No one walks by my house without her announcing it. I definitely feel safe. I'm the only volunteer in Morrumbene, but I'm only about 30 minutes from quite a few other volunteers so it's not too bad. I don't start school or anything until February so I have A LOT of free time on my hands now...it's been quite boring and has made me question if it was a good idea for me to live by myself. I think that once school starts, however, I'll really appreciate the peace and quiet I'll be able to have by myself. I stare out of my window quite a bit...it's amazing how long I can do that without even realizing it. I'm definitely learning to adjust to the "slow life" here in Mozambique. I'm 99% sure that I'll be teaching 8th grade (at least for my first year). My average class size should be about 70-80 students in each turma (turma is a group of students that take all of their classes together. Instead of students going from class to class like in the U.S., teachers travel to each classroom and the kids stay put). I should teach about 8 different turmas in 1 year. It'll be a huge learning curve, but I'm really excited to get started. The volunteer that I replaced in Morrumbene, Taylor, left me really well prepared with sample lesson plans and visual aids for class. So, yeah! I'll have more information on what it's like to teach here come February...
Being away from home for the holidays has been a little rough...I think all of us here are feeling a bit lonely and out of sorts. It's HOT HOT HOT here. I keep hearing about all the snow storms back home and I just can't picture it. I hope you all are driving safely, though! I traveled North to Vilankulos to spend Christmas with my friend, Laura, and some other fellow PCV's (Peace Corps Volunteers...everything, EVERYTHING has an acronym here). We are planning on spending the entire day at the beach...so life isn't too rough here. :)
Anyway, happy holidays everyone! I really do miss you guys. I hope everything is going OK back in the States. Keep me updated!! Much love!

Almost done!

Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I've written on here. The internet in Namaacha is really expensive and there's always a line! I'm sitting in a restaurant in the capital, Maputo, with some current Peace Corps volunteers from last year and one of them was nice enough to let me use her computer! We are listening to American music videos and eating delicious food so it's easy to forget I'm in Africa...then I look outside. Ha ha. Well, I'm almost done with training!! Only 2 more weeks left. We had site visit a few weeks ago. I went to Morrumbene in the Inhambane province and I completely fell in love with it. Lucky me, that's where I got my site placement as well!! I'll be living by myself in a reed hut but I'm no more than 30 minutes from other volunteers so I think it'll be a really good situation. I'm inheriting a dog, Lucy, who just had 5 puppies about a month ago. So I guess I'm getting 6 dogs...but I'll give most of the puppies away. My school is very quaint. There aren't any doors or windows so controlling noise will be a problem but I'm sure I'll figure it out. My average class size will be 70 to 80 students and I think I'll be teaching 10th grade, but that's subject to change. Morrumbene is about an hour from the most beautiful beaches in Mozambique so I feel very lucky. I'm also close to Maxixe, which is a larger city where I can get luxuries like cheese and beef. I'm very excited! I'm feeling checked out of training, but everyone is kind of on the same boat. We have been having Model School this week and that has been a huge learning experience. I've taught 4 classes so far and I've discovered that teaching is REALLY hard. I have a huge new found respect for teachers. There is so much to think about all the time. My class for model school is only 15 students on any given day, so I can't even imagine how I'm going to manage a class 7 times the size...but I'll learn. The thing I'm most sad about with training ending is that all of the people that I have become close to are going to places really far away! I won't even see them at regionals. We are all so spread apart. But we all have phones so hopefully we'll stay in touch. School won't start until February and I'll be delivered to site on December 15th so I'll have a lot of time to figure everything out. I think that by living by myself I'll be forced to speak only Portuguese and I'll become more integrated into my community. It'll be lonely sometimes, but that's when I make the trip to Maxixe to go hang with some Americans! I'll even be living by someone, Anne, who is from Oregon! She went to U of O! We feel a bond ha ha. How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Peace Corps threw us a lunch thing, and that's the day we found out about our site placement so it felt a bit like Christmas. I cannot stress enough how anxious we all were to find out where we were going! It's hard to explain to people in America...but it was a very big deal! Now we all know and are counting down the days til we leave (16...I've had a countdown since day 64). We are having our swearing in ceremony in less than 2 weeks so I'll be an official volunteer. We're having it at the ambassador's house and I guess they serve really good food so I'm very excited. Again, I cannot explain how dependent I've become on food. It brings me many joys when I can get anything other than rice or bread with rocks in it. Still, I've definitely lost some weight! We walk everywhere and we sweat all day, everyday. Oh Africa. I am loving it here. I've finally (semi) let go of life in the US so I can really focus on my experience here. I still miss everyone, of course, but I know I have a huge opportunity here that I worked really hard for and have wanted for a long time. So I'm making the most of it! A lot of volunteers got their scuba certification while here and they go quite often. They see whale sharks and crazy fish. It should be fun. Well, I'll write again when I can! Much love to everyone!!

The things I´ve learned...

I´ve only lived here for a little over a month, so it may sound cliche to say this, but I have learned a lot about myself thus far. For instance: even bread, when consumed 3 times a day as a main dish can grow tiresome; I can handle squatting with my dirty water bucket bath, squatting over my poop chimney, squatting to wash my clothes on a dirty rock (counter intuitive, is it not?), and dealing with roosters who cannot understand that the sun does not rise at midnight. Those things I am actually quite OK with. What I have learned that I cannot handle is the absolute degradation of my gender. I may be just a woman, but I know that Baghdad is not in Canada. I know that George Bush is not President of South America (or America for much longer! Go Obama!), and I know that red wine is not actually blue. These are real situations I have encountered here. But still, I am supposed to be content with washing clothes and cooking for my husband as a daily routine?I think not. One of the 3 goals of Peace Corps is to share about American culture while I´m here. I fully intend to at least attempt (with the most stubborn of efforts) to teach women that they can be so much more than a stereotype and can do more than fulfill a gender role. Anyone would be shocked at the amount of work 9-12 year old girls do at my house. I know when I was their age I couldn´t balance gallons of water on my head or cook entire meals with charcoal and plastic for heat, or sweep the dirt around our house every morning. 85% or more of the students in Mozambican schools are male. Why? Because the culture and social norms make it so difficult for girls to continue. Unplanned pregnancy, duties to family and general harrassment are some of the factors working against them. There is also a considerable shortage of women for them to look up to as role models of something other than the housewife. I don´t want to force American ideals on them, I just want women/girls here to realize they have choices and they don´t have to do things they don´t want to. Therefore, the solution, in my eyes, to the gender problems lie in education. I´ll go door to door if I have to, or drag the girls to school. Everyone deserves and education and what they do afterwards is up to them. Sorry. I´m done venting now. :) Everything else is going well here. We are going on site visits this Saturday. I´ll get to shadow a current volunteer and see what their life is like for 5 days. It will be a much needed break from my host family. I´m anxious to see the conditions I´ll be living in for the next 2 years as well. I´m sad to not be in the US during this crazy election time! History in the making! Everyone is really pumped about it here. Last couple days were a bit of a struggle for me...thankfully I have a Dad who can help me keep things in perspective, and Cody to write me inspirational/motivational speeches. The one month milestone is rough...but I am going to stick this whole thing out. The Peace Corps is supposed to be the hardest job you´ll ever love, right? Much love to everyone. I honestly miss you all more than I can say.

Week 3...

Hello again! This time I am writing from Maputo. We are on a field trip to the capital so that we can learn how to get around when we need to come here from site. I definitely prefer the rural community of Namaacha...it's scary walking around here. I've been clutching my bag the whole time. I got to ride in a chapa (taxi like service) for the first time as well...we smashed 24 people into a van that wasn't supposed to hold more than 16. I sat facing the opposite direction with my legs jammed against the person in front of me. Not my favorite way to travel. The drivers here are incredibly dangerous, so it's best to avoid riding in cars as much as possible. There are no stop lights or signs and I still haven't seen a speed limit sign...
The good news is that I survived week 3! I have to congratulate myself every time I make it through a week. This week proved to be a reality check for many volunteers...lots of random bouts of crying...the honeymoon period (if there ever really was one) is definitely over. My language group (we have all our Portuguese language sessions together, 6 times a week) had a slight breakdown this week, which I guess is pretty common. We found it was resolved by getting out of the 105 degree weather and into a barraca (bar) and drinking some cold fanta. All is well.
I have been kind of sick the whole time I've been here and I decided to talk to the medical officers about it yesterday...turns out I have giardia! About 90% of volunteers get it at some point during their service. It's a water parasite that makes life unpleasant. I'm getting medication for it on Monday. I must say, I miss the days when waking up at 6:40 wasn't sleeping in, I didn't think condensed milk was a treat, and getting giardia wasn't common...but I'm still doing OK.
Things with the host family are about the same...luckily I'll only be living with them for another 7 weeks. I definitely made some mistakes this week asking why women didn't get to eat inside...I was told it was because they didn't like eating with the men, and I was given an awkward long stare afterwards. I went to bed quite soon after that. I spoke with a PC officer, and he said it's best to aim those weird cultural questions at him...will do.
I'm getting super pumped for site visits! They happen in about 2 weeks and we get to go to actual sites and "shadow" current volunteers for 5 days. After that we do more indepth interviews with PC officers to find out where we should be placed in December. Also, after site visits, we start preparing for "model school." Each volunteer will teach a class for a week and be evaluated. As of now, that idea is really daunting because the tech sessions we've had have been a joke thus far. All of us trainees are feeling frustrated with the inefficiency of time and such. I'm the "chefe" (boss) for my language group, so I got to voice some complaints to the main people. We are hoping to see some change soon.
Everything else is going OK...still have to take it day by day. Some days are definitely better than others, but I'm sticking it out. I miss you guys all a lot. Please let me know what's going on in your lives and with the election!!! I still haven't gotten any mail...A girl received a package but it had been broken into. It was really sad...clothes and an ipod charger were stolen from it. Again, for safety precautions, if you want to send something do the following:
1. Use US Mail. It's the cheapest.
2. Within the main box, put things in tampon boxes. It makes it less likely they will search through it if they just open it and see feminine hygiene products.
3. Write "irma" before my name...they might think I'm a nun.
4. Try to send small boxes.
I guess that's it! Many hugs and kisses to all!

I got through week 2!

Hello again! Sorry it has been so long since my last post. The internet here in Namaacha leaves much to be desired and there is always a long line to use it. I´ll try my best to post something once a week though. Please leave comments! I like to see what you guys have to say and I miss you all so any contact whatsoever is lovely...
Ok, so like the title says, I survived my second week of training and living in Namaacha. Things have definitely gotten easier, or at least I´m used to them more, but I still have new surprises every day. For anyone that has talked to me on the phone, it is common knowledge that I do not like my host father. Apparently I got stuck with the most patriarchal family of all. His name is Jorge and he is the most authoritative person ever! All he does is ask me when I´m going to cook and wash clothes. When I did do those things he could not have looked happier. FYI, I do in fact wash my clothes on a rock. Yeah. Pictures to come. I´m constantly wishing that Jorge would fall down the poop chimney but it hasn´t happened yet...As it turns out, after talking with my host mother, Eliza, Jorge has a woman on the side that he has 3 kids with. I asked my host mom if she was ok with that and she said no, but her sister died of AIDS last year (her daughter is staying with us) and her mother died a long time ago so she doesn´t have any other family she could go to. It made me really sad. Women and girls here, especially within the interactions of my host family, have nothing. The little girls act as servants to all the men (host father and 3 host brothers). The girls and mother eat on the floor in the bamboo shack that is the kitchen. They don´t even get the same food as the men of the house. Since I´m a white American it´s a little different for me, I eat with the men and eat their food, but it´s still expected of me to clean and cook. I´m constantly being told by Jorge that I study too much. It´s taking a lot of adjusting. I knew the culture would be different coming here, butI could not have prepared myself for going from a place where I was respected by my male friends and family, to just being expected to fulfill certain gender roles. I doubt I´ll ever fully adjust to it. Hopefully once I start teaching and am at my site I can more actively fight against it.
It´s also difficult to get used to the absolute poverty here. Yesterday I saw little girls playing jump rope. The rope was made of trash bags tied together. Very few of the children (and I mean little kids, toddlers and older) have shoes. They are constantly filthy and their clothes are torn. Toddlers walk around in packs without any adults. There are just so many things you wouldn´t dream of seeing in the US.
There is still an incredible water shortage here as well and the people are suffering. It has only rained twice since I´ve been here. A volunteer that had training here in Namaacha last year said that he can´t believe the difference. All the wells are dry and the river is nothing but a stagnant creek for washing clothes and dishes now.
As much as I can´t believe it, I´ve actually grown to enjoy my bucket baths! I wasted SO much water showering in the US. Here, just a small bucket and cup is all I need. They are quite refreshing, unless it´s cold in the morning. Then I miss my private, indoor shower.
I´ve learned to make a few Mozambican dishes, wash clothes, light charcoal for cooking, pilar amendoim (smashing peanuts colonial style) and my Portuguese is improving each day. I´m constantly tired! I wake up at 6 every morning and I haven´t stayed up later than 9 so far...ah the life of a Peace Corps trainee.
The only wildlife I´ve seen has been an ostrich. It was huge with prehistoric looking feet. I´ve seen lots of crazy lizards, some cockroaches (in my room and crawling around my poop chimney), and one HUGE spider (black with white stripes...my host sister killed it while laughing at my fear). I´ll be in a more rural area for my service so hopefully I´ll have more exciting animal encounters then.
I think that´s all for now...please leave your comments! I miss you all SO much!!

Training

So, I am half way through my third day of training here in namaacha. (im sorry but it is difficult to capitalize and do proper punctuation with this computer). here is a little bit of my everyday life thus far - i wake up at 6am from the rooster crowing, then i gather my things and walk down to the bathroom area, which is really a concrete shack with a tin roof. there, i set my bucket of river water and then i use a cup to pour water over myself as a squat on the floor. right next to the shower area is the hole where you do your duties. it looks like a mini chimney. i squat on that too. then i walk back to my room, which is also a concrete room with a tin roof (that the chickens like to jump on and then walk all over) and i get dressed. i brush my teeth over the trash hole, which is a giant square dug out of the ground that all the trash is dumped in and burned when it gets too full. then i have breakfast that consists of tea and bread, and go to portuguese lessons. those are going really well. my house is made up of 4 different buildings. 1 for eating, my room, the bathroom, and the shack that is the kitchen, which only has a hot plate in it for cooking. it has definitely taken some getting used to and im still adjusting. im doing much better than the first night. ive killed a few cockroaches. no snakes or spiders yet though so i am thankful. we are doing cross cultural lessons and such during the day too. those are also going well. i like all of my fellow trainees so thats good. im making some friends. ive taken some pictures of my neighborhood. i can see swaziland and south africa from the top of the trail down into my area. its a beautiful view. when i can upload pictures i will. i hope everyone is doing well and i miss you all. much love!

Maputo

Hello!
I've been in Africa for a few days now. I think I've actually managed to adjust to the time change quite well because I've forced myself to only go to sleep at normal local times. I didn't sleep much on the plane so that made it easier. We're staying in Kaya Kwanga now, but I'll be living with my host families starting on Sunday morning and I'll also start my more intensive training then. Thus far, I've received 4 vaccinations (with more to come), metacais (local currency), a HUGE medical kit and general precautions about our safety in regards to where we can go and water and food. We get a heavy duty water purifier too. Maputo is a pretty dangerous place...our hotel is surrounded by a fence with barbed wire on top. I guess a lot of crimes happen right across the street from where we are, along the beach. Assaults and robberies are the most common, but the Peace Corps is very upfront about telling us what we can and cannot do. I'm becoming quite certain that I'll get malaria or some sort of other parasite at some point during my stay. It's just inevitable. But we have all the medicine we need. We have to brush our teeth wiith bottled water because the tap is REALLY unsafe. I'm enjoying everyone and everything so far. I'll try to write more later, but as I'm going to my host family soon communication will be even more limited. If anyone wants to text, my cell number is 011-258-82-819-8145. I won't text a lot, but if you want to know I'm alive I'll give you updates. I hope everyone is doing well! Miss you all. Much love!!

Hello again!
So, I'm in Philadelphia right now. I just finished with my first day of staging and it was pretty awesome. Everyone is REALLY nice. It's been great getting to hang out and talk with people that are going through the same emotions that I am. We haven't discussed anything really country specific, but we did some introduction stuff and aspiration/anxiety workshops. It was helpful. I got my first malaria pill! I guess they can cause "vivid dreams" or "hallucinations" so I'll let you all know how that goes...for all that know me well, I don't take pills gracefully. This one is not small so wish me much luck. I got a cool "debit" card from the Peace Corps. It has "We the people" written on it with the flag in the back...very patriotic. Oh! In search of coffee this morning, my roomie and I (her name is Sara, she is absolutely fantastic) saw Betsy Ross' house! We didn't go in, but Philadelphia is definitely a place I'd like to spend more time in. Cobble stone streets and old buildings...it just oozes history. Ok, well we are now in search of a place to eat dinner! I won't be able to write again until I get to Africa, so hopefully that is sooner rather than later. Again, much love and missing you all! :)

Leavin' on a jet plane...

Hi Everyone!
So, my flight is in less than 24 hours and I'm still quite nervous/excited/etc. This first blog post is just to thank everyone for the amazing support I've received. I don't know how I could have gotten through this entire process without you all. I wish everyone the best and I beg that you keep in touch as much as possible! Yes, the mail is slow, but I promise to write back to any and all letters I receive. Email/internet access might be limited, so be patient. Once I'm there for a bit I'll be able to get the feel for how much I'll have internet and such.
Ok, well I'll see everyone soon (-ish). I love you!

Obrigada e boa sorte a tutti