I am one day closer to swear in for my Peace Corps Volunteer service (April 12, 2011)! 2 months ago as I packed all my worldly possessions into cardboard boes at my aun’t house in wintery Laurel, Maryland this day seemed so far away and now here it is. So much has happened in the past 8 weeks that I wouldn’t have even been able to fathom as I said goodbye to family and dear friends.

PCT (Peace Corps Training) should be an experiment in human relations (lol). Our stage began with 62 people and as we are getting closer to our Oath date we are standing strong at 59 people. For the majority of our training we are kept together at the training site in Tubaniso, Mali. Process this 60+ people who eat together, sleep together, train together, get sick together… then you tell me it wouldn’t be the makings of a sick government experience! But what I’ve learned is that this crucial introduction is necessary because it transforms you.

If you want to learn patience (even if you don’t) you will learn it during this experience. I can’t say it would be a bad thing for me to learn a little patience. So I guess we are appropriately called trainees not only because we are learning protocols but also because there are some key things I need to learn before I take that oath.

So I have been in Africa for 30 days! I can’t even begin to express the rollercoaster of emotions and events that have taken place in the last 30 days yet  it feels as if time has stood still. My homestay is in a small village about 1-2 hours outstide of the capital center (Bamako) called Dialakorobougu. I have been learning a language named Bambara. My host dad’s name is Issa and my mom’s name is Iya and they have 10 children! Both my parents work;my dad is a farmer and my mom is a vendor in the local market.

There has been so much to try and get use to yet at the same time seems very similar to me. Being in Africa has forced me to look within myself at things long ago buried. Where to begin- Peace Corps is complex to say the least. I am learning alot with regards to business in Mali and we haven’t even scratched the surface yet! Language has been an event all its own. Do you want to know if you are patient with yourself - go to a foreign country, immerse yourself into the culture and language then test yourself every couple of weeks, you develop a new appreciation for the term patience.

There is probably alot more that I should be writing about but right now but there’s alot to digest and debrief and I think that small doses are probably best. So I will update soon. 

when I was young I thought I knew you

When I was young I did what you wanted

when I was young I said what you wanted to hear

when I was young I twisted my hips to make you smile and moan

when I was young there were no strings to tie me down nor keep me with you

when I was young I thought I knew you

now I am older I know I don’t know you

now I am older I speak to my own heart

now I am older  your smile does not dictate the sway of my hips

now I am older I continue to see the threads that bind me to you

Why won’t this fabric unravel so that I can put on the Godly fabric that I am destined for?

Dear Mommy,

I know its been a long time since I’ve talked to you but know that you are always on my mind and in my heart. I know that you were a woman of strong spirit and courage and I am blessed to have your strength. Mommy, so please don’t think me week when I look up to heaven and wish you were here with me instead of up in heaven. Sometimes I just wish God had waited a little longer.

                                                                             Love from your baby girl

The history of pumpkin soup begins with the celebration of Haitian Independence in 1804. On Jan. 1, 1804, Haitians worked together to create a unique soup to celebrate their independence from the French Colonists. Until that time, the Colonists believed that the blacks under their rule could never work together to create anything. Today, the traditional pumpkin soup known as “soup joumou,” is made and served to friends and family in Haiti in remembrance of their fight for freedom.

SIGNIFICANCE

While under French Colonial rule, Haitians were limited to eating a bland bread soup. They would not have been permitted to eat such an extravagant meal comprised of pumpkin, beef stock and other vegetables. This unique soup was created as a symbol of unity in the face of adversity. It was served to everyone at the first Independence celebration and Haitians continue this tradition today.

FEATURES

One unique feature of the soup is the use of limes or sour oranges that are rubbed on the beef prior to cooking it. This gives the soup a slightly sour tang, which is considered a metaphor for the bittersweet legacy Haitians have shared since their independence from the Colonists. An authentic version of the soup also utilizes “picklese,” a spicy pickling vinegar, which originates from Haiti.

Pumpkin soup is now made around the world, though it is predominantly made in Haiti during its Independence celebration and in the United States during Thanksgiving. The Haitians who left the nation after the Revolution brought their recipe for pumpkin soup to the United States. The recipe has been modified over the years and the ingredients vary, depending upon what is available locally.

MISCONCEPTIONS

While Native Indians in America did eat pumpkin, they didn’t invent pumpkin soup. They ate the pumpkin after it was cut into strips and roasted. The American Colonists observed how the Indians used this vegetable and began incorporating it into their diets. Pumpkin soup wasn’t mentioned in any books in America until the mid-1800s.

EFFECTS

People who visit Haiti may not understand the significance of the Independence celebration. They may think there isn’t much to celebrate since Haiti has experienced economic and social decline ever since the 1804 Revolution. However, Haitians believe the fight for equality isn’t over yet. They believe the pumpkin soup gives them courage to persevere over oppression, both now and in the future.

Read more: History of Pumpkin Soup | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5318317_history-pumpkin-soup.html#ixzz19p1F2B7S

Its 7am I should still be in bed enjoying the comfy sheets of my Marriott hotel room but on this new years eve I have decided to set out on early morning adventure! Deep Sea Fishing. I would love to say that the idea to deep sea fish was some deep calculation but it wasn’t. When I walked into the hotel lobby the local attraction brochures caught my attention -flamingo fishing- we provide everything you need for $35- how can you beat that!

So here I am at the Bahia Mar Resort and Marina, FL, large brim sun hat (check), camera (check) beer (check) open-mind (check) adventurous spirit (check). I say all this because I have never been fishing nevertheless deep sea fishing. When I showed up to the dock to get my boarding pass the captain asked if I was travelling alone I said yes (a lady on deck said you are brave! that should have been my first indication of what lay ahead lmao). I boarded the 65ft vessel confidently knowing that not only was this going to be awesome but that I was going to be bringing fish home to brag.

Ok so first thing deep sea fishing equals alot alot of waves. I am not someone who gets motion sickness and I didn’t on this trip but let’s just say there was no beer drinking for me just to be on the safe side. The operative words of deep sea fishing is deep sea no easily reachable land mass (I am a non swimmer did I mention this yet).  As the boat hit the 30 minute mark the ocean swells and my stomach started to have a heated debate of who was running the show but once I got over the rocking and allowed myself to relax and appreciate the beauty that was surrounding me I thought less about the internal debate.

Deep sea fishing is an experience that must be experienced because it allows you to realize that there is so much that is greater than yourself. Fishing is a patient sport and taught me in that brief moment that you can plan whatever you want but sometimes things are just beyond your control (my very philosophical way of saying I didn’t catch any fish). As one crew mate said if you don’t catch any fish consider this a very detailed training session.

Year 2011 Career

Revolutionary new project ideas that began percolating in early 2010 are ready to launch by spring. With Jupiter encouraging you to think in terms of more, bigger and better coupled with Uranus egging you on to experiment, you’re guaranteed to break out of the corporate box and take your career to the next level. Be prepared to leave the comfort of a solid paycheck to pursue something infinitely more fulfilling and ultimately more rewarding (and yes, even on a financial level if you play your cards right, Cancer.) Your busiest work months are between August and September. And the most creative and sweet work moments take place during December when Venus enters your work sector.

More autonomy, greater recognition, and fabulous travel become integral constituents of your fab new professional world. Expect powerful shifts to occur between March (Jupiter joins Uranus in your career sector) and May (six planets line up at the top of your horoscope.) Dare yourself to take your greatest career risks during late January until the end of May, which is when Jupiter peaks at the top of your horoscope. When you’re sitting pretty in 2011 doing what you want and how you want — you’ll be oh-so-glad you did.

When lucky Jupiter enters your networking sector in June, your life becomes radically more festive. This run of dazzling little social fetes is anything but frivolous. The more your mix and mingle, the more key contacts you’re liable to make. In the second half of 2011, it’s all about who you know, so come out of your shell and take time to get to know who you’re auspiciously rubbing shoulders with. Support seems to flow effortlessly, so don’t be afraid to get by with a little help from your friends.