The Color Orange

Why birthday?

2011-10-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

This is the first birthday in my life where I didn't want it to happen. I have been wishing it would just go away. It's not due to my age (21 again, obviously) but I think to my state of mind. As the well wishes started showing up on my Facebook wall, I got a sinking feeling. Instead of being happy that so many people are happy for me, I just wanted to get away. It may be that I'm tired and the thought of having to be on and 'happy' for others today, on my own birthday, just seems exhausting. I think I'll be better as the day goes on, but as I was trying to get to sleep last night, all I could think was "maybe I'll wake up and we'll have skipped the 26th." How selfish.

There are thousands (millions?) of people who have a birthday today, too. And by wishing to skip the day, I'm negating their celebrations and experiences. There's at least one child being born somewhere right now! Hmmm, I think I may have started talking myself into a better day :)

Happy birthday, newborn child, wherever you are! Life is a tough road, no matter where you come from, but stick it out, ok?

With love,
Sarah

Where to start?

2011-10-21T04:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I last wrote in my blog. I've thought about posting numerous times these past two years, but this morning it just seemed right. Perhaps because I've been journaling a little as way of working things out.

I have been up and down so much since starting, and finishing, grad school. When reverse culture shock set in around January of 2010, I kept on trucking and didn't stop to think about me and what might be wrong. Instead, I ignored it as much as possible and stayed busy. I don't particularly feel like the color orange anymore. Maybe purple, but often gray. I turn 32 next week and feel I have not accomplished anything I really want to do, and they are things I feel guilty about wanting, like marrying someone special and having a family. Seriously, I've always felt weird that my career was not more important to me. It should be, right? But I want a family first and the career is to pay bills :) That being said, I gravitate toward jobs with heavy public interface and where, like in development, you feel you are making a difference to other peoples' lives.

I'm going to put it out there that I have a master's degree, have a good job, pay rent, stay fit, go to church, have friends, and go to counseling. I hit one of many possible bottoms several weeks ago and decided to finally address things. And I'm in it for the long haul. I think of myself as 'high-functioning' in terms of depression--I'm doing better than many. But depression is still serious and I have to face it head-on for as long as it takes. I know this may be something I have to cope with for the rest of my life, but I need to find better ways of handling it.

As I reflect on my twenties in Chicago, I feel that maybe I did as well mentally as I did due to my obsession with running. Especially the last two to three years there, I ran five to six morning a week. My schedule was built around it. It the weather was so bad I couldn't be outside, I did bellydance in my apartment. I walk a lot here, but have been nowhere near as consistent with workouts. I'm happy to say this is the second morning in a row I got up at 6 to run before work. :) I'm going to try to keep it up. I run my first 5k Oct. 30 and know I can do it, but suspect my time will be bad! ;)

I think this is a good beginning, don't you?

Que Hiciste?

2009-08-29T18:57:00.000-07:00

Best song ever! Thanks Jennifer Lopez! If I ever need a mojo boost, I just put that song on and "Bam!" Muy caliente, gracias.

Anyway, lots of changes and a new world opens up for me Monday. I start classes at GW and a full-time internship at the Department of Treasury's Office of Financial Stability. You know all the federal aid circulating out there in response to the financial crisis? Yeah, OFS was created last October to handle that. And I get to work there!!!!!! Many thanks to A.M. and the HACU National Internship Program for the opportunity. I was looking at many jobs, most of them related to fund-raising, some in the arts, but none directly applicable to what I want to be and where I want to go. I love the arts world and always will, but I'm moving in a different direction. I never expected Treasury, but now I'm very excited.

Every step I've been taking since I moved into the DC area a month ago has served to reinforce my choice of path. This semester will be very hard between class and work, but I know I can do it. I visited DC's Newseum today with the other HACU interns and got to be part of the audience for an interview with Michael Fletcher, the Washington Post's White House correspondent. Really fascinating and not nearly as glamorous as West Wing would have you believe! ;) I should mention that last fall, during the final days of the campaign, I and my sitemates watched the West Wing 'campaign' in lieu of actual coverage. It got kind of confusing after awhile. Sometimes I'm still not sure if I voted for Barack Obama or Jimmy Smits!

Oh the places you've been!

2009-08-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

Home again. That's me and my sister visiting our college friend, Kelly, in the good 'ole Shenandoah Valley. I would often sing the song "Shenandoah" in Mauritania, accompanying myself on the guitar. It hurt sometimes to think of 'that rollin' rivah' so far away across the ocean. Now I'm here and I can't believe I was in Africa for two years. It was sometimes long there, but feels incredibly short from this side.

I guess I became a bit like a Mauritanian. Coming into crowds of strangers here is difficult and sometimes I'm overwhelmed. I've eaten ice cream FOUR times in the month I've been back. Only four. I'm amazed. I craved it all the time in M'Bagne, Aioun and Nema. I discovered all my old clothes still fit me (maybe better now!) so I don't have to spend my re-adjustment allowance on buying new things. Great news since I don't have a job yet! I'm living in Bethesda and will be going to school in DC. Bethesda is a wealthy suburb on the Maryland side, so the neighborhoods are beautiful and quiet.

I'm forcing myself to get out there and meet people, network. It's tough, but keeps me going even when I feel down. It's good to be back in a cultural center like DC. As soon as I have money, I'm goin' to the opera! Wish me luck!

Purple Girl Leaves Mauritania!

2009-06-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

It's true, look at me. My glasses scream purple. And notice that my hair is braided M'Bagne style. It didn't hurt as much as I though it would. I'm posing with a neighbor of my friend Justin's in his village of Gordiuma. She wanted everyone stateside to see her leather pillows. ;)

So, COS (close of service) is July 8 for me. Much earlier than I thought because our training for new volunteers was postponed until mid-August, when I am starting classes at GW. Coming home early will be nice in so many ways, but I'm sad at the loss of ten weeks working with a really cool group of volunteers and I'll never meet the new volunteers, if they ever come. It's the darned political situation here. Even the locals aren't sure if they have a government. Makes me homesick for good 'ole American bureaucracy. And I'm scared to go home! Seriously! I've been in another world for two years. I'm afraid to be homesick for Africa! (even though I still HATE taxi brousse-if I ever come back, it will be with my own Land Rover)

Anyway, so here, at the end of all things . . . But one thing that occurred to me is that my blogs will get much less interesting ("Yeah, so I went to work, and then class today. Really tired. Ho-hum") Guess I'll just have to work harder. I love challenges.

Miss you, America! See you soon!

The old homestead

2009-04-25T14:21:00.000-07:00

I like comparing this picture to the one from the summer 07 post called "Initi Trio." Several of the same kids are pictured but they're bigger now! Warda is still a free spirit and my fave of my stage host mom, Lueda's, kids. She's in the yellow and white dress. Timbouka wears a veil all the time, now and has stopped going to school. She has taken over the household chores leaving Lueda time to make more veils to sell. This increases the economic level of the family (they have a tv now! and it looks like they're eating better), but I grieve for what Timbouka has lost. It happens often here; a big part of my job is aimed at preventing it, but the process is so slow. That leads me to a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:

I am accepting at George Washington University in DC. I will, inshallah, start classes August 31st. I want to study international development from the gender and education perspective and GW has such a strong, exciting program. I can't wait! Anyone with ideas or leads for apartments, internships, roommate requests, or part-time jobs, drop me a line!

While some of the changes in Initi are difficult to see, others are great. They have electricity, now and there is new building going on, a good sign of rising economic levels. My tokora (namesake in Pulaar), Zara, was born almost exactly nine months after I left Initi to go to Nema. I saw her as a week-old baby last May. She had seemed sickly, then, but is hale and plump, and loves to eat, now. She's not so sure about the whole walking thing, though! She'll stick with crawling for the time being, thank you very much. I'm so happy she's doing well!

Oh, and I've been on Facebook since January. Look me up. :)

M'Bagne nedjo

2009-04-20T00:22:00.000-07:00

That phrase, "M'Bagne nedjo" means I am from M'Bagne in Pulaar. I won't be in M'Bagne much longer, about a month, but I was so lucky to be there even for a short time. It's one of those places where people are, by and large, happy, or content. There are no major health crises, little evidence of malnutrition, and people stay active and employed. It ain't perfect, but it's much better than many of the other sites I've seen. There is sadness, though. A young mother I know recently lost her weeks-old baby. A high infant mortality rate is simply a fact of life, here. Aissata, the mother, is back at her usual chores and work. She grieves, but you can only tell if you look in her eyes.

Honestly, I sometimes fear returning to the US. (this is actually a normal reaction for a PCV) I will miss Mauritania and the entire experience. Looking at brochures for grad school, I was disturbed by the number of 'white' people! How boring! I'm leaning toward American U versus George Washington based solely on the ethnic makeup in their brochure photos. Is that reverse discrimination? (or possibly insanity?)

The neem trees are blooming right now. They bloom twice a year, I think, but there were never any trees in my other sites. Sometimes, when the wind blows, you get a whiff of scent, rather like lilacs or wisteria. It makes me think of my maternal grandmother. The photo is me with my host family in M'Bagne, the Thiams (pronounced chyam). I'm pretty lucky to have them.

River Town

2009-03-27T11:17:00.000-07:00

M'Bagne, my site, sits on the Senegal River. I've been in it twice already because the intense heat is starting to roll in. First time swimming in an international border, by the way! M'Bagne is like coming home. Of my three sites, it is the most comfortable and welcoming. My Pulaar still isn't great, but at least I'm picking up a little. I'll miss the opportunities for intensive language acquisition when I am back stateside.

Big news is I have been accepted to George Washington U, Marquette U, and Boston U, thus far. Waiting on Vanderbilt and American U. I am leaning toward GW because they are in DC (close to my parents) and the Elliot School is a fantastic place to study (their program in development most closely matches my grad study goals). Unfortunately, some of my documents were a little late getting in and I missed the merit scholarship window. That means I'm looking at 160k's worth of debt.

I'll be honest. I dislike money and am never so happy as when someone else is 'taking care' of it for me. Sounds strange coming from a development worker, eh? It's true. To me, money is simply a necessary evil. For myself, I just want enough money to not be a burden to others. But all the things I want to do require money! So not fair! ;) Somehow, though, I'm not scared of going into debt for grad school. Should I be? In this financial climate, either we're all screwed in a fews years and my debt won't matter, or the economy will turn around and I will find work to start paying it off. And the big argument, grad school is an investment and there will always be risk involved.

Aie, aie, aie, usually I talk myself OUT of spending money!

Finito, whew!

2009-03-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

Here I and the other GEE volunteers from Kaedi, M'Bagne, and Lexeiba are taking the final picture of the night for 8 mars, the International Women's Day (Fete des Femmes). Our three centers got together in Kaedi for a big shindig with music, presentations, and skits. The girls loved it but we were exhausted by the end!

Bonne Fete! (le jour du Saint-Valentin)

2009-02-14T09:15:00.000-08:00

Ah, all alone in Kaedi. I’m dog sitting while my regionmates are in Dakar for WAIST (West African Invitational Softball Tournament). I’m working on FAFSA, grad school stuff, and Peace Corps stuff. I took a mini vacation last week to Selibaby in the Guidimaka region. Above is a pic of me teaching girls at the Selibaby GMC, “Dites-moi,” a fun little song from the musical South Pacific that I can sing in five languages. Always willing to add more if anyone wants to volunteer!

I had fun and hope the girls did, too. They especially liked receiving posters the GMC girls in M’Bagne made for them. A number of them were visibly moved, which made me think about, I don’t know, how narrow their worlds are, that a poster done by girls less than a day’s drive away could mean so much. I’m writing this in Africa, but I’m so used to global communication that it doesn’t even register that most people reading this are thousands of miles away. It doesn’t have the same effect; makes me sad.

That leads me to a fun idea. I want anyone reading this to go out, buy a 90 cent stamp, slap it on a postcard from wherever you are, write a note, and send it to our regional address, but addressed to the Girls of the M’Bagne GMC. They can be in English or French (or Pulaar or Arabic if you got ‘em!). The address is:

Corps de la Paix
BP 66
Kaedi, Mauritania
West Africa

This could tie in to geography and world studies for the girls, in addition to being so much fun for them! Plus, it means a great deal to the girls, but is very cheap on the US (or wherever) side. See, just because I’m here, doesn’t mean I’m not looking out for my peeps!

Hi-ya!

2009-01-24T23:06:00.000-08:00

Above is my regionmate, Kristi, during the opening remarks at a karate exhibition in Kaedi at the lycee (where my class had our training way back in the beginning). You shouldn't have any trouble picking her out. ;) The martial arts are pretty popular here. Kung-fu films are always on in video shops and MBC2 (Moroccan Broadcasting Channel) runs nothing but American action films. People ask if I know Jack Bauer personally.

Otherwise, work is going well in M'Bagne. I'm trying to be patient about GRE scores and hearing from schools so being busy helps. Am also applying to jobs, just for the kicks. Having a crush on another volunteer occupies some of my waking moments. Query: people are always saying "Sarah, I don't know you that well, but you seem nice." Am I bland? Boring? Just nice? Ack. To misquote Jessica Rabbit, "I'm not really good, I'm just drawn that way." What do I have to do, get a perm, wear black spandex and start chain-smoking? (ten points if you get THAT reference)

Enough of that. I yam what I yam, sigh. And according to Cosmo Horoscopes, things don't get really interesting for Scorpio until the fall, anyway!

Faire du Sport!

2009-01-10T01:54:00.000-08:00

Good news! My regionmate, Justin’s, fencing project has been fully funded! A friend of his is a journalist and wrote an article. In a single day, the project received as much money as it had in three months. That is so cool and makes me really happy. Fencing is such a simple idea, but very important here where animals and the elements destroy structures with great frequency. Plus, many communities lack the technical skill to build effective fencing. The fact that Justin can make an impact on a basic need level renews my own sense of initiative. Girls’ Education is a much more complex issue, but if I can break it down a bit, maybe I can actually accomplish something. Though, in the end it’s not about me!

The picture above is from one of our sport days with the GMC girls in Aioun. They’re doing yoga, or trying! There is a girl’s basketball team sponsored by the community in M’Bagne, but only Pulaar girls play and they don’t have alot of resources (their court is packed earth with wooden hoop posts). There are several Moor girls in the center and they are not allowed to participate in organized sports, especially if men are around. The sport days in Aioun worked because it was just the girls and female volunteers in a walled compound. I want to start doing indoor sports at the center. We have some jump ropes and can play music for dancing but I want to get a large table and solicit someone from home (hint, hint) to send table tennis paddles and balls. That would be a perfect sport for the girls, easy to do in a veil, indoors. It’s competitive and requires coordination. We are also going to start crotchet, soon, inshallah. I have seen many women (and men) in M’Bagne doing crotchet. Makes me think I should learn! It looks so easy and quick!

Anyway, I’m ready to buckle down for the next two months until International Women’s Day March 8th. Hopefully we’ll have a big, awareness-raising party in M’Bagne. After that I’ll go to Nouakchott to get my cat fixed, go north to Atar for the marathon, then back to Nouakchott for our Close of Service (COS) conference. I can’t focus beyond that. Oh, and filling out the FAFSA! Yeay! So much fun!

Back to Mauritania

2009-01-03T01:40:00.001-08:00

It's alot harder, this time. Hot showers, real streets, electricity, a culture I can understand easily-now that the end of PC is drawing near, I'm chomping at the bit, just a little. At least we'll always have Las Palmas. The picture was taken near Roque Nublo in the interior of the island.

Las Islas des Gran Canarias

2008-12-31T11:08:00.000-08:00

I think that's correct Spanish. ;P Anyway, Happy New Year everyone! I'm spending it on Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, the only department of Spain technically in Africa. It's a bit nippy, but I went swimming anyway. Then Kim and I got Happy Meals (they come with yogurt for dessert here!). We each got the talking rhino/hippo thing from Madagascar 2. It's kind of creepy, actually. Maybe European kids have different sensibilities. Second picture is Pablo (1st year vol), and Edna and Kim. Our friend, Maylen is also here with her parents. We all toured the historical museum in Las Palmas yesterday. It was raining but still a fun day.

I can't believe I'm here, actually. I didn't realize how focused on work and life in PC I had been for the past few months until I got here. I'm relaxed, thinking about 'stuff,' and feeling good about going back. I don't have much time left in Mauritania. It's true, these two years are going by so fast. This time next year I hope to be home with my family and my cat, Nema. Happy Belated Birthday, Daddy, I love and miss you!

Hey, ever wondered what would be on the soundtrack to your life? Well, I've decided my intro (like when you make an entrance) would be Sugarland's "Something More." Pablo is Bon Jovi's "It's My Life" (or possibly something from Westlife!), Edna is Shakira's "La Tortua," and Kim is Beyonce's "Survivor." Currently listening to Sugarland's "We Run." They always make me happy. Prospero Ano, con amor, everyone.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-23T06:37:00.000-08:00

Ah, in Nouakchott for the holidays. My new site is pretty and I'm starting to learn Pulaar (sehdeh, sehdeh). It's interesting, I think Hassaniya diverges from classic Arabic when it takes on Pulaar words, because a chunk of vocabulary is exactly the same.

For those of you with extra change, who want to shave more off their 2008 taxes, check out the Peace Corps Partnership website. My regionmate, Justin LeBlanc, lives in a small brousse site and is trying to fund a project for his community. The following text is from my country director, Obie Shaw, about giving through PCP. It's difficult to find extra money this time of year, especially with the current financial atmosphere, but if you're interested,these projects do make a difference, even more so because it's with a American volunteer on the ground.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know about a new project funding source that Peace Corps Washington recently instituted. It is now possible for individuals (and businesses) to donate to specific Peace Corps Country Programs online through the secure Peace Corps website.
If you are looking for an unusual gift for the holidays or perhaps you are thinking of making an end of the year charitable contribution, please consider a donation to the Peace Corps Mauritania Country Fund.
A few quick facts about donations to the Mauritania Country Fund:
• 100% of funds donated go directly to supporting a project benefiting a community in Mauritania (zero $$ go to overhead or any other administrative fees);
• Projects are funded based on strict criteria which include a 25% contribution from the local beneficiary community;
• Each project is overseen by a Peace Corps Volunteer on the ground and monitored and evaluated by Peace Corps staff;
• Donations are tax deductible (for U.S. taxpayers) and you will receive a written confirmation of your donation from Peace Corps Washington;
• With so few NGOs operating in Mauritania, the PC Partnership Program is the primary source of funding for Peace Corps Volunteer projects in country.
As always, thank you all for your consideration and generous support of the Peace Corps Volunteers and their communities in Mauritania.
Happy Holidays to All!
Obie
P.S. If the link above does not work, you may reach the Mauritania Country Fund webpage by copying and pasting this link in your web browser: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=682-CFD
Or, go to the main Peace Corps website (www.peacecorps.gov) and follow these steps:
Step 1, click the "Donate Now" link on the left side of the screen.
Step 2, click the “Donate to Country Funds” link located both on the left hand side of the screen or in the middle section.
Step 3, in the middle of the screen under “Search by Country of Service” click the dropdown box and select “Mauritania.”
Step 4, click "Donate to Country Funds" located in the middle of the page.
Step 5, In the search results click the “Mauritania Country Fund” link. A donation box will be located on the right hand side of the screen."

Thank you, everyone who reads this! It's strange to me that I love finding money for other people, but break into hives if I have to ask for it for myself. Wonder if there's any future in that . . . ;)

Watch TV!

2008-12-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

My sister will be singing in front of the National Christmas tree tomorrow! She'll be with other grad students from Virginia, so look for the cute blond mezzo with glasses! Go M! I love you!

I think I can, I know I can

2008-12-01T03:24:00.000-08:00

This is my last post before Christmas. In a few days I travel by Peace Corps vehicle to Aleg, then by taxi brousse to Kaedi and M'Bagne, my new site. Once I reach M'Bagne, I will stay there until just before Christmas, so no internet for a couple weeks. Should be fine, just like being back in Nema.

Though it lessens my time in M'Bagne, I'm glad I stayed in Aioun for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to be with everyone, current sitemates as well as a few future sitemates traveling through on the way to Dogon Country in Mali. We had chicken, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce (imported of course), and five kinds of pie! I made pumpkin pie completely from scratch (cooked the squash myself), something I would not have believed possible before. Get this, it actually tasted like pumpkin pie. The only thing missing was whipped cream. I'm going to make myself really sick when I get home next summer. Other pies were apple, pecan, cherry, and chocolate pudding. I keep thinking about them. Sigh.

The picture is of a mural I helped my sitemate, Susie, put together. It's for the Health Post (Susie works there) where they give vaccinations for infants. The drawings and text underneath chart the schedule for Polio, Measles, and several other newborn vacs I'm not familiar with. I did the drawings, Susie did the text, and some of the older members of the GMC painted. L to R is Susie, Akla, and Khelethiema (pronounced 'huhlehthima'). That was fun, thanks, Susie!

Gathering no moss

2008-11-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Soon-to-be new mail address:
me, PCV
BP 66
Kaedi, Mauritania
West Africa

Yes, moving sites again, this time not because of al Qaeda. One of my classmates (i.e. second-year vol) et’d from her brousse site near Kaedi, where I had my training. She was running the GMC there so my director, Siham, asked if I would be interested in moving again. It makes sense because there are two Girls’ Ed volunteers here in Aioun, but none in M’Bagne. Siham made it clear that this was my choice entirely. I took several days to think about it, but I sort of knew what my answer would be as soon as she asked me. I asked to stay in Aioun until after Thanksgiving so I assume I will move in early Dec. I will be sad to leave my new sitemates and friends here, and I’ll miss electricity, but I feel good about the decision. Ready for another adventure?!

The Aioun GMC opening ceremony was today. Check out some of the girls sharing cookies afterwards. They are a great group and it has been really nice to work in an established GMC for a few months. It will make the transition to M’Bagne that much easier. There is a bread strike here at the moment, which is irksome because that is a staple of my diet. I may have to start making my own. Urgh.

Our own backyard

2008-11-07T12:26:00.000-08:00

A school building just collapsed in Petionville, Haiti. I stayed in a hotel there two years ago this month. Haiti has the ability to pull on my heart like no other nation save my own. She is bleeding and struggling and she is our neighbor. It makes me wonder what the hell I'm doing in Africa. I want to be there, using my bare hands to pull rubble off trapped children. For all my lofty talk about regional studies in North Africa and learning Arabic, I think my place is closer to home.

Tomorrow 29

2008-10-25T13:10:00.000-07:00

Say hi to Mali and one of her granddaughters, Kadja. Mali and her daughters Betouli, Bouti, and Bebe have 'adopted' me and Heather. I eat lunch with them most days in Aioun. They are really wonderful people. I'd move in with them but they don't have a bathroom! ;) Kadja, btw, is Bebe's daughter and Bouti, who is 16, just gave birth to her first child, a healthy boy. The labor was only about four hours long, amazingly. I'm missing the baptism today. They wait a week to name the child and have a party. I think, actually, many cultures have a waiting period like that, right? It's related to infant mortality rates, I assume.

On to happier subjects. I took the GRE today. I think I did well on the verbal and written, and not so hot on the math. There goes my dream of an engineering degree. But now I get back to reading actual books and studying Arabic. I want to continue working in development in North Africa (and Haiti), so I need standard Arabic on my cv.

And I turn 29 tomorrow. Whew. I wish I could freeze this time. The future is right there, in front of me and I feel stronger and more ready for it than I ever have. Can we bottle 29? Every year holds the same promise, but it takes us awhile to figure that out. Actually, thank you Mommy (and Daddy). It's really your birthday. :)

This was written under the influence of MIKA. I think America needs more MIKA. "Love Today!"

Second time around

2008-10-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hmm, I voted for 'change' four years ago, when the only thing keeping Illinois liberals from giving up was a young state's senator named Barack Obama. I remember colleagues discussing a possible Hillary/Obama ticket in '08 (made us feel better about four more years of Bush).

Well, I did it again, only this time with my eyes squeezed shut and my hands clenched around the steering wheel. I have no idea where we're going, but I'm staying in the car! There is so much at stake now that baby steps won't help. It's time to leap forward. I hope Obama is up to it and I hope he understands that doing the right thing doesn't win you friends or get you reelected; it changes the world.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2008-10-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

So, long time no post, again. Well, what's happened in between? I have five graduate school apps going (Vanderbilt, Marquette, Boston U, American, George Washington and now maybe Johns Hopkins). They shut down my site, Nema, and now I live and work in Aioun el Atrouss (addy: Sarah Bushman, PCV--Corps de la Paix--BP 4--Aioun el Atrouss--Mauritania). I have a new cat named Nema (she was given to me by someone there my last night). I'm moving in with a family here. I'm learning the Western African language of Pulaar. And I'm almost 29. Whew. Oh, and taking the GRE Oct. 25. The math setion is going to kill me. Seriously. "Quadratic what!?!" It's been over ten years since my last math class. I'm doomed. And I have a heat rash. Wheeee!

Otherwise, life is good. Check out Nema and my sitemate Heather's dog Nancy and then a pic of me and the other gals in Aioun. L-R Whitney, Susie, Sarah D., Heather and me in the back. Heather is holding a baby named Baba. :) Cheers!

Astonishing

2008-08-16T04:48:00.000-07:00

Is it 'selling out' if I begin to feel I want to be (physically) closer to my family? Before PC, I thought of myself as the great wanderer, with no ties to hold me back. That's pretty selfish, isn't it? I guess we spend our entire life growing up, don't we? Oops, gotta leave the training center. The government is sponsoring a march 'in favor of the new government" so we have to go hole up for a few hours. Allons-y!

With Love from Nouadhibou

2008-08-14T06:51:00.000-07:00

The following was written two days ago:

So, I have been told, yet again, that I need to update my blog more often. I promise to try! But you all know I'm terrible with personal communication (in pretty much every way) and add that to the fact I have to walk half a mile to get to the internet. It's a wonder I ever post anything. I am constantly writing posts in my head, but they rarely make it to the screen. (ok, ok, it's called laziness)

I am currently in the northern city of Nouadhibou. It sits right on the ocean, close to the border with Western Sahara. My friend, Maylen, runs a girls' center here and I am helping get the center ready for their special summer sessions starting shortly. The 'Bou' is as developed as Nouakchott, but with a cooler climate, less traffic and fewer nutsos. I love it and have decided to eschew trips to Saint-Louis, Senegal in favor of the Bou. There are a number of Spanish NGOs here and, surprisingly, I'm beginning to understand just a bit of Spanish, mainly because I can understand French, I think. But Spanish is my language goal on returning to the US.

I guess that is the big thing now, bigger than the disappointingly boring coup. I'm taking the GRE in October and looking at programs in development or public service at Vanderbilt, Marquette U, the Kennedy School at Harvard, or American U, in order of preference. Program fit is paramount, but financial aid or fellowship possibilities run a close second, since I will have no money when I COS out of Peace Corps next summer.

It's bizarre to me that I'm heading in the grad school direction. Even a year ago, I thought I would go through life finding work based solely on experience. But something is nudging me toward a masters. On va voir. ;)

Whew

2008-07-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm sitting in Equinoxe Cafe in Nouakchott where they have wi-fi, rare thing here, and decided to catch up on friends' blogs. Holy crap it's been awhile. I discovered a Chicago friend has gone through a divorce and it makes me feel sad and also so disconnected. I had no idea and it's been months! It's my fault, really. I dislike spending alot of time online, except for work, but also am very bad about using the phone or mail, except for work. It's one of my (albeit few) failings. ;) But seriously, I knew this friend when she was dating, then attended her wedding, knew her as part of a couple, and now she's single again. I know it's life but still difficult. Her writing sounds as strong, if not stronger, than ever, though, so that makes me happy.

Homeward bound, RIM that is

2008-07-16T05:45:00.000-07:00

Finally back in Mauritania. I missed it, actually, especially after an interminable taxi ride from Dakar to Rosso (took 13 hours, should be 5). I'm at the training center in Rosso and am very impressed with the new volunteers. Out of a class of over 70, not one has left and they are three weeks into training! My class lost four in the first week, one even before we got on the plane in Philadelphia. I'm amazed by them, but also amused, because they have the exact same conversations (about food, host famillies, food, gi problems, food) my class had! It's fun to be part of a circle like this. Many PC programs (i.e. in other countries) have more frequent rotations. One class will come in the summer, another in the winter, then the summer, so there is a constantly changing team of volunteers, but with only one training session per year, we have the chance to get to know each other, old and new volunteers. I'm sappy, but I like it. RIM rocks, whoohoo!

Btw, I strongly dislike Paris. Every other part of france is great, though! :) I highly recommend all the non-Paris parts of the country.

Riviera Sarah

2008-06-26T22:11:00.000-07:00

On the beach (near l'opera) in Nice. It was fun and, wow, I guess it does look like I have a burn. That's what I get for wearing a mulafa all the time! You know that in France it's ok to go topless. For anyone, old, young, fat, skinny, black, white, lobster red. MEB had the t-shirt quote of the day: "I love how with the topless bathers, you can't always tell who's a man and who's a woman." Yep, vive la France!

Nice is, well, nice!

2008-06-23T22:23:00.000-07:00

Here is MEB, tres fatiguee, on a hillside staircase in Nice. The shot is looking southwest into the city. It's incredible here, just the beauty and resort feel of everything. We walked around, shopped some, saw Indiana Jones-in French-poor M, and had Indian food for dinner. Yummy! Today, it's off to Eze village and Monaco for the day. Wheee!

And remember, "votez Eisenhower."

Yum, lunch!

2008-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

This is the main ingredient in the popular roadside treat, mishwi. Mauritanians actually look forward to eating grilled meat of such a low grade that I wouldn't feed it to my worst enemy's ill-tempered rottweiller much less even consider ingesting it. This particular specimen (used to be a bilious goat), was hanging up for display at the Kiffa garage, where I, instead ate some cookies and drank hot Fanta. So the next time you complain about the choices at a rest-stop along the highway, just remember half a former goat, hanging outiside, prey to flies, other goats, and small children. If you still find yourself saying, "but Quiznos is so much better than Subway!" you probably need to remove yourself from the gene pool.

All by myself

2008-05-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

So tonight I'm reading a Nora Roberts novel and eating powdered milk (seriously, I didn't even bother to add water) for dinner. Heather, Edna, and Dave better come back soon.

Ok, actually I'm reading the NR tripe to take a break from the uncomfortable intensity of a Neil Gaiman short story anthology. Don't get me wrong, I love all his work, but I can't handle it for long periods of time. At least not here. And I swear I never read Nora Roberts before coming here! I swear!

And the powdered milk? Well, it's just, well, good! And good for you, maybe? Hey, there's no soy nut butter here but I have to eat something, right?

And life is good, swamped slightly by work, but enjoying it. Strangely, I like it here. But I do really miss my sitemates. They're in Saint-Louis, Senegal for the Jazz Festival. I needed to stay here for work and to save moolah, so it was a choice. I've been on my own before, for shorter periods, but this is starting to eat at me. I miss Heather's incredible pasta sauce, long talks with Dave about the intransigence of language (whatever that means-I may have made up that word, too), and Edna's calming presence (I really think she's a better, slightly younger version of me-better taste in music,too). As a wise person once said, "People are more fun than anybody." Take that any way you want, but it's absolutely true. Come back, guys, I miss you!

One week!

2008-03-30T02:39:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on-the Néma Girls’ Mentoring Center will be open for business April 6th, inshallah! My new boss at the Women’s Ministry is highly motivated and is making my project a priority for her first few weeks on the job. With the aide of Hawa and another Mauritanian volunteer, Lalla Meriem (Lallyé), I think it will all come together. It’s exciting and scary, but mostly I’m reveling in having so much work. Keeps me out of trouble, smaat? (smaat=you with me? in Hass). So many of my friends and family members have been extremely generous to me and my site mates already, but that doesn’t keep me from asking for more!

All of the following are for the center:
Maps and posters of the world/culture/art
Craft items (colored pencils, markers, glitter, beads, yarn, thread, old magazines, scissors, pretty much anything!)
Science and Math textbooks, magazines, or activity books

I appreciate anything anyone chooses to send to help me, truly. Surprises are wonderful! But I can get by, while the kids here have so little in terms of school supplies and graphics. New, used, horribly out of date, I’m not picky!

And here’s a challenge anyone can meet: Shoot me an email with your name (first only is fine), city, state (or country), and the names of the most important women in your life and why you chose them. I have a world map and a map of the US to put up in the center so the girls can see where you’re writing from. I’ll post paper copies of your responses. English is fine (let me know if you object to me translating it into French) or French or Arabic if you got it! I want responses from men and women of all ages! Thanks in advance!

Peace Corps Sarah FAQ

2008-03-19T02:18:00.000-07:00

1. Whatever possessed you?!?!
I still maintain the “quarter life crisis” reason, but the truth is I love to travel and see new places, meet new people. If I had taken a year after college to travel the world I might not be in Peace Corps. Even so, the longer I am here, the more convinced I am that this is right. We shape our lives by how we react to and embrace change and opportunity.
2. So, what do you really do?Currently I am planning the opening for our Girls’ Mentoring Center in Nema. I’m busy asking for money, buying supplies and furniture, dealing with a spastic kitten, dealing with spastic Mauritanians, adjusting to a new boss (the coordinator at the Women’s Ministry changed recently), and adjusting to the heat. Really, the lion’s share of the job is creating and maintaining relationships. I could spend 24/7 just doing that.
3. Why do you wear a veil/cover your head/live in a crappy house?
All in the name of integration. Because we are volunteers and don’t have loads of money to throw around, we need to show the locals that we are living and working as they do (sort of) in the hope that they accept us and eventually will be willing to volunteer as well.
4. Are you going to marry a Mauritanian?
My stock answer (very acceptable around here) is “c’est pour Dieu à decider,” that’s for God to decide. I was voted “second most likely to marry a Mauritanian” by my training class but since there is usually only one woman per class to do so, I’m off the hook! I have met very few Mauritanian men, thus far, who even slightly interest me. Most aren’t worth a dried goat hoof--kinda like home.
5. Are you going to marry a fellow volunteer?
Not likely, unless there’s someone in the 2008 class. (Hope springs eternal)
6. Is religion a problem?Not really. I feel disconnected from the Christian community, especially now during Holy Week, but I can count on one hand the number of times I have felt pressured to convert. The mulafa may actually be a shield. Some people assume I’m a Muslim because I wear the veil. A couple times a week I get questions about my faith. Most are fine with the answer that ‘no, I’m a Christian.’ Some even want to compare notes! (“You Christians do such n’ such. Is it anything like the whatchamacallit we do?”)
7. What languages do you speak?
Every day I use Hassaniya and French. English as well, because it is taught in the local schools and a number of people can at least greet in English. I probably use French the most because, at least with educated people, it is the easiest way to accurately express myself. It’s a crutch and means my Hassaniya isn’t getting better, but I’d rather be understood!
8. Read any good books lately?
I’m reading more here than at home, mainly because there’s no tv or Target. Probably the most significant book so far has been Peter Hessler’s River Town about his Peace Corps experience in China. I read it during training and it is amazing how similar the feelings and experiences are. As I go along, I can identify stages in my own life that he aptly described. It’s comforting and fascinating to know that every volunteer, every expat, is walking the same difficult road.
9. Will you write a book about your experience?
Probably not. I journaled almost daily during training, but have not done so since. I should, but should doesn’t mean will. Actually, blogging has been a great way to highlight some of my experiences, so far.
10. Are you a CIA operative/a citizen of the UK/French/an Australian miner/close personal friends with Hilary Clinton and/or Barack Obama?
No to all of the above, though HC and I share a birthday and are graduates of women’s colleges.
11. If a tree fell in the woods and nobody heard it, would it make a sound?
I think the answer is yes, but it’s a moot point here because there are no forests.
12. Any travel plans?
Yes! I live for travel!!!!! (probably another reason I’m still single!) I will be in Saint Louis, Senegal for their Jazz Fest in May, inshallah, France in July with my family, maybe South Africa next Christmas if I can capitalize on a family connection, and summer of 2009 I plan to drive from Nouadhibou along the west coast through Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya(?), and then cross the Mediterranean to Sicily, then fly home from Italy. That’s a big inshallah!
13. What are you going to do after saving the world (i.e. Peace Corps service)?I continue to think about Haiti and working with the Haiti-Micah Project. When I get back stateside, I would like to get TOEFL certified and perhaps get a degree in international development. There is a program at the U of Indiana Bloomington that would allow me to study Creole at the same time. If I could get a scholarship that would be a great avenue. I’ve also though about teaching, probably secondary school, or perhaps sitting for the Foreign Service Exam again. I have another year and a half, but the end of service will be here before I know it! Unless I decide to do a third year . . .

The Huntress Comes on Little Cat Feet

2008-03-11T03:37:00.000-07:00

Sung to the tune of "Camptown Races"

I've got a cat that you all know,
Dinah, Dinah (pronounced dee-na)
I've got a cat that you all know,
Dinah, Dinah cat!

Dinah, Dinah cat, hey!
Dinah, Dinah cat
I've got a cat that you all know,
Dinah, Dinah cat!

We're going on two weeks together, now, and are both still alive, which I take as a good sign. Dinah is from a recent litter of my friend, Aurore's cat. Aurore is a Belgian volunteer here in Nema with Sante Sud, a French ONG. Dinah enjoys meowing, almost constantly, eating canned sardines, and knocking over the trashcan. Yeah, it's the good life. ;)

The Arts in RIM

2008-01-28T01:53:00.000-08:00

My mother wrote recently and asked if I had been drawing. I have, mostly for other people or for the Jardin des Enfants. Yesterday, Marfoula, Hawa's cousin, pulled a bucket hat on over her mulafa, then asked me to take her portrait. Marfoula is seventeen and came to Nema just before Tabaski in December. Like Hawa, she was raised in Cote d'Ivoire and speaks Bambara in addition to Hassaniya and some French. The portrait doesn't look exactly like her, but it's fun and captures the silliness. :)

Viva la Mentors!

2008-01-06T11:19:00.000-08:00

We in the Girls Education and Empowerment (GEE) sector just finished our In-Service Training today. Each of us invited a mentor or community counterpart. It was wonderful to see them interacting with each other and the volunteers and staff. I asked Hawa, who came and is using extra time in Nouakchott to start the paperwork for her Bac exam in the spring. She was also voted coolest mentor by the other PCVs! Go Hawa!

The photo is of Hawa with Kelsea and her mentor from Tawaz, near Atar.

Across the river

2008-01-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

So, New Year's in Saint-Louis, Senegal. I was looking forward to being in a more Euro-centered environment. Sleeping in late, wandering around quaint streets, sipping coffee and watching passersby from a corner cafe, basically being in a city. Okay, do I miss Chicago a little? Maybe ;)

Saint-Louis is actually an island with land mass to the east and west. You can walk from end to end in less than an hour. It reminded me strongly of the Petionville area in Port-au-Prince. The nicest section of the city is on the island proper. Crossing the bridge you come to less affluent sections. Still picturesque, but not catering to the tourist. And I felt like a tourist there, too. More solicitations for money, more taxi drivers and merchants trying to rip me off. I also started feeling ill a day into my stay, so take the above criticism with a grain of salt!

It was pretty, though, and I had some amazing food (before I got sick-though after was fine, too, because I ate only ice cream!). The Senegalese culture is more liberal and free, especially after being in RIM. I'm glad I went but am burned out on traveling. I just want to be back in Nema! Now THAT'S weird!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T01:44:00.000-08:00

Alhamdulillah! We found a small toy shop in Nouakchott. It's run by two Lebanese women and they had two trees and lots of decorations. Even a blow up Santa outside--in an Islamic republic no less! Pretty cool. ;)

Almost Christmas!

2007-12-23T04:07:00.000-08:00

Here I am with Andrea in Guerou the day of Tabaski (eid al Adha/eid li ham) the 20th. Tabaski is the big holiday at the end of the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Everyone eats as much as possible and visits their family and neighbors. I spent the day with Andrea's host family and that of her counterpart, Minatou. The plat du jour is meat, Meat, MEAT. This happy time begins with the ritual slaughter of an unsuspecting sheep. The meat is then prepared and roasted-this is called mishwi. After THAT, i.e., a pound of meat in your stomach, your get LUNCH which generally has more meat with a base of rice, pasta, or couscous. I made it through two rounds of miswhi and lunch--pretty good for a former vegetarian!

Now everyone is in Nouakchott (land of plenty) for Christmas! I had ice cream yesterday and puff pastry with cream for breakfast this morning. And I wore pants and left my head uncovered when we went to dinner last night! That was the coolest. I had forgotten what it felt like to just be me, an American. But I'm not the same. I may wear the same clothes, but I can converse with shopkeepers in their own language. Knowing it's Christmas and that I'm here, so far from my family, is hard. Ok, what's really hard is knowing I have to take a taxi brousse all the way back to Nema in a couple weeks. Argh. That aside, I'm listening to Christmas music sent by my mom while I write this using the wifi in the PC NKTT bureau. There's even a stuffed penguin sitting next to me. He's so cute!

Honestly, as 2007 draws to a close, I still don't know what I'm doing half the time, but that's the human condition, right? I am finding out things about myself little by little. Some I like, some I don't, but I'm trying to be compassionate. Hey, I'm stuck with me! ;)

Meetings

2007-11-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

It’s been quite a week! On Sunday I saw Oulata, an ancient settlement that’s archeologically significant, courtesy of Woodside, who let Edna, Heather, Brooke from Aioun and I come with them. The ‘road’ there, especially going north, is terrible so it was nice to be in a good vehicle (can I have a Land Rover for Christmas?). Taff, btw, would NOT let me drive.

While there, we met another American, Will Doherty, who is really cool! He’s writing a novel on prehistoric Africa and has been traveling through Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Senegal, and now Mauritania--pretty much anywhere that has significant sites. We had a great visit and he said he would try to get in touch when he came back through Nema.

Tuesday morning I got the key to my new home! I have been looking forward to having ma propre maison for some time and it finally happened. It’s actually not too bad, even by American standards, and I have a light in my duush (bathroom)! That is like the coolest thing to me-you can’t imagine the significance if you don’t live here. I now actually look forward to getting up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom! I have a light! Wheeee!

Anyway, Tuesday morning I was in the marsa (market) buying buckets and someone called my name. It was Will! He had just arrived from Oulata and I just happened to be there. The car for Nara, another ancient site, didn’t leave until the next day, so he graciously helped me shop for my house, went to Woodside with Dave, and helped Heather cook dinner. The big treat was after dinner when he read excerpts for us. I was impressed. I’m always sceptical of historical fiction (though I love reading it), but I was carried away by his exquisite use of imagery and visible love for his characters. I feel I also connected better to the depictions of daily life in the story because I’m living it, just a little. It wouldn’t mean the same to me if I were not in Africa.

That was such a fun visit, Will. Thank you and safe travels. You’ll have to come through Nema again for a book signing. We just have to work on getting a Borders out here. Talk about a positive impact!

(Follow the link above to Will’s site)

Friends

2007-11-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

Allow me to introduce you to Hawa, my host 'sister' (she's actually my host mom's cousin). This is Hawa and her mother (who comes from Cote d'Ivoire) and her little sister Selma one morning in October. Hawa is about 22 and has finished lycee, or high school, and is hoping to sit for the baccalaureat in the spring. She lived in Cote d'Ivoire until about six years ago and speaks Bambara, Hassaniya, French, and a good amount of English. She is studying for the science Bac (in French) and hopes to be a doctor. She dreams of going to school in Belgium or Canada.

Hawa has been a major blessing for me. She really has been like a sister and has gotten me through some ugly days. She shares a birthday with my dad and reminds me of my own sister in many ways. I would have left my homestay long ago if she hadn't decided to take a job at the mayor's office and remain in Nema. She has a wonderful sense of humor, is tres intelligente, borrows my eyeliner, and is empathetic and in many ways more perceptive and understanding than many of the older host nationals I know. There are cultural barriers and misperceptions, to be sure, but Hawa 'gets it.' And we enjoy laughing together. I miss my sister so much sometimes, thank God for Hawa.

I wear the mulafa well because I have stylish women like Hawa to imitate. Just as in any culture, some women wear clothing better, no matter what it is, from mulafas to bikinis. Hawa is super stylish-you can tell she's spent alot of time in Nouakchott. She's also a fantastic cook and I absolutely loathe the weekends she goes to the badiya (countryside) to rest and visit her family. Forgive my French, but everyone else's food sucks. C'est vrai!

I'm moving into my own house soon and Hawa will probably go to Nouakchott. I will miss her but think we'll still see each other and, hey, it's Mauritania. It's really impossible to burn bridges-even if you want to! I call my host family in Initi every few weeks. If I don't, they call me and ask if I'm dead or something. Plus there's the guy I can't remember meeting who thinks he's madly in love with me. Everybody send good thoughts and prayers Hawa's way-she's up against alot here in the RIM and will need all the luck, grace, whatever you can spare.

Traveling mercies, Hawa. A handful of women like you could turn the world on its ear, alhamdulillah!

Daily life

2007-11-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

This was taken about two weeks ago looking east along the market quarter road near the DRAS (or regional medical administratin). I had just been to a sensibilization given by my sitemate, Dave, at the Centre de Sante where mothers bring their babies for vaccinations and growth checks. He talked to them about the best foods for children and mothers to ensure proper health and growth. It's hard for anyone here to achieve a balanced diet. The cuisine is carb heavy (rice, pasta, couscous, bread) with vegetable oil, sometimes low grade meat, beans and root veggies if you're lucky. What's really interesting to us is that most of the mothers (and most people here) don't posess basic knowledge about nutrition and health. I know nothing compared to an American doctor, but here my medical knowledge seems prodigious.

After seeing Dave's talk, I went to the Women's Ministry where I work with the Jardin des Enfants (kindergarden/preschool) every morning. It's exhausting but I hope this new program will give the kids a leg up. Maybe they'll stay in school longer if they're better prepared for primary school.

On Saturdays I team teach English and French with Heather. It's an academic club composed of middle and high school students. The girls and guys do things separately but they share the same space. It's actually really nice-the culture promotes separation of the sexes but forces girls and boys to learrn together in public school. This means the girls gradually allow the boys to dominate, particularly in the upper levels. I'm biased (for it!) about single-sex education, but here it just seems to make sense! Why don't they do it? I envision a plethora of kick ass women and maybe that's the problem. They'd turn the country on its ear! But I hope our two hours a week can help these girls just a little. It's a start.

We're entering the dry (or winter) season here. I'm acclimatised just enough that the drop in temp (it's what, 90 now?) feels really cold! Especially my bucket shower in the morning! Whoo-hoo!

Suddenly 28

2007-11-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

My brithday was the 26th of October and I woke up that morning on the roof of my family’s house (this is normal!) and actually thought about turning 28. I usually don’t think about where I‘ve been in the last year and what this new age means but I did this time. I’m two years away from 30, living in a country where indoor plumbing is highly unusual, teaching English AND French as second languages, turning down marriage proposals a couple times a week, finding friends-good ones-who don’t speak English, learrning to trust the most unlikely people, figuring out I’ve led a very sheltered life in some aspects (which may be why I’m attracted to immature men). I also have alot to learn, but I’m waking up on a rooftop! That is way cool!

How do I want to change or be better in the coming year? I want to love more, be more patient (mainly with myself), bake an awesome cake in a brousse oven, learn French reeeeeally well so I can actually be qualified to teach it, learn to read Arabic, visit Mali, and wear a bikini in San Luis, Senegal! (it’s now or never because I’ll never be thinner in my life-it’s the RIM weight loss program) All this and inshallah.

Above is me with Taff, the security coordinator for the Woodside team here in Nema. He graciously let Heather, Edna, and Lisa and Anna from Aioun, bake me a cake in Woodside's kitchen. It was so good (first cake I had eaten in four months!). It made my day!

On Top of the World

2007-10-20T13:18:00.000-07:00

The four of us hiked to the top of Rajat, the 'mountain' close to my house. I hadn't been to the top before and it was wonderful, very windy, almost cold, wow. And I could see all of Nema (this view is looking northwest). It felt so good to hike and exert myself, be with my friends, and accomplish something in the form of reaching the top. I used to do that in Initi, too. I would sing opera from the top of hills! We find ourselves in strange ways, in strange places. Thank God.

Ramadan is over-Mabruk!

2007-10-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

People are eating again, so they're happy! Which means I'm happy!

I Edit Wikipedia

2007-10-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's me! I'm so white n' nerdy now! But I do feel we need to get Nema out there as much as possible. As time goes by I can add more, inshallah.

Initi Trio

2007-10-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Witness my sisters from Initi (near Keadi), Timbouka with my guitar, wild Warda on the right, baby Fatima's face in the bottom right corner, and a random neighbor on the left. This is my current wallpaper-I miss them!

Under the Veil

2007-10-06T07:22:00.000-07:00

These are all the volunteers in my sector, Girls' Education and Empowerment (GEE), along with our Assit. PC Director Siham, her assistant, Dame, and the coordinator, Amanda, a second year volunteer. Good luck back in the US, Amanda! We miss you! We're a diverse group, some with teaching and work experience, some just out of college, a few guys, as you can see. I'm on the end in the black mulafa. I have chosen to wear the veil during the week and for all special occasions in Nema. I find it gives me an automatic in, paticularly with women. I consider it the Mauritanian power suit. No, it doesn't mean I've gone completely native (i.e. Muslim), nor do I support forced veiling and seclusion of women. People routinely call me bilani, or white moor (the power group here in Mauritania), and sometimes 'mooress' if they have any French or English! Besides helping with integration, it protects my skin from the sun and I can pull it across my face to keep out blowing sand (or worse). Plus, it makes me feel feminine, mysterious, and like I'm dressing up everyday. A little eyeliner and I become Layla, the beautiful woman from Arabic poetry. I'm having the time of my life. One big downside-it doesn't really keep me cool. When I'm being compeltely honest with myself I will admit that it's hard to feel sexy when sweat is oozing out of every pore.
Interesting note: the practice of veiling and seclusion was propagated by us-women-because Mohammed (The Prophet) veiled his wives to ensure their chastity since so many people came through his house every day. But he never intended for the average woman to take up the practice. They did it to emulate the prophets' wives! We are truly our own worst enemies.

Proof at Last!

2007-09-03T02:07:00.000-07:00

So this is me with my Nema sitemates during site visit a couple weeks ago. L-R Dave, Edna, Heather, and moi in the veil (mulafa). We're standing on one of the mesas with the city in the background. Photo by PCV Mike Donovan (the coolest PCV in the world!)

Who Needs Toilet Paper?

2007-08-11T03:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, there should have been a picture but I ran into formatting problems. This will entail bringing my computer into the cybercafe and using the wireless. Inshallah (God willing) this will happen before swear-in Sept. 6.

Otherwise, things are good in the RIM! I've been in country going on two months now and the life gets easier as well as the language-Hassaniya, an Arabic dialect. I'm living with a host family near the traning center in Kaedi for immersion. It's tough, and there have been moments I have wanted to leave, but I am mainly looking forward now.

My permanent site will be Nema-if you head east on the goudron, or Road of Hope, Nema is the last city, literally at the end of the road. I swear, the road stops in the market! It is a fantastic opportunity, though. Nema is a new site for Peace Corps so I and my three sitemates will be blazing trails for future volunteers. And speaking of sitemates, I'm pretty lucky. Edna will be teaching English at their high school, Dave is working in Health, and Heather is Small Enterprise Development. They are great people and I thank God for them.

As to the title of today's entry, we don't use toilet paper here. There is a pot of water called a makarej. That and your left hand. I'll leave the rest up to your imagination. :)

First Impressions

2007-06-28T01:52:00.000-07:00

I went up on the roof of our hotel yesterday afternoon. It was 5pm and a group of men were praying on the sidewalk. They were led by a skinny man in a blue boubou and white turban. He did the shrill calls, stood, knelt, bowed, knelt, bowed, stood, etc. I watched them for several minutes, marveling at the tremendous privilege of being there, even merely as an observer. I can't wait until I'm actually participating in the community!

Huzzah!

2007-06-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

I report to the Peace Corps tomorrow. I’ve spent the past two days with my family. We’ve been staying at a small hotel in downtown Philly, living it up. We saw a Sondheim review last night and the Mutter Museum (of medical weirdnesses), Christ Church Episcopal, and the Betsy Ross House today. Lots of people--both living and dead, lots of history, and lots of deformed organs preserved in formaldehyde. I might make it back to Christ Church towmorrow morning for their 9am service. Washington, Betsy Ross, and several other notables were members. How awesome is that!

Mixed feelings right now. It has been a fun couple of days but the longer I wait the harder it is to stay sane! This is, in reality, a long way to go for a new job. Yes, I’m scared and nervous. Part of me can’t wait to meet my fellow volunteers, and part of me is certain no one will want to sit next to me. We may graduate from high school, but we never grow past it! But I also know it will be different from anything I can imagine, not better, not worse, but much more wonderful.

I am so blessed to have this chance. Thank you God, thank you Peace Corps, thank you everyone!

Not just a girls school . . .

2007-05-31T14:06:00.000-07:00

So, my alma mater, founded as Randolph-Macon Woman's College, is admitting 57 men this coming fall. I am actually in favor of this decision, though I am sad to see the institution change so much. It came down to revising the admittance policy or going under. (The underlying issue is that we have fallen way under capacity for the past decade or more. We simply need more students and this is a good way to get them. Not just men, but women as well.) The emphasis of the curriculum is changing to a global perspective and we are adding several graduate programs in education. Who knows, I might end up back there someday!

It will be a strange next four years as these men and their classmates work out the new status quo. I had the pleasure of meeting one of them, Adam, who will graduate from King George High School in a week. I was subbing for one of his classes. We were both bowled over and unsure about how to approach the situation. But I enjoyed talking to him and officially welcoming him as an alum to a new student. It was a good feeling and it gives me hope. Still, it will be odd for him. I had hundreds of mentors in the form of alums and fellow students. Who will he turn to? It will take openess and a sense of humor, but I think we'll all be fine.

Me vs. John Mayer

2007-05-16T11:15:00.000-07:00

Who will win? Seriously, I like his music, but have a problem with the lyrics to his song, "Waitin’ for the World to Change."

"Me and all my friends, we’re just so misunderstood. They say we stand for nothin’ and there’s no way we ever could."

Whom has he—and all his friends—been listening to? Some grouchy uncle that hates him anyway? Mr. Mayer and I are about the same age, and I have never been ‘misunderstood’ by ‘they.’ I have always volunteered through church and community organizations sometimes to meet immediate needs and sometimes to work for long-term goals like affordable housing, medical care, political campaigns, etc. If I show up with a smile and a willingness to do whatever needs to be done, I am accepted. With continued hard work I earn respect and a place at the table where I will be heard and heeded.

"It’s not that we don’t care, we just know that the fight ain’t fair, that’s why we’re waitin’, waitin’ for the world to change."

News flash, John: Waiting will leave you even farther behind. Yes, we’re young. That’s why we need to be out there now, making even a small difference. Compounded over time, that makes a really big difference! It will be a while before we become ‘they,’ but if we sit around ‘waitin,’ the world will change without us.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is the last time I will write about John Mayer. I am sure he is bereft.

Car Maintenance 101

2007-05-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

Forgot to mention, I changed the headlights on my car Wednesday. Woo-hoo! I had mechanic hands for about fifteen minutes. Props to the nice guy at Advance Auto ("What, you're buying something besides Hello Kitty air fresheners?"), my dad for the over-the-phone advice, my mom for cheering me on, and my car for running beautifully in spite of me.

All new, all the time!

2007-05-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

Wonderful weekend in Chicago with Katie Mac and everyone else! The picture is of Katie's husband Freddie's notes for the podcast. They let me join them and it was so much fun. I seriously didn't want to stop. When Freddie said it was a wrap I was disappointed. I'm someone who prefers to be a listener, but get me in front of a mike and I can yatter about nothing for long periods of time. Freddie also gave me the iLife disk so I could reinstall GarageBand. What could be a better way to get the girls of Mauritania interested in technology than having them do a podcast? I can't wait to get started and God do I love Mac.

First henna tattoo over the weekend, too. You can see it on the Katie Mac show site (link to the left). It's already wearing off because I've been cleaning for my job. Note: Clorox takes ANYTHING off.

And (drumroll please) I uploaded my first video to YouTube! Search on Haiti, music, and rehearsal. I've been wanting to do this for some time and I love this clip. It's from my trip to Haiti in November. Hey, it's that or my sister's birthday. :)

Emphatic Consonants

2007-04-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

Arabic has four emphatic consonants: s, t, th, and I just forgot the fourth. Instead of saying them with your tongue against your teeth you pronounce them with your tongue against the roof of your mouth. Try the name Fatima as faTima.

Arabic is both harder and easier than I expected. The script is not as daunting as you would think, but some of the sounds are very difficult for an English speaker. There are no glottals in Japanese. French has a few but nothing as 'harsh' as Arabic. Still, I love learning another language. I'll be able to read a little by the time I get to Nouakchott in June! Formidable! Plus, struggling with Arabic makes French seem like a piece of cake. It's like blocking the pain in your leg by smashing your hand with a mortar (a la Dr. House).

For the best of both worlds, I recommend the music of French-Algerien pop star, Faudel. Mundial Corrida, Samra, or Baida are good albums. He's adopted some Latin stylings as well, so it's truly 'world music.'

C'est officiel!

2007-04-12T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'll be heading to the West/North African country of Mauritania at the end of June. As part of the Peace Corps' Girls Education and Empowerment program there I will focus my energy on getting more girls to stay in school. I am sure it will be incredibly rewarding, but there must be so many reasons half of Mauritania's school-age girls drop out by the end of 7th grade--cultural, economic, and social. The country is an Islamic republic and though the government has been fairly stable for the past forty years, there are racial tensions between the 'black' Africans and Arab and Berber descendants (who quarrel amongst themselves sometimes). AIDS does not seem to be as big a problem as in some countries farther south but it is still out there, along with tons of infectious diseases.

On the bright side, though, this is exactly where I wanted to go. I have a few words of Arabic under my belt already and the script is becoming familiar. It's a gorgeous written language. As I read up, I find Islam is less 'out there' than I first expected. From what we know of the prophet Mohammad, he would have made a great friend. I can't believe I have the opportunity to live and work in an Islamic society. How will it change me and equip me for the future?

One thing, I promise not to convert!

Schism

2007-03-22T17:50:00.000-07:00

Just a note on the troubles currently faced by the Anglican Communion, of which the Episcopal Church in the USA is one member. For all the high talk of morals and spiritual discord, the underlying truth is this: it's a struggle for power and influence. The election of Bishop Gene Robinson, who happens to be in a monogamous same-sex relationship, was simply the proverbial straw causing problems for the proverbial dromedary. African bishops, and some Episcopal ones, were agitated when women were ordained beginning in the 70s. But no one foresaw the growth of the church in Africa then, so their protestations were swept aside while the communion went ahead with what we saw as progress. Thirty years later, the church in Africa is so large, we can no longer ignore them. The ordination of gays, and other issues (i.e. same-sex marriage), is anathema to them. When they protested, Canterbury sat up and listened. The African Anglicans form a majority, one we should appease to keep the peace. Thus the 'Windsor Report' asking for a moratorium on all the divisive issues.

Too bad we Americans don't listen. Some dioceses in the USA openly flaunt the moratorium, while others break off and side with the African bishops. I'm with the side that flaunts the report. Don't ask me to step backward if you're not willing to step forward. We meet in the middle or we don't meet at all. And let's come to our senses and recognize this for what it is--politics in the guise of religion. If we were truly meeting at the foot of the cross, as Christ asks us to, our differences would be moot.

EHS Class of '97 to Class of '07

2007-03-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

My dad called from the road Thursday evening. He had been listening to NPR and caught a report of tornadoes in Enterprise, Alabama. The report said one hit the high school and several students were dead or missing. I turned on CNN and watched pictures of my alma mater crumbled, debris strewn, unrecognizable at first.

I graduated from EHS in 1997 and have not been back to the school since a friend's graduation in 1998. But I have good memories and I hold that it is one of the best public high schools in the state. The teachers and administration made it that way. Some of the teachers I had still teach there and it's a blessing to know they're okay, but I grieve for the eight students lost.

To all my Enterprise friends far and wide--Jarrod, Becky, Ria, Erin, Vivianne, Susan, Tori and the numerous names I have forgotten over the past decade--take care of yourselves.

With love, Sarah

Closer Closer Closer!

2007-02-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

So my file is in the Peace Corps placement office! This means I'm medically (and mentally) cleared--they're just picking the place. I'm excited all over again!

Romance=Peter Cetera

2007-02-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day--my thoughts on romance.

The most romantic things:
1) A good love song by Peter Cetera (with or without Chicago). My personal fave is "Glory of Love."
2) An exotic chocolate assortment. Whitman's doesn't cut it. Hint-if you can't get it at Walgreens it's probably good.
3) The movie "While You Were Sleeping"
4) Falling in love with your best friend (not that this has ever happened to me but I hope someday it does).
5) Vincent d'Onofrio as Detective Robert Goran on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent"
6) Visiting Dun Aegus at sunset. It faces due west on Inishmoor, Aran Islands, Ireland.
7) The song "Johanna" from Sweeney Todd as performed by Nathan Gunn in LOC's 2002 production.
8) A pile of rose petals just for me to wallow in.
9) A vat of liquid chocolate just for me to wallow in.
10) Um, can I repeat number 9?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Port-au-Prince, November 29, 2006--This is me with Bishop Duracin, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. A man of gracious words and hospitality, he will be instrumental in helping HMP (Haiti-Micah Project) get funding from ERD (Episcopal Relief and Development) for the building phase of the project. His wife, Mme. Duracin, later served us a lovely lunch at the seminary. More on Haiti soon, I hope!

It's not just a county anymore!

2007-01-26T08:13:00.000-08:00

It occurs to me that I haven’t talked much about King George. So, what is King George, Virginia? First of all, it’s not a town; it’s a county. I have to drive ten miles to reach the cluster of businesses and public offices surrounding the county courthouse on Rt. 3. We call that ‘going into town,’ though that phrase can also mean going twenty miles further west to Fredericksburg. It’s all in the context.

It’s a rural county. Most of the residents use well-water and unless you pay an extra fee, you have to take your trash to the dump yourself. There’s something to be said for municipal taxes. As seen on Blue Collar TV, people really do have rusting hulks-that used to be cars-on their front lawns. Someone up the way from me has what I call the boatyard-rusting boats instead of cars. I assume they’re waiting for the next flood. The area is experiencing a population spurt-due mainly to the DC sprawl-so architecture ranges from colonial brick to slapdash pre-fab.

There is a naval base nearby, and, of course, DC barely ninety minutes away, so the locals aren’t as raw and uneducated as you might expect. The matriarch of one clan at my church recently visited Thailand and a fellow choir member likes to take in the shows when she visits London. The high school put on A Midsummer Night’s Dream and did a pretty good job. A senior at KGHS is heading to Columbia next fall on an Engineering scholarship. That’s something!

There is the requisite rural weirdness. About a mile away is the Pine Hill Hunt Club. On Saturdays and Sundays during hunting season you can usually catch the braying of hounds on the chase. I’m told the club is rapidly aging, so maybe they’ll disband in the near future. "Dad-burnit! That fox ran away with my dentures . . .again!" Even stranger, the road-kill phenomenon. My sister spotted a dead deer on a recent walk. It had limped into a ditch to die. The next day I passed it and discovered the head had been taken, and not hacked off, cleanly cut off. We came up with several plausible explanations. One, maybe a lazy would-be hunter wanted it for an easy trophy and it’s now hanging on his living room wall. Two, Satan-worshipers needed it for a ceremony (I’m serious). Three, it was just teenagers doing something gross and stupid because they can. And four (this is my favorite) it was an act of the Red-Neck Mafia. Imagine, Billy Bob wakes up, rolls over, and sees a Deer Head on the pillow next to him! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh! Yeah, that’ll teach that sonuva--.

On the upside, the county is drenched in history. George Washington and Robert E. Lee were born within twenty miles of where I sit. Ten miles down the road on 301 there is a marker showing where John Wilkes Booth was shot. Fredericksburg was repeatedly battered by Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War. My church, St. Paul’s, was built before the Revolutionary War. It was in areas like King George that our country began. I’ve been to the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) headquarters in DC and found my grandmother’s paperwork. Just on her side of the family she found three ancestors who fought in the Revolution. I feel certain I could find a connection on my mother’s side, as well. I’m considering applying for membership in the DAR, isn’t that crazy? I would never have guessed it would mean so much to me.

So what’s the best thing about King George? It just might be Mary’s Cakery and Candy Kitchen on Indian Town Road, just past the BB&T. I like the white chocolate-covered pretzels and cream-cheese fudge. My mom likes the chocolate-covered potato chips. To each her own, eh?

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T12:39:00.000-08:00

Meet Harold the Myopic Arachnid. He plays spooky music if you squeeze him, which I do . . .often.

Travels with Dada

2006-10-02T08:51:00.000-07:00

Dada turned 89 last month. He has a quirky sense of humor along with an aversion to not getting his way. Two traits inherited by at least one of his granddaughters.

Back in 1939, he and a friend, Gilbert Kneehorn, decided to head west and ‘join up.’ Parents were not informed. They hitch-hiked out of St. Louis, then caught open freight trains, making it as far as Las Vegas. There, Dada decided he had had enough. His father was, understandably, furious with him. Grateful, too, I imagine. Gilbert continued to California and enlisted. He was sent to the Philippines and never returned.

Strange the places life can take you. I like to think Dada’s adventurous spirit ("Never go back the way you came") is within me, too, but I would never have considered jumping trains across country. I rationalize that it’s because I’m a ‘girl,’ but then my whole idea of ‘equality of the sexes’ is undermined. Maybe my spirit goes in different directions. Whenever I go to DC I take 301 north and 95 south. The fact that you have to pay a toll if you take 301 south is irrelevant.

Eg., Weird Priorities

2006-09-03T09:27:00.000-07:00

One thing makes me deliriously happy about Sundays (besides the whole going to church and renewing my spiritual life in a supportive and caring community environment thing)—Sunday night is Law & Order:CI (Criminal Intent) night on Bravo. That means hours of Vincent D’Onofrio. I can watch just one episode (not likely) or many (very likely). I need a fix every few days or I start experiencing withdrawal. Don’t get me wrong—the other Law & Order shows are good, too, but they don’t have Vincent. I used to be a big Jerry Orbach groupie but his reruns have been replaced by another man. Vincent. Where have you been all my life?

What a fortnight!

2006-08-31T09:36:00.000-07:00

What a strange two weeks this has been. Two weeks ago this morning I witnessed a fatal car accident on the way to work. I was pacing a service truck on Route 3 heading east. As we crossed the Westmoreland County line he swung out across the lane then corrected himself. A few moments later he did it again and hit an oncoming car. The little black car spun, flipped, and came to rest on the shoulder. I hit the brakes and stopped in my lane. Strange thing to focus on, but I couldn’t find my hazard lights ( I found ‘em next day). The woman in the black car never had a chance. All I could think about later was how quickly life can cease.

The next day after work, I set out for Chatham, NY, to see Elizabeth in summer stock up there. I was excited, but the images from the accident kept flashing through my head. This was my first road trip, and solo at that. Someone was watching out for me, though, because I made it up and back safely. The only ‘incident’ involved getting lost in the Bronx. Many thanks to the super nice manager at the Hess on Nereid! You earned a couple extra stars in your crown that day. The area near Albany is very pretty countryside. I recommend the entire Hudson Valley for gorgeous views. Elizabeth found time to talk with me and make me feel welcome and comfortable despite a grueling rehearsal and performance schedule. It was all very ‘inside the actor’s studio’ -ish and I loved every minute of it. Then another 500 miles back on Sunday. Praise God, I made it!

The following morning at work, my boss came over, sat down, smiled apologetically and said "Sarah, it’s just not working out; I’m letting you go." Apparently I wasn’t aggressive enough and not learning the job fast enough. I agree with the first because that’s my personality, but the second is wide open for debate. So that was that. To anyone who has ever gone through the same thing I’m with you. What hurts most is the feeling of shame and loss of confidence. I was back on the hunt for a job within hours but I’m just now recovering my self-esteem and sense of worth. I’ll probably never know the real reason why Julie fired me but I’ll never forget how it felt. Still, the month at her company was not a waste. I learned a great deal about the business environment in VA. It’s an employment at will state so you have little protection against arbitrary hiring and firing. If you work in IL, count your many blessings.

Last weekend I went with my priest to Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria. St. Pauls, my new church, is involved with a project to build an orphanage in Mirebalais, Haiti. I learned more about Haiti in one hour there than I have in my entire life. Not something I’m proud of. But I’m excited about the project and hope to help them with fundraising; maybe even go there with the group in November!

The final news is I have applied to be a substitute teacher and am now an employee at Comfort Keepers, a companion and personal care service for seniors. I don’t have my first assignment, yet, but I think this is the path I need to take. I’m nervous, but it feels right. My big mistake when I first arrived in King George was focusing on structure and routine—I wanted a job or occupation that would mimic my routine in Chicago. 9-5 weekdays, errands on the weekend, church. My new schedule will be erratic for the next nine months but it’s better training for the Peace Corps. And it’s going to be MUCH more interesting!

Bunny Talk

2006-08-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

I never saw mist in Chicago.

When my job here started two weeks ago, I was forced to get up earlier to work out. I wear a reflective belt and small flashlight when walking along Round Hill because it’s still dim outside. As the sun slowly lights the sky, long swathes of mist hang over the open fields. It’s a joyous feeling and I want to run across those fields and see if the mist will cling to me . . . but I don’t because there are ticks.

It’s beautiful out here, even when it hits 103 with humidity you can cut with a chain saw. My mom’s crepe myrtles are finally coming out. The magnolia is shooting up, but no blooms, yet. The cement ducks on the front porch change outfits every month. We have two regular visitors of the bunny persuasion. Dubbed ‘Big’ Bunny and ‘Little’ Bunny, Big Bunny lives in the woods and sticks to eating my Dad’s vegetables and clover if my Mom holds off mowing long enough for it to sprout. Little Bunny lives near the drive and enjoys dandelions and watching us drive in and out.

‘Tis a quiet life, yes. The Movie Gallery doesn’t have any Bollywood, not even "Bend it Like Beckham." I am bereft. I’ve even been reading mysteries—real ones, not the kind where the terrified heroine is pictured flying across the heath in a filmy nightgown with an ominous castle in the background (picture may or may not include darkly handsome man in breeches). Anyways, I’m catching up on my Miss Marple.

It’s not so bad. In fact, there is a great deal of good. I didn’t realize how much pressure I was under in Chicago until I came here. Apparently that is what it means to be independent. That’s why people go back to living with their families or they get married. It’s less stressful if someone is there to help you face life.

I’ll be on my own soon enough and I may never have this opportunity to be with my parents again. So I’ll water the tomatoes, talk to the rabbits, and make the most of life.

Chicago Sunset

2006-06-25T22:15:00.000-07:00

This was taken last fall in Lincoln Park. I'm standing at the north end of Diversey Harbor. The sky grabbed me.

Au Revoir!

2006-06-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Studs Terkel recently had an essay about Chicago in Smithsonian Magazine. He talked about arriving in this busy metropolis as a boy of nine. He has been here over seventy years now and has seen such incredible change, but his tone, when he speaks or writes of Chicago, is always warm. He loves this town.

My five years in the Windy City are nothing to his decades, but I leave with some of the same love. My first taste of Chicago was a quick detour downtown on our way north to head to Alaska in the summer of 1998. I had the map that afternoon and managed to get my father completely mixed up--even heading the wrong way down a one-way street! But those glimpses captured my imagination. Tony Bennett hung around in the back of my head crooning “Chicago! Chicago!” In 2000, I spent ten weeks living at the--now closed--Three Arts Club in the Gold Coast and interning at Lyric Opera of Chicago. It was pretty scary, even for a military brat used to strange, new situations, and I spent the first few nights crying and/or spending money at Barnes & Noble. My therapy later extended to Marshall Field’s, Bloomingdales, Victoria’s Secret, Virgin Megastore--after all, Michigan Avenue was just a ten minute walk away . . .

The kookiest thing I did that summer was to take the train out to DuPage. I discovered the college’s Anime Club online and one of their gatherings was a day of watching fan-dubbed videos. I was so in! Looking back, I’m amazed I went through with it. I spent the night before worrying that I would get lost, miss my bus, be mugged, tortured, killed, arrested, hit on, hit up, get hit, you name it. I could only sooth my anxiety by planning for every contingency, i.e. carrying lots of cash, some of it in my socks. I also only knew one bus route, that didn’t run on Saturdays, and was not sure where the train station was. I did manage to get out there and back safely and without a hitch. I even had fun in-between.

That sort of thing is old hat now but it was big then. That’s life, I guess. My new path scares me quite a bit. I could be making the absolute biggest mistake of my life. Actually, it’s more that I’m making a big choice and am worried I will regret it later. I know, though, that I’ll regret not doing it more. Still, leaving is pretty damn depressing. It always is and maybe I leave too often, but you can’t build a life on ‘what if.”

But back to Chicago. I’ll miss you. I almost stayed because of you. Don’t change too much, but don’t stay the same. I’ll try to follow the same advice, and may we meet again.

Farewell Party at Tina's

2006-06-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Tina (the Wonderful) hosted a farewell party for me about two weeks ago. This is a picture of the St. Peter's folks in attendance. (names provided upon request and pending security clearance) Yes, that's me in the back in a sari.

Foundation for AIDS and Immune Research

2006-06-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

Foundation for AIDS and Immune Research

I discovered FAIR because one of their members commented on my previous post. AIDS is something I've avoided thinking too much about. I was a very young child, living in Hawaii at the time, when I first heard about it. Then it was a taboo subject as a 'product' of the gay community and I was too young to understand any of that. I was in middle or high school before I understood the true origin and nature of the disease, but I did not hear much after that. If no one is making a fuss, I assume everything is fine. (just ask my sister)

The Peace Corps application process has brought AIDS/HIV back into my life. I'll be heading into a hotbed for the disease and every volunteer in Africa has a secondary role in AIDS education and awareness no matter what their main project is. Here it barely touches my daily life. In West Africa it will affect everything.

So I'm playing catch-up and FAIR is helping! The most recent post is on current and pending treatment methods. It's encouraging, but developing countries still face the big obstacles of cost and, I assume, education. All the drugs in the world will not help if people fail to make informed decisions. This job is going to be tough!

The beginning of an incredible journey!

2006-06-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm starting this blog to document, for my family and friends, my journey toward service in the Peace Corps. I was nominated in May to Community Development in West Africa, departing in May/June of 07. The materials for my medical clearance are almost complete. After that, I have to wait for the assignment telling me exactly where I'll go and what I'll be doing. Tres exciting! It's going to be a crazy year so stay tuned. As for the title, I was thinking of "The Color Purple" and wondering what my color was. It's orange, and I hope it always will be! :)