-It’s funny how the action of getting a library card or getting a mailing address makes you feel connected to a place. -Finished reading ‘Will you please be quiet, please’ by Raymond Carver. My favorite stories were ‘Are you a Doctor’, ‘Nobody Said Anything’, What do you do in San Francisco’ and ‘The Student’s Wife’. [...]
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-I’m actually happy here. Some days are incredibly difficult but I really am enjoying myself. -Went to town on Saturday. Low point: Getting yelled at by some guy in the municipality when I was trying to pay for my library card and wasn’t able to speak Tsonga. High point: Getting my library card and interacting [...]
-My shopping town is crowded and scary but in all the best ways. -If there is someone who my host brother tells me not to trust, I’m going to follow that advice. -No electricity on last Monday evening. I sat outside with my host family around the fire and learned more about them in that [...]
If you’ve wanted a magazine theme for your blog but haven’t found just the right one today’s new theme might just do it for you. It’s called Delicious Magazine and it’s the latest in a series of terrific magazine themes from WooThemes. If you love using images to draw your visitors into your writing, you’ll [...]
Today we’re excited to bring you Custom Design, a powerful new tool that combines easy to use, code-free font selection from Typekit and a beautiful CSS editing interface with world-class support from our famous WordPress.com Happiness Engineers. You’ll find both new features—Fonts and CSS—under Appearance → Custom Design in your dashboard. Custom Design costs just [...]
Here at Automattic we feel really lucky to be able to interact with so many WordPress.com users through our awesome Happiness Engineers in Support, meeting WordPress users and lovers at various global WordCamps, and even Matt runs into WordPress users when he’s on a plane (is there a better way to get Support? We think [...]
To show our support for IPv6, and as part of our IPv6 migration plan, we have enabled dual stack connectivity on our blog on this occasion of World IPv6 Day. If you view this site over IPv6, you will see a visual indicator confirming access from IPv6: What’s IPv6? For those of you who don’t [...]
Starting today, visitors to your blog can use their Facebook or Twitter account to leave comments. This saves everyone a few steps and gives visitors control over which identity they use. It’s a win for everyone. As an important touch, we let you stay logged in to multiple services. This means you can stay logged [...]
Last year on WordPress.com we introduced the world to the first new WordPress default theme in 5 years — the first annual default theme — Twenty Ten. Now it’s our pleasure to introduce you all to its successor, Twenty Eleven. It might look familiar. Yep, Twenty Eleven started life as the Duster theme before it [...]
-I finished reading ‘Doris’ by Cindy Crabb. I can’t believe I didn’t read this sooner. I took my time reading it and there were a lot of emotions that went through my mind. I love zines like this, where a person opens up and is honest with their life. I dog-eared several entries that I [...]
We love to create new features on WordPress.com, but we also like to make it easier for you to connect your site with other popular services. We’ve teamed up with the folks at Twitter several times over the years, and we’re thrilled to help them unveil the new Follow Button to the world for the [...]
-Got yelled at again in the taxi but this time I was with someone from my org and he was able to explain to the driver that I was still learning Tsonga and that I was from America and the only language I currently speak is English. So basically I can look forward to this [...]
-financial manager at my org, you are awesome. -other guy that i have to work with in order to finish my community needs assessment, why do you have to be so difficult. -American Education Services, why do you want to ruin my Tuesday -How many groceries can I carry on the taxi by myself? -Would [...]
Writers are as different as the stories they produce, and their ideal writing environments vary no less. One thing most writers agree on, though, is that one of the toughest challenges is overcoming distraction. At WordPress we’ve always believed that when you’re using the application, the focus should be on what’s most important — your [...]
Attention baseball fans, today we’re launching a triple-header of new themes just for you. We’ve partnered with MLB.com to bring its Fan, Modern, and Retro blog themes to WordPress.com. The designs range from minimal (“Modern”) to loud (“Fan”), and there’s even a throwback to old MLB Club logos and styles for a bit of nostalgia (“Retro”, [...]
-I went around with the Victim Empowerment voluteers for door to door outreach. I think this program is so amazing and I don’t even think the project or its workers realize how awesome its concept is. I can’t wait to help out more after IST. -Got yelled at by a taxi guy on Tuesday because [...]
- I need some Doom ASAP - Going into town is one of the most stressful things that happens during my week. It’s frustrating and exhausting and I never get everything that I want done. But when I arrivehome afterwards, I feel a wonderful sense of satisfaction and relief which is really hard to match [...]
Today we are excited to introduce a new, beautifully designed, free theme called Vertigo. It makes great use of WordPress post formats. It has a charming, hitchcockian typeface for site and post titles. And it’s dark. With Vertigo you can set your own accent color for links, which is used in several places throughout the [...]
Remember that warm fresh bread I was talking about in the last post. I just discovered that the daughter of my host mother snuck into my house and finished off the rest of the loaf. I just can’t win.
- It’s weird to have the luxury of internet access but no running water. Last Wednesday I spent an hour walking around the village trying to find a functional water spicket. - So, the roof of my house isn’t exactly finished and sand gets in every time the wind blows really hard. It sucks waking [...]
Things have gotten better at work. After talking with a few people, my supervisor was (or will be) clarified with more information about what I can and can’t do. Despite the tone of my previous entries, I realize that the misunderstandings weren’t anyone’s fault and were mostly due to an immense amount of information given [...]
It still amazes me how difficult it is to explain to some South Africans that I am black but also American. I know it shouldn’t bother me but, for some reason, it still does.
This past week, plans were made for me to go out with some of the carers and victim empowerment volunteers but none of this actually happened for a number of reasons too complicated to get into here. I was also scheduled to go to the clinic and talk with some of the nurses but this [...]
Well this first week was awkward. I embarrassed myself multiple times per day in ways I’ve never even imagined. I’ve already prepared myself for a repeat performance next week. I feel like everything will be ok once I get acclimated to the living and work environment. No idea how long that will take. Even though [...]
I saw M and K in town yesterday and I think that helped lift my spirits. Yesterday was a lot better and I am accepting that I will be living in the village for the next two years. I’m definitely getting over the shock of seeing everything for the first time on Thursday. After all, [...]
So Pre-Service Training (PST) is over and I am now officially a volunteer. Today was my first full day at permanent site. It basically felt like the anxiety of moving to a completely new place mixed with the anxiety of starting a brand new job. Still exciting but definitely very stomach-churning. I can’t wait until [...]
I’m here. Today is my last full day in Philly (and America). Staging has been pretty boring so far but we don’t get to the good stuff (official introductions, icebreakers, etc.) until this afternoon. Last night we only had to register and hand in forms. My roommate is incredibly nice and easy to get along [...]
So tomorrow I leave for staging. Of course I was running around today taking care of some last minute things but, over all, I enjoyed today. My mom got me a cake which was very sweet. I’m nervous/scared/optimistic/excited for tomorrow and all the days that follow. Tagged: family, peace corps
I really can’t wait to get out of this house. Send me to the moon for all I care. Tagged: family, peace corps
I should have handled this financial crap earlier. Now I am scrambling to close my checking account (which there are so many problems and a pending payments that it is impossible to do). I had forgotten about the automated payments for one thing and now I have to wait for that to clear. Also I [...]
One more week until I leave for staging. I’m incredibly nervous and scrambling to get everything situated. I had dinner with SM yesterday. I will miss her so much while I’m gone. She is one of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. Other than that, I have been emailing the South Africa country [...]
The hardest part of packing is not knowing (or at least having a full understanding) of what is considered acceptable and formal in a different culture. I’m basically going to play it safe it terms of the type of clothes I’m packing but I don’t really have a full understanding of what kinds of clothes [...]
More detailed information about staging, pre-service training, and service has been pouring in. One of the documents I received was a list of recommended reading specific to South Africa. The titles include: 1) The Power of One – Bryce Courtnay 2) A Long Walk to Freedom – Nelson Mandela 3) Country of My Skull (Guilt, [...]
Made my flight arrangements today. I leave for staging on January 23rd. Yip! Tagged: peace corps
I received staging information this afternoon so I will be busy reading through that tonight and will make my flight arrangements tomorrow for staging. Staging will be held in Philadelphia and I can’t believe it is a little less than a month away. This Thursday is my last day at Macy’s so I will have [...]
I haven’t heard anything new from the Peace Corps offices since sending in my aspiration statement and resume but I’m still keeping busy with loads of stuff. Of course work is pretty busy since it is getting closer to Christmas. I told my boss a few weeks ago that I will be leaving for South [...]
I accepted the invitation to South Africa about three days after receiving the package in the mail. However, I’ve been busy fulfilling many of the requirements after accepting that I haven’t had a chance to write about it until now. Picture 004 by VeronicaLeigh on Zooomr I had to apply for my no fee passport [...]
This is a surprised. After getting home from work early this morning, I lounged around the house for a little bit. I just checked my email for the first time today and I got a ‘Application Status Update’ email stating that my Peace Corps’ toolkit had been updated once again. I logged in to find [...]
I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings. To be honest, most of the time I don’t really have a strong desire to do so. Still, the question has continually been posed to me of why I want to join the Peace Corps or what motivated me to apply for the peace corps? And consistently [...]
I was contacted today by the Placement and Assessment Office through email. The woman stated that my preliminary review was finished. I have to send in an updated resume and transcript for my final review. It may take a little while to add the required information to my resume but I will hopefully get it [...]
I got the letter in the mail today and it said I have been medically cleared and the Placement Office has been notified!!! I’m so happy and excited for the next steps. I looked again at my online toolkit and it doesn’t seem that anything is missing. So I guess more waiting is ahead until [...]
The physical world has been mapped; but in the last analysis the Peace Corps is an intellectual exploration, the chance (if you are patient enough) to enter in some degree into the hearts and minds and feelings of alien peoples with exotic cultures. The final discovery, that we are all ultimately alike, is a hard-earned [...]
My toolkit was updated today. My medical evaluation is now complete and it says to expect a letter in the mail. I’m excited to see some progress but also nervous about what is next. Tagged: peace corps
Tomorrow I start my job at Macy‘s. It’s only a seasonal, temporary job that is 20 hours per week. To be honest I don’t desperately need the money but it will be nice to have some saved up and for miscellaneous purchases. I may get another part-time job to keep myself busy depending on the [...]
I’ve been reading The Insider’s Guide to the Peace Corps again. Someone recommended this book to me a while ago and I checked it out from Carnegie Library. Now I’m reading it again and find a lot of the information very useful at this stage in the Peace Corps process (the waiting stage). I wish [...]
I keep having the same dream several times each weekend. I dream that, in some way, I didn’t finish all of my requirements or I failed a class and I didn’t really receive my MLIS degree so I have to go back. It usually ends with me waking up with my heart beating extremely fast [...]
I’ve been trying to keep myself busy these past few weeks. I sold my huge asus laptop, that I hated, for a smaller netbook, which is okay. I didn’t get as much as I wanted for it but that’s because I sold it as an auction on ebay without a reserve price. I’m just glad [...]
What do I want to be when I grow up? I have no idea. I wish I knew. I’m increasingly starting to think that this is becoming a major problem. I don’t know if it is smart to join the Peace Corps (if I get an invite) and to leave for two years to another [...]
My Dad and I went to the St. Titus Festival this afternoon. It was good but things were a bit slow because it was the last day. Because I’m an idiot I forgot my camera and missed many great pics but here is a photo of the awesome purse that I bought at their flea [...]
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