It’s been months and months since I’ve written. I guess I have not really felt inspired. They say inspiration is for amateurs, but let’s get real, that’s just what I am-actually lower than amateur, what would that be—a blogger?

This past week marked two years of being in Botswana and also two months until I will return home, and it was no simple or easy feat. However, I feel on top of the world right now; my entire service I’ve felt like I’ve been climbing this two year long hill, stumbling from here to there, hurdling over rocks at times, rolling back down at others, but all the struggle and hard work has finally paid off and I’ve reached the top. And let me tell you the view is booming with opportunity. There is one significant thing-and yes only one-I’ve learned from my time in the Peace Corps, and that is I can achieve anything I set my mind to. After accomplishing this feat I truly feel I can succeed at any goal I set for myself and maybe more importantly aspire to more in my life. The fear of failure is always nipping at the heels, but now with less force and fewer nips.As I've said before I'm a women of few words, and this is all the inspiration this amateur, excuse me blogger has to share for now. One last thing...See you all in 2 months!!!!

Back in Maity

We really enjoyed cooking

My bro may be older but I can still teach him a thing or two!

On Safari

The past three weeks have been a whirlwind extravaganza of family, laughs and excitement. I feel so fortunate and blessed to have had four of my five siblings come visit me all at once. Before I left for Africa, ‘The Rents’ coined me as the least likely to embark on such an adventure; but how little they truly knew about the ‘Wash Belly’. Being so much younger than all my siblings, it was tough relating to them while growing up; all I really wanted was to belong probably just as much as they wanted me to disappear, but magically as we get older our age gaps seem to narrow. The time we had together in Africa will be something we never forget and a time I will forever be grateful for!

I believe my pictures will tell the story....

Reunited

Climbing Table Mountain, Cape Town

Touring Cape Town

Something "The Clan" does quiet well

Beautiful Wine Country

Beach Time

Amazing Views

Miss you guys already!

And to our sister Maggie who could not make it, we missed you and wish you could have been with us! See you all in 4 months!

Sending my love from Africa!

Tsodilo Legend: “These hills are of great cultural and spiritual significance to the San peoples of the Kalahari. They believe the hills are a resting place for the spirits of the deceased and that these spirits will cause misfortune and bad luck if anyone hunts or causes death near the hills. The San people believe these hills to be the site of first Creation. Factually, the San people painted more than 4500 rock paintings against the magnificent stone faces of the Tsodilo Hills, making it one of the most historically significant art sites in the world.

The hills are referred to by human attributes - male, female, child and the male's first wife. The second tallest hill is referred to as the female. The San people believe that the caves and caverns of this hill, the "Female" hill, are the resting places of the deceased and various gods who rule the world from here.

The most sacred place is near the top of the "Male" hill, the biggest rock, where it is said that the First Spirit knelt and prayed after creating the world. The San believe that you may still see the impression of the First Spirits' knees in the rock. The smallest hill is the 'child'. Finally, according to legend, the fourth hill was the male hill's first wife, whom he left for a younger woman, and who now prowls in the background.”

I spent the last weekend and rang in the New Year at these spiritually historical hills with some wonderful friends. We may have spent more time in the car but our time at Tsodilo was memorable. It was incredible to see the 300,000 year old rock paintings and try to conceptualize there meanings. I found the diverse traditions and strong cultures of Africa so fascinating. Even if some of the customs are unfathomable and may seem absurd to most, I think it’s notable to believe in something, no matter what that something is. I’m just so grateful for these learning opportunities!

I’m happy to say I’m very excited for 2012 and look forward to all the blessings of the New Year!

I raise my glass to:

2012, the year I return to the States and am reunited with my amazing family; my rock and my inspiration!

My time spent in Africa and the wonderful people that have made my service everything it’s been.

My sister who I could not be more proud of, I’ll see you soon!!!

My bestie, Caitlin, engaged! I wish you unbelievable happiness and love. No wedding without me…

Starting graduate school; embracing new beginnings and saying farewell to old ones.

In the words of Bob Dylan... "The Times they are A-Changin'"

2012 bring it on. I'm ready for you!!!

My second year of service has been a true blessing and full of experiences I could have never imagined. The relationships I have built have been one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of my time in Botswana. I cannot even begin to explain the impact my community has had on my life in such a short time. The last few months have been busy. I went on holiday for almost 3 weeks to South Africa and had the time of my life. I traveled with some fellow volunteers. We took the bus to Johannesburg, flew to Durban where we spent a week on the beach. From Durban we rented a car and drove down the Eastern Cape and Garden Route. I cannot even begin to explain how beautiful this drive was; it was something out of a movie. We stayed two nights in Addo Elephant Park in the mountains of South Africa where we spent our days picking oranges, lemons, grapefruit; citrus galore, and sighting animals. From there we continued our drive south to Franschhoek, a French heritage inspired wine land. This quaint little town is smack dab in the middle of an incredibly beautiful valley. We spent 2 days wine tasting and enjoying exquisite French food before we travelled on to Stellenbosch where we duplicated 2 more days of wine tasting and indulgence. For those of you who know me this was paradise! (Favorite winery- Hartenberg; if you can find this wine in the States it will not disappoint!) After four FUN filled days of wine tasting we drove to Cape Town where we climbed Table Mountain. This was quite the trek but once we reached the top the views were breathtaking! We also drove along the coast to The Cape of Good Hope and to see the African penguins. Then it was back to Botswana, or rather back to reality.

As soon as I got back it was back to the grind stone. The time had come again for Kabelano’s Pre-School graduation. There were many preparations that went into making this a special day for the kids and it was nothing short of a success! I will say it time and time again; these teachers are the heart of the triumph. Their dedication and love for these children is truly inspiring. I feel blessed to just be a part of such an amazing organization.

Not even a week later it was time to GLOW! After eight months of planning our GLOW camp had finally arrived. This has in fact been one of the most rewarding and pleasurable projects I’ve been involved in. GLOW, Girls Leading Our World, Camp is designed to empower young women to make responsible and healthy decisions about their lives. As many of you many know by now, Botswana is heavily affected by HIV, with a 17.1 % prevalence rate, and higher for females at 20.4 % in comparison to 14.2% males. Our camp was gender-specific as young girls are a particularly vulnerable population. Five delegations from seven different villages came together to become the leaders of tomorrow! For some of these young girls it was the first time out of their villages, for others it was the first time to meet refugees, to meet girls from another country, and for most it was a once in a life time opportunity. The ambitions and goals these girls have set for themselves is inspirational, even in the midst of poverty, death, and inequality their aspirations absolutely soar.

I was reminiscing with a Peace Corps friend the other day about when we first arrived in country. We were chatting about first impressions and this is what she said about me… “This girl is too pretty; she will never make it…” I was shaken by this comment, but then she quickly continued, and as she got to know me more she could see this internal motivation and strength I possess… I believe we gain internal strength through our hardships and the challenging times in our lives. I stand by the motto, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and among so many things, my service has done just that. However, I believe I also gain my strength through witnessing the struggles of my community and friends. There is so much death and illness, heartache and pain in this country but no one gives up hope. They keep living, building better lives for themselves and their families and if this is not strength... I don’t know what is.Wishing every one a very happy holiday season!Miss you all!

Sending my love from Africa!

I've been working with a few of the secondary school teachers developing a series of workshops for the students. Today we presented to 400 students on effective study skills. If you missed that I said 400, and in case you missed the intensity of my tone, 400 holy @*%$!! I never imagined myself presenting to that many people at once, but guess what? I did it!

Heat wave this week! 105 degrees! I'm sporting a new shimmer or rather a nice glistening appearance.

Bring it on Heat!!!

Miss you all!

Sending my love from Africa!

I was recently contacted by the founder of a nonprofit organization called Mother Bear Project. This organization is dedicated to providing comfort and hope to children affected by HIV/AIDS in emerging nations, by giving them a gift of love in the form of a hand-knit or crocheted bear. Knitters from all over the world pitch in to help create the bears. I was asked if I would be interested in distributing bears in my community and I knew right away what an amazing opportunity this would be. Some of my most gratifying and memorable time here has been spent with the teachers and OCV’s at Kabelano Pre-school. In the past few years the school has been struggling with funds and therefore the teachers are nearly volunteers who work so hard to shine their love and kindness on these children. The kids just love coming to school where they have the chance to play and learn with one another. I feel so blessed to be a part of all their lives and help out where I can. So when I heard about the Mother Bear Project I knew the kids would eat it up. In America teddy bears and stuffed animals are a part of every child’s life, but as you can imagine all kids here do not have those luxuries. Sixty bears arrived in two big boxes this week and as we tore open the boxes, we were in disbelief of the outpouring of love and hard work that went into making these bears. The joy that the gift of a simple bear can create is simply incredible and that is exactly what I witnessed this week. As we passed out the bears to each and every child, the look and excitement on their faces was priceless.

9 months and counting... not counting... counting, yes okay counting!

August in review:

1. At the beginning of the month I traveled to Zambia to meet a wonderful group of friends, a particularly rare group of friends. Kelly, Ian, Phil and Quinn- The Peace Corps Clan! Kelly and Ian served in Peace Corps Philippines 06-08. It was Kelly who truly inspired to me join PC. Phil left a few months before I did and is currently serving in Malawi. We met while we were both waiting patiently or rather anxiously for our Peace Corps invitations and little did we know we would end up so close to one another. Phil's nomination was for Asia where as mine was the Pacific Islands and somehow we both ended up in Sub Saharan Africa. And Quinn, well she did not serve in the Peace Corps but lucky her, she got to visit the Philippines and Africa! So long story short, I could not be more grateful for these amazing people in my life and for the opportunity to spend this time with them in Africa!

2. Just this past month I got involved with PACT Club (Peer Approach to Counseling by Teens). PACT is a program that strives to empower teens/adolescents (both male and female) to make personal informed decisions about important issues in their lives. It is a youth led club designed to provide and encourage safe, structured, supervised, frequent opportunities for teens to gain and share information with their peers, parents and other adults. The main goal of this project is to reach youth and other community members in remote areas to educate them about healthy living and give them a strong foundation in Life Skills. Life Skills is defined here as HIV/AIDS prevention, nutrition, thoughtful decision making, risk reduction, how to deal with peer pressure, health and hygiene. Life Skills also teaches teens and adults about respect, love, gender equality, stigma and discrimination, gender based violence, self-awareness, sex, and appropriate dating techniques. I'm trilled to be apart of this great group of teens, they are a very motivated and hard working club.

3. My exercise class is going fantastic. This past week I proposed making one day of the week a running day and they ate it up, loved it! Thursdays are now endurance days.

4. We are starting an education campaign at the clinic. We will specifically educating members of Sabasi, a small community in the bush within Maitengwe. This community is in dire need of education on hygiene, health, family planning, and abortion. Sadly, these women either have 3-4 children within one year of each other, or will abort a child only to be pregnant the next month. Like I said these communities are in the bush, the majority of people have never been educated, and therefore they are extremely limited.

5. In my free time I've been painting on anything I can find, which for some reason seems to be bottles-not sure how I accumulate so many:)

6. Sorghum and maize are traditional crops grown in Botswana and these are first pounded into meal before cooking. It's not common to see this happening everyday in this culture and after being here for over a year I finally got the chance to show off my skills. Ha right.... it's much harder than it looks.

7. I received 2 huge fish from a friend the other day. She asked if I ate fish and my response was, of course! I have not had fish since I've been in Botswana, seeing as it is a land lock country, fish is not easy to find. I was super excited for these fish and as soon as I get them I tore open the bag to find them staring up at me. You think I should have known they would be the entire fish, scales, eyes and all. Now I'm afraid to touch them, afraid they may come alive again, very rational I know. All I know is I will be getting some gloves from the clinic before I do anything with the big eyed, slimy swimmers.

8. Summer welcome... bring on the sweating!

9. I woke up to the sounds of Enrique Iglesias's Hero. This song brings back many memories of my sister and I singing and blaring these tunes. Made my day!!!

This post is from two weeks ago. I am now just posting because my computer, Buckly has been under the weather and I'm sad to say, Buckly is still ill. Today I baked a cake. Not just any old cake but a chocolate cake layered with frosting. Not just any kind of frosting but a chocolate frosting, ooey gooey deliciousness. I was rather proud of myself but even more proud of my self-control, not even one bite. For those of you that know me well, you know the magnitude of this feat! However, this chocolate cake was for a very special person. Today was a co-workers last day at the clinic, but not just any co-worker. This particular person is dear to my heart and the peer mother of the PMTCT program who I work directly with. The main goal of PMTCT is to prevent HIV transmission from the mother to their child. Amy’s role is to educate, counsel and support these women but more importantly serve as a positive role model in our community. This program has been a success throughout Botswana and more specifically in Maitengwe Village, and that’s accredited to the commitment of these peer mother’s, more importantly Amy! Long story short, there is no longer any funding for this program, hence why it was her last day.

Amy is one of my greatest friends in Bots. From the first time I met Amy I knew she had a beautiful character. Her dedication and passion for her work, for the women in our community is flawless. I don’t know anyone here who works harder or truly believes in what she is working towards. It is people like Amy who inspire me to be a better person. Amy is a single mother of two, who within the past three years lost both the fathers of her children. She struggles to put food on the table for her family but somehow never fails to come to work every day with a smile on her face, dancing and singing. Only a few months ago, after the funeral of her latest child’s father, Amy came to my house in tears. She had not only just buried a past lover but then began pouring out her burdens. Amy has been HIV positive since 2002. As the tears rolled down her face and she shared her fears and struggles, I realized maybe this is why I’m here. There is so much suffering in this world how can one even begin to comfort, but for me the beginning was that day. Amy’s optimism and caring heart motivates me, and on my toughest days reminds me why I chose to volunteer. It’s people like Amy that I strive to be more like. In just over a year, Amy has touched my heart in a way I will never forget and it’s because of her beautiful character that she will forever be one of the favorite people in my life.

This evening I bought a tube of grape lip gloss to support a friend. It smells delicious, just like a grape jolly rancher. As I applied a generous amount to my lips and went to the mirror to admire the shininess, can you guess what I saw? You guessed it… PURPLE LIPS!!! This reminds me of a time when I was in grade school and I was at the store with my mom. I was so excited because I found blue lipstick and I begged my mom to buy it. I don’t know why she agreed but I tore through the packaging as soon as we got in the car, pulled down the sun shade mirror and glossed it on my lips. To my surprise it was a not blue but bright pink. For those of you who knew me in my younger years, Lucie and pink did not go together. Well, not only was I disappointed that my lips were not blue but to make it worse my new bright pink lipstick would not come off and I had to go to school the next day with pink lips. At least now purple is my favorite color!!!

My new imaginative creation!

I got the distinctive pleasure to meet The First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama a few weeks ago!

Winter has hit and let me tell you it happened over night. One blissful night sleep I lay casually covered with a light blanket and the next night I scrunch in a tight ball with my hoody pulled over my head wishing for the warmth that I so often cursed in the sweltering summer heat. This is the only time of year when I cringe with regret for not having hot water. Maybe I will just be dirty for the next 2 months. Now you may question my bitter qualms, and even I had doubts of coldness in Africa, but let me be the one to say burrrrrrr!!!

I was recently asked to make a copy of my aerobics music for a few friends in my village. The very next day as I was strolling home I found myself beat boppin’ to ACDC, You Shook Me all Night Long!! Yeah yeah you... My music is blaring throughout my village day after day. Well, I guess if I accomplish nothing else in my two years in Africa, I have at least introduced a music alternative, and classic rock is a mighty fine influential choice!

I believe there are things in life that allow us to escape from reality, if only for a short bit, and I believe living in Africa, working in the culture we do, escaping reality is a necessity at times. For me, that thing is painting. I become completely enveloped in what I’m doing and for once my mind does not wonder. Lately, I have been inspired to use my creative juices and be resourceful at the same time. This past weekend while I was ‘basking in the sun on the beach in Greece’ (my pseudo reality) I perked the interest of my neighbors with my bottle paintings. I was then handed a bag full of glass jars and asked to paint them. I guess this is a large part of what Peace Corps is about; sharing and teaching others about Americans and maybe more importantly ourselves. And whether that teaching is through music, art, friendship, a smile, or education I’m realizing my motivations for being here are multiplying every day.

It’s been a fairly quiet time of the year; however the strike is still in dispute. There have been violent protests throughout the country, and for a peaceful country, such as Botswana it’s rather significant. It’s been tough getting much work accomplished or anything for that matter with government employees not in the office. I’m finally starting to realize why Peace Corps service is a 27 month commitment. At first, it seems so daunting and such a huge dedication, and let me tell you it is, but honestly it takes almost a year to feel integrated and get projects off the ground. I guess what I’m saying is I often have to remind myself that I am here for two years and it’s okay to have quiet times of the year.

I want to send my love and congratulations to my sister Alicia who is graduation from Stanford with her PhD and to the Kuhlmann/Grunow Clan in California this weekend who are there to celebrate such an amazing accomplishment! Wish I could be there but I will be in spirit! Love you all

Sending my love from Africa!

Schools throughout all of Botswana have been shut down indefinitely as of yesterday. In response to the teachers and civil servants who have been on strike since last month, students are counter-striking. The students feel they are being denied an education while the teachers want a raise in salaries. On Friday, the scene turned violent, the police fired tear gas at rioting students, and battles between police and rock-throwing students broke out on Monday. Worst of all there have been reported deaths of all parties involved; police, teachers and students.

I am just in shock at this crisis that has hit this 'supposed peaceful country'....

After extensive deliberation I came to the conclusion that I ought to change the name of my blog. I just spent 6 days on a safari trekking through Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe Game Reserve in Northern Botswana, near the Okavango Delta, and well, it didn’t take long (there was no extensive deliberation) to realize Cheetahs are not plenty or rather difficult to spot because shhhh they don’t like to be seen. Unlike the infamous African Elephant which are roughly 100,000 in number just in Botswana alone. Therefore I deem it more appropriate for the title of my blog to be… Hippos, Giraffes, and Elephants! Oh, My! I was fortunate enough to have my Mother and Step-Father tour Botswana to visit and I would like to think it was more to see me than the animals, but hard to say! That was a joke. Like I mentioned we set out on a 6 day safari completely unaware of what we would experience. Our first day there had been masses of puddles from the rain, and well coming back to camp that evening we got stuck. Now when I say stuck I mean immoveable, tires spinning digging ourselves a deeper hole. We attempted to jack up the car but every time the tires would just sink back into the mud. Finally, another safari truck roamed by to help. We hooked up a tow rope to try to pull us out but the rope snapped. You would think these trucks would be prepared with chains for situations like these, and maybe that’s the Coloradoan within me, but in Africa the essentials consist of dainty twine. Looking back on situations as such, humor always presents itself and on this particular expedition the men were outside of the truck just staring at the challenge at hand, while the women sat comfortable in the truck waiting for results. To make matters even funnier, the other tourist on safari whom had stopped to help were all out of their cars taking pictures. The excitement for the night was not a pride of lions feasting on a zebra but rather a safari truck stuck in the mud! Not long after help had arrived and failed, they sent for a larger truck and at this point it was getting dark. At first my thoughts were excitement and adventure but I could not help but be reminded of this film I watched during one of my long bus treks in Africa call Predator or Predator II or IV, one of those. Anyways, it was about a family that traveled to Africa and were on a safari, to make a long story short their guide was attacked and eaten by a lion and the family was stuck in the truck with the lion prowling right outside. Tourist wading through deadly waters:Predator X in the making! About an hour or so later a dump truck arrived our savior, or so we thought. Ha but guess what? The tow rope was too short so the truck had to inch closer to us and wa la… the dump truck was stuck! Now what? Ten men staring at the situations quizzically each putting in their two cents before a decision was made. to At this point we had to exit the car sloshing through knee deep water into the unknown. This is the rising action of Predator X. Let me remind you we were in a game reserve, in a swamp infested with snakes, crocodiles and hippos, standing in this water in the murky darkness, and I was just waiting for my anxiety ridden Mom to unnerve. But to my surprise she was calm and even without the stimulating effects of wine J After 45 minutes of silent fright, checking over my shoulder every five seconds into the shadowy abyss for glowing eyes, the truck miraculously escaped! It was a thrilling start to our expedition and probably best it happened our first night when we were still naïve safari-ites! Not only did we camp under the brilliant night sky, eat great food, get stuck, change two flat tires but we even saw animals. Elephants, hippos, lion, crocodiles, leopard, giraffe, zebra, impala, wildebeest, wild dogs to name a few, oh and the best name of all a Kori Bustard.I almost forgot to mention we say a cobra. It was crossing the road while we were driving and we slammed on the breaks and before I knew what the big fuss was about I peeked out my window to find not but five feet from me a black and yellow stripped cobra. It was as thick as a wine bottle and as long as a car and I know I tend to fabricate my creepy crawler stories but this is no exaggeration. This happened to be the first snake I have seen since living in Botswana and I plan on it being the only one.After the safari we headed to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. It’s rainy season and therefore at times the spray from the falls was so heavy it reduced visibility and we inevitably got soaked. This time of the year is not a popular tourist season so we almost had the entire park to ourselves. We spent two days in Zim before moving back to Maity. I thought it would be appropriate to show The Rents the proper way we Motswana travel in Botswana. We took a combie from Francistown to Maitengwe... but in the dark. Now let me preface this; when I first arrived in Bots I remember holding on with dear life in the combies but a year later the chaotic driving doesn’t even faze me, but my parents were a different story. We were dodging cattle and donkeys left and right and I was just waiting for a heart attack or for one to jump out and walk the rest of the way. Okay, maybe it was my mistake to expose them to the reality of transport in Bots but hey, we made it back safely! I am so thankful and grateful for this special time we had together in Botswana. Who would have ever thought I would have the opportunity to go on safari with my mom in Africa? Who would have ever thought we would have the chance to meet so many different people from all over the world and exchange life stories. You just never know what life has in store for you or what may happen in the next year or month, and therefore I am learning to take every experience as it comes, cherishing each and every opportunity. Life is too short to not do something that matters! My friends tell me I’m a pretty cheesy person and I apologize because you just got a taste of that cheesiness! I miss you all! Sending my love from Africa!

After extensive deliberation I came to the conclusion that I ought to change the name of my blog. I just spent 6 days on a safari trekking through Moremi Game Reserve and Chobe Game Reserve in Northern Botswana, near the Okavango Delta, and well, it didn’t take long (there was no extensive deliberation) to realize Cheetahs are not plenty or rather difficult to spot because shhhh they don’t like to be seen. Unlike the infamous African Elephant which are roughly 100,000 in number just in Botswana alone. Therefore I deem it more appropriate for the title of my blog to be… Hippos, Giraffes, and Elephants! Oh, My! I was fortunate enough to have my Mother and Step-Father tour Botswana to visit and I would like to think it was more to see me than the animals, but hard to say! That was a joke. Like I mentioned we set out on a 6 day safari completely unaware of what we would experience. Our first day there had been masses of puddles from the rain, and well coming back to camp that evening we got stuck. Now when I say stuck I mean immoveable, tires spinning digging ourselves a deeper hole. We attempted to jack up the car but every time the tires would just sink back into the mud. Finally, another safari truck roamed by to help. We hooked up a tow rope to try to pull us out but the rope snapped. You would think these trucks would be prepared with chains for situations like these, and maybe that’s the Coloradoan within me, but in Africa the essentials consist of dainty twine. Looking back on situations as such, humor always presents itself and on this particular expedition the men were outside of the truck just staring at the challenge at hand, while the women sat comfortable in the truck waiting for results. To make matters even funnier, the other tourist on safari whom had stopped to help were all out of their cars taking pictures. The excitement for the night was not a pride of lions feasting on a zebra but rather a safari truck stuck in the mud! Not long after help had arrived and failed, they sent for a larger truck and at this point it was getting dark. At first my thoughts were excitement and adventure but I could not help but be reminded of this film I watched during one of my long bus treks in Africa call Predator or Predator II or IV, one of those. Anyways, it was about a family that traveled to Africa and were on a safari, to make a long story short their guide was attacked and eaten by a lion and the family was stuck in the truck with the lion prowling right outside. Tourist wading through deadly waters:Predator X in the making! About an hour or so later a dump truck arrived our savior, or so we thought. Ha but guess what? The tow rope was too short so the truck had to inch closer to us and wa la… the dump truck was stuck! Now what? Ten men staring at the situations quizzically each putting in their two cents before a decision was made. to At this point we had to exit the car sloshing through knee deep water into the unknown. This is the rising action of Predator X. Let me remind you we were in a game reserve, in a swamp infested with snakes, crocodiles and hippos, standing in this water in the murky darkness, and I was just waiting for my anxiety ridden Mom to unnerve. But to my surprise she was calm and even without the stimulating effects of wine J After 45 minutes of silent fright, checking over my shoulder every five seconds into the shadowy abyss for glowing eyes, the truck miraculously escaped! It was a thrilling start to our expedition and probably best it happened our first night when we were still naïve safari-ites! Not only did we camp under the brilliant night sky, eat great food, get stuck, change two flat tires but we even saw animals. Elephants, hippos, lion, crocodiles, leopard, giraffe, zebra, impala, wildebeest, wild dogs to name a few, oh and the best name of all a Kori Bustard.I almost forgot to mention we say a cobra. It was crossing the road while we were driving and we slammed on the breaks and before I knew what the big fuss was about I peeked out my window to find not but five feet from me a black and yellow stripped cobra. It was as thick as a wine bottle and as long as a car and I know I tend to fabricate my creepy crawler stories but this is no exaggeration. This happened to be the first snake I have seen since living in Botswana and I plan on it being the only one.After the safari we headed to Zimbabwe to see Victoria Falls. It’s rainy season and therefore at times the spray from the falls was so heavy it reduced visibility and we inevitably got soaked. This time of the year is not a popular tourist season so we almost had the entire park to ourselves. We spent two days in Zim before moving back to Maity. I thought it would be appropriate to show The Rents the proper way we Motswana travel in Botswana. We took a combie from Francistown to Maitengwe... but in the dark. Now let me preface this; when I first arrived in Bots I remember holding on with dear life in the combies but a year later the chaotic driving doesn’t even faze me, but my parents were a different story. We were dodging cattle and donkeys left and right and I was just waiting for a heart attack or for one to jump out and walk the rest of the way. Okay, maybe it was my mistake to expose them to the reality of transport in Bots but hey, we made it back safely! I am so thankful and grateful for this special time we had together in Botswana. Who would have ever thought I would have the opportunity to go on safari with my mom in Africa? Who would have ever thought we would have the chance to meet so many different people from all over the world and exchange life stories. You just never know what life has in store for you or what may happen in the next year or month, and therefore I am learning to take every experience as it comes, cherishing each and every opportunity. Life is too short to not do something that matters! My friends tell me I’m a pretty cheesy person and I apologize because you just got a taste of that cheesiness! I miss you all! Sending my love from Africa!

I just returned to Maity after being away for about a week and a half. I spent all of last week in Kanye, a village roughly 10 hours south west of me. As a new member of PSDN, peer support and diversity network, one of our main responsibilities is to be present at trainings for the new trainees. The new Bots 10 group arrived at the beginning of April. This past week was my week to greet the new group and offer guidance and support and of course impart my "no longer new-be status, been here for a year now” wisdom J I believe this is a crucial time for the trainees, just arriving in country. There are a mix of emotions; excited, overwhelmed, nervous, motivated etc. and I can say after experiencing the whirlwind that PST (pre-service training) is, it’s a breath of fresh air to have current volunteers there whom have experienced this. I can faintly remember my pre-service training even though it was only one year ago, but one thing I do distinctly recall were the PSDN members. I remember sitting there wide eyed trying to soak up every bit of information, but more importantly I remember the support provided by the current volunteers. I very much admired them and could not help but envy their experiences. A whole year seemed like forever and I wondered if I would ever make it that far. I believe this was one significant reason I wanted to be a part of PSDN, because I know the appreciation and admiration I had for these volunteers during my pre-service training. So, a year later I made it and let me tell you it feels great! Just being with the new group gets me excited for the experiences and opportunities that await them. On the flip side, it gave me a sense of accomplishment and happy to be where I am now. I have returned to my village re-motivated and extremely excited for my second year, after reevaluating my expectations, aspirations, and what I still would like to accomplish.After my week in Kanye I traveled north to a village called Serowe. This is where the President is from. I went with my great friend Sunny to help another volunteer with a project. We were asked to paint murals on the walls of Little Friends Center, a pre-school/OVC daycare.

We had so much fun being creative, getting dirty and most importantly seeing the smiling faces of the children when the painting was complete. While we were in Serowe we also had the opportunity to visit the Rhino Sanctuary. We took an evening game drive through the park and saw oodles of animals. It was a great end to my time away from Maity. I returned home this week to the national governmental strike. From what I was told this is the first legal strike in Botswana. The government employees want an increment in their wages by 16% and thus far only 5% has been awarded. The employees are unhappy because of the lack of a pay raise in four years, yet the rate of inflation continues to rise. The workforce is fed up and therefore are on strike for ten days with hopes of action from the government. Like I said I returned home to find most of the teachers not teaching and only the nurses at my clinic treating the community. As Peace Corps volunteers we are not allowed to get involved or take sides for obvious reasons, but it leaves volunteers in an interesting position. On a another note, I will be leaving again the latter half of next week because The Rents are coming to visit. I’m looking forward to a great couple of weeks! Happy Spring back home! Miss you all! Sending my love from Africa!

I left Colorado one year ago today! 14 months to go!

Miss you all!

Sending my love from Africa!

The past year has come and gone almost in the snap of a finger. I think back over all I have experienced, the rush of emotions, and the things left yet to do. I think about the person I was when I left the States and wonder how I have changed. One cannot face a journey as such without personal transformation, right? “Change is the only constant.” I think as volunteers we all think about what influence we have on our communities and when we depart what significance we will leave behind? It may be the harsh reality that our work will be forgotten within years but I wish we can expect our relationships to always be remembered. I guess in reality this is all I can truly hope for.

It’s a hard lesson to be learning, expectations verses reality. When your expectations fall short of reality it’s normal to feel disappointed and defeated, but the sooner you can accept the reality of the situation, especially here in Botswana, I believe we can really start to leave our prints. As volunteers in Botswana we are ‘expected’ to build HIV/AIDS capacity through promoting behavior change. We are expected to march into a new community and dictate how many children these women should have; or that the father should be present; or their children should be circumcised; or the need to practice monogamy; or to simply use a condom. However in ‘reality’ we all know behavior change will not happen overnight, it will not happen in the two years we are here, hell it will never happen unless this culture actively chooses to change. Just as I fight to see the changes within myself, my community fights harder to change their behavior. After one year I can honestly say I will not give up hope on these expectations but I will put more faith in the reality that this culture, more personally, my village will stand up, stand strong and create change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing, and I maybe all I can do is to help these people have vision of their potential. I set off on this journey 12 months ago in search of myself, better yet I set off to find the person I want to be and that person is someone better. Better than what? I don’t’ know but by god, I know I want to be a better person. I believe through the hardships, through the trials and tribulations, through the shitty days you don’t want to even leave the house you are growing into a stronger person and somehow by becoming a stronger person you are becoming better, and maybe by becoming better you are changing. So as I sit at home because today is one of those shitty days when I don’t want to even leave the house I have to believe tomorrow will bring strength and change. Change in my community, change in myself, change to be a better person! Happy 1 year Bots 9ers!!! May our second year bring significance to our lives and all those we touch. May it bring about hope and faith in our communities, and may it be the change we hope to see in this world.Sending my love from Africa!

Change of address:

P.O. Box 168Maitengwe, Botswana

The clinic post box is currently locked and "my overly friendly, generous, kind, giving post lady" will not give me my mail hence the change in address!

A few months ago I was chosen to be a member of the Peer Support and Diversity Network. This group was developed by volunteers in Botswana to strengthen the volunteer support system. The application process was a steep competition; it was an honor to be selected. The main role of the peer support network is to be a peer mentor and provide appropriate support to anyone who may need it. I returned from training eager to get involved and I feel fortunate to have this network established in Botswana amongst the volunteers. When you first arrive in country you are feeling just about every emotion known to man; it’s hard to grasp where you are what’s going on, more importantly what you got yourself into, but to have fellow volunteers who have been in Botswana for a year previous was a tremendous sigh of relief and assurance that things will be okay. I know how much I appreciated and looked up to those volunteers a year ago which makes me excited to be that encouragement for the new trainees who will be arriving.

I could not be more thrilled about my aerobics class these past few months. My class enjoy the exercise so much I am teaching two classes five days a week. Needless to say I am drained by the end of the week but it has been a gratifying discipline. For a while I had more men attending than women and it was satisfying to have a workout that kicked the boys butts!My counterpart and I started a support group for pregnant and nursing mothers at the clinic, or I should say we are attempting to start a support group. We are struggling to get mothers to attend. Ideally we would like to facilitate mothers in health discussions. In Maitengwe mothers are having child after child after child knowing the majority are HIV positive thus increasing the risk of passing it onto their children. Families cannot afford these children and it’s very sad that these kids will grow up with limited opportunities and even more devastating that the majority will become orphans.One of my greatest friends traveled all way to Africa to visit me this past week. It was wonderful to have a familiar face from home experience this new culture I have become a part of and the new lifestyle I have adopted. Sara and I spent some relaxing days in my village and then traveled to Zambia. On our way to the boarder we saw tons of Elephants on the side of the road. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Us while folk were gawking and pointing, could hardly contain our excitement, while everyone else on the bus , whom where native Africans continued to ignore the fascinating creatures. What I’m told is elephants are like deer back in Western America. We are not too impressed or rather yawning at the sighting of deer; just as elephants are here.We spend the entire day at Vitoria Falls! It was absolutely beautiful. As soon as we crossed the border into Zambia the landscape immediately changed. It was so lush and green and significantly cooler. Its rainy season right now which made for a wet and wild adventure!

There were parts of the falls we could not even see; it was a white out! This surreal experience was a sheer reminder of how many amazing things there are to see in the vast world and how I’m just beginning to skim the surface of these wonders.We stayed at a local backpackers lodge in Livingstone where we met people from all over the world who were traveling, volunteering, or just visiting. Our last night in Zambia we took a sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi river. It was a weekend of firsts, as most experiences are here in Africa but I am so grateful for these amazing opportunities! Thank you Sara for visiting it truly meant so much to me!! Sending my love from Africa!

Congratulations!

Today is your day!

You’re off to great places

You’re off and away.

You've got brains in your head; you’ve got feet in your shoes

You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.

You’re on your own, and you know what you know

And you are the one who’ll decide where to go.

You’ll look up and down streets-look ‘em over with care.

About some you’ll say, “I don’t care to go there.”

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet

You’re too smart to go down a not-so-good-street.

And you might not find any you’ll want to go down.

In that case, of course, you’ll head straight out of town.

It’s opener out there, in the wide open air…

Out there things can happen, and frequently do to people brainy and footsy as you.

But when things start to happen, don’t worry, don’t stew

Just go right along, you’ll start happening too.

Oh the places you’ll go!

Peace Corps is much like this famed Dr. Suess classic.

Congratulations!

The next 27 months are yours!

You have been chosen as a volunteer

To go off to a place in the wide open air.

It may be Fiji, or Ukraine, or even Africa.

Where ever you go, you’re on your own your bags are packed

And you’re ready to go.

It will be a place unfamiliar to you, full of mystery and so

You will have dry spells hard times but onward you will go.

You may not like your new home at first

You may have doubts

Don’t fuss ‘cause you will eventually find your feet.

Preserve and you just might be in for a treat.

Oh the places you will go!

You’ll be on your way up; you’ll be seeing great sights.

You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind because you have the speed.

You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top the rest.

Except when you don’t.

Because sometimes you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so, but sadly its true

The bang ups and hang ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up on a prickly perch.

And your gang will fly on

You’ll be left in the lurch.

You’ll come down from the lurch with an unpleasant bump

And chances are, then, that you’ll be in a slump.

And when you’re in a slump, you’re not in for much fun.

Unslumping yourself is not easily done.

You may come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted, but mostly they’re darked.

A place you can sprain both elbow and shin.

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

And if you go in should you turn left or right?

Or right and three quarters? Or maybe, not quite?

Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,

For a mind marker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race

Down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace.

You’ll wind on for miles across wierdish wild space

Headed, I fear, for a most useless place.

You’ll be seeing new places; you’ll be experiencing new things

You’ll now be a part of a whole new elite.

A group that’s awarded for the work that they do

A troop whose character is anew.

Except there will be times when your head will drop.

You will stumble and fall wondering when you will stop

Feeling helpless and useless and often a lull.

This will happen I am sure it will happen to you.

And when you find yourself in this lull you will question.

Question just what you are doing here? What impact will I have?

Or wonder just why you might have left?

This is a challenge you will face, it’s true, and it’s real

It’s not simple or easy

But with great sacrifice comes big reward.

There will come a time when it rains

When the clouds seem not to part and you can’t find dry land.

You will swim against the current, with aches and pains

Moving, I fear, for the awful quick sand.

The waiting place.

For people just waiting

Waiting for a plane to go

Or a bus to come, or a train to go

Or the mail to come, or the rain to go

Or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

Or waiting for a Yes or No

Or waiting for their hair to grow

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for wind to fly a kite

Or waiting around for Friday night

Or waiting for their Uncle Jake

Or a pot to boil, or a better break.

A string of pearls, a pair of pants,

A wig with curls, or another chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

But no!

That’s not for you!

Somehow you’ll escape all the waiting and staying

And find the bright places where the boom-bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping once more you’ll ride high

Ready for anything under the sky

Because you’re that kind of guy.

The waiting place.

You will just wait.

Waiting for a plane to take you home

Or a bus to take you who knows where

Or a letter to arrive or the heat to

Or the phone to ring and for a familiar voice.

Or waiting to feel some normalcy; a part of your community.

You will just wait.

Waiting for the sun to set

Or waiting around for a meeting to start

Or waiting for an upcoming vacation

Or a hot shower, or a comforting meal.

A distant friend, a feeling of hope,

Or the courage to embrace and cope.

You will just wait.

But no!

These hard times will pass.

You’ll find ways to leave the waiting and loneliness behind

And discover new lands where the kids call out your name.

With building relationships and cultural exchanges, you’ll regain your strength

Ready for the changes

Because you are now stronger.

Oh the places you’ll go!

There is fun to be done

There are points to be scored

There are games to be won.

And the magical thing you can do with that ball

Will make you the winningest of all.

Fame! You’ll be famous as famous can be!

With the whole world watching you win on TV!

Except when they don’t.

Because, sometimes they won’t.

I’m afraid that sometimes you’ll play lonely games too.

Games you can’t win ‘cause you’re playing against you.

All alone! Whether you like it or not

Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot.

And when you’re alone there’s a very good chance

That you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, on the road between hither and yon

That can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.

Oh the places you’ll go!

There are new people to meet

There are new sights to see

There are obstacles to overcome

And the person you will become

Will be the best part of all.

Smile ‘cause you will be an idol, a role model

With your entire communities’ eyes on you.

Expect when you start to feel alone.

Because this inevitable feeling is true.

Loneliness creeps in which can cloud your views.

Only you! Whether you like it or not

Only you, something you will have to get use to.

And when you are only you

You’ll have to depend on yourself and only you

While facing your most awful of fears

That scare you so much you’ll just want to disappear.

But on you will go!

Through the weather be foul.

On you will go!

Through your enemies prow!

On you will go!

Through Hecken-cracks howl!

Onward up many frightening reek

Through your arms may be sore

And your sneakers may leak.

On you will hike!

And I know you’ll hike far

And face up to your problems

Wherever they are.

You’ll get mixed up, of course

As you already know.

You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step, step with great care and great tact

And remember that life’s a big balancing act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and deft

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes, you will indeed.

Ninety-eight and three quarters percent guaranteed.

Kid, you’ll move mountains!

So, be your name Bixby or Buxbaum or Bray

Or Mordecai Ali van Allen O’Shay

You’re off to great places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting,

So get on your way!

But you will keep climbing!

Through the hard times and disappointments

You will keep climbing

Through the setbacks that dent

You will climb!

Through sights of disease and illness

You’ll fight with all your might

Though you’ll witness much stillness

You will continue to climb towards the light.

You’ll get tangled and jumbled

As you already well know

Your bus may break down in the rain as you go

So be mindful with your pace

Two years will fly by

Yet remember it is not a race.

And will you inspire?

Yes, it will happen.

Especially in the many times of dire.

Volunteer, you’ll make a difference!

So be you American, young or old

Or a female or male, gay or straight

You’re off to new lands!

To make a difference.

Your community is waiting!

So be the change you wish to see in the world!

"Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you."People often comment on what an extraordinary experience Peace Corps presents and what great opportunities lie ahead. I definitely agree with these statements yet, I’m finding these experiences are at times out of my control and this is not always easy. However, it's teaching me to take each experience as it comes, embrace the experience in its entirety, take what I can from it and move on. This past week I did just that.As some of you know, I was fortunate enough to travel to Jamaica for my cousin Joselyn’s wedding. I could not have been more excited for this vacation, awaiting the reunion of my family. If I could just make it through the three days of travel, I was home free...well just about. I took a combie from Maitengwe to town; bus to Gaborone, the capital; taxi to the airport; flight to Johannesburg, South Africa; flight to Atlanta; flight to Montego Bay; but it doesn’t end there, unfortunately this is where the story begins. Well, let me back up a bit. As soon as I got on the plane in Joburg destined for Atlanta I started feeling sick. Let me mention this was a 17 hour flight. So, yes I was feeling sick. I had a fever, body aches, uneasy bowls to say the least, and the chills. These were no ordinary chills but rather convulsions making it impossible to relax. My neighbor I’m sure thought I was some crazy person, unable to stop fidgeting and taking his blanket. This was the most miserable 17 hours of my life and I’m still not sure how I survived. I tried to keep reminding myself I will be with my family soon, just make it to Jamaica. As soon as I arrived in Atlanta and stood in the numerous lines to get through passport and custom checks, I collapsed on the floor unsure how I was going to get myself on my next flight to Montego Bay. Luckily, the plane was not full and I was able to stretch out and sleep. As I walked off the plane in Jamaica, dizzy and feeling like I was going to crumple I stumbled into the custom line, almost free until an airport attendant walking through the line checking custom forms, grabs mine and seeing that I had previously been in Africa, sends me to the health desk to answer some routine questions. “In the past 24 hours have you felt ill; experiencing any nausea, fever, headaches etc.?” hahahaha well as a matter of fact, YES!! These were the exact symptoms I was experiencing. At this time they have to take me to see the nurse in the airport; she takes my temperature, it’s 102. She tells me I have to see the doctor. Now at this point I am just irritated, tired, feeling like death, and just want to see my family, and this frustration very well could have presented itself in my tone when I told the nurse I will not see the doctor, just let me go. The plan was to meet my family in the airport in Montego Bay and at this point they had been waiting two hours for me. Well, my defiant demeanor was needless to say not affective. I was wheeled out of the airport in a wheelchair to the ambulance. Here, in my wheelchair is where I saw my parents for the first time in 9 months, not exactly how we thought we would rally. First time I have ever been in an ambulance and with the siren roaring, nonetheless. We get to the hospital and they immediately start the tests. I was so severely dehydrated that it took about five pokes before they could get any blood.They put an IV in both hands and started pumping the fluids. Next, stool sample after stool sample are collected, along with vile of blood after vile of blood. Then I get admitted. The doctors were very paranoid that I had malaria and that I was going to spread it the entire country of Jamaica. I’m taken to the isolation ward and luckily get my own room, yet I’m enclosed in a mosquito net. I was in quarantine; I was a leper. You can imagine the hospital stay in Jamaica is much the same as in Botswana, or should I just paint the picture of a third world country for you? I did not just stay one night, I did not just stay two nights, oh no they kept me for three nights…three nights. My first malaria test came back negative but they needed another test; and guess what? Negative! In the end we decided it was just a bad virus. The silver lining: All my siblings surprised me in the hospital. Once again it was not ideal to see them from my hospital bed hooked to my IVs in my mosquito net, for the first time but nonetheless, it was the best part of my vacation!! So, after four days and three nights of needles, pain, isolation, a Jamaican vacation spent in the hospital, and an experience out of my control, I was released four hours before the wedding. The wedding was beautiful and I feel so blessed to have had this time with my family, even if it was cut short by experiences out of my control. We were suppose to leave the next morning but there was no possible way I was mentally or emotionally ready to get on that plane for Botswana. So, we extended our stay in paradise for two more days. With the unconditional love of my family surrounding me I was able to relax and recover on the beach. The last night of our vacation, I was presenting a slide show of pictures for my family. We were accompanied by Sandy, the resort pet. Sandy was clearly a nursing mother and we had been told gave birth not too long ago to a litter of puppies. Well, as the night should have it, Sandy birthed another litter of four puppies’ right in our room in front of our eyes. Just as one bad experience presents itself, a good experience may be right around the corner. It was at this moment that I realized every experience whether good or bad, shapes who we are and helps us grow into the person we will become. How many people can say they were admitted into the hospital in Jamaica, or that they live in Botswana, or that they have had malaria? Whatever your experiences may be, good and bad, they have made you who you are. So remember, “experience is not what happens to you; it’s what you do with what happens to you.”I am a true believer in what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and let me just say I’m becoming one fucking strong woman!! You might not believe me when I tell you this but, little Lucie spent a day in Paris. My fabulous sister Alicia had the honors of changing all of our flights to stay the extra two days in paradise. As our luck would have it I was unable to get on the same flight but Alicia worked her magic and pulled out the hospital card, therefore I was rerouted through Paris. I had a 12 hour layover and took this opportunity to see the city. I took a bus into Paris and walked around all afternoon by myself. I got lost, or should I say I was lost the entire time but somehow found my way. Sam I did everything you told me to do! I saw the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomhe, walked down the Avenue des Champs Ellysees, Musee du Louvre, Notre Dame, ate at a small French café; enjoyed a baguette and glass of wine. It was the perfect day! It was the perfect ending to a not so perfect beginning!

As I've gotten older I will shamefully admit I find myself dreading the holiday season, or the Western culture has turned Christmas into. These days the holiday is so commercialized and fantasized it cannot possibly live up to expectations. Tis the season to be merry and jolly yet, somehow everyone finds themselves stressed out rushing here and there and everywhere. This is a conversation my Mom and I have time and time again, but this year we resolute d to do something different, as if being in Africa is not unusual enough. One thing I do enjoy about this season is traditions, yet there is something special about building new traditions. So instead of being a Scrooge this year I decided it was time to get off the pot.I spent the week before Christmas co-facilitating an OVC Life skills workshop in New Xade. With just over 2000 people, the village of New Xade is one of the largest San resettlements in Botswana. The village is home to many different tribal groups and carries a rich cultural heritage. However, due to lack of employment and illiteracy rates, the village leadership is crippled by excessive alcohol abuse and the problems associated with it, and ultimately it’s the children whom suffer for it. Currently, New Xade has 57 registered orphans, 200+ vulnerable and needy children, and 260 hostel dwellers that have little to no access to healthy role models on a day to day basis. As a result, the vast majority of OVC’s are in need of life-skills training and psychosocial support, as evidenced by the high drop-out rates, high teenage pregnancy rates, youth-committed crime, and alcohol and drug abuse. The theme of the workshop was “Live Well, Tshela Sentle.” Students were taught to associate alcohol abuse with poor decision making which can lead to domestic violence, rape, destitution, and/or HIV/AIDS. The workshop also focused on gender empowerment to help students recognize and take pride in their growing sexuality while alerting them to the dangers of MCP, domestic violence, and unhealthy relationship patterns. Additionally, team-building, art therapy, recreational therapy, and nutrition were key interests and skills taught.Sunny the PCV in New Xade who organized the workshop did a tremendous job. It was a very successful week, the kids had a blast. These children have never participated in organized games or sports that we Americans are accustomed to growing up in just a fortunate country, let alone have they ever had positive role models in their lives who just simply acknowledge them. It was a heartwarming feeling to be a part of something new in these children’s’ lives and just to see them smile. Christmas came and went this year with no white winter, no chestnuts roasting on an open fire, no jingle bells, no prime rib or Christmas dinner; instead white sand, 100 degree weather, beautiful sunsets, no network and “It’s a Wonderful Life.”I spend a very quiet festive season in New Xade with my very good friend Sunny. Two days later we left for holiday in Namibia… well we attempted to leave. One very important lesson I am learning is to have little expectations and those expectations you do have, expect to be delayed. We waited about 12 hours for a lift out of New Xade. Like I said earlier New Xade is a settlement in the CKGR desert in the west of Botswana, very remote no paved roads and very few cars going in and out. As the day wore on we had done nothing but sit and wait, we realized we were literally stuck, no transport out and no network to communicate with the outside world. Just as our hope burnt out we caught a ride into Ghanzi where we were meeting our travel crew. We didn’t leave Botswana until about 8PM, arriving at the border at 11:45PM. o make a long story short the border closes at midnight and there was a slight confusion getting into Namibia and well we got stuck at the border, literally stuck again, gated in, not in Botswana and not in Namibia. I can now say I’ve slept at a border post, definitely should be on every ones to do list. Oh did I mention we lost our car so the next morning we got very lucky and met this amazing couple who drove us all the way to Windhoek in their red hummer. From Windhoek we took a bus into Swakopmund on the western coast where we spent the remainder of the week. All I can say, “Dorothy we were not in Africa any more..” Namibia is a beautiful country. Swakopmund is a huge tourist destination with a heavy German population. We indulged in great food; compensating for the last 9 months, relaxed on the beach, road ATV’s through the sand dunes, and just had a wonderful holiday. After three days of grueling travel, ten different hitches, sleeping where ever, back to eating peanut butter and corn flakes, we had returned to Botswana we had returned to reality. “Shit or get off the pot.” This year is about new traditions and new experiences. It’s about personal growth, meeting new people, taking life as it come. It’s about embracing every moment and making memories. This year is about getting off the pot! I missed family and friends tremendously this festive season but I hope everyone had a fantastic merry holiday and chose to get off the pot, whatever that may mean to each of you. Miss you all! Sending my love from Africa!

To all my family and friends back home, I miss you and have a wonderful holiday season! Will be thinking about you!

Sending my love from Africa!

I’m very happy to report November has been a busy and exciting month for me. Not only does it signify seven months in my service, it signifies the nineteen more months and counting. No, but honestly, it’s taken seven months for me to get here but I can truly say I would not be anywhere else. I started two of my own projects this past week. First is a reading club for the school kids. My initial intention was to target those needing help with school work but after my first encounter, more than 100 kids showed up wanting to read, so my club now has a new focus. This past week I had 50+ students and after listening to them read I felt encouraged to teach and help. I’ve never seen so many children so eager and willing to learn to read. This is where I hope to make a difference. This is where I hope to be an inspiration. I am also teaching an aerobics class for the entire community. Exercise does not have the same crazed manic fever that is does in America, so it’s great to introduce something new and different to this culture. I had a successful turn out the first week and hope to build as time goes on. It took seven months but last weekend I attended my first funeral since being here. Sadly, funerals are nearly weekend events in Maitengwe, in Botswana. HIV is inevitably the cause but people don’t dare admit or speak of the disease. As I scanned the crowed of tender worn faces of those I see day in and day out, I realized just how much this awful sickness affects everyone in this community. I could not help but feel that unavoidable lump in my throat before I was shaken awake by the contagious camaraderie of everyone present. One cannot help but feel a part of the community after sharing such a sorrowful and personal affair. I spent much of the past week with the OVC’s (Orphan and Vulnerable Children) at Kabelano Pre-School. These precious kiddies were preparing for their graduation and I had the distinct opportunity to be a part of this special occasion. We worked day in and day out to make this day just perfect for the kids and after seeing not only their faces light up but the faces of their caregivers, it made all the hard work worth it. Kabelano Pre-School is unique in that it caters to children whom have lost one or both of their parents. Some of the children are sponsored by outside organizations, which otherwise they could not afford this schooling. After spending time with these munchkins I’ve come to realize they truly are their own family. The amazing teachers are volunteers and beyond doubt lead the way for these kids. It is an honor to be involved with them; and one cannot help but fall in love with this family. As time goes on I feel more and more a part of my community and this is such an inspiring and comforting feeling after a long road of questioning and uneasiness. My Mom speaks these profound yet simple words to me every time I talk to her, “Where you're at is where you're supposed to be.” You may not always feel this but when you believe it, you begin to see your life in a whole new light! Miss you all! Sending my love from Africa!

Its 5am on Sunday morning, I can’t sleep. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe the roosters, yeah maybe, but most likely it’s because my heart is still thumping out of my chest. Let me back up. 3:45 am: I’m surprisingly shaken from my sleep by a loud flapping and screeching. I hurly myself out of bed in a panicked frenzy, tripping over my fan cord to get to my light switch. Oh by the way, it only took 5 months of incessant sweating but I finally got a fan. I was afraid I knew all too well what this creature could be…. No no not a snake, I would not be writing this entry right now if there was a “you know what in my house,” I would be packing my bags, on the first flight home, sayonara Africa, we had a good run… no no, instead it was a mangy bat. 3:47-4:00am: Heart racing, pacing my house, turning on all the lights because that’s going to solve everything; racing thoughts “What am I going to do? I don’t know the first thing about catching a bat? It’s four in the morning, who am I going to call? I scream when I’m forced to kill a spider, let alone a lizard and a bat was out of the question.” More pacing,…still pacing…don’t know what else to do but pace. 4:00am: It’s a good thing Sakalangas’ rise early; I called a good friend of mine; and to my dismay after describing the pickle I was in, I heard none other than the countless chuckles on the other end. 4:20am: Finally my liberators had arrived and after searching high and low, left and right, near and far; just my luck no bat to be found. I’m sure at this point they thought I was some crazy white women not only a scardy cat but now seeing things. 4:30am: My liberators leave. 4:33am: My liberators return upon my call, this time to find the bat hiding in my curtains. The little devil was discarded of within seconds mocking my panicked frenzy. Once again my irrational fear of these creatures gets the best of me. Once again I have to rely on someone else to do the dirty work. Once again all I can do is laugh at myself!

My tutoring/homework club was suppose to start today, instead I was accompanied home hand in hand with honestly 100 kids; as if I already don't draw enough attention. Swarm of children coming at ya...

Recently I have felt inspired by the small things in life which at the time may seem insignificant but in retrospect are the moments that make the biggest difference. I was riding in a car this past week, on my way to Semolale with my friend Jen. I was sharing the back set with a young girl no older than seven. As I gazed out the window at the blooming bush I couldn’t help but notice the ogling eyes and the wide eyed smile sitting next to me. For the next ten minutes we would smile at each other, give a little giggle, I would impart my infamous wink and surprisingly get one in return. It didn’t take long for this to turn into a bubblegum blowing contest. Here I am unable to verbally communicate well with this new culture I am becoming a part of, yet a simple smile and wink says a thousand words, better yet blowing bubbles conveys an entire conversation. It’s moments like theses that are the most memorable and begin to alter your life. The next day I was helping a student with her math homework, specifically long division; you can imagine the difficulty of the language barrier but then add the mathematical explanation. Yet, it’s the moment that it makes sense and you realize the significance of your efforts, though small, make the biggest difference. “People don’t remember days, they remember moments” I’m always delightfully surprised how pleased I am to return to my village; to return to my home after being away. This particular time I came back with new feelings about what I want to gain from my service. We are told our experience is what we make it; “own your service.” I thought I understood the meaning of this, but until now I’ve jus t been existing here in Botswana; sometimes counting the days until I come home, other times just being absent. I can no longer exist I must live and for the first time in the 7 months I’ve been here I know how to do that. For me, it’s finding inspiration in the small feats; it’s teaching students’ long division; it’s having a bubblegum blowing contest; it’s smiling and winking to those I meet; it’s living in the moment! Today was a good day, today I walked with my head held high, today I did not just exist, today I lived!

HAPPY 6 MONTHS!!!!

Half of a year has gone by already, it's hard to believe. At times it feels like ages and others it feels like the day I stepped off the plane embarking on this mysterious journey. I am a woman of few words so a couple thoughts on this momentous accomplishment…. Yes 6 months is a huge triumph Killing creepy crawlers does not get easier the more you do it; I still continue to scream with every slay It’s spring. It’s 100 degrees. It’s still getting hotter.. I’m very happy to say I cannot see myself anywhere else right now! Mom you will be delighted to hear I’m reading lots and lots of books. I’m working on perfecting El Omelet; watch out Dad yours won’t even be a competition! These past 6 months have been full of: fun, discouragement, sorrow, happiness, learning, growing, disappointment, tears, smiles, yearning, excitement, challenges, irritation, friendships, uncertainty, fear, anxiety, searching, loneliness, vulnerability, adventure, questioning, opportunity…. Everything under the sun BUT… I continue to DANCE Grandma Kelly, I continue to dance!!! Miss you all! See you in 20 months! Sending my love from Africa!!!!

Why in the world would anyone want to join the Peace Corps? This is an all too familiar question, not only asked by friends, family and strangers at that, but more importantly something I, myself raise everyday. You spend anywhere from 1-2 ½ years applying; endless paperwork, continuous doctor visits, waiting, background checks, finger prints, more waiting, interviews, waiting, and more waiting and then when you’re losing hope of ever getting an invitation there is, you guessed it… more waiting. But then, the day comes, the day that will mark the beginning of this new life. After the endless waiting, ironically you now feel like you don’t have enough time; time to pack, time to get what you need, time to see everyone, most importantly time to say goodbye. As Peace Corps volunteers we stand up among thousands of people and decide to fight for something bigger than ourselves, we desire to serve. We’ve chosen to leave our friends, family and loved ones, our homes and comfort to embark on the unexpected, the unknown, and the uncertainty. We do this knowing acceptance of our time, energy and efforts might not be appreciated. We do this knowing we may be taken advantage of. We do this recognizing that unimaginable difficult and challenging times lie ahead. We do it in hopes of leaving a lasting impact, in hopes of peace and love, in hopes of healing and in hopes of giving back. Of course we also do it for selfish reasons, but remember we are human. I’m reminded of these famous words… “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer”After being here for almost half a year, I can honestly say it’s more about making people smile, laughing with the kiddies, building lasting friendships and being an inspiration! I can truly only hope to touch the lives of even half of those whom have already placed their hands on me. Sending my love from Africa!

I get home from work today thirsty and dehydrated and the first thing I do is go to my sink to get some water but almost fall flat on my butt backwards screaming at the site of what was in my sink… is was a lizard; they resemble snakes a bit too much for my liking. After my heart stopped pounding I decided to just leave it, assuming it would find its way out of my sink and my site. I learned a valid lesson today- DON’T ASSUME! I was minding my own business the rest of the afternoon when I started hearing a strange noise coming from my kitchen. I slowly crept in while trying to figure out where the noise was coming from; and then I peered into my sink and guess who was still there struggling to get out? The sink was too deep and slick for the little bugger to get out. This means there was no more minding my own business, I was going to have to do something about it but I was not quite ready yet. After another hour or so of high-ridden anxiety I grabbed a tin can and decided I was going to try to capture it and release it outside. If you know anything about me then you will understand the next phase of this lizard detaining anguish. There was a lot of screaming and squirming, and every time I got close the lizard would wiggle and I would shriek and jump backwards and it was a never ending cycle, until I got too close and chopped off the tail. Both the lizard and THE TAIL went berserk and I ran out of my kitchen squealing. I was remembering when I was little visiting my grandparents in Arizona; my brother, sister, and cousins would spend hours catching lizards and as much as I tried to fit in with the older kids I absolutely wanted nothing to do with this; in other words I was too scared. Looks like 20 years later I am as much or even more of a scardy cat. I work up the nerve to inch back into my kitchen and find half a lizard still stuck in my sink but no tail to be found- it slipped down my drain. I don’t know why I though I still had the ability to catch this thing, but I tried a few more times with the same results; lizard would wiggle and I would shriek and jump backwards. Finally I had to call a friend to come help me. I didn’t mention the lizard on the phone, just that I needed help. My friends needless to say laughed at me when they saw what I needed help with. The little bugger was captured and released within a minute and I felt so relieved. I can’t help but laugh at myself now and I hope you all are doing the same thing! Sending my love from Africa!

I just returned from in-service training in “The City” and I never thought I would be happy to return to village life! The training came at a perfect time, and not soon enough for others. It was 2 weeks full of language and a handful of helpful presentations given on Orphans & Vulnerable Children, Male Circumcision, ARV’s, Multiple Concurrent Partnerships, and Gender Empowerment to name a few. It was a time to reconnect with volunteers and enlighten and collect insight, while sharing the inevitable challenges. We had two more volunteers leave Botswana at the start of IST; we have lost 7 in all, which is a significant number this early into service, and oddly enough has a strange unexplainable impact on those still here.

So you may be asking, “Lucie what’s village life?” “Great question let me tell you.” My village has 8,000 people more or less, and I say more of less because each person you ask will give you a different number; however Maitengwe is immensely spread out so it feels much smaller. Everybody knows your name… Making your way in the world today Takes everything you've got;

Taking a break from all your worries

Sure would help a lot.

Wouldn't you like to get away?

Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to be where you can see,

Our troubles are all the same;

You want to be where everybody knows your name. Name that tune! It’s kind of like that; it certainly did not take long for everyone to know me, and it couldn’t be because I am the only white person in my village., nah... My name is Khumo which means riches and everywhere I go I hear it being called, it is my new alias. I have only one friend who calls me Lucie. Everyone welcomes everyone; never do I pass someone on foot without a greeting. There is electricity in my village but few have this convenience, and the same is true for running water. One thing I am most thankful for is my indoor toilet and for those who know me well you know this is because of my pea size bladder… One of my favorite things about living in a village is the night skies; it goes on forever. I’ve never seen so many stars in my life. The Milky Way reaches from horizon to horizon and is breathtakingly clear and vast. There are no billboards, advertisements or media bombarding the village which is a refreshing quality. Children don’t need expensive trinkets and toys, but rather are completely content with making fun out of tires, sticks and milk cartons. Finest of all is the serenity. I recently heard Botswana ranked #3 happiest African nation. It’s humbling to not only hear this but witness the content even in the midst of so much illness and death. American’s take pride in our success, our experiences, and our accomplishments which are great qualities, yet I’m learning that Batswana are less concerned about climbing the corporate ladder as they are about how family is doing, what new life changes are happening in people’s lives (i.e having a baby, getting married), and generally just living in the moment. Something I try to do everyday.

Traditional medicine and traditional healers are still very much a frequent practice in Maitengwe. I had the unexpected opportunity to see a group of spiritual healers, Sangom in action. They heal the sick through the art of dancing and speaking to their ancestors. Everyone who attends must remove their shoes and may not come smelling of soap or perfumes, because this interferes with the communication between the ancestors. They dance to song and the beat of drums. This is all I really understand about the Sangom, but there are testimonies of the sick being healed… oooooo spooky! I miss you all. Sending my love from Africa!

It all started with a persistent migraine. Then the body aches and joint pain appeared, followed by the relentless tug-of-war between sweating and the chills. My body was as stiff as a board; my energy zapped, while the migraine had settled in my eyes, losing my ability to hold them open.

After almost a week of feeling like a zombie and a week of stubbornly wishing and hoping it was just going to go away… it wasn’t. I was thumbing through my 12 inch thick PC medical handbook when I stumbled across the malaria section; as if I was not anxious enough. My symptoms were evident as much as I wanted to deny it. I’m at a higher risk of contracting malaria where I live than most places in Botswana irrespective of the consistency of taking my prophylaxis, or sleeping with my mosquito net, which oddly enough happens to be sitting in my closet. After much worrisome coaxing from the rents I find myself at the clinic, this time as a patient, and hours later I leave being poked and prodded and with a handful of pills.

I remember sitting through our last medical session during PST; specifically addressing malaria. I will shamefully admit I felt invisible, never expecting to get anything but a minor cold. (I have a pretty stellar immune system; I say this as the inevitable jinxing process begins) My invisibility stems from my normal, simplistic self. What I mean by this is nothing out of the ordinary ever seems to happen to me; my names never drawn from a hat, I don’t randomly run into famous people, I don’t find $20 bills on the ground, and I most certainly do not contract weird aliments; don’t get me wrong, I’m more than okay with my usual expected self. I guess it serves me right; my adolescent philosophy. No need to worry though, like I said the rents did enough of that for everyone, and I am just fine now! In the midst of my meaningless blabber what I’m trying to say is… what’s a journey to Africa without malaria?

Hard to believe I’ve been in Maitengwe for one month now, but I believe I’ve been suppressing the reality of the challenges that lie ahead of me. I can see my introverted coy tendencies wanting to dominate because it’s easier, but personal growth is one reason I’m here, as selfish as it may be. Why does it have to be so difficult for some people to put themselves out there; walking up to complete strangers and introducing yourself, sounds so simple, right? I cannot bear prickly situations to the extent of making it a point to avoid them at all cost even at the expense of missing out on ample opportunities. Then again, who stands in line or raises their hand to be put in an awkward situation? However, I made the decision to confront these situations when I applied for the Peace Corps and I can no longer take the easy road, the path that I know I would and have always succeeded at. Many people will read this and laugh at the simplicity of this anxiety but for me it’s a reality and a challenge I knew I would encounter here.

Someone very close and special to me shared these words…

“If you take each challenge one step at a time with faith in every footstep, your strength and understanding will increase.”

I think it’s time to take the road less traveled, step out of my comfortable smiley bubble, put myself out there and face my fears. Okay, I’m not referring to my unrealistic trepidation of snakes; Oh no, I do not have any desire to face or overcome that fear…ha lets be real. Nevertheless, I’ve come to Africa for a reason, for many reasons, and selfishly self improvement is one, yet significant purpose of my service.

As I sat on the parked combie at the crowed bus rank, gazing out the window at the hundreds of people passing and gaping, struggling to understand the uncanny gentleman practically sitting in my lap imparting me with his marriage proposal, while waiting for the combie to overflow with Motswana, Kalanga, food, buckets, chairs, bags, you name it, which seemed like an eternity, kind of like this sentence, I realized the essence of my patience being tested. In the past I discreetly took pride in my patience and my tolerance in respect to the average person’s frustrations, but I’m recognizing that my patience has never truly been tested until now. I’m reminded of some great advice spoken by my wise older sister, “Push yourself to your limits; out of your comfort zone. It will be tough but will just get easier and easier. You’ve got nothing to lose.” Mags, thank you for your unconditional guidance. I stepped out of my comfort zone the day I stepped off the plane, I’ve been pushed in a new and different way every single day, and though most days are mentally and emotionally taxing, it’s these challenges that expand my limits, consequently my patience.

Allow me to update you on the very significant matters at hand.

1. I killed my spiders that I have shamefully been cohabitating with the past 3 weeks. I finally worked up the courage to kill them. Picture this… broom in one hand, doom in the other, rain boots on, and maybe just maybe a yelp or two.

2. Ventured to the fields to watch soccer, volleyball and netball this past weekend. Netball is a very popular sport for the girls and it’s just like hand soccer. Sign me up! If spectating was a sport (or a word for that matter), I would have won the blue ribbon. Needless to say, the fans were more interested in watching me. But what I really wanted to say was you will never believe what I saw… someone was wearing a DENVER BRONCOS hat!!! I am not kidding you, I couldn’t believe it, and at that moment as I could not take me eyes off the distant familiarity of home, I realized this man must be feeling the same uncomfortable stares that seem to stick to me. But I couldn’t help it, Denver Broncos hat in Africa; Botswana nonetheless? Most of you probably had to look up Botswana on a map. Ha that’s probably what they say about me, “What is a Lakoga (white person), doing in Botswana?”

3. I pulled a “Maggie” the other day. Now I say all this out of love and unforgettable memories. I broke my wine glass, and not because I should have had one less glass, and not because “I fell asleep on the couch with the glass still in my hand… Maggie”… but we will just say I have one less wine glass. Thanks for the memorable laughs Mags, love you!

This one’s classic; I dropped an entire carton of eggs at the grocery store. I did the customary scan to see if anyone noticed, but there was no covering this one up. There was not one egg that did not crack and all over my legs and feet nonetheless. As if I don’t get enough gawking as it is, thank you graceful demeanor.

4. Two weeks at our sites and two volunteers have already been administratively separated, which means they are separated from Peace Corps service FOR-EV-ER! It was pounded into us from day one that our group, Bots 9, would not be allowed to travel to the World Cup. Bummer I know, believe me. The first 3 months at site volunteers are strongly encouraged to spend as much time in their communities as possible… integration, what’s that? Well, unfortunately two fellow PCV’s decided to take the risk and travel to South Africa for the games. Oops… not only did they violate the first 3 month rule, but also if one leaves country without alerting PC, it’s almost always automatic adsep, and not to mention “they got caught!” Let me also tell you that riding a bike without a helmet grounds one to be administratively separated as well… hmmmmm!!!

Well until my next riveting vital update, miss you all!

I'll try to make the next entry worth reading.

Sending my love from Africa

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds everyone well! I just need to take the time to specially thank all of you that have written and kept in contact with me over the last 2 months. I know it’s not cheap but the letters, packages, and familiar voices lift me up through my tough days. To the VanCleaves, I received your package this week and as I developed that lump in my throat from the unconditional love and support, I couldn’t help but laugh at the picture of Grandma Kelly, Joselyn and I. Joselyn what are we wearing? I regret to be reminded of my “Louie” days… I miss you all but will see you at the wedding in JAMAICA!!!!!!!

During PST, mail would be dispersed sporadically from week to week and there were very few times I did not receive a letter or package. There was a running joke amongst many of the volunteers, “How many today Lucie? Did your family and friends send me anything?” It was a great reminder of the amazing support network I have back home. Thank you all very much!! Miss you!

Sending my love from Africa!

Lucie Jane

Lu

Luce

Louie

Goose

Jucie

Lucifer

“The beautiful things in life are those that, when you look at them, you see not what they are, but what they could be.”

Maitengwe is not the small one tarred road I thought it was. It seems as I aimlessly followed my counterpart throughout the village this week on home visits, there truly is much more than the eye can see. It was on these long treks that I saw the beauty of my new home for the first time. I cannot put into words the natural allure of my surroundings; from the native huts, to the obscure landscapes, right down to the quizzical kindness of the people. I have had many “is this really my life” instances this past week, but I think it’s those moments you really stop to smell the roses that you gain appreciation, not only for your environment but life.

In those moments when I’ve stopped to smell the roses, I’ve also picked up a flair for cooking; I’m a bit basis since I’m the only one who’s actually tasted my dishes. I’ll admit the thing I look forward to the most after work is coming home to cook… yes I said cook, not bake. Believe it or not I have yet to bake, it’s just too dangerous.

It’s winter here right now, and the weather reminds me much like Colorado. If you aren’t happy with the weather conditions, wait twenty minutes and it will change. The days are hot, but the mornings and nights are bitter. There is no insulation in the houses so once the sun goes down you put on all your clothes; yes my two bags full of clothes, all on, and hop into bed.

I was just reminded of something my mom use to say when we were younger, “Bedtime for Bonzos!” What is a bonzo? Hey, Bonzo rhymes with Gonzo, who was one of the characters from the Muppets.

Miss you all!!!

Sending my love from Africa!

I made it back from my site visit in Maitengwe, in case anyone thought I might get gobbled up by a lion for hippo-nope, back safe and sound. Let's see, Maitengwe is relatively small, between 5000-6000 Kalanga speaking Motsananas, and 1 lakoga (white person) that's ME! However, the village is one paved road and therefore seems mush smaller. My house is a 7 min 23 sec walk to the Zimbabwean boarder. I went for a run one of the days and exercise definitely does not have the same obsessed, get off your lazy booty, train for a marathon, endless PT, drive yourself nuts philosophy. Instead, everyone prefers staring intently with their heads cocked to one side- like what dogs do when you speak to them in a high pitched voice. (who does that though...) The kids often join me which I really like. Yay running buddies! It reminds me of Forrest Gump, when the random people join him on his 3 year run across America; yeah, it's like that, except I'm in Africa and the no beard thing... "Run Lucie Run!" Oh man I love that movie!

We had a thank you picnic for our families this past weekend. We cooked American food! What, what is that? We had a lot of food left over and only in Bostwana would you see food being taken home in...

1. Mayo and ketchup jars

2. Plastic bags

3. My favorite- a shoe box

4. Tin cans

Up until now I've tried to keep the entries light, adding in a bit of "Lucie humor" here and there, but I must get serious for a minute. Bear with me.

Randomly, in the past two months we've been in Botswana I'm engulfed by these vivid sensations that send chills throughout my entire body. I feel very empowered, and it's at these very simplistic moments that I know I'm doing exactly what I should be doing, exactly where I should be doing it. With that said I would be lying if I said I was not scared. We leave for our villages Friday after we swear-in as official volunteers on Thursday. Looking back, these two months have really flown by, yet there have been plenty of days that seemed never ending.

One significant thing I've learned is how important it is to keep a sense of humor. If you can't learn to laugh at yourself, you will not survive here. So the excitement of this week was a small salmonella out break among us volunteers. "Line up, here's your cup... poop on command."

I forgot to mention, I live in a two bedroom house- you all know what that means... No excused for not coming to visit! Surgeon's General Warning: No shower, no hot water! You will have to bathe and boil your water.

I love you all and think about you everyday!

Sending my love from Africa!

Hi all!!!

I got my site placement this past weekend, and I'm going to Maitengwe! aka Zimbabwe!! I can be in both countries at once, holla!! We leave for site visits tomorrow through the weekend. I will be based in a clinic which provides basic medical needs to the community and I will specifically focus on the PMCTC (prevention of mother to child transmission) program, and Home-Based Care program for persons living with HIV/AIDS. I'm about 100k from the closest volunteer, which will be good; it will really force me to integrate into my community. "Anyone want to be my friend?"

OH YEAH, ummmmm my village is predominately a Kalanga speaking community. Guess what? This is not the language we have been learning throughout training. So just my luck, I get to struggle even more to learn a different language. There is no bitterness on my end, of course!

My counterpart told me people come into our clinic with SNAKE bites, regularly. COBRAS, MAMBAS, OH AND SCORPIONS. Okay, when I signed up for the Peace Corps I understood the possibility of no electricity or running water and I'm okay with that, but never in my contract was there a warning about SNAKES, let alone SNAKE BITES. Here's my philosophy: I walk around saying in my head, "There are no such things as snakes, there are no such things as snakes!" It's worked up to this point and I'm two months in... I'm going with it!

Only 3 more weeks of PST! (fist pump!)

Please take note of my new permanent address... this means send letters:)

I miss you all very much! Can't wait to hear about what's going on back home!

Think about you all often!

Sending my love from Africa!!!!

IAO IAO!!!! It's been a month since I left the states and let me tell you if feels like forever, yet hard to believe it's been that long. So, where to begin... I'm sitting in the luxury of governmental housing of a BOTS 8 volunteer couple-amazing people from Denver, enjoying C&C!!!! (cheese and crackers; wine is implied) We are shadowing current volunteers this week and it has been a thankful break in our monotonous training schedule. However, we are half way through PST, WAHOOTIE!!!

It rained the entire first week of training, nonstop trudging through mud puddles with no umbrella or rain boots. The canoe that was recommended for packing sure would have been useful! Thanks so much Mama for sending me rain boots- I love you!!!

My host family is great! I've really enjoyed being apart of another family.Dear American Family,I miss you more than you know, you will never or could never be replaced! But don't worry I have been accepted and taken care of as one of their own! I love you guys!

I would have to say I'm pretty much a pro bucket bather these days, so if anyone needs any tips, please come to me. Now, I don't think I will be going into professional hand clothes washing, it still takes me about 3-4 hours and man it's hard on the back.

The sky is beautiful here! Amazing sunrises and sunsets, yes I am always up of the sunrises. Thank you roosters for the wake up at 5am, and 4, and 2, and 1....There are chickens, goats and donkeys everywhere all over the streets.... "Lucie I don't think we are in Colorado any more."

I miss all of you very much, think about you often. I am doing great! Still cannot believe I am here. I have very limited internet right now, but would still love to receive emial. PLEASE PLEASE send letters.... nothing feels better than getting letters during training! Until I talk to you again...Sending my love from Africa!!!!

I could not have asked for a more amazing last week in the states! Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who made it a memorable one!!

Arriving in Philadelphia and meeting my fellow trainees has been comforting and exciting. I no longer feel so alone and my anxieties are shared with everyone here.

So here I go...

See you soon!

One week and counting... At this point I would have hoped to have packed, unpacked, repacked and packed again, but instead I have piles and piles of STUFF laying on the bed, magically praying it all fits. Who would think packing for two years would be so tough?

So I head out to Philly on Friday the 9th. Our staging event will be all day Saturday before we embark on the 15 hour plane ride to Johannesburg and then onto Gaborone. The first four nights will be spent in Gaborone, the capital city, getting briefed and prepared for the transition to community based, host family living. On the fifth day we will be introduced to our host families where we will remain for the remainder of pre-service training, which is about eight weeks.

The looming uncertainty...COMMUNICATION!

For the first 8 weeks I will be participating in an intensive, immersion style training program and therefore will not have access to email/Internet but can certainly receive and send letters. I will have a better idea of Internet access after training. The mail service in Botswana is not very efficient and it can take three to four weeks for mail coming from Gaborone to arrive in the U.S. and vis versa. Then it can take an additional 6 weeks to reach my site. But please don't let this discourage anyone from writing letters, they will be so much appreciated! It might be helpful to number your letters that way I will know if I have missed one. After my pre-service training I will be able to send my specific site address.

Lets see, care packages!... chocolate and Arm and Hammer toothpaste... yep that's about it!!! No no no, packages of course would be more than appreciated, but be advised they can take 1-2 months and even as long as 4-6 months. It is recommended to not send costly items through the mail, but rather packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible. For lightweight, but important or timely items, PC recommends using an express mail service.

Unfortunately, communication may be sporadic and frustration at times, and as uncomfortable as it may be, remember "No news is good news!"

Never in my life did I ever think I, Lucie Jane, would be going to Africa. The whole idea of Peace Corps is entirely abstract; it has been from the start and even more so now. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up from this pseudo reality and realize these past few weeks were all just a dream. I keep waiting for "this dream" to feel real, for the emotions and truths to set in, but in the mean time I have to verbally remind myself....I'm going to Africa! Yes, Africa! Africa! Africa! Africa!