Hold on tight...time is flying!

So training is over-man, time flies. I must say it's a bittersweet time, though. I am so excited to go out on my own and do what I came here to do. What totally bums me out is that my training group is splitting up and moving to all different parts of Moçambique-and I must say that they are some top notch, kick ass people. The next time we will all be together is next year at the mid-service conference.

But now it's time to leave Namaacha and my host family. Homestay was one of the more interesting experiances of my life. Although frustrating at times, it is an experiance that I wouldn't trade for the world. I feel like I went through the stages of life again in the last two months. When I first arrived, I was a baby. I couldn't speak the language so I didn't talk, maybe I would mumble something every once in a while but it was mostly grunts and hand signals to express what I wanted. I was experiancing everything for the first time like a baby, and I was also waited on hand and foot because I was so incompitant. I also should have worn diapers like a baby ... think hard why, but if you've ever been in a third world country before...you know.

Then I moved on to the rebellious teenager phase. I started staying out later. I would tell my mom that I was going with friends to study portuguese, when in actuality, we would go to the bar for a drink. Before I would come home, I popped a piece of gum in my mouth to hide the beer breath - works like a charm. I'll never forget the first time I told my mom I had a beer. I arrived home one night when my mom and aunts were carrying water in buckets on their head for our weekly supply. My mom wanted to show me how and wanted me to help. Although what an incredible cultural experiance it would have been; visions of me carrying gallons of precious water on my head in the dark through treterous terrain after having a beer and just completly eating it were running through my head - so I clearly opted not to and 'negar-ed' that situation. I told her that I just drank a 2M (Dois Eme - the beer of Moçambique). All the women started laughing. "Nao pode tirar agua na sua cabeça porque tem 2m na sua cabeça!" Translation: You can't carry water on your head because you have 2m in your head! We were all laughing and it has been a running joke since.

Now I'm getting sent off into the real world. I've learned how to light coal, wash my clothes in buckets, and of course, beat the sketchy ass men off with a stick. So I'm SO ready and SO excited to start my new life.

These last two months have been filled with highs and lows. My highs have been when I felt like a part of my communityin Namaacha. It's the coolest feeling in the world when I walk down the street and hear, 'Mana Nia!' (my sister Nia), from kids and adults. My mom always told me that everyone in town knows me and asks how I am, because, let's face it, I'm a good time. Another high and thing that I absolutly love is dancing-which isn't much different than in the States. The difference is in the States I would be dancing with a bunch of white folks with no rythym (no offense ... yes you). Here, I'm surrounded by people who can pop, lock, and drop like you wouldn't believe. I've been served by my 4 year old host brother too many times - how shameful. But it is so incredibly fun and such a wonderful part of the culture that I have a blast doing it.

As for lows-let's see. It was a low for me when I told my host family that I don't eat fish (judge all you want, but I really couldn't stomach eating a whole fish just chillin on my plate, eyeballs, fins and all). Then the next morning for breakfast, there was 2 fresh fish heads sitting on my plate ... JUST the heads. It's possible that that mishap was a small laps in communication-or let's hope. Another low would probably be the day I realized the pee bucket for my family is the same bucket I took showers with. I think tears might have been shed that day ... let's not talk about it.

I have to say though, I feel like the luckiest person in the world. This country is amazing and I pinch myself sometimes when I realize that I'm actually doing this and experiancing these things. I do miss you all and I hope you are all happy and healthy and appreciating your accesibility to ice cream. I gotta run, I need to go to Starbucks and Walmart before my nail appointment! Tchau! xoxo bejos