We're Almost There!! 09/07/2011

So it's the end of week five (now the beginning of week 9, but hey I don't have steady internet!), which means that in another five week myself and my fellow Moz-16ers will swear-in and officially be Peace Corps Volunteers.

In a few more weeks I will leave Namaacha and embark on my two year journey at my site (Inharrime!!!). I will leave the comfort and security of my host family to move into my own house in a new and strange location. So I know now that I will be living with a Moz-14er who will be COSing (Closing of Service) in either November or December, which I'm actually really excited about.

A couple of weeks from now I will be expected to take all the knowledge I've acquired during PST and begin work with my organizations. So many questions come to mind as I consider this: Are my language skills good enough?  Do I really know enough about HIV and other health issues? Am I really ready to live and work and possibly hang out with ONLY Mozambicans???

These first few weeks flew by. It seems like just weeks ago I was hanging out with my family and friends in Philly. It feels like like it was only days ago that I first met the other members of Moz-16 and now we feel like old friends. It must have been mere hours ago that I arrived in Namaacha and could barely communicate with my familia hospedeira (host family)- using hand gestures to communitcate. Now I can have a full (still very basic) conversations and am even writing compositions on health related topics entirely in Portuguese!!

I guess the saying that "time flies when you're having fun" is true-- as so much of my life had seemed to go by in a flash. And, although there have been tough times, I have had many laughs and made many friends. I look forward to improving my language skills and building many more relationships over the next two years.

If these first few weeks and months have gone by this quickly I can only imagine how fast these next few years will pass. Before I know it I could be back in the States sipping margaritas with sugar on the rim and gossiping about the latest celebrity scandal with my friends and family.

 I need to remember to take a deep breath and live each day for what it's worth. I have wanted to be in the Peace Corps since I was in high school. I'm finally her and I want to really make a difference and get all I can from this experience.

So while I can't wait to see my family and friends again, I must keep in mind that this is my home now so I might as well enjoy it!

I must live my life Pouco a Pouco, Dia a Dia-Little by Little, Day by Day

Ate....