Monday, November 14, 2011

The Post-PC Life (musing...)

I believe it's never too early to plan for the future. In fact I knew I would join the Peace Corps after graduating from college when I was 15 years old!

With that said, I feel it's time for me to begin to study for the GRE, research test dates and locations and also begin thinking about which schools and programs might interest me once my service ends.

I know that I want to continue in the International Relations field, but  I also want to focus on health...

Here's what I'm thinking so far:
-Master's of Public Health
-Master's of International Development and Administration
*Mailman School of Public Health @ Columbia U
*Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
*U Penn-Public Health
~US Public Health Commissioned Corps
~World Health Organization
~USAID
All this may change but for now it's good to at least have my dreams and aspirations written down in plain site.

My future is in God's hands and from this angle it looks BRIGHT!

Five Things: I miss from Home (Vol. 2, Ed. 1)

#1. Dryer sheets- (weird I know) I really miss having clean smelling, soft clothes. It's definitely something I took for granted in the States.

#2. "Sleeping In"-It is really impossible for me to sleep  past 6:30, 7am at the latest! I guess it doesn't matter really considering the fact that I am usually in bed by 9pm most nights. Even on weekends!!

#3. Indoor plumbing-(obviously right?) or more specifically indoor bathrooms. I have graduated from my Xi-XI bucket upon arriving at site and now make at least one nightly trek all the way outside to the latrine, where I proceed to squat over a cement hole...you can imagine how difficult this is during times of tummy trouble or drowsiness. Needless to say I've never miss an Amerian Standard throne so much!

#4. Driving- aside from being able to go wherever I want, whenever I want, I really miss traveling comfortably. Whether that be while driving or riding with someone else-or even (my mother won't believe i'm saying this) using public transportation in the States. Taking chapas (the Mozambican equivalent of a bus, which more accurately resemble NYC dollar vans) is dangerous, smelly (deodorant just aint a priority here) and crowded. Riding in the back of Pick-ups can be fun but isn't really that comfortable either. I really also truly miss taking road trips or just cruising around town singing along with the radio as the top of my lungs.

#5. Getting "Gussied Up"- I think of all the things I miss most about home, I miss getting dressed up and going out. I used to take great pride and pleasure in painting my face, doucing on perfume and getting all decked out and looking (and feeling) pretty. I miss lipgloss, smoky eyes, high heels, short skirts and sexy tops. I miss going out to clubs with my girls, going to the movies with friends and having cocktails and lavish meals with my mother and her friends. I have already planned to use a considerable (well maybe not a huge amount) amount of my readjustment allowance to revamp, replenish and restock my wardrobe and train case.

Melhorar-acao?

Em ordem a melhorar meu Portugues eu decidi' que hei'-de comecar a escrever pelo menos um "blog" (nao sei a palavra em Portugues lol) cada mes.
Eles provavalmente ha-de ser muita corta e simples mas penso que ele vai ajuda-me muito.
E' emgrassada como posso viver e falar com pessoas diariamente que fala Portugues e ainda sento que eu falo bem.
Como outras linguas que eu tenho aprendid (ou pelo menos tentei a aprender) eu escrevo e leio melhor do que posso falar.
Tambem, tenho cemecado a ajudar meu vizinho (um voluntario de Japao) e um amigo dele aprender Ingles. Espero que posso melhorar meu Portugues como eles melhoram o Ingles deles.


Havemos-de Ver!!
Ate a Proxima!!