On a related note... 17/06/2011

That last entry about perception got me thinking about another "P" word that has been tossed around a lot lately...
...PERSPECTIVE
In a recent Stress Management 101 session we had recently, a fellow PCT (Peace Corps Training) reminded us all to keep things in perspective. She suggested that whenever we get down about our current circumstances that we think back to a time in the States when we felt the same way. In doing this we would be reminded that one can have a bad day anywhere and not to blame these feelings on Moz or the people here. She also suggested that we remember that we were able to get over it.
In a separate conversation I had with the members of my language group where the topic of perspective was raised, we all agreed that after this experience (living and interacting with host families and our service to follow) we would all be able to roll with anything.
One of my colleagues had been having an especially hard day, after a run-in with her host mother's sister-in-law concerning the cleanliness of her clothes (or the lack there of in her opinion). The woman commented on how my friend couldn't have washer a particular shirt correctly because it still had stains. What my friend failed to communicate (or just didn't care to) was that it was an old shirt and that she only wore it to sleep. The woman, who has probably been hand washing her "roupa" to a perfect shine since she was a crianca, naturally assumed that minha amiga just didn't know how to wash clothes properly.
My friend's reaction was that it didn't really matter because it was a night shirt and therefore not meant to be seen by anyone. She also remarked to the rest of our language group (all two of us LOL) that she didn't care if her night shirt was dirty or what her "aunt" had to say about it because this woman (in not so many words...) basically bathed where she crapped.
In a strange way this was her way of keeping things in perspective. The woman didn't like the way she lavar'd her roupa and minha amiga didn't appreciate having to clean her body where others relieved themselves.
I think in this situation we just have to keeps things in their proper context and understand that no one thing or place is better than another it's all what you make it.

BE R E S L I E N T!

Keep it MOVING!!

ATE LOGO!!!