I know, this is unprecedented. Two posts in under a week, what am I thinking, right? I'm going to raise the bar for my communications and all the sudden people will be expecting this kind of frequency. In all fairness I probably won't post again till Halloween just to make up for this unseemly verbosity.
Okay, so to correct a misstatement in my previous entry... I didn't actually lose my camera. I thought I did! I really did think so, but I discovered it nestled behind my trunk at the region house like a land mine of parental expectations. It stared at me, I stared at it. I blinked first. I will take pictures and post them next time I post a blog entry... probably. Maybe.
Peace Corps Mauritania prides ourselves on being... how do I put this... more badass than Chuck Norris in a knife fight with a ninja. Most of this comes from being that one country where most other Peace Corps countries say "Well this sucks, but at least it's not Mauritania." Or "Mauritania... man I heard it's pretty rough there..." Other PC countries can drink, they don't have to siphon water out of used oil drums, they have veggies and fruits at their sites, they have more than wasteland around them, and they might have more friendly host cultures. In the words of an older, wiser PCV talking about the madness at WAIST "All we've got is our street cred"
Tomorrow early morning Cortney and I are going back to Mbout to empower some girls and maybe sit in on some classes at the Lycee when that gets underway. We're hoping to have a GEE committee formed by the end of the month and we should actually have a GMC space then too, probably in the mayor's old building (assuming the finish the new one and he moves out of the old one)
Oh, and thank you all for the comments, they made my day even though I had to goad them out of you. I was wondering how long it would take for one of Emily's moms to break and write a comment on my blog since my own mother posted on her blog over a month ago. I admire your restraint! Pleasure to meet you Judy. And I don't judge the other stalking PCV parents... much. I'd probably do the same in your shoes.
Alright, I'm off. No, not like that, I mean I'm leaving.
Thursday in Hawaii
2 years ago
9 comments:
So it doesn't sound all that tough to me -- you have a roof over your head, a hammock (soon) to sleep in, and lots of sunshine and fresh air. When I was your age, we weren't allowed to drink water at all, we had to get our fluids from beer. And we didn't get any grains, we had to suck barley from cans of beer. And vitamins? You guessed it... beer. So don't whine to ME about your difficult conditions, I barely even remember those years, they were so tough...
By the way, I wouldn't keep posting as Anonymous if I could remember a damn password -- I have forgooten a few already. Probably a carryover effect from all that beer...
Thanks for the updates -- sorry we got disconnected today on the phone, and enjoy your next "sanity break" with Emily!
Love ya' lots -- POPS
It sure was nice to talk to you this weekend and to read news on your blog twice in one week! AND you found your camera?!? Will wonders never cease. :P Now, go take some pictures so I can see what your house looks like.
Grandma and the rest of the gang enjoyed talking to you the other day. Jeff and Marcia now have a phone card from Tracy and may even call you themselves.
I hope the start of school brings all sorts of new and exciting things for you to do. I think it would be fascinating to sit in on some classes.
Good luck getting the GEE committee formed. Another step forward. :)
I'm looking forward to your next blog post in a few weeks, after you've had a chance to get some work done.
Love you lots!
Mom
PS. As you can see, I do remember my user name and password. Not so much beer in MY youth. But I think your dad's memory problems are directly related to two things; his age (so much older than me...) and the many, many concussions he's had when wrestling ornery cows.
We had a great weekend in Ames and I was so glad to talk to you. It sounds like you are enjoying Mauritania, even if it is the armpit of the Peace Corps. I never did get a password so I will keep posting as anonymous but you know who I am :)
Please take care, I'll look forward to your next blog post. In the meantime I will get a letter off to you. Hope you got some packages before heading back to M'bout.
Stay well and God bless you.
Love,
Gram
Okay, it's about time I said "hello" - HELLO! I am enjoying your blog immensely and have great empathy for the challenges you are facing - Makes Selibaby sound like NYC - Glad to hear you may actually all be working soon - and glad you have actually moved into a home, hotel days being a thing of the past. I also enjoyed the pic of you and Em - Hoping that all the candy we have sent to Emily arrives before your visit - make her share
Be well,
Carol
I'll admit to being a vicarious-living blog reader who found this link on your Facebook page. My PC app is on hold until I can wrangle the dollars for wisdom tooth removal (!), which my dentist tells me would be unnecessary if I just wanted to spend the rest of my life in the Midwest. Since I didn't get a real job in light of the PC app thing, I don't have dental insurance to pay for said removal. ARGH. Vicious cycle.
I am sending you vibes of extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar and maybe a nice Harvati on the side.
Stay well,
Ali Gowans
Wow! I feel so informed. I hope your trip back is easier on your behind than your trip to Kaedi (which always appears in my memory as calamari) was. Your niece/nephew has started knocking and I'm actually feeling it. Now if only he/she would knock hard enough for Nic to feel this weekend. I hope your next few weeks are quite productive and enjoyable. Just think of how badass you will be when you are all done with peace corp, people will ask you if you can do something and you will answer "No problem, I was a PCV in Mauritania!" Or, on the flip side, you can use it to get things from your loving family. "Don't you want to make me dinner/wash my car/move my stuff, I was a pcv in Mauritania!" Love you brat!
oh John Tyler how I miss your sarcasm...I'm one of those people who wanders here now and then via facebook, generally at the points when I start to freak out about doing the Peace Corps myself. But my app is also on hold because the doctors in D.C. apparently don't like my insurance, or new patients for that matter, grr. But anyway, your blog is quite entertaining, keep writing! Oh, and I seem to remember I promised you a postcard, next time I find myself at a post-card selling establishment I'll get on that...
Heya kid,
It's just Nic. Sounds like things are going ok. Frustrating, but ok. Trace of course made sure that I read your blog while she is here.
She is getting big, not huge, but definitely showing. It's so good to have her here in Maryland, even if for only a couple of days.
Not sure how much you hear it, but I know we are all beyond proud of ya and we all miss you everyday. Keep up the good work, and enjoy yourself. It may not always feel like it now man, but you'll miss even the crappy stuff when you leave.
I'll talk at ya later.
-Nic
Hi John, this is Lea, Emily's friend from home, and I've just been given permission to stalk you creepily online, so that's the game plan from here on out. Keep writing, it's great to hear about your experiences, and please give Em a huge hug for me next time you see her!! A hug to you too, despite never having met you (I told you I was creepy, no?), Lea
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