"Peace is not something you wish for;

it's something you make, something you do,
something you are, and something you give away."
-Robert Fulghum

01 September 2010

Update!

Wow, so much has happened since the last time I posted, I don't even know where to start. I stayed with a Muslim homestay family in Tanga region for 8 weeks where I studied Kiswahili and was also trained in Health issues in Tanzania. This was such a rich cross-cultural experience for all us volunteer trainees (39 in my class) as we learned to eat with our hands, take bucket baths, cook with a charcoal stove, wash clothes by hand, use a choo (hole in the ground for a toilet), and other basic survival skills for Tanzania. After training, we went to Dar es Salaam for a Swearing In Ceremony where we all officially became Peace Corps Volunteers. Then, we went off to our sites - our villages where we will be living for two years.
I live in Lindi region, and I arrived at my village 11 days ago. I should have more consistent access to internet now, and I hope to keep this blog updated. My next blog post will be juicier, I promise, but I figure this is at least a start. Until next time, Peace.

21 June 2010

In Tanzania!!

Hey everyone! I've been in Tanzania since Wednesday night, and I'm having such a blast so far! A group of 40 Health and Environment volunteers are in a hostel for a week, and we've had a few crash course Swahili lessons to prepare us for living with our host families next week. This past weekend we went to Dar es Salaam, bought a few tangas (pieces of beautiful fabric about the size of a towel that the women wear here) and wandered around through the markets. There were so many people in such a small area! The place smelled very intensely, like spices and food, and so much more. I'm signing off for awhile though, because I'll be heading over to my host family and I don't believe they'll have electricity. If they do, I'll try to post, but otherwise, I'll have to let you all know how things go as soon as I get access to the internet. Talk to you soon!!

13 June 2010

Countdown: 6 hours

I leave for Training in 6 hours! I need to get to bed! I'm all packed, and have just a few last minute things to finish up. I've got my luggage down to 84 lbs altogether, though. Wohoo! (Weight limit was 80 lbs checked luggage and 11 lbs carry-on.) Alright... Wish me luck!!

01 June 2010

I'm leaving for the Peace Corps in 10 days! This has been a dream for so long that I'm just incredulous. It's finally happening - I'm really going to Africa!

Some thoughts...

Last Friday, I finished up work at Dana Farber. There are some truly amazing people working there that I'm going to miss. I highly recommend Dana Farber Cancer Institute both as a place of work, and as a place to receive treatment.

As far as packing goes, I've got pretty much everything I need at this point - a frying pan, some deodorant, tevas, and personal property insurance all lined up. I finished moving out of my apartment in Mission Hill the other day, and now there's just more paperwork to do, lots of reading, and some last minute cramming of Swahili words and phrases.

I'm so glad that I was able to make it to Jess's college graduation this past weekend (Congrats, Jess + David!) The ceremony went smoothly, then I spent some time out by Albany, NY where we ate some delicious BBQ and got lots of sun. Then today, I saw my brother Chris and his girlfriend off to the prom. My whole family went and made sure to thoroughly harass him by taking hundreds of pictures.

That about brings me up to now. I've been spending a lot of time trying to get my online life sorted out in preparation for my anticipated lack of internet. (Facebook, I don't trust you.) In all seriousness, though, between Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogger, Gmail, and the picture uploading website of your choice, our online social lives sure get complicated quickly.

Also, I'm simultaneously trying to sort through all this online information, and pack to live in a mud hut without running water or electricity. It's quite bizarre, I have to say.

03 March 2010

Back in Boston

I got back into Boston last night after a magnificent week spent with a host family in a mountain village of Piedras Negras, Honduras. Alongside some unforgettable Sustainable Harvest International staff, we helped build an adobe oven, plant a garden, plant some fruit trees, set up a drip irrigation system, and build a worm compost bin. I have some wonderful stories to share, however they'll have to wait for now... I'm so itchy, that my best bet is just to try to fall asleep right now. What I originally thought was fleas, now appears to be contact dermatitis, and the rash is all over my torso, down my thighs, and all along my arms. Oddly enough, it's behind my ears, too. This is the end of the third day since I noticed the rash. Well, I've taken Benadryl, and put some Hydrocortisone cream on, so I guess I'll just head to sleep and try to heal. =)

22 February 2010

Hola Honduras!

I'm in Panic mode here - In a few hours, I leave for Piedras Negras, Honduras! I'm going with the program Sustainable Harvest International to help plant gardens and build ovens, while staying with a host family in the community. I'm absolutely thrilled to be going on this trip with a group from Hancock UCC, and I've been looking forward to it for weeks!

That said, I have not been packing for weeks. I'm not finished packing yet and I leave in less than 5 hours! Everything is in dry bags and ziploc bags, and, for the most part, organized. The dryer should be finished running by now, so I can pack my clothes. Then I'll just photocopy my passport, blow dry my hair, and hop in bed for a few hours, only to hop out and be on my way! (Thanks, mom, for the ride tomorrow morning at 5:15am!) Wish me luck! Hasta leugo!

03 February 2010

Reality Check

Holy smokes, it’s February! I’m literally 3-4 months away from going to Africa!

I haven’t written in awhile because the real cohesive posts I’ve got in mind have to do with gadgets and cool stuff that will be great for me in Africa, and might be great for you too! But it’s not about “stuff”. I’ve been trying to simplify my life, to boil down my possessions to the absolute essentials... and in doing that I’ve become much greener, and much more organized. That’s what the posts on gadgets are meant to be about.

Anyway, rather than a cohesive post on gadgets, I’d like to give you a taste of the random thoughts passing through my mind.

Every time I reach to turn off the shower, I think of how I won’t be able to have a hot shower for 27 months. Then I usually enjoy the luxurious stream of hot water and steam for another few minutes, or so... I’m so bad, but it’s true! Cold bucket showers definitely on the sacrifice side of my positives and negatives chart for doing the Peace Corps.

There are going to be some things that’ll be hard to miss when I’m gone for 27 months. My sister Jess’s college graduation from RPI this year, my brother Chris’s graduation from High School next year. My mom is finishing up her Doctor of Physical Therapy as well, and I’ll miss that celebration. Since moving back home with Mom, Dad, and Chris, I’ve grown closer to them again which has been really great. I’ve gotten to know Chris as a teenager rather than the 5th grader he was when I set off for college years ago.

I was reading through some random blogs from other peace corps volunteers, about what they packed, and what they should’ve packed / didn’t actually need, etc. And two main things about the posts really struck me. 1.) People in most countries in the world don’t really care what your hair looks like. In the US, we spend hours on our hair, even if we don’t straighten or curl it, or gel it, etc. Even if you simply buy shampoo, wash your hair, and get a haircut once every 3 months, that’s still quite a bit of effort and money. 2.) Some volunteers didn’t use their razors or shaving cream that they brought because of concerns with bacteria and other microorganisms in the water. A lot of times I forget that girls even have hair certain places. Shaving is such a part of my shower routine that I don’t even really think about it. We’ll see. I’m packing my razor and J.R. Liggett’s as shave cream anyway, even if I might not be using it. That said, I can’t help but get the feeling I’m going to be a different person when I get back from Africa than I am right now, in more ways than one... Watch out, boys! =)

I wonder how much it costs to mail a package full of Luna bars and Clif bars to Sub-Saharan Africa.

Should I bring waterproof sneakers or running sneakers? What about a tent? Will my automatic digital camera be alright, or should I try to bring a fancier (SLR?) camera?

I’m aiming for 55 lbs of luggage to bring with me to Africa. How far off am I going to be when I finally pack everything up and try to carry it? I don’t weigh much more than twice that...

I need to get out there and do some hiking to practice carrying a pack. I’ve got one trip lined up so far, with a few more in the works.

27 January 2010

HIV/AIDS Awareness Party!!

Last Saturday evening, I hosted an HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that served as an opportunity for me to practice my Peace Corps assignment of being a Health and HIV/AIDS Educator. I provided drinks and snacks, and gave a short presentation to attendees about HIV/AIDS. I taught about HIV and how it spreads, testing for and treatment of HIV/AIDS, and ways to prevent transmission of the virus. I demonstrated (*using a carefully selected zucchini from the grocery store) how to properly put on a condom, and then distributed condoms. A Donation box was passed around, and any money collected was given to the Aids Action Committee to support the fight against AIDS.

The night was an absolute success. People were eager to talk about HIV/AIDS and had questions to ask, particularly about transmission of the virus. As part of the presentation, everyone participated in a game. Then after the game, everyone received prizes of cards, Fruit-by-the-Foot, or packs of gum. When all was said and done, we raised $75 for Aids Action Committee, and everyone had a great time.



A Short Story: The Perfect Zucchini

So, I'm standing in Stop&Shop after work the other day trying to figure out what fruit or vegetable is the most phallic. I need a phallus for my demonstration on how to properly put a condom on. So, not only do I need something that looks like a penis, I need something that can stand up on its own on a table. This is my conundrum as I wander the isles of fresh produce. Then I spot the zucchinis. Bingo! The vegetable is firm enough that I can chop one end off and it will stand upright on its own, and it also is just the right size for a condom to slide on without much fuss.

Now, which one looks the most like a penis? Which one is the straightest so that the phallus won't tip over mid-demonstration? I realize that I've been staring at the zucchinis for at least two minutes and I feel my cheeks blush. I'm in the middle of a public place comparing zucchinis to penises. The pressure becomes too much. I grab two of the straightest, sturdiest looking ones of the right thickness that I can find, and I toss them in my produce bag. As I make a beeline to the candy isle, I think to myself 1.) I'll never look at a zucchini the same way again, and 2.) I deserve something chocolate.

19 January 2010

Thank You!


And, for my fourth post, I'd like to give a shout-out to the first few followers of my fantastic and enlightening blog. Chris, David and Dad - Thank you for humoring me, you guys are the best!

Also, thanks to Mom, Dad, Jess and Chris for being so supportive of my decision to follow my dreams. Honestly, nothing means more to me.

18 January 2010

J.R. Liggett’s Bar Shampoo

Best. Product. Ever. That is all.

Just Kidding! Seriously, though, this stuff really works! Weighing in at 3.5 oz, this little bar is supposedly the equivalent of a 24 oz. bottle of most shampoos, and is awesome for traveling and camping. With minimal paper packaging, and a cost of $4 - $5 it is both budget and eco-friendly. I have long hair, so I needed to use a spray-in conditioner, but if you have short hair, the bar alone should work just fine. J.R. Liggett’s Bar Shampoo is also supposed to double as a shaving bar… I have yet to test this, but I’ll let you know how it goes after I give it a try!

*Update: ...wait for it... This product works great as a lather for shaving as well! An all around great product. However, I'm finding that a regular conditioner may be necessary.

Condoms from Costco

...only cost $9.99 for a pack of 40 Trojan condoms! What a deal! I bought two boxes the other day for the HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that I'm hosting at my apartment in Boston. I'm practicing being a Health and HIV/AIDS Educator to prepare for my volunteer position with the Peace Corps. Next Saturday, I'll be giving a short presentation on the biology, transmission, prevention, and treatment of the disease, and then a party will follow with snacks and beverages for guests. The $5 cover goes straight to Aids Action Committee, and my two chill roommates (two guys who go to Northeastern) are helping me out by talking up the party and, of course, being cool with having the party in the apartment. Thanks, guys!

Hi Everyone!

So here's the deal. I started this blog to keep track of all of these awesome projects that I've got going on in my life right now. I wanted to be able to document them and share them with friends, family, and anyone else even remotely interested in watching as I struggle to try make this world a better place. I tend to prefer to just jump right in, so here is your brief orientation.

I am currently:
- Preparing for a stint as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sub-Saharan Africa (May 2010)
- Planning for and doing Fund-raising for Sustainable Harvest International in Piedras Negras, Honduras (Thank you, Hancock UCC!)(Feb 2010)
- Preparing for the HIV/AIDS Awareness Party that I'm hosting in Boston, MA (Jan 2010)
- Working in the Investigational Pharmacy at Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Projects in the works include:
- Figuring out what I can do to help out with Haiti
- Red Cross Re-certification in Adult, Child, and Infant CPR and First Aid
- Getting this blog up and running
- Chipping away at my mile-long List of Books to Read
- Learning some Spanish for my trip to Piedras Negras, Honduras
- Learning French to enable my travels around Africa (*temporarily on hold in order to focus on Spanish)