Christmas in Africa

I'm in my room with my fan spinning on the highest speed.  Sweat is dripping down my neck. It's summertime here. I'm miles away from friends and family during the holiday season.  I hear Christmas music in some of the stores here.  I see posters of  Black Santa Clauses advertising cell phone services. It doesn't feel like Christmas.  I'm not expecting any gifts.  No one will be receiving any from me.  That's just how it'll be this year.  That said, volunteers can't leave their province for the first three months for security reasons.  In other words, my roommate and I have to stay in Zambezia until March.  There aren't many volunteers in Zambezia from my cohort and the volunteers from other cohorts have left for other  provinces for the holidays.  Luckily, my roommate and I were invited to have Christmas dinner with a missionary couple who live  in our city.  My first Christmas should be low-key   It'll be very different from eating around the dinner table with my family and playing games.  Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed and very thankful for all that I have here and for the people I have met.  

Anyway, I hope you all are doing well.  Have a safe and Merry Christmas!

Minha casa mocambicana!!!

My new home. My home for the next year is in the Zambezia province and I couldn't be happier.  Supposedly, my roommate and I will be volunteers will be visiting us because people often stop in our city for while travelling.  I'm not in the mood to write, so I thought I'd just post pictures.

Here's our new hut!

Gotcha! I was expecting something like this, but we ended up with a pretty sweet home.  

Here's our place:

Here are pictures of the school

Pictures of the city...

Don't worry, I'm still alive!

Great news, I'm still alive! I hope that you didn't miss me too much. The past five weeks have been quite hectic, but a lot of fun.  I'll try to update you as much as I can:

In November, we found out where we'd be serving for the next two years.  I was excited to hear that I'd  be living in the Zambezia province with my new roommate, Jennea.

My host grandmother had a birthday. She had a GREAT time!

All of the volunteers got together for a Thanksgiving pot-luck dinner.  We have a lot to be thankful for :)

...Then I studied and took language, cross cultural, safety and security, and technical tests.  Later, I packed for my big move.

I left Namaacha and gave my host brother and sister a big hug.

We officially became Peace Corps Volunteers at the U.S. Ambassador's immaculate home in Maputo, Mozambique on December 4th.  Gorgeous view, huh?

We stayed the night in Maputo and said our goodbyes that night.  In the morning, all of the volunteers left with others who were headed to their region.  A group of us who will be living in northern Mozambique for the next two years, stayed in Nampula for a few days for a conference with our school directors.

On December 9th, I spent my birthday unpacking and cleaning.  I'm still unpacking and cleaning.  But I'm happy that I have fans to keep me cool.  

The next post will be more about my new home and community.  Feel free to write me and let me know how things are going with you all.  I miss my friends and family in the States!