The Little Things That Make My Day In Mozambique

• Turkey-watching outside of my bedroom window.
• Finding out that there are avocados at the local market.  
• Being able to watch cable TV at an ex-pat's house in my community.
• Waking up to the sound of running water.  My community sometimes goes weeks without running water.
• Receiving emails from family and friends who just want to check-in and say, "Hello."
• Hearing my students singing a song in the hallway that I had taught them in English class.
• When my basketball girls go from barely knowing how to dribble a ball to running down the entire court dribbling without looking down at the ball.
• Comments on my blog or Youtube videos.
• Taking a bucket bath outdoors at another volunteer's house and looking up to see a blinking sky full of stars.
• Closing my eyes while eating a sweet pineapple.  It's only when I open them that I remember that I'm not eating candy.
• Getting new music and movies from other volunteers
• Playing "Uno" or "Tag" with the kids in the community.
• Making food, going shopping, or getting dresses tailored with my neighbor friend, Sonia.
• Drinking Sangria on a Friday night with Sonia.
• Watching Disney cartoons in Portuguese with the kids in my neighborhood.
• Getting my hair braided outside by neighbor.  It's a great way to make new friends.
• Receiving thoughtful care packages from my parents.
• Starting my day with yoga stretches.  Namaste.
• Learning a new song to play on my ukulele, especially a revelent one that I can teach to my students.
• Making art that's therapeutic.
• Buying 10 mangoes and a pineapple for a dollar.
• Watching TV shows and movies from Brazil and being able to understand about 90% of what the actors are saying.
• By the time it's pay day at the end of the month, I still have money left over from the previous month.  Hmmm....a new blouse, maybe?