IICD Massachusetts

Ribbit

Today was a much better fundraising day. We hit Northampton again and I must admit I like the town. The people are super friendly and approachable. And wonder of all wonders, my can was full of MONEY!!!!! I did encounter some crazies though (of course). On the up side, they kept me company on the freezing street corner so it wasn't too bad.

One guy swore he knew me from a bar in Williamstown circa 1979. I kept telling him that I was born in 1979 but it did no good. The man was convinced he knew me from "back in the day"????

Another man kept calling me Kermit, as in the frog???? What could I do, Kermit it was, Kermit I am. Rrrriiiiibbbbbiiiiittttt!

Loca Loca

YESTERDAY WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS THAT WAS TOO CRAZY TO EVEN SEEM REAL. BUT IT WAS. AND I AM SO TIRED. BUT I WILL TELL THE STORY. SO YESTERDAY WAS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL DAY OF FUNDRAISING. IT BEGAN SIMPLY ENOUGH. MAKIKO, ALEXANDRE, ANSELMO, TAMIKA AND I HAD A PLAN. THE PLAN WAS SIMPLE. WE WERE TO GO TO WILLIAMSTOWN FOR A FEW HOURS TO FUNDRAISE DOOR-TO-DOOR AND BUSINESS TO BUSINESS. WE HAD A PERMIT, BUT WE HAD TO STOP IN AND VERIFY OUR PERMIT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE COULDN'T INDEED FUNDRAISE IN WILLIAMSTOWN AND THAT WE NEEDED TO COME BACK ON MONDAY TO SPEAK WITH THE SECRETARY WHO WOULD FINGERPRINT US, TAKE OUR PICTURES AND DO A FULL CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECK SO THAT WE COULD FUNDRAISE. CRESTFALLEN WE HAD TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER PLAN.

WE DECIDED TO DRIVE AND HOUR AND A HALF INTO MASS TOWARDS NORTHAMPTON WHERE WE FUNDRAISED BRIEFLY THE DAY BEFORE ON WORLD AIDS DAY. SO WE ARE DRIVING AND WE DON’T HAVE A COPY OF THE DIRECTIONS BECAUSE WE WEREN’T PLANNING TO GO THERE AND WE THOUGHT WE REMEMBERED THE WAY BUT TWO HOURS LATER WE WERE IN CONNECTICUT. WE TRY AGAIN, IT IS ANNOUNCED ON THE RADIO THAT THERE IS A SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT. WE BECOME NERVOUS.

WE CONTINUE TO DRIVE, I AM HUNGRY, I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, THE GAS IS LOW. THERE ARE NO GAS STATIONS. WE ARE DRIVING THROUGH SMALL TOWN AFTER EVEN SMALLER TOWN ON A SUNDAY AND ALL OF THE RINKY DINK GAS STATIONS ARE CLOSED. THE GAS LIGHT BEGINS TO BLINK AND MAKE AN OMINOUS NOISE. WE ARE ALL PANICKING. I REALLY HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM AND JUST AS THE CAR BEGINS TO PUTTER, WE SEE A CITGO AND WE ARE SAVED FOR THE MOMENT.

WE GET GAS, WE PEE, WE GRAB SNACKS AND WE ARE ON OUR WAY. WE MAKE IT INTO NORTHAMPTON IN TIME TO FUNDRAISE FOR TWENTY MINUTES BECAUSE IT’S A SUNDAY AND EVERYTHING CLOSES EARLY. AFTER FUNDRAISING FOR TWENTY MINUTES AND MAKING TWO DOLLARS WE DECIDED TO TRY TO FUNDRAISE SOME FOOD BEFORE HEADING BACK HOME. WE GO FROM SHOP TO SHOP AND WE ARE DENIED FREE FOOD. WE GET TO A CHINESE RESTAURANT. I SAY THE SPIEL, THE MAN LISTENS INTENTLY. I THINK I’VE MADE A CONNECTION, WE ARE ALL ANTICIPATING THE BIG YES, WHEN SUDDENLY THE MAN BEGINS TO SCREAM. “WHAT WHAT WHAT YOU WANT???” TAMIKA COMES UP TO HELP ME FOR BACK UP. WE TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT WE ARE WITH A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND THAT WE WANT FREE DINER BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE A FOOD BUDGET AND THAT WE WILL GIVE THEM A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT IN EXCHANGE FOR A MEAL. THE MAN GRUNTS AND HANDS US A TEN DOLLAR GIFT RECEIPT. WE ARE CONFUSED, THERE ARE FIVE OF US, BUT WE THANK HIM AND STEP OUTSIDE TO VIEW THE MENU TO SEE WHAT TEN DOLLARS WOULD GET FIVE PEOPLE… EGGROLLS. WE COULD GET FIVE EGGROLLS. WE GO BACK IN AND ORDER FIVE EGGROLLS, TWO VEGETARIAN AND THREE REGULAR. A LADY FILLS OUR ORDER AND WE WAIT FOR OUR FOOD. THEN THE MANAGER RETURNS. “CAN I HELP YOU??” “OH WE JUST CAME TO USE OUR GIFT RECEIPT” I TRY TO EXPLAIN. THE MAN BEGINS TO SCREAM ONCE AGAIN AND IS CAUSING A SCENE. CUSTOMERS BEGIN TO LOOK AT US. “WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WERE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, YOU ARE USING THE CARD, I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION,” EVERYONE IN THE RESTAURANT IS LOOKING AT US LIKE WE’RE CROOKS. TAMIKA TRIES TO EXPLAIN AND THE MAN BECOMES EVEN MORE IRATE. “WE CAME IN TO ASK FOR A FOOD DONATION FOR US, SO WE COULD EAT DINNER” I KEPT REPEATING. FINALLY HE GOT IT. CALMED DOWN. AND TOLD US OUR ORDER WOULD BE OUT IN A MOMENT. EVERYONE IN THE SMALL RESTAURANT CONTINUED TO STARE AT US. WE GET OUR EGGROLLS AND BOUNCE!

WE ARE DRIVING AND IT BEGINS TO SNOW. THE ROAD IS SLICK. WE ARE SLIDING. I’M DRIVING A RENTAL CAR. I CAN’T FIGURE OUT HOW TO HEAT THE WINDSHIELD. ICE IS FORMING ON THE WINDSHIELD. I CAN’T SEE PROPERLY. WE ARE SLIPPING. THE WINTER STORM ADVISORY IS ON EVERY STATION. I FINALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE THE BRIGHTS AND TAMIKA FIGURES OUT HOW TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD. WE ARE DRIVING. GOOD MUSIC IS PLAYING. WE ARE SINGING AND LAUGHING AND JOKING.

I NARROWLY MISS HITTING A SMALL UNIDENTIFIABLE ANIMAL. BUT ALL IS WELL. AS WE GET CLOSER TO OUR MOUNTAIN, WE DECIDE THAT WE WILL DRIVE THE CAR 1/2 MILE UP THE HILL (AS WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO DO IN THE SNOW) BECAUSE WE ALL WANTED TO GRAB OUR LAPTOPS AND GO INTO TOWN TO CHECK THE INTERNET. IT TAKES 20 MINUTES TO WALK UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. THE CAR WAS HANDLING WELL. IT SOUNDED LIKE A GOOD IDEA. I BEGIN TO DRIVE UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. ALL IS WELL. SUDDENLY AS SOON AS I ANNOUNCE THAT DRIVING UP THE MOUNTAIN IS EASY THE CAR SPINS OUT. PANIC!!!!!! THE CAR, THE RENTAL CAR WITH THE FIVE OF US IN IT IS SLIDING BACKWARDS DOWN A VERY STEEP AND WINDY MOUNTAIN SIDE. IT SPUN OUT AND STOPPED. WE WERE ALL SILENT. I TRIED TO DRIVE BACK UP BUT I WAS STUCK. EVERYONE JUMPS OUT EXCEPT ME. MIND YOU OUR TWO MEN WERE FROM BRAZIL AND MOZAMBIQUE AND HAD NO EXPERIENCE DRIVING IN THE SNOW, YET THEY WERE MEN, AND MEN ALWAYS THINK THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO IN THESE SITUATIONS. SO THUS BEGAN THE TWO-HOUR TANGO THAT BECAME OUR STRUGGLE UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN.

OUR FIRST TACTIC WAS TO GET THE CAR UP. I TRIED NEUTRAL, I TRIED ONE AND TWO. NOTHING! PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING IN PORTUGUESE AND ENGLISH AND I WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL PANICKING. I WAS TOLD TO TURN MY WHEELS TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT BUT THE BACK WHEELS WEREN’T WORKING AT ALL.

NEW TACTIC. DOWN THE HILL. TAMIKA BEGAN TO CONTROL THE SITUATION. THE MEN WERE MAKING NO SENSE. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AS DIRECTED AND BEGAN TO BACK THE CAR SLOWLY. ANSELMO AND ALEXANDRE GUIDED THE BACK OF THE CAR. PROGRESS WAS GAINED AND THEN LOST. THE WHEELS SPUN AND SCREECHED. THEN, ANSELMO, HAD THE BRIGHT IDEA TO GATHER TALL WEEDS FROM THE FOREST TO PUT UNDER ALL FOUR WHEELS TO PROVIDE TRACTION. EVERYONE LEAVES ME AND RUNS INTO THE WOODS TO GATHER WEEDS.

THE TIRES HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY WEEDS AND STILL THEY DON’T WORK. SUDDENLY I HEAR TAMIKA SAY. WE CAN’T HAVE HER DRIVE ANYMORE BECAUSE THE CAR WILL SLIDE DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. WHAT I SAY?? ARE YOU ALL TRYING TO KILL ME? I’M IN THE CAR, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE ME SLIDE DOWN THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. NO DON’T WORRY THEY ALL SAY. WE’LL SUPPORT THE CAR, JUST CUT THE WHEELS THIS WAY AND BACK UP SLOWLY AND WE’LL DIRECT THE CAR. I REFUSE. I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN DRIVE THOUGH SO EVENTUALLY I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO COMPLY WITH THEIR PLAN. WE TANGO, UP AND DOWN, BACK AND FORTH AND FINALLY. I AM ABLE TO GET UNSTUCK AND TOGETHER, I AM DRIVING AS EVERYONE IS PUSHING THE CAR. WE MAKE IT DOWN THE HILL AND PARK THE HEINOUS VEHICLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ROAD OFF OF ROUTE 43.

NOW WE HAVE THE FUN TASK OF CLIMBING BACK UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. IN THE SNOW AND ICE. WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED.

WE MAKE IT THOUGH AND HEAD TO THE CAFETERIA FOR DINNER. DINNER AT EIGHT! WE TAKE OUT THE EGGROLLS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO FUNDRAISE AND IT TURNS OUT THERE WERE NO VEGETARIAN ROLLS AT ALL. I FOUND THIS OUT AS I BIT INTO MINE. THE FIRST FEW BITES WERE FINE. THEN SUDDENLY I HIT PORK. PINK NASTY PORK, A VEGETARIANS NIGHTMARE. SO THE WORST PART COMES NEXT. WE HAVE A WOMAN ON THE MOUNTAIN WHOM I WILL REFER TO AS C SHE’S OUR RESIDENT CRAZY AND SHE’S ALSO A STRICT VEGETARIAN. SHE WANDERS OVER TO OUR TABLE. “OH YOU HAVE FOOD”. YES BUT THERE IS MEAT IN IT I SAY. SHE DOESN’T HEAR OR UNDERSTAND ME AND TAKES ONE. “NO C, THERE IS MEAT IN THE EGGROLL, DON’T …” I’TS TOO LATE SHE HAS TAKEN A BITE AND TO MY HORROR SHE CLOSES HER EYES, SWAYS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND SAYS MMMMMM… IT’S TOO MUCH; I CAN’T CONTAIN MYSELF AND BEGIN TO SQUEAL AND SHRIEK WITH LAUGHTER. MAKIKO AND TAMIKA ARE KICKING ME FROM UNDER THE TABLE. IT’S NO USE. I AM OUT OF CONTROL. “WHAT IS IT? WHAT’S THE MATTER?? IT’S THE MOON YOU ARE CRAZY BECAUSE OF THE MOON,” SHE SAYS BEFORE GRABBING ANOTHER EGGROLL.

I REMOVED MYSELF FROM THE ROOM QUICKLY BEFORE I WET MY PANTS AND STUMBLED HOME IN THE SNOW, COLD, WET, HUNGRY AND EXTREMELY AMUSED.

Fund-raising Part Four

We are not having much luck.

The genius plan was to stay local and fund-raise in Western Mass and Albany. Unfortunately for us, we are in the middle of a blizzard. We are driving through ice, snow and slush. These cars on the mountain are not in the best shape to say the very least. I think most of them are clunkers that are donated. Forget snow tires, and forget four wheel drive. I'm afraid we're going to get stuck in the snow which is at least three feet deep in some areas.

World AIDS Day

Happy  World AIDS Day!

We took to the streets of Northampton, Massachusetts today and sold red ribbon pins that we made. It was pretty successful actually. The people of Northampton were super supportive.

It's extremely cold. We had to go inside every half hour and fund-raise hot chocolate and coffee. This winter is going to be intense.

Long and Winding Road...

We got in this morning around 5:30amWe left yesterday morning around 10am You can do the math! I think i've slept for three solid hours (maybe?)

All was fine with our caravan of five cars until our rickety white jeep broke down on the side of the road in nowhere Ohio. We literally waited for about six hours for triple A to arrive, tow the car to a shop just to hear that we couldn't afford the part that was needed...then we needed to find a cheap part, searched everywhere, found one that couldn't be shipped until Monday, and ended up renting a car do drive four out of the five people back home to the mountain. Poor J.T. has to spend the week-end in a motel in the middle of nowhere Ohio because the car can't be fixed until Monday morning. Then he will drive 12 hours on his own. I don't envy him at all.

It is so nice to be home! The mountain is empty. Most people are away fundraising. A few of us will stay behind and fundraise in Boston, Massachusetts College Towns, Bennington Vermont and Albany. It will be so nice to be on the mountain in one place for the three weeks before I go to Maryland for Christmas. Hopefully we'll make goal and this will be our final trip. Two of our team members dropped out of the program, so our fundraising goal is now $12,000.00 lower. I really don't want to fundraise in January and freeze to death. We will kick off our fundraising efforts tomorrow in North Hampton, Massachusetts, selling red ribbons to commemorate World Aids Day.

Am in town on the Internet because as usual, it doesn't work on the mountain. And i've got to get to work now!

Curative Herbs

Curative herbs: HERB INDICATIONS HOW TO PLANT

Aloe Relieves constipation. Boil and drink the concentrated water. Grow outdoors in warm climates, plant in full sun or light shade. Needs fast draining fertile soil. In the winter needs less water in the summer soak the soil and make sure it is completely dry before re-watering.

Basil Antiseptic for mouth sores. Use as a gargle. Boil in water and cool and gargle. Soil must be well dug and weed free. Moist soil is needed so water the day before planting. Sow in late March when there is no frost. Sow thinly, cover with ½ cm of compost and firm gently. Water every week (avoid wetting stems). Pinch out any flowers that grow. Harvest the top leaves first.

Coriander Helps to increase appetite. Controls bacteria and fungi. Add to meals. Needs light well-drained soil after the last frost. Sow thinly in shallow drills and cover with compost. Pinch the flowers off.

Eucalyptus Anti-bacterial (lungs/bronchitis). Prepare a tea from the leaves. Plant in full sun, in average soil. Don’t use fertilizer. Will not tolerate much moisture in soil. Water before and after planting and plant before winter sets. Plant 1”-2” inches below soil surface. Firm soil and water regularly.

Garlic Anti-bacterial/antiviral and antifungal. Aids in digestion and feelings of weakness. Good for treating throat infections, herpes and diarrhea. Make in a tea or add to food. Plant in full sun and in well drained soil. Good with all soil types. Fall planting is best. Plant 4-6 weeks before significant ground freezing may occur. Plant 2” below soil. Water the soil several hours before planting so it is moist and not muddy.

Ginger Improves digestion, relieves nausea, relieves diarrhea. Drink as a tea or add to food. Plant in a lightly shaded site with rich and well-drained soil. Plant in the Spring when temperatures are 75 degrees to 85 degrees F. Soak overnight in warm water before sowing then set them just under the surface with the buds facing up. Water lightly at first then more heavily when growth starts. Is mature when 2-4 feet.

Lemon Grass Calming, stress-relief, good digestion. Drink as a tea. Purchase lemongrass stalks with roots. Place in shallow water and room temperature to sprout. Once roots are an inch or two long it’s time to transfer to soil. Plant after frost and bring indoors during winter months.

Mint Anti-inflammatory helps digestion. Drink tea or gargle for mouth sores or chew leaves for digestion. Mint needs room away from others to roam freely. Plant in partial shade and in moist moderately rich soil. Plant in early Spring. Does not grow well from seeds. Keep soil moist. Pinch stem ends off each spring to keep plants bushy.

Neem Brings down fever. Boil twig and drink as tea or chew bark. Grows in almost all types of soil. Well-drained soil is necessary. Thrives on dry stony shallow soil. Neem tree needs little water and sunlight. Neem grows slowly during first year of planting. A neem tree bears fruit between 3-5 years. Protect from intensive shade, frost and cold.

Peppermint Helps nausea and controls vomiting and sleeplessness. Drink as a tea. Grows naturally

Thyme Antiseptic, antifungal, relaxes coughing and increases mucus secretions. Gargle as a mouthwash. Plant in well-drained light soil. Sow seeds in March and cover lightly with compost. Once seedlings sprout and danger of frost has passed move outside. Plant a distance apart. Don’t harvest first year. Water only in day conditions. Harvest year round.

Wormwood Antiseptic, helps with gastric pain and is a fever reducer. Plant in dry soil in bright sunlight. Make sure the soil is rich. *Toxic if taken in large doses!

The 2007 Michigan Development Conference

So i've arrived.After 15 hours in a four door sedan with luggage and plastic bags jostling us around, we reached Michigan. We're here for the Development Conference which is held once a year at the IICD school in Michigan. All of the Development Instructors from Massachusetts and California have come to brainstorm about you guessed it "DEVELOPMENT"! I'm so tired. We've been working like crazy. There have been lectures and meetings and presentations and I haven't slept in er.... I don't know how long. Monday I gave a presentation on education in Angola. Today, I'm giving a presentation on the African American experience in America in an interpretive poem. Our main task at this conference is to update the DMM system which is an educational data base containing the courses Humana uses to train it's teachers at the Teacher Training Colleges. So we are busy creating and uploading files. The work is tedious. We do this from 9am to 10 pm minus our food breaks. On the up side the food is fantastic. I'm usually first in line. It's also great to meet all of the Development Instructors from the schools in the US to hear about their experiences with the program or in Africa. It's interesting that we have all totally segregated ourselves here. The Americans and other English speakers (all seven of us) stick together like glue. The Brazillians, all twenty something of them are a team and the Japanese and Koreans have formed an alliance. To an extent things are segregated on the mountain by nationality but this is an extreme version. Its interesting to observe, there are a few floaters people who are sole representatives of there perspective countries, but for the most part, we separate. Ok, i'm supposed to be working.....

Site-Finding Blues

Site finding in Philly is hard!We're working for a non-profit organization that is affiliated with IICD called Planet Aid. Planet Aid's aim is to improve the environment by recycling clothing and supporting economic and social progress in developing countries. Basically, Planet Aid has a bunch of yellow clothes collection boxes that they place at sites. They collect the clothes (usually 70 million pounds/year) and sell them wholesale to a number of customers in the U.S. and abroad as a means to financially support development projects (like IICD) overseas. Planet Aid donates 3/4 of their net income to support projects in eleven different countries in Africa, Central America, China and India. Yay! So we get to go from business to business to see if they would be willing to host one of the big yellow boxes. For each box we place, Planet Aid donates $150.00 Once again YAY! But there is a catch... Nobody wants a box. It's so frustrating. We need to try to average two a person/day and well, as seems to be usual for this trip, we are behind. We are very very behind.

Pulled from New York

Okay, we were not successful in New York at all. We made like 1/4 (and that's being generous) of our weeks fund-raising goal. As a result we've been pulled from New York and sent off to Philadelphia. Perhaps the City of Brotherly Love will be more compassionate. So we're now in Philadelphia site finding for Planet Aid. You know those little yellow clothes collection boxes? IICD/Humana People to People (my organization) is affiliated with them. Instead of going door to door, or standing in front of businesses, we are going from gas station to gas station attempting to convince the owners to place a yellow clothes collection box on their premisis. I've definitely had more fun in my days.

Anopheles Attack

MALARIA: Where it's found and how to keep yourself healthy! Malaria is preventable! All deaths due to malaria are preventable!

Malaria is a fatal but curable disease that is caused by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. Malaria is caused by one of four protozoan species of the genus plasmodium: 1) Plasmodium Falciparum 2) Plasmodium Vivax 3) Plasmodium Ovale 4) Plasmodium Malarie

The female Anopheles mosquito injects the infective sporozite plasmodium forms which multiply in the liver cells and become hepatic shizonts that rupture and release merozoites into the bloodstream. Malaria begins immediately after incubation, which can differ from one Plasmodium species to another, usually 6-30 days.

Other ways to contract: 1) Blood transfusion 2) Hypodermic syringe sharing 3) Mother to fetus

Malaria is prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa! Malaria is very prevalent in Benguela, Angola and is the number one cause of child mortality under the age of five. Where there is warmth and water, there are mosquitoes!

The only malaria free zones are North America, Europe and Australia!

How to Protect Yourself: 1) Prevent the breeding of mosquitoes near your living space by covering pools of stagnant water, wells, open containers, latrine and garbage. 2) Prevent yourself from being bitten by: - Wearing long sleeves/clothes that cover your entire body - Use insect repellent on exposed skin (DEET works well, but is highly toxic) - Sleep under mosquito nets - Dwell in well-screened areas -Anopheles mosquitoes are nocturnal feeders. Transmission occurs between dusk and dawn. Avoid being outdoors at these times. - Use a parathyroid- containing flying insect spray in living and sleeping areas (once again, these are highly toxic) - Take your malaria medication before, during and after traveling as prescribed by a doctor -If bitten know the symptoms and seek early treatment

Symptoms: - Fever - Chills - Headache -Lethargy -Body Pain - Muscular Aches - Nausea -Diarrhea -Vomiting * Treat the symptoms of Malaria early because Placsmodium Falciparum infections can cause Kidney failure, coma and death.

For more information regarding Malaria, contact the Malaria Hotline at 404.332.4555

The above is a presentation that I gave today for volunteers preparing to go to Zambia, Angola, Mozambique and Namibia. I'm in the process of translating this presentation into Portuguese so that I can present it to people in my community in Benguela. It will be difficult though. Not because of the language barrier, but because I don't know how to seriously look at a group of people who have lost their children and loved ones to Malaria and tell them something they already know, and have no control over. There is no money for mosquito nets, there is no money for pills, there is no money for fancy sprays and there is no money for screens. I am looking into mosquito net alternatives, I am looking into natural mosquito repellents, but it looks bleak. If anyone has any helpful hints or tips, please let me know..... Muito Obrigada!

IICD August Team

Time is flying. I guess that's just what happens when you spend months in relative seclusion from the outside world on an international commune in the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts.

Six months. It takes six months of course work, fundraising and study to become a Development Instructor. Six months, until we get our tickets to our various countries in Africa in our eager little hands. Now we, the August team are next...

IMG_1225

We just said goodbye to the May Team. They are off to Mozambique, Malawi or South Africa (depending on their assignments). It's so weird because they were just starting when I arrived in July. Now we have a new team coming, the November Team and my team has approximately three months left. Time goes by so quickly.

This week-end was another building week-end and we winterized our facility. Plastic is covering the windows and the bases of the buildings have been wrapped in insulation. This is just in time because today has been COLD! Definitely around forty degrees.

This week I'll be preparing for fundraising trip number three to New York City. Yay, I get to go back home to New York. Hopefully it will be a money maker! I've been so lucky about my fund-raising cities. D.C./Maryland where my grandfather, mother and extended family are, Rochester where my father and childhood friends are, now New York, my home for the last eight years, home to my friends, and favorite places.

EPF Benguela- It's Official!

I just received my official job description.From February 2008- August 2008, I'll be working at the Escola de Profesores do Futuro em Benguela ( school for future teachers of benguela). The focus of the school is to train teachers from the primary schools in rural areas. The education is progressive in its approach and rigorous. I'll be responsible for teaching some of the following courses (in Portuguese) : English, Mathematics, Science, Communications, The World Today, Angola Today, Geography, History, Arts, Economics, Philosophy of Education, Didactic, Pedagogy, Psychology, Ethics, Sociology and School Administration. (Needless to say, I think I'll leave the Math to someone else!) I'll also be doing Political Theatre Workshops, Gardening Club, Health Club and English Club (where i'll teach English through popular songs ;0) ) and depending on how my studies go, I may hold HIV/AIDS and Malaria prevention workshops (time will only tell).

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back on the Mountain

I was happy to be able to touch base with some friends from college in Buffalo though. We also took a quick little side trip to the Canadian side of the Falls. I'm back on the mountain now. There is almost nobody here. Three teams are still out fund-raising. Today was just fantastic! I began the day with a hike through the woods with Jai and J.T.

We discovered a new trail and hiked for about three hours uphill. It was so beautiful outside. I love Sundays, my commune with nature days. We sang Broadway show tunes as we hiked.

Open Sushi bar was our dinner. A group of our Japanese volunteers got together to make dinner. Can you say delicious! Then to end the day off right, Tracy, Iliana, Jai and I had an interactive RENT the movie viewing party. We sang, we danced, we delivered powerful monologues… It was a Tony award-winning scene.

Fundraising Trip Two is Closed

We arrived back on the mountain this morning at 4:30am. The drive was a blur, I just remember being stopped halfway up the mountain because an enormous tree fell across our path. Poor Sergio had to get out and toss it to the side so that we could continue our way up our two-mile driveway to get home. I spent the night alone for the first time since I moved to haunted Brook House. Tamika my roomie was still in Virginia. I didn’t really sleep until six when the sun came out. I was also greeted with a ladybug infestation. About 100 (literally) dead ladybugs were scattered across our room and maybe twenty were flying/crawling around. Yep. We all know how I feel about bugs, ladybugs are no exception.

All in all, my team did really well in Rochester/Buffalo. We exceeded goal ;0-) We finished last night with a concert at Starry Night Café in Rochester. My friend Liza performed a little benefit concert for us. Much obliged Eliza. I can’t get over how absolutely beautiful Western Mass is in autumn.

Today we had a special program presented by the May team. They are almost finished with their six month training period and will be leaving in another week ;0( So before each team goes, they need to plan an unforgettable evening and today was their day. We had a concert this afternoon by a punk/folk/ bluegrass band called Bread and Roses. It was really cool. I now want to learn to play the Mandolin and the Ukulele (I’ll put that on my post-Angola checklist).

Afterwards, we had a candy hunt in our woods. Mind you we are on acres and acres of woods and the candy was spread so far out. I only found four pieces. I fell twice (flip flops are no good on moist leaves and branches). Then there was hot apple cider and pumpkin pie. At eight o’clock we had our haunted trail walk. We have this really creepy trail that’s like forty minutes long and I only walk it when it’s really really bright outside but today in the rainy dark chilly weather we went in.

Alarm

My ears are buzzing. I set off the ADT alarm system at my house about forty minutes ago when I arrived home from fundraising. Everyone is out and I haven't lived here since high school so I couldn't remember the code. It was terrible. There were lights and the noise kept changing decibels and I couldn't cut it off. I have such a headache right now. It took the police about 20 minutes to arrive, just to say they could do nothing. Luckily my driver's licence matches my home address otherwise I'd be in the back of a squad car right about now. So the officer is in the house trying to figure out how to cut the power to silence the screaming machine and suddenly, after a half an hour of agony, it hit me, I remembered the code. I punched it in and there was sweet silence. The officer looked at me like I was an idiot, which, well...um...er... Fundraising was a success my team is on the right track we move on to Buffalo tomorrow until Friday.

Ah, Buffalo, New York, the city where I attended undergrad. This trip has been a blast from the past. The weather is beautiful again I'm ready to finish strong.