posts from the past: reclaiming joy

I've been going through my backlog in recent weeks, and thought you guys might enjoy rereading -- or maybe reading for the first time if you're a newbie -- posts from earlier in my service. One of my favorites is reclaiming joy, because it has great pictures and references some shadowers we had in Singida -- most of whom have just COS'd! My how time flies!

unaweza kunichukua?

Even a Peace Corps Volunteer fresh out of Pre-Service Training can understand the meaning of this question. And it's a loaded one when it comes from the mouth of a kid.

Since the beginning of November, I've been away from home supporting the TZ21 field office in town. It's hard to be away that long, so I've tried to assuage the sting of living out of a suitcase by staying at the beach house, where we PCVs have most of our holiday gatherings. Two days ago, I went out for an evening swim after work, and I met a kid who was already out in the ocean practicing his doggy paddle. As is customary among the children you meet on the beach, he wanted to show me all of his swimming techniques and the neat tricks he could do underwater. We did this exchange for a while, until I got concerned about how dark it was. This kid was alone, so I figured he had a long walk back home and I didn't want him to stay late on my account.

"Where do you live?"

"I live near a hotel in town."

"It's getting dark now. Aren't your parents worried?"

"I don't have any parents."

I had a feeling I wasn't going to like where this was going.

blogger refresh

Admittedly, I've been more engaged in reading blogs than writing them recently. The only word I can think to describe the feeling I get when I read about the adventures of others, the things I experienced early in my service...I feel refreshed. Which is fitting, because part of that word, "fresh", is what it felt like when I was in it myself. It's precisely the feeling I wanted to convey in the name of my own blog.

I'm very proud of our new group, and I'm thankful that many of them are taking their time to share their struggles and joys with the rest of us! If you'd like to get in on the action, check out the blogroll on pctanzania.org. All the blogs in my sidebar might be a little outdated (although some RPCVs that are home now are still posting!), but I'll update them soon!