Moving Pages

Sorry I haven't updated this blog in so long. I haven't forgotten all the support I've been given I have just been working on a new project - a personal webpage. I will be updating that site from now on will officially leave this site. If you wish to view my page and keep up to date with my adventures visit: http://cspinellimoore.com Copy and paste the link or retype it. There is no www. as a part of the address.

Update

Just wanted to give you an update on what I'm doing. I am currently working in a coffee shop in Hastings and helping out at a friend's apple orchard. It's been busy and taken some getting used to, especially the early mornings at the coffee shop, but overall lots of fun. I'm enjoying the variety of work and seeing so many people everyday. I've also been playing some ultimate frisbee. I've never been very good at sitting still. :) And I've been catching up with friends around town.

As for my shoulder, my doctor has recommended that I get a diagnostic arthroscope done. In other works, he wants to go into my shoulder and look at from the inside. He thinks part of my pain may be stemming from the sutures or anchors from my previous surgery. The surgery is planned for Tuesday, September 25th. Once I get out and know more, I will keep you updated.

Bummer News

Hey all,

I am unfortunately returning to the United States. I have been medically separated from the Peace Corps because of trouble with my shoulder. In America it wouldn't be a big deal, but everything in Mauritania is different. It will probably turn out to be nothing big, but again everything is different.

After resolving my shoulder, I then have the option of reinstating. This doesn't mean I get to return to Mauritania, but I can get placed into another program. I haven't made any decisions about what I'm going to do at this time, but I will keep you all informed as I figure it out. I would still really like to be overseas for some time before I start a career.

Thank you all for the amazing support you have given me. I really appreciate it. I have thought of you all often during my time here. See/Talk with you soon.

Killer Ants and Sandstorms

Killer ants. So there are biting ants in the states and I've been bit before but nothing like this. These stupid ants bit and continuing biting until you kill them. The bite hurts for like twenty minutes and leaves a bump at least a centimeter in diameter. I think everynight for the past week I've been bit no matter how careful I am to wipe my mat off before I lay down and prompty wrap myself in my sheet. The aren't the only fun bugs that I check my sleeping area for each night. I also look for spiders the size of my hand (hobhobe), little spiders, scorpions, and another biting bug that I don't know what it is. One night I killed a big spider in my room, my host mom killed two outside, and a scorpion. That was an exciting night. In general I kill dozens of ants everyday, and a few small spiders. I think the number of insects and bugs I've killed in my life has already doubled in my month in Mauritania (that counts the mosquitos I've killed in Minnesota). My host mom is very careful for me, constantly having me bring my mat out if I'm just relaxing during the day, or anytime I'm outside at home. The kids all look out for me as well - pointing out every ant within three feet of me.



Sandstorms. So far I've experienced two during the day and was awoken one night to quickly move inside before it hit. They are pretty amazing to watch approaching. There was one today (July 29) that looked at first like the much needed rain storm. However it quickly developed into a wall of brown. I imagine the wall to be 500 feet high and across the horizon. It approaches very quickly, giving us just enough time to get everything we need inside, including lunch today. Once inside it's completely dark, considering the fact that there's no electricity and all windows are boarded shut. Flashlights aren't used except when necessary because they attract so many bugs. However, the door doesn't fit perfectly so I can watch the storm through cracks. I watch it turn from grey to brown to orange to red and back. It's pretty amazing. Today one of the boys didn't get back to the house in time so we had to open the door for him. It was my first look outside during the storm and it was crazy. The sand everywhere, blowing really strong, and stirring everything up. I'm definitely glad I wasn't out in it. It creates quite a racket on the metal roof of my house too. Loud enough that it's hard to talk over. The two sandstorms during the day have been followed by rain. The rain is much needed as even current Peace Corps Volunteers have mentioned the rain is less and later than last year. It rained a good part of this afternoon so hopefully that will slightly help. It certainly helped the temperature, making it nice and cool, perfect for a nap. :)

A Typical Day

So it's been an interesting three weeks learning how to live. My daily life at homestay consists of waking up around 7am because there are kids every where and the robinet out front is used by several families. Every morning I eat bread, tasteless peanuts, and drink three small glasses of tea. For those of you who like sweet tea, this might even be too sweet for you. Each small pot contains at least three spoonfuls of sugar. I don't mind it now, but if I continue to drink it I'm going to end up with no teeth.

From eight to noon I go to my facilitator's house to learn Hassaniya. It's coming along but there are so many different ways to say one verb and they don't sound anything alike that it's still hard for me to communicate. The short, maybe five minute, conversations I have most nights with my host mom is pretty exciting for me. Hopefully soon I'll be able to actually carry-on a conversation besides "I'm full" or "I'm tired."

At noon I return home to rest. It is far to hot to do anything but rest. I sometimes try to review vocabulary for Hassaniya, but more often then not there are kids surrounding me trying to get me to name the parts of the face or count to twenty. I try to escape into a book or journal for an hour or so before lunch to regain my sanity. Sometime around 2pm I eat lunch. Lunch is rice, cabbage, fish (complete with the scales and bones), carrot, eggplant, and some green leaf. This is by far the best meal, as it is not to greasy and has vegetables in it. How to eat: eat only with your right hand. First you grab a handful of rice and try to form it into a ball, I'm not very good at this. After your first bite of rice, the rest of the food is fair game to reach for. I try to eat as much vegetables and fish as possible. Once done, they usually try to encourage me to eat more. I eat less then my host brothers and sisters who are half my age or less. Once they give up I am left to wash my hand and sleep. I have class again at four, and sometimes get tea before - depends on if my host mom makes it in time.

From four to seven I learn Hassaniya again. This class is harder since it's hotter and generally I've just woken up from a nap. Thank goodness it's shorter.

After class I return home to watch the end of a soccer game that happens outside my house everyday. I'm not allowed to play, but at least I get to watch. After the game, and everyone has left I take my bucket shower. I'm getting better, it takes me less than half a bucket to shower, including washing my hair. The light disappears just after eight, at which point I just lay back and watch the stars. Sometimes I try to read, but the light from my headlamp brings lots of bugs (that will be another entry later). Around 9:30pm I eat dinner. Dinner is often just macaroni pasta with some white beans. This is usually pretty greasy. There has been two nights that I ate rice with fish swimming in grease for dinner. After dinner there is another three glasses of tea, then bed. I'm usually asleep by eleven if not early.

That's my days in general. Fun but tiring and really hot. I love it when it rains and cools things off.

Hi Everyone,

I leave on my Peace Corps adventure to Mauritania tomorrow, Sunday June 24. My planes leaves Minneapolis/St. Paul at 7am (for those of you who know me, I don't get up that early :) ). I spend two days in Philadelphia then head on to New York on Tuesday. I leave New York Tuesday night to fly to Dakar, Senegal. I guess the Peace Corps will bus me from Dakar to training. I can't believe it's finally here. This has been a long time coming and I want to thank everyone for the support and encouragement you've given me. I am looking forward to Mauritania. I have packed a couple soccer balls and frisbees, in hopes that I will be able to play some sports with the girls I will be working with. However, being in a Muslim country I don't know how that will work. Maybe that's something I can work on since I am a Girls Education and Empowerment Volunteer.

Packing for Mauritania

I've begun the packing process for Mauritania. Actually, I've started gathering the items to bring with me in an attempt to make my transition a little more smooth. I've got shampoo, conditioner, and all the traditional travel stuff, but I've also gotten a new tent. It's called a Bug Hut and probably what I will be spending most of my nights in. It looks like a tent and sets up like a tent, but has only one door and has four mesh walls. I also got a new Therma Rest for camping or maybe spending night visiting other volunteers sites. I really hope to use the Therma Rest for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Although it doesn't look like that will happen until the end of my time with the Peace Corps.

Perhaps the most important item I've gotten is a case to keep sand away from my iPod, and more importantly my camera. I want to be able to take as many pictures as possible, and hopefully I'll figure out how to post some of them here.

I've also started my collection of skirts. This is the most difficult part for me. I still don't understand the appeal of skirts. I just pretend I'm playing dress-up and I'm not actually going to be wearing them. I'm having much more fun choosing shirts. I've found some that I would like to wear around now, but I don't want to wear them out.

This collecting of items to bring to Mauritania is really making me excited to begin the adventure. Pretty soon I'm going to have everything sitting in a corner of my room waiting for me to pack. I am concerned about the weight of everything I want and need to bring. I have an 80 pound weight limit, compared to the usual international traveler who has a 100 pound limit. At least I don't have to bring supplies for all two years though. I'm actually trying not to think too much about it, because then it seems like time moves slow.