| Apparently, I am not dead. |
[Aug. 29th, 2006|12:29 pm] |
After 11 months of service (and almost 14 in country), I feel that not being dead or back in the States is something to be proud off. And, to be honest, the only reason I'm here on LJ right now is that I wanted to see how much had changed in my "things I've done" and "books read" lists. Yes, I've done a lot more, and yes, I'm significantly better read now than I was before.
Fantastic.
Things are good. I've hit my stride (more or less). One of the classes I teach is so popular that we keep adding new students each week. Turns out, I'm a great teacher. Not necessarily what I want to do with the rest of my life, but at least I know I'm good at it. Making friends. Working hard. Eating well.
The trick to life here, just as with anywhere else, is to constantly ask yourself some questions: "If I were leaving tomorrow, would I be doing the same things?" "Is this living my dream? Is it a step on the path to living it?" "Will this really matter in 5 years? In 20?"
The Peace Corps is both less and more than as advertised. But that doesn't mean that I can't keep getting outside of my comfort zone and help as many people as possible. It's been a hell of an experience. 've changed so much in the past year, it's almost frightening to think of how different I'll be when I come home to visit in 13 months.
Holler back. Check out the blog @ subjectverbobject.com. Shoot me an email @ theresac@gmail.com. |
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| Holy shit, I'd forgotten about this thing. |
[Mar. 7th, 2006|09:46 am] |
So I might as well update whilst I'm here.
Life in Benin is good. It's motherfucking hot and humid, but we're hitting "le chaleur," which is to say, the hottest part of the year. Thank goodness it's starting to dry up a little bit here in the South (finally!). I love heat and humidity but enough is enough.
Let's see . . . I live in an apartment within walking distance of my office. Yes, I have an office. I work with a small NGO that works with Beninese entrepreneurs. I do a fair amount of programming, web design, and project management. I'm blessed in that I can see real, physical results for my projects, but sitting behind a computer all day isn't quite so bomb.
I don't really have any amazing or stunning insights. I mean, I'm glad I'm here, and I'm certainly going to stick it out for my two year committment, but the Peace Corps isn't everything it's advertised as. It's strange, sometimes it's better than anything I could have possibly imagined, and others, it's fucking hell on earth. I wouldn't say I'm bitter, exactly. More, resigned, I guess. That's the way the chips fall, and right now there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.
However, I'm making friends in my community, and in the Peace Corps community too. It's . . . well, life is always interesting, isn't it?
Hopefully everyone will see this on their Friends pages and leave comments! Yay comments! Yay! Yay!
Heh. |
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| Really? That's interesting! |
[May. 17th, 2005|04:28 pm] |
I just want to remind everyone about good ways to keep secrets.
1) Don't tell the world you have a secret. If no one knows you're hiding anything, no one will ever ask what you're hiding.
2) When someone asks you a direct question about the secret, answer casually, but lie. Do not follow up with a wink, nudge, smirk, or any other sign that you may not be telling the truth. Be matter of fact, and whatever you do, don't say "none of your business" or "no comment."
3) If a story is necessary, don't make it complicated. "Keep It Simple, Stupid" is an excellent phrase to live by.
Remember that the point is not make yourself feel better because you know it and "they" don't, nor is it to keep the knowing "unofficial." The point is to keep the damn secret. |
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| Peace Corps, here I come! |
[May. 13th, 2005|10:32 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | elated | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | In a Foreign Land - The Kinks | ] |
My invitation is in the mail.
July 5.
Francophonie.
Information Technology.
BOO-YAH.
Just wanted to share. It's gonna be a wild wild ride!
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| Who's my inner European? |
[Apr. 13th, 2005|06:26 pm] |
Your Inner European is Dutch! |
Open minded and tolerant.
You're up for just about anything. |
Is anyone else completely not surprised? |
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| Things I probably wish I hadn't done. |
[Feb. 19th, 2005|02:57 pm] |
The usual 'bold the ones you've done' drill.
01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights THIS SUMMER!!!
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars (does in a tent under the stars count?)
21. Changed a baby's diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Called in sick when you were not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath
9. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster
42. Hit a home run
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states/every county
50. Loved your job
( Not done yet! ) |
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| First meme. Take that, Abby. |
[Feb. 18th, 2005|07:18 pm] |
Book Meme
- bold those books you've read
- italicize started-but-never-finished
- underline the ones you really, really like
- strike through the ones you hated
- add three of your own
- post to your own livejournal.
( I read a lot, it seems ) |
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| Because I don't have enough projects as it is. |
[Feb. 18th, 2005|10:37 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  cranky | ] |
Yep. It's a meme-of-the-day sort of thing. Also, I don't like how LJ-ers use the word "meme." Whatever whatever.
PS, and I say this entirely without irony, MARY AND I ARE BFF!1!!1!!11one!!1one!!!!! |
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| (no subject) |
[Aug. 27th, 2003|03:32 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  enthralled | ] |
Now I have a picture? Testing Testing Testing. |
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