Happy Anniversary!

Today marks 3 months in country. Wow! some days it really feels like i've been here a lot longer and other days it feels like I just stepped off the plane. I thought I would use this email to share with you some of the lessons that I have learned so far that I know will carry me through the rest of my life. Hopefully, they may be beneficial to you as the new year approaches. Probably the most important lesson I have learned so far and the one I have learned most recently. As I stated in a previous email my friend Jenn was in a car accident. Well, she had to have surgery to have her spleen removed, a breathing tube put in because a few of her broken ribs pierced her lungs, and will have a long road to recovery ahead and most likely will prevent her from coming back to serve as a volunteer(but I still have hope and my own selfish reasons that she will have a speedy recovery so she can come back and join me in the warm heart of africa). I received an email from her father and was told that despite everything that happened she is still in good spirits and the doctors have told them she is smiling. She smiling because she is alive. As gruesome as this seems it was a reality check for myself. I have been afforded the opportunity to do something that many others are not, and even though some days are harder then others, i'm still breathing, i'm still doing what I want to do, and that in itself is something to smile about. I have settled with the idea that i'm going to allow myself to be sad, angry, etc..but at the end of the day i'm going to allow myself to smile as well because I made it through yet another day. I realize that it's ok to experience a range of emotions that's life, but I must never forget to count the blessings I have. Everyday here I have a constant reminder of the privledge I have as an American. Despite what the conditions are in the states at this present time, there are social support systems in place to help those that need it. Here there is not. Malawi is underdeveloped not because the people choose to be but because the people need to focus on survival before they can even think about focusing on development. Although people in the states have to focus on survival, there are places where meals can be given, and even though a meal may seem small that is one less thing you have to worry about for that moment. Never take advantage of all that you have because there is someone out there that has less then you. Trust me, I see it everyday.Patience is a virtue...so true! I have became use to waiting. Not so much because I want to, but because I have to. Things aren't quick here and sometimes you have to wait to get things done. I have met some pretty cool people while waiting. But there is also a story behind this is well. Natalie and I were going into Dwangwa, local larger market, to do some shopping. Well, instead of waiting on the 9am AXA bus we hop on the back of a matola. The only thing it was raining and Dwangwa is 30k. So, we're riding on the back of the matola(pick up truck) in the rain when we could have just waiting 30 more min for the bus. Our first thoughts are "I wonder how long it will be before we get sick for doing that?" When we finally got to Dwangwa we were drenched and looked like sad lost dogs. We headed over to a little restaurant for tea to warm up and wait out the rain. This was the first week at site and we were starving so we decided to order breakfast. While waiting the woman who took our orders saw that we were cold so she grabbed a chitenje and wrapped me in it and grapped a knit sweater for Natalie. The kindness of the people here is not something that you will find in the states...moving along to my next point.Being nice is not hard! A smile can go a long way and being pleasant doesn't hurt either. I can't count the amount times my mood has been lifted because of the kindness of a stranger. They know i'm not from here, they don't know why I came, they don't know long I will be here, but they are still nice to me. I'm an easy target at times as a person to take advantage of but people generally care. Just simply that, they care. It doesn't take much effort to care, it doesn't take much time, and really it makes you feel just as good. Living in poverty here is not like living in poverty in the states. But I realize of how little I can live off and how happy I can be. I have no electricity, no running water, no computer, no tv, but I still have moments of enjoyment just as I would have in the states. The moments of enjoyment are not coming from mindless objects but from people. No one can ever replace my family or friends back home, I have adjusted to the idea that I'm not here to make bestfriends, if I find a few good friends that's awesome, but the conversations that I have had with people both Peace Corps and non-Peace Corps have been more enjoying then some of the activities that require such luxuries as electricity. So I guess my point here is really take advantage of having conversation. Take the time to talk to people, your neighbor, co worker, a person in line. You may be surprised what you get from it. Plus, there's nothing like having solid relationships with those you love, so why not take advantage of having a conversation and spending time with them instead of watching tv. Last but certainly not least(i'm sure there will be more to come) never, ever, take advantage of having family and friends surrounding you. I have had little contact besides letters here and there with loved ones and it has been rough. But it has also made me grow in appreciation for those relationships. You never realize what you have until its gone, and technically you all aren't gone but it's a close to gone as I ever want to experience. I have been blessed in having a great, supportive, and loving family and group of friends. No one can ever replace you all, trust me I try to throw extra folks in the mix but the history is just not there. That history is what makes our relationships so unique. We all have interlocking stories that have created me into who I am now. I can never take or change that, but because of it I'm forever grateful. I know there are times where people just don't feel like being bothered, hell, I like having some me time every once in awhile, but after this experience so far I have realized how lucky I am to have such a good group of people surrounding me. And knowing and learning this will be something that I hope not to take for granted in the future. There are people out there with no one, or maybe just one, I have been lucky enough to have a plethora of people with all different experiences that I can learn from, instead of looking at a person and trying to figure out what their flaws are look at them and figure what gift they are giving to the world. Enjoy the people around you because of who they are, as an individual, and not who you expect them to be. I have been blessed and continue to be blessed to have all you. I'm looking forward to hearing all the stories you all will have in this upcoming new year.