Ah city life...

So I am out of Namapa for the first time in two months, though it doesn´t feel like I`ve been out in the mato (bush) for so long! Probably because I have friends and projects to keep me occupied, and i usually feel far too busy to make the effort of getting to the city. Happily this weekend I got a ride with an NGO neighbor, so not only did is sit in a comfortable car (with a SEAT BELT, so exciting) for only 3 hours, but I can buy TONS of stuff knowing I have a spacious ride back--unlike my usual machibombo (bus) ride crammed into a space that would make a sardine claustrophobic. I was persuaded by my friend Megan to stay in the nice hotel, and I wasn´t too hard to convince as a hot shower (or three) is hard to say no to, and I can afford it even with my peace corps salary because i only leave site every few months and there´s nothing to buy at site....so now I am CLEAN and happy, and about to go to the sunday market (furniture, jewelery, fabric, and tons of random other things)--another advantage of having a ride is not having to leave at 5am! When I got here yesterday I happily spent a fortune at the south african grocery store (apples! cheese! FRESH GINGER!). What else should I be chatting about? Somehow I don´t feel to rushed to say everything, because I´ll back for our regional meeting in only a month--when did i month become such a trival space of time without internet? When I next write to you it will only be four months until I come home for christmas! Present requests? Anything African you are dying to have?

More thanks to Connnie girl for another TWO letters (oh boy does she put many of you to SHAME). I also got a letter from Mme. Gaultier yesterday, which is lovely but means I have to remember how to speak French.....alas my French has been absolutely devastated by Portuguese.

A couple blog entries ago I got a comment from an unknown reader applying to PC, so a special hello to you too! and to anyone else who I don´t know out there! I´m very happy that you are reading, and I hope you find it helpful--this was one of the reasons I started the blog in the first place, as my best source of information as a potential PCV was through peace corps blogs. Everyone´s experience is totally different, and my life is very different from the blogs i read (even the mozambican ones), but I think it still helps get the feel of it. So don´t be afraid to say hello, and good luck with applications!

Lots of love to family and friends. Let me know what you want to hear about, because next time I will be in the city for THREE DAYS so I may acutally get to answer questions properly. Plus I´ll try to draft a more comprehensive blog entry about site. Maybe some character sketches?

Miss you all! xx Laura