Homesick - Follow Up

To my family – thank you for the words of encouragement and support in response to my last blog post. Just writing about my frustrations helped take some of the pressure off – it’s hard to keep the blog upbeat when my emotions are all over the place.

I received some questions/comments that I wanted to respond to – and I figured I shared my thoughts with everyone.

I called the Peace Corps Medical Office and scheduled an appointment to talk to the nurses about mental health.  I have to go to Kampala for a GAD Committee meeting on March 31^st and riding 16 hours on a bus for a 2-hour meeting would send me over the edge.   At least the medical visit will extend the trip for one more day.

Sometime in January, I decided that I have to set monthly goals for myself to keep from getting bored and to feel a sense of achievement.  It also helps the time go by faster.  Some of my goals are related to work and Peace Corps (finish the school brochure by the end of February, run for Gender and Development Committee position in February, create exam questions for social psychology by the end of March, etc.) and some goals are for my personal life (cook a new vegetable/recipe, leave site at least once a month to visit other PCVs, take more pictures of the community, etc.).  It is essential for my sanity that I have something to look forward to each month – and at the end of my service, I’ll have a long list of my accomplishments in Uganda (even small ones, like cooking Curried Okra).

Also, knowing that I’ll be home in September definitely helps.  I am counting down the months until I get to see the whole family again.  Right now I’m looking at dates and flights – I’ll send out word when it’s booked.  I was thinking about going to the Pig Roast too, but I don’t have enough vacation days to take the entire month of September off.  (Sorry Allens & McGraths!)  But I am considering a weekend in Denver while I’m in the states.  I’ll see what I can work out.

Thank you to Uncle John for reminding me of the hardships of living in the US.  :)  I couldn't stop laughing when I read your comments.  [*Read the comments to the previous blog post.]  I forgot how frustrating it is losing the remote control or getting the wrong order after going to a fast food drive-thru.  Life is tough.  :)

Last week I was able to Skype with Brian, Ashley, Ainsley, and Roen.  (I don’t have high-speed internet at my house, so arranging a Skype session is difficult.)  It was so nice to talk and see them!  I know that I’m going to be missing a lot during these two years, but I like to be kept in the loop with what’s going on.  I don’t want to come home and say, “What?!  When did Wendy get married?!” or something like that.  It helps me to stay connected with everyone back home.

During our Skype session, Brian asked me what I do during my ‘down time.’  I couldn’t think of a good answer.  This weekend I wrote it all down:

• If the power is on, I watch movies.
• If the power is off, I read books.
• I also enjoy frequent afternoon naps.
• From November to January, I was on the internet a lot researching social psychology and preparing lesson plans.
• Now I research vacations & safaris and figure out my calendar & budget.
• I write blog posts and emails.
• On the weekend, I’ll wash my clothes.  That usually takes 1-2 hours.
• Cooking takes longer here – I don’t have a microwave.  And there’s the added step of washing fruits and vegetables in diluted bleach water for 10 minutes.
• I try to ride my bike town at least twice a week.  It’s an hour to get there and an hour back with some shopping in between.  And then a bucket bath.
• Daily chores include sweeping, dusting, filtering water, boiling water, and killing spiders & ants.
• I have yoga books and magazines, but it has not become part of my daily routine yet.  Some days I’m just too tired . . . and the cement floor is not very inviting.

Ok, that’s all for now.  I have to go wash my tomatoes in bleach, pump up my bike tires, and kill the cockroach that's hanging around my bathroom sink.