The Miss List

While I have this blog to share my thoughts publicly, I wanted to record some things down just for me. This past weekend I took a walk down memory lane by flipping through the pages of my journal. I’ve kept random journals here and there throughout my life but never for an extended period of time. Knowing these would be a pivotal two years, I’ve faithfully scribed in it since waiting for the plane to take off in NYC over 2 years ago. The pages display a range of emotions, describing times when I felt on top of the world and moments where I go off on a rant in frustration. It’s really a testament to the highs and lows of Peace Corps service, changing hourly when you first arrive in country then leveling off as time goes on.  I could type out a few excerpts from entries, but what I thought would be most fun is to share my running list on the back pages of my flowery notebook. It’s titled “things that seem normal now but won’t be in the U.S. (I suspect)”. I started it shortly after getting to site and was eating fresh coconut with a pocket knife as a daily snack.  One day in my coconut bliss, I thought, ok, this is not normal. I won’t be able to do this when I get home. So it began that way but it quickly morphed into a “things I will miss when I get back to the U.S.” list. It’s easy to get excited about the obvious luxuries I’m going back to very soon (living with electricity and running water, owning a car, a plethora of food options, customer service etc., etc.) and the things I won’t miss here (crappy transportation, zero privacy, sharing a house with an army of ants etc., etc.). But since I’m spending only a few more weeks in this Moz life, I’m focusing on the things I’ll be sad to say goodbye to.  Here’s what I think they’ll be:

-Using my porch as a bathroom. I brush my teeth and wash my face there, and take my mirror outside to use the natural sunlight. No sink, no light bulbs, no problem.

-The unbelievable starry sky. It looks just like the dome of a planetarium I’d go to on a field trip as a kid; Stars twinkling and shooting, galaxies swirling. It makes for good entertainment while brushing my teeth on the porch.

-Having the time and motivation to cook from scratch. I liked cooking before, but having the time to hone my cooking skills here made me realize I actually love it. You’ve gotta get creative when there aren’t a lot of food options and all your cravings need to be made from scratch. I really want to keep this up when I get home, but worry the convenience of pre-packaging and a faster-paced lifestyle may throw a wrench in my plans.

-Speaking of, the slow pace of life here will be missed. It can certainly cause annoyance sometimes but overall, it’s a pretty awesome way to be. Much less stress, I sleep well, you have the time to just chill and reflect. A lot.

-An amazing assortment of tropical fruits. Mangoes and coconuts are cheap and easy to come by and I love ‘em! I’m guessing I can buy them fresh at Whole Foods for a billion times more than I can get them here and nowhere near as fresh (i.e. the mangoes come from the tree in my front yard!)

-Having almost no work stress. I actually really love teaching so that helps. But for the few bad days I do have, I’m able to let it go once I get home. This was definitely not the case in my past job. I’m also a volunteer so I’m only getting paid for my living expenses but not my work. It changes the game when you’re working solely because of your motivation, not dollar signs. And the stakes just aren’t as high when money isn’t a factor so that means the stress just isn’t as high. And I haven’t even mentioned that I’m off every Friday, I work about 24 hours a week, and I get to wear casual clothes to work. Uh, yeah, it’s gonna be tough to go back to the grind…

-A cozy, quite sleep. I sleep better here than ever before. I think it’s the quiet of no electricity and that less stress thing.

-My arm hair is white all year round (as opposed to only in the summer) from the African sun! A small perk but one I’ll miss.

-Finding time every day to get to truly relax.

-The backdrop of an African landscape. Barefoot children, baobab tress and reed huts are the norm on my hikes and runs.  It’s no longer a foreign scene, but something I’ve grown very accustomed to.

-Using sand and a stick as pen and paper. If you’re having a casual convo outside, it’s common practice to pick up a stick and draw or write in the sand to help outline your point. I love the simplicity of it.

-Time and patience to read. A goal I aspired to when coming here was to become a reader and now at

21 books read in 2 years, I consider myself to be one! I always desperately wanted to read but just couldn’t find the self-discipline to finish more than one or two books a year. But when you’ve got lots of time, no TV and minimal distractions, it’s easier to get through a book. There’s a wide range of literature floating around the PCV network. I’ve read quite a variety from Catcher in the Rye and the Huger Games trilogy, to Breakfast of Champions and The Help.

-Avocados. Oh man how I love avocados. When the season arrives, I incorporate them into dinner on a daily basis (much to Chris’ chagrin by the end of the season). They grossed me out back home, but I wonder if it’ll be different when I return. I’m thinking avos here are far superior.

-Forcing myself to be adventurous. All the time. I’m someone who generally plays it safe, but there is just no other option when living with limited means in a developing country.  When I applied to PC, I noted in my application essay that I wanted to “step out of my comfort zone”. Uh yeah, that happened repeatedly.

-The quiet.  Being away from the city life and electricity is peaceful. 

-Speaking Portuguese. As difficult as it was at times, I think it’s pretty cool that I can speak another language if I do say so myself!  Unfortunately, not practicing regularly as I’m forced to do here means my Port skills will probably go downhill. But hey, at least Chris and I can talk about you and you won’t know what we’re saying :)

-The people, of course. Not just Mozambicans and their positive vibes in general, but many of my wonderful students, colleagues, and PCV friends who have become like family.

-Living so close to nature. Sometimes we feel like we’re literally living outside, so we made up a little theme song that goes “we’re camping for 2 years!” Our house is kind of like a rustic cabin in the woods or living in a screened-in porch. It can have its downsides at times but we generally sing it with a smile.

-Doing something and being someone different than the norm. It’s why people here are interested in me and why you back home are interested in reading my blog. What am I going to talk about now???

-Living so close to the beach that it’s no longer a big deal. This Ohio girl always thought she’d live near the ocean someday, but definitely not the Indian Ocean.

-Letting go of vanity. Mirrors, good lighting and hairdryers are hard to come by, and how can you keep up appearances in 100 degree heat and no A/C anyway? I don’t think I’m a complete mess here, but there is certainly a lot loss primping. It’ll be nice to dress up at home, but I imagine I’ll miss the frequency of my natural days.

-Fresh cashews. Another cheap (by U.S. standards) and delicious produce item found in these parts.

-Evenings’ by lantern light. The fiery glow really has its charm and I won’t be needing it when I live with electricity.

-Seeing natural beauty everywhere from palm trees to vibrant flowers, brightly colored birds and stunning beaches.

-Traveling ain’t no thang. I’ll have been on 3 continents and seen 7 countries in a little over 2 years.  I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to travel so much in such a short period of time again.

-Feeling like I am growing and changing all the time. It’s almost palpable. There are challenges abound here, but I’ve found ways to overcome them or at least to sit comfortably with them. This type of constant character-building exercise isn’t easy to come by.

And there you have it, my miss list, at least for now. I have a feeling I’ll discover many more things to pine over once I’m in the swing of a normal life, even while sipping Starbucks with flat-ironed hair.