New Soul

This just in, I added a map to the bottom of the blog go look -now-

Silver and Cold

Just a quick update. Life is good, after several attempts I have finally managed to post some pictures on picassa. The Thanksgiving photos are cleverly titled "Thanksgiving 2008".

The temperature has taken a down swing and it is pleasant. I woke up freezing today and zipped my sleeping bag all the way up and covered my ears in the mummy hood. It was amazing! Kristy called me crazy, but admits she is often much colder then is pleasant. I know that you at home are reading this and thinking wow it must be cold as you are looking around and seeing the snow, sleet, and ice. The temperature is probably around 70 degrees but a 30 degree drop is going to change any ones mind about what cold really is.

It is hard to believe that in a few short weeks it will be the Winter Solstice and Christmas and then New Years. We will go to Nouakchott for X-mas and then off to St. Louis, Senegal for New Years! Hurray for a developed city in a partially developed country! There will be more to come and I will update about my classes soon.

Stay safe and warm.

Sweetness

It is the eve before Thanksgiving and I think that I will be too busy to come by and do some interwebbing so here it is my Thanksgiving post. This one will be different then the usual yearly soap box standing and ranting.

We all by now know that we stole our home in America from others who probably stole it from others and everybody thought it was a great idea and that the god of their choice supported it.

This year I am thankful for so much.

I will start with how thankful I am for my bad days. The days that I am wrought with despair and think what the heck am I doing here, those days make the rest of them sweeter then high fructose corn syrup. I am surrounded by jaw dropping poverty, intense hunger, and some of the darkest ignorance I have ever encountered.

I am thankful for the accident that was my birth on a continent in a country that is fruitful and where possibilities are limitless.

I am thankful that I did not grow up only to fall short like the 95% of students don't make it college here.

I am thankful that I was born in a a place of hard work, integrity, and education are the driving forces that will lead to the life that you wish to live.

I am thankful that the work I do here has some impact however small as it is.

I am thankful for the new and old friends that I have.

I am thankful that I was welcomed so warmly to our temporary home here in Kaedi.

I am thankful for the people who have cared enough to try and ensure that Kristy, myself, and the rest of the Gorgol has had an American meal in this place so far from home.

I am thankful for the love that I have found in my wife and that she is always there to support me.

Thank you friends and family for reading and supporting us through this.

American Pie

Life continues as it often does, it is slow and steady here. Thanksgiving is on my mind a lot, it is really astounding how much more I like America being away from it. I will stand firm on my dislike on the origins of this holiday, don't get me wrong.

I do not really have anything of note to report, and I am merely writing to let all who will see that I am alive and well.

Work is work. Students are not much different the world over. Some want to learn, some want to talk, and I believe that they all crave structure and will press boundaries just to see what they can get away with. My Teacher Trainer stuff is slowly starting I hope that this is like The Tortoise And The Hare and that I will keep a good pace my whole time here.

I am currently learning Hassanya, it is a dialect of Arabic. I never knew that my mouth could make some of those noises. Like any language it is coming along slowly and the more I practice the better I will become.

We have resigned that our landlord is not going to fix our plumbing and have started repairs
ourselves. It is a bit of an adventure going into a hardware store and having to describe what the piece your looking for.

Ghouls Night Out

I would like to wish everyone a blessed Samhain (Happy Halloween). We were able to spend the night of Halloween with friends we hadn't seen a while, it was a great time, almost too great. Holidays remind me how much I miss home, its kinda a bummer.

It almost doesn't really feel like it is November because it is hot, still. Regardless of how much Mauritanians tell me its cold, I disbelieve it. I am actually looking forward to the cold season that everyone talks about. Supposedly within a few weeks it will be sweater weather until noon for over a month.

I started my classes, its really hard to tell how many students I have. I expect to get a roster within a couple weeks so I will know for sure but from my attendance I have a class of 40 and a class of 45. More kids will filter in though, I know it. There are still even a lot of teachers that are not here yet. I never really thought that work ethic was something that I thought I would miss but I do, a lot. I will do what I can to lead by example. I have hope to be able to start my teacher trainer job soon I have tentative plans to meet with the DREN and director of my lycee {high school} to discuss where I will be most effective, what they want out of my, and to try and propose some of the ideas that I have.

If I Had A Hammer

School officially started on the 12th, the same day that we in the Gorgol voted absentee style in the coming presidential election. I hope that my vote is more productive than the first day of school.

On the first day of school I got up early made myself pretty all "guy with the tie" lookin' and moseyed over to the lycee. I arrived as expected before many people but not first. I get there shake hands speak some bad-yet developing French and meet some people and left about an hour and a half later. The first day is really the first day they start planning the new year. I was able to tell the man who would make my schedule I would be available for 4 - 6 hours a week and was told to come back next week. I dropped by almost every day and went to the DREN a similar number of days to do the same thing. (Director Regional of Education National) {it's a bad French translation, can you dig it?}

The next Sunday, I show up same deal as before a shirt and tie and all that jazz. The guy with the schedule showed up about 2-3 hours after I left. So, Monday I get my schedule I have two classes a week one that day. I enter an empty class stand there, check out my new chalk courtesy of a heartfelt care package by writing my name on the board, "Mr. Sisco". It felt good to wear that hat again. One kid shows up to see the American teacher, he is not my student but we talk for a few minutes. This story ends with me finding two kids that are supposed to be in my class standing around talking to their friends. I pretend to be mad at them (Don't smile till after December) and instruct them to be actually in class and on time next week, in'shalla.

I Turned Into A Martian

It has recently come to my attention that I have not shared too much about what life is like here, and I only really share the high and low lights and while these are usually the best stories they leave a bit out of the main picture. I will try to show you faithful readers a bit more of what my life is like here, please take into account that these are only my experiences and observations and that like there is no pinnacle American experience there too is no pinnacle Mauritanian experience.

BLEH that made me sound super duper lame.

First off the country here is young, the culture and the people are ancient but the country has only been developed independently for less than 100 years. Think about America less then 100 years old. There are very few paved roads, inconsistent supply of water, electricity, and phone communication (I am sure this goes for television too but I rarely see one in more than passing.) Many people I encounter have farm animals: goats, sheep (not fluffy ones either), donkeys, cows, and horses. There are houses here that are made of adobe and when it rains or if you touch it, it falls apart. Education is not the key to a fruitful career and the system is built (it seems) to weed out people than to prepare them as good citizens. What I knew of as poverty has reached new levels here. There are no services for those that are handicapped in any official sense, I will come back to this.

I have yet to meet a Mauritanian that is not Muslim, and doubt that I ever will. Being that they are Muslim they are very much fatalists and this effects all aspects of life. This is even apparent in speech, many every day used often phrases include: Peace be with you, With the help of God, and Thanks be to God. The fatalist part of life here effects what we as Americans would think of as progress. Life is slow here and people are very patient, things happen when they happen - when God makes them happen - not a moment before. Like going to the post office and I can see my package and I am standing at the counter the people that are working there will help me when they get around to it, if I get frustrated it is my ideas of customer service that is getting in the way my happiness.

I used to think of America as the single serving culture but that was until I came here. Thinking about tomorrow or next time is not really done too often here. You buy enough food for today, enough tea for now, and enough goods for now. This is augmented by a lack of refrigeration as a common place practice, and if you have a fridge you will probably make bags of ice to sell as opposed to keeping a gallon of milk in it. I have not eaten more fresh food in my life ever.

The idea of individual success and property is odd, people have their own stuff and definitely have pride and shame. People often defer to the success of superiors and their pride of their elders. Anything that you may like or want is able to be asked for. Those are nice pants, can I have them? A compliment is almost the same as asking for it. The family and the community are extremely important and one of the pillars of the Islamic faith states that you must give to charity, and people do. If you have no food ask a neighbor there is always room for more around the bowl. It is absolutely common practice to invite yourself to a neighbors for lunch or dinner.

Kristy and I have a hard time just walking into peoples houses or telling the few that we have met, we want to eat with you, we feel that the burden is greater because there are two of us (the people we met have so little and it is hard to think that our presence at their bowl is not taxing on the nutrition of the family) and I get tired of rice and fish for lunch, it's the national dish.

I mentioned earlier that there is no formal aid for those who may need it to be fruitful citizens, no special needs classes, no handicapped parking, nothing but open hearts and homes. People who need to be taken care of simply are. There is a lady who I imagine lives at the intersection of the paved roads (there are 2 here in Kaedi and they meet) She never stands and I imagine she cannot. She wears odd things on her head, throws trash, and sometimes yells. (outbursts of emotion are not common here) In the conditions here with the heat and harsh life it would not take long for someone to wither and die but she has lived the same way for years, she is taken care of because it what is supposed to happen, and the same can be said for all of those in need.

To cap this off, the people here are kind, a boy helped carry things back to the market for me when he was half my size, and children help us when we are lost. Sometimes they call us names, and throw rocks but that is not as common.

We are put up with better then we would be in the US. Imagine someone who doesn't share your basic beliefs, is half your age, and are a different color entirely, they barely speak your language coming to your work and telling you that they are here to help you do things better. Americans would run them out of town or belittle them at every chance.

I will happily answer questions about our lives if you have them. Email or comment me with them.

Within A Mile Of Home

Locusts have come and pretty much gone they were not the biblical style plague I expected but still at times a bit of a bother. This is the biggest one I seen, it's in our room.

Ramadan is over! This is a great thing because the Mauritanian people will now be as productive as they ever are. I still have yet to meet the people I will be working with and for but expect that next week this will happen. School starts on the 12th of October, In'Shalla. Which means I could actually be teaching a whole class by Halloween.

I have updated my Picasa account with 3 new albums just for those of you who have forgotten what we look like and/or want to see where we live. The albums are titled: Road to Kaedi - pit stop, Eid ul-Fitr, and Our home in Kaedi. Go gawk at them at your leisure.

Hard Sun

Yesterday was Kristy's birthday, and 2 days before was one of our site mates, Mariam. We have been celebrating and relaxing quite a bit. It has been a good time all around. We were able to make: salad, fettuccine Alfredo with garlic cheese bread, peanut butter M&M cookies, pasta salad, pizza, and a cake! The food was fantastic!

Ramadan is over 1/2 over and school should start soon afterward. Kristy and I have accomplished a fantastic goal, we have acquired a house. We spent a bit of time moving some stuff in today and will keep on bringing stuff as the days tick by until its all at our new home. We plan on looking for at least one roommate to help us share the bills. We really think that with a bit of help there should not be too much of a pinch financially.

Our house is great! or will be when it has some maintenance done for it. We have 3 bedrooms, a salon, a kitchen, and 3 bathrooms! (only 1 really works right now) 2 of the bathrooms are attached to bedrooms. The room we are 99% sure we are going to take is on top of the house so we have a terrace too! Some of the other benefits of the house include being within 2 min walking to the lycee (high school) and around the corner from Matt. I know I know pictures are worth 1000 words but I just brought my camera to the house today and have yet to even take any pictures.

Update on the military stuff - apparently there was an attack on Mauritanian military where some soldiers have been killed, it really sucks that these peaceful people that have opened the lives and communities to us have had to endure this violence thrust upon them. This tragic event happened on the exact opposite end of the country from Kristy and I. We are safe, and happy, don't worry. Much like the coup I have seen no changes. If you would like to pine over this latest development feel free to check the sidebar of my blog and there are some ominous sounding articles on the right hand side, but once again know we are safe and vigilant.

Hot Hot Hot!!!

Kristy and I swore in, the ceremony was long, official, and a bit low key because of the current situation. The swear-in party was a good time, it was great to see so many of our new friends and family members celebrating with us and letting loose. Stage is an intense couple of months; dancing the night away with loads of other Americans was a great time. I even heard a rumor that Kristy danced, although it is unconfirmed and she denies it.

Less than a week ago we moved to Kaedi, this place is great. It is fricken hot though. We do our best to stay inside during the heat of the day. We do not have a place to live as of yet, but the search continues. We ask at least 1 new person a day and have hopes of not living with a family. Our hope may be unrealistic, as our budget only goes so far, and housing is frankly, expensive.

We are still living out of our luggage and that is not good for moral, I really do not want us to grab up a place to live merely because it is better-ish then our current situation. We have gotten a few packages, an occasional letter, and some birthday cards in the mail. You know who you are – THANK YOU!!!!1!!1! In our current situation with all of our worldly possessions packed in bags we will strive to reply, as it will give my days some purpose. Almost all of the people I am assigned to work with are on vacation.

Oh it Ramadan, this means that life is slower and a bit more frustrating than normal. The entire Muslim population (with a tiny number of exceptions) is fasting during the day. That’s no water, no food, no tea, no cigarettes, and no sex while the sun is up for a month. Everyone around here is kinda lethargic. So people eat and drink, all night long nap eat breakfast before the sun rises and try to sleep as much as possible through the day as it is miserable in the heat here without any type of sustenance. We have not had the opportunity to break fast with a family yet, it’s a big deal and supposed to be a great time. We don’t know anyone yet really, and don’t have the gall to just walk into a compound and say we are breaking fast with you (this is totally an acceptable practice here and the people would welcome us with open arms).

Cool Blue Reason

This just in. We were invited to swear in as Peace Corps Volunteers. We accepted, of course. in a few short hours we will take an oath that will solidify our commitment and responsibility to the PC program here in Mauritania.

We had to move the ceremony from one room to 2 others because one is full of some crap, literally.

There will be formal stuff all day today and much less formal celebration this evening. I get to help cook.

I will do my best to preserve these events with a photo or 2.

I wish that you guys could be here to share this event with us.

What I Got

It's been a while since I have written so I should have a lot to talk about, I will try.

The coup = boring. I know that the situation could change at any moment but the history of this country really tells us it wont.

Family. Our family kinda moved to the brusse, and that was weird but not really. They are pastoral so every year when the rains start they take their animals out and make sure they get better care. This is the mark of a people who are kind to their animals and who know that eating garbage is not a great thing for the animals of the people who will later eat them. We were by no means abandoned, we always had an adult around at night and a child most of the time, it just rotated.

Language is coming along, we can communicate with a wide variety of people now for various different reasons. That is pretty cool. I can even bargain at the market, and LOVE IT! I even catch myself thinking in French and using franglish. When I use both languages talking to two people it really hurts my head, it's a world of silliness.

Work. I have been working my buns off lately and so has Kristy. With stage coming to a close we are solidifying all of our projects and filling out evaluations like there is no tomorrow. Peace Corps loves these things, seriously. Model school was a pretty good experience. It reminded me of student teaching, which if you talked to me much when I did it you know I loved teaching but did not love the added work load. I think that regular teaching was easier on my life as a whole, and expect that the same will apply here.

Ups. I am so looking forward to moving to Kaedi, and starting work that we came here for. I know it wont happen for the first month, because of Ramadan. It is the month before school and the month that we arrive. People will not want to work, talk, walk, or anything because they will not be eating, drinking, smoking, or anything while the sun is up.

Downs. I have been crabby lately. I am tired and hungry. This will change after stage as my schedule will be a lot more like I am an adult instead of teenager - adolescence is not fun. Not having the liberty of choosing when and what I eat for example is not something I have had chosen for me for a long, long time. This is going to end though. Wo0t!!!1!

I think that this experience is reforging my very being, it has been worth every moment.

Yellow Submarine

I have only like 2 min left... We are safe, life is good.

Do not worry. There is a link to a news article about the oh so boring coup on Kristy's blog - or use google people who have constant access to the interweb.


peace out yo!

Into the Great Wide Open

Life is good-ish!

I started model school today, think student teaching Peace Corps style, real students real english really new situation.

Model school humbled me today, as I knew it would. It did this for me three times. First when I was teaching and realized I underestimated my students and planned far too simple a lesson. Second when some of the things that I attempted were actually not so bad, considering I barely speak English this is a boon. Third, when I was walking to the cyber today I was called "Teacher" by a student that I had today.

This last time reminds me, why I became a teacher & why we came to the desert. I really feel that the small impact that I will do here will do some good!

My language skills are getting noticibly better, as are my lovely wife's and we are hanging in there for the long haul.

Gosh I miss air conditioning

We Didn't Start The Fire

Greetings from beuatiful Kaedi! Kristy and I will be posted here for the next 2 years. This city is fantastic, the market, the mix of culture, and the ample opportunities that we will have to work with people that are reseptive to Americans (inshalla).

As previously announced my phone is up and functioning and I have realized no one has my didgits. They are 011.222.427.7203 This is an international call and would prolly be best to use a phone card or skype. When calling please do remeber that I am 4 hours ahead of you, but call I want to hear from you.

21st Century (Digital Boy)

Hello to all, this will be short and sweet. I really wanted to say that I have uploaded a few new pictures into my Picasa account. We are back at the center and are to learn our permanent sites soon. It is great to see everyone again. It is amazing to think its not even been a whole month yet!

I have lost over 20 lbs, it is a bit bitter sweet for me. While I have been wanting to be a bit more man-trim for a while I think a bit more than anything is muscle mass. I am going to have to exercise more. I have been walking a lot more and there is no actual fast food in my diet but I may get as much grease and oil. I think my weight loss can be summed up with: lots of walking, drinking at least 3 liters of water a day, the occasional battles with the Mauritania version of Montezuma's Revenge, and my portion sizes are different, by different I mean I try not to eat my families cooking unless I can identify it. I fully expect to get some weight back as soon as I am able to have a bit more control of my diet.

We have our phones back and I will post the number soon for the people who don't to chat for free with Skype. I guess there actually is an option with Skype that you can call internationally and it may be cheaper then making a long distance call, look into it if you want to talk. I have got to get moving soon, mosquitoes are eating me while I sit and type.

OH! If there is a teacher out there that would like to do a long distance project with me there is some possibility in that - email or leave a message on the blog here.

A Horse With No Name

So I have some time... not much but we shall see.

My Host Family

Many people have asked us so I will break down my take. First off my new name is Jibril (The Archangel of Allah - Gabriel) and Kristy's name is Layla (Born at Night, Dark beauty). We live with a black moor family in a suburb of Rosso. Our dad is a taxi bruss driver and our mom is one of his 3 wives. There are 3 kids that live with us 2 boys and a girl. The kids are great, the dad is stoic, and the mom kinda ignores us a bit. We are considered adults so I think that they kinda just let us be. They are genuinely concerned for us and I think that they like us. Almost the whole family speaks French and we have our own room. The food is ok... sometimes, it is really oily and is often goat or mutton - it does not always agree with us.

Kristy and I are studying French for now and will move on to Hassānīya. This does not give us much of a hint for where our placement is going to be as they kinda use both of those languages all over Mauritania.

I promise more pictures as soon as I am able to take some. We have not shown our cameras to our host family. Mauritania's as a cultural aspect ask for gifts of things that they really like and our family has not asked yet... or I am a bad enough speaker that I have not figured out what they have said.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Hello everyone!

Its my birthday today I made it to the big 30! I have to admit that its harder today then I thought it was going to be. I have great friends and a loving wife who have wished me happy birthday wishes here though and the thought and love they have bestowed on me is wonderous.

I am still very much struggling with French and I know that my inability to speak is my largest downfall here in Mauritania.

I want to list some joys I have found here to keep me sane

Kristy's smile
baby goats
Fanta
Summer's mom jokes
gettign fish instead of goat for lunch
my host siblings
every fricken PCT and PCV and all of the people here that help the PC out
cool nights
kind patient teachers
the small moments where I get to steal a kiss - no one may see our affection its a taboo
my solar shower
knowing how to get home
wrapping my turbin well enough to get props
feeling like I will be able to work to do some good here

Sweet Home Alabama

Greetings,



I made it to an internet cafe and payed for some interwebing action so I will make this quick. I apoloze ahead of time for my typos there will be more then usual I am on a sand encrusted french Keyboard. New fam is pretty cool, we cant really talk to them so that is a bit of a downer but they are good hearted people. They laugh a lot (I think mostly at us).



Its hot and challenging but we are trudging through I think that the biggest difficulty that hits us as of late is laguage. We go to classes and it is first week. Its hard to think that the 4th of July is so soon. Oh and my Birthday too. I will be 30!!!! In Africa!!!! wow that is fun stuff there. I hope that people send me mail. I get a comment or 2 every now and then I am glad to know people read this, even if it is only 2 people :oP



I am running short on time...

love b

Wild World

I added an album with some pictures to my Picasa account. This is going to be some last American internet for a hot min, oh and I do mean hot. Its even about to be the wet season and its much cooler now then it could be. I am pretty excited about the weekend Kristy and I are going to get a new family and live with them for quite a few weeks. (oh btw fun fact here in Mauritania Sunday is the first day of the week and it IS a work day. So first day of the weekend, is Friday.)

I took a language placement test and get to find out where my level of expertise is, and how much French I have to learn prior to my language. There are a few here I may get to learn: Wolof, Pulaar, Hassaniyya, or Soninke.

I am super tired, but having fun much love to all.

I am gonna work the link momentarily.

Smile Like You Mean It

I dont have much time before breakfast, figured I would use some interweb while its handy. I took a picture of my in my Boubou. You shouldn't be able to see it in the email or on the group so check out the blog if you want to see it.

I Will Survive

Greetings, Friends and Family, and Loved ones from beautiful Mauritania!!1!!!1!!1!!1!!

This place here fills me with awe, truly. We barely speak any languages here and the attempts of all involved have been astounding. We are safe, happy, fed amazing food, getting to know what to do and not to do. Don't worry about us, this is a great time to be alive.

I dont have much time I have to sneak in time to bathe and find my adapter.

This is the beginning of something that is bigger then me. I am at its mercy, I shall ride the tide, let it take me, and I shall prosper.

Boys On The Docks

This will be the last post I make from the US for a while. Kristy and I are PCT's!!! We signed on the line yesterday. There is such a great feeling of unity here at the training. We are being taken care of well and having fun.

I just got a Skype account so I can chat with video, audio, or just IM if you have Skype let me know so we can chat. I would love to see and hear from you.

Know that we are safe and and our thoughts are with you. I will post again as I am able. Write me in the mean time.

Leaving On A Jet Plane

I know that I mention leaving a lot lately and while it is a major part of what is happening with this part of the journey, I want to focus the rest of this part of my journey on arriving. I have decided that my migration is no longer going to be an emigration but is going to be immigration. Our lives are colored by the way that we look at them more so then what is actually happening; I am not nervous, I am excited it’s the same energy caused by the same thing but it means a world of difference.

Tomorrow: I arrive in Atlanta, I will reunite with my lovely wife, and I get to meet the people that will be braving the Sahara with Kristy and I. It’s going to be fantastic, this is the culmination of years of work for us and it’s almost surreal to think about. I get to live in a country that so few have even heard of, work with peers from all two different continents, learn about new cultures, attempt to do some good, and all of it next to the smartest, strongest, most beautiful person I have ever met. I couldn’t ask for more out of my life.

Leaving Jesusland

I have been trying to leave Ohio and go see the world again for half my life; I have accomplished this feat. I currently have no apartment, no car, and a sparse amount of belongings between my wife and I in our bags and packs. The feeling of having so little is liberating and intimidating at the same time. I think I like it.

Kristy and I lived at Shannon’s for a few weeks and her kindness and patience have been tested to limits. She will never know how much she has done for Kristy and I because words cannot express it.

Kristy is in Colorado and will continue to be until the 17th when the group of RIM Peace Corps Trainees meets up at our hotel. Shannon and I dropped Kristy off at the Akron airport and drove to Philadelphia on the 12th it was a great drive and a good time. I am in Philly visiting my Jeremiah, Kelly, and Pops. We were received warmly; it is good to see them. My brother’s shop is fantastic; when I look at it I see that he is a thriving businessman who lives the dream, instead of merely dreaming the life.

Over the last week I have said goodbye to so many of my friends and loved ones. It has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life to receive so many well wishes from the people whose opinions and affection I hold so dearly, thank you to all the people who have helped us along this crazy ride.

One of the places I had the honor of saying goodbye was at Saric and Erah’s (Eric and Sarah) wedding; it was awesome, truly. I was privy to stand next to my best friend while two people dedicated themselves to their loves before their friends, family, the Earth, and the creator. I am glad knowing that I can leave them in that state of happiness and marital bliss, I wish only the best for them. Leaving my friends and family from that reception hall was hard; tears flowed as freely as the beer and champagne.

I feel that the amount of my blogs will slow down soon so I am trying to take advantage, as I am able. I have a journal and will be transferring some of the entries that I feel are appropriate for the eyes of interweb. I have started a Picasa account and will be adding pictures to it as soon as I can, look for the link to pictures on the sidebar.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

My school year is over, it is a bitter sweet thing. Most everyone is off to bigger and better things, some of my students are doomed to repeat history (class). I had the most amazing bunch of coworkers, seriously the Executive Cluster helped me out phenomenally. I am proud to have been a part of it and I will carry the lessons that I have been taught as a n0ob teacher and now walk away with a fuller pack of skills and I am proud to say that I have the "stop what you're doing and get back on task look".

I was given some parting gifts, trinkets for our journey, help from trusted friends, promises of future contact, and the sweetest book of memories. The cluster banded together and had the students write down: what they learned from Mr Sisco, what they liked about Mr Sisco, and a wish for the future for Mr Sisco. I was deeply touched that many of the lessons I taught included pieces of character in addition to American or World history.

I already miss room 111 and Robinson Middle School.

If any of my former coworkers or students from any of my schools read this; I would love to hear from you and will write back.


I can count my days left in Ohio on my hands.

The Old Apartment

Kristy finished her last 2 weeks at her job last week, I have not seen her happier in a long time. It's unfortunate that she grew to dislike that place so much. I am glad she is happy, that is all that matters.

We had a going away party on Saturday! It was great fun! There were some absent faces, people we very well may never see again, especially because Ohio will only be a place a visit - briefly - from now on. Kristy and I have our eye on Colorado after our service, we shall see. Back to the party, I wanted to take pictures and start my flicker account but alas I found myself with drinks in hand and not a camera. People said some extremely nice things to us, about us. It was a very touching thing to have so many people tell us they will miss us and wish us well. Kristy's biological parents even showed up. One of the best parts of the whole shin dig was there was NO DRAMA.

I have to throw a special shout out to Leslie C. for providing 90% of the amazing Lebanese food, she has no idea how much that meant to Kristy and I especially because of familial obligations she was not even able to attend. Thank you Leslie your kindness to me has always left me in awe. Me dear ol mum deserves some props too. She, provided the beverages without alcohol in abundance. Props to Lisa H. my dear cousin who has grown to be quite an amazing young woman drove my drunk butt to the store and helped me restock - she would not take no for an answer. I know that no man is an island and this weekend reminded me that there are people who love Kristy and I. Thank you to everyone who attended and wished us off.

Kristy and I are moving out, I hope t0 accomplish quite a bit today. We plan to not live here after this Thursday. Our apartment complex is giving us the shaft; minus lube that costs extra. We will be happy to put this part of our life behind us and start our adventure. We will not have interweb of our own until we return (unless the interweb fairy visits me in Mauritania).

I am wrapping up the school year, its hard to care when the kids don't and I have so much on my plate. These last few weeks have been so hard and I am so ready to move on. If I can teach at Robinson I can teach anywhere.

For about a week we will live with my seester Shannon. From there Kristy is heading to Colorado to see Debbie and I am going to Philly to visit Pops and Jeremiah. We will be departing separately to Atlanta and be reunited where we will meet the other volunteers in our group.

Oh! there are some new links on the side including: snail mail (non electronic mail) & care package ideas. Send us stuff, heck you don't even have to wait anymore. If you send it now, Kristy and I will be there before the package. The kids with the most mail are the coolest, and you know you want us to be the coolest people in Mauritania.
You can make this happen.

Surf Wax America

Our apartment has a hollow feeling, we no longer have fuzzy friends here. Its hard, I see them out of the corner of my eye, I expect that they are sleeping on the couch or on the bed, I still look to feed or water them, and I wait for their calls to wake or go to bed. I had hoped that it would not have been this hard, it feels a lot like losing Isis all over again. My only consolation is that they are with good people, I mean truly good people. This family opened their home to our cats for 2+ years agreed to take care of them the way that we do.

Mark and Chelsea THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

I was given a choice to have a different job while in the Peace Corps! I was offered the opportunity to be a Teacher Trainer instead of doing TEFL. My inbox this morning said that my PC Account had been updated, I scoured but couldn't find any job description stuff. I know its a bit premature because I haven't been given the position yet but the opportunity is newsworthy enough to blog about. I could help write syllabi's, lessons, and textbooks for the whole country's English language programs. This is mind boggling! Unfortunately this means that I will not be teaching students unless I have a second job teaching, but I think that this is a fantastic thing and I will let it ride if it happens.

What this would mean for Kristy and I, is that I would need to be in a Regional Capitol. A Regional Capitol is like a State Capitol but I am unsure if Mauritania has states, I think its only Regions. This also increases our chances at having some basic amenities like electricity. It will make our cost of living a bit higher, but leave us with all things that come with living in a larger city as opposed to a small town.

If You Don't, Don't

I haven't written in this since the beginning of the month, so here goes everything. Packing goes slowly, I loathe it, and I am super lazy. All I want to do when I get home is nap. I recently dug through many of my old pictures in my mad dash to condense my life. I found my first passport picture. Here it is. I still have all those cowlicks.

I have 38 school days until the end of the year. w0oT!!! After that I put away World History (western social studies) and Early American History for a couple years. I think that without the soft sciences I will definitely feel a void in my heart. To remedy this I have already decided I am going to look to document local folklore and hopefully organize it to be able to put it in a book. That would be the awesome. I have always wanted to write a book and I think that this is as good a time as any.

The weather in Ohio is amazing! Kristy commented the other day that these days are almost as good as autumn days, our favorite season. I am inclined to agree with her. I shall not miss the blustery cold or the snow. These days however; the cool breezes, the blooming life, the green, the rain, the birds, the bright frosty mornings that tell me its time to engross ones self in learning I will miss with all my heart. I hope that desert mornings are as inspiring and breathtaking in their own way.

I will soon start to compile a list of things I feel I am going to miss to compare it to my feelings when we get to where we are going. I know you are all dying to read about what I think I am going to want after I purposely deprive myself American living for two years. This is some fine whining right here.

Until there is time and purpose for me to write you will have to reread this over and over again you silly stalkers.

All Star

Spring sprung and left Perrysburg coated in snow and slush. My tiny break left me tired of being at home, seriously I need to go do something.

Over the next couple days Kristy and I will start our packing and condensing so that in 81 short days when we gots to gets all our stuff is boxed and distributed. This is the chore that I am looking forward to the least. Being the Air Force brat that I was raised as, means I am no stranger to leaving all my material belongings behind me, however the time we take getting rid of them is poopy.

Oh peep this, my last month+ is already planned, the events will include (in chronological order of our last weekends): garage sale @ Mark's , our going away party - I guess we have to throw our own, bachelor party for Eric - I am in charge of this one, Eric & Sarah are getting hitched, and maybe possibly/probably going to Philly to see Jeremiah, Pops, and Kelly.

There should be something witty here that ties this all together and makes the reader think that I got it all under control; but there isn't.

Comfort Eagle

So this week has been productive thus far. I have some plans to save some loot and have gotten most of my list of; "things to do over break", done. I now have lessons to take and make and BAM mission accomplished.

I am writing this blog mostly as a test to see if my auto emailing system works. I added a few new goodies to the sidebar recently, including: news about Mauritania (loads of stuff about a country you never heard of before this) and a wishlist for those long lost extremely wealthy benevolent relatives that will one day soon google me and find me. I jest, its more just a shopping list of things for me to buy LOL

I read in a blog recently that a Mauritanian PCV lost 50lbs in less then 6 months . Wow thats a lot! I cant imagine me 50 lbs lighter, I am ok with 20-30 and wary of 40 but I think 50 and I really will just float away. Wierd.

I hope that this works

In Bloom

I have another day off school being that its good Friday and for some reason our state that says it upholds a separation of church and state allows us to endorse a religious holiday in our school system. I wonder what would happen to peoples opinions of this if it was not their religion that is being supported by the powers that be.

Spring has come and on its first official whole day we are expecting a snow storm in Ohio. BLEH
I have a week and a day off of work and I shall have to accomplish quite a bit in this time. I have to contact a tax guy, find out about new carpeting, sprint through some french lessons, and then compose some lesson plans of my own. I also today am going to attempt to get this blog to email those of you who may wish to have updates sent to you, without having to check from time to time.

Peace Corps prep is going well at present. The next step that I want to work on is getting our apartment in shape to vacate. We have so much stuff that we don't use and so much that we do and we have to get rid of stuff, have some things stored, hopefully sell things. Does anyone want to buy my crap? err I mean gently used products.

The best thing I have gained from getting ready is the camaraderie from those of us who have connected and are getting ready to go. EVERYONE I have met has been great, we all have a lot in common and I super stoked to share these experiences with these fine examples of our culture. I have really gotten to know Brandon, I think that we are kindred spirits and cant wait to goof off with him in person. It will be the awesome!

I think that the camaraderie applies to Kristy and I, we are bonding well in this experience. I know our relationship is strong but I really like that we are growing closer in this. We are playing on our strengths and I foresee this as a great way to start our experience, if I don't fuck it up with my mad slacker skillz.

Oh I have decided that I am going to try to name my blogs after songs in my music library from now on as music has been one of the things in my life that I look to for stability, and to help the people I care for know bits and pieces of my moods. Lets hope I can continue to do this for the next few years.
EDIT - I have gone through and renamed older blogs to fit this theme.

Roller Coaster of Love

This last week + has been quite the roller coaster, thats right a tired ye olde phrase of ups and downs. I am so ready to be done in the US and ready to start our new lives in the RIM. I think hope and pray that the things that we are searching for in the human species are actually located in Mauritania, I know I see them here.

I see that people genuinely care about each other here, but I see the malice coat most everything, the greed motivate, and apathy crush dreams under its uncaring (<--- oooh! context clue) weight. I know I know I know that these things exist everywhere, but to the degree that they do here? That is what I am seeking, not to find a utopia that is a fools errand, we build our ideal worlds and shape our perspectives to hone in on that which we seek. Now thats done and out of me

I have another school day off, which gives me the time to write this. I have to sleep as its not even 6 and I have been up since 4 I just couldnt sleep. Shaved, showered, dressed up with no place to go, HAHA.

Japanese food and Lionking tonight! Hurray for date night. It will be our last live performance until we can catch something in Mauritania.

We have started to amass more gear for our trip; YAY! Fun, fun, headlamps and Leatherman tools, we have some camera memory cards coming too which is something I am looking forward to as I want to take lots of pictures, I promise I will post them as I am able and I will try to get some good ones.

So two things happened in the adventure, Philly is no longer the staging location, it's now Atlanta. I am unsure how I feel about this. I dearly wanted to see my brother and father prior to me leaving the country for a couple years, but I also am glad that the journey will start with a clean break and I can start to hang out with our country mates of June 08. The ones I have met seem to be really cool, all really unique and caring individuals.

Second thing, the date of leaving to staging was solidified, we are scheduled to leave the P-Burg on the 17th. That is a mere 10 days after Eric and Sarah's wedding. LOL I will be living out of a suitcase for their wedding! That is just too funny to me, I will have to be uber presentable in a tux and all, and my life will be in such a state of disarray and material simplicity. Too great!

I am gonna stop now because I think that my mindless ramblings have become just that, mindless.

Patience

I wrote and submitted this a while ago and since I searched through other peoples to give me clues about mine I figured I would spread the love.

Aspiration Statement
Mauritania
June 2008

A. Professional Attributes:

During my service in Mauritania I plan to use a variety of professional skills that I have at my disposal. Namely, the skills I hope to implement are: patience, listening, resourcefulness, determination, my content expertise, and the teaching methods I have found that mesh with my specific teaching styles.

I have full faith that my resourcefulness and patience are going to be the skills that will be tested to their limits. In my experience, people are apprehensive about trusting outsiders until they prove themselves through a series of tests. I am willing to undergo these tests and put my all into the tasks at hand

My aspirations for the service are lofty goals. I would like to teach a usable skill set that will help my students lead a richer and fuller life and to exchange cultural information and ideals without either participant losing their cultural identities.

As a classroom teacher, I know that all the planning in the world does not ensure that you will be able to execute your planned lesson. As a human being I have experienced the rollercoaster ride that goes along with the differences between what I would like to happen and what actually does. The way that we look at what has transpired colors our experiences. A positive attitude can make a detour or an unexpected lesson an adventure that was worth the while. The fact that we are actually doing something is almost as important as what we attempt to accomplish.

B. Strategies – Expressed needs:

I think that honoring our host countries wishes are extremely important and that the Peace Corps places people that are hopefully able to improve upon the tried and true methods that are implemented in the system to execute the countries wishes. I hope to be able to listen, watch, learn, and try a number of strategies. I am a team player and feel that the more that people work together, the more they can accomplish. I know that the program that I am entering has been around for a couple of years and I hope to be adding to its successful implementation while adding my own unique flavor. I respect authority and I expect that authority will respect my abilities and grant me a level of autonomy so that I can accomplish the requested tasks.

C. Strategies – Culture:

I find that I am fairly open-minded when it comes to most things. I handle situations as they come. I feel that American culture lacks uniqueness and this facilitates my acceptance of things that are foreign to me. I want to watch, listen, taste, try, ask and answer questions, dance, sing, smile, laugh, cry, meet people I will like and people I dislike. In life, I try things, weigh them against my own likes and dislikes, and make a personal choice based on that.

I know that I will be able to hold on to my own sense of self, through the support I receive from my wife, fellow volunteers, and my support system back home. My wife and I keep each other sane at home, often dealing with individuals and groups that exist outside of our comfort levels; together she and I can thrive in any situation. I will write, email, take pictures, send and receive care packages, and call the people I care about back home. I have heard that there are ample opportunities to meet with other Americans within Mauritania in order to hold on to American holidays and I plan on taking advantage of them.

D. Pre-service:

I hope that the pre-service training will give me some helpful hints about the country that I am about to enter. I want to be able to live in the culture that I am going to enter, not as fly on the wall, but as an active participant. I want to be able to speak the language of the people that I will live among. I hope that I can gain some clues about how my students are going to test me when I get to the classroom. I would like to be shown a glimpse of what I can do to help the people of my community, what they need, and what has been done before.

E. Influence:

Out of all of the uncertainties that I have about the Peace Corps experience, of one thing I am certain: it will change my life for the better to give some of myself to people who can only offer me their friendship.

I did not become a teacher to become rich with money; I did it to become rich with experiences. I will never know material wealth the way many people do here, yet the people of Mauritania will never know the luxuries that I have here at home. This will be an experience that will not describe me as many things in our lives do, it will define me. It will push me harder and leave me more fulfilled than anything that I have ever done before. It will ignite in me a drive to reach new levels in all aspects of my existence.

As a teacher, I can only ever gain from teaching more students. The longer I teach the more enhanced my abilities will become. As a social studies teacher living in another culture, in a country that so few I know have ever heard of, is an experience that will be a highlight of my life’s calling.

If I Ever Leave This World Alive

I don't want to do work all night after I spent all day having to work. I have to finish up study guides and write tests for all of my classes. I am so lazy and just want to curl up on the couch and nap until have to go to bed. I am even slacking on my French class that I am taking.

BLARG!

I have grown to accept the loss of my friend Isis, she is dearly missed, but we change many times throughout existence and all things happen for a reason, I have to be ok with it, so I am. I do not have time to mourn my loss I have to do work and get ready to leave.

I have recently connected to some future Peace Corps people via email and I already treasure their friendship. I feel like Kristy and I finally have people who understand exactly what we are going through because they are going through the exact same thing as us. It's such an exciting and scary part of our lives its good to know that others are right there with us thinking and doing very similar things.

Lonely Day

So Peace Corps, so many good things: adventure, career, college, travel, exotic food, a new continent in my list of life goals. I am so excited and awaiting my blissful, terrible, uplifting, cynical adventure that I know I am going to have.

The bad things; career on hold as it begins, packing up my whole life into a few boxes, selling everything I cant take or pack, giving away things I cant sell, throwing away what I cant give, leaving the people that I love, leaving our pets - yeah about that its why I am blogging. I have to put my cat Isis down, I have to murder her. She sprays, its not like she pees on stuff, she destroys things. Destroys them until they are gone destroys them, rusts metal underneath paint, makes everything sticky and stinky and orange. Seriously its fucking gross. We cant have people over because its so horrible. I can not ask anyone to foster her, she will destroy their stuff too. Its cost us thousands (thats right plural) of dollars we have thrown out heirlooms, keepsakes, all kinds of stuff. The other side of me says meh its just stuff, I would have thrown it out anyway, or its just money, I would have spent it anyways, or its just company, they would have gotten on my nerves. But that does not change the situation. I can not ask anyone to deal with that, considering how much I hate it.

On Tuesday I will have to have her murdered. It will be quick and painless, and she will be around the people who love her, but it sucks and it makes me cry and I want to smoke and drink and cry and it sucks.

Thats it. I am sad, it sucks


bleh

Mic Check

I have decided to start my blog and be used to posting before my journey starts. I have time to do this now because of the snow and ice that covers the Ohio landscape. School closed @ 6:20 this morning and I am glad.

Although I know that I am fighting the good fight and trying to bring a bit of education and well reasoned citizenship it is a constant uphill battle for me at Robinson. How are my students supposed to care about history and government when they have little of the basic amenities that average American students are blessed with? The answer is, that often that they do not. I see so many beautiful minds in my classes every day and they seem to be more bent on distracting and discouraging me then accomplishing the goals that I pose for them. I know that I sound a bit cynical at present but, I do not know if I am meant for the middle school mind.

On a positive note I truly feel that they have finally accepted me as their teacher, something that I had been struggling with for 2 months is done. I no longer feel that I am being chased away and the taunts that I receive are different then they once were. Sometimes they are good natured friendly jabs and sometimes attacks on the system that I as an educator and authority figure represent.

I can live with and will encourage the rebellion but I merely want it to be more subtle, better planned, and done with finesse. As a white man in a school that is dominated but minority students I know that I am from a place that is mysterious and hated because of my gender and complexion, regardless of the paths that I have walked and the similarities that I may share with my students. I hope only the best for them, and that they will find the balance and structure that they crave.