new focus

Due to my delay of service again, my attention has switched back to life in Mankato. That consists of me having a lot of free time. Most of that time is consumed by watching college basketball on tv which I love to do and one of the positives of being around til June is the fact that I can watch the NCAA tourney now. (I am currently watching the Big 10 championship) The rest of my time, which was used by going out to eat the week before I left for philly, is switching to cycling. With 45+ degree days i cleaned my bike off and took it out for a couple of rides this weekend. I am rediculously out of shape but it was fun to get out of the house and exercise again. So here are a few highlights, if you want to call them that, of my 35 miles this weekend.

• This is my first spring with my new bike and apparently I am not used to snow melting at different paces. On saturday I headed out the Red Jacket trail and soon ran into an ice skating rink where the trail once was. My bike ride turned into a walk for about a half a mile. After that I realized that the next 3 miles through the woods would be impossible. My only other option was to climb the hill next to hwy 90. It was dry but much to much for me to handle. I walked the last 100 m.
• Dogs. I got chased by two dogs on Sunday. This was my first experience while I was on a bike and I thought they would just leave me alone. But these were dogs used to open space and these two chocolate labs chase me a ways until I slowed down. I will admit I was a little scared but after I stopped they left me alone. Later on im pretty sure I stepped in dog poop as I was stopped at a light. I eyed up every dog for the rest of my ride sure they would break their leashes and chase me, maybe taking time to pee on my feet.
• People. My mind wanders from topic to topic as I bike and people were all over the streets and trails this weekend. Mothers running alongside their 12 year old sons as they bike, pushing them for a faster pace on their way to a destination clearly unatainable for the son. Old men running/walking. Young men at the same pace. Bikers legs completetly covered in mud. (I can only imagine what I looked like after 20 miles.)

I plan on accepting my invitation for Tanzania tomorrow and going through that process again. Hopefully I can get a job so I dont have to blog everyday and bore people to death.

Is this a joke?

This post comes to you from an airplane. One that is headed back to MN not west to JoBerg and eventually Madagascar. After arriving in Philly and settling into our hotel, a few other PCVs and I headed for lunch and before our staging. While waiting in the lobby for staging a rumor surfaced about bad news from Mada. A current volunteer in country posted on our Facebook group about some bad news. This volunteer was not so optimistic that we would actually make it to Mada on Thursday as planned. After turning in a few forms we were all gathered in our staging room. We chatted about how excited we were and how lucky we all were to be going to Madagascar. Everyone agreed it would provide us with tons of opportunities and it would be a priceless experience. The energy in the room was very apparent and every minute seemed to take us closer to our destination. Then it turned to business. Julie and Leonard have been working with our group from the DC office and they introduced themselves. Then another woman introduced herself as one of the people in charge of placing people from Washington. (PC vice pres or something of that stature). I instantly knew that she was not here just to gather forms from us and wish us off. She announced that her news was not good and that we would not be going to Madagascar after all. The situation, although not presently dangerous, had the potential to be so. The military, being controlled by the current government and the President, was no longer supporting the president. Basically the policing force wasn’t going to be protecting anyone. The room was silent. All of the energy had been sucked out and we had nothing but astonished and disappointed looks. After being delayed for an additional month it seemed that our Madagascar dreams would have to wait a little longer, if becoming real at all. Tons of questions poured out about what we were to do now. Our lives had been shaken again and many people were left reeling. Cars had been sold, leases on homes and apartments had expired, Insurance gone, jobs lost. We were a day away and now we were going to be turned back. Never in the history of the PC has a group been turned away at staging and that was a record we did not wish to have. But that is the thing about PC invitees, we are forever searching for ways to be optimistic. Although I found this unbelievably hard to do. We were informed that we were the top priority to be placed. We would be moved ahead of people and they would place us as soon as we would like. Although for many that could be June or July at the earliest. After going over a few logistics we were excused for a couple hours before dinner courtesy of the PC.

There were 31 other people in our group all seemed to be more amazing than the last. Everyone got along beautifully yet we all had to get through this strange news together. That made it much easier for me to bear. WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO? It seemed that no one knew. We bounced ideas off of each other and tried to grasp what the best decision would be. Yet it seemed different for everyone. A free dinner at Chili’s led to more discussion, it then turned to more personal questions about people’s pasts rather than the hazy future. It was a stress free dinner that left my spirits up. Although the 3 hours of sleep in the past 40 hours was catching up to me. Justin, my roommate a small business volunteer, and I returned to our room to relax and watch some TV. I was no longer in the mood to go out with other volunteers to relieve some of the stress. It was still surreal that night. We were supposed to stay in the hotel that night and catch a flight in the morning yet we knew we would be separating rather than traveling together to our assignment.

So now on the flight to MSP, it is sinking in that the return to MN could be extensive. I will have to face my friends again, some of whom I have said goodbye to twice already. Justin and I shared that same view that we return in a sort of embarrassed state. To me it seems like I have failed twice. Like it is somehow my fault yet I know the problem was half a world away. A problem that many wouldn’t even believe. A former DJ turned politician organizing a coup against the current president who started out owning a yogurt stand on the side of the road. It just seems like a terrible joke someone told me just so they could laugh as I try to hold on to the vision of going. My hope is that most people can read this rather than me having to try to explain it to everyone individually. Frankly, I was already tired of talking about it before I left. Now I have to revisit it for a third, possibly fourth time. But I thank everyone for their love and support, I know it has not been easy on anyone and I look forward to spending some time with you all again soon.

On my way

Well I told people i would post before I left so here goes...
I have gotten the opportunity to hang out with my best friends for another month. For that I am very grateful. Fun times with people I love.
However, I think i am very ready to leave. I am ready for a new adventure. An opportunity to learn about myself, other cultures and the unexpected.

Other than that I dont think there is anything interesting to report. 60+ pounds of luggage, an itinerary and a taste for something new. A new haircut and clean shaven. For those who expect me to look like Tom Hanks in Castaway, we will have to see what the culture allows.

Check in on me often. I will try and do this as much as possible but the first couple months probably wont let me do that. So hold on, dont give up hope on the blog. And ill let you know all of the cool stuff that happens.