Waky Weekend

Its not New Years, but I feel like I need a new years resolution.  This was kind of a strange weekend for me.  I guess Halloween is "strange" in and of itself but it was a different kind of strange for me.  On friday I went out with the usual crowd of Peace Corps peeps, our weathy friend sluming with volunteers, and a new embassy friend also slumming with volunteers.  It was a strange mix of people, enjoyable but much different than a usual friday night.  Saturday was packed with a trip to the Dutch Reform kurio market where I had a burruito made by a man from Honduras, Halloween costume shopping and watching my roommate and another volunteer make robot costumes.  This was followed with a late night of being dressed up like senorita who had been in a knife fight. 

The following day I started to do laundry but proceeded to the bagel shop with some friends and the flat mate, followed by grocery shopping, a quick trip to the Sunday Market and rushing off to a friend's house out of town.  One friend that lives there is a guy from South Africa missing home.  He took us to a guest house/bar/restuarant owned by a South African woman who makes a typical Afrikaans Sunday Roast.  Goodness did we induldge.  Lamb, pork, green beans, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, irish potatoes, beets, bread pudding, custard.  It was delisious and of course way too filling.  We might need to go there for a Thanksgiving feast.  The rest of the afternoon was spent recovering from the meal.  Which meant laying on the couch watching bad tv.  It must of been the tv part that was really strange to me.  That and my weekend schedule was thrown off.

When you first get posted to the village in Peace Corps you go through 3 months of community entry.  You aren't supposed to leave the village.  You take your time to get to know the community, to establish a routine, make friends, fix up your house and just get comfortable.  It hit me this weekend that I am in community entry for Lusaka now.  I am trying to get things figured out here: living with a roommate again, paying rent again, getting the house functining properly, finding close friends, figuring out my place at work.  It just hit me today that I am really stressed out, moody, have been exceptionally unkind, and not out going at all.  I am sorry to all the taxi drivers I have yelled out last week.  We all are hustling to make a buck, I just don't have a buck to spare for an over priced taxi. 

In light of rough week last week and no light at the end of the tunnel for mood improvements I am now making it a personal goal to be more positive, patient and understanding.  Transition is difficult but for goodness sake this was my decision.  Time to take control of this bad attitude and turn that frown upside down, its also time to go for a run (its been over a week).

Recap of the reason for staying in Zambia for another year: gaining valuble work experience to get into graduate school and a job I want, transitioning from bush life to city life, saving money, and seeking more adventure. 

Now for a plan!
1) Get back on my exercise schedule
2) Find a social soccer team to play with
3) Get all the house construction stuff finished
4) Get a house cleaning schedule worked out with flat mate
5) Find new friends
6) Find a new hobbies
7) Get a smile!

Easy enough.  Next step, follow the list.