You Win Some, You Lose Some

Yesterday started out as a particularly hard day.  The most I can give you is that things just did not go my way starting from way too early in the morning for it to even go down hill.  But these things happen, some days are just really bad.  I was distracted and upset all day.  To relax a little I went for a walk during lunch to the mall just down the road from me to see if I could get my phone fixed.  Turns out my warranty on the phone is expiring today, and it would take 7 to 21 days to fix my phone.  After a little groveling they agreed to let me bring it in by the end of the week, so now I need to find a temp phone for the interim.  On my way back to work I tripped on the uneven ground and landed right in the street infront of a que of cars waiting to turn.  I suppose I needed to be grounded, I thought I was looking super cool in my new sunglasses

 that I needed to purchase because the ones that were worn in the morning broke in my purse while sitting on the floor of my office. 

The afternoon was spent sulking in my office while I worked on my first report completed by me.  (This is a study of the aquaculture sector in Zambia that will become part of a global report that FAO will publish eventually.) 

Just as I was about to leave work the rains started, so I sat back down checked my email one last time and then decided the rains were not too bad.  As I walked out the door from work I put on my new shades and jammed my workout tunes into my ears.  Things were starting to shape up, I reached the bus stop with no incidents and no rain.  With out missing a beat and ignoring all the cat calls I jumped on the minibus, squeezed into a space half the size of my hips with four people on a bench made for three and zoned out.  The minibus conductor requested my money and I handed him the fare I usually pay and zoned out again.  After handing him the money I am pretty sure he asked for another Kw1000 but Akon was swooning me and I pretended not to hear, might need to try that tactic again he didn't even bother to try to get more as I was getting off the bus.  I rushed home to get changed so I could get a run in before it was time to cook dinner and head out to meet some friends.  

My flatmate was home by the time I had gotten back from my run.  The wonderful person that he is went shopping for dinner for us, which I was supposed to do, and he even brought me a "sorry you are having a bad day treat."  (Doughnuts are not a very common thing to be found in Zambia, but there is a lovely bakery down the road from our house that I noticed started making them.  It was delicious, there is still half in the fridge that might be enjoyed this evening.)  Geoff being the wonderful flatmate that he is, even cooked dinner and tidied up while I talked to my mom and took a bath.  We had plans to meet some fellow Peace Corps Volunteers from my old stomping grounds in Northern Province and a British VSO volunteer who might be the funniest lady I know.  I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.  By the end of the evening I had forgotten all my troubles.

This morning I woke up in high spirits and headed off to work in a great mood.  First order of business every morning is checking email, work and personal as I don't have the internet at home.  The first email was a dissapointing one from the University of Maine, my application packet is incomeplete and it has not even been reviewed yet.  Two letters of recommendation were missing.  But if advisors are interested enough in me then hopefully they will hold off.  Yikes.  The second email I got was from the University of Washington.  "Congratulations! You have been admitted to the School of Marine Affairs.  YES!!!  I have been flying high all day.  It is safe to say I couldn't believe that I got in.  I have the experience and background.  My essay was just ok but my GRE scores were below what they normally take.  But my undergrad GPA wasn't bad.  So I am accepted now just waiting to hear from Maine figure out if they will let me defer my start.  Life is good now! 

From my time in the Peace Corps I have come to realize that days and weeks are very up and down.  You can be in the pits for part of a day and flying high the next part.  It sounds bi polar but its the reality of living on sensory overload (all senses feeling, experiencing and reacting all at the same time)...its bound to send you on a roller coaster ride.  Luckily I am up now, the down is over and it would be nice to stay here for a little while.