Could it be, I'm actually feeling some happiness right now?!

My skin is glowing. I have rosy cheeks, and my smile lines seemed to have deepened. I have not seen this look on my face in a long time. I have ten bucks to my name, and a whole list of debts and things that I need/want to buy. I have been in fast forward mode this past year, sinking deep into a miserable rut that has made me crabby. But this weekend has been different. I have had the opportunity to connect with good friends, enjoy good conversation, and feel re-awakened. Because of this, I look in the mirror and feel so very pretty. I can see some peace in my eyes, and it feels so nice.

My very best friend has returned home from serving two years in Africa with the Peace Corps. The stories she told me have left me dumbfounded. It baffles my mind the types of experiences she has had. It is so surreal to see my best friend telling me she feels fortunate to have made it through, alive. They are so secluded in West Africa that if anything were to happen to her, she would be relatively, if not completely helpless. There are no emergency response vehicles or people around to witness and provide help. She could be in the middle of the desert dying, and would be forced to let nature and Africa claim her price for giving her a glimpse into another world.

Once while taking a bus out of her village, she was crossing a mountain when all of a sudden a flash of water came rushing down on the bus, bringing with it a floating semi-truck, abandoned cars, and random floating debris. The bus was immersed in water up to the windows. The emergency exits above their heads were blocked by cargo and luggage, and the bus was rocking side to side. They were fortunate to have an experienced driver (you never know what kind of driver you will have since there is no system in place to train or monitor bus/taxi drivers); he was able to get them out of the mess and into safety. The flooding is a common issue since they have no sewage system, and people drown there quite often. This bus incident was only one of many similar occurrences. Once, her bus ran over a woman on a moped about five minutes into their drive - another incident that was not out of the norm for this foreign society. Taxi drivers there are not subject to any regulations. If you get in their car, you never know what might happen. The driver could decide he's tired and will not take you any further, but instead plans to pull over and sleep the rest of the night. A girl in my friend's village was traveling alone and took a taxi with several men. The taxi drove her out into the middle of the desert and raped her.

In my friend's village, everyone slept outside on the dirt. Their 'houses' did not have walls. They were essentially like 'camps' and they slept on the ground or in makeshift hammocks with mosquito nets draped over them to protect themselves from Malaria and the obvious discomfort of bug bites. They sleep completely exposed. She has encountered an array of wild animals including tigers that lurk around after dark. Not to mention the fact that at any given moment they were subject to strange people wandering into their camp. A girl in her site was living with a family that decided to pack up their 'house' and move deep into the desert for a few months. After her host family left, she slept alone and one night awoke to find the 'crazy man of the village' trying to touch her through her mosquito net. She was completely secluded and terrified, and could only lay there shaking until it was over.

Even more bizarre was a story she told me about another Peace Corps volunteer. This girl was stationed in a tiny pacific island that was a low-lying island in danger of being swept away. The culture of this island treats rats as Gods and gives them offerings. The rats live in trees and are enormous. While sleeping at night, the rats would fall from the trees onto her mosquito net and she could not harm the rat in any way because it would be extremely offensive to their culture. I think I would never be able to sleep again, if I had a gigantic rat land on top of me.

We discussed human rights. We discussed crime and violence. We discussed religion. We talked about human trafficking. It was simply amazing. I think in many ways my lack of money is working to an interesting advantage. I am able to develop my relationships intimately and with full commitment. I am reminded that simplicity is beautiful and that nothing inspires me more than talking about passions and people and exploring what life has to offer.

Day One

So, ok. I've signed up to blog. This could be interesting, or maybe catastrophic. Sometimes keeping your thoughts inside of your head is safer. I have more to say, but I'm bound by the corporate shackles and the nine to five is beckoning...see you again soon.