I think this could some up how I feel about now. In so many ways.

Malaia.

Block I of Massinga Secundary School.

Block II. Host of My 11th grade Visual Education Class.

Block III.

The science labs.

Main office.

Even in the new school, old habits prevail.

The Teacher's Lounge.

Where the students line up for the national anthem on campus.

Where my 9th grade students line up for the national anthem.

Where I teach six of my 9th grade classes.

Class 1.

Class 2.

Class 3.

Class 4.

Class 5.

Class 6.

Class 7. My one 9th grade class on the new campus.
In the science lab.

Visual Education.

Working hard on their first day.

Making sketch books with collaged covers.

Chelsea, my newest PCV neighbor from Morrumbene,
and my student Sergio beginning our day's hike through the bush.

Monkey bananas.

Sergio's house, one and a half hours from school.

Sergio's aunt and cousin.

Our final destination is just over that palm forest.

And across this small river.

Chibanhane Beach, the end of our 13 km hike.

Breath taking and expansive.

With a beautiful resort just beginning construction.

North.

South.

East.


West.

Looking up from a massive coral boulder.


On top of the massive coral boulder.
(Photo by Sergio Matsinhe)

The hill we descended.

The end of the point.

Testing the waters.

Afternoon clouds and light rain helped us get home comfortably.
The lift home from the owner of the land were nice as well.

A frustrating trip to Maxixe.

Broken down chapa with meetings and work to do in 30 minutes.

Sporting my new shirt on the way to Chase's house.

The beautiful beach of Inharrime.


Half way through my 10 hour bus ride to Maputo.

Maputo Province and another beautiful sunset.

Poom, pow, surpise! I have begun and flown through the first six weeks of the first trimester. I feel like I started out the year with tons of energy and optimism but the African heat is getting to me. So, I am getting warn down. But, I am busy as always and loving it. Fortunately a lot of my busyness is due to planning the JOMA conference for the youth of Mozambique which will be taking place on the beach this year. This year, I am teaching seven classes of 9th grade English in the morning from 6:30am to 12:00pm, Tuesday through Friday. Additionally, I am teaching Visual Education to 11th grade students Wednesday afternoons. That is right. I am (possibly) the United States Peace Corps' first official host-country-authorized secondary school teacher. I am a Peace Corps art teacher. It took a lot of work and luck getting the Peace Corps to let me come here then working the system of directors and administration at my school, but I have managed to be able to get the best of both worlds. I am Peace Corps Volunteer and using my art degree. I am really happy that I am able to do it, though I find it much more difficult that teaching English. Creativity is hard to come by in this country. And, explaining creativity to 17-22 year olds is impossible...nearly. So, with any luck, I will have these young adults whipped into shape and thinking outside of the box, or at least along the edges of it, by the next trimester. Anyhow, teaching two classes on campus this year is wonderful. So wonderful, I am lifting the curtains and revealing to the world photographs of the official secondary school of Massinga. To compare it to the temporary school where we still host 30 classes of eighth grade click here. Finally, and a relieve to the stressful week of giving my most difficult test ever, I have returned to Maputo at a even more beautiful hotel than Hotel Cordosa. Life is good, no matter how much work it is.