Welcome to the JOMA Conference 2009.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

In our very own province of Inhambane.
Photo by Jimmy Schneidewind

At Tofo Beach.
Photo by Will Cohen

Mango Beach Lodge.
Photo by Adam Turney

Where we had both sunrises and sunsets.
Photo by Adam Turney

And, we were usually working through them.
Photo by Adam Turney

All to help support Mozambique.
Photo by Will Cohen

My counterpart, Justino, helping facilitate a session.
Photo by Zachary Scott

Me and Hans doodling away.
Photo by Zachary Scott

The JOMA Girls on a crazy, off-road ride through the dunes.

With a daring woman, Ali, on the side of the car.

And, a fearless man, myself, on the other side.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Hans found the golden egg at the conference.

The future site of our mural in Inhambane City.

Ali and I slaved away to prepare it for our field day.

One white wall.

Drawing out the design.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

My two boys, Genôcio and Eugénio, working together.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Our team of Artists.

Photo by Ali P. Gross

We had three hours to paint the wall.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

And this is what we came up with.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Jimmy was thrilled.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

So we wrestled...again.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Me, Chase, and Cate on our way to Vilankulos.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Beer Olympics 2009 Participants.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Opening Ceremonies.

Photo by Ali P. Gross

The lighting of the torch.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Event One: The Duel
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Winners: the Southern Saboteurs.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Event Two: Post-Apocalyptic Beach Flip-Cup.
Winners: the Northern/Central Heroes Hours 24.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Event 3: Slosh-Ball (Kickball)
Winners: the Southern Saboteurs.
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Event 4: Dizzy Bat.
Winners: the Northern/Central Heroes Hours 24
Photo by Ali P. Gross

The Trophy.
Winner: the Southern Saboteurs (as the villains, we stole it.)
Photo by Ali P. Gross

Post-Olympic Teaching in English, Portuguese, and Xitswa.

Cameron Cuchulainn and Ali P. Gross.

Krista, Chase, Cate, and Cameron.

Fight!
Photo by Krista Buckley

Stalemate.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Fast dance!
Photo by Krista Buckley

Slow dance.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Solo!
Photo by Krista Buckley

The reason why we came to Vilankulos.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Striking Ostentation.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Rapping with the swagger of Christopher Wallance.
Photo by Krista Buckley

Polar Opposite Happenings

Dualities of the Peace Corp Volunteer is an under statement. The first half of the photography today represents Peace Corps Volunteers working their hardest to help train their colleagues and the youth of Mozambique in communication skills and progressive gender theory. We all exhausted ourselves at the conference working from 5am to 12pm, doing anything and everything from moving chairs and painting walls to smoothing out logistics and appeasing the facilitators. At the end of the week, I was voiceless and sick and had a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth (though not from malaria).
The second group of photography,and cinematography, portrays the Peace Corps Volunteer in a rare gathering where work is not involved. Volunteers go for weeks, and sometimes months, with little, or no, contact with other Americans or native English speakers. Usually these works are filled with stressful days of NGO work or screaming at students, poor eating habits, and dealing with all other stress involved with living in the third world. Often, there is little or no opportunity to vent and the most extreme result is this, The Beach Olympics: the Northern/Central Heroes Hours 24 vs. the Southern Saboteurs, an isolated event to celebrate the May birthdays amongst Peace Corps Volunteers and, more importantly, healthy competition. It was an equally exhausting weekend where, again, I went home sick and a bit depressed. However, the event as a whole was a lot of fun, and, it is always great to see old friends from training. Plus, after a disappointing loss for southern Mozambique last year, I was able to grace the Beach Olympics with my inaugural appearance and take home the gold (in a saboteur-appropriate manner).