It's Freaking Hot

I'm not sure what happened. It was all going swimmingly until this heat wave hit. One minute, midday was sort of uncomfortable and the next, every minute is ridiculously uncomfortable.

For an Alaskan, this is ludicrous.Why you may ask? Well, first off, if it is sunny and warm, an Alaskan is outside. We learn early on not to waste the good days doing laundry or reading a book or working. We get outside and we stay outside until the weather turns. The problem is that after 30 straight days of this, I am running low on clean everything. I need a rainy day, if only to do a bit of laundry.

The second problem is that Nomites aren't built for temperatures above 65 degrees F. We melt. I wake up in a pool of sweat (gross, I know); I walk around in a pool of sweat; and, I shower while sweating. I just cannot get away from it. I also cannot drink enough water to save my life. I am in a perpetual state of dehydration and it is really starting to suck.

The last problem is that my electricity bill is becoming something of a nuisance. Peace Corps does not account for record breaking temperatures. We do not get a "cooling" allowance. Paying 6 to 12 manat every month, just to keep my fan running (a necessity, I assure you), is going to run me past Peace Corps' poor house.

So, my answer is this: GIVE US A BREAK. Send a small respite, please. Anyone? Hello?

[Even in the heat, I am still trying out new recipes! My friend Vivan taught me her delicious pie crust secrets.]

Doing What? in Year Two

Then again...

Year Two is characterized by reality.

Year One, I had lots of energy. I had ideas coming out the ying yang. I was overly optimistic about my potential impact.

Year Two, I've been hit by the Reality 18-Wheeler.

Goodness. Now I know how much work goes into a project; who I've got to obtain permission from; how long permission obtaining takes; how many false starts I will have to go through before anything gets off the ground...

In Year Two, I've had success, but I've also had failures. I've met some people and I've angered others. I'm making progress, but most days I feel like I am running in place.

Yup, Year Two is what it is...

Anyway, for those who want a more concrete idea of what's going on in my world...

July 4th: 1st Annual AzerDash! [Check out the accompanying pictures]
July 12-15: Z'Incesenet Summer X'travaganza Pre-Camp Counterpart Training
July 20-25: Z'Incesent Summer X'travaganza

Ongoing: FLEX Preparation Club, Photography Clubs & Conversation Clubs.

Year Two

I saw about twenty minutes of Year One last night.

Umm...I think I'll be reading the History of the Bering Sea People tonight.

Anyway, the movie got me to thinking, "Have I written a blog post about what I do these days? I don't think I have..."

So, here I am, updating you on Year Two.

Year One in PCV-dom is...tough. There ain't no easier way to put that. You've got Staging, Orientation, PST, your Swearamony, your first 3 months at site, your first 6 months at site, your first big blow up, your first deep depression, you've got it all. Year One is awesome, fanatical, hellish, intense, lonely, euphoric...it's everything.

Year Two...Year Two is the same exact thing except you've been through it all so it's...a piece of cake. This year, I know Azerbaijani. This year, I know it's going to take three weeks to get a solid group of kids coming to my conversation clubs. This year, all my clubs don't need to be in English because I can explain how to fill the camera frame in the local lingo. This year, I know that laundry is going to take me at least two hours and that if I am starving at 9 p.m. at night, I am kind of screwed in the "quick din-din" department.

Year Two...wicked easy compared to Year One. Then again...

to be continued [imagine Marianne Roddenberry's voice here]...