Update

I know many of you were worried about me after that last post, I would like to report that I am doing much better now. Currently I am very upset over the news of my Grandfather, and the fact that I am unable to go home and support and be with my family, but this is a natural feeling of sadness, and I think it is only healthy to be as upset about this as I am, and I also know that in time this heavy sadness will pass.

I think my major break through was realizing my situation here of isolation and loneliness has less to do with me being an American and more to do with me being a woman. Meeting new people in this community and talking to various women I have come to learn that many of them pass their days in the same manner as I do, watching tv, reading, fiddling on the internet, and staying at home. It was selfish and self centered of me to think that I am the only one here affected by this sadness and lack of outside freedom. I now no longer have to feel guilty about what I am or am not doing, and just have to take steps to make this better for us all. I am currently playing around with the idea of a free school, or at least giving some classes to start and have almost finished the flier.

This past week I went away to help out at another volunteers camp. It was great to be doing something again, be with other volunteers, and be working with youth again. It can be sad sometimes to face that many of the students here have not been asked to do any type of critical thinking, and a struggle to get everyone to see the power and intelligence that youth have. It is also hard to face that despite teaching critical thinking they will go back into the schools where the teachers will not want them to deviate from the "correct" answer. Man if I was a sometimes disliked student in the US they would have HATED me here.

I am back home now, relaxing and taking it easy. I currently have my first couch surfer, we cooked some pretty decent eggplant if I do say so myself. We also colored, a prerequisite to spending time with me. I really would love to hear more about what everyone at home is up to, I follow whoever has a blog vigorously (really I check daily) so please feel free to send me an email, comment, or anything telling me about you!