Birthday Letter to Grandpa
Trip Start
Nov 02, 2003
1
61
70
Trip End
Feb 14, 2006
Site,
Madagascar
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Happy Birthday! I'm sad that we won't be able to spend the day together, but we'll celebrate when I get home. It looks like that will be in March or April; my service is over in late December, and I'm working on plans to travel around Southern Africa with Caitlin, one of my best friends here, for a couple months afterwards. My college boyfriend, Dave, is also going to visit in late December and early January.
My work here is going pretty well. School starts next week, and the school lunch program I've been working on will start then too. The program will provide lunch for the 50 poorest students at the middle school using rice they bring from home, vegetables and beans we're growing on the school property, oil and salt donated by shopkeepers, and pots and dishes donated by the U.S. Embassy. I'm a little concerned because the beans haven't been growing well, and just because it's such a huge project, but I know we'll work something out.
[9/28 - Since I wrote this, things have been going better. The beans still aren't going well, but the shopkeepers actually came through on their donations, which had been another worry. Best of all, the students' parents decided to call themselves 'the Jessica Association'!]
I've also been helping to market and sell jam, hot sauce, and pickles made by one of the town's women's organizations. I advise the women on flavors, labels, and packaging, convince stores and restaurants in my banking town to sell and use the products, and sell the items to Peace Corps Volunteers and embassy staff. I had originally wanted to be a small business advisor rather than a health volunteer, so I'm glad to have this experience in addition to my health activities.
I do receive all your letters and love them. It takes two to three weeks for them to get here; I generally get one each week but sometimes two arrive together. It's wonderful to hear about what you're doing and to get updates about the whole family, and I really appreciate it. Thank you!
I am still taking courses through the University of Connecticut; I'm still finishing the final paper on deterring terrorism from last semester and have started a new course on poverty and public health, for which I'm writing about Madagascar and the Sudan. The courses are really interesting but a bit overwhelming at the moment, since I'm trying to apply to graduate school as well. I have to admit that I'll be very happy to have my applications (in particular) and coursework done!
When do you expect to see my parents and Jen again? I hope that we can arrange another phone call - I love talking to you. Thanks again for your letters, and happy birthday!
Love, Jessica
Comments
Do you want us to host a tupperware party in USA?
Jessica, read some of your recent posts ... would it be helpful for friends back home to have a 'Tupperware party' and collect what you need for the lunch program and ship it to you? Let me know what would be helpful ...
Love,
Joelle
Re: Do you want us to host a tupperware party in U
Joelle, that's such a lovely idea -- thank you. Unfortunately, there are 400-500 kids who need containers, and Tupperware is really expensive ($10-20 per container.) There are cheaper alternatives like Rubbermaid, Glad, Ziploc, etc., but they won't necessarily last. Glad, for instance, says that its containers should withstand 6 washings; these would have to withstand hundreds (of handwashings with cold water.) I'm looking online for durable, cheap alternatives; if I find one and if the corporations all decline (three have said no, but I'm still waiting on two responses), then a US-based collection would be an option. Thanks for much for thinking of it!
love, Jess