THE LONG AWAITED UPDATE!

Firstly, I updated my "Keep In Touch" page with my new mailing address at site and my cell phone number- there are directions there on how to call from a phone or from skype. Letters and texts and calls are wonderful! I really miss you guys but only have access to things like internet every-so-not-often, so letters and my phone are generally the best way to contact me.

Well, it has been 3 months since I came to Malawi, and I can't believe I'm a real volunteer already. I really loved training, I love my site now, and I am loving getting to know my community and what it is like to be a volunteer. I happen to be in the northern city of Mzuzu right now as I just finished an HIV/AIDS training with other volunteers in my region, so I knew I had to update while I had the chance.

Training was a wonderful experience. Each week was numbered and extremely different. The week we arrived was "Week Zero", where it was just about getting to know each other (my training group of 44, half health trainees and half environment), our amazing amazing staff, and the country of Malawi. This is where we were introduced to the concept of PCVs of the Week- 4 current health/environment PCVs joined us for the week as peer support and to let us know what its like out there in the field. The PCVs, our trainers, and my fellow trainees would prove to be an support group throughout training and now.

Week 1-5 we moved to our host-villages. We were split into 4 villages (2 health, 2 environment), and I lived in the village of Mkonkera with my host dad (John), host mom (Louisa), and their baby Harold, and bagogo (grandma) and my cousin Stazio. Although initially this was a hard transition (living in country for one week and then suddenly living with a family that I can hardly communicate with) is a lot, but I really loved my host family and we had a wonderful time together. However at the end of Week Zero I found out that I would be learning Chitumbuka (a language of the northern region of Malawi) and we were living in Chichewa speaking villages, so even though the language barrier stayed, we were still somehow able to get by and communicate. We really had fun! I really miss them and will hopefully visit them next time I am in the area.

So myself and 9 other trainees (across 3 of the host villages) were assigned to learn Chitumbuka. We had daily language class and I really enjoyed the language learning experience. My class was the best (shoutout to Michelle, Ilana, & Kate) and our teacher Geoffrey was amazing, we are all truly indebted to our amazing language trainers. I think all of the Chitumbukas in our group are totally awesome, and that pride is indicate of us northerners, who tend to be a very proud people. Hey, we're awesome, what can I say.

Also during these Weeks 1-5 we had daily technical training about the health sector in Malawi. Our host villages hosted a current health volunteer each week so they could lend their expertise to our topic of the week. I of course think that my village hosted the coolest and best volunteers, and I really appreciated the volunteers taking time out of their schedule to contribute to our training. I also obviously have to shoutout to my amazing technical training Grace, who is a nurse here in Malawi, and truly a pioneering in working for the public good in the health field here.

Week 6-7 we hit the road! The first week all the northerners (The Chitumbuka speaking trainees and Chitonga speaking trainees) headed to Mzuzu for a meetup with current volunteers in the northern region. Then the volunteers had us shadow them at their sites, and then we got to visit our own sites! Yes, the sites we're living at for two years! Health volunteers are generally assigend to health centers, so I got to meet my health center staff and spend two nights there in the village. My village is Mlowe and it IS the most beautiful place in Malawi (pictures on facebook). Week 6 was a great week- it was awesome to meet all of the volunteers, get to know the region, and see our sites!

Week 7 we left our site visit and headed to Ekwendeni for the Chitumbuka Language Intensive Week. We stayed for a week with all of our language trainers for what else- a week of intensive language, our final preparation for our language test and for moving to village! It really was a fun week, and especially fruitful in working on our language skills. Our trainers and the Chitumbuka trainees are awesome, how many times can I say this? We all passed our langauge test with flying colors!

Week 8 was just the last minute preparations before swearing in. Swearing in was held at the ambassador's house and it was a beautiful day and I have to say we then-trainees cleaned up pretty well. One of the trainees and friend of mine Matt wrote a speech on behalf of the trainees. The language trainers broke it up and translated it into the 3 languages we learned (Chichewa, Chitonga, Chitumbuka) and I was selected to read the Chitumbuka portion. It was great to be apart of the ceremony. The speeches by our trainers were really heartfelt and it was a wonderful day. And finally, we were volunteers! And yes, I momentarily cried after finishing swearing in- I was just REALLY excited and sitting next to my best friends Stacey & Kathi and I was overwhelmed with joy to say the least. Way to go, me.

So now I live in my way too big house in Mlowe, cook my meals over fire, shit in a hole, sleep under a mosquito net, and work! My first 3 months at site are supposed to be focused on community integration and a community needs assessment, and I'm just getting started. It's an undertaking to say the least, but I love Mlowe and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I don't know when I'll be able to update again- I actually will be in Mzuzu again next week for a Gender & Development meeting, so I write a post at site and translate it here so you can get a better picture of my daily life. I really miss you guys and want to thank everyone who has been in touch with me so far, it has really meant a lot! Plenty of you I do NOT have your addresses or phone numbers, and the best way to get that to me is thru a letter, so please send one! I always write! I love you, keep in touch!

Renee Angelo, PCV
P.O. Box 2
Mlowe, Rumphi, Malawi
Central Africa

I live in Malawi.

Hello Everyone! It has been a long time. This is the first time I've been connected to internet since getting to Malawi, and as I had expected, it wasn't until swearing in! I just saw the Peace Corps Malawi office for the first time yesterday- my swearing in day. I am an official volunteer!

Training has been a whirlwind- 8 solid weeks, and it was an extremely wonderful experience. I am very grateful to the program staff here in Malawi. I feel extremely confident to move to my site and begin work. I visited my site about two weeks ago, and I am pretty sure it is the most beautiful place in the world. It's paradise! The name of my village is Mlowe, and I am excited to start work.

I'll update again (soon, hopefully) with more expanded reflections, but your support throughout training has meant the world to me and it has been great to hear from you. Please continue to keep in touch! I love you all!!

@ Staging! Leaving soon!

My family dropped me off in Philadelphia after a wonderful day together, and now I am at staging with the other 45 or so trainees in my group! My roomie is my friend Kathi whom I met up with a few weeks ago with another trainee Ilana. We are having a blast! Everyone in the group is so nice, I haven't been introduced to everyone JUST yet, ice breakers are later this afternoon (woot woot). Last night about 10 of us went to get dinner and drinks at the oldest pub in Philadephia- it was a wonderful night. Our real informative sessions start at 12:15pm today. Looking forward to it!

We leave for JFK airport at 2am so you can catch me on my cell phone until then, and I will be online for a bit too I am sure. Kindle me if you can, I am connected to the hotel's free wi-fi :) Can't believe now I'm REALLY LEAVING so soon. I'm sure as soon as I unplug from life, the letter writing shall commence.

I love you all! Thanks for reading, I'm not sure if I'll update again before I go and I probably will NOT be updating during training (9weeks), as we are supposed to be pretty unplugged. So keep in touch with me via snail mail as best you can!! XOXO

Well... tiwonana.

I barely slept- not bad sleep (I got terrible sleep though the night before last) just went to bed late and I've been up since 5:45am. Too late now to worry about that business. Got my crying out a few times yesterday, I guess it had to be done.

Saying goodbye sucks. It really sucks. I didn't think I would be as emotional as I have been. Oh well. I guess I'm worried about being out of touch... which I will be of course. and I'll deal with it. I am really looking forward to writing letters and hearing from everyone.I hope that keeping in touch will be a positive experience, rather than making me sad and miss home.

Today, I head to Philadelphia with my family before I have to register at staging at 6pm. I'm really happy I can drive up to staging with them- instead of have to fly in (like most of my fellow constituents) alone. Although I'm guessing it will be a little harder for me since I'll be seeing my loved ones right up until the last moment.

I don't know what else to say, its kind of like the "it's all over". The wait is over. I get to meet my new PC Malawi friends tonight, and we fly out Saturday morning. It's time, ready or not!

I'll have my cell on til at least Friday night I hope- get your contact info to me thru that by then if you want to keep in touch!! Otherwise shoot me and email and I'll read it in a few months. Ha. But seriously. Otherwise, you know where my info is, drop me a line and I'll send you one back :)

"Tiwonana" means see you later in Chichewa (dag, I should have practiced my Chichewa more, oh well). So, see you. I'll be back. I love you all. My family and my friendships mean so so much to me. You are all so special and hold an important place in my heart. Thank you for supporting me.

Holla via Kindle

Hi Everyone! Because the Kindle is so awesome and now reads PDFs, you can send PDFs directly to my Kindle! I can download them for free when I am connected to a wi-fi network. I imagine that I will occasionally be connected to a wi-fi network, so I wanted to give you guys the info on how to get a friendly PDF to me :)

Make sure your document is in a PDF file, no other file will work. Address an email to raangelo@free.kindle.com and write "convert" in the subject line. Leave the body of the email blank. And hit send! When I connect my Kindle to wi-fi, your document will show up for my viewing pleasure :)

Of course, since my internet will be intermittent, I would say don't try to get any messages to me that are TOO important via this method. But I would love to get some fun messages this way. I will add a link to this info into my Keep In Touch tab so you don't lose it!

Also, I have to add your email to my approved receiving list for you to send it to my Kindle. If you have given me your mailing address, then I have probably recorded your email address into my address book and onto my Kindle approved list. So please make sure you get all your contact info to me!!