Takin' a closer look...

My new address!

2007-05-26T23:06:00.000-04:00

My family, friends, and I guess strangers if you happen upon this and decide to write...here is my new address. I will be unable to communicate via the internet for the first three months or possibly longer. It's up to snail mail now!!! Please, number your letters as they may not show up in order - cool huh :) Love and peace!

Caroline Drake, PCV
Peace Corps/Malawi
BOX 208
Lilongwe
Malawi

The Resurrection

2007-05-14T00:07:00.000-04:00

I'm resurrecting that which should have never ceased. It seems I'm in a 5-6 month cycle of sharing and reflecting on my beloved blogger. Well, I am here to say this will all change...less because I desire so, more because I need to do so.

In 14 days I begin my two year adventure overseas in Malawi, Africa. Contrary to popular belief, Sprint does not service the area so no more cell phone as of May 23rd (dream come true)! SOO blogger, caroline.a.drake@gmail.com, and snail mail (please number your letters) will be my modes of communication. I am unaware of how accessible the internet will be to me so this may be updated frequently to rarely. Either way this will be the most efficient method of communicating with my family and friends state side. That being said, please keep in touch because the life we are living is brilliant and I want to know and share all that we will encounter in the next couple of years. Sorry this was such a bland post...you simply need to know.

PS Anyone is welcome to visit :) I'll have lodging.

Drum turtle and coffee

2006-09-02T01:10:00.000-04:00

East hall...I couldn't quite call it a drum circle and we had decided it was much more then a rectangle. They made a cluster yes, with pecans and chocolate and caramel...they were the drum turtle. They were delicious. We stayed until the cop "jumped" the call that the drums from East Hall were too loud. And we laughed as the cop admired the rythm while he enjoyed his cigarette. It was simple.

Scratching the surface

2006-05-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

Each night as I go to sleep reruns of last week play through my head. I see the houses. I see the devastation. I see the hardships. I hear again the stories of the residents. Mostly, I see the eyes. So many different people. So many different reasons for being there all caused by one storm. And though that all sounds really depressing and though it may be easy to just be sad...I go to bed smiling. The environment surrounding us told a story of destruction but the energy and the people sang to us their resiliency, their hope, and the joy of having each other. There was no money. There was hardly enough shelter. There was love and of course there was food.

Left: the camp of the organization Common Ground in the lower 9th ward

Right: Jacob with some long-term volunteers

Made with Love Cafe is in the heart of St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana. Serving the parish and the people of the lower 9th ward, Made with Love provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner to volunteers of many organizations, their own volunteers, and most importantly the residents. The total meals served per day averaged anywhere between 1,200 to 2,000 meals. Made with Love Cafe is a project of the newly established Emergency Communities. Currently, they are opening another project right on the gulf to a community that was more devastated and has received less assistance. Emergency Communities (EC) is a grassroots organization receiving funding and donations mostly from individual donors. EC always needs volunteers, donations, and advocates in other cities fundraising for them. The community I was involved with was one of the most incredible communities I have encountered in my short existence and limited experience.

Left: Chance is all about the peace and love.

Right: A destroyed strip mall.

Talking to a fellow volunteer and now friend, he expressed yesterday to me how much he missed "village life" and it was just that. This village of people were always working and always assessing the needs of the community, the residents, and each other. EC came alive at 5:30am and was buzzing early into the next morning. Long-term volunteers set the pace and the direction of little and large projects. The week we were there we cooked, cleaned the kitchen, monitored and emptied trash cans, wiped tables, renovated the dish pit, cleaned dishes, prepared meat, counted inventory, folded and organized clothes, served food, gutted houses, maintained the back 40 which was a small tent city, cleaned community areas like the rejuvenation station (first aid) the two ti-pi's where people did yoga and had intellectually and spiritually charging discussions stories or chants. EVERYTHING was happening and you were expected, no matter how long or short the stay, to jump in and organize and make decisions. This was your home from the beginning until the end. There was time of course to have a nap. There were nights to explore the city. There were fires to let go completely and enjoy the spirit of humanity. Meal preparation really never stopped. It was a near 24 hour operation coordinating and preparing meals for some many people but it worked and hardly did we feel short handed. And that is just a description of village life. For now enjoy the pics. Ask questions and research yourself. More to come on the people I have met.

Left: Last meal with our full group of temp volunteers. Mmmm food.
Center: Destroyed house in lower 9th ward.
Right: Aaron plays chess with young resident while Carrie (in pic) and Jacob (behind lens) snap photos! YEY!

There is so much to be seen in the contrasts of joy and destruction.

Left: Takin a break while waiting for a "safety" meeting we hang around in the tree house. I wouldn't consider it safe.
Center: The dish pit before renovations that took place later in the week.
Right: Destroyed residential corner in lower 9th ward.

No, it's "Nah-lens"

2006-05-04T08:17:00.000-04:00

I cannot yet determine what effect this experience will have on me overall. The peace and the love and the power that this community creates, the residents, the volunteers, the effort - this all encompassing place has been home to me quicker than any other place in the world. An on-going reflection of my spirit and my habits and my life has harbored feelings of pride and excitement, anticipation and empowerment.

Pictures to come!

Scatterwhat?

2006-04-13T10:14:00.000-04:00

Mid-scattergram plotting I find myself thinking only of the brand new metro bus running on the W. Michigan line. The new seat covers and the brand new unscathed plastic environment gives me goosebumps ready to burst with excitement! No one seemed as impressed as I was. The blank stares of 8am along with the silent hum of the marvelous engine powering us all to class was mine to soak up. Should I even mention how perfect the clouds and sunshine are this morning you might pee yourself silly!

An assignment is due...now. I am working on the graphs of nine different bivariate measurements. Nine fricking graphs I tell you!!! My eyes are blood shot from the little dots I have plotted so far. In total there are 90 little pencil dots on three sheets of paper...I ask myself, "What is the use of all of this?!" I give up. I officially want to lay down and die, but not really cuz I sort of like this place. Things like the metro and the daffodils make life worth living. I wonder though, what does it even mean to say that life is worth living?

Worth, for my purposes, means deserving of. Life, therefore, is deserving of us living it. But, how do we define life? And for that matter, how do we define living? What does it mean to live? What does life give to us that we should find it necessary to live? Does one have to give in order to be deserving of something, especially something so spectacular as living? I am exploring this matter...

Maybe we find it in God. Maybe it is our memories that compel us. Maybe it's the challenge. Be it what it may for you, I hope that you find the reason life is deserving of you living it.

And the moon is the only light we'll see...

2006-04-01T18:34:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have days that when you merely think of someone they call you on the phone within the hour? Yeah, it's like that today, twice. I enjoy it. It reminds me that there is SO much more to this whole life thing than we can ever know or will ever know. Then again, maybe there is no real connection at all. I'm seeking truth today.

Truth is in the way someone reacts when you say something awkward. It's when you're excited about something and people decide to join or to shut it out. Truth is watching people influence each other. It is in the hand of the woman I join with at church to pray and it is in the manner in which people physically touch each other. Truth is the bad words you scream after stubbing your toe and the praises you sing after scoring a goal. It's in a smile, a wink, a nod. It's avoiding eye contact or catching the eye of a beautiful stranger. It's the time you give to something else. Truth is our opinions, our aggression, our gratitude, our joy. Truth is in our seeking. It's in our trials and heartaches. Truth is our love and our passion. Truth is conviction. Open minds and open hearts. Truth is in everything. But then again, truth may not exist...he he he

Sunny days are the best

2006-03-30T14:56:00.000-05:00

Just when you think you've got it all figured out God goes ahead and reminds you to wake up and...fart?

The best day of my life was about a week ago and this word magnet was the first thing I saw as I headed my sleepy little behind to the computer lab to work on stats (BOOO). I laughed out loud, loud enough so people stared at me wondering what the hell I had smoked that early in the morning. I almost let it stay there but was compelled to pick it up. It was the mantra of my day...in fact maybe my life now! Anyway, it was sunny that day also.

Today it is cloudless. Everyone smiles and men run in the trails with their shirts off and say "Hey!" in their tired voice, which is oh so very close to their sexy voice. Out on my run, yes, I did encounter one of those trail running men, but not before I wandered my way up to a stranger at the soccer fields to kick come balls around. His name was Juan, an early 30's chiropractor who was his own boss and was taking the afternoon off to enjoy the weather. He said, "You have to take advantage of days like these!" I agreed as he walked away and ran around the field. I don't believe he was socialized right. So after finding out a little bit about Juan I went back to the hilliest bunch of trails ever. Cue trail man...and my drooling. Then I headed home sweaty, smelling, and smiling. It was glorious.

Spring weather and spring fever has come early. Thank you global warming! Togo is crazy in love with anything and everything he puts his paws on and I find myself thinking racey thoughts that last just long enough to make me squirm in my seat hoping someone didn't overhear. We've all been there and we are here now. Girls in tanks (hot) guys in t's and shorts (hot) and runners abound (hot). This college campus is about to get crazy with love and sunshine! If people were this happy everyday I think the world would be a better place.

Unexpectedly cross

2006-03-28T13:25:00.000-05:00

See that...that is it right there

Today, stopped at a light in my car, I watched a woman walk across the street. She was in a hoodie with her backpack, nothing unusual for campus especially at this crosswalk. I looked first at her shoes then, as if I were sizing her up, I followed her body to her face to get the entire picture. I thought, "She reminds me of someone." And when it hit me I was overwhelmed by a rush of emotion that balled in my stomach and welled up to my eyes. I felt like crying, not out of sadness though or even joy really... She reminded me of New Hampshire and the house I worked in often. All at once I felt the feeling of being there and I wanted to be more than ever.

The rush of emotion that was all at once crushing and liberating made me want to fly away to a place where I could easily consider home to my heart. Cliche, I know, but the truth is this peace and joy and acceptance and pure sincerity that I found in New Hampshire can be found in others everywhere. I see and feel and hear it constantly. And still, unexpectedly, in a woman I have never known beyond her crossing the street, I found all of that. There were no words, no interaction, no acknowledgment. Simply, she crossed my path.

Who is crossing yours?

Opportunity Cost

2006-03-24T18:27:00.000-05:00

Each day we receive the opportunity to experience something new. If nothing new, then at least the chance to see something in a light we never expected. On this premise my blog is born. So back to opportunity...

Today it is Roma's pizza delivery. Tomorrow it could be the chance to fit some celebrity feet. Two Saturdays ago it was the opportunity to see my first ever monster truck rally. WHOA! I never imagined a metal dinosaur that ate cars in half would pump so much adrenaline through my body. It was pretty wicked! The whole night was pretty wicked! As you can see my FAVORITE car, RRRRRammunition, is pretty frickin' sweet. I'm officially a Rammunition cutie according to my new vintage style t-shirt (yeah, vintage style, I know right!?). I don't often get such a wild break from good ol' Kazoo life. This proved to be a small piece of heaven I never imagined existed. The fact that there are so many ways of living that we don't even know about intimidates me. The enormity of life is awesome, so is the simplicity and the complexity! What about life isn't awesome though? All credit for this fabulous night goes to my fabulous friend RRRRRR-Dom! :)

PS Check out Emily's blog...she pretty much rocks and introduced me to this and has better things to say!