Pulling water from this well every time I wanted to bathe made me much less likely to want to spend two buckets on washing my hair. Image by Samantha Marangell….
Top 5 Things I Miss About Peace Corps
Few bonds are as great as those between fellow Peace Corps Volunteers. Image courtesy of Samantha Marangell. People often ask if I would do Peace Corps service again. What they really…
5 Reasons to Train for a Marathon During the Winter
The frosty outdoor run… Image from www.sdri.net As winter both attacks and teases Boston, I find myself hibernating like a spoiled Californian. But when I think about it, I was so…
Returning Home: Reverse Culture Shock
Returning from Peace Corps service left Samantha split between two cultures: American and Moldovan. Image from cabincrewdreamer.blogspot.com. I totally underestimated what it would feel like to move back to a…
“You’re so literal!” – Using Bilingualism to Understand Communication
One little word can change the meaning of everything. Image from boston.com. “I’m still coming to understand just how literal you are,” my mom once told me over a long-distance…
Neither Winter Nor Spring
This post originally appeared in my Peace Corps blog roughly four years ago. Once again I find myself in the limbo that is March indecisiveness. Though I am no longer…
The Posh Potty
Funny how a couple years back in America has completely altered my concept of an acceptable toilet. I’d rather utilize a hole in the ground than a mud-smothered, though tiled,…
Remembering Fall: Many Words and Miniskirts
The Florida air has chilled. While it may feel like winter elsewhere–and with devastating consequences due to two powerful storms–it is now autumn in Florida. As a California girl, fall…
Like I’ve Never Done Laundry Before
I started reading Shiloh with a ten-year-old who was amused that it would take Ma all day to do the laundry “back in the day.” I found this entertaining, considering…
The Slip-N-Slide Week: Bucket Bathing in the Winter
Based on an entry from winter 2007, this is one of my favorite stories from my Peace Corps service in Moldova. In conversation this week, the idea was expressed that…
Adjustments and Outhouses
As I reflect on my adaptation to Florida and how much I’ve grown this year, I know I have my Peace Corps training to thank for my flexibility. Thus, here…
Smart Girls Asking Stupid Questions
We’ve all dropped our jaw in shock upon hearing someone ask a ridiculously obvious question. We’ve likely caused a few eyes to roll at our own questions, too. But there…
Bathtubs Telling Stories
. . . Bathing is a variable characteristic of any travel experience. From Turkish baths to mud baths, bathing styles (not just the frequency) can both describe a culture and…