Second Year with Peace Corps/First Year in Mozambique

The COS (Close Of Service) dates have been sent via email to those who will finish their Peace Corps service this year.  And I gotta say:  we Cape Verde transfers really are like the bastard kids of Peace Corps. 

We´re not Moz19ers (the 19th group of PCVs in Mozambique), since we can´t participate in some of the activities open to legitimate Moz19ers.  Now we´re also tagging along with the Moz17ers (perhaps even crashing their COS conference) who are finishing their second year of service in Mozambique this 2013.  I suppose once we´ve moved out and left our PC family, we can find our own way, our own place of belonging.

I´ve only been at my work site less than six months, but I´ve faced typical 1st year challenges (like figuring out where things are, how things are done, who to trust, living with a new roommate).  Just because I already confronted these problems last year in Cape Verde does not mean they´re less problematic this year.  In fact, having been in Cape Verde I think made Mozambique more difficult.  It´s harder and rougher out here.  I´ll be the first to admit it: I was spoiled in Cape Verde.  I turned soft. . . but still not too smooth, though.

Now, I couldn´t really face these 1st year challenges and confront 2nd year issues (like figuring out where I´d live stateside, whether I would return to previous teaching gigs, and generally what the bloody hell I´d do next post Peace Corps).   I haven´t even contacted my deans and supervisors yet as I manage with dodgy internet access.  Again, I´ve only been at site less than half a year—I could not confront both 1st year and 2nd year issues at the same time. 

So, in case you´re interested to know: I´m going to try to stick with it.  Because the truth is I´m not ready to move back to the states, I will try to extend for another year.  I say “try” because I´m not entirely sure Peace Corps will actually offer me an extension (I´m also trying to move to a more urban, perhaps easier, site).  If PC grants me an extension, I´ll be in Mozambique till December 2014.  If they let me extend for another year of service, they would also let me take a one-month leave back in the states.  And, while I´m not ready to move back, I am so, so ready to visit.