The challenge continues

Four days down. I'm hungry. And considering beer costs 1000 ougiya, or two days' allowance, booze is out. Livin' like the locals!

The millenium challenge

So in the name of experimentation and saving a few bucks, I'm going to attempt to live like the locals do. Which means I'm going to try to spend no more than 500 ougiya a day (not counting rent). That's about two bucks, and I think I can do it. How long can he last, you ask? Dunno. We're aiming for two weeks right now.

This includes two meals: pasta with fully vegetable sauce (about four tomatoes, an onion, a pepper, some garlic, and some tomato paste), and scrambled eggs (protein). And wagers on how long I can do this?

Updates updates updates

So I'm back from Dakar, where I coached PC Mauritania's second string softball team at the West African Invitational Softball Tournament (WAIST). Despite my vast qualification, it was a learning experience, but I'm glad to report that the Swashbucklers won one game, effectively improving last year's winning record by infinity percent. What.

As for the more significant news, I'm going to China. I wanted to refrain from discussing anything, because if I've learned anything from two years in this place, it's to not trust that anything will happen until it's already halfway done. And I haven't heard anything beyond "you're in." Seeing that dingy sparkle of skepticism in my eye during a brief visit to NKT, my country director assured me that it is indeed 100%. So now I'll pass on what I know, which isn't much.

I found out that PC China (which is actually not PC China, but the America-China Friendship League of Happiness, or something) was interested in English teachers with a few years experience abroad and a Master's degree, among other things. Since I qualified for all points demanded except the degree, I thought I'd toss my name into the pool of candidates. Somewhat surprisingly, I was chosen. And so, for the next two years, I will live in a city in Western China, teaching as a university professor.

My job will consist of teaching university level English, including literature and American culture courses. My students will be future English teachers themselves, the implicit respect and motivation for education being one of the major draws to me.

This is very much still in the air, but I will tentatively return to the States around the end of May/beginning of June for a month before shipping out again on July 1st. And that, my friends, is basically everything I know. I suppose at some point in the near future I could discuss my feelings, reasons, etc. etc. if there seems to be any interest. Otherwise, plan on being free in June. I want to see you.

Perhaps I'll change the name of this blog

I'm moving to China. I'll return to talk about my feelings when I regain control of large swaths of my brain and bodily functions. That will be all.