Hola

Hello, amigos. I am just checking in to let you all know that I am still unemployed and my readjustment allowance is about to be depleted. Things are moving along, though not great. The good news is that I have finally stopped freeloading and now have a temporary residence in ME, in the woods, where it's a little bit colder and nice and quiet. It's a reasonably cozy efficiency above a two-car garage that gets used for storing a boat and a skimoble and other tools and outdoor gear. Very Maine. It'll do. I am hoping to get on a regular schedule of subbing and cruising between Maine and NH until the end of the school year, for now. We will be putting my mother's home on the market and having to deal with all that that entails until it's all wrapped up. So, I am stressed and busy lately, but on the verge of semi-normalcy once I manage to get a little routine into place. So, nothing earth-shattering to report, but that's the deal masiku astopano.

I hope you are all well and staying afloat.

Has anyone heard from Dan?

Ciao,
MW

The Onion on Peace Corps

Hey guys,
Check this link out:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/45589
Funny stuff about Peace Corps.
Also, if you have time to waste, check out:
www.ebaumsworld.com
I like the video on the shining.
Tom

Foreign Service Exam

FYI

If anyone is interested in taking the Foreign Service Written Exam you should apply now. The deadline for registration is 5:00 p.m. Central Time on March 1, 2006, for international test sites, and 5:00 p.m. Central Time on March 8, 2006, for domestic test sites.

You must apply online so if you want to work at the embassy and hang out at Food Worth go here: http://careers.state.gov/officer/join/examinfo.html

PAF

Sarah's Art

Happy V day!

I'm putting together an art portfolio for some grad school applications. There are some church mural paintings that I did in Malawi if anyone is interested in seeing.

http://sarahoblon.shutterfly.com

Much love! Missing all of you BIG time.

-Sarah

Taxes (Stephanie)

Hi everyone,

I got the memo emailed to me by Peace Corps Washington that tells us about our taxable living allowance, leave allowance, and special allowances. I'd be happy to forward that to anyone who wants it, just email me. You should have my address, or find it on a previous post. Thank you.

Don't bother calling Washington and just pressing buttons. If you do that, you'll get to a voice mail of someone who no longer works for Peace Corps. Very annoying. If you do have future tax questions, just press 0 for the operator when you call the 1-800 number.

Anyway..

Stephanie

election day

Not a whole lot has been going on, so there isn't really too much for me to talk about. I hope everyone is doing well. Today is the day of the special election that paul has been working on. We obviously have no idea yet who will win, but so far the exit polls are promising.
It looks like I may be getting a new job, I'm not good at staying with jobs where I don't have much to do. I have some sort of need to be busy while I'm at work. I'm applying for internships at some law firms downtown. Besides being a better job, I would have about a 10 minute drive in the morning instead of a 40 minute drive. I hope it works out.
I was unpacking boxes of stuff from malawi the other day (I had to pack it all up for the move to my new place) and I was going through all the letters I received when I was there, the notes and cards, and I realized that the ones I got from you all in my time there mean much more to me than any others. I'm not sure I could have made it through without you guys.
Well, I should get going. I hope everyone is getting settled. It looks like I will be out on the west coast (WA, OR, and maybe CA) at the end of Feb/beginning of March. I would love to see any of you, if you're there too. Take Care
- Jess

New from John Jordan via Stephanie

Hi all,

I just got an email from John. He is alive and well and enjoying Jo'burg.