.whatever you resist, persists.

I received an e-mail today that contained the quote “whatever you resist, persists ” (carl jung) I’m assuming the universe was sending me this message referring to the mosquitoes in my life or maybe the unbearable African sunshine sizzling my pacific northwest winter body, right?

I’m sweating at 8:30pm and just took my 2^nd shower…I’m tempted to take a 3^rd, my feet are swollen and burning from all the mosquito bites, and I’ve just discovered some unidentifiable flying thing in the house. I’m resisting the decision that brought me here tonight. This is really my first night alone since I arrived to Malawi. I’ve been lucky to have been bombarded by warm and overflowing Peace Corps Volunteers on my journey thus far and then falling into the house of Kate. But Kate and a few other Volunteers have started their holiday trek to Mozambique today and here I am, home alone. Too much time alone always hits me like strong overpowering waves filled with the highs and lows of the day.

I finally met the District Planning and Development Officer (the guy that agreed to accept a volunteer aka my boss) and he gave me 5 mins to listen to personal nothings and then he had something else “urgent” to handle so I was push off on the District AIDS Commissioner. Who dragged me to sit-in on an all day Child Protection Meeting which was all in Chichewa (I understood about 0.5% of the entire meeting). AND did I mention I’m sweating at 8:30pm??

But on the other hand when the DAC picked me up in the morning he automatically took me to speak with my potential landlord and even called Peace Corps for me to clarify the logistics. Whoa! And on my walk to the market I met this tired sweaty sour smelling man who was pushing his bike (which was loaded with what looked like 100 lbs of corn) on the sweltering hot highway. He was coming from another surrounding village. He had left the village at 11am and it was now 4:40pm!! My mouth dropped open but he just smiled a huge Malawian smile reassuring me was almost home and he would rest then and preceded to excitingly ask me where I was from and how I liked Liwonde.

There are beautiful people and beautiful challenges in this world. This is my challenge right now, to keep my western organized timely schedule calculated mind out of the game for awhile and stop resisting the challenge. I choose to live, love, and let the universe take its course. Ugh!!

Much love to you and yours.

a