No pictures yet, but soon

We are still alive. That said, let me explain the current, computerless, situation:

The entire trainees group was moved into a town South of Dili. This is normal. This is our second step to moving in with a family for 2 years. For these 9 weeks we all live with different host families. The Peace Corps gives them money to cook for us and other things, I imagine. We were all given water filters, beds, sheets, pillows, blankets, big mosquito nets, and a toilet. I say we were given a toilet because we think some families built them just for us.

There are 31 of us now, I think it is. Three have left so far for different reasons. For the rest of us still here, the living situation differs from person to person. One person has a fridge, tv and dvd player and chicken to eat. Others have a tv and chicken. Others have radio and rats. Bekah and I are in the last catagory.

I don't mean to scare you. We also all have very warm and caring and fun-loving host families. They not only cook for us and fetch water for us, but they help us with our Tetun and teach us other things about their culture. They invite us with them to funerals, weddings, baptisms, church, prayer. Even though we are so far from home, we feel quite welcomed.

We do have a rat or mouse or two where we live. It hasn't bothered us, we just hear it at night every so often. Our house does have electricity every once in a while. There are three light bulbs in the house that dangle from the ceiling. When they are glowing a dull yellow, we have power. This can be day or night. But the light is so dull and yellow that it doesn't make much difference. We still use candles or a kerosene lamp made from a sardine can. Our family has a radio but I've only heard it a few times.

So, I would venture to say that there are no computers in our town and can positively say there is no internet. When we come to Dili, if we have time, we can get to an internet room, as I am doing now. So, instead of us posting more than once a day, we will be posting maybe once a month or so. Oh well. I would really like to keep you all updated daily.

Training is done Monday to Saturday at the school in town or in our host families' houses. Language training is usually in a house and technical training at the school. Some days are longer than others. Bek and I and three others have a 20 minute walk to the school up and down hill, so that wears us out some days. Other days the Peace Corps SUV gets us there.

There are 5 married couples in our group. Yes, that is a lot. It's a nice support group.

Today we are in Dili to do interviews with NGO's and other organizations. We will then present them to everyone so that we all have an idea of who is working in East Timor and what they are doing. I went went a fella to Radio Timor Leste where we learned that there are all young and motivated and just starting off. The UN helped them get started. The big news is that they are going to be launching their new program, RTTL, Radio and Television Timor Leste, August 1 at 5:00 AM. We hope to see it's debut, supposedly the Prime Minister will say something first. They even have a website, www.rttl.org.

Well, enough for now. Till next next, ate logu!