Hogglebat

Change to Myspace

2006-08-12T12:45:57Z

For those of you at all interested, I am actually switching to MySpace, just because I can't keep up both, and now that I've figured out how to use it, I prefer Myspace. here's the address:

www.myspace.com/janroseo

Hope you all keep in touch!

Love ya,
Jan

You all haven't forgotten me yet, have you?

2006-02-18T14:05:40Z

So, this is the girl who is living thousands of miles away, in a little country called, "Guinea," peeing in a hole, and currently kind of ill. Please tell me you still remember me. :)

So, I just found out where I'm going for the next two years...what little town I will be living in. It's a small village called Katougouma. Population: 2050. It's right on a river called the Rio Nez. I don't know much except that the rainy season is long, they speak SouSou and Malinke, I'm the first volunteer at the site, possibly living in hippo/panther/lion territory (or close to it anyways), and definitely living in Caiman territory (Caimans are a small, angry alligator--think 4 ftish--who are in my part of the river during rainy season....which is 7 months of the year). It looks pretty sweet on paper...I'm visiting it in a couple days and will be there until Thursday. On the plus side, my one request to be near internet was granted...I'm within an hour bush taxi ride from an ex-pat site called Kampsar, where there is reliable internet, and well as this weird mail box thing. It seems that a large American mining company is headquartered there, and they let Peace Corps Volunteers who live in the area use their mail service. What that means is that people who live in the states will be able to send mail to an American address, and magically, it will appear in Kampsar within a couple weeks. This is good since I'm not guaranteed that I'll get mail if we rely on the Guinean system, and this has a faster turn around. As well as eliminating the hassle (for you guys) of going to a post office...you'll just have to use an American stamp. :) Hoohaw!

Oh, and the best part? You actually have to use a canoe to get to my site. Crazy, huh?

So, currently fairly content with the situation of my site. We'll see if I feel the same way after seeing it this next week.

Also, slightly disgusted that the petites (kids) gave me a cold in a country that seems to run 100 degrees daily--so was already slightly miserable before arriving at Mamou for a counterpart workshop where I ended up eating something that may or may not have given me parasites, food poisoning, dysentery, and/or amoebas. Apparently, this place we go for conferences has a history of making people sick. When we were here the first time, six people were bed ridden for most of the time at this place. And now, after several trips to the bathroom, and gross stuff coming from both ends of my body...I have also fallen prey to nasty Mamou.

It's not that bad though. I mean, being sick is awful, but Guinea's really interesting, and the people are really nice, even if the food sucks (i.e. please send care packages).

In other news, I read some of your journals...Steve, how's school going? Elena and Dale BOTH got tattoos (damn...I didn't see that coming--Elena yes...Dale, more questionable:)-given a previous trip to the tattoo parlor with him...what did you guys get done?)...And what else is going on? Briana...job sounds like it sucks...Peace Corps = good idea if only for the procrastination time AND traveling opportunity. I miss everyone back home so much, and wish I could have the best of both worlds...all of you, here with me. Obviously, there's some flaw with that plan, but nonetheless, there it is.

I love you all.

When you feel like it, drop me a line:

JanRose Ottaway
Corps de la Paix
BP 1927
Conakry, Guinea
West Africa

Letters were sent to some of you already. Hope you get them sometime soon.

Jan

Wow...

2006-01-28T14:27:45Z

How stupid am I? How blonde?

Let's see...a week in, I lost my address book. I feel so horrible. but my mom will be making phone calls to a list of numbers I gave her, and she will be getting everyone's addresses.

Dale, E, Justin...I sent an letter to all of you. I think I got your address right (from memory), cross your fingers. :)

I think I sent it to 2206 cornwall Ave, bellingham, wa 98225

In any case, |I hope you get it. :)

Anyone else who's not called in the next couple days by my mom and want me to have your address...call her at 425.334.5756. Her name's Cyndy. She's really cool.

Life's going well. I'm not eating, but if you saw the food, you wouldn't either. nastiness...I can hardly wait until I'm actually at my site, because then I'll be able to cook my own food, instead of relying on someone else. The stuff to make food isn't bad. It's just the way they put stuff together that ends up not being so good. :( I'm eating way too much bread and rice right now.

It's really hot, but I'm slowly getting used to sweating all day, all night, and all day again. :) C'est la vie en Afrique, n'est-ce pas?

I don't know that I'm actually learning anything in my "training" yet, other than they're really slow to get us really going on anything. We visited a hospital. All I can say is that I hope I don't have to stay in a hospital while I'm hear. It's not so pretty, and smells really bad. They do a pretty good job, but still. let's just hope that one doesn't happen. I think if I actually get sick enough to have to stay in a hospital, they send me to Dakar, Senegal, to the west africa headquarters there. I think, anyways...maybe I should check on that. :)

Other than that, life is great. It's actually still feeling like an extended cultural vacation thing, and that I'll be coming home in a month or so. It doesn't feel right that I won't be home for 2 more years. :( boo.

Anyways, I miss you all. And please write often (since I'll only get about half of the letters...if you write more, I'll actually get more). :)

Love you all...
Jan

wow...i moved to africa!

2006-01-16T18:09:01Z

i may not have internet for a while...at our training site, we arent supposed to internet. that'll b for almost two months. I'll b requesting a site closer to internet access since the mail's not supposed to be very reliable. It can take anywhere from three weeks to two/three months for people to get and recieve things.

Iùm ghoing to talk to my mom about the possibility of bringing me home for a visit halfway through. I'm pretty sure I'll need it. Guinea is truly the real Peace Corps experience, which the letters I'll send will explain. I should be sending letter really regularily. For those who plan to write. Please do the same. I think I won't get some of them; so please be persistent. It'll be important. One girl already went home.

The adventure begins...

2006-01-15T05:18:30Z

So...It's five am in Guinea. I have not managed to get any sleep on either of the planes that brought me here (20 hours worth of flight time). Why? Because I don't sleep on planes well. Who does?

But, why am I not asleep now? Well, it could be that we're in a house living dorm style for the night (perfectly ok), and I managed to pick the one room (with 7 people) that doesn't have working air conditioning (no, AC is not a given in Guinea, but is installed at the Peace Corps Conakry house. It's ok though. I'm just hoping to exhaust myself so much that I won't mind the heat when I try to go back in and lie down. :)

I was trying to contact people online, but this computer won't let me download MSN messenger...and I couldn't remember my log in for yahoo...so in creating a new one, I have to wait for people to approve me. :( Dale and Elena are not doing this as quickly as i would like. ;) (couldn't remember any other yahoo user names)

Getting off the plane today was unreal. If anyone does come to visit me, I would make sure I was there to meet them, otherwise they'd be overwhelmed I think. But the culture looks so interesting, and looking forward to learning more about it.

Tomorrow we leave for Mamou--which is in the mountainous area. We will be there for four days and start training.

Right now, my access to internet in the future seems like it will be limited. We'll see though. Depends on where I get stationed.

Ugh. Exhausted. Must at least try to sleep in that hot room. :(

It's official...

2005-12-29T08:22:34Z

Washington Mutual's card office HATES me...

So after the fiasco in July/August where it took a month and a half for me to get a new card from them after an error that was entirely their own (computer malfuction), I now have a new situtation.

After accidentally leaving my card in an ATM machine a couple weeks ago, I called the next day to cancel it, and order a new one.

Simple right...well...apparently not for these fuckers...

Because what was supposed to be 5-7 business days, turned into 9 at which point our mail was stolen and I had to call and order another one. Fine...no problem.

Got the card. Been using it.

But guess what?!? They connected it to the wrong fucking account. Seriously. So it's been drawing from the account with no money in it, because I only use it for special savings things.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

So now I get to straighten that mess out.

Time...why not? I have plenty of it.

So, what am I up to?

2005-12-22T06:50:28Z

Well, I haven't updated for a while, but that's because I've been extremely busy with a few things:

1) work...of course
2) friends...spending as much time with many of them as possible--as well as Brie being back in town
3) Oh, yeah...my dad have 5-way open heart bypass and a surprise Aortic valve replacement...that was fun...then he caught pneumonia (HUGE complication after such a major surgery)...I guess now we know where my overachieving tendencies come from ;)
4) And, last but not least, I'm leaving in (bury my head in the sand right now) THREE WEEKS for Africa. My departure date is January 10th (I'll be in Philadelphia for a few days), then we fly out for Guinea the night of Friday the thirteenth (they are not without senses of humor at that old Peace Corps office :)).

So, if I'm not on this thing very often...do not be surprised. :)

I still love you all though!

Wow...It's been a while...

2005-11-08T06:18:37Z

(My mom thinks it's important to tell me inane things all day--some can be interesting...this one was not..."Yeah, Jan...they were running sheep trials out by Silvana today..."--Is it wrong that some things I just don't give a flying rip about?)

So, no, I haven't written in this silly thing for a while. I've been sort of busy...sort of distracted, and very sick of slow dial up internet...bah!

But I'll write a little somethin', somethin' tonight...just for kicks. And to actually sit down and write. I haven't done it in forever. I think I needed a break after graduating. To just step back from stuff. But now I'm kicking in again. Go ME! Schedule starting to get tighter. Planning things out well in advance (other than hanging out with friends...that shit just happens. :))

Like the Mexican Train Domino Potluck thing with Elena, Justin, Dale, Eric and Jillianna. That was fun. Just laid back good times.

I had a crazy fucking dream the other night. It seemed really long. I was running from somebody (might have been the mob...might have been the Russian mafia--same credentials though). I don't what happened, but I knew they wanted me dead and had sent a killer after me. I ended up at home at one point (after driving down from Bellingham, where they had cornered me)...and was planning out some damn massive escape plans. Got away safely, brilliant strategist that I am, but it was a close call. They pulled into my parents driveway, but luckily (brilliantly, I might add) I had parked next door, so they wouldn't know for sure I'd been home, and I made a fast getaway out the back of the house and up the power lines (convenient, I might add), til I could circle around to the neighbors' house and collect the car that they had let me park in the garage (just in case the killers saw it up their long driveway).

Huh...kind of wondering if it mean anything...:?

Now I'm just tired. I had to be at work at 5:30 this morning...ok, ok...I didn't actually get there until 5:40, but I put in effort. And it doesn't really matter. They've had one lady who's come into work drunk at least three times, frequently calls in sick and then changes her mind, but asks if she can come in after she's drank one beer, and had the last three weeks off because she was in jail for a DUI. She's still working there. Can we say "job security" anyone?

luckystar22 @ 2005-11-02T12:14:00

2005-11-02T20:15:04Z

Your Power Color Is Indigo

At Your Highest:

You are on a fast track to success - and others believe in you.

At Your Lowest:

You require a lot of attention and praise.

In Love:

You see people as how you want them to be, not as how they are.

How You're Attractive:

You're dramatic flair makes others see you as mysterious and romantic.

Your Eternal Question:

"Does This Work Into My Future Plans?"

What's Your Power Color?

sigh

2005-09-30T04:14:34Z

Happier now. Out of system.

Ok...

2005-09-30T01:23:40Z

Gotta whine for minute. I jusat had to get in the shed to get something--for those of you who don't know, most of my things are in a shed on my parents' property, and will remain there for probably the next 3 years or so...--I was trying to find something, in particular, my art chest, my file holder, and my canvases. These are really nice stretched canvasses from Dakota Arts. I was really excited to find them. I got them at close out prices, and spent probably about forty bucks or so, because it was such a great deal. What did I find in the shed? My parents, not paying attention, leaned boxes on them, which pushed them against another box, and managed to damage all the stretched canvases. No, they didn't mean to. Sure, they were trying to not do it, but the thing is I'm still disappointed. I have no idea how much it would cost to replace them since they were on a closeout sale, and wouldn't be anymore.

UGH

Fuck it.

And no, I don't blame them...I'm just disappointed and have nowhere to aim that disappointment.

Bah.

Ok...

2005-09-16T16:33:56Z

Everyone knows that google has its own email now--called g-mail. But that you need an invite from a current member to get it. They also don't give all members invites to hand out...they distribute them randomly.

Well, apparently I just got those invites to hand out. 100 of them actually. So if anyone wants a g-mail account, let me know, and I'll send you an invite so you can sign up. (Don't forget to send an e-mail address, so that I can send the email to that.)

Laters!

Cruises and bruises...

2005-09-15T22:24:03Z

OMG. The Caribean is gorgeous. We went to Calica and Cozumel on our cruise, and I had so much fun. The only annoying thing was David, who felt the need to continuously search out internet connections so he could contact Dave at home (who had to stay home because he was sick--we took David's sister instead), and Dave didn't need to hear from him anyway. Internet was only $1 an hour at internet cafes in Mexico, but he spent approximately $75 to use it on ship one day even though he had just used it the day before. UGH! There's more to that story and why I'm so annoyed with that aspect, but no need to write it down. ;)

But no, went snorkeling at both place and had a great time doing so. Saw beautiful fish, and HUGE fish with scary mouths. Sun bathed on the deck of the ship most other days. Relaxed, enjoyed myself...all was good. :) Good food, hot maitre-d...he was from turkey. Now I expect a 16 piece plate setting, bread service, and little tea thing ready when I sit at a table. Am slightly disappointed when it's not. :)

Also went to some Mayan ruins. They were gorgeous as well. Went by myself on both of the on-shore excursions, because the other two people in my party were doing other things. Would have been slightly more fun with company, but was SO much fun anyways. :)

Very tired now...and very tanned. :)

Oh, and very bruised. During the course of my travels this last five days, I've managed to hurt my broken toe occasionally, fall twice (managed to skin both knees, as well as do so in front of large audience both times--what can I say? I'm graceful), pull my shoulder muscle when I almost fell off an eliptical runner, hurt my palm (I used to know how, now don't remember), pulled both an arm and a calf muscle with no apparent cause, and rammed my head against the bar above a door into a bathroom cubicle, because obviously it was built for slightly shorter people (have large bump on my head now).

So, cruises and bruises is an accurate title for a completely wonderful vacation!

no on will be able to find me for five days

2005-09-10T12:48:04Z

Because I will be on a five day cruise...no, no, don't feel sorry for me. Somehow I'll survive. ;)

There's only so much a girl can take...

2005-09-07T02:12:57Z

Went shopping today for several hours. Was actually good. And by "good", I mean I had my gay friend with me, and he told me not to buy stuff, so I didn't. Apparently, gypsy skirts are no good...no good at all. Something about the tiered structure--blah, blah, blah... All I know is that he found a pretty dress for me that was nicer than the skirt I had been carrying around AND cheaper (14.99 vs. 12.99). So that was good. Then bought some pants at a place called Kohls. Very nice pants.

Then got call from Steve wanting to invite me to lunch. Was ironic, because I was just thinking of calling him that morning, because I couldn't remember how long it had been since we talked. :) Am now missing my hamsters very much. :(

Then continued clothes shopping. But there is only so much clothes shopping I can do, before we headed to borders where I proceeded to get lost, not only in the wonderful books, but also the cds. Only bought one book, which is probably just as well, since I apparently overloaded my suitcase on the way here with books,and was forced to carry seven pounds worth of textbooks through the airport, which doesn't sound bad, until you realize I was already loaded down with my two carry ons which also had books in them.

BUT did buy two wonderful french cds. YAY! Would have bought more probably, if I could have listened to them at the place, but the other cds weren't in their library machine thing...

So, all in all....very good day! But miss you all still.

OH, and can't get a hold of brie to voice my irritation at Roberts being nominated to replace rehnquist as chief justice!!!! *SHRIEK* He's only been on the bench PERIOD for two years (before that he was still practicing private law). I know Brie will be just as upset with me, and we will voice our anger together for therapy. Except that Brie hasn't fully figured out how to use her cell phone yet, and, thus, turns it off (to save battery she says--I told her my cell phone lasts for 3 days without charging--she ignores me:(). So, she hasn't called me back yet, and I am still agravated (not at her, but at politics). I think I'm getting a bulging eye like the teacher in Daria. Uh oh. this is why I try to avoid the news sometimes. Bah!

Wow...so um...wow...

2005-09-06T15:45:21Z

Just got back yesterday from three days at Corpus Christi with my cousin, his lover, and their friend Dennis. Was so fun! Our hotel was right on the beach with a patio. White sand everywhere. The first night we spent at the bar on the beach, just a short walk from our room. It was called Kokomos, and served pretty good maitais. :) We met some people from Missouri, and...well...let's just leave it at that, since they turned out to be homophobic and racist. Bah!

_______
Sidenote:
That first night we saw the first of many convoys of New Orleans refugees coming in. It's very sad. Every day I see more. Pretty much any city of any size is housing refugees in the conference centers and domes. And none of these refugees can go home for the next month. Many have decided to stay in Texas. But many more plan on going home. It's interesting the little things I wouldn't have thought of. Many use smaller parish banks apparently, and have no access to bank balances or anything (some have debit cards that seem to work most, but not all, of the time). The major grocery chain here, HEB, is letting New Orleans people take whatever they need. But, supposedly, also, places with the most refugees are seeing a 20% increase in petty crime. And it goes on, and on...
_______________________________

Then, in other news, after we got back and crashed for a couple hours, we headed over to a friend of theirs house who has a cool pool, for some night swimming. It was great, and then we all sat around chatting. He was an older gay man (67), who decided to pull out his pictures. I came out of the pool in the middle of a conversation about fisting, and some person they knew who used to get high on crystal meth., chain himself up in his neighbors dungeon, and lets all and sundry come through and fist him. Apparently, it was the older man's ex-lover, and that split them up. Big shocker. Then they started talking about threesomes, some other ex-roommate who would come home, get high and pass out on a fake fur rug in front of the fire...There was talk about guys who were bottoms and tops, and those who specialized more...and then we were looking at pictures...at his ex lovers...naked...lots of them. Not sure how it happened. And some of them had elephant-sized dicks...they were scary...*shivers*

so...um...interesting night. ;)

Interesting thought...

2005-08-30T08:52:18Z

How to tell that your cousin can no longer keep up with your political/religious discussion? The one that he actually started?

He changes the topic from interesting political issues, to long dead arguments with another person about the history on one gay bar in San Antonio, knowing that I neither know anything, nor care about it.

Oh, and was just asked by his friend (but did not have time to respond due to the change in subject) if I had a major problem with Americans...

finally, the Texans catch on. ;)

Have been in Texas for a few days

2005-08-29T14:53:57Z

With my gay, republican cousin. Probably should have started worrying when I saw a postcard on his mantle of Bush and Laura with a thank you for helping during the first part of their campaign in Texas. Gross. *sigh* oh well... We actually haven't discussed politics. We're saving that for the long car ride.

Still waiting to see the path of our vacation. New Orleans has not been pulled off the itinarary, and, if anything, going there soon after the hurricane would just make our trip cheaper. ;) though, I'm online now, and have not see any actual pictures of the damage to New Orleans. We'll see...

Went to the flea market yesterday and got my brother two huge swords. He's going to be so excited. And I was excited because one cost $29 and the other only cost $14. Great deal!

Haven't been petted too much by uncle...have learned to hide myself a little in the crowd of family...

mmmm

2005-08-26T23:21:52Z

So, flew into San Antonio yesterday. Picked up by petting uncle, but it turned out ok. :) As in, we went straight to my cousin's house, so the petting was at a minimum.

Then, as soon as they left (they being my uncle, his wife, and mother-in-law), we went out to dinner, and came back where my cousin proceeded to make me two delicious mudslides...though I passed out halfway through the second. Went to bed.

This morning I was up by 9 (as is my way), waited for them to wake up--David was up and about by around 10:30, but I didn't see Dave til 12:30. What a lazy butt.

Then it was out to a fairly bad mexican resteraunt, where I had a surprisingly good margarita. then came back to Dave's house where I've had two more, plus this cool champagne drink. mmmm... And it's only 6:20ish. While that seems like it bodes well for my vacation, I'm feeling like a bit of an alcy right now. :)

But back to the drinks...

Procrastination

2005-08-15T15:48:40Z

So, I have to write an 8-10 page paper. It's due before 5 today. I have no doubt I can do it...I just don't WANT to do it (subtle distinction, right?).

But I have to, and I have to do it and give myself plenty of time to drive down to Mt. Vernon to pick up some pieces of it.

Bah.

So...um...sleep?

2005-08-13T15:36:28Z

No, sleep was not happening too much last night. Seems Leelu's a little thrown off, and I think a little miffed that I won't give her free run of the apartment at night. So she would start mewing every now and then. They'd be some quiet soft mews too. Just enough to wake you up.

But she wasn't the MAIN distraction. At about 3:30 am I woke to the sounds of yelling, "Get the fuck down...Get down...arms behind your head." Lights were flashing on my bedroom ceiling, and I could hear sirens as well. Turns out, since I had to get up to see what was going on, the officers had chased some guy to just below my apt window (Yay that I'm on the third floor from that side), and were arresting him between cussing him out and talking to headquarters. My favorite line was, "How fucking far did you think you'd get with handcuffs on you fucking idiot."

Ahhhh...that's all snuggly and warm stuff to wake up to. ;)

OH GOOD!

2005-08-13T03:56:15Z

Leelu used her kitty litter box. That's a good sign.

A little update...

2005-08-13T03:55:09Z

*Throat still hurts, think it's playing with my mind now...starts feeling better then feels town apart. Do I really need a throat? Because I'm thinking I could tear it out and save myself this pain.

*In a cheerier mood than the other day. Much better!

*Went to the Pike Place Market today. Got perfect carry on bag. I love luggage!

*Leelu (Elena and Justin's cat) is Craaaazzzzyyy! I love her, but she's crazy. (much like the owners ;)).

*I'm at the stage in packing where it's all odds and ends, and I'm like, "What do I put with what?" It doesn't help that I have to pack some of this stuff with the idea that I won't see it for three years, some of it with the idea that while I'm in the states I NEED it, and some of it...I just don't know. Too much crap that's for certain. I see a big purge coming on.

*Brie's fabulous. But she knew that already.

*My nice but "petting" uncle may be coming up from Texas to visit. We'll see. He always says he will and never actually does. And if he comes now, that means even more "petting time" for me, since I'll be going down to Texas right after graduation. Thank god I'm staying with the gay cousins who just like to point out what big boobs I have--a lot.

*beginning to think my family's a little off...

Wow...

2005-08-11T04:31:12Z

Today started out really shitty. I had to go to work 6:30-11:30 am, which usually is ideal because it means I get most of my day to myself, but today it was hell. And then at work, I was doing Seasonal (moving stuff around) which I usually like because it involves organizing and such, but the dust kept making me cough and (worse yet) sneeze...and each time I did that, my throat exploded in pain.

Then, I went to my manager around 8:30 to tell her that I was feeling really bad and that I couldn't do it anymore. She asked if I wanted to go home, and I said yes, and then opened my big mouth and said "If it were just me standing at the register, that would be one thing, but this is me playing with dusty things..." That's when her eyes lit up and she said that was perfect. Seems our opening cashier called in because she has a bladder infection, so I got to work the registers from 9-11:30 in her absence. Ugh. Me and my big mouth.

Then I got home, feeling grumpy, foggy-minded and sick--plus pissy about some stuff that happened recently that, if I were honest, would not bug me as much if I weren't already sick which makes me bitch (-ier than normal)...blah, blah, blah. And that I've probably been in that semi-state for the last three weeks doesn't help. Ugh.

Anyways, the my day got happier. Some of the stuff will be dealt with later, I'm not going to worry about the paper(I'm a goddess at procrastination...it'll get done), and some of the stuff will disappear (damn mono better be gone by the weekend after next is all I'm fucking saying)...

But the bright part was Steve...or rather the part that cheered me up when I just thought I'd be glum all day... who asked me if I wanted to come over to his place and watch some movies. I didn't imagine it would cheer me up so much, but it did. Just being around someone while I feel bad is better than lazing around in boredom in my room, and Steve's such great company. (Sidenote: Though his grandma was not happy to hear her grandson was hanging out with another woman while in love with Angelgirl...it was cute listening to him explain, "But Jan's my friend Grandma..."). :) Grandma's are so cute. I have two...one boozaholic, fun-loving, hilarious white trash grand-cracker...and one incredibly sweet--born and raised on the mountain chopping her own wood and raisin' the youngin's nana"...

And now I'm rambling....wow, didn't realize how tired I was. I guess I'm wiping out easily with this virus. *sigh*

Everyone have a great night!

hmmm

2005-08-10T21:21:26Z

Maybe I'll take a bath with lavendar oil. Do I have any more lavendar oil? hmmmm...

must go see...

yes, yes I do! Yay. It's not as good as the last batch, but it'll do.