Thursday, April 26, 2007 It is raining too much.

Other than that nothing really to report. Recently I've been studying Japanese like a mad man, finishing up projects, and hanging out with (Beninese) friends. It's odd to see that countdown timer (unless you're using Safari) and think it corresponds with some sort of reality. It's even weirder for me. I look at the next couple of months and don't even feel like I'm going to have time to catch my breath.

It is craziness.

Friday, April 20, 2007 Weather is strange. I remember complaining about this last year around this time, but this year it actually is strange. The hot season is annually marked by what are referred to as the mango rains. It's a two to three week period right smack dab in the heat where, surprise, there are rains. It gives the mango trees their one last squirt of the juice to make those mangoes huge, plump and delcious (and unfortunately for me allergy inducing). This year it seems to be much more intense and long lasting than usual. We got our first rains well more than a month ago, and now we're getting rain almost every other day. Has the rainy season started early?

(I hope so... I hate it when it's so hot your eyeballs melt out of your head)

Thursday, April 19, 2007 The Description of Service (DOS) is the only official record of your Peace Corps experience. It's basically the summary of what you've done in the last two years, and seems to be the bane of every COSing volunteers existence. I've been working on my for the last couple of days in preparation for our upcoming COS conference. It's been interesting though, while it can be tedious and boring, it's at the same time kind of neat to see on paper descriptions of my major activities. Most of the time it seems like I'm being ineffective or useless. Writing the DOS actually, sort of, shows how not useless you've been.

I'll post mine at some point, since for now it's just a rough draft I'll leave the universe out of the revision.

Still, it's hard to believe how low that countdown is getting.

Sunday, April 15, 2007 Yeah! Internet is back in Parakou! Woo!!

Peace Corps also just replaced all of their computers... This is good and bad. It's great for the IT folks, in that they are totally locked down. You can't run anything without specific permission to do so, which means no more portable apps like Firefox and others. If the computer conks out though, reformatting and reinstalling is a cinch. They use HP's system recovery with their own custom image. I like that, it means if the computer breaks no more long trip to Cotonou. It does suck about not being able to run whatever apps I want though...

In that vein I'm currently playing around with various AJAXy type web OSes. YouOS appears to be the one with the most functionality so far, but it's not quite there yet. Anyone out there with alternatives?

Friday, April 13, 2007 I am done! After a week of running around like a crazy person I successfully completed my cumpolsory medical review and a million and one things for JET, and submitted my petition for leaving the date I want to. This may have been the most productive week I've had for awhile.

By the way: I'm so glad that DHL exists, orchestrating all of this stuff for going to Japan would be impossible without it. Of course DHL knows how important it can be... and charges a LOT for it >_<

Tuesday, April 10, 2007 Dear Internet,

What does it mean when asked how many times you were sick in the last year your first response is to google 'Lyle Kozloff sick'? What does it mean when you actually find out the answer because of this query?

-Lyle

Saturday, April 07, 2007 Okay, as you all know from time to time I solicit help from my loyal readers for causes here in Benin. As you also probably know this doesn't happen very often... so when I ask, it's for something important.

Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is an annual girls camp held in the town that I live in. Girls are selected from surrounding villages where volunteers reside and are brought to the big city for a week of awesome activities. The range is vast, last year a few of the things we had were:
- AIDS Prevention/Reproductive health
- Study Skills
- Crafts
- Basic Computer skills
- Guest speakers (inspiring women)
- "Take your GLOW girl to work"
- much, much more

All in all it's an awesome program and an excellent opportunity for these girls to get out of their villages, meet others, learn some important skills and have fun. Check out pictures gallery.

If you'd like to contribute to this project (and we desperately need your help), you can do so easily! Simply go to the CAMP Glow Donation Page at the Peace Corps Website. You'll also be able to read the official description of the project. Since this is through an official Peace Corps channel, it's tax deductible.

Even if you don't donate, please check out the photos from last year and read the project description on the Peace Corps page... at the very least get an idea of what gets done over here. Thanks!

Wednesday, April 04, 2007 Dear Mr. Kozloff,

It is our great pleasure to inform you that you have successfully passed the second stage of the screening process for the 2007 JET Program, and are now on the final short-list for ALT candidates. You are now scheduled for placement in a Contracting Organization.

Oh. Freakin. Yeah.

I'm going to Japan.