Spending the Kwach

I will be away from Mwekera for a couple of week starting tomorrow. I leave for Central Prov. for a two week site visit. First site visit was too much goodness and I'm hoping this is more of the same. Too bad Uncle Kit won't be there.

We got out of class early today so we got a head start getting into town but it didn't work out so nicely. Our horn happy minibus driver stopped for any possible fare and made a 30 minute ride turn into an hour. Oh well, Julie, Jerms, and Uncle Kit made the trip enjoyable. Let's hope we can get home faster - we've got a cricket tournment tonight and much fun will be had.

Zambian 4th of July was wonderful. It was the first of 3 4th of July's that I will spend here and I hope the next two are just as fun as this one. The party really got started during the day when I ate a fried caterpillar and impala (just for you John S!) at our Cultural Day celebration. Just a word to the wise - if you haven't had beef in about 10 years, don't eat impala. While it tasted good, it really did a number on my system....or maybe it was the Eagle.

My luck ran out this week....I got sick. I got great treatment at the clinic in Kitwe and I'm feeling fine now. Just a bacterial kidney infection...nothing Cipro can't cure! I have great friends who came and checked on me multiple times and hung out in CB3. And my host mom, sisters, and trainers were more than accomodating.

Here's some info on my site!!! We found out where we are going yesterday. I will be going to a village called Muthumba in Eastern Prov. It's 30k outside Katete and 60k from the Boma of Chipata. My fellow Chinyanja speakers will be fairly close - Rachel is only 15k away in Songwe!!! Julrie will be about 60k in Kapata Moyo and Dave will be 70k in Indaba (Dave is 5k from the boarder of Malawi)! I don't have a house yet but I'm told it will be done before I get there - good thing I have a tent because I don't really believe that :)

Thank you everyone for the emails and thank you Alicia for the package!!! Time to go pick up dinner for tonight.....PIZZA!!!