Hey RAP ’07!

If you are about to put your life on hold for 2 years and be a fish head in Zambia this is just for you! These are a few things I brought or wished I had brought with me (Julie contributed):

-Head lamp and flashlight
-Shortwave radio (Zambian radio doesn’t always have up to the minute news)
-Sheets (fitted and flat – double size)(Fitted sheets are hard to find and very expensive here)
-Sunglasses w/ hard case
-Tent w/ rain fly and footprint
-Sleeping bag
-Sleeping pad
-Warm clothes – gloves, hat, jacket, fleece stuff, sweatshirt, warm socks
-Crocs flip flops
-CDRW’s
-Digital camera w/ batteries/charger/computer attachements
-Flash drive
-iPod or CD player w/ speakers
-extra batteries
-solar charger (solio holds a charge)
-European adapters
-Journal
-Going out clothes – tank tops, jeans, nice sandals, makeup, perfume, jewelry – b/c you will want to look nice every once in a while!
-Water proof bag for electronics (a must)
-USD (large bills)
-Large pack w/ rain fly
-Capri’s for the village – cut off sweatpants are great
-Keen’s or Chacos
-Nalgenes
-Pillow
-Rain jacket
-Baseball cap
-Pictures from home (Zambians love to see snaps of your fam)
-Frisbee
-Cards and dice
-Toiletries that you love
-Good razor blades
-Vitamins
-Watch with alarm or travel alarm clock
-Day pack
-Hair accessories (even if you don’t have hair they are a form of currency)
-Few of your favorite books
-Running/tennis/low top hiking shoes
-MSR or REI camp towel
-Campsuds (go to REI.com if you don’t know what they are)
-Pumice stone (unless you want your feet to feel like sandpaper)
-Nail kit
-Multiple knives – swiss army/leatherman
-Travel wallet that holds $, passport, WHO card, etc
-Bandanas (aka toilet paper in an emergency)
-French press (if you don’t know what this is you don’t need to bring it)
-TSA locks (unless you want to donate your luggage to South Africans in Jo’burg)
-Seeds (vegetables or herbs)
-Carabiners
-Zip lock bags
-Sunscreen
-Credit cards (VISA)
-Chocolate (forward to Box 550028 Katete)
-Dove body wipes (it’s easier than bathing)
-Pens and pencils
-Box of Mac & Cheese (trust me)
-Loofah
-World Map (big hit in the village)
-Addresses and phone numbers of friends and family
-Ear plugs (roosters are annoying)
-Crosswords or puzzle books or Libby’s favorite Sudoku

A few things not to bring:
-Suitcases w/ wheels (if you are set on bringing one, roll it down the beach and get back to me)
-Too many clothes (you can buy those Guess jeans you sold in the 80’s in the market)
-Expensive hiking boots (they take up too much room that could be used to bring chocolate)

If you have questions about specific items please post on my blog and leave your email and I’ll get back to you. J

Alendo Anabwela

My first visitors from America came to see Zambia…and me. Ruth and Beth (Harkness) came for almost 2 weeks and experienced all that Zambia has to offer. They arrived on a Monday and that night we ate a traditional meal. If you see or talk to Ruth ask her about the kapenta! We spent a couple days in Lusaka eating good food and shopping at strip malls. The time in Lusaka was more for my benefit because they can eat pizza and drink good wine whenever they want! I spent several days in Lusaka before they arrived so by Wednesday I had my fill of pizza and we headed to Livingstone.

We boarded a nice bus by Zambian standards and headed south. In true Zambia fashion the bus broke down an hour outside of Lusaka. We sat on the road and listened to my new iPod and 2 hours later our replacement bus (not nice and packed to the gills) came and we were on our way again. We spent our first full day in Livingstone jumping off cliffs and climbing down them. We zip lined across the gorge, jumped into it, repelled down it, and hiked out of it multiple times. I faced my fears with Ruth’s help, and we did a tandem gorge swing. (Pictures will soon be posted.) That night we slept like babies. The next day was spent viewing the falls, which means getting soaked. We also braved the market to buy gifts. Our reward at the end of the day was a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River followed by dinner. Saturday was another transport day but we had a really good dinner in Lusaka. Sunday was a bus ride to Chipata.

We headed to the village on Monday to begin the other part of the Zambian experience. I think Ruth and Beth really enjoyed the village and I know my village enjoyed them b/c everyone keeps asking me when they are coming back! We ate 2 traditional meals in the village and they enjoyed the food…not the kapenta but everything else! We visited ponds, the school, and a VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing) Day. I had 2 Peace Corps friends visit and Beth and Jafar built my stoop. On Thursday evening Julie and her dad, Les, came to my house so Les, Ruth, and Beth could travel to Lusaka together on Friday.

I realize this post is not detailed (are you surprised?) but I’m hoping the pictures fill in some of the blanks. I wish you could read Julie’s blog for more info but she wasn’t with us J Pepani. Having friends visit was a great experience for me. I feel like it validated my life in Zambia.

I had a few days to decompress and catch up on sleep and now it’s back to work. I’m finishing up a grant to send some farmers to school in Lusaka. I’m also meeting the Chipata District Farmers Association to help them with financial planning and fundraising. It looks like I’ll be working with them frequently and it will be an 8-5 type of job several times a month. I’ll be hosting some of the new RAP volunteers for a few days next month when they fly in so I’m preparing stuff for them to see and do. I would also like to do a few more home improvement projects before they get here.

Finally: Ruth and Beth…thank you again for coming. I enjoyed showing you my life and work in Zambia and it was great to just catch up and spend time together!

Changing My Life!

It has been a great few days! I've been in Lusaka since last Thursday and have eaten pizza 3 times, washed my clothes in a washer, and watched about 10 hours of Law & Order! Yesterday Ruth and Beth arrived safely in Lusaka and we spent the afternoon touring the American style strip malls. We ate traditional Zambian food last night and it went over well with Ruth and Beth. Ruth couldn't make herself try kapenta b/c the eyes kept looking at her. (Kapenta is like sardines and it's one of my favorites.)

And now a great big THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to "The iPod Project"! I don't want to sound dramatic but I think it might change my life! I think I might become a technology snob. I was like a 5 year old at Christmas yesterday when they gave it to me. I'm still figuring out what all the extra pieces but they all seem important. So thank you Mom, Sharon, Ruth, Katy, Bill, Chesterton Library, Valparaiso Library and everyone else that contributed. Also a giant thank you to Mike and Ann for the card, candles, and chocolate.

Tomorrow we head to Livingstone to enjoy Victoria Falls and all that it entails. I'll update soon but until then I be enjoying the company of great friends and listening to my iPod.