Visa & Discover

Happy Holidays!

2012-01-02T11:08:00.000+02:00

I hope this blog update finds everyone healthy, happy, and ready for 2012.

It's been a fast few months. Work continues to go well. Six fish farmers have stocked ponds, moringa trees have been planted, and I have the start of a garden.

I spent a lot of time out of site in November. Peace Corps and USAID celebrated 50 years with a party at Ambassador Jackson's home at the beginning of November. I then attended a medicinal garden training for a week - it was awesome! Then fast forward to Thanksgiving and my birthday. I celebrated at the lake and it was the best birthday yet! If my birthday was any indication, 32 is going to be a great year!

On the other hand, this hasn't been a great year for Malawi and 2012 isn't looking much better (in fact, probably worse). Lack of foreign exchange continues to cripple the economy. When there is fuel (sometimes it's just a rumor), it only lasts a few hours, creates parking lots of roads around petrol stations, and is at a price few can afford. Transport costs have gone up, food prices have gone up, and morale amongst Malawians and residents of Malawi is way down. It will be an interesting year for the country.

I celebrated the holidays with Michael and friends. Christmas in Kasungu was relaxing and New Years in Lilongwe was profitable at the American Pirates Casino! It's been a great time but I'm missing family and friends at home.

IST, Fish, Rabbits

2011-10-14T09:17:00.000+02:00

I finished 2 weeks of In Service Training (IST) in Dedza at the end of September. It's been a productive and fun couple weeks back at site.

Before leaving for IST I conducted some follow ups with fish farmers and got them started on the next task and now they are almost ready to stock their ponds! The potential for fish farming is high so I hope people stay motivated. I enjoy working with the farmers abstracting other volunteers about the benefits and potential of fish farming.

I was also on a mission to get a rabbit hutch before IST but it didn't quite work out but it was ready when I came back! The rabbits seem to be enjoying their new home and their new cat friend. Peppers moved into the hutch soon after the rabbits and they all get along.

This week was the first meeting of the Edzi Toto Club (HIV awareness group) at the secondary school. We had about 100 students for the first meeting. At our next meeting, we'll elect officers and start planning the World Aids Day event on December 1.

I also had the chance to visit some volunteers in Kasungu district and teach about HIV to a group of secondary school students. I got to spend a little time at Kamuzu Academy, a posh secondary school that is like nothing I've experienced in Africa. It felt like I was on holiday.

November is fast approaching and promises to be very busy. I'm most excited about attending a training on medicinal gardens. I've heard it's a good training and I think my area can benefit from medicinal plants.

I'm starting to think about what I want to do for the holidays. I'd like to go many places but the budget is tight and I'll probably stay close to home...Zambia or the lake??? Speaking of Zambia...I'll be there in a couple weeks for a quick visit!

It seems rainy season has come early to Mchinji district. It's my least favorite time of year and lasts far too long. Maybe if the rains start early, they'll end early? I hope.

Three Months Down

2011-08-11T08:26:00.000+01:00

I've been in my home in Msuzi village for over three months and it feels very much like home. I think I'm done making home improvements for a while. I now have furniture with cushions, a guest bed, and painted walls. Eventually I will cement my walkways and add a step off the front stoop.

I now feel I know my way around the area and boma (Mchinji) pretty well. I know where to find the foods I like and the basic necessitates I need (vegetables, chocolate, eggs/protein, candles) and a few things I can probably live without (Coke, biscuits, mabunsies, chips).

I'm making contacts in the community that will help with work related goals and social contacts. Overall it's been a successful three months of community integration. In September I will attend In Service Training for two weeks. Week one will be with my fellow health volunteers and our counterparts will join us for the second week. We will learn technical skills that we did not have time for in pre-service training and create a two year plan with our counterparts.

As you may be aware, Malawi is going through a period of instability. Its nothing new but has gained momentum and turned violent recently. More can be found online if you are interested. I bring this up because it has highlighted the importance of Peace Corps Volunteers and other on-the-ground-workers like us. We don't give large amounts of money (unsustainable) but teach practical information (sustainable) that Malawians can use to change their own situation. I hope I'm here long enough to see the situation improve for the people I live and work with.

Another old letter

2011-07-01T11:02:00.000+01:00

This is another old letter but slightly more recent....

I hope this letter finds you well. I’m settling into my Malawi life quite nicely. I’ve been in my home in Msuzi for 2 months now and the time seems to be flying. My home is slowly becoming more comfortable. I now have a wicker love seat and chair of my own. I need to get cushions made for it b/c it gets hard quickly. I also plan to paint walls and doors very soon. I have a wooden bed frame and foam mattress, a wood table w/ 2 chairs that I eat and work at, two sets of shelves for clothes and kitchen items, and a table for my handwashing bucket and water filter. All of this furniture was made in the village without any power tools.

I plan to have an extra bed frame made so I can have guests and that should make my furniture collection complete.

My typical day starts between 5:30 and 6:30. I rarely set an alarm b/c the roosters usually wake me up. I get up and do some exercises then start a fire for breakfast. Some days I have a hot fire within 20 minutes, other days it takes an hour. I never take a good fire for granted. I make breakfast – usually coffee or hot cocoa and oatmeal. Some times I’ll make eggs or French toast if I have bread. While waiting for the fire to get going, I do the dishes from the night before and get my things ready for the day. After breakfast I make sure my cat is outside and then I leave for the health centre or community based organization. I work until noon then go home and have lunch. I don’t start a fire for lunch; I eat leftovers from the night before. After lunch I go to the community based organization or the school. Some days I don’t have anything planned in the afternoon and I spend the time reading and cleaning my house. Around 5pm I start another fire and make tea, then heat bath water, then make dinner. I have to heat bath water b/c I don’t have running water to take a shower. I mix the hot water w/ cold water in a bucket until the temperature is right, then I bathe in a cement room with a drain in my backyard. My dinner is usually vegetables (eggplant, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, peas, green beans, or cabbage, whatever I can find) and rice, lentils, or pasta. I make enough for that night and lunch the next day. I put the leftovers in a bowl with another bowl on top as a lid. This is my routine Monday through Friday. On Saturday’s I spend the day at the community based organization working with a physical therapist to give therapy to handicap children. Sunday’s are usually spent doing laundry and relaxing with my cat, Peppers.

I occasionally go to the district capital, or boma, to buy vegetables or other supplies I need. I either bike 22kilometres to the paved road and take a mini-bus the rest of the way or I go with a friend in the neighboring village that has a truck. There is no public transport from my village to the paved road but if I don’t want to bike I can pay the equivalent of $2.00 and go on a bike taxi – a bike with a padded rack on the back that you sit on and a man pedals. It’s a nice way to get around if you have the money.

At the health centre I help weigh children or pregnant women, take the blood pressure of pregnant women, help with reports, or anything else they need. I’m not allowed to vaccinate people but I update the health records of those that receive vaccines. The health centre serves about 30,000 people and does so with limited staff and frequently without medications, but they do have electricity. They primarily treat malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. They also treat tuberculosis, rabies from dog bites, and an occasional measles outbreak. Two nurse/mid-wives work 24/7 shifts (alternating weeks) and deliver over 100 babies every month. There are frequent delivery emergencies and in these cases the ambulance is called from the district capital (about 30 miles away) and on a good day the ambulance arrives within 3 hours of being called. When a woman delivers at the health centre, she brings her own bucket, plastic sheet, and towels. She walks home the same day she delivers and can take the equivalent of Tylenol for pain if her finances allow.

Malawians do not have an easy life but they rarely complain. They are welcoming and always eager to feed a guest. I enjoy the Malawian lifestyle and I am humbled daily.

Old Letter

2011-07-01T10:55:00.002+01:00

This is a letter that I sent to a few people...

By time you receive this letter I will have been in Malawi for about 3 months. The time has gone quickly but I’m sure it will slow down at some point soon once I get into my routine. I spent the first 8 weeks in Dedza for training. I lived w/ a host family, the Rabson Laurenti family, and went to language and technical training in health 6 days/week. In Malawi I speak Chichewa, a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, Zambia, and parts of Mozambique. I’m not very good at learning new languages and I was very thankful that I already spoke Chichewa from my 2 years spent in Zambia.

After 5 weeks with my host family, I went to see my new home, Msuzi Village, in Mchinji District. I spent one week in Msuzi, where I met my work counterparts, my neighbors, and the patients at the clinic I now work at. I stayed in my new home and slept in my sleeping bag on a reed mat on the floor. My home has 2 bedrooms, a sitting room, and a separate building that contains the kitchen, storage, bathing room, and chimbudzi (toilet). I have a privacy fence all the way around my house and a small backyard where I’d like to start a garden. The home is made of mud bricks and has cement floors. It’s very nice by Malawian standards. I do not have electricity or running water but there is a well very close to my house so getting water isn’t too much work.

And now a bit about my work….my title is Community Health Advisor. Most Peace Corps Volunteers in this position live and work at community health centres and some even have electricity but my situation is a bit unique. I live in a village about 2 kilometers from the health centre and while I work at the health centre, I also work at a Community Based Organization, Chimteka Children Support, about 1 kilometer from my house. At the health centre, I help with growth monitoring of children under 5 years of age, and I also help with the supplementary feeding program for malnourished children under 5. I also go out into villages and help with community outreach for the villages that are far from the health centre. I ride my bike to these villages and people come from miles to get their children weighed and vaccinated.

Chimteka Children Support offers many programs but I will primarily be helping with the HIV/AIDS support group and the developmentally/physically disabled children group. The disabled children come for therapy every week and I will help with that and teach about nutrition.

My main focus during my service is going to be nutrition and malaria (spread by mosquitoes) prevention. Both are major problems here. The main cash crops are maize and tobacco so many people are lacking protein and vitamins in their daily diets. I plan to do some work in fish farming to diversify the diet and increase income for small scale farmers. This part of the world is rife with malaria and while it is highly preventable, it is difficult to encourage people to take the necessary steps. The main way to prevent malaria is to sleep under a mosquito net at night. The government gives nets to pregnant women and children under 5 but unfortunately many of the nets are used as fishing nets and therefore provide no malaria prevention. I have a lot of work ahead of me but I have to remain realistic that I will not save everyone and will not impact everyone. In Africa, you have to measure small victories.

Moving Right Along

2011-07-01T10:53:00.000+01:00

Somehow June is almost over (or maybe it's already finished depending on when I post). Time flies when you're having fun...and staying really busy. Programs at the health centre are being developed. I'm focusing on encouraging youth friendly health services by working with nurse/mid-wife & visiting with the students at the secondary school. We are also working on a career planning program with those interested youths. I'm still hoping to develop a nutrition program through the health centre to educate mothers.

The work at the CBO is also coming together. I'm really enjoying the therapy program with the handicap youth and will possibly help expand the program to increase the efficacy. I'm also working with the handicap adult group to develop their income generating garden. This is partly self serving because it's difficult for me to get vegetables so I'm encouraging them to grow vegetables I like. I'll do cooking demonstrations with those vegetables to encourage the group to add them to their own diet. It's a win-win: I'll be a loyal buyer and they might find some new vegetables they like.

I hope to start working with a few fish farmers soon. Other than that, I'm planning a couple big programs for late 2011/early 2012. All of these current and future projects keep me hopping 6 days almost every week. Busy...just the way I like it! And thankfully I'm working with some wonderful and equally motivated people. Staying focused is my only challenge when the needs are as great as they are.
In house developments, I own a love seat and chair. I plan to get cushions made so I can take an occasional nap :) I'm also planning to paint my bedrooms, doors, and windows for a bit more color in my life.

2011-06-05T11:48:00.000+01:00

All Work & A Little Play= A Successful Integration

After one month at site, I'm starting to figure out how I will spend the next two years. I've spent a great deal of time at the health centre and found a few programs I can help with. I foresee myself doing education programs that promote nutrition, youth friendly health services, and family planning.

I'm also seeing where I can help at the Community Based Organization (CBO). They serve a large population with physical challenges and I've been helping with the physical therapy program. I'm hoping to integrate a nutrition program with them and possibly income generating activities. There is also a large HIV+ support group that I would like to work with in some way.

I've had the opportunity to attend a planning meeting for the implementation of a new vaccine in Malawi and it's pilot program in my district. It will be interesting to track progress. I also attended a Peace Corps training on HIV/AIDS. It was very good and could lead to even more success for the volunteers in the field. And the training was held at Senga Bay on Lake Malawi so it was not only educational, but relaxing!

My free time has been spent at home getting to know my neighbors, my cat (Peppers), and acquiring furniture. My house is coming along nicely and is almost ready for visitors!!

Getting started

2011-04-17T06:52:00.003+01:00

There has been much moving up an down in the last two months but it will soon come to an end and I will have a home of my own. I arrived in Malawi at the end of February and spent a week at Dedza college of forestry before moving in with the Laurenti family. My homestay family took wonderful care of me & I enjoyed the 5 wks spent with them. I attended language and technical classes 6 days/wk, went for hikes, and enjoyed many a Coke.
I moved out of homestay and then spent a night in Lilongwe. Lilongwe has improved slightly in the last few years and I enjoyed a fine vegetable pizza at Pizza Inn and then walked around Game (Target) ogling over chocolate and unnecessary flat screen TV's. The next day, my new counterpart picked me up at the Peace Corps office and took me to my site in Msuzi (sauce, soup, gravy, broth) village. I set up my mosquito net and made dinner (avocado sandwich- no stove). I got up Monday morning and went to Chimteka Children Support (1k from my home) to meet more colleagues and learn about the community based organization. I also visited the health center that I will be working at. Chioshya Health Centre is 2k from my home and I will split my time between there and Chimteka. Two of the main issues in my area are malnutrition and malaria. I'm highly interested in both of these areas of health and I hope I can make an impact. I spent the week meeting people and evaluating where I will fit in to the current programs and programs I can pilot (I think fish farming is a great opportunity).
My site is located about 23k off the M18 near the intersection with the M12. I'm approximately 40k from the Mchinji boma and within 100k of my village in Zambia. Unlike Zambia, it's very flat in my area and it will making biking faster and less challenging.
After one week in my village I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it. The people seem wonderful and receptive.
I'm currently at a guesthouse in Mchinji for language intensive week. It's not too bad so far but I'm looking forward to getting properly moved into my home and getting started with my work. I think it will be a busy 2 years!

Getting started

2011-04-17T06:52:00.001+01:00

Peace Corps....Part 2

2011-02-11T04:11:00.000+02:00

Five years ago at this time I was preparing for my departure to Zambia. I was unsure of what I was getting myself into. I knew nothing about fish farming, bucket bathing, cooking on an open fire, or doing laundry by hand. I learned quickly and perfected my methods over the following 2 years. No secret though.....I frequently longed for a hot shower, internet, and a washing machine but I was happy. I learned fish farming (and even taught it), a new language, and how to slow down and enjoy life. For the last 2 years I've found myself longing for my Zambian life and now I'm doing something about it. I'm joining the Peace Corps again!

I was originally told I'd be heading to sub-Saharan Africa in April but a month ago I got a call from Peace Corps and was presented with a great opportunity. I anxiously awaited the UPS man for a couple days but finally got the big envelope I had been anticipating. I found an invitation to serve as a Community Health Advisor in Malawi. I couldn't get much closer to Eastern Province, Zambia! And the job is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm not sure of my exact duties and won't know until I get posted to my site but the short story is, I will get public health experience and that's what I want.

I leave for staging in Philadelphia on February 24 and then head to Malawi on February 26. I will have 2 months of training and then 2 years of service. The last month has been very hectic - working (until 2/18), gathering necessities, selling my car, and spending time with family and friends. Things are falling into place and I'm concentrating on enjoying the next two weeks to the fullest.

I will miss my family, friends, and the wonderful people I serve at Oe. I've been very fortunate to have the opportunities I've had and when I'm having a rough day, I will remind myself of this fact. It's good to be humbled: Oe and Africa have a way of doing just that.

I hope to maintain this site better than I did a few years ago but I can't make any promises so check back occasionally. As soon as I know my long term address, I will post that on here.

Book List June 2006-August 2008

2008-09-06T15:48:00.002+01:00

This is my first attempt to update my blog after my Peace Corps service. This is just my book list so another update will be forthcoming. This is the list of all the books I completed during my service from June 06-August 08. Don't judge me by the books I read. If you've ever spent two years in an African village where no one speaks English and it sometimes rains for 3 straight days, you would also have a book list that includes authors that will never win a Pulitzer. In other words, sometimes I didn't have alot of options and read anything I could to pass the time.

So here it is in the order they were finished...

-Angels and Demons --Dan Brown
-A Long Way Down --Nick Hornby
-A Beautiful Mind --Sylvia Nasar
-The Prayer of Jabez
-Running with Scissors --Augusten Burroughs
-Lost in Translation --Nicole Mones
-The Breathren --John Grisham
-Chromosome 6 --Robin Cook
-The Secret Life of Bees --Sue Mond Kidd
-The Mermaid Chair --Sue Monk Kidd
-The Taking --Dean Koontz
-The Poinsonwood Bible --Barbara Kingsolver
-Reading Lolita in Tehran --Azar Nafasi
-Tuck Everlasting --Natalie Babbitt
-The Sun Also Rises --Ernest Hemingway
-The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios --Yann Martel
-Aphrodite --Russell Andrews
-Heat Shock --Robert Greer
-Prior Bad Acts --Tami Hoag
-Like A Charm, A Novel in Voices --Edited by Karin Slughter
-Dry --Augusten Burroughs
-Made in America --Bill Bryson
-8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter --Bruce Cameron
-The Historian --Elizabeth Kostova
-A Walk in the Woods --Bill Bryson
-Drinking Coffee Elsewhere --ZZ Packer
-Courtroom 302 --Steve Bogira
-A Killing on Wall Street --Derrick Niederman
-The Night Listener --Armistead Maupin
-The Things They Carried --Tim O'Brien
-The Rum Diary --Hunter S. Thompson
-The Cruelest Miles --Gay & Laney Salisbury
-A Child Called 'It' --Dave Pelzer
-Hello Bunny Alice --Laura Wilson
-The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity --Daniel P. Reid
-Wolves Eat Dogs --Martin Cruz Smith
-The Rescue --Nicholas Sparks
-Power Lines --Jason Carter
-The Lost Boy --Dave Pelzer
-Hornet's Nest --Patricia Cornwell
-Prey --Michael Crichton
-Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight --Alexandra Fuller
-Little Scarlet --Walter Mosley
-The Great Adventure --Peace Corps Stories
-All Creatures Great and Small --James Herriot
-Black Notice --Patricia Cornwell
-London Bridges --James Patterson
-The Language Instinct --Steven Pinker
-Honeymoon --James Patterson
-The List --Steve Martini
-The Bourne Identity --Robert Ludlum
-Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil --John Berendt
-Animal Farm --George Orwell
-The River --Edward Hooper
-American Shaolin --Matthew Polly
-A Seperate Peace --John Knowles
-Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister --Gregory Maguire
-A Cry in the Night --Mary Higgins Clark
-N is for Noose --Sue Grafton
-The Street Lawyer --John Grisham
-The Pelican Brief --John Grisham
-The Memory Keepers Daughter --Kim Edwards
-The Maltese Falcon --Dashiel Hammett
-The Cider House Rules --John Irving
-Our Town --Thornton Wilder
-The Testament --John Grisham
-Of Beetles & Angels --Mawi Asgedom
-The Awakening --Kate Chopin
-Velocity --Dean Koontz
-The Time Traveler's Wife --Audrey Niffenegger
-The Snows of Kilimanjaro --Ernest Hemingway
-Forever Odd --Dean Koontz
-The Bookseller of Kabul --Asne Seierstad
-Fury --Salman Rushdie
-The Human Factor --Graham Greene
-Into the Wild --Jon Krakauer
-Schindler's List --Thomas Keneally
-East of Eden --John Steinbeck
-Cosmicomics --Italo Calvino
-Travels with Charley in Search of America --John Steinbeck
-The Second Time Around --Mary Higgins Clark
-The Alienist --Caleb Carr
-Before I Say Goodbye --Mary Higgins Clark
-Triggerfish Twist --Tim Dorsey
-Split Second --David Baldacci
-Around the World in 80 Days --Jules Verne
-The Shackled Continent --Robert Guest
-Lamb (The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal) --Christopher Moore
-If I Die in a Combat Zone (Box Me Up and Ship Me Home) --Tim O'Brien
-In Cold Blood --Truman Capote
-Tomcat in Love --Tim O'Brien
-Love in the Time of Cholera --Gabriel Garcia Marquez
-Speaking in Tongues --Jeffery Deaver
-The Ghost Writer --Philip Roth
-Zuckerman Unbound --Philip Roth
-The Last Precinct --Patricia Cornwell
-Red Azalea --Anchee Min
-Water for Elephants --Sara Gruen
-The Pilot's Wife --Anita Shreve
-Bel Canto --Ann Patchett
-The Arraignment --Steve Martini
-One Hundred Years of Solitude --Gabriel Garcia Marquez
-Emergency Sex (and other desperate measures) --Kenneth Cain, Heidi Postlewait, Andrew Thompson
-The Bone Collector --Jeffery Deaver
-Electric Universe (how electricty switched on the modern world) --David Bodanis
-Ragtime --E.L. Doctorow
-The Client --John Grisham
-For One More Day --Mitch Albom
-Five Patients (The Hospital Explained) --Michael Crichton
-The Unheard --Josh Swiller
-The Web --Jonathan Kellerman
-Charlie Wilson's War --George Crile
-Sad Cypress --Agatha Christie
-The Buffalo Creek Disaster --Gerald M. Stein
-The Day of the Jackal --Frederick Forsyth
-Sleeping Murder --Agatha Christie
-The Hound of the Baskervilles --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
-The Mouse That Roared --Leonard Wibberley
-The Murder in the Vicarage --Agatha Christie
-Murder in Georgetown --Margaret Truman
-Murder at the Kennedy Center --Margaret Truman
-Candide --Voltaire
-Over the Edge --Jonathan Kellerman
-The White Masai --Corinne Hofmann
-A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius --Dave Eggers
-Provinces of Night --Willam Gay
-Wicked --Gregory Maguire
-The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency --Alexander McCall Smith
-When the Bough Breaks --Jonathan Kellerman
-WITSEC: Inside the Federal Witness Protection Program --Pete Earley & Gerald Shur
-A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters --Julian Barnes
-A Fine and Pleasant Misery --Patrick F. McManus
-K is for Killer --Sue Grafton
-O is for Outlaw --Sue Grafton
-Never Sniff a Gift Fish --Patrick F. McManus
-The Shoot Canoes, Don't They? --Patrick F. McManus
-Falling Leaves (The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter) --Adeline Yen Mah
-Adventures of Sherlock Holmes --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
-The Best Democracy Money Can Buy --Greg Palast
-In Beautiful Disguises --Rajeev Balasubramanyam
-The Golden Compass --Philip Pullman
-Trouble in Paradise --Robert B. Parker
-The Subtle Knife --Philip Pullman
-The Amber Spyglass --Philip Pullman
-Apathy and Other Small Victories --Paul Neilan
-The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring --J.R.R. Tolkien
-Adventures of Sherlock Holmes --Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
-G is for Gumshoe --Sue Grafton
-Born Free --Joy Adamson
-The Island of Dr. Moreau --H.G. Wells
-Cracker: Best Boys --Gareth Roberts
-The Meaning of Everything (The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary) --Simon Winchester
-The End of Poverty --Jeffrey Sachs
-In the Last Analysis --Amanda Cross
-The James Joyce Murder --Amanda Cross
-Poetic Justice --Amanda Cross
-Lincoln --Gore Vidal
-The Anatomy Lesson --Philip Roth
-The Prague Orgy --Philip Roth

So there it is! 161 books in 26 months! Thank you to everyone who sent me books (Glenn, Maria, and Ian especially) and if you need a reading recommendation just ask me.

Work, Mom, Wrapping Up

2008-05-25T10:35:00.001+01:00

I know, I know, it’s been too long since I have updated my blog. Therefore, I will probably forget a few things.

Work:
One word: BUSY! Fish farming has taken off…finally. I am cycling 150k many weeks to meet with new and existing fish farmers. I’ve been getting help with translating from some Dept. of Agriculture officers. Basically I create the training plan and prepare the flip charts and say everything in English and they translate into Chewa for everyone to understand. Several new ponds have been started and the existing ones are now better managed. I finally feel like people are seeing the benefits of fish farming.

Mom:
Mom just left yesterday :( We spent 2 nights in Lusaka while she adjusted to the time difference and I did some work. We then flew to South Luangwa National Park to live in luxury (by my standards) for 2 nights and go on 2 game drives. We saw elephants, hippos, giraffes, puku, impala, leopard, lions, warthogs, buffalo, monkeys, baboons, birds, and some other animals that I can’t think of right now. We stayed at Flatdogs in the posh chalets. We had a hippo in our yard the first night and an apple thief in our kitchen the second night. Flatdogs gave us a lift to and from Tribal Textiles to facilitate our shopping. All in all, it was a great few days.

Upon leaving Flatdogs, we got on a Canter truck to Chipata. This is just a flatbed truck that moves people and supplies all over Zambia. The road from Mufwe to Chipata resembles a moguls course and I felt carsick. Mom was tough and stayed in the bed of the truck for the entire 4-hour trip and I moved to the cab of the truck. We stayed in Chipata one night and mom was able to experience the inconvenience of being in a city and not having electricity or water. The next day we were off to spend 7 nights in my village. Mothers are respected in this culture so she was treated like royalty. Mom got to see what my life is like in Zambia and practice her Girl Scout skills. She made a great fire and got water from the pump-action borehole. We saw fishponds, fields, gardens, made peanut butter, washed clothes, and went to Katete to get mail. At night we played cards and went to bed early. Village life is tiring but we made the most of our time. After 7 nights of roughing it we spent one more night in Lusaka and then she was back on the plane. The time went too fast but I felt like we got to do everything we wanted. I’m so glad she was able to visit me in Zambia.

Wrapping Up:
My time in Zambia is winding down and now I have to start preparing to leave. The preparations are mostly of the paperwork kind but there is also the mental preparation. At the end of April we (the group I came in w/) attended our Close of Service (COS) conference. Peace Corps treated us to two nights at a resort (Chaminuka) near Lusaka. Chaminuka makes cheese so we went to a cheese tasting. They also have elephants, lions, hyenas, and birds and we went on a mini game drive. They even had washers and dryers (the electric kind)! The 2 days of luxury was Peace Corps’ way of saying ‘Thank You’ but it was also to help us get ready to leave. We have several reports to write and lots of forms to fill out. We also have to think about how the last 2 years is going to affect (or maybe not affect) the rest of our lives. Some of us will go back to school, some will stay on the development work track, some will continue seeing the world, and some will go back to the States, get a job, have a family and bore our children with ‘when I lived in Zambia’ stories. There are other paths but those seem like the common ones. I am choosing the first path. So in the next 3 months I have to put my last 2 years to paper and enjoy what little time I have left. I’m going to be busy.

Challenges

2008-02-26T12:55:00.000+02:00

As volunteers we face challenges everyday. Some personal challenges are communicating, motivating farmers, getting my clothes clean J, surviving the rainy season, and talking about HIV/AIDS. The last has been my greatest challenge recently. New Start, an NGO, came recently to conduct mobile VCT (Voluntary Counseling and Testing). The day was successful – 65 people in my area now know their status (HIV+/-). New Start will be coming back on March 7 and we hope to test many more people, including married couples. It’s important to test couples together for several reasons – end rumors, improve communication, and deal with possible discordance. I have great counterparts who are helping me sensitize the community. In other HIV news…the condom campaign is going well. I even have a few women who use female condoms – they like making me blush by talking about it!

Now the challenges…I went to a funeral on Saturday for a 52 year old woman who died of AIDS. It’s no secret that she was positive but some of her family members are refuting it. Denial is a barrier to educating people on HIV. This is a largely preventable virus/disease but by denying its existence in families we thereby deny prevention.

An HIV+ friend in Katete referred an HIV+ soldier from the camp near me to speak with me. He has made his status public and spoke out last year to the media that he is a soldier with HIV. HIV is rampant in the national service but awareness campaigns seem to miss this population segment. The soldier was taking a stand and attempting to create awareness. For this, he was discharged! He is currently appealing it so he is still at the camp spreading his message. He wants to help with the program on March 7, for which I’m grateful. So how do we get his fellow soldiers to end the denial and admit there is a problem if they will be discharged for disclosing their status and helping others?

Overall, everything is going well. We (PCV’s) were told that we would be out of the village a lot our second years and thankfully I have found that to be false. Since being back from the States I’ve been able to spend more time in the village. We have had fewer PC mandated programs and now there is too much work to be leaving! The weather has helped my mood. We had flooding across the province (not good for my mood) but we then had 2 weeks without rain and now it is only raining for an hour a day. I’m much happier when I can get out and work without being covered in mud.

Farewell...again

2008-01-06T19:02:00.000+02:00

With one hour left before I leave for the airport I'm going to do what I've been promising to do for the last two weeks...update my blog.

The last 16 days have been amazing. I've been able to see almost everyone I had hoped to see. I've met the new people in my parents' lives and visited all the new houses. I've made myself sick from all the good food, especially cheese! I've had good American beer and Mexican beer, and Canadian beer. And all the good chocolate goes without mention! I did my part to boost the economy by shopping for clothes I can't wear for another 8 months. And now I can take all these great experiences back to get me through another 8 or 9 months.

I've posted a few pictures but surprise, surprise I didn't take hardly any pictures. Thank you to everyone who came to the parties and took me out for meals and drinks. This has been a great vacation and now it's back to Zambia!

Here's what I'll be doing when I get back....getting a HIV+ support group going in my area, condom demos, and writing a grant for clean delivery kits. I'll update again in a few weeks.

Really Big Update

2007-12-10T19:19:00.000+02:00

You probably believed that, right? Just kidding. I'm going to update next week when I'm in AMERICA!!! I'll be home on December 20 and fly out again on January 6. Get in touch with me and keep watching my blog b/c I plan to update it and load pictures.

Can't wait to see everyone!

Meds, Katy, and Provincials

2007-10-04T11:13:00.000+02:00

First of all….sorry it has been so long since I updated. I spent a few days in Lusaka for mid term meds. I got a physical, saw the dentist, and met w/ my boss. Everything went well for the most part. I’m healthy and no cavities!!!

The last day of meds Katy flew in and the fun started. We hung out in Lusaka one night and left for Livingstone the next morning. After arriving in Livingstone we got some groceries and drinks and relaxed by the pool. The next morning we tempted fate and rafted the Zambezi. All was well until Rapid 10 when the boat capsized and I got trapped underneath. I was in the water for the whole rapid and thought I might die. Then we had lunch – it didn’t go down so well. I made the decision to finish the rest of the day and I’m glad I did. The afternoon was not as scary, even though we capsized again. That evening was spent relaxing and reliving the brush with death. The next morning we went to the falls. It was beautiful and quite different from May when I was there w/ Ruth and Hark. We did some shopping at the market and headed to a croc farm. That evening we went on the dinner cruise and saw no animals. That was disappointing but we had good company. The next morning we headed for Lusaka again and spent the night at Kuomboka Backparkers. I mean Backpackers. Katy treated me and two friends to a great dinner – our last good meal before the village. The village was great. Katy single handedly taught some boys to play baseball. They even had a DH! Other than playing games, running 12 miles (10 more than I normally do), and eating dinner w/ my family, we hung out and played Phase 10. It was great having Katy and I was sad to see her go.

Two times a year everyone meets for Provincial meetings and I loathe them. I decided to go to Serenje in Central Province for the meetings and hang out w/ friends. It was great. We went to Kundalila falls and hung out in my friend’s village. It was a great break and I look forward to visiting again.

Now it’s time to get down to business for a couple months. Fish farming is still slow but I have a couple farmers who still care. Julie and I are doing a workshop next week and the following for boys in girls in grades 9-12. I’m also planning a workshop with the Traditional Birth Attendant in my village about female condoms and hygiene. The big project is working on getting funding for a clinic. It’s still in the early stages and more info will follow. In November I have to go to Lusaka for In Service Training. Then it will almost be time for Christmas!!

I hope to update again after the workshops. Thank you to everyone who has sent packages – I appreciate it!!

Stranger in a Strange Land

2007-09-28T20:07:00.000+02:00

Welcome. I am Katy, your guest blogger for the day. It's Friday and I got back from Zambia this past Sunday. Here's where I tell you about my trip.

Day 1 -- Monday, Setpember 10 -- Chicago, IL USA

My flight was delayed due to high winds. I tried to give up my seat in exchange for a free flight voucher + $500 (!!), but they couldn't guarantee me I'd make it to Zambia by my original time. So much for getting a free flight out of this gig.

Day 2 -- Tuesday, September 11 -- London, England

I spent the day in London following a Red Eye flight from Chicago (thanks, Bill, for the ride to O'Hare!). Took the Heathrow Express from Heathrow to Paddington Station for the extorted price of 37 lbs, or about $75!! Welcome to London. From Paddington Station, I walked to and through Hyde Park. I've seen London proper, so I figured strolling through my current 'hood's namesake in atypically crisp, clear English weather was a worthwhile way to spend my layover. It was. I had packed several peanut butter and honey sandwiches, apples, chips, and chocolate in Chicago and enjoyed the last of my stash on a grassy embankment along with numerous other Londoners and tourists enjoying the huge park (think Central Park), pond, and water fowl.

I made my way back to the Heathrow Express at Paddington via the Lancaster Gate station, all the while marveling at my surprising ability to navigate the London Underground subway system.

Day 3 -- Wednesday, September 12, 2007

A.M. -- Johannesburg, South Africa

My flight from London to Jo'burg was comprised of about 2 hours sleep and 10 hours utter annoyance and frustration with the passenger next to me and British Airways. The passenger next to me for being generally unpleasant, and smelly, drunk, and loud in particular. British Airways for exacerbating my passenger's smelly, drunk, and loud state by honoring his repeated requests for more free liquor--red wine and scotch, to be precisely. Also, for making their seats inconceivably small.

If you're ever looking for cool safari-ish clothes, Jo'burg airport is your one-stop shop. Probably not worth the 20+ hours it takes to get there, but worth noting all the same. I had a layover here, also, but decided to stay put. Mainly I read, wrote, and marveled at the fact that, accounting for the 7-hour time difference, I was now on my third day of travels and still hours away from Zambia.

P.M. -- Lusaka, Zambia

I arrived in Lusaka after the most harrowing landing I've ever experienced. It was about 30 minutes of turbulence and my body cycled through states of anxiety and nausea, which I could have done without. We did receive a full lunch on the 3-hour flight, which I thought was really unusual but nice. Thanks, South African Airways!

After shuffling through the VISA line, I was elated to find that Christi's duffle bag, aka my luggage, made it from Chicago to Lusaka! I grabbed my bag and found Christi, in all her shaved-headed glory, waiting for me as promised. Very exciting. A Peace Corps guy drove us to our lodgings, also courtesy of PC (woohoo), where I met a smattering of volunteers. All were friendly and pretty dirty. I felt right at home. At that point I also met Julie. And then I felt awful because I realized I had lost Julie's prized digital camera en route to Zambia. I was charged with two main tasks over the past few days: get myself to Zambia and get Julie's camera to Zambia. I had failed the latter. I called my mom and asked her to get ahold of the airlines because I guessed I'd probably let the camera fall out of my carry-on bag (which I'd deliberately kept at my feet through each flight to ensure that the camera wouldn't be *stolen*) on one of the planes. Thanks, Mom. Sorry, Julie.

Christi and I took a "taxi" (guy who will drive you in some other guy's '86 Toyota for money) to the hip strip mall in Lusaka and had dinner at an Italian place! Mmmmm, bread and oil. Lots of catching up ensued . . .

Day 4 -- en route to Livingstone, Zambia

After a restless night's sleep, I was introduced to the Zambia bus system at the crack of dawn. Julie, Christi, and I took a taxi to the bus station where we were bombarded by offers from "Ama guys" (guys who generally harass tourists) to get on *their* bus company's charter. I let Christi do the talking and just tried to ignore everyone. The buses are just like any charter bus in the US, except maybe dirtier. It'd be impossible to keep a bus clean in the Zambian dust, though.

We arrived in Livingstone, the adventure capital of southern Africa, and got a bite to eat. I got soft-serve ice cream after an exchange with the cashier that went like this:

Me: Hi! I'd like the black cherry ice cream in a cone, and a bottled water.

Her: Large or small bottled water?

Me: Large, thanks.

Her: Okay. That's 10,000 kwacha (or some such number).

Me: Okay.

Her: (Taking my money.) Oh, and we don't have black cherry.

Me: (Staring at the sign that lists black cherry among numerous other flavors of ice cream for sale.) Okay, that's fine. What do you have?

Her: (Handing me my change.) Vanilla.

Me: Sounds great.

The vanilla ice cream tasted great as we walked to our room at the Fawlty Towers guest house. Insert British sitcom reference here. The place was great: a bed, shared shower, kitchen facilities, and a little pool for $10 a night! By the time we settled in, it was pretty late so we mainly just chilled out by the little pool with some beer.

Day 5 -- Zambezi River, Zambia / Zimbabwe

Do you ever think that a life-threatening experience will bring your life into perspective, align your goals, and inspire you to do great things? Because it won't. Unless you consider an unwavering focus on preserving your life to be perspective, a proper goal, or a great thing. If you'd like to find out for yourself, try rafting the Zambezi river in mid-September.

Rafting the Zambezi was, without a doubt, the most terrifying, exhilerating, and gut-wrenching experience of my life. Our boat capsized twice and I fell out once on my own. I did find that my mind instantly understood that my body was best off just going with the flow (literally) of the whitewater, even though that meant not breathing for uncomfortable lengths of time. Fortunately, the guides were quick to spot their floaters and the guides in kayaks were lifesavers. See Julie's blog for another take and some photos. While this was certainly terrifying, it was also amazing. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and I can say, if you like whitewater rafting, the Mighty Zambezi is worth the trip.

This is all I'm posting for now. I will update more soon!

Work, Drinking, and Animals!

2007-08-16T16:01:00.000+01:00

WORK
I wrote a grant a few months ago to send two farmers to Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre and on Sunday the farmers will leave for their first week of training. The grant money is sending them to two different weeks of training: Farm Management and Agroforestry. These farmers were selected b/c they are the two I always work with and they take farming seriously. When they return they will be teaching other interested farmers the material they learned. A bit about Kasisi: It is a training center outside of Lusaka where individuals and groups can go to learn about farming, beekeeping, agroforestry, blacksmithing and several other topics. The tuition for one week of training is 1.4 million kwacha or about $350. This is not feasible for most small scale farmers so Peace Corps grants are invaluable.

Julie and I were recently in Lusaka working the National Ag Show. It was a busy week and very successful. We met presidents (Zambia and Botswana), governor, permanent secretary, and other high ranking government officials. More importantly we met farmers from all over Zambia who are currently fish farming or trying to start. We connected farmers to volunteers in their area and their district DOF (Dept. of Fisheries) agents. Peace Corps has been in Zambia for over 10 years and we were shocked by the lack of knowledge about who we are and what we do. This was a great way to market Peace Corps and teach people about fish farming. Julie and I are putting together a report for our bosses at Peace Corps and we will recommend that all Peace Corps/Zambia projects participate in the show next year with their respective ministries. For those that don’t know what other projects we have in Zambia (besides RAP) they are: RED (Rural Education Development), CAHP (Community Action for Health Project), HAP (HIV/AIDS Project), and LIFE (Linking Income Food and Environment).

DRINKING
This is the time of year we affectionately call “drinking season”. Drinking season is marked by drunken men showing up at my house and professing their love for me 24 hours a day. Drinking season happens this time every year b/c farmers have a bit of extra money from cotton and maize harvests. Instead of saving this money or sending their children to school, men (and a few old women) waste their money on terrible village brews. These village brews are so terrible I have never mustered the courage to try them. It’s hard to get work done this time of year b/c the men lack the coordination to hold anything but a cup. Sadly drinking season is followed by hungry season.

ANIMALS
All of my animals are well. Ansel is battling fleas and refuses to wear a flea collar. Oh well. Oscar and Lucy are great. I don’t think they are expecting yet but they are busy trying. The rabbit hutch was remodeled this week and heavier wire was added to the floor. Ansel and the rabbits get along better than nature dictates they should (see picture).

Until next time....

Back to the Grind

2007-07-13T21:41:00.000+01:00

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July! (And Happy belated Birthday to Tom!)

I had a great holiday at Cape Maclear on the southern end of Lake Malawi. I traveled with Julie (of course), Kit, Jerms, and John. After transport on mini buses, canter trucks, and a short ride with a coffin, we finally arrived and quickly realized why this is the off season….because it’s COLD. A majority of our holiday was spent in long trousers, fleece, and hats. We had one really nice day and I managed to get a nice burn and a bit of a tan. We enjoyed the pizza, sunsets, snorkeling, and Carlsberg straight from the distributor. It was great to hang out with friends that I don’t get to see often enough and make new friends.

I won’t be returning to Malawi until I fly out at Christmas and I’m happy about that. Being in Malawi makes me realize how great the Zambian people are. We were constantly ripped off and hassled. This is bad for the tourist economy but that concept is lost of the offenders. Oh well, it’s great to be home!

Obituary

2007-06-29T07:23:00.000+01:00

Roxy T. Rabbit
Nee Bunny

Roxy The Rabbit was born circa 2005 in Chipata, Zambia. She has recently resided in M’thumba Village with her husband of 1 week, Oscar T. Rabbit, who survives her. She was killed tragically on June 22, 2007 by a dog of unknown breed. The details are unknown and the investigation is ongoing. Her husband Oscar was awarded the Lucky Foot for injuries sustained in the battle. Roxy was loved by those who knew her and will be dearly missed.

Happy 4th of July (early)

2007-06-29T07:19:00.000+01:00

It has been a busy couple weeks – but very fun! I hosted first site visit with much help from Julie. Four new RAP Trainees came to my house 3 days after they arrived in Zambia. We visited fish ponds and gardens, ate traditional Zambian food, witnessed N’yau dancing, and had a good ol’ American party! The 4 that came to my house will make great volunteers.

The only negative thing in the last couple weeks was Roxy’s death. I’m planning to get another female rabbit in a few weeks and the Rabbit Multiplication Project will be back up and running.

I’m in town to work at CDFA (Chipata District Farmers Association) and Julie and I have a meeting with our counterparts. I’m also here to relax a bit, buy food, blog, email, and get ready to go to Malawi for the 4th of July. Julie and I are going to the lake to get a tan and go snorkeling and kayaking.

I’ll update pictures as soon as possible.

Meet Roxy & Oscar

2007-06-15T16:53:00.000+01:00

These are my newest pets! Roxy and Oscar. I just got them today and I'm staying at the house in Chipata tonight so they will be relocated to their new home tomorrow (pictures to follow). Their new home was built by Julie and I last weekend. I still need to build a nesting box and maybe put up a wall so they can't breed all the time but it will be fine for a while. Roxy is already pregnant (they aren't that fast, she was pregnant when I bought her!) so it's too late to prevent anything. Everyone has been giving me advise. That's probably what it's like to have real human children, huh? Anyway, I'm going to be giving the babies away to people that want to breed them or eat them. Four of them are already accounted for!

1 Year

2007-06-08T09:01:00.000+01:00

I’ve now been in Zambia for 1 year. It seems like last week when I was saying goodbye to Mom and Dad at O’Hare. It’s funny that I remember those moments so clearly…saying goodbye, snaking through the security line, sitting at the gate, and the plane taking off. But I can’t remember my first few days at site. Both events were emotional and overwhelming but I just don’t remember my first few days in the village.
Anyway, you’re probably wondering what I have to show for myself after 1 year. The answer, on the surface, is not a whole lot. I have not dug a single pond, and I’ve only helped with one harvest. But those are Peace Corps goal 1 things (technical). Goal 2 & 3 are a different story. Goal 2 is bringing American culture to Zambia and I have done that. I’ve shown that if you are not happy it can be changed. If you find something inefficient, fix it. If you want something, ask for it. I’ve also shown that women can be independent and a man does not define who you are.

Goal 3 is bringing Zambian culture to America. I do that as much as I can through blogs, emails, letters, and phone calls but that work will be done starting in September 2008 when I get home. In the interim anyone who visits me is able to do that now.

I guess what I’m saying is that I’m making a difference in small ways that are not documented with numbers. I think those who will benefit most from me are the children. They see that education is invaluable, independence is possible, and putting yourself on the line is scary but makes you stronger.

My family in the village has made changes since I moved there. My sister, Edith, now goes to school. They now have a bathing shelter and latrine which improves hygiene. I’m not sure if that is because of my influence but it’s still change and change is uncommon in Zambia.

Hey RAP ’07!

2007-05-29T08:27:00.001+01:00

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

2007-05-29T08:23:00.000+01:00

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!

2007-05-15T11:49:00.000+01:00

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.

A Walk in the Clouds

2007-04-14T09:29:00.000+01:00

An amazing two weeks is coming to an end today. I'm in Chipata and heading back to site soon but I have some great pictures to remember it all. My holiday started two weeks ago today when I moved into my new house and a PC friend came to visit for a couple days. My new house is great - a bit too large but great none the less. Because it is so big I need to get more furniture but that requires money I don't have so it will wait. There is a good chance my house will become a clinic after all the PC Volunteers are done!

After getting adjusted to the new digs for two nights we went to Chipata. One night at the house and a few cold beers later, Julie and I left early for Malawi. On day one we made it to Blantyre and stated at Doogles, a backpackers popular w/ white people - they were everywhere! Julie and I stayed in a dorm room with a lovely woman who sells sex and possibly drugs. We didn't have much to talk about. We checked out the sites in Blantyre which included gelato, a paper making facility and the Carlsberg brewery. Blantyre was a great city and I look forward to visiting again soon. *Travel Tip*- visit Blantyre on a Wednesday and go to the free Carlsberg tour and tasting - Probably the Best Beer in the World!

We spent one night at the base of Mt. Mulanje and awoke the next morning to start the ascent. Mt. Mulanje is 2nd in height to Kili for African mountains. It was a tough first day but we managed. Day 2 and 3 were filled with amazing views and ever changing scenery. The weather was great and we had very little rain. It got very cold at night and a sleeping bag was a necessity. We altered our plans a bit along the way but it worked out and we spent day 4 descending. Day 4 was my least favorite but the other days made up for it. Julie and I got off the mountain and bid our guide and porter farewell and caught a lift to Blantyre where we proceeded to eat ourselves sick (and poor)! We also stayed one night in Lilongwe at the Peace Corps house. The next morning we made the trip back to Chipata and it was great to be home.

All and all it was an amazing holiday and I wish the pictures could do it justice. And about the pictures... I forgot my camera cable at my house so I will update pics next weekend. Until then you should continue wasting company time and google Mt. Mulanje!

Construction Season

2007-03-16T11:25:00.000+02:00

Just a quick update...

I'm having a new house built! (see pics) It is going very quickly and I should be in by Easter! It is brick w/ a metal roof. It will be hot but it won't leak!!!! It's not cheap to build a new house but I can do it for less than one standard monthly mortgage payment in the States! Not bad, huh?

I'll now be called bwana (boss) b/c I have a nice house but in a few years when all the volunteers are done in my village the community will have a nice house. We all win.

Other news...I finally started working. I'm working on some HIV/AIDS projects and I've met some new potential fish farmers. I probably won't be able to read entire books in a day now but sometimes life is tough :)

I'm in town this weekend to welcome the new volunteers that will be joining us in a couple weeks. It's nice not to be the newbie anymore but it's a reminder of how quickly time is going and I will be back on that big bird to America in no time at all.

It also makes me think about what I'm doing here. Can I really make a difference in 2 years? Some days I'm confident that I will have an impact and other days...not so much. I just keep remembering that 20 years from now the children I hang out with will tell their children about the crazy m'zungu lady that was old and not married and she would do flips in her yard. (To be 27 and not married in this culture means there is something wrong w/ me.) I must remember the small victories!

Thanks for work on the iPod to those that are contributing. I appreciate it more than you know.

Zikomo

2007-02-14T09:17:00.000+02:00

Not much to report today. The rains make it difficult to get anything done. This is a busy time for farmers in their fields so fish farming is a distant thought for them and me. To the shock of my village I am not keeping a field this year (and probably not next year). It does not appeal to me like I thought it would. A small garden in my yard will be fine for next year.

My village is a ghost town every morning and even some afternoons. I usually hang out with the kids and that is always entertaining (pictures attached). The other day I watched a boy of about 7 or 8 shoot a bird out of my tree with a sling shot. The bird was no bigger than my palm. He took it home to eat it.

Before I went to Tanzania, I had to do something I would never thought I could or would have to do - kill mice. I wasn't sure how many were living in my roof but they left evidence of their existence in my clothes. It's funny, most mice eat your food but mine preferred to poop all over my clothes. I preferred they poop on my clothes as opposed to eat my food! They would keep me awake at night and I would even see them as they climbed my mosquito net or ran around. I had a trap and repeatedly set it. They were smart enough (and agile enough) to get the bait without setting off the trap. So I had an unknown number of very intelligent mice. Oh yeah, and a cat who could care less. (To Ansel's credit, the mice were in the house only at night after he went out!) I got some advice from a fellow volunteer who has dealt with a similar problem and reset the trap as he suggested. The trap went off! I jumped out of bed only to find the trap empty. I reset the trap and went back to bed. Not 2 minutes later it went off again. I didn't get my hopes up and again the trap was empty. As I started back to bed a small mouse came hobbling out from under the shelf. I did the only thing I could humanely do - beat him to death with a shoe. (It's amazing how little respect you have for anything, including life, when you get 2 hours of sleep every night for a week.) Case closed, right? WRONG! There was more. I broke down and bought poison. I had avoided it b/c of Ansel but I was tired of dealing with this. I mixed the poison with peanut butter and kapenta and the first night I killed 2 mice! The first one did his death march on my mosquito net next to my head! In the morning I threw both mice in my latrine. No more mice have been back.

Other than the mice and the night I battled a monsson in my house everything has been fine. I had an infection on my ankle - gross! but it finally healed. My village Dad made me a door for my latrine - it's really nice. I'm teaching again. I have 80 students and it's going well. I've scheduled a hand washing workshop for Friday. A friend sent me hotel soap (for anyone who travels - keep the soap and send it to me) so I will be showing how to properly wash before eating. Most Zambians dip their hands in a shallow bucket and Peace Corps encourages pouring water over each others hands so the water is always fresh for each person.

I'm back in town to see friends and do some shopping. Also to wear black and drink wine all in the name of Valentines Day.

Zikomo (thank you) to everyone who has sent letters, cards, and packages. I would write everyone back if I had the money. Stamps are expensive on a Peace Corps budget - forgive me. I will try to email more though to show my appreciation. It's also been great to talk to some friends on the phone. How is running going for everyone? I'm slacking lately but I often day dream about running in town or at the Dunes. From the sounds of it I missed a great Tecumseh - no fear, I will be back to do it again - 2008! KZ - got your letter, a reply is on the way - are you wearing black today?! Jill thanks for posting - sorry about the weather. Chuck and Annette - thank you for the card. Grandma and Grandpa B - I got your package. Brooke - congrats! Everyone - Happy Valentines. Best!

Back in the Saddle Again

2007-02-05T11:22:00.000+02:00

Where have I been? Is that what you are wondering? I'm alive and well and just celebrated my 8 month anniversary of leaving Indiana! Hard to believe, huh?

Quick recap of vacation (see Julie's site for a more complete story): Tazanzia was beautiful and the company was great. We spent Christmas Eve in Dar es Saalam and New Year's in Arusha. We went on safari in the Ngorongoro Crater. It was a volcano that collapsed over 2000 years ago and is now inhabited by the most amazing wildlife. We were dangerously close to lions and other animals I had only ever seen in a zoo.

After returning to Zambia I spent some time visiting friends in Northern Prov. and hanging out in Lusaka. I eventually made it back to the village and have been suffering through the rains.

I hate the rainy season! I have a leaky roof (now fixed) and a mud pit of a yard. It's really not as bad as it sounds and I don't mind that much.

The rain prevents alot of work from happening so I have not been doing much. I will start teaching this week at the school. I'm planning a hand washing and hygiene workshop and a girls empowerment workshop. The rains will be slowing soon and then I can get down to business.

So in my village I'm Christine or Christinie or Christina. My baby brother in the village can't say Christinie so I'm Teeny! It's really cute! I have hired some help. It's my neighbor dad. He helps with my yard and home improvements. He's building me a new door for my latrine right now. Next will be planting a live fence.

Next time I post I will write it out before so I can put some thought into it! Before I go here's the last of my news for those that have not heard: I'm coming home for Christmas 2007! Hope to see as many people as I can!

IST - only the strong survive

2006-11-23T11:19:00.000+02:00

They don't call me Hard Core Christi for nothing....I survived a week in Lusaka at In Service Training. I averaged 3 hours of sleep a night and still made it to almost every session. It was so great to see everyone that we stayed up late every night catching up on the last 3 months.

Lusaka is the 88th most expensive city in the world and I can believe it. I have no idea how much I spent but I would estimate about a million Kwacha (about $250 USD). I had pizza three times and countless other really good meals. My body hates me for all of the "foreign" food I gave it but we are back on speaking terms after a couple days of running. I will be taking a few days to detox once I get back to the village.

I arrived back in Chipata on Tuesday evening after sitting on a bus for 12 hours and I am in town to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday!!! Great transport story.....We are about an hour into our bus ride to Chipata and I'm the only m'zungu (white person) on the bus and the bus drivers side kick brings me a cell phone and tells me that someone from Lusaka will be calling me on this phone. The call finally comes and it's the guy who sold me my bus ticket the day before.....he wants to come see me in Chipata and go back to Chicago with me. I kindly explained that my husband and I didn't have room for him in Chicago...so sorry! Just another day on over crowded Zambian public transport.

I now have a train ticket to Tanzania for Christmas and New Years! I'm hoping to be enjoying dinner on a beach on Christmas Eve/Day.....it will still be a white Christmas (just a little warmer than I'm used to). I've been told it's cold in the Western world - not the case here! I'm soaked in sweat 24/7 - in fact, it's easy to forget that it's the holiday season!

I'm really excited b/c people are starting to make plans to come see me!!! Whoever wants to come, I will meet you in Lusaka and we can hang out in the village and do some traveling in Zambia or surrounding countries. Your summer is my winter so if you don't want to deal w/ heat or rain that is the time to come.

I'm excited to get back to the village and see my friends and neighbors. The students will be out of school for a month right after I get back so I won't be teaching in the school but I might try to have some informal classes at my house.

Thank you for all of the birthday cards and wishes...it means alot! Packages are really slow getting here but I'm hoping to get some on Saturday! Call me if you want - I have service all the time now!!!

Life is Good

2006-10-31T10:25:00.000+02:00

Hello Everyone!!! Life in Zambia is good. Teaching is going well and I'm even thinking about picking up another day. Now that the rains are almost here my farmers are going to be very busy in their fields and I won't be doing much fish farming. As much as I like reading, I need something else to do and teaching seems like a good idea. I have about 50 8th graders that read at probably a 4th grade level. It's very sad but I'm glad they come to school everyday and are learning. School is very expensive in Zambia so just getting a child in school is a challenge. Keeping them there until at least grade 9 is whole different story. The boys are needed for labor and the girls have babies. There are other frustrating things about the educational system here that I don't want to go into right now, but remind me and I'll talk about it later.

I'm in town this week w/ two students from my school for Zambian Youth Career Week. The students are getting the opportunity to see what is out there if they continue their education. I think it will be good for everyone involved.

I'll be going to Lusaka in a week and a half for In Service Training. We will be learning things not covered in training and things we need help with in the field.

I'll be showing off my new hair cut! My hair is 1/2 inch long and I love it! I have to cut it every two weeks but it's great in the village. I've been told by my village women, "Ahh, yes, now you are Zambian." And I've noticed a few more women with shaved heads in my village. I'm finally a trendsetter! I had to come to Zambia to do but that's okay!

There really isn't much to report...life at home seems more exciting, judging from your emails! Congrats to the Boston qualifiers! It was really hard to miss the Chicago Marathon this year (being there, I mean, not running!) so I promise I will be home for Chicago 2008 (watching...not running!)! Running here is going well and I've even tossed around the idea of doing a marathon in the next two years! I've got plenty of time to train but I don't know if I have the dedication to do it by myself.

Thank you for all of the letters and packages. Mail is very slow getting to Katete and packages only come in big groups so it's sporadic but I appreciate it all the same. (Alicia & Bob - the hot chocolate is great. I sit in my hut at night and sweat while drinking it but I love it!)

I'll be in cell sevice area alot from Nov. 11-27 so if you can, call or txt me then! I would love to hear from you!!

Changes!!!

2006-10-14T11:20:00.000+02:00

Just a quick update. I've had some questions I will now answer.

I am the first volunteer in my area. The school near me is a World Vision School so other work is being done in the area but I am the first Peace Corps volunteer. The site is designed to house a volunteer for 6 years or 3 volunteers total.

Okay so I can't remember the other questions I've been asked....sorry.

I'm leaving Chipata tomorrow but I will be back at the end of the month and should have time to write.

Thanks again for all the letters and packages....I'm the envy of my friends.

Good luck to all those running in upcoming marathons! Run a mile for me!

Here's a teaser.....my hair looks a bit different than when I left!

I Always Wanted to be a Disney Character....

2006-09-14T09:29:00.000+02:00

I am officially a bush baby now! I have been living in my village since August 25 and so far so good. Ansel and I are the talk of the town! Here are some highlights of the first few weeks.

I was posted Friday morning and it went well. I woke up around 5am Saturday morning and had to pee but didn't want to go to my latrine. I figured that since it was still dark and I have a 6 foot high fence around my yard it would be safe to just go in the yard next to my house. I went back outside two hours later and someone had put ash on my pee spot! I don't know if someone saw and/or heard me but if they saw me it would have caused further alarm b/c I was only wearing underwear and a sports bra! I learned my lesson...I use my latrine no matter what time it is!

One afternoon I was sitting on my stoop and I heard a sqealing pig and barking dogs, which isn't all that uncommon, but this pig was more distressed than most. I, of course, had to investigate. I walked outside my fence to see the pig running directly at me so I went around the corner of my fence. The pig saw his opportunity and went in my gate and then into my house! The pig enjoyed his 10 minutes of safety but eventually the boys in my village caught him and loaded him on the back of a bike to go to pig heaven. I would guess the pig weighed 200+lbs and the only "damage" was some spilled water!

I have a crazy cat that acts like a dog by sleeping all day and begging for food. He hunts all night and sometimes leaves "presents" (mice) for me in kitchen and in the yard. I got him 2 days before I got posted and the next morning I took him to the vet to become less of a man and get his rabies vaccination. The vet told me I need to come back in 10 days to get the stitches out but I told him that wouldn't be possible and I would do it myself. Ansel isn't really into traveling and I did't have the money to go back to Chipata just to remove some stitches. I spent the next 10 days plotting my attack and saw my chance one night when he was sleeping. I used a Swiss Army knife and tweezers and he didn't even wake up! Getting him neutered was a whole 'nother story. It seemed as though I might be doing the surgery myself for a while but the vet eventually took control and 1/2 hour later my cats testicles were carried out on a silver platter!

The first week or two I felt like a Disney character or zoo animal b/c people would stand outside my fence and stare at me for hours. I think I'm losing my luster though b/c now they only stare for a few minutes at a time. I went to see some traditional drumming and dancing last weekend I felt like I stepped in a page in National Geographic!

I will soon get furniture and my hut will feel like a home! I will take pictures and while I'm in Chipata this weekend I hope to mail a disc home to be uploaded! I will post again next month!

Lifestyles of the Rich and Not So Famous

2006-08-22T08:33:00.000+01:00

I've been in Chipata for a week now and I've been living in luxary....hot showers, dvd's, good food, red wine, and Danish beer but it's about to end. I will be moving to M'thumba on Thursday. This will be my home for the next two years and I'm a little anxious right now. I've been told by a couple people that when they are dropped off and the Land Cruiser pulls away, it is a life defining moment. I'm ready for it!

I've spent the last week shopping for everything I think I will need for my hut. I will move in w/out furniture but I hope to get it made w/in the first month at site. The bed might take longer though...some people wait 5 months for their bed :( Not a big deal though, b/c I have a mattress and that's all I really need. Eastern Prov. has 11 new PCV's and it's nearly impossible to post more than 2 people in one day so we just hang out in our little American haven.

Swearing in was a week ago yesterday and it was awesome. I took an oath to defend our country against all enemies foreign and domestic and needless to say it was powerful and made me proud to be an American in Zambia. My whole training class was together for several days and we had a great time and I have a lot of great pics to prove it!

I've been running everyday for the past 4 days and I haven't felt this good in months (although I've had stomach problems for a week). Today is Tuesday and at the Y that means....hills! So I coerced my running partner, Micah, into doing 4 hill repeats this morning up a small mountain that overlooks Chipata! Micah is a climber but she's a great runner and it's been fun. My first solo run in the village will be in honor of Jennie!

I will probably post again in a few weeks and I'm sure I will have many stories about my new house and my new kitten! Take care!

Cirque du Soleil in 7 parts

2006-07-30T10:18:00.000+01:00

Just returned from 2nd site visit and it was awesome! 8 of us went to Central Prov. and stayed with Zach who was a great host. Central Prov is beautiful and I'm so glad I got to see it. Zach works hard and has some great farmers. We stayed at homestays and our family was really nice and made Julie and I feel at home. We got a lot of exercise (finally) between the 4o minute bike ride to and from Zach's place and the mountain we climbed and the pond visits! I never thought Central would be hilly but it is and it makes biking very challenging.

We went to a cultural day at the local school and saw some traditional dances and drank some traditional drinks....not too bad. We also attended a village party one night where I tried wild boar!

The other highlight of site visit was getting back to Mwekera. We were responsible for our own transport back and it was much easier than we anticipated. We hiked over a mountain and walked for 5 minutes when a minibus came by! The minibus wasn't packed when we got on but within a half hour we were hauling about 15 people, 4 giant backpacks, a suitcase, and a chicken. We made it safely to Kapiri and got lunch at our favorite gas station and as we were taking our last bite a big bus pulled up and they drove us to Kitwe. Assuming we make it back to Mwekera this afternoon in one piece it will be a successful trip!

We have two weeks of training left and then it's off to Eastern Prov! I will miss everyone but I'm ready to get out and start working. I've heard good things about my site and I can't wait to see it. I'm going to Eastern with 3 really great people and I'm glad I don't have to leave them. Julie and I figured we haven't been more than 20 feet apart in the last 2 weeks. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight w/out her right next to me.

Tomorrow is back to reality....I've taken 3 hot showers in the last 3 days and it's amazing what a a shower can do for morale! It's also back to nsima, lepu (rape), and kayera (beans) but it makes me appreciate pasta, garlic bread, and Don Pedro when I can get it!

Ah yes, Julie and I feel we left our Serenje homestay with much to talk about for years to come. After a two hour walk to their home on the first night we decided it made more sense to bathe together. So try to imagine a mud hut w/out a door and a reed mat barely covering the doorway. Now add a few logs strategically balanced on some other logs and rocks. And finally add a psychotic chicken and her babies in the corner. That was our bathing situation every night of site visit because it was too much fun the first night to stop. Cirque du Soleil has nothing on us!

Spending the Kwach

2006-07-15T12:37:00.000+01:00

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!!!

Do it for 'Merica!

2006-07-01T13:24:00.000+01:00

It's getting close to a month since I left home and it's been a great experience so far! I'm looking forward to celebrating July 4th on Tuesday and we're doing it 'Merica style, complete with fireworks!

Before I forget, I want to say thank you for the emails Grandma, Lisa, Bill, Dad, Mom and anyone else I missed. Also, Ruth, Grandma B., Grandma D., Katy, and Bill - Thank you for the letters. You have no idea how much I love getting letters and everyone is jealous of me, especially when I get 4 letters in one day!

Check the links to my fellow trainees - I know Ray has some pics on his. In case you're wondering what I'm doing in that pic (I'm in the green shirt), I'm releasing fingerlings into a pond! I helped dig a pond yesterday and it was alot of fun - hard work but fun.

You would not believe the Zambian winters! It's in the 40's in the morning and by 10:30 or 11am it's in the 80's. The sun is intense here! I'm not tanning all that much - the Mef blocks that but I have some sweet tan lines! The winter will be over in a month or two and then I'll miss it when it's raining every day!

For anyone who is thinking of coming to visit, please do! Words cannot describe it and pics would not do it justice. Zambia calls itself the real Africa and I think they are right. It's what I thought of when I thought of Africa and it's everything I hoped it would be. Although I want to see more wildlife but the zebras are cool!

Training is going so fast. We had our first language exam yesterday and I think I did okay. We will find out our site postings in a couple weeks and as much as I want to know, I don't because that means I'm going to have to leave all of the awesome people I've become friends with. It's amazing how quickly you can become friends with people when you have an extreme common experience. I feel like I've known these people for years.

I'll try to update again in a few weeks! Send letters!!!!!

Ration the Passion

2006-06-24T15:47:00.000+01:00

I'm finally able to post!!! Thank you to everyone for the emails and I'm sorry I couldn't reply to all of them. I miss you Mom, Dad, Grandma's, Grandpa's, Cathy, Bill, Sara, Chuck J(great job in the 100 miler), Chuck W, Katy, Ruth, Sharon, Carol, Andrea and everyone else who has emailed me.

Zambia is wonderful! I'm living in the Fisheries village of Mwekera. I live w/ my host mom, her sister, and niece. We don't have electricity and I have the only piece of furniture in the house - a bed. My mom is a good cook but not as good as my MOM!!!! I'm in class from 8 - 17 Monday through Friday and 8 - 12:30 on Saturdays. I'm in Kitwe right now and it's a crazy place. The market is nuts and you have to watch your back but it's worth the experience.

I don't have alot to report right now other than everything is going well and for those that have been trying to call me....keep trying. I have a Zam phone and this is the Zam network! (In other words - not very good.)

I finally got to ride my bike and the trails are rugged but fun - it's a great workout. Speaking of workouts.....I haven't ran since the day I left Chicago!

I haven't been sick yet but I'm one of the few. We've had a few parasites, lots of diarrhea, and one case of malaria (he's fine) in my training group. The people are great and we all help each other out!

Please keep emailing me and I'm sorry if I don't reply but I pay by the minute :(

I'll post again soon and I'll plan it ahead of time!

Saying Goodbye

2006-06-01T16:39:00.000+01:00

With less than 4 days to go, I'm having to do what I've been dreading....saying goodbye to family and friends. I had to tell a lot of people goodbye on Monday at my Deportation Party (which was a great time!) and last night I had to tell my grandparents bye. That was not easy. Sunday will be even harder. I know I'm making the right decision by joining the Peace Corps but at times like this I know it will not be an easy 2 years.

Tonight is my last night running w/ my Y group - I hope my legs feel better than they did on Tuesday! I haven't been racing much in the past year but I will miss training w/ everyone and getting ready for the big races. I'll really miss Dances with Dirt and Tecumseh, by far my favorite marathons (and beyond)....b/c I had such great people to run them with! People ask me if I'm going to run in Africa and my response is usually no b/c I don't like to run by myself but really it's b/c I don't like to run w/out my Y group and Dunes group. I'll miss crossing the railroad tracks at Washington, the view from the top of the Ridge, my dirty wool sweaters, Adrian(s), the horses, all fruit smoothies, and all the people that I enjoy those things with!

Crunch Time

2006-05-19T20:41:00.000+01:00

I'm down to 16 days to departure. This month is going very quickly and I still have alot to do before I can leave. I think I've got all of my financial stuff completed and I think I have purchased everything I need - short of a couple odds and ends. I've been laying stuff out that I want to take and some days it looks like alot and others it looks very manageable. I'm sure I will overpack but that's my nature!

I'm getting anxious about staging. I'm ready to meet everyone but large groups can be a bit overwhelming for me. Thankfully I know a few people already and that takes some of the pressure off.

I can't remember for sure but I think I was more nervous about starting college. 10 days from now might be a different story.

T minus 2 months

2006-04-06T00:47:00.000+01:00

I will be in Philly two months from today to begin this new phase of my life. I have 16 working days remaining and I'm trying to enjoy them to the fullest. I'm also trying not to stress out too much and not slack off....both have been difficult to avoid.
I've had the opportunity to meet two fellow volunteers and will meet one more on Friday. It will be nice to see 3 familiar faces in Philly.
I've started realizing all the things I will miss while I'm gone. I will miss my local YMCA, my favorite salad dressings, El Salto, sangria, my family, my friends......the list could go on. On the other hand, I'm really looking forward to the change. I will not miss wearing high heels, blow drying my hair every morning, and my noisy neighbors!
I'm really looking forward to May when I can visit alot of family and some college friends. And I can spend the whole day at the Y if I want to!

Welcome

2006-03-22T04:05:00.000+02:00

So I finally got around to creating this blog. It would have been completed much sooner but creating a title is very difficult! I settled on this simply because without a Visa (the document, not the plastic) I would not be able to Discover my new home for two years, Zambia, Africa.