Smorgesborg

Alright. So I've been slacking in my blog posts. Partially because I have not had energy/time at the end of the day and partially because whenever I go to town (where internet exists to blog) I am quite distracted by all the sensory intake my mind is in a different place and not in a reflective blogging mood. Ndekelaiko (sorry in Kaonde). This post is a smorgesborg (Charlotte's web reference and likely misspelled) of past things I've left out and may not be in chronilogical order with other other blog posts.

Lessons/Learning random notes (self reminders):
* Roosters crow at all hours. Mine lives in the mango tree right outside of my hut and likes to start off all the other roosters starting at 4 am. I have been learning to ignore it and sleep until 5/5:30 am now :)
* It's the small things that mean the most most
* Wall spiders will do no harm and are actually helpful at keeping the bug level down in your hut.
* Cochroaches can escape container entrapment, can crawl under your bug net and end up on you (not a pleasant surprise), and even if you hit them with your broom they're resilent so you'll have to hit them a minimum of three times and then sweep them outside just to be sure.
* Life here is less stressful in many ways: people here especially in the rural areas seem to spend less time wishing they had a different life/different possessions and spend more time with family and friends.
* Money has little meaning in this lifestyle - your basic means are met and therefore money can buy you the extra chitange or a bar of chocolate but at least so far there does not seem to be the same level of stress regarding money and payments for me as there was in the U.S.
* Want to live a greener life? PC Zambia is the way to go. Life in the village has got to have a tiny carbon footprint. Ride your bike everywhere and live with no electricity...

Things I Love Zambian Style:
* Working with passionate loving people (volunteers and staff)
* When Combe (four year old at my site) dances around with me and his smile :)
* The shy smiles of the little girls Bessy, Matilda, and Kiumbo
* Sitting contently with my host Bamaama in the eating hut just enjoying the food on our plates
* Constant fresh air intake
* Drinking tea in the morning and the PB/J bread for breakfast. Great way to start the day
* The sunrises/sunsets, and the starry nights
* Guavas
* No longer waiting to live life. Everyday is lived.
* The possibilities
* Doing just one thing
* Everyone greets everyone


22 March 2011
I am officially a new homeowner of a lovely mud hut in Lumwana East village in Northwest Provence in Zambia. Brings a new meaning to life finally meeting my village and where I will spend the next two years. Many things have been happening...
1. Zambians think I am strange because I drink my tea plain without sugar or dried milk
2. Zambians are used to the 3 meals a day deal... American grazing is a strange concept. 3. Fried chicken - hadn't had since my childhood - really good. High on the health factor too right Laura :)
4. Met my nearest Peace Corps neighbor - Audra - she's awesome. I live in the middle of Solwezi and Munilunga and there are about 5 Peace Corps volunteers about half way in the middle. Basically in the middle of no where so that section we call Zam-vegas. Met the rest of the Zam-vegas crew the Friday night of my second site visit. Excited to move in.
5. Learning a village worth of Zambian names is next to impossible especially when you're a visual learning. Short of carrying my notebook everyhwere and having everyone spell their name out I'm plum out of luck.
6. Even though I'm in a mining area and Audra (the other PC volunteer) has been doing HIV/AIDS work in the area I still make small children cry when they see me. I frighten the really young ones that have never seen a muzungu (white person) before - pretty sure they think that I'm a ghost or alien.
7. I can really get used to candlight evenings
8. Phone charger connection to the solar charger totally works - thanks so much Matthew and Dad :)
9. I hope termites stick to munching on wood and leave my tent alone. I also hope they don't eat all the way through my roof...
10. Zambians are very giving people. The Kumwana family (my new NW family) gave me 2 chairs, a stool, and a bed mattress all to use during my site visit.
11. Living by a river means both are up a large hill. Great times.
12. NW rainy season doesn't mess around. Weather fact: it rains more in Northern Zambia - starts earlier in the season and the rains stay longer.
13. Three school children and two family children sat for over an hour watching me sew one side of my chitange. We just sat and watched each other occasionally laughing. But they speak only Lunda and I speak only English and Kaonde. Going to work on the Lunda when I go out to site.
14. My sewing skills leave a lot of room for improvement. One of my community entry projects is going to be to sew my own chitenge quilt by hand.
15. Eat raw onion with breakfast - say hello to onion breath for the day

As many of you know I have not traveled much internationally. Countries I've been to include the United States, Canada, and now Zambia. First time in such a different culture. Realizing differences or explaining how it's done/or thought of in the United States has been interesting. Such as...
.. Soccer positions are described by numbers. Keeper =1, sweeper=2, etc.. and at least with my talk with the deputy head they have a different set-up of field positions then at least what I experienced during my years playing soccer state-side
.. Americans are really a blend of many different cultures. We do not have a staple food that is consumed daily. Think the closest we have would either be something along the lines of fast food or our love of pizza. Not exactly traditional. The teacher I spent the day with had never had pizza before.. or even heard of it.
.. Describing my family, showing pictures of them, I've always appreciated them - but very grateful for the close relationships I have with them. Need to work on my long distance relations, what are the worthwhile things to mention, balance between immediate short contact through my internet phone versus extended delay of contact with letter writing.

7 April 2011

Times are a-changing. I was washing my hands and face yesterday morning using my water filter (has a tab to turn it on and off and then I have a bucket to catch the water), when the contrast struck me. There are numerous things in Zambia that are becoming second nature and I do not even think twice about the difference with American life anymore. To highlight water sources for now..
1. Water Source: My family has a well on our compound so about once a week I draw water from the well (mushima in Kaonde). This consists of tkaing the plastic jerry can (bucket) and dropping it into the well, waiting for it to be filled with water, you'll know because the whole container will be submerged adn then you pull the bucket out hand over hand with the rope. Luckily for me, during training my Bamaama draws the water for my bucket bath and heats it over the fire so I can have a warm 'shower'. A bucket bath is exactly what is sounds like. You have a large bucket filled with water that you carry to your bafa (bathing shelter). The bafa is a structure built outside constisting of 4 walls made out of dried tall grass (same material used for the thatch roof of mud huts) with medium/small downed trees/branches used as the supports. Think high fence with dried grass tied closely together to create a private bathing area. All the cooking is also done by my Bamaama so she has to visit the well to get water then as well. I'm telling you she's a very strong woman. When I move to site in 11 days :) I will be drawing water from my family's well about 200 meters from my home. However I've been advisted to get my drinking water from the borehole at my school about a kilometer away and up a hill. So usage of water will become even more efficent and hopefully my arm muscles will pull through. Zambian women are exceptionally strong/talented and will often carry large buckets full of water on their heads. PCV's have continually been advisted to to follow suit because our necks are not as strong. I briefly mentioned a water filter but to touch on it a bit more - all volunteers/foreigners are advisted to filter their water. We are not accustomed to their water and even Zambians can get sick from their water sources. I'm not sure the specific bacteria or protozoans.. or whatnot that are present (yes, my trip leader/outdoor side is coming out). There must not usually be an issue of viruses because we do not need to boil our water in most cases. We use a ceramic filter that PC gave us (stationary that holds 5 L) and are also given iodine tablets for when we're on the go/emergencies. This explanation ended up being much longer than I anticipated but hopefully it gives you a better idea of my life in the village.