Chipolopolo TIME!!!

The Zambian Futball team played Ghana last week in a World Cup Qualifying Match. We WON 1-0! The game also marked the opening of the new stadium in Ndola. It was built by the Chinese. Being inside the stadium felt just like watching a game anywhere in the world. Brought me back to my Michigan college days. Stadium was sold out with the capacity of 40,000 people. A bunch of peace corps came out for the big day. 

Outside the stadium before the game dressed in our Chipolopolo garb and facepaint

Me and Audge

Inside the stadium! 

Katie, Kinzie, and Deanna

And on that note tired and off to relax pre-bed.

Catch-ya later! 

Vaca Pictures Round Two

Alright-o

Here's the rest of the vaca pics. Continuing with Zanzibar adventures.

Outdoor Market Seafood Smorgaisborg

Tried prawns, some types of fish, bit of lobster with my favorites being the fry bread, banana nutella crepes, and sugar cane juice. 

The sugar cane juicing machine. Lovely invention.

Found giant bananas while we were exploring the market in Stonetown

Low tide on the east side of Zanzibar

Coconut milk and flesh are a delicious treat while wandering the shops in Stonetown

After our Zanzibar relaxation we had to journey back to Zambia. Tired of the train we took public buses for the most part in Tanzania. We stopped along the way to break up the many hours spent on buses. This is a crater lake outside of Mbeya, Tanzania. We caught a minibus out of town and then a local guided us up to the crater lake. It was a good 2-3 hr hike in and 2 hr hike out with all the downhills. Enjoyed a picnic lunch up top. Unfortunately the descent to the lake was a sheer cliff so couldn't stick your toes in. 

Crater in the background. Hung the camera from a tree and had some fun with the timer. Finally got one with mostly everything in it..

It was an easy hike for the first hour or so, starting on a dirt road, narrowing to a path and eventually turning to mostly a climb. This is the way back down. 

Back in Zambia we headed up to Northern Province to visit Lake Tanganyika. Spent two days down that side and on our way out of Mbala we visited Kalombo Falls. It was a rugged track that took 2 hrs by taxi to get to but was well worth it when we arrived. There's different vantage points for viewing the falls, this being the farthest, the closest being right at the top! At 235 meters it's the 2nd highest waterfall in Africa fun fact.

On that note that's the end of my vacation pictures. After our journey to Northern Province we worked our way back to Solwezi to return to village and work life. 

Hope this gives you all a bit more insight on what I'm experiencing over here. Next step will be to add some village pictures. 

Vaca Pictures Round 1

Alright this post I'm going to try a picture share. Cross your fingers with me that the internet holds up.

In April I went on my first African vaca. We took the train from Kapiri in Central Province to Dar Es Salaam. The track and train were built and donated by the Chinese a while back. And now the train is in fair disrepair and prone to break downs at least 50% of the time. Always an adventure traveling overland in Africa.

Good ole home sweet home for 3 1/2 days

Great fresh air intake location complete with scenic views. Great way to travel for a day or two...

Hanging out in the back of the train after a tracks walk. 

One of the front cars derailed leaving us stranded for 18 hrs while we waited for our rescuers 

(you can see them in the distance approaching) 

Took us the better part of 4 days of train travel then a short ferry ride and there you have it folks Stone Town!! Great little historic town. View of the port on our walk into town.

 Old Fort of Zanzibar 

Sitting on the beach celebrating our arrival to Zanzibar with a beer. 

Have a couple more pics to add but think the blog maxed out with number of pictures. Will try to another round... see what we see. 

Short and Sweet

Alive and well! Well have failed that New Years Resolution of a post a month. In my defense the months have been flying by so scarcely my fault when you speed up time :) Typing this in a word doc as the internet is out at this time. Pretty sure the last time I posted was back in February when I had been in Zambia for a year. Crazy it's now June and now have 11 months left (with April not counting so much as we're out of our village most of that time with paperwork and other cos, close of service, things) So potentially effective months remaining at 10 months. Makes me feel like jumping up and getting to work. Feel like I've been productive but have so many things left that I wanted to do before I left. See how far I get on those agenda points.

So what have I been up to this past bit? Friends and family have been asking. Been told several times that my blog misses me. Suppose you know it's bad when an inadamit object starts to miss you, particularly one that was created with the purpose of keeping home folk in the know. Well I'll get into all the details of things next week when I sit down with a cup of coffee and this blog. But as for now thought I'd throw you a little tidbit before I'm on my way.

The Zambia-Ghana game is tomorrow in Ndola (Copperbelt Province about 4-5 hrs east of Solwezi). It's the stadium's big opening; it's chinese built and HUGE. Seats 50,000 and apparently is completely sold out! I see it everytime we have to come and go to Lusaka so really excited to actually be going inside. They even apparently have concession stands, crossing my fingers for a hot pretzel... perhaps even with some nacho cheese? Would be lovely. But I'll settle for any type of concession. Really excited to see Zambia play especially after their big African Cup win. Watched that game play out on a television at a neighbor's house in the village. People went crazy jumping and dancing. Can only imagine what it will be like tomorrow!
Must be heading out now - off to Ndola for the weekend! Will update more on the game and also life in general this coming weekend. We have our provincial meetings at the house so I'll be in back in the village the beginning of the week and then back into town for the meetings and will tuck away some blogging time. Sorry I know I have been negligent.

Love and miss you all. Hope you are all enjoying summer for me. It is freezing cold over here in the mornings/eves but still good ole hot africa during the day.

Over and out.