"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air" - Ralph Waldo Emerson. That was the quote on my birthday card from Heather and Matthew last year. Time is a crazy thing. It's hard to believe that a whole year has passed, yet at the same time so much has happened this past year - in my life and those around me. Today I am a year older - 24- seems to hold a lot of potential with work I have planned in my village, with relationships I have formed during my six months in Zambia, and to top it off I even get to see my family in December!! WIth all the potential and excitement of my life in Zambia there is also the realization that life is continuing for everyone stateside. Friends have gotten engaged and married, a friend has a beautiful baby girl, my sister graduated college, friends have moved across America, I realized my sister has been married going on two years this month. Everyone's experiencing milestones while I'm half way across the world. I knew this would happen, no way to freeze time but it's a little bit different knowing versus experiencing it. 6 months of changes and 21 months remaining (I'm really not counting but April and I were excited about our six month anniversary in country on August 3rd).
Back to my opening quote: Definitely up to the two ends of that quote. The African skies are indescribable and unlike any other sky. It can't be captured by film but is best enjoyed by bicycle rides especially when the sun is beginning to set after a full day. And I think many of you know my love of fresh air: be it driving with the windows down whenever possible even a little crack during the cold Michigan winters (mostly just when I'm alone... so as to not torture my passengers) or simply my love of the outdoors and backpacking. I get plenty of fresh air the only time the supply is cut off are the occasional hitch/ride either bwana with air conditioning or minibus style packed full with people and non-functioning windows. Rides or classrooms full of children on hot African afternoons. But even inside my hut where I'm currently pen and papering my blog entry still able to "drink the wild air". Unfortunately I haven't swam since my arrival in Zambia. My favorite place in Zambia so far hands down is Mutanda Falls. About eighty kilometers from my hut on the way to Solwezi. A perfect little place tucked away a little where you can enjoy the rushing water and a cold beverage. The main issue with water starts with the fact that Zambia is a landlocked country. But there are several main rivers. The other issues with swimming involve crocodiles, poisonous snakes, and in calm waters schisto (waterborne disease). But, traveling to Victoria Falls end of August and plan to get my fill of water and swimming there.
I haven't made a blog post in quite some time. Community Entry (first three months at site) has been completed. Meaning now I'm allowed at the Peace Corps House in Solwezi. Which means four days a month I should have internet access. Peace Corps is different than anything I expected. I live in rural Africa but I also live next to the largest open pit mine in Africa. I live in a mud hut but I also live right off the tarmac. I eat local food: nshima, bishu, and soya, but most often I eat food bought from the Shoprite grocery store in Solwezi; groceries that I then carry back to my site in my backpacking bag about twice a month. I get by mostly by speaking English; because of the mine many Zambians around know English well and most of my village/community is Lunda. A little bit of an oversight by Peace Corps. I thought I'd be the only white person and only Peace Corps Volunteer for kilometers. There is a geology exploration camp two kilometers from my hut with Australians, British, Irish, and Canadians. The closest PCV, Audra, a health volunteer lives 7 kilometers from my hut and I see her almost everyday because we both work at the school, share the same market, and frequently have dinner parties/sleepovers. So I am out of touch with the world. I hear news on my static shortwave radio or from the geologists when I run into them, and I have to walk to the top of the hill to have clear phone reception. But I also have internet on my phone for the first time in my life. The month of July was busy and I did not make it on my computer once to use internet, definitely was a process to clear the inbox the first time I went on in August. My life exists in extremes. I either have too much time to think about life or no time to process at all. I go from my mud hut attempting Lunda cooking over a brazier to Solwezi with a pizza place, shoprite, and the PC house full of other Americans. The disparity of my worlds is a constant adjustment. But with the passage of time more and more of everything is becoming the new 'norm'.
And it's on that note that I must depart. I will see what Lusaka has in store for me. Heading out early tomorrow morning for a two week training down in the capital. I will try to update a couple more things on my blog - had plans for this one to also include more about community entry and my schedule/plan for September the beginning of a new school term. Love you all back at home and take care.
