From September:
It is kind of nice being in Kasama. There are a lot of small shops and variety in produce. And yesterday we spent hundreds of thousands of kwacha, well over a million in fact, but I finally feel a little more prepared for being at site. And we are going there tomorrow! Swear-in on Friday was good. We got to go to the ambassador's house and it is lush. Even the napkins had the presidential seal on them. I gave my Mambwe speech to an audience of around 150, perhaps 3 of whom speak that language so it really doesn't matter if I made any mistakes, eh? Then we went shopping, last time for the Manda Hill and Arcades shops with all their fancy appliances and air conditioning, and headed back to the place for sleeping. On Saturday, we left at 6am after a half hour of loading the truck and we arrived shortly before nightfall. Long, long day. Sunday, instead of shopping, we went to some waterfalls, my first time seeing water really, since being here. It was beautiful and we went swimming. It was a great way to cool off and I took pictures but haven't got them with me so perhaps later I can post them? And then there was yesterday with all its shopping.
It does feel good to finally be an actual Peace Corps Volunteer. Once again, I find myself here devoid of things to say despite having written them down. The only one I remember is really nice though. Singing and music here are an integral part of the culture and they break it down into many-part harmony without practicing or thinking. And sometimes, a big truck will pass with a bunch of yamayos or (drunk men) and they will just be singing (usually about Jesus) and they have great harmony and everyone on that transport is singing. It is amazing to see and beautiful.
I guess sometimes, in place of singing, they just talk into megaphones and spread some kind of word. Likely about Jesus but also perhaps about a political party.
On the radio right now they are talking about Barack Obama an throwing in some English here and there, one of the phrases I heard being "most powerful president in the world," or "messenger of peace." It is great. And despite Bush's (impossibly) high approval rating here, Obama is overwhelmingly celebrated and praised. They love him.
From October:
The rainy season has started already, almost a month early and it is cool
so this, the hottest month of the year is much cooler than it has
been. I’m wearing a sweatshirt! Nice as that may be, it is strange and
makes me wonder about climate change...
From November:
I am back in Mbala. I came on Sunday for the big market that they have 2x/month. It was huge. And I bought a head scarf. But it was a sunday and nothing was open so I have cycled back today to use the internet and charge my appliances. And to buy food. And probably charcoal. Though I ordered it over a week ago, the guy has still not made it and I have absolutely none, which is to say that I can't cook or even heat water to bathe. And it is cold around the rain fall!!! I never expected! I met the brother of the family I stayed with during training. That was neat. He is an educated man, excellent English and he greeted me like an old friend. It was just what I needed after a day filled with disappointments ranging from the charcoal to my ordered furniture being 10 days late to the only time I would be able to meet health committees in other areas being next week when I will be in Kasama so I cant do it. But after meeting the brother, I went to a school meeting about the anti-AIDS club and they had done so much! Last week when I talked to them, the club was virtually non-existent and they had no plans for World AIDS Day. But yesterday, they had a huge list of students and plans not only for WAD but a month by month program for next year's activities!! And on my way back, I ran into the brother of a teacher at a different school who is also well-educated and we spoke at great length (mostly about how important religion is and how, since i've been telling everyone i'm catholic, wondering why it's ok to pray to mary, something I could not actually answer and i found myself needing to defend a religion to which i do not prescribe), but it was good nonetheless. Unfortunately, I find myself attracted to the type of folks I usually would avoid at home, namely the rich, bourgeois type. But here, those are the type that are most like me. It is a little unsettling but comforting anyway. So, next week, i will be in Kasama and will likely spend a little more time on the internet b/c here is very expensive!
From March:
Work here is picking up finally. But its rainy and biking
is quite awful and muddy. And I almost fell into a newly formed river
thing today. But womens day on mon was amazing in mbala and there were
hundreds of women. And I decorated my hut which looks fabulous now.
But ants and termites all about.
From May:
It smells like autumn. It is really nice. The corn stalks are drying
and people are harvesting. The weather is getting cooler (it was
freezing two mornings ago-maybe about in the mid fifties). I am
realizing that fall is my favourite season and I am glad that I will
be coming back to greet the northern hemisphere fall. But the pumpkins
are finished. They were fantastic boiled with a bit of salt. I could
eat them all day.
Friday, I went to the last village before the border. It was very far
and all uphill but it was a good group that I met with and they are
enthusiastic about forming a health committee. And the ride back was
easy peasy because it was all downhill. Speaking of Friday, I met a
man called such the other day. That makes three days left that haven't
manifested themselves in names of people (there are Sundays, Mondays
and Wednesdays). However, Monday I went to another very far village
(the one I talked about before) and it wasn't as good. The guy that
was supposed to come with me (it is through bush paths) couldn't come
and when I got there, there was nobody and when they finally collected
people, they were totally uninterested in what I was teaching.
Also, I have been sewing a lot. I made a skirt for a little girl and
am working on one for her mother. I made some pretty cool bags and
most proudly, a glasses case to replace my stolen one. It looks pretty
neat and I can't wait to show it off!
From June:
Lost my sour milk en route home. That was sad. But from the road to my village, little kids helped me carry my stuff. I got a ten litre bucket and a tap that I will make a wash
stand with. Its my gift to myself and I’m super excited. About a bucket...
