Muwabombeni Mukwai bonse ( How is everyone working/doing). I am currently sitting in an Internet cafe in Lusaka ( the capital) and feeling like I am in America. I took the first hot shower with pressure this morning, watched some TV, then went to go eat a BAGEL ( new bagel shop just opened) and now I am on a computer with good Internet connection as I watch people talk on their cell phones walk by. This is weird. I haven't seen so many white people, big buildings and nice cars since getting sworn in at the end of September. I have gotten used to watching my iwes sit on my porch and play with ants, greeting every person who bikes by my house, watching the clouds roll in before a big thunderstorm and having a social life which includes listening to BBC and Voice of America while eating dinner. So needless to say being in Lusaka is a bit of a shock. However it also exciting because it starts my first vacation in Zambia as well as the end of my Community Entry!! I am FINALLY a 100% pure bred REAL REAL REAL volunteer!!!!! It only took 5 months, two months of training, three months in my village, many meetings, greetings and teachings, but I made it! A lot of people have been asking me how my service would change now that I am a "real volunteer" however the work in my village really won't change that much. The only difference is now I am allowed my four days at the provincial house each month as well as the ability to take vacation and cultural days to explore more of Zambia and the countries surrounding it. So I will spend the next few days in Lusaka for Christmas and then start my long journey across the country to Eastern Province and then Malawi!! I am going with a group of volunteers from my intake and couldn't be more thrilled. We are spending seven days on Lake Malawi which should include getting my scuba diving license and relaxing in the warm sun on the edge of a beautiful Lake! We are planning to hitch all of the way there so I am sure it will be an adventure. We completed our first " long hitching experience" as we left Mansa to head to Lusaka ( it is 10 hours in a Land cruiser so we knew it was going to be a long day). Needless to say 14 hours, two 18 wheelers, a lot of stops and a block of cheese later we arrived in Lusaka! It was definitely an experience but I went with my friend Tiffany and as we kept saying on our journey, " Hitching is so fun because it gives you the best stories". We met some interesting people, saw some incredible scenery, had talks about everything from issues with aid in Africa to the new Usher song and paid with our last 5 hour hitch with a block of cheddar cheese. Like so many other things that I experience here, I just kept thinking "Only in Africa".
Anyway, back to my community entry. Not to much to update on since my Thanksgiving blog, however as I have come to the end of another chapter in my Peace Corps service I thought it would be only fitting to write a short list of some of the things I learned during community entry. This list is short and not all inclusive as I am paying for internet by the minute and a real list would take all day to write.
1. If you get sick in your village and tell one person, the whole community with undoubtedly know in less than 10 minutes. You are famous, never forget it.
2. If your counterpart asks you to name his child and you take days thinking of a name, don't be offended when they ditch the name and just name it after you. Be flattered, it is probably the only person in the world that will be named after you before you die.
3. Don't bike too close to Zambians, they usually have no breaks on their bikes and it can make for a dangerous situation.
4. Embrace the bug bites that you receive during rainy season. It is a mystery how you get bitten in certain places or what insect the bite is actually coming from, but unless it starts to blow up just enjoy that your legs look like you have the chicken pox.
5. Wall spiders are your friends. They eat some of the other bugs that are in your house and really never bother you unless you bother them.
6. If there is a rat in your roof, there is truly nothing you can do about it. You can name it, yell at it, try and scare it but it will just continue to scratch at your plastic and bother you all night. Instead just put in your ipod and pretend it isn't there.
7. If you give one iwe (child) a sweetie, no doubt he will bring 20 of his closest siblings and friends back to get some as well. So just give them Flinstone gummies and feel good that you might be adding a little nutrition to their diet.
8. If you leave your village, have friends come visit, make food for a neighbor or go to the bathroom too many times, everyone will know. You are famous, never forget it.
9. DISCLAIMER- sorry to mom, grandma, or anyone else who might be embarrassed by this comment. You will know every bowel movement, urination and grumble in your stomach and try to self diagnose yourself with every disease in the book. You probably just ate some bad caterpillars, drink an ORS ( Oral Rehydration Salt) and you will be better in the morning.
10. If you listen to BBC or VOA all day, they will repeat the same book club discussion, or interview at least 5 times. Just wait until it is 17:00 and border crossings comes on for a dose of a little American music.
11. Last and most importantly, Zambians are one of the most kind, thoughtful, giving people on the earth. Cherish every moment you have with them as well as the surroundings you are living in. The African bush is unlike anywhere else on earth. It is pure, natural beauty that is undeveloped and hard to come by these days.
So I know this post was a little quick but I will be back in Lusaka for an In Service Training after my trip to Malawi so I will be sure to update everyone then on how the vacation went! I hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas and New Year holiday and just know someone in Zambia is sending you lots of love!!
All my love,
Kelsey/Bupe
