Oh, and for all you entrepreneurs in the list, a great idea for a night club/bar is to make half the dance floor into a swimming pool. No liabilities there. None at all. And an interesting experience regarding a taxi ride. As soon as we got to our destination and I got out of the cab, a man jumped in through the driver's window and started hitting the driver. Thinking it was a potential car jacking, I got in the middle and pushed the attackee out of the way. The cabbie threw the car in reverse and sped off down the road. The other guy ran after for a bit and then I learned that he was actually a cop and the cabbie was an armed robber. Oops.... oh well, free ride!
After IST, some friends and I headed to Kasanka National Park to view the massive bat migration. I've heard it's the largest mammal migration (either in the world or Africa, not sure which…not sure that's even true, anyway). It was a headache-poor transport, high park fees, expensive armed guide hiring (you aren't allowed to go away from your tent site or chalet without a guide). But in the end it was an awesome experience. We hiked out to see the bats roosting during the day and watched them fly overhead at night. I saw a similar site in Australia but this time was appreciated much more. One evening after a heavy rain, 2 friends and I walked, unguided, to the river where we heard we might be able to see crocs and hippos. I saw a path leading through some tall grasses and thought to myself "Hey, now this could be fun." The path ended at the water's edge and maybe 5 meters in front of me was a hippo. It was awesome (and dangerously close). There might have been more because there were splashes and bubbles coming from even closer and a V going through the water, which may or may not have been a croc. The next day, we hired a guide to take us on a hike. Should have been a 4 hour hike. Ended up being about 8. He took ill and had to rest. He was dehydrated and had really high blood pressure (I heard 188 over 80 or something like that after he was checked out by the parks doctor)…and we were lost. I got to carry his rifle, and Drew carried his walkie talkie. We radioed for help and a long time later it came and we got a ride back to our chalet site. If I'd remembered to bring my camera, I would have attached pictures of me carrying the rifle and looking all tough, but you'll have to take my word for it.
Then there was Thanksgiving at the house which was GREAT. Everyone finally got along and we had turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, AND the world's BEST sautéed mushrooms ever (provided by yours truly). Aside from no football, it was a great day.
So finally after what seemed like a year away from site, I returned to a puppy who is getting larger and larger and my beloved tree which is now 80cm high. My floor had been eaten away by a rat in the corner, but otherwise it was fine. I set up a basketball hoop and now my focus has moved from fish farming to drills and creating the best basketball team Kapeshi has ever seen. Other projects include a fuel efficient stove which is in the works and my field-also in the works. I was out hoeing every morning this week and my back and hands hate me. But soon I should have garlic, onions, sunflower and I want to pick up some other seeds for cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon…all stuff I should have got yesterday because today is Saturday. Oh, and I'm also teaching some of the children English. Just a little bit at a time. Their first lesson was the lyrics to the Kenny Rogers song "The Gambler." They don't know what the words mean, but that doesn't really matter. Just as long as they can quote it by memory for every white person they see, I'll be pleased.
Rainy season is upon us. It came several weeks late (usually by mid November it's in full swing). I've been trapped inside a few times and caught in a couple storms but there's something relaxing about it. And a lot of frustrations, clothes that don't dry, for one. But the mushrooms are great and nothing better than sleeping during a thunderstorm.
I've planned for the next round of chicken vaccines to be administered on Tuesday (once again conveniently when someone will be staying in Mkushi and, what a stroke of luck! will be able to hopefully catch the Vikings-Bears game. Hopefully they'll both lose putting the Packers farther ahead. There are 4 Lions fans at the PC house, 1 Vikings fan, and me, the Packers fan. Also, we have too many Patriots fans. I'm sick of New England teams and their winningness. Celtics are having a great season, Sox won, Pats are undefeated… I hear Bonds is getting indicted for perjury and I think that's AWESOME! I hope they take his "record" from him and keep him away from the Hall of Fame. Any other important news from the home front?
I leave for Zanzibar in 2 weeks. I'm stoked for Christmas and New Years on the beach. Though a 48 hr train ride to and from won't be quite as fun, though I'll be sharing a car with some friends. I'm pretty stoked. So much history on the island-spice and slave trading. I'm hoping to pick some up. Spices, that is…though this hoeing is taking its toll on my back…. Juuuuust kidding.
Well I hope you're doing well. But only because you made it to the end. Congratulations!
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
another one
Hello all
I’m still doing well. Got into town yesterday for Halloween. We have a couple meetings so I’ll be in Serenje for a couple of days. I don’t want to spend a long time on here so I’ll just give you the highlights from the past couple weeks:
Got a package from my sister containing Old Bay. Best gift EVER. It’s great to add to potatoes or rice or just eating straight up. Other great food news: the honey is ready and it’s incredible! I also ate my first fried caterpillar the other day. Much better than you’d expect.
Mostly, I’ve just been visiting farmers, having meetings, tons of fun. But on the 23rd I went into Mkushi to get a shot for my pup and ended up 130km into the bush with a few friends who happened to be in town so we went to a place called Wonder Gorge. It was wonderful and gorgeous, but the 10 hrs in a car wasn’t great. We took a 4x4 mitsubishi pajero jr. It’s like a Montero, but the size of a Miata. The next day was Independence day so I watched the “parade.” Pretty much the kids marched from the school to the soccer field, some kids randomly blasted bugles or banged drums. All good fun.
So I came up with a great income generating activity. One of the farmers is going to buy (with my money) a bottle of chicken vaccine for 30,000 kwacha ($7.50). The bottle treats 1000 chickens and he is going to charge 50k per chicken that people want vaccinated. 20,000K profit to him, hopefully, and everyone will have healthier chickens. They’re all really excited about that.
I’m also excited about making fuel efficient stoves. We’re going to make a practice one in my kitchen (which now has a door!) and then invite the women’s group to Ba Mayo’s kitchen to see how it’s made. But first, they need to organize the women’s club.
Rats ate my solar shower. I’m bummed about that, but get slightly happier with each rat I kill. I’m up to 8. My goal is 75.
I now have cell service at my site (260 97 829 0243 in case you were wondering). That’s the exciting news in Kapeshi village.
My new favorite activity is going to the hill with the little kids and throwing rocks. No matter where you are, how old you are, all males like to go to high places and throw rocks. It’s true. Any scientific study will prove that.
So last time, I proposed a contest to see who would send me the best package. Now, I realize that this is no way to judge friendships, and there’s stuff in life more important than snacks (like gushers, fruit by the foot, trail mixes with wasabi peas, combos, or Swedish fish) or even magazines (such as car and driver, Maxim, road and track, beckett baseball card price guides preferably with articles about how Bond’s “record” impacts the price of baseball cards, notably a 1972 Topps Hank Aaron card in very good to near mint condition). And that no self respecting person would stoop so low as to guilt trip the generous people that he cares about so much into sending him a package in the mail to make hard times a little more bearable, enticing them with a gift package of their own worth a nominal value (which I’ve decided to increase from 25 to 50grand). Yes, good friends are there for your going away parties and gatherings-even when you have 4 and they live many hours away. Good friends are always thinking of you or at least on every Sunday when they sit down to write you a letter letting you know you’re missed and that they’re proud of you. That’s what Becky does, but Becky-good friends also send Snickers. There ARE starving people in Africa who would appreciate those leftovers on your plate, SLOP for you Echo Hillians, so box that up and ship it out C/O Patrick Horley/PCV Peace Corps PO Box 850010, Serenje Zambia
That’s all for now.
I’m still doing well. Got into town yesterday for Halloween. We have a couple meetings so I’ll be in Serenje for a couple of days. I don’t want to spend a long time on here so I’ll just give you the highlights from the past couple weeks:
Got a package from my sister containing Old Bay. Best gift EVER. It’s great to add to potatoes or rice or just eating straight up. Other great food news: the honey is ready and it’s incredible! I also ate my first fried caterpillar the other day. Much better than you’d expect.
Mostly, I’ve just been visiting farmers, having meetings, tons of fun. But on the 23rd I went into Mkushi to get a shot for my pup and ended up 130km into the bush with a few friends who happened to be in town so we went to a place called Wonder Gorge. It was wonderful and gorgeous, but the 10 hrs in a car wasn’t great. We took a 4x4 mitsubishi pajero jr. It’s like a Montero, but the size of a Miata. The next day was Independence day so I watched the “parade.” Pretty much the kids marched from the school to the soccer field, some kids randomly blasted bugles or banged drums. All good fun.
So I came up with a great income generating activity. One of the farmers is going to buy (with my money) a bottle of chicken vaccine for 30,000 kwacha ($7.50). The bottle treats 1000 chickens and he is going to charge 50k per chicken that people want vaccinated. 20,000K profit to him, hopefully, and everyone will have healthier chickens. They’re all really excited about that.
I’m also excited about making fuel efficient stoves. We’re going to make a practice one in my kitchen (which now has a door!) and then invite the women’s group to Ba Mayo’s kitchen to see how it’s made. But first, they need to organize the women’s club.
Rats ate my solar shower. I’m bummed about that, but get slightly happier with each rat I kill. I’m up to 8. My goal is 75.
I now have cell service at my site (260 97 829 0243 in case you were wondering). That’s the exciting news in Kapeshi village.
My new favorite activity is going to the hill with the little kids and throwing rocks. No matter where you are, how old you are, all males like to go to high places and throw rocks. It’s true. Any scientific study will prove that.
So last time, I proposed a contest to see who would send me the best package. Now, I realize that this is no way to judge friendships, and there’s stuff in life more important than snacks (like gushers, fruit by the foot, trail mixes with wasabi peas, combos, or Swedish fish) or even magazines (such as car and driver, Maxim, road and track, beckett baseball card price guides preferably with articles about how Bond’s “record” impacts the price of baseball cards, notably a 1972 Topps Hank Aaron card in very good to near mint condition). And that no self respecting person would stoop so low as to guilt trip the generous people that he cares about so much into sending him a package in the mail to make hard times a little more bearable, enticing them with a gift package of their own worth a nominal value (which I’ve decided to increase from 25 to 50grand). Yes, good friends are there for your going away parties and gatherings-even when you have 4 and they live many hours away. Good friends are always thinking of you or at least on every Sunday when they sit down to write you a letter letting you know you’re missed and that they’re proud of you. That’s what Becky does, but Becky-good friends also send Snickers. There ARE starving people in Africa who would appreciate those leftovers on your plate, SLOP for you Echo Hillians, so box that up and ship it out C/O Patrick Horley/PCV Peace Corps PO Box 850010, Serenje Zambia
That’s all for now.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Still not dead...
Hooray! We finally have internet in Serenje! That's the most exciting news since last time. I'll try to recount what has happened since my last email. But before I do that, I want to give you my new postal address since I have neglected to do that. It is:
Patrick Horley/PCV
Peace Corps
PO Box 850010
Serenje, Zambia
I finally got a package from my parents, and one from my sister (and one from Sammy! Awwww). All the other volunteers get stuff from my friends and when they see that I don't, they all say "Wow, Pat, your friends really suck, except for Sam. Here, have some of my Doritos." I try to defend you guys, I honestly do, but it is no use. That's why I have come up with this little plan to show just how awesome you guys are. I am proposing a friendly little contest. The person/people who send(s) me the best package will win a prize worth well over 25grand. I can afford it; I pull in over a million a month. True, it's in Kwacha, but hey, I'll take what I can get. So anyway, I challenge you. Come up with the best care package that you can. You all know me, you all know what I like. The villagers like to see pictures, so if you have any, please send them. Though if they show your thighs, I'll keep that in my own personal stash. Thighs are no-nos here, which I found out after an embarrassing moment with my 8(?) year old host brother in Chongwe and a picture of Carly and I at the beach. Oops. Deadline for Postmark is Dec. 31, but earlier ones get bonus points. And if you really don't know me, I like food, baseball, football, cars, food, motorcycles, and lots of other things. The villagers love American magazines too. And Walter, if I know you like I think I do, thanks, but porn is illegal here in Zambia. So send your best and if you win you will be massively rewarded, that is if you like dried fish, fried caterpillars and chunky beer made from corn.
So since last time, let's see… I got a puppy! It's the cutest dog this side of the Atlantic and if I remember, I'll try to put in pictures. IF I remember, I'm bad about that. His name is Mwenso, which is Bemba for "Scared, shy, timid" because he, well he's scared of everything. The family has taken to him, mostly. Some of the little kids hit him or throw rocks. I've been teaching them not to do that (and teaching him to attack when they do). It'll be hard to give him up in 2 years, but my 14-year-old brother is really good with him and will be a good father. I also got a dartboard. I set it up in my hut and play a couple games a day, but my darts really suck. The back half is plastic and the part that holds the flight in place has broken so they always fall out. It's still fun though and the villagers love it when I bring it outside and hang it to the tree. My hut is too small to entertain guests.
Let's see… oh yes, I'd hurt my foot last time I was in town. I wasn't looking where I was walking because I was talking to my friend Kathy and fell into a ditch about oooohhhh 2 meters deep straight down. So I had to get it Xrayed, 2 docs in Mkushi said it was a hairline fracture, so PC had me go to their doctor in Lusaka and he said it was ligament damage. Whatever it is, I don't like it. We had our big Provincial meeting 2 weeks ago. It was mostly a party in Mkushi (next big town over) followed the next day by a 2 hour meeting followed by a party and a trip the next day to the gorgeous Kundalila waterfall. Good times were had by all. We roasted a pig in the ground and it was fantastic.
I had a few meetings with my farmers. One in Kapeshi (3km away), one in Ndabala (13 km away) and one in Mpande (umm maybe 6 or 7 km). I have a list of about 60 farmers who want ponds. But they want them right away. It'll be a while. I'm glad to see that they're so into this, but it means I have my work cut out for me. I want to teach the farmers and then have them teach each other. I want to get the ball rolling
So really, not a whole lot has happened. I've seen a few animals—mostly lizards and some birds. A few of what looked to be parrots flew past my hut the other day. Today on my ride in, the guy I was hitching with swerved to avoid 3 chameleons—in a big rig carrying Petrol. I'm glad that he missed them, but these trucks aren't known for their handling. Usually people try to hit them. Maybe he was trying, but was just a bad driver.
Yesterday, I gave my buddy George a pair of shoes. I'd lost my sneakers and bought a cheap pair at the market. But then I found my sneakers and wasn't wearing these, so I gave them to him. He said it was the happiest day of his life. I said "George, you have a wife and 2 daughters, what about your wedding or the birth of your children??" He said "Nah…" I've never seen someone so happy to get shoes before. It made me happy. He's done a lot to help me so it was only fair. I don't want to start giving stuff away because then people will hound me, and I'm not in the business of giving anything away (except knowledge, because knowledge is power!). Though when I leave, I want to give away a lot of my stuff and I'm very excited about that. I often sit and wonder "hmmm…who would like this pan? Who deserves a nice skillet?"
I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of details, but oh well…my gournal is back at the hut and I write my daily activities in there.
Ohhh…Kathy just reminded me of a story to tell you guys:
So I was sitting there eating my dinner by candlelight and saw a cobra coming down over the top of my partition wall. It was eyeing me, just waiting to strike. Swaying left, right, up, down in its fluid serpentine way. I jumped up and backed up to the door and opened it so it was between me and the deadly snake. I threw on my sunglasses so that it wouldn't spit in my eyes and surveyed the situation. I considered calling my family, but why introduce them to the dangers? There was a brick, but that was in easy striking distance of the beast. The dartboard caught my attention, but I knew that the darts would just anger it. I noticed my kitchen knife in front of me and reached down to get it, without taking my eyes off the snake. Then I realized that the snake was very thin and lacked eyes and a mouth and, well everything that makes a snake a snake. Turns out, it was the torn handle of a plastic bag and it's motions were caused by heat rising off my charcoal burner. I'd never been so scared before in my entire life. I still killed it though.
So seriously, if anyone wants to travel with me, or visit, let me know. Dubai, Madagascar, Egypt, India, SE Asia, South America. I want to come back to the states even more penniless than when I left. Help me spend my money!
Take care all
Patrick
Peace Corps
PO Box 850010
Serenje, Zambia
I finally got a package from my parents, and one from my sister (and one from Sammy! Awwww). All the other volunteers get stuff from my friends and when they see that I don't, they all say "Wow, Pat, your friends really suck, except for Sam. Here, have some of my Doritos." I try to defend you guys, I honestly do, but it is no use. That's why I have come up with this little plan to show just how awesome you guys are. I am proposing a friendly little contest. The person/people who send(s) me the best package will win a prize worth well over 25grand. I can afford it; I pull in over a million a month. True, it's in Kwacha, but hey, I'll take what I can get. So anyway, I challenge you. Come up with the best care package that you can. You all know me, you all know what I like. The villagers like to see pictures, so if you have any, please send them. Though if they show your thighs, I'll keep that in my own personal stash. Thighs are no-nos here, which I found out after an embarrassing moment with my 8(?) year old host brother in Chongwe and a picture of Carly and I at the beach. Oops. Deadline for Postmark is Dec. 31, but earlier ones get bonus points. And if you really don't know me, I like food, baseball, football, cars, food, motorcycles, and lots of other things. The villagers love American magazines too. And Walter, if I know you like I think I do, thanks, but porn is illegal here in Zambia. So send your best and if you win you will be massively rewarded, that is if you like dried fish, fried caterpillars and chunky beer made from corn.
So since last time, let's see… I got a puppy! It's the cutest dog this side of the Atlantic and if I remember, I'll try to put in pictures. IF I remember, I'm bad about that. His name is Mwenso, which is Bemba for "Scared, shy, timid" because he, well he's scared of everything. The family has taken to him, mostly. Some of the little kids hit him or throw rocks. I've been teaching them not to do that (and teaching him to attack when they do). It'll be hard to give him up in 2 years, but my 14-year-old brother is really good with him and will be a good father. I also got a dartboard. I set it up in my hut and play a couple games a day, but my darts really suck. The back half is plastic and the part that holds the flight in place has broken so they always fall out. It's still fun though and the villagers love it when I bring it outside and hang it to the tree. My hut is too small to entertain guests.
Let's see… oh yes, I'd hurt my foot last time I was in town. I wasn't looking where I was walking because I was talking to my friend Kathy and fell into a ditch about oooohhhh 2 meters deep straight down. So I had to get it Xrayed, 2 docs in Mkushi said it was a hairline fracture, so PC had me go to their doctor in Lusaka and he said it was ligament damage. Whatever it is, I don't like it. We had our big Provincial meeting 2 weeks ago. It was mostly a party in Mkushi (next big town over) followed the next day by a 2 hour meeting followed by a party and a trip the next day to the gorgeous Kundalila waterfall. Good times were had by all. We roasted a pig in the ground and it was fantastic.
I had a few meetings with my farmers. One in Kapeshi (3km away), one in Ndabala (13 km away) and one in Mpande (umm maybe 6 or 7 km). I have a list of about 60 farmers who want ponds. But they want them right away. It'll be a while. I'm glad to see that they're so into this, but it means I have my work cut out for me. I want to teach the farmers and then have them teach each other. I want to get the ball rolling
So really, not a whole lot has happened. I've seen a few animals—mostly lizards and some birds. A few of what looked to be parrots flew past my hut the other day. Today on my ride in, the guy I was hitching with swerved to avoid 3 chameleons—in a big rig carrying Petrol. I'm glad that he missed them, but these trucks aren't known for their handling. Usually people try to hit them. Maybe he was trying, but was just a bad driver.
Yesterday, I gave my buddy George a pair of shoes. I'd lost my sneakers and bought a cheap pair at the market. But then I found my sneakers and wasn't wearing these, so I gave them to him. He said it was the happiest day of his life. I said "George, you have a wife and 2 daughters, what about your wedding or the birth of your children??" He said "Nah…" I've never seen someone so happy to get shoes before. It made me happy. He's done a lot to help me so it was only fair. I don't want to start giving stuff away because then people will hound me, and I'm not in the business of giving anything away (except knowledge, because knowledge is power!). Though when I leave, I want to give away a lot of my stuff and I'm very excited about that. I often sit and wonder "hmmm…who would like this pan? Who deserves a nice skillet?"
I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of details, but oh well…my gournal is back at the hut and I write my daily activities in there.
Ohhh…Kathy just reminded me of a story to tell you guys:
So I was sitting there eating my dinner by candlelight and saw a cobra coming down over the top of my partition wall. It was eyeing me, just waiting to strike. Swaying left, right, up, down in its fluid serpentine way. I jumped up and backed up to the door and opened it so it was between me and the deadly snake. I threw on my sunglasses so that it wouldn't spit in my eyes and surveyed the situation. I considered calling my family, but why introduce them to the dangers? There was a brick, but that was in easy striking distance of the beast. The dartboard caught my attention, but I knew that the darts would just anger it. I noticed my kitchen knife in front of me and reached down to get it, without taking my eyes off the snake. Then I realized that the snake was very thin and lacked eyes and a mouth and, well everything that makes a snake a snake. Turns out, it was the torn handle of a plastic bag and it's motions were caused by heat rising off my charcoal burner. I'd never been so scared before in my entire life. I still killed it though.
So seriously, if anyone wants to travel with me, or visit, let me know. Dubai, Madagascar, Egypt, India, SE Asia, South America. I want to come back to the states even more penniless than when I left. Help me spend my money!
Take care all
Patrick
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Hello from the Mother Land
Hello from the mother land. I am now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer, no longer just a lowly trainee. I have been at site since 21 August. It’s a gorgeous little place set back in the hills of Central Zambia, but before I tell you about the site, let me tell you how I got there. Grab a cushion and some coffee, it’s a long one:
We trained in Chongwe for 2 months, learning about fish farming and the language. For me, that language was Bemba. They speak Lala mostly where I’m living, but they’re very close. We had a test in both and everyone passed so we got to swear in as volunteers. I might have told you about my host family in the previous emails, but I’m not sure. Anyway, there was mom and dad (who was rarely there) and 6 kids (I think, maybe 7 including the nephew who was always there). I got along really well with one son, Isaac who just turned 19 years old and really wants to attend college in the states for Journalism or Agriculture. If you know of any organizations that help poor African students attend school in the states, or happen to have an extra hundred grand lying around, let me know because he would love to go. I haven’t really had time to look (well, that’s a lie. I have plenty of time, just not enough internet), but we wrote a couple letters, so let’s hope for the best. I ate alright there, mostly bread and peanut butter for breakfast, nshima (mashed potato consistency but made from corn meal) and something else like beans for lunch and dinner rotated between chicken, beef, pork, dried fish (my least favorite), soya pieces (my favorite- like tofu, but good!) or on a rare occasion if I was really good, I got fresh fish. Staying with this family really made me appreciate other families that have acted as hosts to me, so if you’re reading this, I’d like to give a thank you to the Mitchells, Boutwells, Christous, O’Loughlins, Lycetts, and any other families that have fed me or given me a place to stay. Oh, thank you to the Horley family too. I guess you’ve done your share over the past 23 years. It really made me appreciate how much work goes into hosting someone else. My host mom, on my last night there, said that I didn’t have to go, that they loved me and that I could stay as long as I wanted to and they wouldn’t even want the 30,000 Kwacha (about $7.50) per day payment that Peace Corps provides them to feed us. She was drunk.
I’ve had a lot of time to just sit and think about random things and I generally think of people back home. What have I missed? How are all my friends? I learned of Jaron’s death about a month after it happened when I checked my email. It really made me realize how far away I am. Jaron and I became friends late; second semester of senior year and news of his death really upset me. I’m so disconnected from news at home. Our family dog, Kia, died a few weeks after I arrived. I found out about 2 weeks later. It took about 2 weeks for me to find out that Bonds “broke” the record. What else has happened? Any more deaths? Any more births? Thanks to a facebook picture, I see that Kristin had her baby. Any marriages, divorces, break-ups, couple formations? How’s the USDA Lab? How’s Echo Hill? I even have time to think about people that I haven’t thought about for years. Like people that worked at River and Trails with me. How are the Devines? There’s only one that I talk to, but mostly that’s to say “Lisa, how’s Oscar? Is he still peeing on the floor?” (For those that don’t know, Oscar is Lisa’s 10 year old son and he is not yet potty trained. And boy is he ugly.) I want to know these things. It’s not so much that communication is slow, but that my sources back home aren’t telling me things. Becky has done an excellent job of writing me a letter once a week and I appreciate it immensely, but there’s only so much she can cover. I welcome her motivation and support. It’s rough out there in the village. I’m a constant rollercoaster of emotion but I’m always elated when I get her letter and uplifted to read her support. She always says stuff like “keep saving the world.” It’s not true. It’s such a small impact and she’s far from accurate. Maybe I’ll get some farmers a few extra hard earned kwacha or prevent a few people from further depleting the already depleted wild fish stock. I’ll warn them of AIDS but many already know maybe as much as me yet still engage in risky behavior. So no, it isn’t saving the world, but I still like to read that. Thanks Becky.
So the day before swear in, they put us up at an awesome place called Eureka Campsite. They had hostel like dorms, chalets and campsites. We stayed in the dorm. A quick walk took us to an area where the wild animals roamed. We saw a few giraffes, a ton of monkeys, water buffalo and impala. As I was taking a picture of a mom and baby giraffe, my buddy Joe said “hey look at the zebra.” I turned to find us surrounded by maybe 30 zebras. It was awesome. We were at their watering hole and they were thirsty. If anyone comes to visit me, we will stay at Eureka for at least one night because it is awesome. They have a nice little bar area where you can meet drunken white Zimbabwe men and teach them such endearing terms as “Douchebag” which they proceeded to call each other for the rest of the night. I don’t know why that word came up, but they loved it. Within the first 10 minutes of conversation, they said they were members of the Zimbabwe version of the KKK and said “I hope you’re ok with that.” I think that’s probably when I introduced them to the word “Douchebag.” I might have said “No, that’s not really cool. In fact, I think you’re all douchebags…you do know you live in Africa, right?” But for whatever reason, I talked to them the rest of the night. They were in town for some international rally car race and I noticed their Mitsubishi Evo VIII as we entered and immediately fell in love with it.
So the next day was swear-in and I looked AWESOME! It might be the most important day of my life, so far. Please see the attached picture, if I remember to attach it. The shirt was a gift from my friend Joe. He’s about twice my size and they tailored it for someone with the neck about half the size of my own, so it wasn’t going to fit him. (Speaking of Joe-Liz Lycett or Meg Chapman, do you know any of the following names: Joe Guglielmetti, Maureen Oscadal, or Zach Fonner. They all come from the Hanover NH area and none of them know your names, but I figured it was worth a mention here). The pants were given to me by someone who received them from someone who bought them at a second hand store here in Zambia. The coat was tailored for me by a Chongwe tailor from a pattern I picked out. The other Serenje district Aquaculture volunteer got a matching one. And the bandana has sentimental value. My sister wore it while volunteering in Mexico. I got so many compliments.
We had two people early terminated before swearing in. We started with 16 people that were supposed to show up in Philly, but had 13 actually come. Now we’re down to 11. Two left to be with their significant others. I can sympathize; it’s hard, but I love it here. I hope that they’re doing well at home and that they feel they made the right decision. I just found out that a third from my group has left for home. The one married man amongst us. I don’t blame him at all. He’s 29 years old and has been married for 7 years. His wife wanted to do PC but it just didn’t work out for her to go at this time and it did for him, so he came out here. That’s rough.
The day after swear-in, we went to our respective provincial capitals. Mine is Serenje in Central province. We stayed at the house for a couple days, did all of our shopping for the next 2 years and the next day headed out to site. My site is awesome. My hut is small, but large enough for me and all my stuff and a huge population of ants. And rats. And maybe snakes in my roof (I found a small piece of snakeskin). My hut is about 2.5 X 4 meters, I think the standard size for PC volunteers is 4X5, but I have an enclosed outdoor kitchen that we’re going to put a door on and I’ll move my foodstuff and bike out there to free up some space. I have a big double bed that takes up an entire room (my hut is divided into two). I’m glad that I have a double because I keep a lot of stuff on it-MP3 player, books, journal, flashlight and brick for rat hunting and because the foam has already compacted enough that there is about a 4 inch elevation difference between me and the space right beside me. It’s an 8 inch thick mattress. So I’m going to reposition myself every night to compensate. I have mango trees, papayas, a chili bush, avocado trees (that aren’t producing yet) and my very own rooster! He’s sick though, which is why I think he’s not laying any eggs yet, but that’s okay. I should have plenty of eggs soon enough. I’m new at this farming business, but I planted an egg about a week ago and it should sprout any day now. We medicated the rooster with what my host father called “African Medicine.” It’s a mix of water, crushed Chili peppers, salt, mango, papaya, some kind of root, and battery acid. It sounded delicious except for the mango part.
My host family consists of Ba Taata (dad) Ba Maayo (mom) and 9 kids ranging from about 6 to 30 and some grandkids. Whoa. That’s a lot. There’s one who has taken a particular fondness of me. His name is Junior and he now waves at me a lot. So I wave at him, then he waves at me. We’ll do this for about a half an hour. Yesterday, he said “Chapwa” which roughly means “Ok, I get it, enough, let’s finish this craziness. I have chickens to go chase.” I love watching the kids chase chickens. Or the pig. Yesterday, one of the kids chased the pig and it ran into a chicken. I love Zambia.
It’s not nearly as bad as the welcome book made it out to be. I’m about 13 km by bush path to the road, and I can hitch a ride and be in town in about an hour. Cell phone reception is about a 4 km ride from my hut. My primary mode of transportation is walking or biking. We have Trek mountain bikes that are the envy of all the villagers. Water is a short walk downhill from my hut, but is a treacherous long horrible uphill walk back. Well, it is when laden with 70 lbs of water. Sometimes, my family fetches water for me, but I don’t like that. I’m capable of doing it myself. My sister, Anna, is currently suffering from Smallpox, yet she still takes my cans to fill them when I’m not looking. Today, I made a run for it and when they’re backs were turned and successfully filled my jugs from a small hole in the ground. It’s no half hour walk like the literature suggested it might be. The literature did not imply that I’d have rats jumping through my window, eating my potatoes, and possibly peeing on my face while I’m sleeping. Two nights ago, I awoke to a liquid splashing on my face and hand. The story of a volunteer who had a cobra land on her mosquito net and spit in her eyes ran through my head in an instant. I wiped off my face on my sheet and looked for the cobra, but didn’t find anything. Maybe it was the bat, I don’t know. But I made a few rat traps. One is a noose with a razor blade attached and positioned inside a toilet paper roll with potatoes on either side. I think it has almost worked a couple times, but I haven’t worked out all the kinks. The other is a brick on top of a rock supported by a twig stuck in a potato. He’s supposed to eat the potato and get squashed. But the best is an actual rat trap. Pat 2, Rats 0.
I have a chameleon tree! Actually it’s a mango tree, but I like to put chameleons in it. I had a big one (maybe a foot tip to tip), a few small ones (6 in) and a tiny one (4 in). If I’m feeling lonely or frustrated, I go play with the Chameleons and watch as my family stares in amusement/horror. They’re all scared of them. The kids put out their hands and say “Mpeela” (give me) but when I offer it to them they run. I had a stick in one hand, a chameleon in the other and held both behind my back. I broke the stick to match the size of the chameleon and when the kid said “Mpeela” I threw the stick to him. They all ran away and that was the end of the game. We also had a mamba on the premises. He didn’t last too long though. My brother speared him and I helped finish the job by clubbing him. I hated doing it, but there’s no good place to put a deadly snake. My host family once consisted of 10 children. A snakebite brought the number down to 9. My father had 10 siblings but now has 4. All the rest have died. He’s 55. The average life expectancy in Zambia is just under 40. He’s an old man.
I have 2 coworkers, George (about 28), and Jordan, about 60 maybe. George has 2 daughters. One of them had malaria last week but is better. She’s scared of me. I’m the only white person she’s ever seen. Jordan has 9 children and a few grandchildren. I went to the wedding of one of his sons about 2 weeks ago. It was interesting; a lot of singing and random yelling, but similar to a wedding here. He commented to me “I’m the father of 9 children and I can’t even afford to feed myself.” Yeah, maybe that’s because you’re the father of 9 children. The problem is that they see their worth as a human being as how many children they can father. Jordan drinks a lot too, which frustrates me. He’ll speak slurred broken English to me, ask me if I understand. If I don’t, I say no so then he tries it in slurred Bemba. Then I answer “Oh yes, of course. Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” That usually suffices.
So, this email is quite long, but if you got to the bottom of it then this message is for you: If you’d like to visit me, please do so! There are so many amazing things to see: Victoria Falls and the untouristed Kundalila Falls not too far down the road from me, Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks for game watching, or you can just come hang out at the village with me. I have an amazing view over an amazing valley. Right now, it’s their “fall” and the colors of leaves are changing and it’s dry. It’s starting to get hot now, but it’s still really nice. The rains come in December and last until April or so and it’ll be green and lush. Every season is supposed to be spectacular in its own right and I’m sure it is. I still want to travel when I’m done with my service, so if you want to help me spend my re-adjustment allowance traveling from Capetown to Cairo to Morocco to Spain and home, by all means. At this point I’m considering applying to be the PCVL—Peace Corps Volunteer Leader, but that pulls me out of the village and into the town of Serenje. This would happen next November or the following April, I think. I am also considering being a trainer. This would be from April until August. I don’t know which I’d prefer to do, but right now I’m considering PCVL and then seeing if I can travel and then come back just to do training. I think one of the trainers did that. We’ll see, but if you want to come, that may affect your plans. But still come. I’d love to have visitors! Dr. Sherman, the soils here need studied. USDA people—we need to check these fish for diseases and maybe start studying O. macrochir instead of niloticus. Dr. C, the acousticness of these fish is amazing. Dr. Wendy, can you believe that I can’t find a good map of Zambia? I think you guys can take sabbatical and come visit. As for my friends, some of you don’t have jobs so you have nothing to do others that do have jobs now have money and vacation days to use. No excuses.
Ok, I think that’s all for now. Check out the pictures.
Take care
We trained in Chongwe for 2 months, learning about fish farming and the language. For me, that language was Bemba. They speak Lala mostly where I’m living, but they’re very close. We had a test in both and everyone passed so we got to swear in as volunteers. I might have told you about my host family in the previous emails, but I’m not sure. Anyway, there was mom and dad (who was rarely there) and 6 kids (I think, maybe 7 including the nephew who was always there). I got along really well with one son, Isaac who just turned 19 years old and really wants to attend college in the states for Journalism or Agriculture. If you know of any organizations that help poor African students attend school in the states, or happen to have an extra hundred grand lying around, let me know because he would love to go. I haven’t really had time to look (well, that’s a lie. I have plenty of time, just not enough internet), but we wrote a couple letters, so let’s hope for the best. I ate alright there, mostly bread and peanut butter for breakfast, nshima (mashed potato consistency but made from corn meal) and something else like beans for lunch and dinner rotated between chicken, beef, pork, dried fish (my least favorite), soya pieces (my favorite- like tofu, but good!) or on a rare occasion if I was really good, I got fresh fish. Staying with this family really made me appreciate other families that have acted as hosts to me, so if you’re reading this, I’d like to give a thank you to the Mitchells, Boutwells, Christous, O’Loughlins, Lycetts, and any other families that have fed me or given me a place to stay. Oh, thank you to the Horley family too. I guess you’ve done your share over the past 23 years. It really made me appreciate how much work goes into hosting someone else. My host mom, on my last night there, said that I didn’t have to go, that they loved me and that I could stay as long as I wanted to and they wouldn’t even want the 30,000 Kwacha (about $7.50) per day payment that Peace Corps provides them to feed us. She was drunk.
I’ve had a lot of time to just sit and think about random things and I generally think of people back home. What have I missed? How are all my friends? I learned of Jaron’s death about a month after it happened when I checked my email. It really made me realize how far away I am. Jaron and I became friends late; second semester of senior year and news of his death really upset me. I’m so disconnected from news at home. Our family dog, Kia, died a few weeks after I arrived. I found out about 2 weeks later. It took about 2 weeks for me to find out that Bonds “broke” the record. What else has happened? Any more deaths? Any more births? Thanks to a facebook picture, I see that Kristin had her baby. Any marriages, divorces, break-ups, couple formations? How’s the USDA Lab? How’s Echo Hill? I even have time to think about people that I haven’t thought about for years. Like people that worked at River and Trails with me. How are the Devines? There’s only one that I talk to, but mostly that’s to say “Lisa, how’s Oscar? Is he still peeing on the floor?” (For those that don’t know, Oscar is Lisa’s 10 year old son and he is not yet potty trained. And boy is he ugly.) I want to know these things. It’s not so much that communication is slow, but that my sources back home aren’t telling me things. Becky has done an excellent job of writing me a letter once a week and I appreciate it immensely, but there’s only so much she can cover. I welcome her motivation and support. It’s rough out there in the village. I’m a constant rollercoaster of emotion but I’m always elated when I get her letter and uplifted to read her support. She always says stuff like “keep saving the world.” It’s not true. It’s such a small impact and she’s far from accurate. Maybe I’ll get some farmers a few extra hard earned kwacha or prevent a few people from further depleting the already depleted wild fish stock. I’ll warn them of AIDS but many already know maybe as much as me yet still engage in risky behavior. So no, it isn’t saving the world, but I still like to read that. Thanks Becky.
So the day before swear in, they put us up at an awesome place called Eureka Campsite. They had hostel like dorms, chalets and campsites. We stayed in the dorm. A quick walk took us to an area where the wild animals roamed. We saw a few giraffes, a ton of monkeys, water buffalo and impala. As I was taking a picture of a mom and baby giraffe, my buddy Joe said “hey look at the zebra.” I turned to find us surrounded by maybe 30 zebras. It was awesome. We were at their watering hole and they were thirsty. If anyone comes to visit me, we will stay at Eureka for at least one night because it is awesome. They have a nice little bar area where you can meet drunken white Zimbabwe men and teach them such endearing terms as “Douchebag” which they proceeded to call each other for the rest of the night. I don’t know why that word came up, but they loved it. Within the first 10 minutes of conversation, they said they were members of the Zimbabwe version of the KKK and said “I hope you’re ok with that.” I think that’s probably when I introduced them to the word “Douchebag.” I might have said “No, that’s not really cool. In fact, I think you’re all douchebags…you do know you live in Africa, right?” But for whatever reason, I talked to them the rest of the night. They were in town for some international rally car race and I noticed their Mitsubishi Evo VIII as we entered and immediately fell in love with it.
So the next day was swear-in and I looked AWESOME! It might be the most important day of my life, so far. Please see the attached picture, if I remember to attach it. The shirt was a gift from my friend Joe. He’s about twice my size and they tailored it for someone with the neck about half the size of my own, so it wasn’t going to fit him. (Speaking of Joe-Liz Lycett or Meg Chapman, do you know any of the following names: Joe Guglielmetti, Maureen Oscadal, or Zach Fonner. They all come from the Hanover NH area and none of them know your names, but I figured it was worth a mention here). The pants were given to me by someone who received them from someone who bought them at a second hand store here in Zambia. The coat was tailored for me by a Chongwe tailor from a pattern I picked out. The other Serenje district Aquaculture volunteer got a matching one. And the bandana has sentimental value. My sister wore it while volunteering in Mexico. I got so many compliments.
We had two people early terminated before swearing in. We started with 16 people that were supposed to show up in Philly, but had 13 actually come. Now we’re down to 11. Two left to be with their significant others. I can sympathize; it’s hard, but I love it here. I hope that they’re doing well at home and that they feel they made the right decision. I just found out that a third from my group has left for home. The one married man amongst us. I don’t blame him at all. He’s 29 years old and has been married for 7 years. His wife wanted to do PC but it just didn’t work out for her to go at this time and it did for him, so he came out here. That’s rough.
The day after swear-in, we went to our respective provincial capitals. Mine is Serenje in Central province. We stayed at the house for a couple days, did all of our shopping for the next 2 years and the next day headed out to site. My site is awesome. My hut is small, but large enough for me and all my stuff and a huge population of ants. And rats. And maybe snakes in my roof (I found a small piece of snakeskin). My hut is about 2.5 X 4 meters, I think the standard size for PC volunteers is 4X5, but I have an enclosed outdoor kitchen that we’re going to put a door on and I’ll move my foodstuff and bike out there to free up some space. I have a big double bed that takes up an entire room (my hut is divided into two). I’m glad that I have a double because I keep a lot of stuff on it-MP3 player, books, journal, flashlight and brick for rat hunting and because the foam has already compacted enough that there is about a 4 inch elevation difference between me and the space right beside me. It’s an 8 inch thick mattress. So I’m going to reposition myself every night to compensate. I have mango trees, papayas, a chili bush, avocado trees (that aren’t producing yet) and my very own rooster! He’s sick though, which is why I think he’s not laying any eggs yet, but that’s okay. I should have plenty of eggs soon enough. I’m new at this farming business, but I planted an egg about a week ago and it should sprout any day now. We medicated the rooster with what my host father called “African Medicine.” It’s a mix of water, crushed Chili peppers, salt, mango, papaya, some kind of root, and battery acid. It sounded delicious except for the mango part.
My host family consists of Ba Taata (dad) Ba Maayo (mom) and 9 kids ranging from about 6 to 30 and some grandkids. Whoa. That’s a lot. There’s one who has taken a particular fondness of me. His name is Junior and he now waves at me a lot. So I wave at him, then he waves at me. We’ll do this for about a half an hour. Yesterday, he said “Chapwa” which roughly means “Ok, I get it, enough, let’s finish this craziness. I have chickens to go chase.” I love watching the kids chase chickens. Or the pig. Yesterday, one of the kids chased the pig and it ran into a chicken. I love Zambia.
It’s not nearly as bad as the welcome book made it out to be. I’m about 13 km by bush path to the road, and I can hitch a ride and be in town in about an hour. Cell phone reception is about a 4 km ride from my hut. My primary mode of transportation is walking or biking. We have Trek mountain bikes that are the envy of all the villagers. Water is a short walk downhill from my hut, but is a treacherous long horrible uphill walk back. Well, it is when laden with 70 lbs of water. Sometimes, my family fetches water for me, but I don’t like that. I’m capable of doing it myself. My sister, Anna, is currently suffering from Smallpox, yet she still takes my cans to fill them when I’m not looking. Today, I made a run for it and when they’re backs were turned and successfully filled my jugs from a small hole in the ground. It’s no half hour walk like the literature suggested it might be. The literature did not imply that I’d have rats jumping through my window, eating my potatoes, and possibly peeing on my face while I’m sleeping. Two nights ago, I awoke to a liquid splashing on my face and hand. The story of a volunteer who had a cobra land on her mosquito net and spit in her eyes ran through my head in an instant. I wiped off my face on my sheet and looked for the cobra, but didn’t find anything. Maybe it was the bat, I don’t know. But I made a few rat traps. One is a noose with a razor blade attached and positioned inside a toilet paper roll with potatoes on either side. I think it has almost worked a couple times, but I haven’t worked out all the kinks. The other is a brick on top of a rock supported by a twig stuck in a potato. He’s supposed to eat the potato and get squashed. But the best is an actual rat trap. Pat 2, Rats 0.
I have a chameleon tree! Actually it’s a mango tree, but I like to put chameleons in it. I had a big one (maybe a foot tip to tip), a few small ones (6 in) and a tiny one (4 in). If I’m feeling lonely or frustrated, I go play with the Chameleons and watch as my family stares in amusement/horror. They’re all scared of them. The kids put out their hands and say “Mpeela” (give me) but when I offer it to them they run. I had a stick in one hand, a chameleon in the other and held both behind my back. I broke the stick to match the size of the chameleon and when the kid said “Mpeela” I threw the stick to him. They all ran away and that was the end of the game. We also had a mamba on the premises. He didn’t last too long though. My brother speared him and I helped finish the job by clubbing him. I hated doing it, but there’s no good place to put a deadly snake. My host family once consisted of 10 children. A snakebite brought the number down to 9. My father had 10 siblings but now has 4. All the rest have died. He’s 55. The average life expectancy in Zambia is just under 40. He’s an old man.
I have 2 coworkers, George (about 28), and Jordan, about 60 maybe. George has 2 daughters. One of them had malaria last week but is better. She’s scared of me. I’m the only white person she’s ever seen. Jordan has 9 children and a few grandchildren. I went to the wedding of one of his sons about 2 weeks ago. It was interesting; a lot of singing and random yelling, but similar to a wedding here. He commented to me “I’m the father of 9 children and I can’t even afford to feed myself.” Yeah, maybe that’s because you’re the father of 9 children. The problem is that they see their worth as a human being as how many children they can father. Jordan drinks a lot too, which frustrates me. He’ll speak slurred broken English to me, ask me if I understand. If I don’t, I say no so then he tries it in slurred Bemba. Then I answer “Oh yes, of course. Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” That usually suffices.
So, this email is quite long, but if you got to the bottom of it then this message is for you: If you’d like to visit me, please do so! There are so many amazing things to see: Victoria Falls and the untouristed Kundalila Falls not too far down the road from me, Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks for game watching, or you can just come hang out at the village with me. I have an amazing view over an amazing valley. Right now, it’s their “fall” and the colors of leaves are changing and it’s dry. It’s starting to get hot now, but it’s still really nice. The rains come in December and last until April or so and it’ll be green and lush. Every season is supposed to be spectacular in its own right and I’m sure it is. I still want to travel when I’m done with my service, so if you want to help me spend my re-adjustment allowance traveling from Capetown to Cairo to Morocco to Spain and home, by all means. At this point I’m considering applying to be the PCVL—Peace Corps Volunteer Leader, but that pulls me out of the village and into the town of Serenje. This would happen next November or the following April, I think. I am also considering being a trainer. This would be from April until August. I don’t know which I’d prefer to do, but right now I’m considering PCVL and then seeing if I can travel and then come back just to do training. I think one of the trainers did that. We’ll see, but if you want to come, that may affect your plans. But still come. I’d love to have visitors! Dr. Sherman, the soils here need studied. USDA people—we need to check these fish for diseases and maybe start studying O. macrochir instead of niloticus. Dr. C, the acousticness of these fish is amazing. Dr. Wendy, can you believe that I can’t find a good map of Zambia? I think you guys can take sabbatical and come visit. As for my friends, some of you don’t have jobs so you have nothing to do others that do have jobs now have money and vacation days to use. No excuses.
Ok, I think that’s all for now. Check out the pictures.
Take care
"the ideas expressed are not those of Peace Corps, but of a peace corps volunteer...one who, if you know me, you know lies. Or one who, if you don't know me, is the best break dancer in the world...ever."
Thursday, June 14, 2007
My Peace Corps Adventure Begins!
Tomorrow, June 15th, I leave the comforts of what I am used to and set out on the adventure of a lifetime-27 months in Zambia with Peace Corps. It kicks off with some shots in the morning (to prevent fun diseases), then bus to JFK and then a 15 hr flight to Jo'burg, South Africa. We spent the night then take a 2 hour flight to Lusaka...
I move into a mud hut in a couple weeks and I'm very excited. The only thing that upsets me is lack of communication back home. I'll miss my family, my dog, and my girl Carly among some other things. It's going to take me a while until I'm comfortable, but I'm still looking forward to this whole experience.
Alright, I don't really know much yet, so i don't have a lot to say. More will come later and hopefully it'll be more interesting.
I move into a mud hut in a couple weeks and I'm very excited. The only thing that upsets me is lack of communication back home. I'll miss my family, my dog, and my girl Carly among some other things. It's going to take me a while until I'm comfortable, but I'm still looking forward to this whole experience.
Alright, I don't really know much yet, so i don't have a lot to say. More will come later and hopefully it'll be more interesting.
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