hello world

So a lot has happened since I last posted but I will try to give a brief overview of some of the major events that have taken place. 
I attended a kitchen party with a few of my teachers.  a kitchen party is like a bachelor party but not.  it is for women only and the people who attend bring gifts.  the bride wears a nice chitenge dress and her bridesmaids wear matching ones.  the bridesmaids line up and do a dance/march into the area with the bride following.  the bride is covered with a chitenge so no one can see her face.  she is escorted by an elder person.  her head is down the entire ceremony and never smiles.  she sits on the floor, the groom gets to uncover her but before doing so has to pay money to the family.  then he unveils her.  the bride then gives cakes to each side of the family.  and rolls around on the floor as a sign of respect.  they leave together.  she comes back in seats on the floor, head down still while everyone shows off the gifts they bought.  a lot of dancing, singing and eating.  i am attending another one at the end of the month.  i also have been to two weddings now.  they are very similar to the kitchen party.  the bridesmaids and groomsmen come out first dancing in a line followed by the bride in white with her head down.  they sit in a certain area with people all around them.  one by one people bring forth plates, dishes, cups, chickens and money.  so the night before the kitchen party is another party.  not sure what they call it.  it is where the bride learns how to please his man in bed by learning traditional dances.  i have yet to attend a real one but the teachers wives at my school showed me some of the dances at their house and it was pretty....interesting.  i didn't know hips could move in so many directions. 
i went to this thing they have every month at our local 'clinic' called Under 5.  all the children under 5 get weighed and vitamins and shots.  this is also a chance for women to get birth control aka family planning here in Zambia and they have VCT, volunteer counseling testing.  the one i went to also had a make shift ultra sound area. which means they lied on the floor and a 'nurse' listened to the heart beat and felt around on the moms belly. so the women who want shots as family planning have to go to town (this is what i saw in my village could be different elsewhere), buy a needle and at the under 5 they exchange the needle for a shot.  i tried asking more but they just kept saying thats how it works.
so after i finished my community entry, the 3 month period of observing and understanding the workings of my village we had IST. In service training. this was held in lusaka and was for two weeks.  we covered so many topics like adult literacy, starting a library, how to report to peace corps the work we do in the village, gardening, etc.  it was a really nice time for all of my intake (red group) to get together again and share how our community entry was going.  after that some of my friends traveled to livingstone for 5 days.  it was such an amazing restful vacation.  we did a safaris, sunset cruise aka booze cruise, and river rafting.  i almost died rafting and will most likely never do it again, but it was fun while i did it.  i have video and pictures can't wait to share with you guys.  this was my second time to see the falls. first time i saw it at the end of rainy season and this time i saw it during cold/dry season.  it was def. a big difference.  i got to see my friend bunji, that was neat.  i would rather bunji every day of my life than raft again.  (ok so that is a little dramatic but until you see the video, you can't judge my near death experience.)  while at the falls we were at the top of the falls and saw a camera crew and some people gathered around.  apparently a local had gone out with an illegal tour guide to try to swim in the devils pool area.  he drown in the process.  they found his body the day we were at the falls. very sad.  while at jolly boys, the backpacking lodge we stayed at, we met two peace corps volunteers from south africa.  they were older around 55ish and had running water and electricity.  they found it very interesting how we lived in the bush. 
this is a very hodgepodge (sarah o.) entry but its been a while and this is what i could think of off the top of my head. 
so for this term i am co teaching three days a week, monday, tuesday and wed 7:30-11 and planning those days after class.  on thursdays i will travel about 15 km each way for a hiv/aids life skills group at a training college.  the pupils range from 18-25 and speak english.  i am also trying to start an adult literacy group.  that is hard since it is going into rainy season. 
next weekend i am going to lusaka for the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps.  my friend emily from eastern and i are also going to stay an extra night and celebrate our birthdays.  hers is in november but close enough. 

Be free.

23-5-11
went to mukwela clunic-an hour bike ride both ways. sat in on a VCT (volunteer counseling training?) it is a class for pregnant women and their partners to learn about HIV/AIDS and how they can pass it along to their child.  they then get tested.  the clinic is much different then the one that is 10km from me.  mukwela clinic has several buildings a maternity ward and computers for keeping data.  I then visited a training center where they have carpentray, livestock, catering, and tailoring.  I also weighed myself at the clinic, gained ten pounds (not even joking) since leaving training. got a box of condoms to give to my villagers.  I came home and my host mom , mutinta, had saved me lunch :) chopped some wood with my neighrbor my neighrbors boyfriend came over
24-5-11
a chicken stole my bread this morning off my lap.  i took it back from him.  sat in on a grade 6 english class.  saw the storage room of my school which would be perfect for a school/community library.  picked some tomatoes with some ladies.saw some teachers caning the pupils hands for not coming back to school inthe afternoon to sweep, and slash the grass.  helped my sister with some math.  she used her fingers, toes and her sisters toes to help count.  we had soya pieces (tofu) with some crushed red pepper and garlic powder (thanks jbone for the seasonings)
25-5-11
met my neighrbor clifford to start our comminuity walk which lasted 8 hours and four meals later.  i visited the house of the old volunteer my first meal was chicken, okra and nsiam.  saw a commerical farmers house and his beautiful grave yard.  had some fresh honey, sweeter than sweet and some corn.  then went to the headmans house, ate with his sister, okra, rape eggs, and nsima.  he grows tobacco.  next to another headmans house who has 3 wives and only 12 children.  ate some okra, rape, eggs and another veg.  caome home and had some pumpkin leaves, okra, and nsima.  i got watermelon seeds from one of the villagers.
26-5-11
had my neighrbor make fritters. knocked down a wall in my house. hung a curtain leading into the bedroom.  got water. carried my sister on my back. jumped rope with the kids. had a close encounter with a cow that i thought was on the lose but wasnt.  we had eggs and nsima for dinner.
27-5-11
got a hitch to my boma with an open bed truck (canter).  basically flashed everyone on the truck while attempting to climb over the side to find a seat (which was on the side of the truch with a stranger touching my butt the whole time) met up with larry bits in the boma and had lunch.  my carpenter came over and i drew him my bookshelves I want.  the under 5 clinic was supposed to happen today but they had no shots to give to the children(all the ones under 5) so they got nothing.  bought some okra seeds. 
28-5-11
made some fritters did 2 loads of laundry organized some stuff. got some clothes mended at the tarmac bought 15 eggs only 13 survived the bike home.  showed clifford my snaps and my bataata.  ate sweet potatoes with my bamaama. my neighbors other two children showed up today, alick and elick (her youngest is delick) my sister tried swinging from a branch and it broke so naturally she fell on her head.  a car with a loud speaker was driving around informing the villagers to register to vote at the school over the next two weeks. 
29-5-11
slept in until 8.  went to church. they wanted me to pray and contribute to the bible study.  i polietely declined.  they also tried to get me to dance.  I said I didnt want to embrass them with my sweet dance moves. had soya and eggs and nsima for dinner. got water with my sister. they eat rocks because a lack of iron. i tried and it was disguisting.  gave my  host mom condoms, made her demonstarte how to put one on with a candle.  (thanks jbone for the candles)
30-5-11
had a dance party with amanda (my neighrbor) late to the staff meeting.  got a hitch to choma to collect my package.  turns out the hitch i got is the owner of a local community school.  she works out in choma every monday at a step class (holla). stayed the night at the house because could not find transport and it was getting dark. 
31-5-11
had lunch with tim ( PCV) in choma. headed back home. had rape eggs and nsima for lunch. visited with my friend mildred at her shop on the tarmac. there was supposed to be a tgm (teacher group meeting ) at 16 hours but i showed up to school and it was cancelled.
1-6-11
june 1! WHAT THE FRENCH!!! community walk part 2.  went to a few farms, people gave me two bags of peanuts, watermelon, squash and eggs. met my future husband.  found out that someone doesnt know that condoms are a way to prevent babies. i have my work cut out for me. one of my neighyrbors invited me to her wedding in august.
2-6-11
its so darn cold here It makes me not want to get out of bed i think i am depressed (just kidding dad). went to the tarmac bought a donut found out some info about people who own stores in the area etc. sat in on a grade one lesson that i really enjoyed.  the grade two teacher walks around carrying a stick to beat pupils with.  won't be working with him. did a load of whites swept and dance with rabecca my sister.  lunch was cow, rape and nsima. my sister rabecca knocked down my mirror i hung with a tree limb and almost knocked her eyeball out.  the headman royd came over, telling me again he wants to learn english. for dinner we had butternut squash and nsima. there was a meeting for the commerical famers in my area at my host families house. my husband came to see where i lived today. he said he would come to visit tomorrow. (he never showed)
3-6-11
had some funky tummy isues in the middle of the night. not cool.  observed a grade one class LOVED IT. talked to lauryn apparently the hangover two came out. headed to the tarmac to meet tim. he came to visit for the day.  we cooked roasted peanuts delicious. my neighbor gave us white rice with sugar. lunch was left over cow and nsima. dinner with soya, butter nut and nsima.
4-6-11
got a lot done today. fixed jungle oats for tim and I. did 2 loads of laundry, and my sheets. got water. swept everywhere even under my bed. a neighbor came over and gave me sweet potatoes, made those. wrote a funny letter to my friend deanna in northwestern province. hung my curtains on all three windows. learned some new tonga words with my neighrbors. some ladies collected tomatoes to take to livingstone to sell. we had soya beens butter nut, fish and nsima. the women asked me againwhen i would start teaching them english.
5-6-11
the kids share very well here. they saved fritters for their moms. went to church. first charged my phone at mildreds farm then to church. it was all intonga was completely lost the whole time. collected my phone and got a free soda. bought some saladi (cooking oil) at the tarmac. stopped by the school on my way home ate with the head fish rape and nsima. finised my book Dear Exile, Cried. missed my friends and family. went to cliffords house beacuse my mom was going somewhere and was not cooking. ate with them nsima, rape and veg. there is a guy who plays the guitar at the pilgrim church and walks around on sunday playing it. it makes me smile.
6-6-11
got a hitch to my boma to meet the debs got my hair done.hurt like heck. met some religiuos white people from america. now typing this blog.
thanks for reading
if anyone has any information on how to teach enlgish please send it to me either via email or facebook or my blog or mail. also dot math.  !!!!
BE FREE.
amanda fixed fritters before going to church.

let me break it down...

So a lot of people have been I think unclear really about what I am doing in Zambia so let me give you some more details about my job.  My program is called the Rural Education Project aka RED.  It has three mains goals: Volunteers will support teachers in basic and community schools in developing innovative teaching methodologies, Volunteers will support school improvement by providing opportunities for youth to participate in innovative learning opportunities that promote lifelong learning, Community members will benefit from non-formal educationgal activities that promote lifelong learning.  Under each goal there are multiple objectives and I will not bore you with those.   I will give you some ideas of the activities I can do to achieve the 3 above stated goals.  Co-plan/co-teach, assist teachers in implementing child-centered teaching methods, co-produce and use teaching and learning aides, engage in continuing professional development activities with teachers-this means TGMs which stands for teacher group meeting.  It is basically a meeting twice a month for one hour lead by the teachers to help implementing teaching methods.  The TGM I went to was discussing the tracking of literacy rates.  How to asses and how to keep track of the data of pupils in each reading level.  I can also start  clubs such as drama, debate, pen-pals, school gardens, girls club, literacy clubs or even a library.  I am also to work with HIV/AIDS.  this can be with a life skills club or collobrating with the local clinic to have programs about HIV/AIDS.
For the first three months at being at my house, I am not to do any of the above activities.  It is called Community Entry (CE).  I am to observe lessons, attend PTA meetings, TGMs, and visit the other schools in my zone.  I am also to meet the DEBS (which is basically the superindent of the district).  His office is about 28 km from my house.  I have yet to met him because he was not around when I went.  I am also to meet other NGO's in the area.  I met with CARE International and met with the Ministry of Health.  I have in my district CINDI (CHILDREN IN DISTRESS) world vision and africare.  I also met with the chief who lives in Kalomo.  I also have met with several Headmen in the area.  I have been to 4 of the 7 schools in my zone.  Most of my schools are at least 40-50 minutes by bike away.  Most likely I will not being doing much work with them because of the distance.  I can work with whatever school I want and however often I want.  For example, I want to co-plan/co-teach at my Zonal School, which is only 3 km away, 3 times a week and have a literacy club at  school 2 times a week to teach English.  It can change from term to term.  A term is 3 months and they have holiday in april, august and december.  I can work with different teachers each term and if I dont want to teach I can only co-plan or help create teaching and learning aides.  My zonal school is called Nazilongo Basic School.

I live in southern province in the district of Kalomo in the Village of Nazilongo.  Within each district they are broken into zones with a certain amount of schools in each zone.  each zone has a school called a zonal school with a zonal head teacher (what we would call a princepal).  Within my zone I have 7 basic schools which are grades 1-9 and 2 community schools.  The community schools are funded by the community and lack many many things that a basic school has. Most of the time the teachers, maybe 2-3, are pupils who did not pass the grade 7 exam and are now teaching the classes.  The teachers are more than likely paid for by the community and often times not even paid. 
Each schools has a head teacher (principal) a deputy head (Vice principal) and a senior teacher.  The teachers live in the area in houses that were built specifically for the teachers.  At my schools I have 13 teacher currently and 3 student teachers.  One teacher is getting married in sept. so she is moving to another province to be with her husband.  When you finish school, the ministry of education (MOE) places the teachers in a school they do not a say in where they are going. 
I hope this helps!!! Now I am going to give you a massive update about what I have been doing since I arrived at my house in April. 
Before getting posted we had to go shopping for everything:
plates, bowls, knives, brasier, silverware, tupperware, tubs to do laundry in, tubs to wash my dishes in, sheets, comforter, food, charcoal, reed mat, etc.  I did that shopping in Choma which is another boma (bigger village) that has a grocery store and internet cafes etc.  I bought cement for the villages to cement my house.  It is amazing.
28/4/11
picked up my head teacher at school to take her to my house to help unload the cruiser. was greeted by my neighbors. my host mom, mutinta, helped me get water from the pump. carried it on my head. put my tent up because my furniture was not ready yet.
rode the the tarmac (road) they have 3 shops that you can buy soya pieces (tofu basically) sugar, flour laundry soap etc
went to my boma, Kalomo, found the internet cafe, good food place, they even have a gym and a pool table
organize all my papers form the PC
tried making soya not great.  tried making chips (fries) with potatoes, apparently you have to soak the potatoe before you try and cook it. still cant get my fire to light so I started using methalated spirit in a tuna can and it works so much better than charcoal.  and ox cart pulled up to my house while I was reading.  It was jacob, a headman with 2 wives with sand for the cement job.
30/4/11
went to church with a teachers wife, pentacostal church.  It was good.  they start at 8 for bible study and then the service starts at 10-1230.  found a place to charge my phone on the tarmac and there is a farm also by the church that was power that I can charge stuff
ate with my family soya and nsima )a food they eat at least twice a day, it is finely ground corn kernels made into a paste). couldnt find my bike lock keys so we had to cut my bike lock off so i could ride home
my neighbor kid, amanda swept and did my dishes. sewed my citenge so it wont gray.  made some eggs and toast.  my neighbor kids came over we did some math with the flashcards I brought with me.
1/5/11
played ball with the kids.  they make a ball out of plastic bags they find around the area.  had okra and ramen noodles (thanks dad) they try to eat the spaghetti with their hands.  tried making bean burgers that was a bust
4/5/11
did laundry went to kalomo charged my spearks and phone.  took the mini bus to Kalomo for only 10,000 kwacha (the exhange rate is 1 usd =4650 kwacha) bought a crate for the back of my bike to put my groceries.  the men came to my house to cement.  one of my neighbors kennedy brought over pictures of the previous volunteers.  meet my host dads brother.  had a fresh killed chicken for lunch.  they keep asking my when I will be teaching them english, carried 20 liters of water on my head. my host dad plays football (soccer) a lot
6/5/11
gave okra to my host mom for her to cook for us to eat. my bed finally came.  got a hitch on the back of a truch to kalomo.  bought avacodos apples and bananas.  went shopping at the DAPP (its an NGO that does lots of projects but they also have a store basically a goodwill) got the name of a man who does locks so i can get mine done each month
8/5/11
went to macrons a resaurant about 18 kim from my house off the tarmac that has amazing chicken and chips and american music videos tried making fritters that was also a bust. dropped off my citenges for the tailor to sew the edges and picked up my fully charged phone and speakers. my friend drove me to kalomo to buy more cement for my house and my veranda.  my grade 4 neighbor amanda killed a chicken for lunch and dinner.  i drank sweet beer, which is not alcoholic at at but made from sweet potatoes and sugar.  not great.  went to school at 15 t meet with the head to discuss community entry calendar
10/5/11
organize my wardrobe closet, read some books from the PC found a store on the tarmac that sells fresh rolls for only 3000 kwacha for 6 rolls HEAVEN. burned the shit out of my hand trying to cook soya pieces. 

11/5/11
the villages finished cementing my house today.  went to choma to pick up a package from Jbone. got my solar chargers.  got a letter from my head teacher to give to the DEBS to introduce myself.  came home to find my host dad sicker than shit laying in the yard in the hot sun.  he said his hands and feet feel like things are crawling in them.  his friend was praying that the demons come out soon.  found out that amanda is staying with not her family and doesnt even sleep at the house i see her at every night. 
15/5/11
got a hitch to the pentacstal church in Kalomo gave him a fritter and an apple instead of kwacha.  the church was good had a piano drums and singing.  also had people fainting at the end awkward.  went to macrons for lunch.  no shops are open in kalomo on sunday.  met the chief and some other important people and NGO in the area.  the HR person for the ministry of health asked if i drank and told me he would pick me up at my house and take me boozing with him.  had some visitors from safety and secruity from lesotho.  they wanted to see how we live in the real africa.  my host mom asked for candles, she has also asked to borrow my bike, sugar and oil.  amandas dad is an alcoholic that is why she does not stay with her family.  he also has two wives. 
16/5/11
went to school for staff meeting. introduced my self and what coplanning/teacing will look like. traveled to another school in my zone, tara basic school.  the head teacher at that school has solar panels and I was able to watch some news.  toured his school and came home.  he also has a car and dvd player in his office at school.  they have a school garden.  the teachers asked me to give them things like books, pens etc and one teacher asked to use my bike pump. told her no.  helped my host dad water his cabbage. helped my host sister, rabecca find sweet potatoes for her snack at school.
18/5/11 tried to go to another school got lost went to kalomo and day drink instead.  played some pool and listened to american music.  went to school sat in the staff room and helped a teacher with some homework for his distance education class.  the teachers have the same issues that american teachers do.  bought some chicken sausages and had it for dinner, my host mom mutinta cooked it for us. 
19/5/11
made some jungle oats (oatmel) my host dad goes to the tarmac to drink beer a lot.  went to moonde basic school. the head was not around so i met with the deputy head.  i had been to that school before on second site visit so I did not stay long.  i went to the clinic. found out some info everything the clinic has to offer is free. free condoms free family planning(birth control) free malaria meds FREE.  cleaned my insaka (gazebo) my neighbor lady, doreen had peanuts and fish drying on her tin roof and put a child on the roof to collect the food before it rained.  doreen went to choma and bought fresh fish for us to eat. 
20/5/11
it was open day at school.  at the end of every term the pupils take exams in grade 7 and 9 they determine whether the pupils passes on to the next grade.  school is also supposed to be free from grades 1-7 grades 8/9 cost about 40,000-100,000 kwacha depends on the school and the needs or projects they have going on that term.  open day is held, should be held every term to give the pupils their report cards to tell them the grades in the class.  they also rank the pupils and hand out notebooks, pencils and rubbers to the pupils who rank well and also most improved.  the program started late and went until about 13 hours.  i have about 400 pupils at my school and only 36 parents showed up.  if the parents who child ranked well the parents would go up and carry them back to their seat one parent gave the child money and another gave food.  it is really exciting i think i can make this is a big deal and hopefully will encourage the pupils to work hard if it is made into a big production. 

21/5/11
got a hitch from some local white zambians who own a farm and gave me a bag of oranges.
this is taken from my journal so it is not everything i did in a day as you can tell.  just trying to give you a run down of what i do.  i collect water about every 3 days i also have a water filter that i fill to purify my water to make it drinkable.  i did laundry this morning.  i have a solar shower that i set out at the beginning of the day and shower around 16ish.  i eat with my family for lunch and dinner and normally only have some fruit for breakfast. 


again it is very random but at least a glimpse of what i do.
below is a list of words zambian vs. american

revision-review/study
knock off-end time
snaps-photos
tropics-flip flops
tomatoe sauce-ketchup
takeaway-togo
softie-soda
complusory-mandatory
flat-apartment
lift-hitch hiking
trousers-pants
tarmac-road
pupil-student
tick-check mark
coke light-diet coke
filing station-gas station
petrol-gas
sketch-drama
rubber-eraser

I think that is all for now.  Thanks for reading hope this clears up any questions
Be Free.

update from the bush

so I moved into my new house about 3 weeks ago. My community cemented the inside of my house. and I got a place to put all my solar things.  I have been to one school to visit and see what their needs are.  I have just been living the bush life and getting a schedule.  Today I tried to go to a school but got lost and ripped my skirt and ran out of water so I went to my boma (aka town) and shopped.  I have a meeting at school today called a TGM aka teacher group meeting.  I have 7 schools in my area that I am able to work with but they are at least an hour away by bike if not further so I dont know how much I will be working with them.  I think I want to concentrate my time at one school and see what I can do for them.  I went to visit the ministry of health (aka deparement of health ) last week and was asked if I drank and the guy said he could pick me up from my hut and take me to the boma to drink with them.  awkward. not much too add because I do not have my journal in front of me to tell all that has happened.  It looks like I have my work cut out for me beacuse my 4th grade neighbor cannot even regognize the alphabet.  Everyone I have met wants to learn english.  Sorry this is so random but I don't have much to say
Love you guys
BE FREE.

I am a Peace Corps Volunteer

So we had our swearing in ceremony on 21 april.  it was at the ambassadors house.  i felt like i was back in america.  I also stole some toilet paper from his pool house.  we had some speeches by steve schwartz (google him) and by tom kennedy the country directory and some local zambians.  we sang the national anthems and sang some songs in different languages and had some dancing.  I had a dress made for the ceremony (i have pictures on my facebook page so check those out).  I also found out the Hilliary Clinton will be coming to zambia for some trade conference that is happening in lusaka.  sweet.  I won't be able to meet her but super awesome anyways.  we went to a bar in lusaka after our ceremony it was a blast.  So now we are hanging out at the provincal house until store open up which is on monday because of the holidays.  I will be doing shopping for my house on monday and get posted on tuesday.  I get my national registration card on tuesday also.  I have pictures to post but that will come later.  I also have a lot of videos but I am going to send my SD cards to home and have my family upload them, it is too costly to wait for them to upload here at a cafe.  Thanks for all warm congrats from family and friends.  I hear there are some crazy tornadoes in the midwest.  stay safe and get in the lowest part of your house.

Be Free.

Pictures

Update...

So i got called fat again for the third time since living with my family.  the first time was while i was showing my host family pictures of my family in america and they said we were all fat.  and this most recent time was because the volunteer before my looks like me because we are both fat.  it is a compliment to be called fat in zambia. 
we also got scolded by our training director because we took a hitch last friday on the back of a shake shake truck around 1130.  o well.  so the solution they came up with for us to be able to drink and be safe was to drive us to and from the bar and be home before dark.  so last night we went to aaron's den bar in chongwe to celebrate our last weekend together.  we made guacamole, sausages and had a lot of fun.  well the bus that was supposed to pick us up didn't show until it was after dark.  so i flagged down a trunk and we hitched in the bed of the truck home.  it was fantastic. 
We have cultural day on tuesday which means all of our host families are going to come together at the training center and we are going to cook american food for them.  we will have speeches, dances and gift giving.  I plan on printing a few family pictures and giving them to my family on a frame.  I also have post cards of Indiana that my dad sent me that I will write on the back and give to them.  Then we leave directly after that ceremony to stay in Lusaka for two days and have our swearing in ceremony and shop for our hut.  We will then leave from there to out provincal houses and stay for a few more days and do more shopping then we will finally be posted.  For the first three months it is called community entry which means we are just trying to intergrate ourselves into our new community.  we will not be coplanning or co teaching we will be assess the needs/wants of our community.  we also are not allowed to travel at this time. 
so apparently some of the peace corps volunteers know some zambian musicians one being Daliso.  one of our trainers actually was able to dance on stage with him at a concert and a lot of volunteers have his number too. 
I had my final language test on friday.  which went well it could have gone worse, which is good I guess.  we then watched some movies in the giant insaka (gazeebo).  we watched Pineapple express and part of Love actually. 
I got a dress made out of citenge for the swearing in ceremony.  It only cost 50,000 kwacha and it is perfect.  I had one of the girls draw a picture and gave it to the tailor and it is beautiful. 
So more kids keep showing up on my compound because it is holiday now.  they have holiday in april, august and december-it just means that there is no school during those months.  so some of my kids, their parents work in bigger cities as teachers so they live with their grandma well now that it is holiday, the parents and their other children are coming to our house to stay for the holiday break. 
so my sister got engaged and asked me to be her bridesmaid I said no of course.  she is planning on a cruise maybe in october so hopefully I will be able to attend.  and apparently my mom accecpted an offer on her house, not sure because she is on vacation in georgia with her friends and is ignoring my phone calls. 
I had a strange interaction with my neighbor the other night.  she came inside to the house where myself and my sister choolwe eat every night.  the other family members eat outside on the reed mat.  my neighbor, patrica, said she wanted to eat with us and so she sat down but did not put food on her plate so I told her to start eating.  she said she alreay ate but wanted to sit and watch me eat.  I also told her that some of us were going to a bar down the street and she wanted me to bring her back some shake shake (beer) i told her to come.  she said she couldnt because her husband would beat her.  very strange and not cool all at the same time. 
so I am going to post some tonga words for Beckys class :

bag-bbeeke
book-bbuku
chair-cuuno
pencil-mpensulo
desk-desiki
chalkboard-bboodi
chalk-ncoko
pen-bbopeni
clock-nkoloko
ruler-lula

some of the words are corrupted meaning that sound like the english word.  most of the words are said like they sound. 
Thanks

Be Free.

Locks of Pure Love.

Two Weeks Left...

So Zambia is amazing.  I went to second site visit, which is were we go and stay for 5 days at our home in our village to explore the area before we actually get posted.  Then we went to have language class in another village for 3 days then came back to our homestay families.  I love my house, my toilet(hole in the ground) and my bathing area.  I went to visit 2 schools in my area there are 7 and two community schools, but only about 3 are in riding distance.  I also saw the clinic which is in the process of building more rooms for patients.  I hitched to Choma to check out the provincal house, that was awesome.  I also am getting some furniture made, a 4 post bed, coffee table, food shelf and a wardrobe closet.  When we went to the other village we went to visit with a senior headman where he gave us a pigeon that I killed and we ate.  I also milked a cow while we were there.  All the schools start off the day by gathering around the flag pole and sing the national anthem.  This is when the head teacher aka principal makes annoucements for the day.  The pupils have class from about 7 hours till 13 then come back at 14 to do maintance around the school such as slash grass or sweep.  I also saw corporal punishment.  Not at my school at the other school we stayed at for 3 days.  The teacher said if pupils show up late tomorrow they are going to be caned.  I didnt think he was serious but sure as can be he caned pupils on the hand about 3 times each hand for showing up late for school.  I can tell that this is going to be in internal conflict I will struggle with for the next 2 years.  Almost every zambian teacher thinks it is the only way a pupil will learn not to do a behavior.  we, my language group went to victoria falls.  We stayed in a village called Pemba for 3 days as a language group and our trainer and had to walk about 11 km to get to the tarmac to get a hitch to Choma were our language teacher had connections to get us to Livingstone.  I will bungee jump off the bridge before I leave.  O I also plan on river rafting and taking a helicopter ride.  Because there have not been any volunteers in Southern provinces for two years we had to stay at a school, other people stayed with PCV but we dont have any in the province so that was the reason we stayed at a school.  Also, one of the girls in my language group was going to the bathroom and bats flew out while she was squatting over the hole.  Needless to say we found other ways to go potty.  I got dreads aka locks.  I love them and the only up keep is i have to go once a month to my Boma (Choma) to get them relocked and they will wash it then.  Other than that I do not wash my hair at all.  I will post pictures on facebook of the falls and my hair and my new hut.  So on April 23 I will be living in my hut by myself for the next two years and I can't even wait.  I tried playing an Aprils Fools joke on my family by telling them I wanted to come home but they didn't believe my.  my sister also got engaged HOLLA, she plans on doing a cruise not sure where but should be exciting.  I will also have a new address starting April 23 but you can start using it whenever.  And if you have already sent stuff to the other address no worries it will get to me, eventually.  I love Zambia more and more each day and I can't wait to make improvements to my house.  I plan on making a porch with some tarp and poles.  I will let you know how that goes. 
I found this qoute in Worldview Magazine, its a Peace Corps publication
"Zambia gets in your blood, inhabits your dreams and dares you to be smitten by its charm'

Be Free.

Lusaka Update

So we went to visit my future home in the Kalomo District in Southern.  It is awesome.  It is two rooms with an insaka a sweet ass bathing shelter and a nice toilet area.  I went to my zonal school met the teachers and observed a class.  I also had a pupil escort take me home on the first day and she did not have a bike so she sat on the back of my bike and we rode home.  I still cannot start a fire i had to use my nieghbors fire.  I made some spaghetti, fritters, eggs, and pancakes.  (not all together in separate meals).  I got lost on the second day going to school, so I had to tie ropes to trees to help me mark where I live.  I visited a clinic and another school which is about 10 km away from my house.  It was a pretty solid bike ride.  I also found a local carpentar to make me a four post bed, wardrobe closet, food shelf, and a coffee table.  I want to get a couch and two chairs for my sitting area.  I also hitched to Choma to walk around and find the provicnal house.  I also went shopping at DAPP got some new clothes.  I killed a pigeon and ate it.  I also got some letters from amazing people named Maria and Jill-do.  not gonna lie, I cried.  I also got a random package from my step-dad with about 100 hotel soaps and 4 shampoo bottles.  It actually will be handy for my hand washing station.  I love my house, my teachers, my schools, southern the language.  It was amazing. 

Be Free.

Update...

So I have been in Zambia now for about 6 weeks I think.  I love every minute of it.  Not really sure what I talked about last time but it was got much more exciting.  I found out I will be living in Southern Province in the Kalomo District and my village is Nazilongo. I am about 130 KM from victoria falls!!!! We had a workshop where we met our head teacher of the Zonal School, Mrs. Hapaku Naomi Chooma.  On Sunday I go to my house for five days to get to know the teachers in my village and the family I will be living near.  There are 9 schools in my zone and 7 of them are government schools and two community schools.  Each term we are supposed to co-teach at a different school or at least with different teachers.  Then after those 5 days the two other PCV's in southern, we are meeting with our language teacher for 3 days for some more language classes.  Then I come back to my homestay family for 5 more weeks then I swear in as an actually PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER!!! Then I finally get to be posted to my new home for the next 2 years.  FINALLY!!! My head teacher said that there school is in need of grade 7 and grade 9 English help.  those are the two years that the pupils have to pass a written test in order to move to the next grade.  the test is in english so if they cannot properly read or write it how are they to pass?!?! She also said that they want help with reading math and science.  My school has 2 sewing machines that no one is using so I hope to start a sewing club with the women of the village...we shall see.  We have now co-taught with 2 zambian teachers.  The first time was grade 9 math which went amazingly smooth.  The co-planning part was not how I pictured it would be but the actual lesson was perfect.  My second co teaching experience was grade 8 science-how oxygen gets to the muscles. I barely remember that stuff from high school let alone try and teach it in a Zambian classroom. ha But the co planning part was much better this time we had a group of two other PCV that we did the lesson with.  The teacher went step by step with us through the lesson plan.  I have found a store in the boma(bigger than a village but smaller than a capital ) that I love it is called DAPP which was started by an NGO and it is basically a goodwill.  I bought about 6 shirts and a pair of shoes for roughly 30,000 kwacha.  1 USD=5,000 kwacha-you do the math.   I have had been able to hitch to the boma very successfully several times. a hitch is hitch hiking.  Some times they cost just depends on the type of vehicle it is. A few of us went to a local bar and had a dance party to remember.  It was fantastic.  My banene killed a chicken for the first time in front of it -best chicken I ever ate.  I have had two language test so far the first one I did really well on the second one I passed but thought I deserved a better score. I think that is all for now.
Hope all is well in America Land keep me posted on the happenings there....I heard the president made a speech about Libya...someone care to tell me what it was regarding specifically? And we made guacamole the other day and it was the shit! I brought my nano out to show on the of PCV who was been in country for at least a year and he was shocked because he had not seen the latest technology.  I love the idea of going back to america and things being completely different.

Be free.  (which will be my next tattoo while I am here but it was be written in Tonga the language I am learning).

UPDATE!!!!!

Holy Chet where do I begin?!?!?! Well first and foremost I arrived in Zambia safe and sound....clearly.  So we had a ring in ceremony which were, our intake (group) of RED volunteers were for the first to be apart of.  It was to tell Zambia that we are here and ready to begin our service by ringing a bell.  There were also some really famous political people there such as Jonnie Carson-google him.  After that we went to our first site visit, it was me and two over PCV who went to Central Provience to stay with a RED volunteer for 3 days.  It was about 5 hours away from the capital, Lusaka and about two hours off the tarmac, road.  It was amazing.  We pitched a tent and stayed and visited two schools that she has been working with in her area.  We went to a MOE school that had an amazing landscaping job desks for the children multiple buildings and she was in the process of finishing up a resource building that the community raised money for and constructed.  The other school was about two minutes away and had no desks they had trees as benches and sand for the floor only two teachers and one building.  Sad but eye opening to see what changings I can make with my community.  we at ate so good.  we had grilled cheese, chili, chicken, pork, tacos, scrambled eggs.  The family bought the pork for us fresh that day and it was good.  So this post won't make sense because I am at an internet cafe in lusaka we had a field trip to a museum and now we had free time I changed 200 USD into kwacha their currency and was given 746,000 kwacha.  each month we will be making about 1.3 million kwacha holla.  So i learning tonga and will beliving in southern provience where victoria falls is!!! COME SEE ME!!!!! there is only two others who will be going to southern with me and currently there are no voluneeters there and there havent been for the past 2 years which is neat I get to come and set the standard for the rest of the RED people after me!!! There will be 3 LIFE volunteers joining us too one is a married couple yuck and the other is a girl.  so what I do during the week is monday thru saturday I go to language from 8 am to noon come home my family that I am staying with fixes me lunch then we are off to tech traing, where they teach us what we will be doing as a RED volunteer then I come home bucket bath (hell yea) eat dinner then study then bed.  every wed we do not have language we have medical training and get a shot and on saturdayswe end at noon and have half of saturday and sunday off.  I bike about 10km each day to get to my tech training site and the nearest boma or village is about 7km.  last night was the first time we have expeireneced the rainy season in zambia.  It started at about 3 am and continued until about 8 am.  My roof was leaking so it got all over my bed and sheets so hopefully when I go home it will be dry.  the family i am living with does my laundry, sweeps my hut and fixes me meals o and prepares my bath water.  they are amazing.  O the most important part, during our language training class I saw a pig get killed.  At first the men were just checking out the pigs then put a rope on its leg and drug it out of the locked area and started stabbing it in the neck.  I think he was aiming for the heart but missed and just stabbed.  They then put water all over the pig so they could burn the hair off without ruining the pig itself.  The next step was to cut out the inside parts that people don't eat...we luckily resumed class before I witnessed that part.  needless to say I still do not eat beef and now do not eat pork.  we have had two people go home early because the two year commitment was too much for them.  I have been to two different churches one apostolic and the other christian the apostolic church, my language teacher is the minister at and the other had a band with tons of dancing and it was awesome I am going back tomorrow.  It is about 4 hourslongs but I go late and it is only 2 hours for us.  My cousin passed away.  It was weird not being at a family 'function'.  I also have a cell phone with internet access so I can get on facebook and email just not update my blog.  well i am loving it here I am just really looking forward to starting my projects in southern provience. i LOVE ALL OF YOU THAT ARE READING THIS AND i WANT LETTERS AND CARE PACKAGES !!!!! :) 

BE FREE.

New Beginnings

This past week has been full of ....everything.  My best friend Maria surprised me and spent the night with me before I left.  AMAZING!!!! I had lunch with 3 of my really good friends, had to say good bye to them also at the end.  I am not good at telling people good bye, maybe because it seems weird that it is such a long time that I won't seem them that it might not be real to me yet?

I had to say good bye to my mom because she left for her vacation on the 29, that didn't suck or anything.  She did help me pack and then my dad got the rest of my stuff packed and weighed and I am at 80.4 but dimensions wise I am a little over. 

I packed up the rest of my clothes in boxes and left notes for my mom.  When I come back to the states my house will have been sold.....hopefully! 

This post is not very good because I got up so early this morning to tie up some loose ends and as I am writing I keep thinking of things I need or need to get right before I leave today....yikes.

I also added some pages at the top of my website that have my contact information and a wish list I will start soon.

Thanks for all the love and support from all my friends, family and coworkers.  Keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.

Be kind to one another

Zambia or Bust!!!!!

So here is my attempt at a complete packing list.  I tried to actually pack today but got a little overwhelmed so I revamped my packing list-hopefully this will help.  I also felt as if I wasn't packing enough....I am kind of the opposite of a hoarder....I am a compulsive purger of 'stuff'. Maybe I am packing just the right amount of 'stuff' but reading other blogs makes me feel otherwise. My mom is coming over tomorrow and Thursday to spend some quality time with me before I leave.

So I'm returning my iPad.  I don't think I am taking a computer at all with me to Zambia.  I am taking my nano and camera and that's it.  I was really excited to bring my iPad because I wanted to ease MY transition into this country when in reality its not about ME.  And my mom said she would bring me her laptop when she comes to visit IF I change my mind and want it.  

My last day of work at The Goddard School was Friday :(  I loved working there and all those little babies. It is weird to think that when I return most of my kids will be in the preschool side of the building...TALKING, WALKING AND POTTY TRAINED....crazy.

Saturday night was amazing.  A lot of my sorority sisters came to Indy and we went to Broadripple.  Shit show.  My friend Sarah W. and I cried in a bathroom together over the fact that I am leaving.  Next Saturday is my families going away party at my sisters house.  We will also be visiting Broadripple again for hopefully another memorable night.  

I think I have almost everything I need, I just need to wash some stuff and start actually packing.  I still have not committed to what bags I will be bringing.  Most likely I will be leaning toward checked bag #1 rolling duffel checked bag #2 hiking backpack and my carry on will be my smaller backpack and maybe a smaller duffel.  

My family freaked out over the 20/20 special.  I myself did not watch the special but I did read some of the article of the PCV who was tragically killed.  My aunts called me crying and left me messages.  They then called my mom and told her to watch the special(which I did not tell her about the special on purpose) they also  called my dad, who is out of the country on vacation, and told him about the special and he called my mom asking what they can do about their daughter going to Africa.  

All I can tell my family is that I have to be aware of my surroundings.  Be proactive about situations you are uncomfortable with and listen to the safety tips the PC has to tell me...

Be kind to one another

Major purchase

So I bought an iPad!!!! My laptop is done forever and the nook color cannot give me what I want to be able to do while I am in Africa and I am typing this blog on my new iPad.....purchased by ME!!!
I feel proud and accomplished
My mom is coming over Saturday to go over my packing list for Zambia and hopefully we can get some shit done
I also listened to some music that's from Zambia and it makes me soooo excited!!!
20 days and counting

I also spoke with someone to basically check in on me to make sure we are on the same page and it was very exciting....I now have one more thing to add to my packing list...dictionary.

Be kind to one another.

Decisions, Decisions...

So to get my 7 year old mac fixed would be roughly 700 bucks so now I am just debating between a nook color or an iPad....
I also am debating whether to get a video camera or just stick with my camera that was video capabilities...?

My packing list is still in the works....patience is a virtue

Be kind to one another

Packing List Attempt

So I have a packing list started and will post shortly.  But right now I am debating between a nook color, iPad or just getting my old computer fixed and taking that.  I really love the nook color because you can put pictures and music on it and also I wouldn't have to pack a lot of books I could just buy them before I left.  The iPad is the same way but I could have Word on it and could journal on it. My old computer also weighs a lot more than an iPad or nook color.  But fixing my computer is also an option because if something does happen to my laptop, it is already like 7 years old so I wouldn't be super sad if it got stolen.  But I would probably cry if my iPad got stolen.

I also need to figure out what bags I want to use to pack all my stuff in.  I have thought about a collapsable rolling duffle for checked bag #1 and then also checking my massive hiking backpack and then carrying on my normal sized backpack.  OR I could bring a big rolling sized bag AND the collapsable duffle to be my 2 checked bags and then carrying on my big hiking backpack. 

Lots to think about...

Be kind to one another.  

Update...

So I need to get some serious shit done in the next like 30 days...

I started packing up clothes to store at my mom's house.  I still need to pack up my children's books, my books and a few more clothing items.  It is so weird to think what clothes I will need in Africa, when I have never been there or really met someone who has to help me pack what I need.  The only thing I will need to move to my mom's house will be a desk, and one book shelf.  When I moved home from college I DID have a bunch of kitchen stuff, furniture and bathroom stuff but I figured I didn't need it, and since it would sit in storage for 27 months, I just gave it to the women's shelter in my town.  I did get a lot of stuff for Christmas but I still feel like I need a lot more.  I also got an eye exam and had them fill out the paperwork for the PC to have on file if something does happen to my glasses while away.  I got another pair of glasses and new lenses in my old pair.  

I had a week off work because we were closed and I was so excited to get some stuff done for the PC but I didn't do shit.  Oh I did get my nails done and my eyebrows done!!! (probably for the last time) I spent a few days in Evansville, where I went to college, to visit friends and ring in the new year with my friends.  I had more fun the night before NYE then on NYE.  

I had a few good-byes to say when I left and I cried a little.  I did not like it one bit. 

I am having a Going Away Party Jan. 22 at my sisters house for family and friends.  I really hope my friends from college come because I want to see them one last time.  Now I just need to have a going away party with my co-workers!!!  I originally planned on having my last day of work Jan. 20, but I am so glad I made it Jan. 13 because I am definitely going to need those extra 2 weeks to get my stuff together.  

O AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY STAGING INFO SOON!!!!!

Be kind to one another

More stuff for Zambia