Here is a poem our Peace Corps intake group composed~

I want to change the world

I want to change me

so i choose to be the change

In the world I see

So ill spread my wings and fly away

to a brand new culture, a brand new day.

A brand new lite and a brand new fear

But ill take with me what Ive learned here.

From the past we pull forgotten truth

Time capsule wisdom and tested proof

to help us grow and spread our roots

deep into the soil of wisdom-a tribute

to the humanity, underneath it all

under the facade

under the uncertainty

So this is me:

excited, sure, confident, scared

change, changing, time, growth

But Ill adapt and i will integrate

and make it through 800 days

Ill close my eyes and count to ten

and walk right by the shallow end

the truth I know will be the truth i see

Because the change starts with me.

The jump is frightening between where I am going and where Ill be

but because of all I may become, I will close my eyes and leap.

~ Ok...moving on. I have stated I may abandon this blog since I will be living 5 hours from internet...but we will see. Mass e mail may just work out better. But hey....check it every now and then anyway untill you get the final word.

love love love you all

Well. I'm here!

I have already started to fall in love with the place. It is beautifully green, the dirt is red, the air is clean and smells sweet, like flowers and spices. The people are nice and the temperature is perfect.

The PC people Im with are all awsome, Peace Corps seems to take really good care of you. Im getting issued an awsome mountain bike, I got a huuuuge med kit, and a personal alarm system that can blast your ear drums out. I think Ill be a ok over here.

Tomorrow we start our really training by going out on a site visit. A group of 5 of us are going waaaaaay up north for a week long trip camping in the bush/in a very rural village. There is a list of things I need to accomplish while Im there, things like, build a fire, carry a baby on my back, kill and clan a chicken, dance :) wild.

Last night a bunch of us went out to this bar (old grain silo) and drank local beer called shake shake. Just sitting in the tubs it bubbles because it is still fermenting. It was actually pretty good, it tasted like pumpkin pie beer. We danced to Shakira and tried to talk to people...however the language barrier combined with drunk bar patrons made it a little difficult, but that ok, it was interesting anyway :)

Anyway...this is my last internet time for almost 2 months....so this will be my last post for a while. However, I did get a cell phone, and will have service most of the time, so drop me line if you want. texts are cheapest, or if you want to call go to callingcardplus.com for some reeeaaaally cheap rates. my number is 011 for africa, 26 for zambia and then ny number.

So : 011 26 097 946 919

Anyway, Im happy, Im healthy, and Im loooooving it over here.

Love and Peace to all.

Well, the official and final countdown has begun. Today was my last Monday at home in lovely Kalamazoo, Michigan. Next Monday at 5 a.m. I'm flying out of the Zoo to start the first leg of my journey to Zambia. After a couple days in Washington D.C. I leave on the 25th for a 15 hour flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, where I'm lucky enough to stay the night. Lastly I have a 2 hour flight up to Lusaka where I will finally get my first taste of my new home.

Last Friday I had my "going away" party, thank you to everyone who showed up, it was a great time. I know I am so very lucky to have so many great friends who are so supportive of what I'm doing, but at the same time it makes it a little harder to leave. Here is a picture that kind of sums up the festivities of that night (sorry Jess, I just love your tender kisses) :)

I'm going to try to keep up on this blog as much as I can but here is a portion of my information pack that will explain why that may be hard, "THERE WILL BE NO TELEPHONE OR INTERNET AT YOUR POST", and yes they did use caps lock. But regardless, I'm hoping to make it to a computer at least once every few weeks, but that is a wish without any facts about my situation to back it up. My new e-mail is whithein@gmail.com, and my new address is

Whitney Hein, PCT

c/o Peace Corps

P.O. Box 50707

Lusaka, Zambia

Letters take up to 6 weeks, but I will appreciate every single one I get.

Id keep writing, but I need to go have dinner, and I am in no position to be turning down stuffed pork chops when Ill soon be in the land of nshima and chickens feet. I have included the recipe for nshima below because it will be my staple food for the next two years and I want you all to try to make some for yourselves so you can litterally have a little taste of my life. :)

WEH

Nshima

Ingredients:

1 cup cold water, 3 cups hot water, 2 to 3 cups corn meal

Preparation

Boil water in a saucepan. Make a paste using some of the meal with the cup of cold water. Add the paste to hot water. Stir with a wooden spoon until thickened like porridge. Cover the saucepan and simmer for some time (about 15 minutes). Lower the heat a little. Remove the lid and gradually add corn meal, stirring constantly and flattening any lumps that may form. Continue to add meal and stir until nshima thickens to the desired consistency (some people like it thin, and others prefer it thick). Cover and reduce heat to very low. Leave for a few minutes to allow further cooking. Stir the nshima once again and serve in a slightly wet serving dish. Cover to keep it warm. Serve with meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables.