I woke up thinking about my blog, or lack there of, today. This was followed by an email and a text message about my blog today.

Kind of weird. If that is not a sign to write something than I don't know what is. I have been back in Zambia for a little over a week. The travel up to Solwezi from the capital in Lusaka is almost as as long as all of the planes that you have to take to get here. As soon as I returned I hit the ground running. Today, I took the day off and slept all day. It felt really nice. Why is your job so busy? What do you do? You are asking yourself. Well I do a little bit of everything and days of the week don't matter. I can't really take the day off, I still have to answer emails, text, and phone calls but by taking the day off i do a little less physical labor, traveling, and or shopping for others. It is a fun job though, and every day is different.

I have recently submitted my grad school applications, I think that this has been weighing on me so much that it is the cause of my sleep induced comma of today. more to come I am going to write again tomorrow. This is for you AMJ.

Love

elo

MY NEW ADDRESS!!!

Ms Elizabeth Otter

po box 110264

solwezi Zambia

Africa

Hobo chic . . . I learned sadly while in cape town is not the same as Peace Corps Volunteer two years in. I kept saying to Bobby, "It's ok, just think of it as Hippster." But i guess i look even worse than the worst hippster's. But what i do have in my favor is that I am not trying to hard. I can't try, I only have what I have at list point!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Don't want to be a richer man

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

(Turn and face the strain)

Ch-ch-Changes

Just gonna have to be a different man

Time may change me

But I can't trace time

Well I just learned something new, I always thought that the last lryic of this song was "But I can't change time" not "trace" time. wow my mind is blown. Funny Fact a common phrase, and by common I mean used all the time, here in Zambia, it "be free" kind of like be comfortable and do whatever moves you, what is mine is yours, etc. which is the subtitle on this blog, which was established over two years before i ever came to Zambia! i love when life gives you clues on your future.

Greetings! The count down has begun, I have just a little over two weeks left in my village before I get pulled, meaning that I pack up and move out in the same way in which i moved in, my PCVL (a different one since they are only contracted for a year) will be there and the PC cruiser, i will have everything ready, feel terrified, and then load up say my goodbye's but in the opposite way, and roll out! So many different feelings are running through my body: excitement, sadness, relief, guilt that i am leaving early (about 4 1/2 months), planning mode, etc.

The excitement comes from the fact that I soon will be living in a house with a tin roof, meaning there are few to no leaks! on me, my things, my yoga mat! I will have internet, running water (both cold and hot on good days), and electricity! I will also be seeing my mom, sister Julie, and roommate from college/best friend, Maggie in 2 and a half weeks! I am so excited. I have missed them all so much and have had such limited contact to them. It has been almost 9 months since i have seen my mom and sister, and 20 months since i have see maggie!

I wouldn't let myself get excited about this up coming trip however until after seeing my brother in Feb. It was such a great trip and to me a really great way to re-meet my brother. We have grown and changed a bit in the past year and a half, well i know that i have, and i feel i have finally graduated from the always to be protected little sister, just a sister who hopefully is a peer/friend, like the relationship he and my older sister had growing up. Which i have always envied in a way. It could not have come at a better time for me since there was a lot going on at home as well as here in Zambia that threw me for a slight loop. Family is always family and even through i have an amazing PC family, sometimes you need the real thing. We met up at victoria Falls, which was beautiful, a great time of year to see it! We stayed in both a back packers lodge and a fancy safri lodge, both were great. We were able to go on a day trip to Chobe Park in Botswana and see so many animals especially elephants, my spirit animal. Bobby got to witness first had the non-logical side of Africa through Boarders. Also public beating, when our driver got out of the car and started beating up a drunk that was harassing us. We also went to cape town, which i loved! What a beautiful city! We got to go to Robben Island, the District 6 museum,walked all over (the V & A Waterfront, Gardens, Long street, Financial district, more). We went hiking and saw some beautiful sites. Ate great food, i got to drink different beers! and really have only had two available to me here in Zambia Castle and Mosi, so this was exciting. But I think a highlight for both of us was going to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. So beautiful. awesome. you must go if you have the chance to this place. It was wonderful. Oddly enough a very common theme through out the trip was people asking us if we were a couple, so by the end i found myself talking loudly about being brother and sister in public. There were a lot of cute boys around, and i didn't want them to have the wrong idea. A great trip and break by all. It makes me excited to come home in sept and see him and hang out again soon.

So in closing, Solwazi, in Northwestern Province here I come! Some big changes are coming up and I am (hopefully) ready!

Umm, This song, I don't have words for it, but it is making me happy my hair is chin length, because when it comes on at da club,like on new years eve, i take it pretty seriously. I whip. My. Hair! However, my little loves, Jr, and Isaac prefer dancing to the song We R Who We R by Ke$ha. Gotta love pop music!

I am doing well, I'm a bit home sick now though, I am at a really transitional stag right now, and because i will see my brother Bobby in a months time and my mom and sister, and my roommate from college in two months! Its all so soon and i am letting myself get excited. Also I am letting myself miss my Bobfather! Since he is not coming on these trips, not seeing my da for 14 months is a long time! I said it is a transitional time because I will be moving out of my village, my home, in April. I applied for a position within Peace Corps Zambia to be a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader, this means that i will be in charge of all the PCV's in a provence, for example Im one of 25 PCVs in central Provence. I will be the person who gives support to the PCV's who are having a tough time, are sick, have housing issues, but also the middle person between the Lusaka Administration and volunteers. I am really excited about the job, but feel bettersweet, about leaving my family! I don't know which Provence I will be going to yet either, and i just found out that i won't know about my placement as a PCVL until V-tines day, i will be going to either Eastern or Northwestern and living in the provencial capital in the PC/Z house with water and electricity, my own bed room and bathroom! I will be talking to my boss, the country director of peace corps, this week to make my demands as are made with all jobs, I want to be able to come home for a month in September.

Isaac will be starting grade one tomorrow, monday! My family got a black kitten, that Jr. calls Ba Otis or Baby Ba Otis, which left me to believe when i got back to my hut after Christmas that Otis was dead and they bought me a replacement kitten! But, worry not! Otis is alive and well and HATES the new kitten, but its a girl and i think that he will come around to her. I named her Sasha, my childhood nick name. I think they got the kitten because Isaac will be starting school. he is almost 9 and just starting school because he was meant to watch Jr until he was big enough to be left alone, and now he is and will be alone all day everyday now. But he loves cats, well Otis at least, but Otis hides from him, and now he has something to keep him busy and outta trouble. The whole family is doing well, Presca is getting bigger and bigger, my Bamaayo says that Presca now has a "Tractor and a Trailer" where she learns these English words/expressions I don't know but they are funny!!

I will be in Lusaka for next 10 days, teaching a behavior change concepts to the two new programs who are having their In-Service Training, then i will have three weeks up in my village before bobby comes to visit. I cannot believe it will be over a year and a half since i have seen bobby! I am happy about having this long period of time finally just to live in my village again before i move. Until next time!

The pictures below are of: The swimming hole that my family made for me since they know that i really like to swim and it gets so hot here. They mad it in a danbow, a marsh, that has running water going through it if you dig down only like a foot. Next, is me and a cameleon! When i found it, it was bright green, see how much it changed when it was next to me for a while!!! Then Jr. sweeping my yard for me, he asks for "piece work" in exchange for sweeties. Isaac and Jr. cannot touch their tounges to their nose, like myself and my siblings can, actually i haven't found a zambian that can do it yet! But they think it is the best thing ever when i do it! Lastly, Spices from the Spice Souk in Dubai. It was so cool.

. . . And you will fall asleep, counting your blesssss-ings! Wow, is there a better movie out there than "White Christmas"?! I just got it sent to me in the mail from my mother and I can't get the songs outta my head! I think I like it so much because it isn't all about Christmas music, which I am pretty indifferent about, unless it is Sufjan Steven's Christmas music. Let me start off by saying happy holidays to all! I hope your "days are merry and bright".

I know that it has been forever since I have written. There is just always so much to do and I cant help bit feeling that writing is such a big commitment. But I think that it more has to do with the fact that the longer I am here the harder I feel it is to put words to what I am feeling and experiencing here, not to mention that constant struggle to have a good internet connection. I just got a bunch of new music from a volunteer that went to the states on vacation, it is so nice to feel like I now know somewhat what is going on in the world of music. Something that I miss.

Since i have written last, I have had the amazing opportunity to go to Dubai to visit my Aunt Mary Jane and Uncle Mike who are living there! I was such an 180 degree change from everything and anything that is Zambia/n! But a great break and so fun to be around family. I am a lucky kid. All is going well in the village and all my family members are doing well! I am starting to get withdrawal when i have to leave them for long periods of time. I have just become so attached to my little Junior! My Bamaayo and Batata keep trying to get me to adopt him, or my sister Julie! and i must say if my circumstances were different i would totally conceder it! So I am starting to conduct a list of things that still shock or surprise me, after a year and a half, I'll be adding to it as i think of things so expect this list to change and grow. Until then, I will leave you with this!

THINGS THAT STILL SHOCK ME:

• Babies wearing hats, shirts, pants, underwear, socks, anything really decked out in Rasta colors and marijuana leaves. Never gets any less weird/funny.

• Seeing breast everywhere, and at any time, let me just say I am so pro bra at this point in my life. So pro bra, and thankful for the support.

• The fact that any white person, anywhere, will always wave at me. Do I know you? No, okay didn’t think so

I have been babysitting our Provincial house/office this week while our PCVL (Peace Corps Volunteer Leader (Third year extension position of volunteer support, managing of, and site preparation)) is on home leave. This has been such a blessing since i am taking the GRE next weekend and have had this time to study! Also I have had more access to internet, and have had some fun conversations with people through email and what not, i thought i would post some of the questions that people have asked me and the answers, to cover some of the things that i don't tend to think about. Also I will include a packing last I made for a person who came during the previous cold season. THe only additions needed for the hot season are less layers and nov-march, rain gear. enjoy!

I have a Tailor. "YOU HAVE A TAILOR?!?! Whaattt?" Why is it that everyone responds that way to the fact that I have a tailor!? You have to think of Zambia or should I say, where I live in Zambia as an 1880's Wild Wild West-ern town, you can't buy premade clothes only fabric and then make something yourself or pay someone to make it for you! I choose the ladder. I love gettting clothes made!

in the past 6 months here, all these white south africans, Aussies, Chinese, Japanese, etc people have been flooding my area to mine and already its changing and people are being pushed out its sad, and there are no laws for protection or environment.

the fact that the country is progressing everyday and fighting to adapt to the westernized world while still using oxen and hand plowing fields, is just a trip, and for me its like being a part of something that will never be able to be recreated again, and I love and appreciate that.

no water, no electricity, but ionically i live about 300 meters from the governments power lines that run from the bottom of the country to the top. Actually my water source is under them, and I can hear the cancerous crackle of power while scooping up H2O. Ooh africa.

Also its important to remember that in the village people will wear the same thing 3-5days straight, to bed, to work, everywhere! So sometime guilt sets in, for me, when I don’t wear things excessively? Doesn’t make tons of sense but, you’ll get it soon enough, so what I am saying is you don’t have to pack a ton, which is so much easier to say than do! Okay here we go:

Shoes:

• A good pair of running/tennis shoes.

You may not wear there that often, but the times that you will need them they come in great use! Unless you are a runner, than you will wear them often, but they are great for biking again.

• A pair of nice “Lusaka” shoes

You won’t wear these often, they truly are for Lusaka (Maybe I should just have a Lusaka section, but meh, I’ll just do it this way with font change)! Mine I think I have worn only a few times but they are great when you do. However, there is a store called Mr. Price here, and they are kind of like a Forever 21 meets H&M, not the best quality but cute clothes and they have great shoes there!

• Sturdy sandals/Flip Flops

I brought with me a nice pair of Teva flip flop sandals, they broke, and now only wear Eagles, which are Zam made, plastic flip-flops, think Old Navy flip-flops. Once broken in, they are very comfortable and CHEAP like 4 Pin, so less than a dollar (80 cents). This I feel is what everyone wears here, yes some people have the Chaco’s and other hard core sandals, and they do come in great use, however I don’t have them and I have never had a problem.

Clothes:

You will be coming here during the winter, and it gets REALLY cold in the early morning and in the evening/at night. However, it can get pretty warm during the day, even hot sometimes, so layering is going to be your best friend.

• A thin hat, I sleep in mine at night, while wearing a hoody, pants, sock, and two blankets, there is no installation (that's mud bricks for you) and it’s windy.

• Socks of different lengths, some for warmth, others for shoes, how many you bring is up to you, however socks are easy to wash.

• Sports bras! These will be your best friend in the village, obviously bring a few regular bras for when you are not in the village.

• Comfortable underwear. Really no need for thongs.

• Tank tops, especially tank tops with built in bra’s they are easy, and even easier to layer with. I have liked to have the Hanes wife beater’s and I don’t care if they get dirty. But when it comes down to it dark colored things are the best for the village, so pack the most of dark colors. White is impossible to keep white here, consequently I now have about 8 gray Hanes’s tank tops, oh well.

• T-shirts, just your regular everyday shirt, my favorites have been Gap favorite Tee esc. Crew neck, long. And I think I said this in my first email to you, but solid colored things work well for the village and if you ever get and thing made, because ichitange’s have crazy patterns.

• Long sleeve shirts!

• Sweat Shirts and sweaters one of each maybe?

• And one fleece or jacket, doesn’t have to be to thick because you will, most likely, be wearing a tank top, long sleeve shirt, sweater, and your fleece at once, and then stripping as the day goes on.

• Pants! Two pairs of sturdy pants that you can work in should do it. I have four, but they are suppose to last me for the next two years, and if you have a few long dresses you wont need much more. I had this rule while packing, and it worked out well, that unless you can sit Indian style comfortably in pants, you shouldn’t bring them. You just want clothes that you can really move in. I wear yoga pants of full and Capri length here. Also bring some leggings they are great under skirts, or just for hanging out, or when its cold.

• I am a jean junkie. I love jeans and it was so hard for me packing because I wanted to bring them all. Alas I settled on this, it was hard, but it has worked; a pair that I wear at the house and in the boma, and then a nice pair that I bring to Lusaka with me and wear there, because I would care more if they got messed up.

• A few going out shirts, dresses, skirts, or outfits. Won’t happen often but when you do go out you will want to look cute, and kind of go all out after not being able to dress up or anything a while.

DAPP – I don’t know if you like to Thrift, but if you do DAPP is your heaven. Its awesome, they import donated clothes from Europe. You can find some gems! Its worth the hunt. Just a heads up, so you can find anything you want.

Toiletries:

• Two toothbrushes

• Toothpaste, your favorite kind, but get one with extra fluoride, we get water from holes, so there is no added fluoride to our water, I can feel my teeth falling apart already (However, on 4/10/10 I went to the dentist . . . NO CAVITIES! Go me!). They sell regular toothpaste here but its not as good, flavor wise too.

* Floss

• Sun Screen.

• A GOOD face sunscreen, the new wrinkles that have formed on my face, sad. So sad. I am aging, the new lines. I cannot even talk about

• Face moisturizer. For the same reason as stated. Also it gets really dry here. . . Soo . . .

• Bring a good lotion or body butter!

• Shampoo and conditioner, you can buy ok stuff here, but its more expensive and, you get such great flash backs whenever you take a sniff of “America”.

• Face wash and whatever else you use in your daily routine

• A razor and extra razor blades, unless you want to go all natural, which I would have to say good for you, I can’t do that.

• Hair ties! Lots! Bobby pins. Head bands, hair can get annoying here.

• Small travel sized bottles, great for when you are at the house, but also when you go on little excursions or camping trips.

• Nail clippers and nail file. I have about four different color nail polishes but more are always welcome! But don’t forget your nail polish remover!

• Wet Wipes! Cottenel Flushable wipes. They are just nice and easy, yes they are wasteful but after a long day of transport of what have you, they can make you feel so much cleaner.

• I have a special toiletries bag that is always packed (Thank you Nancy!), it has wet wipes, lotion, toothpaste, anti-bacterial no water hand wash, my mini bottles of shampoo and conditioner, a plastic poncho. Its just nice to have a little bag that I can just grab when ever I go somewhere with out having to think about it. I also have another one with all my wires, chargers, and my camera.

Other:

• Sheets, up to you. I brought sheets from home, personally I love them, they make me happy they don’t come off just by sitting on the bed (fitted sheets are impossible to find), and they are soft.

Now you dear reader are all ready to come and visit me!

Prayers, well wishes, and positive energy sent my way on Sat. 23 of OCT. (Gmt +2) 8:30am would be soo soo very appreciated! As that is when I am taking the dreaded GRE.

So today is my second birthday in Zambia. I have one more to go, I think. See the kids that got into country a year before I did are all leaving today, and by all I mean 9. Out of the 18 left in this intake, half are staying an extra year doing work in different applied areas all over Zambia. Your 3rd year you get a tiny bit more money, modern day amenities, and a more structured job usually with a NGO or government organization. Its funny, the more time that I spend here the less I reach out to the newer kids. People leaving you takes a toll on your well being, its keeps you constantly having to adjust to life here, and frankly life here is hard enough without that. Kind of makes me feel bad though for these new new kids that are swearing in next Friday; finally becoming volunteers, trainees no longer. I found out that two friends that are not COS-ing (Close Of Service (your finished! They did it!)) have left or are leaving this week. Really it’s such a trippy feeling, but people always say that it is harder to be left behind. Maybe it really is.

I have waged war and a personal vendetta against ants, and in the past few weeks I have been poisoning them out of house, home, and hut. I have a cemented floor, which is great, but these little monsters have been eating through that cement and marching all around my house eating everything in sight, smell, or sense. Really I don’t know how they find things and I have been eating drinking and dreaming ants because of this. I wish I was just trying to paint a image in your heads but seriously. I have. I have an empty cup, I pick it up get some drinking water, then moments later I am wondering what that weird feeling in my mouth is, only to be pulling out many, many ants from the sides of my mouth and tongue. I just tell myself its protein, but that doesn’t seem to help me very much its still gross. I set a plate of food down for a moment and I am no longer just fighting my cat from it but the ants too. And let me tell you there is nothing more devastating then putting away some Annie’s Mac and Cheese to the side to finish later; with the lid on the pot and the pot height up on your tallest of two tables, to only find it so infested with ants that you can not possible even eat around them. So finally I bought the poison and moved around all my things and furniture; swept up around the massive amounts of dirt dust and sand that they brought above ground with them and didn’t even dilute the poison as instructed. Just poured it straight down. Man oh man was that a gratifying feeling. Like the winner of a long hard race where you were racing cheaters that were trying to sabotage you! Victorious! We shall see how long this last this time. I just want the feeling of ants always crawling on me and all over me to stop. This is not the first time I have had this problem, and with the heat comes the return of all kinds of bugs. Shall be getting interesting in the bush!

My site visits and being a trainer and programs are almost finished now! I have one more the first week of October that is called, Mid-term Medical Conference. I think the name says it all, and I am now over half way through my service and we are having a conference about it, and while we are there we are going to be poked and prodded to make sure we are still in top health and are teeth are still in our head! I am excited about this, it is like a reunion of my intake, we haven’t all been together since January. I cannot wait to see how people have grown, changed, and what their service has developed into by now, I know that mine has changed and taken turns that I wasn’t expecting! All in all though I must say, “things are just ok this side”. That is Zam-lish for everything thing is great over here! Thank you for all the birthday cards, emails, facebookings, and calls this year. It was a really great birthday. I think 24 will be the year that I have been waiting for in many different ways. Look forward to hear from you all. Mwenda Bwino!

So I am a Tec trainer this week at PST (Pre-Service Training). It is really funny to be back where I started out, but on the other end of things a year later. It’s so nice not to have the stress of learning a language and being tested on it, and the stress of meeting friends is not there. I must say I am enjoying things on this end. Everyone I have met so far has been really outstanding; however I can’t help but want to get back to my village as fast as I can. See I was out the whole month of June, since my mom, dad, and sister, Julie, where here visiting Zambia. My mom, Kay, and I went on a week long trip to Namibia, which was so beautiful and overwhelming for me. It is much more developed than Zambia, and it forced me out of my safety bubble, which Zambia is. I have never felt threatened or in Danger since I have been here, and all or a sudden I am having to be aware of thieves and robbers again. Weird! But on the whole the first leg of the trip with my mom was amazing. Climbing sand dunes that were beautifully sculpted and tall, was a brand new experience and a site unlike anything I have ever seen. We went horse back riding, sand dune ATV-ing, and on a morning cruse boat that allowed us to see and pet seals and pelicans! Also see bottle nosed dolphins! Upon our return to Zambia we met up with the Bobfather and Julie to travel to my site, and stomping grounds in Central Province. After that very eye opening portion of the trip we went up north to Shiwa ngandu a 20th century Victorian manor house in the heart of the bush. It was beautiful and the owners were very hands on and knowledge able. As we left Shiwa, I parted with the fam and drove our rental car back down to Lusaka, it was my first time driving on this trip in a year, and it felt so good, even if it was on the other side of the road. The fam went to Tenna Tenna a safari camp, where if Julie hadn’t already fallen in love with Zambia, it was only heightened. I met up with them when they were done and the 4 of us went to Victoria Falls, which was, gorgeous! We even took a short helicopter ride over the falls to get a different angle. A first for all of us, and nothing that Kay would ever like to do again. This was the end of the trip for Julie and me, Julie going back to the States and me to site for a few days. Bob and Kay on the other hand went to Malawi, they liked it, but I am proud to say, their loyalties were with Zambia! I came back to Lusaka to say goodbye to them on their return. By this time it was July. I was able to do some work during this time, like build and get rabbits for a nutrition and Income Generating Community Activity I am doing, and pass out the surveys I have made for my behavior change workshop.

But now I am out of the village again for over a week, when just over a week ago I hosted a 5 day site visit, with volunteers right off the plane from the States! It was really fun and a great group, but man it was exhausting! I will be hosting the second site visit that they have at the end of the month as well. So needless to say it has been busy and full of responsibility. I am the only person in all of Peace Corps Zambia that is hosting both site visits on top of being a trainer of the week. I hope this means that the Head quarters staff in Lusaka likes me! On this note I must sign off to get some prep done for this afternoon’s sessions on HIV/AIDS in Zambia. I hope to flood my blog this week while I have internet connection, and get everyone as up to date on my life here as possible. Love to you all, and thanks for reading this, even if it is a bit bland!

So I am standing on the street just before dusk, the sun is still sitting pretty; I am looking for a specific cab driver, the only cab driver that goes to where I am headed. I am trying to get into Kabalaka, a small village outside Chalinbana, in Chongwe district (I will get back to why in a bit). A man smelling of stale jilly-jilly sashes, a 4in x 2.5in plastic pouch holding 75ml or almost two ounces of 45% poor cane alcohol. These are given witty names to match their cost of 750 Kwatcha, or about 15 cents per “packet”, like “Double Punch!”, “Officers”, and one of my favorites “Rambo”.

My new friend, tries charming me first by telling me that I am a Mazungu (Ma /zoon/ gue), or a white person, he was really observant. He went on to quickly start revealing to me that I was responsible for killing Jesus Christ. Over and over he kept telling me this, until finally I kindly stated that this was impossible since I was born for the first time, to my knowledge, in 1986. This didn’t satisfy his needs, so then started explaining that all white people are responsible for killing Jesus. This is because there is evidence that the Roman’s were, in fact white, where as it is obvious that Jesus was dark skinned, therefore black. This was a totally new experience for me, never in my life had I experienced a person yelling at me, “You killed Jesus!” over and over while a group of on lookers just laughed. Yes, I had head more then a few times that “Jesus had died for me and my sins”, but never have I been heckled about being the one that killed him! So I guess I am trying to say, is white people bad news, there is another thing our ancestors have done that you have to feel guilty about. My Jewish loves: you are off the hook, at least in Africa, we, yes we, gotcho back!

I guess this blog is called “Jesus, etc.” for a few reasons: I love Wilco. I love this song. I had a recent Jesus story; and this is going to be a random entry that moves all over the place. It has also allowed me to once again think about that “Higher Being” “God” a few times over the past month.

Elishabe was the little girl that I wrote about a little over a year ago; I also posted a naked picture of this little cutie somewhere below! Last Friday morning (17 July) I found out that she died. She had fallen into the family’s water hole. This is not a well, its just a meter wide hole in the ground, about 2 meters deep that is being fed by a natural underground spring or brook. This is so sad for me; this was the baby that I had fallen in love with, whilst falling in love with Zambia, the first baby I had carried on my back with a chitange, the first baby that really peed on me, she helped me become excepted into my home stay family.

In other words. I have been here a year now, and I haven’t lost anyone that I was close to in Zambia, I have been lucky. But this experience has given me a different perspective on things and life. The Mulolo family, is a responsible, loving, and generous family, the fact that Shabe (shay ba) drowned is not the family’s fault it was a total fluke. I went down to visit the family after I heard, and I was never embraced so warmly. Yes, I did bring gifts with me, but the way in which we remembered little Shabe, and supported each other was wonderful and has enriched my experience here no matter how hard it was.

The title of this post may just be my favorite song to do at Karaoke, just throwing that out there.

So the long awaited and sweet reunion between mother and child has accred. It was glorious. The longest span on time i have ever gone without seeing kay has now come to a close. But i really cannot believe how fast the 11 months have passed. It has been such an incredible year. the past few days have been fun catching up and sharing Lusaka with her, it's not the craziest city in the world but it has some charm and good places to eat. Today we are leaving for a week long trip to Namibia, where we will be traveling to the capital, Windhoek, then to the sand mountains, and to the ocean, ahh seeing the ocean will be good for my soul i believe. Don't worry i will be taking pictures and posting them as soon as i can!

The past few months have been really busy with workshops, activities, new comers, and of course work within my village. I have gone to a PEPFAR HIV/AIDS week long workshop which was really great, and it is always nice to see that the US governments money is going to good use! Then the Behaviour change work shop followed shortly after. It was incredible and more than i could even have wanted it to be! The bahaviour i have chosen is to prevent adolescent pregnancy within school aged girls, which is truly a problem in the village due to cultural norms, lack of anything better to do, and the lack of a voice that most young girls have. For example since the new school year started in January three 6th graders have been taken out of school because their parents have had them get married. Now to be fair, you can be anywhere from 10-16 in 6th grade, however, i don't think that changes the fact that the education level will not become any better, and that these girls are stripped from their childhoods in many ways. So through statistical surveying and analysis (thank you Dr. Schlichting! You have no idea how excited i was to get back to looking at data! so much so, that i wish i were joking) and dividing groups of girls into Doers and non-doers, i will, with my counterpart, Mrs. Bukole, be able to look at our target groups. We will also be starting girls empowerment clubs in 3 different schools. I am hoping to set up a slew of activities and presenters. so in other words i will be busy for a long time with this project, not to mention the other projects i have going on. My NHC, Neighborhood Heath Committee, wants to build an Women's Ward, attachment onto our clinic, when that happens, i have requested that we have a youth room or area, where kids can come in, ask questions, get contraceptives, and as we say in Zambia, "Be Free". When the NHC is done with their grant work, i may need some help from you all reading this with a few small donations, but i will get into that later.

I am enjoying life, and my visitor! The Bobfather and Julie will be getting into Lusaka a week from tomorrow and i am very very excited. It's nice that Bobby, my brother, didn't make it on this trip for the soul reason that i know i have another visitor coming sometime in the future! and on that note, before this gets too long, i am going to sign off, and will you all well!

So a few things first, like the bigger news. I will be starting a new project soon which i am really excited about. it is a pilot project Peace Corps is doing on behavior change, they are testing it/starting with my intake, but only the Health volunteers that meet the criteria. While applying you must pick you topic of research, mine is gender! you know how i love equality and feminism! Well we will be having a workshop in May, my proposal was picked, and i will get to start making survay's and collecting data! I couldn't believe i would get this excited about these things but after many great semesters, with wonderful professors, (THANKS Dr. White & Dr. Schlicting!) I get to do what i love and majored in! I can tell you that there will be much more to come on this! Also a HUGE package came right before i left for Easter holiday from the 3rd graders at Elm Elementary School! They made glitter pens as fundraiser to buy kids at my basic school supplies and recess equipment! They wrote letters and I know that this is the start to a great international friendship! Thank you so much for all your hard work Mrs. Douglas!

Now for the bad news; I have had a great loss, in a moment of feministic euphoria, i decided to cut off the rest of my hair. I was hoping for a white Rihanna, what I got was Peter Pan. Feeling a bit silly. Oh well hair grows. Just got to get back to my village now where there are no mirrors, so i won't be haunted anymore.

I have been out of my village for what feels like forever, due to visitors at my site, a weekend trip to some near by waterfalls, (See picture above different views, as well as an action shot walking down the mountain to the falls) and my Easter holiday in Gaborone Botswana. All of which have been more that amazing and fun. I am going to steal an excerpt from my travel buddies blog, i feel he wrote it well and it will save me a bit of time, seeing that it is very early in the morning and i have to leave to get a Peace Corp ride back up to site soon! I hope all is well with everyone! Loves, Eliz

"strolled to the main bus station downtown at around 6 and waited for a mini bus to load up to the hitching point towards livingstone, about an hour and a half later. 30 minutes after getting off the bus, got a lift from some South Africans we thought were heading to Livingstone, but found out later at our first pit stop that they were bound for South Africa via Gaborone. Score.

They were awesome and while being in a covered truck bed is never ideal, it was fast and friendly. We stopped in Livingstone at Victoria Falls and went in to the park and saw the massive flow of the Zambezi and the falls, which are nearly at their peak, as the rainy season is winding up. So we did that pretty quick with the Father and Son we were traveling with (the third person was The Father’s sister and is a Zambian resident). From there it was a quick shoot to the border where we took a ferry accross the Zambezi. Kazungula is a cool place because it’s where the Chobe River and Zambezi meet, as well as being a shared border for Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.

Botswana’s landscape was just amazing, and to my surprise, a lot different than Zambia’s—and especially drastically different than my provence in Zambia. Much flatter, more arid, shorter grasses, scarcer ‘towns’ and, most importantly, way more wildlife. On the way down we saw elephants, girraffees (sp?), zebra-but which might have been something else since they were farther off, baboons. Amazing to think we stopped maybe 40 yards away from an elephant that probably could have manhandled us if it wanted to.

Wound up getting in to Gaborone around 5a the following day and getting to the lodge early. Passed out until lunch time and just hung out. Spent the 3 day weekend in Gaborone and it was nice. It’s a much more developed place from a western standpoint-primarily from their diamond mines and cattle success, but this isn’t that type of post.

Did a lot in Gaborone and enjoyed it thoroughly- hiked Kgale Hill, went on a game drive (spotted hyenas, wharthogs, impala, kudu, wildebeast), checked out the damn and consequently crashed a Greek Orthodox Easter party, ate plenty of amazingly good beef and got my fill of drinks. All in all it was a well spent long weekend in a city I never knew existed and really deserves the title of “Africa For Begginers”-there are similarities of course with life in Zambia, but it’s amazing how westernized and modern it seemed—more cars, nicer cars, a lot of development, great infrastructure.

Monday we left Gaborone and decided to try to make it to the border and had even more crazy fun with that trip. Long, complicated story short: a guy went roughly 400km out of his way to hang out with us and drop us at the border and we wound up staying at the Chobe Safari Lodge at the border for the government rate and there’s a chance it was the nicest place I’ve ever been in my entire life. Amazing kudu stew for dinner with pap (botswana’s version of Zambia’s staple nshima—now I can say I had their best) and some other goodies. Huge 2 room chalet and awesome breakfast buffet this morning before we hit the road and wound up where the start of this entry takes place."

WARNING: This post is, for the most part, fragmented sentences, and i digress quite often. I hope that it does not drive to many people crazy.

The generosity, support, and thoughtfulness that people have shown me since my arrival to Zambia has astounded me, and has brought me to tears more times than my pride will let me admit or count. So this Entry is a very big thanks you. THANK YOU, thank you, a million times thank you! Just seeing that the number count of people who have looked at the blog, who cares really if you submit yourself to my ramblings, has gone up by one, means a great deal to me.

On my not so hot days, I am forced to ask myself what is it that I am running from, why am here putting off life!? On the days where I am laughing at nothing and loving the beauty that encompasses me here, I ask how is it that I am so lucky, living here, living life (this is the strong majority of time, however my mother has pointed out to me that she thinks that I don’t talk about the struggle enough, and even thought she knows what I’m doing is a cake walk . . . I thought I would put in here that I have bad days where I think I am bonkers). As I completed my 7th month of 27 and I am finding what is important or intellectual in my life is changing (45 minute in-depth conversations on the best techniques on gathering and keeping your water supply filled. The feeling of deep fulfillment that comes from baking bread successfully on top of coals, in a frying pan. Sharing food and meals, becoming much more than the surface of those words; but really sitting down next to someone that has never tasted what you are about to give them and watch the experience shape and effect them. More bodily function questions, observations, and sharing than I ever thought I would be comfortable with. What is justice and why is it so hard to find? What is equality? Are our (peace corps volunteers) ego’s and statistical minds able to except the little change that we will be able to see by the time we leave. What is sustainable?) I am changing. Growing. In what direction I could not tell you. And it scares me. But such is life and growing up. By the way does it bother anyone else that in that new(?) Black Eyed Peas song they just throw around the old and beautiful Hebrew words mazel tov and laheim!? I think it bugs me because I don’t think Furggie knows what Hebrew is, but I digress, who am I to judge the lyrical genius of “Furgil-ishious”?!

So onto the topic of what I have been meaning to write about since I opened my computer tonight: “A Day in the life” (I just realized that I should have been naming my posts after songs a way, way long time ago) of ELO! Be warned that each day is different and none of this is truly everyday, but alas it’s the best I can do without you being here with me. Fly’s thought. Man. You never get used to the flys. They be every where! I feel like I’m in a save the children commercial sometimes!

Anyway a typical day for me starts for the most part by waking up and writing me “morning pages” so three pages of just stream of conscience writing, mostly about what happened the day before, what I dreamed about, and what I want to accomplish that day. During this time one of my 4 younger brothers will come by and whisper, that they want to play with the cat. And when I say whisper I mean shout. The cat stays inside. Next I fill my brazier (you can see it in the pictures bellow it’s a small circle that I fill with car coal locally man somewhere near by, not really a good thing) and get “fire” from my family. I make sure that the coals catch put a pot of water on for some kind of caffeinated drink, then either do some yoga or an 8 minute meditation. I get dress and get myself organized, if it is a clinic/”town” day I will gather my things up, but if its not I either go get water, start laundry, begin to make bread, of grab my book. Sadly this is where my day is going to have to end because the is where the consistency end. If its not a school/clinic/town day, I may go to my boma, work in my garden, read, bake, write letters, write, whatever to pass along the time. I really enjoy the challenge of cooking and baking over a temperamental brazier. So if there are any questions about this please let me know, I am sure I am leaving some things out but do not underestimate how long the simplest of tasks take here. Laundry is a whole day thing, and battling the rains make it even harder. On that note I will end this extra long blog post sorry about that! Hope to hear from you soon and thank you once again for all of the support!

And remember, "And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love . . . you make".

People tell me that i have a really nice chimbusu, also known as an out house. Those are my pants hanging to dry, i tend to wait to do laundry until i really have too! woops.

These are the some pictures of the before and after of my perma-garden, what i had to dig up and such, back breaking work, also my cat eating a kill under my bed. a 7 in lizard with a blue head and tail! and the some some my house my toilet and my bathing shelter! woo. welcome to zambia!

I tried my hardest to prepare for all of the different elements and challenges that I assumed I would face while being a Peace Corps Volunteer; and to be perfectly honest, and not so humble, so far I have to say I have done a damn good job. However, this past week I experienced something that I did not prepare so well for, and that was the departure of friends, both those which are unexpected, as well as those that are planned. Tomorrow, marks the arrival of the “new” intake, a group of agriculture and education volunteers. If you are thinking, “Hey, I thought, Elizabeth/Eliz/Otter/who is this person and why am I reading their blog, was a health volunteer”?! That is very astute of you, because I am, which opens me up to explaining: There are two intakes a year at the distance of 7mo/5mo apart. This is when I become a Peace Corps “Sophomore”, and if you are going to look at Peace Corps in the same way as high school/university ‘years’ this means that a group is graduating. Ahh, right when you get comfortable with new people, a new family so to speak, they be leavin’ on yo ass! Not cool. And, yes, sad.

However, I cannot leave out that many volunteers have countdowns towards new intakes for the fresh meat (sorry for the vulgar term), it can be lonely out here, you know most all the volunteers in country, and if there’s no love connection to be seen, maybe there is a person in the newest intake that is your SOUL MATE, or just someone you connect with. I must say that having a person to share and help you through the bumps in your service, whether a best friend or a significant other (I have been lucky enough to have/enjoy the latter) makes bad days better, and good days amazing and unforgettable. It’s a second opinion, a deep breath. Maybe it’s because the dude I am dating is from my own intake, but I find this countdown a bit insensitive! Inevitably it means that someone is going to be counting down to the day I leave someday, in hopes of someone better, or more available. Sorry, glass half empty , its true there were those that counted down my own intake. There, glass half full; But just another trial of the PCV.

Although I didn’t miss the Super Bowl, next year I am thinking I may, anything that starts at 1am, and no fun commercials, may keep me in bed next year! But great game right!? Anyway the point of this all is that I am bummed that I am missing all the glorious Winter Olympic events! Thinking back on how much fun I had my freshman year of college watching the Olympics’, shouting at the TV screen with Jenny, Kayla, Maggie and others (I don’t think any of us have gotten over the figure skating that year) makes me sad that I am missing out entirely.

Enough of this downer post! Tomorrow 18/2/10) we are getting 40-some new volunteers that will be able to help, change, and grow with Zambia (really this country is something else, if you have any want to come here, do! Tickets may be pricey, but it’s cheap, cheap once you get here! I mean where else is it still ok to hitch-hike EVERYWHERE you go?

Back in Lusaka sooner than hoping to be. I had to come back down for the H1N1 vaccine, so not really back to work yet, but get to see friends so that's always nice. But now i know that i wont be getting swine flu, and i also get paid for being here which is alway nice since we get paid quarterly, and that means our next pay check comes march 1st. Anywya, There was a shortage on the shot while we were here for our IST, so that is why we were here for two weeks went back home and then had to come back once again. Doesn't really make sense to anyone but, such is life, and life "working" for the government. Sadly there is nothing really to report because of this, just that I have been doing well and I am really excited to get back to work. And start all the new project that we talked about and worked on during the training. However it is really exciting to be able to go to the grocery store twice and have fresh veg at my site. its the little things, cold coke lights, fruits, veg, hot water that comes out of a tap and not from a hole then put on a fire then wait for it to boil. So this is my life, on a brighter note i have now been able to start the count down to when my mom, dad, and sister are coming. Still 5 months away but hey, we're getting there. Okay time for my shot finally. sorry this was a lame post.

eliz

Hey there campers.

Just a quick post to let you know that I am still here and doing well. Currently in Lusaka, for my Peace Corps, In Service Training, also known as IST. It has been really fun and informative, but a little overwhelming. Kind of crazy that you can go from nothing; one brand of sugar, salt, soya, rice; to everything, meaning choices, weird, in a matter of hours on a road. The poverty dived here is crazy, vast, and changes in a matter of km. I mean i have seen at least seven planes in the sky since i have come to Lusaka, and those who know me probably think i am being sarcastic right now, but I'm not. You got from lusaka, which can fool you on how the country is doing, to just 5-10km outside the city in any direction and no long have water or electricity, and watch the 'architecture' go from buildings, to mud huts. Its hard and sad to see, and more than that hard for me to understand. They are currently pumping money into Lusaka, building it up: new hotels, malls, fancy cars and restaurants. But they are not putting money into fixing the horrible roads or not bringing electricity the schools or clinics. Meds at my clinic are kept cold by a battery, in a cooler that was donated to them from Japan and USAID, the battery is rotated with others and charged by a solar panel. Most of the time we don't have many meds in our cooler, so the staff uses it to chill their drinks. Not a bad Idea, if its going to be plugged in might as well be used right? There is a rumor that a company or something is trying to get all of Zambia Wireless on a 3G network, which is laughable seeing that no one has electricity let alone a computer. And in the off chance that people have cell phones, most families, extended families, share one phone, they are models that are pre color screen let alone internet capability. Anyway, just something to think about. I could go on forever but I won't. I am writing to tell you about my trip to Malawi, which was really fun, and a learning experience. Like I now know that i will never travel/vacation with 10 or more people as it happened I did on this trip. Aside from that everything went really smoothly: the weather was beautiful, we got there in one piece, even if it did take us three days hitching, having both 'good' hitches in the back of trucks and canters, to crowded buses holding other peoples babies and sitting in aisles. The place we stayed was beautiful built into the side of a mountain/cliff on the Lake, however the stairs, which were everywhere, were VERY steep and uneven, not safe if one has been drinking, and not lit at night. lets just say it kept things interesting. It was nice to be with friends around the holidays, and in a new area, it was funny though, because although New Year's felt like New Year's, Christmas felt nothing like Christmas. This i believe is because of one of two reasons: 1. it was an average of 103 degrees in an exotic new place that looked, felt, smelled, tasted, and sounded nothing like 'Christmas' to me one little bit. How could I think it was Christmas, if it was nothing like any of my thoughts or feelings of my past 22 Christmas'? 2. Why let my mind go there at all if it was going to be hard. Love denial. I posted pictures on my facebook page of my walk to the road, also friends who were on the malawi trip with me have/are posting picture, so if you are my 'friend' of close with someone that is, check them out. But for your comfort level and especially my own please do not go through ALL of the pictures that are posted of me, I'm not embarrassed of anything that is up there, nor is there anything that is incriminating, but parent/adult figures are just that, and I would rather them not see a few of them. Love and good wishes to all that are reading this. Happy New Year! Love Elizabeth.

Probably the best and worst thing to happen to me lately would have to be getting a CD in the mail from my wonderful sister; who truly is keeping me up to date on the music world both pop and indie. Bless her soul! However I must add shout out’s to my totally hip brother, Bobby, his mixes are always the bee’s knee’s and my Aunt Lisa who has a great taste in music and has helped open up my horizons to new music! Thanks guys! Anyway on my sisters latest CD the song “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys was put on it; and boy oh boy does it make me miss New York and my years of college, but especially my last year, and all the people, places, and things that mean New York to me. Ah memories. I am making tons here don’t get me wrong, and who would have guesses that 5 months would have passed so quickly!

It makes me so thankful that I have two years here, because to be perfectly honest I don’t even feel like I have started my service yet! The first 9 weeks was training, and I wasn’t even in my village yet. Now this past 3 months has been getting to know my community, meeting people and organizations, and overall getting a feel for the language and culture. This three-month period has been called community entry, which ended yesterday, just in time for Christmas holiday. My intake has it a bit rough I believe, in terms of setting up a stable connection with our villages, this is because we have a lot of coming and going from our village over a two-month period of time. Those who continue to read from here are going to start sighing, “Poor babies!” in sarcastic undertones, but hear me out, this is all about service and helping people and setting up a trusting reliable relationship with a community. But in January we will be out of the village for over two weeks and its making people have ‘village guilt’. In other news, I have 300 pages left in War and Peace, which I will be happy to have under my belt. If you ever have some time on your hands it really is a good read and a classic for a reason. Also, after 4 ½ months without having a mirror I bit the bullet and bought a small face mirror. It kind of started as a social experiment to see how life would be without ever looking at yourself. It has been really interesting and I find that now that I have a mirror I don’t even use it. It has been, I think, a growing experience, and really interesting to find out all that relates with looking to a mirror. On that note I am going to sign out, Christmas vaca to Malawi starts tomorrow and it should be a bittersweet trip. More to come on that. Happy holidays too all and much love!

Cloudy with a chance of Termites

So as of late the rains have begun. We had heard tales of the rainy season while still in training and I must say they haven’t quite yet lived up to the hype in the sense they were talked about, however they are suppose to continue on until march or April so I have a feeling that they will. The one thing that they didn’t tell us about the rainy season, although now thinking about it, it is pretty self-explanatory, is the very fast explosion of and super sized quality of life. In every way; plants, foods, and bugs. I have never seen bigger bugs in my life, sometimes, like when you are passing by them quickly on your bike they are really cool; however other times, like when sitting by yourself in your hut at night, extremely scary! On this fine Saturday night I had just finished up a long but great day, I had gone on a 65km bike ride that day, made a good dinner, and was just sitting down to eat it when I started hearing light thuds. I looked around, thinking that it was rain at first, but realized that sound wasn’t coming from outside so it could not be rain. I started to feel things bounce off me once in a while as well. It was dark, I had a candle lit but you can’t see too much outside of its ring of light, so I picked it up and began to look around for the leak or whatever was falling from my ceiling. It was soon discovered that hundreds of millions of termites were hatching in my thatched, grass, roof and dropping to the floor. For a little over the next two hours I was battling these small and disgusting bugs which were dropping from everywhere, including onto/into my head/hair. Needless to say this turned into what a friend and I joking call a ‘bi-polar’ Peace Corps day. Where you are on cloud 9, life couldn’t be better, and then a small bump in the rails totally derails you into complete devastation. Lets just say there are a lot of emotions going on here daily. The next morning I woke up to new lines of termite tunnels running up most of my walls; including one that started where my pillow ended. Yes, one had landed in my hair and crawled out and started a tunnel. Next to my pillow. I was a very close to throwing up. I battled the termites for the next month, trying to explain to my family on the compound the extent in which my termite problem had gotten. No one thought it was a big deal, as my house was quickly being taken over and my walls and starting to build on the floor. It is not a fun feeling to not feel comfortable or welcome in your own home. It makes one a bit miserable actually. However after phone calls, research, and my host parents coming into my home things started to turn around. And now I have just the imprints and holes in my walls left from the termites. However I have to keep it up with chemicals and poisons to make sure they don’t come back because they and very disgusting as well as persistent.

In more resent news. I have just gotten over malaria, which stunk. But as with most thing that cause pain as soon as you start feeling better, you seem to begin forgetting the pain. But it was painful and I will be using much more bug spray than I was before! Thank you to all of those who have sent emails, or facebook messages of support. It was really, really appreciated, because it was tough being sick by yourself. But on to happier topics I will be spending the Christmas holiday in Nkhata Bay, Malawi on lake Malawi, google it if you like, with friends here in Zambia. I am very, very excited and will be leaving next week. Also Friday marks the end of my community entry, which means that I will be able to leave my district, mine being Mkushi. I will also be able to start working! Holding meetings, programs, and workshops. This is a great step and a fun time filled with opportunity.

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything, life has been moving lightening fast in this slow country, don’t really understand it, but it is how its been going, so I guess I just have to run with it. I am now living in my Village, it is 8/9km out side of the “town” Chalata, where I do most of my work. I help out around the Rural Health Clinic there. I am starting to try my hand at bee keeping, teaching nutrition in the schools, work with a women’s group, and I’m helping start a pre-school with one of the head mean (appointed by the Chief in the area, like a mini governor). He has built a structure, and has a board that is willing to do anything, its really exhilarating to have hard working, excited group of people to work with and will use me to help them! More projects are in the works, but during community entry (the first 3 months in the village) you are not allowed/suppose to start and projects or get involved in any. Once those three months are up, my intake will travel to Lusaka for a week to get more training on the more specifics that we want to work on in our communities. This time is meant for you to meet everyone in you area, introduce yourself to the schools, Head Men, Chief, look for and weigh what your community wants vs its needs. But needless to say it is a busy, overwhelming, and extremely tiring at times. Especially with the whole language difference, in almost every instance I deal with, it makes things interesting. Over all though, I am really happy here and loving it. I feel so much cooler than Sarah Palin (always, But) I can say that I can se the Democratic Republic of Congo from my backyard she only has the joke of seeing Russia and that’s over water, not me!

I cut my hair this week, yes it will grow back, yes I have started growing it back, I started the moment the ponytail hit the floor. Its chin length, it makes me look 12, but I am going to donate the hair to ‘Locks of Love’. A non-profit that makes wigs for cancer patients. There was something therapeutic about doing it. Like all the old shit in my life: stress, worries, pettiness, anxiety is gone; and I’m starting fresh. No split ends, no dryness from a blow dryer, or strengthener, no fake reminisce of highlights (I have gotten my hair highlighted with natural blond streaks twice in my life once in Oct 2007 the other time Jan 2009) now you would never know, cause anything that was left is in that ponytail on my floor. I don’t think Bill (my horrible rat) will try to eat it. It’s a nice change though and so much easier, faster, and uses 100% less water to wash. I can still pull it back out of my face too so that’s good.

I want to take a moment to thank EVERYONE for the birthday wishes, cards, cds, candy, est. It made me feel above and beyond special! My address has changed since I have moved to my village. So things are trickling in that got sent to Lusaka after I moved. However not to worry, everything will still get to me no matter where you sent it, people bring the Lusaka mail up whenever there is business that brings them up the Great North Road. But it is faster for you to send things to my new address, which is:

Miss Elizabeth Otter/ PCV

P.O. Box 480038

Mkushi, Zambia

Africa

Mkushi is the BOMA that I live closest too. BOMA is some acronym that the Brits made up when Zambia was still a territory. That signifies a town where organizations, Brit Offices, post office and bank are, now there are also Ministry of _________’s there too (ie education, health, agriculture, fisheries, est.). They kind of remind me of a ghost town though for some reason. I think that’s what they look like to a person before they are explored and you discover the vast treasures to be found there. Last week I found Challah bread!! At some side stall in the market! The Bamaayo (woman) who sold it to me had no idea why I was so excited, just another reason to think I’m weird I suppose. Not as if people really ever needed more reasons. I am pretty sure from here on out I will be writing and updating more from now on, now that I am settled and have all the I’s dotted and t’s crossed that I possibly can at this time. Maybe the internet will be fast enough to upload some pictures some time. We shall see! Thank you all for your interest and support. It means the world to me. Be well, act and lead with your reason, and a bit of

I don’t know how many people are friendly with the song by Death Cab for Cutie “Grapevine Fire’s” (you will be transfered to the YouTube video if you click on the title of today's blog, which is really a link, so look up and click), but I find myself singing it to myself while biking at least once a day. My bike ride to my classes, although only a little over 4km, is what I like to call extreme mountain biking. It’s through two streams, a 2 foot down/up hill gap (mini valley) in the earth and down and then up a big hill or small mountain. See this time of year in Zambia is very windy, dry, all while it is getting warmer each day. It is the time of year that farmers begin to get their fields ready before the rainy season. With these points in mind, along with the fact that no one is really quite sure why, it’s also the time of the year that every house hold in the country loves to burn the grasses around their houses, fields, or anywhere really. Some people say that they do it so in case there really was a fire their houses would be safe. Mud walls + Grass roof + fire = no house (bad news). Others say that the grasses are burned as a kind of fertilizer for the earth, and lastly to find, kill, catch to eat the mice that are in the fields. But alas, as I bike to and from the training center over looking the beautiful countryside that was just burnt or is still smoking; I cannot help but put the images I see to the music that I can most relate to this time. Little Elishaba was really sick with the flu last week. Just today (Tuesday 8/25) after a full week of not being able to hold anything down (or in (Oh and no diapers are used here, not even the cloth kind, that’s a luxury that can not be afforded. If you are thinking messy, you are right)). As most of you know who are reading this, it’s really scary when a baby’s sick. They can’t tell you what’s wrong, it’s hard to relive them from any pain that they are in, and its hard not to feel helpless when they cannot keep anything down! But even scarier for me, was the fact that we have been covering Under-5 care the past week, and have been preached to by Peace Corps, how the greatest cause of mortality in U-5 is diarrhea leading to dehydration. Needless to say watching her become weaker and weaker was hard for me. My host parents kept asking me questions about what they should do, or what I thought might be the issue since I am a health volunteer. But I had no idea what to do seeing that I have never had a child before and Bamaayo and Batata have had four. I couldn’t help thinking that I have only babysat for families of four, so it was a bit different, and they knew a bit more about what to do than me. It was also kind of hard not to say or tell them to just give her some children’s Tylenol, which does not exist here. Woops. I was able to offer dehydration salts, but they had their own, and were in the process of using them. I hate feeling helpless and always try to be as proactive as I can be, so you can assume that this was a hard experience for me, however I couldn’t help looking at it as a valuable learning experience since I am going to be coming across situations like this more times than not in the next few years. There are going to be many times that I am not going to be able to act in the helpful manor I may think best because of a lack of education, clauses in my Peace Corps contract, and the fact that helping one family in a special way in the village would be equivalent to opening Pandora’s box. So since this story has a happy ending, and I am still in training, I am taking this baby sickness as a good thing; because it is one thing to be told that I must be hands off as a volunteer, or feeling helpless at times, but a totally different thing to experience it. Did you know that I am a hair dresser? Me either, but I am now the July 2009 RAP/CHIP intake official go to hair cutter. Today marked my fourth successful hair cut (I am getting better with each one)! I have given one girl with hair the length to her mid-back a smashing fo-hawk (mini Mohawk), another girl with shoulder length hair a peter-pan-ish hair cut, a boring dude hair cut to a dude, and a cute angled bobb to another girl with shoulder length hair. Please don’t worry, each person asked for the style they received, there have been no tears, and I have gotten many requests to other people’s hair once we get back from out second site visit. Oh and I found out that I am going to Central Prov! Bordering the Northern Prov, and the DRC. See you all in a week!

Never has making a little kid throw up made me so happy. Not the first line you were expecting, was it? And for the record, I don’t think I have ever made any little kids throw up before. Tonight I made dinner for my host family. I wanted to make something that was true blood American through and through. I also wanted to do something that a PVT had never made before, that meant that pizza was out or “Peter” as my host mom and dad so endearingly call it. However, it had to be easy enough so that I could make it over a wood fire, so no oven, used no more than one pot/pan. Lastly it had to be something we could eat with our hands since my family owns two forks, two spoons, one butter knife, and one sharp cutting knife. The answer to what to make may be obvious to some; sadly it took me almost two weeks to think it up. The answer . . . Cheeseburgers! Only my Bamaayo (host mother) had ever heard of them before, and that was after I had explained to her what they were. So I made the exciting 45km trip to Lusaka in order to pick up all that was needed. While at the grocery store I ran into many moral issues such as: do I buy the tide and true condiments that give hamburgers and cheeseburgers there flair and messy awesomeness? While knowing all along that they need to be refrigerated after opening, meaning that they will go bad very fast since we have no such thing to keep them cold, making them a waste of money? Also new foods are scary enough as it is. Why make it harder burdening these poor people with the choice or adding ketchup or mustered? I mean come on, do you remember the first time you had sushi? Frightening. It took me so long to eat my first roll. The issue of if the food would be too rich came across my mind as well; I didn’t want to make anyone sick, thus giving me a bad name as a cook and ruining burgers for them forever! See, we eat the same bland thing every night umbwali (corn meal and water made so thick you can (and do) roll it into a little ball, imprinting your thumb into it, then using it to scoop whatever “relish” you are eating that night (cut up greens or cabbage, with either soya pieces, a kind of salty potato like bush root, or maybe beans) up with it and your thumb). Our two seasonings used are salt and cups of oil. So you can see my concern. Last but not least, they asked for “peter” and I told them no, that I would make it some other weekend, that I wanted them to try something new first. So I was going against what they wanted, making something greasy out of two things the hardly ever eat, red meat and dairy, and to top it off not even giving them the full experience (no condiments and no lettuce or pickles). As they watched me start to make the burgers I could tell that they were all pretty nervous, and I was too. I was cooking three patties at a time for the nine of us, on a frying pan. I was sitting on a small three legged stool, and each time I flipped a burger I would burn my legs since I was A) using a fork to flip the patties B) the grease was building up in the pan bouncing onto me, and C) I had to startle the frying pan/ fire. Job (10) doesn’t eat meat, so I made him a grilled cheese. Finally, after toasting the buns, adding tomato and onion, they were ready, and I was forced to let my burgers speak for themselves and soon everyone was eating in a content silence. What I consider a sign of a good meal. Sadly I forgot to put out the chips I bought with the burger, but they were a welcomed surprise when they were done eating. Bertha, my 18-year-old cousin, was so excited when she saw them she ran out of the kitchen. Two medium sized bags were gone before I put set them down on the ground. Next and last stop was dessert, S’mores! I mean come on, who doesn’t love s’mores? Well Mulolo (3) found out that he does not like marshmallows, it was everyone’s first time trying those too. But he loved the chocolate the Tennis Biscuits, which are so amazing! They were my substitute for gram crackers. They are delicious biscuit/ cracker that is honey and coconut flavored, but not over powering. I wish they had them in the states! Well in my mitts of the s’more excitement, and Mulolo probably on his first sugar high, was jumping up and down and giggling. It was the cutest thing . . . until he threw up some of his chocolate. Woops. This made everyone laugh, it was quickly cleaned up; and God love him, Mulolo rallied right back, and continued jumping up and down. All in all I must say that cheeseburger and s’more night was a great success and if it was not so much money, I would make a special dinner every week. But alas, I am living on a volunteer’s salary, so I will only be able to do one other dinner. I’m thinking, “peter”.

1st picture is of my Bamaayo, and my baby sister (10 mo yesterday) out in our yard, Elishaba obviously was getting a bath! She is so cute, and no longer scared of me, which is awesome! 2nd is after dinner the other night. THis is our kitchen. we eat around the wood burning fire. I am always so impressed with the fact that they can cook over it! I think i would just burn everything! 3rd. This is part of the Compound I live at, to the left is the families hut, and behind is part of a field that the farm. To the right is my 'cousin's' hut. I am standing outside of my hut but they all pretty much look the same, some are just smaller than others.

I am going to make my family dinner to night . . . Cheeseburger's and chips and S'Mores for dessert. They have never even heard of hamburgers before, so i am excited and will let you know how it goes!

Muli Shani! That is “How are you doing?” in Bemba; the language that I am learning here in Zambia. I suppose saying that I am learning is an understatement, its more accurately being shoved down my throat. I have 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours of language training a day, not to mention I am living with a family who’s first language is Bemba. They are such wonderful people, but more about that in a few minutes! Well, I have made it to Zambia all right. After being thrown into a group of 42, a few ice breakers, hours of paper work, some flip chart presentations, and of course a few more shots (vaccines, not alcohol); Peace Corps head quarters in DC felt we were finally able to leave and become part of PCZ (Peace Corps Zambia (and I thought that TFA (Teach For America) had a thing for acronyms, they have nothing on Peace Corps or so it feels!)). On my 18.5 hour flight to Jo-burg my new best friend and I really became close, Ambein. I am never going to travel long distances without it ever again! To be perfectly honest the first few days were all a blur, I was assigned a roommate to stay with the first few nights. She was nice, she is in the other group (there are two groups with in the one big group, myself in CHIP (Community Heath Interactive Partnership) and RAP. I’m not really sure what it stands for but I know that they are working on building fish ponds within their assigned communities (which we don’t know yet) and teaching the people of the community how to keep them up and sell their profits. It’s all about Sustainable Development. This is the first time I am typing these words for this blog, but here is a little warning: It’s not going to be the last. That is our over all, end all job; to create Sustainable Development everywhere we go. After Being in country for about 2 days, we were split up into groups of 5 or 6 within our trainee programs and left for our first site visit. We were told that the province that we went to for our first site visit was not going to be where we ended up. I went to Eastern. It was beautiful and wonderful, and gave me a great opportunity to get to know 5 people very well. To be honest, I really didn’t need to know one man so well, but was forced too, since his snoring at night left me no choice but to stare at top of the tent and think about how great I would be, not to mention how much better I would be sleeping, if there was not someone one sleeping bag down from me snoring at a disable level above and beyond a screaming police car. I really wish I was exaggerating right now. I’m not. However, the site visit give me a look into what the next two years are going to hold for me. The kind of house I will be living in, where I will be cooking my meals, how I will be getting my water (a bore hole), where I will bathe (behind a reed fence with a plastic bucket full of water I have warmed up over the fire), where I will be going to the bathroom (a hole about 4.5 inches in dynamiter in a cement hut), and the kind of work I will be doing. And to tell ya’ll the truth. I came back from that site visit more excited and ready to start the next two years then I was building up to my departure. I am so excited and happy to be here. I feel so at home and free. After returning from our first site visit we were introduced to the language we would be learning. Which was actually a big deal because it splits the groups up further. It begins to give you an idea of A. where you will be going within the country (if not where you are going, depending on the language) and B. who your neighbor’s (in a the relative sense of the word) can/ will be. However, since I am a Bemba, there are three different provinces that I could be going too, so us Bemba’s don’t know where we will be going yet, but should with in the next 2 weeks or so. Now you have a very brief over view of the beginning of my life as a PCT (peace corp trainee, since I will not be a PCV until swear in on Sept 25), and now that I have re started this blog, it is only going to be easier and faster for me to update. My goal is once a week, for a while at least. I have been listening to the mix my sister Julie made me while writing tonight. It’s real nice. Oh and Remember if anyone would like to send me mix CD’s or Favorite Albums of any kind of music I would love it! Shalinipo! (Stay Well)

Nowhereville, Florida USA Small town America expanding and contracting in time with the seasons as if it were a screaming heaving child's belly; rising and falling with each dramatic breath taken. Spanish moss dripping over each branch causing a second—lower sky to form dancing over the beach on a jet blue day. The moss allows us to use our imaginations taking us back in time to the days before: before settelers or technology or problems. All day long we lie there head to head staring at the different shapes and lengths of the moss and watch it dance in the breeze as we tell each other stories, about the day that we will leave this small town.

Midnight Walks Last night, I was a pregnant Motswana, waddling slowly, my full belly leading me down the sand and dust path, as I rubbed my stomach in a circular motion, it felt soft, and yet so strong, all while the warm sun poured over every inch of my body, soaking through my clothes. Rays burnet the top of my head, my shoulders, the back of my calves.  Then with a smile, and filled with content, I feel for the first time I fit in here in this foreign land. I am African because of you, my unborn love. You, kicking inside me, a tiny forming person. As my eyes slowly open - ten stretched fingers firmly planted on my stomach - my heart drops and I realize, you will only be an image I will never fully conceive, dreamt up at a time when I felt most free. And your time within me ended before it began.

Hard to believe I know but this is the last blog entry from Africa. My time in Botswana is now over and I am sitting in a hotel room in South Africa (Jo-burg) waiting to fly to Thailand tonight. It is so hard to believe, what’s hard to believe you may be asking? Well that it is over, that a semester of school could possibly go so quickly, that I can feel so much like myself but know that I am so different, to know that life has gone on with out me at home, but really not knowing that it has. I think that this last thing is what I am going to have to get use to the most. I am not trying to be vain in any way but it is such a weird concept! Having friends and best friends at home and they having lives without me, things getting done on campus without my help and dedication, kids growing to love other babysitters (God forbid, I would die!). It has even happened with in my family and it is so interesting to see. I would ask questions here to everyone and anyone about what is going on in their lives, and I know that it is a hard question to answer, but it seemed that in most cases I would get a good/fine/okay/great and then the question would be flipped back to me and I would take up the rest of the time talking about myself and I am sorry about that, because I really wanted to hear about everyone else! And what I was ‘missing’ while not in other people’s lives. I have really become thankful for all of my friends and people that are in my life while was here. I never realized how lucky and blessed I was to have such wonderful people in my life who are so caring and selfless in the fact that they cared so much about me while I have been over seas. It has meant the world to me especially while I was in a program where I was pared and in many cases forced to be with people whether I liked them or not, and I think a big part of me had to grow up in that aspect. I in no way have ever liked of supported fake people, and no most times when I didn’t like some one I would not pretend, I would try not to be rude but at the same time, I now see that this is not the most mature way of handling things. I have had to get over the “showing” of my feeling for people and do it in a way that I felt comfortable with, ie not being fake, and I think that this was a good lesson for me, and kind of a grown up one. However, as I said before, it made me realize how outstanding all the people in my life are. So thank you to everyone that has supported me while here whether you did it in a way that I could constantly see, or through positive thoughts and feelings, talking about me (positively) in groups, e-mails, Letters (Melissa!), IM’s, ect. So thank you. I have really enjoyed writing and I want to keep people updated on my Thailand trip so I am going to keep on writing, it anyone is left out there, and/or cares. Also if anyone would like to get a post card from Thailand let me know, and I will put one in the mail for you. I have had the time of my life the past 4 and half months and I cannot remember a time in my recent past where I have been so happy, no, not everything was perfect, most wasn’t actually. But it gave me reassurance that my long-term goal, for my future of turning into a Hemingway, in the sense that I could be an ex-patriot and continue writing (not with the whole taking of ones life thing, don’t worry), was not only possible but quite likely to happen again. I loved exploring and learning about the new cultures and even in the set backs humour was always found. The whole idea of growing as a person to me was the best. I try so hard not to be an “Ignorant American” or a hypocrite and I found that for me the best way to avoid this is through traveling and see what others expect from others asking the questions that you are ready to hear the answers too, and not fight back when the answers are not what you like or think that they should be. Okay so here it goes buddies and pals, the last Botswana/ African Cheers (what I will not miss) and Jeers (what I will desperately miss!)! Watch out cause I’ma get fancy! CHEERS! Jeers! No more men: shaking, grabbing, hugging, touching, calling, hollering, shouting, asking to marry, asking for phone number, asking to come over, ask to go over, starring at me. It got a little annoying at times, like on bad days irksome.No more ‘mean girls’. It took a long time for the girls in my classes and around campus to start to like me, most never did. I am a tall while girl that dresses differently, and thanks to the media in the US has the reputation without doing anything of being easy and a boyfriend ‘stealer’, non of which are true, there for it was a constant to be talked about in Setswana, pointed at, twice pushed, and looked at in a very mean way.Having a professor who thinks that you are brilliant because you are from the States, therefore ostracizing you from the rest of the all Batswana class, OR a professor trying to make you look as stupid as possible because you are from the states and not as ‘smart’ as you think you are, therefore ostracizing you from the rest of the class as they laugh at you.Cutters!!!! People ALWAYS cut in front of me in lines and thought that it was so funny. I DID NOT think that this was funny and it was the cause of the only time that I lost my temper in the whole 4.5 months.I will cross the streets now with a totally different mind set. See some drivers think of pedestrians as a sport and speed up to hit them as they cross here. God is it scary! The friendships that I did make. My roommate Yamiche, although from the states was my most constant and probably best friend in Botswana. The Haitian born Georgetown University student was a hilarious, open-minded, and smart asset to out CIEE group. We are very similar in many ways, but our differences I think is what strengthened our relationship. I don’t think that we would have been as close if we were not roommates and able to have ‘girl’ talks with each other or go on double dates. See we both met and began dating people over here. Her Boyfriend. Eddy, is from the DRC, but is now living in Gabs with his folks while going to UB. I spent more time with them probably then any other people while here. Thanks to Eddy and his knowledge of Gabs, Africans, and complementary corky sense of humour (to mine) we got on beautifully. And he was able to save me many times. He also got alone quite nicely with boy, so that helped Miche and I because we were able to do a lot of fun things together around Gabs that others in our group never had the opportunity to do. Miche is staying the summer in Gaborone and will be working for a Newspaper there as an Editor of some kind. I am going to miss her and I really hope that we will be able to maintain a long lasting relationship!The sunsets and the natural raw beauty that is everywhere you look in my experience in Africa. People being able friendly and the interested in what you think about their country and how to make it better. People care so much about what is going on, and the lack of apathy that I experienced was so refreshing and welcomed!My money, for the most part (in nearly everyway, but groceries) going further then it would at home! It has been so wonderful! However I have still managed to spend more then I have in 3 semesters, or maybe its just because this was the first time I haven’t had a job since I have been 13 and the lack of income is starting to freak me out. But then again that is my own issue. Walking Everywhere and tons of outdoor activities (camping, hiking, canoeing, swimming)! I really hope to keep this one up at home. But I have walked so much over the last few months and the fresh air and the sense of adventure and excitement everywhere you go has been awesome.There are so many more things that I am going to miss, but its kind of nice to know that I can really come back at anytime, and something tells me that I will.

Yesterday I got an HIV/AIDS test right here on the good old University o f Botswana campus, not that for any reason I think that I have contracted the disease while being here, or had any concerns, but if Obama did I’ll do it. No but really, I thought that it could be a really substantial and memorable experience that I could do before I left this country, which seems to be quickly approaching. I don’t know, I guess I am just to much a produce of my up bringing and that consist of two important things: do on to others as you would like to be treated (which is still makes things interesting when you have siblings, even into your 20’s . . . or just a head ach for my dear mummy Kay), and before you make up your mind about a person walk a mile in their shoes, because a persons life is never a glamorous as you may think it is. This latter one always really hits home considering my lovely health. But I’ve digressed, let me continue this last month here I have really been focusing on really trying to see, feel, and experience everyday culture here. So to me being a student at UB having an HIV/AIDS test is with my fellow peers was something that was important for me to do at some point, also if I am going to preach at home and at my own campus awareness I have to practice what I preach, eh? So I sat down in the consulting room before hand and got asked tons of questions, some in which I didn’t always find necessary but I have come to learn that I am the white girl and something about that is novel. After confirming that I had prepared myself for the outcome no matter what it was I was sent into the lab which was across the hall. This is were I found things to have a wonderful comedic relief, I don’t know how many of you have ever gotten an HIV/AIDS test but I have found that one matter what, you freak yourself out, you maybe I am just an extremely worrisome person, however all of my friends who have been tested have said the same thing. I think it has a lot to do with the stigma’s that people have with HIV/AIDS and the lack of information people have about it in most of our worlds that we are living in, also most people in the states I feel don’t know about the great advances that have been made with ARV’s, making it that this is no longer a death sentence, still serious no doubt, but not a death sentence. ARV’s are free here in Botswana so any one that’s CD4 count gets down to a certain number, one that means that they have moved across from HIV to AIDS they get all of their medical for free, yes logically you would say why let it even go there, but they do, and research is being done to make sure that in the future it doesn’t have to go there but for now . . . Anyway I am a little scared that here in Botswana - because of the free ARV’s and the fact that they personally see everyday that this is not as much of a death sentence, that they are not being as careful as they once were, and the pregnancies on campus are definite conformation of this. Oh and how cute these pregnant girls are!!! But that is a totally different subject for a different time, and really doesn’t help that I definitely think that pregnant women and the cutest most beautiful things ever. Sorry for the anecdote, sometimes I feel like a position while I am writing these, but anyway the comedic relief in the lab room . . . the guy that took my blood had pictures of himself taped to the white walls all over the small room. One in his lab coat posed in front of the needles and rubber gloves, one of him looking dashing in his sunglasses, oh many more. However the best part for me was the music in the background. R. Kelly. People love him here! But not just R. Kelly, it was R. Kelly singing about two girls he just met and was getting to know (yes in the biblical sense) who had “crazy legs” and the effect of two women with “crazy legs” on one man. What an interesting song to have one while testing people for, in this country is mostly a sexually transmitted infection/disease. If just made me laugh. But the waiting outside in the hall with others for 45 minutes did not. That gave me time to think, a lot. On the upside, I um . . . made some friends while waiting, all for the same thing. I was very happy and excited when my results came back, and I was even happier that I had taken the test being able to sit with my peers and understand a little more. Oh and on this journey of mine . . . I also got my hair did. I feel pictures are necessary to fully understand this wonderful thing, it was quite interesting, it gave me a little bit of a head ach, and those braids were really tight! It was a good thing and a bad, some people didn’t look at me look at me, talk to me, or try to touch me as much, and it stopped me from playing with my hair all the time, which is a horrible habit. Lastly, hair is really hot, and it was getting to the point where I was like, should I shave it all off, do this, that, and I can’t tell you how much cooler I felt, ahh it was nice. However on the other hand some people looked, talked to me, followed me more and it made things just as interesting, but not really in a good way. Also the headaches man the respect I have now for anyone that gets their hair braided. It takes a few days for it to stretch out. I also was getting lots of frizzies, so it started to look bad kind of quickly. But hey I did it, it was only 60p = 10 USD and I will always remember it. It was called a fish tail braid if anyone was wondering.

Oh and today is an important day for all those Dems out there, so keep your fingers crossed! And lastly I am having a beautiful quilt made and I got to design here in Gabs and I get to see it for the first time (not finished but still) this up coming weekend, I will try to take a picture!

Today, yesterday, and tomorrow, mosquitoes are, were, and will be my mortal enemy. I fight with them all day, but especially at dusk as they bite my feet, back, and arms. When I try to seek refuge in my own postage stamp room, they patiently wait for me within my clothes in my closet until they know that I have crawled into bed. It is then that they emerge and they buzz in and around my ear to let me know that they are there, while I am defenseless in the dark moments of the night. Tricky basterd. See I feel that I have lived in this country long enough to not have to look like I have been overcome with a permanent case of the mumps, measles, small pox, or chicken pox. However, for the past three nights I have had very active fights with one active pest. He has been winning until just recently. While I have been writing this, I can proudly say, “I have taken the punk DOWN!” and he did not leave one drop of blood on my strong hands either as I pulled him off.

Yes, I know what you are thinking: A. Ew! Elizabeth that is so disgusting, why did you need to share that?! (the answer to that is to prove further that I won this battle, he can’t bug me anymore, and he didn’t get me once tonight, although let me tell you that little bugger tried!). B. Wow, I think she has spent a little too much time thinking about bugs while in Africa, and I’m scared (and I have). C. When did my gentle loving of all creatures, Eliz, turn into such a blood thirsty murderer?! Or. D. All of the above

If you chose D, don’t be embarrassed of yourself, least of all me! This is because I am embarrassed enough for the both of us. Please, don’t think for a second that I like the murderer that I am turning into. I am a little scared of her, yet the worst part of it all is that I have begun to enjoy killing these foes long ago. Even worse, I have started to look forward to the different sound that each one makes as I step on it or smack it to its doom. I know, I know, I preach being a pacifist, I am ageist the death penalty, and as little as five months ago you could have found me walking a spider outside. It’s also true that I study Buddhism, and strongly relate to this religion. But pray tell me . . . how many times are Tibetan monks disturbed a day up in their cave or monastery, way up in the mountains, to ants crawling up there feet and legs biting you every step of the way!? As you may have read in a past post . . . I am now dealing with roaches, and I only know of one way to get rid of them, and that it by killing them, ahh, but if you just knew that satisfying “pOp-ing” sound they make as they get squashed. The sigh that I breathe out after this is a great one, and the only thing that I can think of is, “This is one less roach that will try and crawl in my ear tonight!” And if you are wondering, NO, no roach has ever been caught on my body. However! I have heard stories and if you want to hear them just ask my mom about her early nursing days

Let me just close with this, as I pause to scratch another bug bite, I realize that this whole thing was written because I am sick of feeling like a horse shacking and swatting fly’s off my body, or even near my body. I no longer, if ever, care to see and observe the powdery residue left /loose on the wings of a moth after it is killed, I don’t like being woken up to ANYTHING buzzing in my ear, and I don’t think it is cool to have different kinds of spider bites mixed in with my mosquito bites. So, in conclusion, I am going to need a little vacation from bug on my return to the States, and if you want me to come over, have your exterminator’s receipt out for me to see and confirm upon my arrival to said places. Thank you and I hope that you really enjoy your bug free nights rest, because I rather not think about how many bits of “protein” I will be able to enjoy as I sleep and my body and mouth relax.

Oh and on a much lighter note, if anyone is looking for a good new band, I really like Vampire Weekend. I also know from personal experience that they are on the Jukebox at Shubba’s. I you happen to go there for any reason, play one of there songs and think of me, I will be sure to send you good vibes back. Oh and high fives all around . . . don’t get too excited, but if you want to jump up and down, well that’s understandable . . . Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s new album is coming out in months! My count down has long since started. And NO, “Broadripple Is Burning” did not make it on the new album, and your right, NO, I don’t want to talk about it.

yep you got it. I have been struggling the last couple of post because there are things that i want to write about but they fall neither into the cheer nor jeer categories, thus starting the new category today entitled "Just Weird". I think that i am going to start with this one first today, and pray that one or both of my parents don't pop up too often from their stay here. . . just joshing ya'll!

Weird . . .

* Group projects, sorry i know this ones kind of lame, but i haven't had a group project since i was in middle school and now i have three, which is just new and i really don't know how i feel about it.

* My program here in Botswana is over and done in less then a month, and i lonely have a week and a half classes left before finals begin! Where did all this time go, and how do you get some of it back!?

* some kids in one of my group projects asking if i knew how to talk like a black person from the US. After i hesitated, one speaking up and just blurting out, "you see we can understand black people from your country better then we can understand you, so if you just talk like you were black for our project on monday i think it will be better for everyone." To be perfectly honest i really didn't know how to respond, or what to say when they continuously asked me to do it, and i still don't. Personally i find this on the weird side because if i were to walk around doing this at home for a presentation well some form of disciplinary action would probably be taken, and i think it is offensive, however . . . who knows, let us just say, i talked how i always do for our presentation, and everyone stared at me as if i had marbles in my mouth. But what else is new.

*Getting extremely board. You would think wow, she is in Africa, how could she ever get board, and i even think that myself sometimes. But with no car, no bike, and some prohibiting restrictions (ie class, and papers that i signed saying i wouldn't do this or that), there are times that i really don't think i have enough to do. But these are the times that everyone prays for when they are super busy, which is oddly how i like to live my life, so i am going to hold on to these feeling an remember them next time i don't think i am going to fit it all in. (PLEASE in no way think that i am not enjoying every min. i am here, Because i totally am, i just sit reading more then i would like to at times, esp when books are kind of hard to come by.

Cheers!

* White Sox baseball! God i hope its a good year and not just a good first few weeks.

* My mom and dad coming and visiting

*gambling with my mom and dad, and making lots of money!!!

* I am Officially going to Thailand, and i am leaving in one month!

* The nights here in Gabs are starting to get cooler . . . so maybe the days will a little.

*Clean laundry! and Clean sheets . . . It just such a task that it is a celebration when ever it is done!

* Everyone i have talked to in Africa, not only supporting Obama, But loving him!

*Seeing every animal i could have ever wanted on Safari with Bob and Kay.

Jeers.

*Bank of America forgetting that i am in Africa until May 3rd for the 4th time, thus not allowing me to take any money out of the ATM. boo

* My cell phone getting lost and having to go through the struggle of getting a new one.

*Cell phones having a 5sec+ delay when talk to people in the states. It makes me not want to talk to any one and it makes me grumpy.

* Missing people, not home sick, i just miss having some people in my life.

*My US roommates not doing there dishes after they eat and now having roaches in my apt. I am not a happy camper.

In honor of the Easter Holiday I going to post a little poem I wrote about Jesus Christ. I hope you can enjoy it and not get to offended.

Myth Today I heard a myth, but

I heard it yesterday too.

It’s been preached to me

since I exited the womb. The first time I kneeled

in front of your image

I thought I saw your face. When I would swing,

The wind blowing my hair,

the bounce of the swing

Dropping my stomach

into my legs. I thought

that the drop was your

spirit entering me,

proving that I was special.

Something told me I could

be next to hold you reincarnated within me. But as the years passed, my belly never swelled.

Now I’m forced to stop and think

about you, pondering if you ever were immaculately conceived.

All the stories I heard in school

Readings, teachings, and

The homeless man who

screamed on the street

started to make me see you

Just like a made up myth.

Cheers everyone! Sorry this has taken so long but with my semester break and then classes starting to actually demand things from me (weird I know), it has been a little hectic oven in sunny hot Gaborone. But Since it has been such a long time, let me get my lists out and begin!

Cheers!

* Every and any kind of Potato Chip you could ever want, think of, dream up, be grossed out by. For example Tomato, Smoked beef, Chive and spring onion, Mexican Chili, BBQ Chicken, Poppy seed lemon chicken and spice, Chutney, Thyme Chicken and Poppy's, Salt and Vinegar, and of course sour cream and onion. There are many more flavors, don't for a second think that these are the only ones, these are just the only ones that I can remember off the top of my head.

*As always the monthly 4 rolls of TP. We got them a little late this month . . . almost too late.

*Going and staying in Maputo, Mozambique. Take this as you will, but it is meant in the most positive way ever . . . Maputo is what I thought going to live in Africa was going to be like. It is a beautiful place, yes poverty stricken, a little smelly at times/places, but beautiful! Everything was brightly colored from the land scape's and flowers, to the dress of the people, to the houses and advertisements painted everywhere, on everything. Women walked around with babies strapped to either their backs or their fronts, and carried bags and baskets that were bigger then they were on their heads. Everyone that i came in contact there was very nice and helpful and although i know NO Portuguese as all (and the people i was with only knew French, Creole and a little bit of Spanish, slackers), we were still able to get around easily.

Being on the water again was so nice! I really didn't realize how much of a water person i was until i went 2 months without seeing any water ANYWHERE. The Indian ocean was so warm i felt like i was swimming in a Bathtub, it was amazing. Boats are everywhere and range from huge liners to little things that you are a little surprised to see float. But where there are boats and Ocean .. . . there is SEA FOOD!!! Some of the best tasting food that i have ever eaten in my life. Everything was fresh and very well prepared God my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The vibe the city gave off was what i loved most. It was so relaxed, fun loving, friendly, very affectionate (there seemed to be couples everywhere) safe (children were always out playing and out with their parents until the wee hours), and because of the European styles, architecture, way of eating and life, it gave me, because of the culture i am from, the feeling of an unassuming classiness. If/when I live internationally, I could easily see myself here, there seemed to be no tension in between the races African, Portuguese, Indian and tourists all seemed to blend in and hang out together with out a second thought. It really was the picture of how human interactions should be.

There is nothing bad i can say about the time i spent there, now the 8 hour cramped car ride back from joberg to Gabs because the guys we hired to drive us back got lost, for four hours causing us to then miss our over night train to meet up with our group, leading us to a 12.5 hour bus ride through Botswana cramped sweaty, hot, tired, hungry, and only stopping once after 7.5 hours into the trip. Well we can talk about that some other time.

Due to my roommate coming home i have to peace, however there will be more to come quite soon about the rest of break and cheers and jeeres

Cheers! - Semester break one week away! Mozambique here I come! I will be fulfilling a goal and dream by going to Mozambique. I did a semester long project on it Soph. year second semester, so I became quite attached and interested in the people and demographics there. Also I will be able to swim in the Indian Ocean! How cool is that. A new countries, Continent, and Ocean all with in a few months! - Having an outstanding weekend in South Africa with my uncle and his dear friend, who was turning 50. It was so great to see him and get to go to a different part of South Africa, talking and socializing with people who were either from South Africa or had lived there for a long time. Hearing their views on their president, culture, racism, and even Botswana. Not all of the answers were always easy for me (and the two friends of mine that came along); but I think it is one of the reasons why we had such an amazing time. The fact that the Cultural Village we were at and the surroundings at the party we amazingly beautiful didn’t really hurt either. - My apartment being sprayed for roaches. Mine wasn’t as bad as other peoples but it was starting to get there, and now I don’t have to worry about roaches for at least a few weeks depending on how good my roommates are at throwing out their trash. Keep your fingers crossed. - Nate. Oh, Nate. The one boy in our group. He puts up with 9 girls, loud, sassy, feisty, and at times moody girls. He is a superhero, although his lanky body by no means resembles a body guard, when ever he is out with any or all of us, no matter what time it is, he tries his hardest to be protective. How cute. Nice, smart, and positive; we al love Nate, and let him know, which only embarrasses him . . . causing us to go to far sometimes, but he always takes it like a champ. He is going to be such a ladies man when he gets out of here, because he will know the ins and outs of “the female”. Bless his soul. - Getting my Frisbee! I am so excited to play, I feel like another part of my soul has met up with me here in Botswana. Now, once I find swings my life will be complete. Really, it doesn’t take too much to keep me happy. - Kay and BobFather will be here in a month! How much fun the 3 of us shall have, I think that it is time to start briefing Kay on heat, dessert/sand, BUGS! (so far this week I have only gotten 2 misquote bites. This is huge news, I was having an average of 10 bites a day for a while), Africa Time (an hour to two hours later then expected), and lastly and most importantly the male attention! Anyone who knows Kay knows that the woman doesn’t need the confidence boost, but no person can really help it when you are being told that you are pretty or someone wants to be your friend, or marry you. Jeers. - Trees that look like they have toothpicks growing on them, that if you et to close get stuck in your hair, causing you to get caught in a tree while walking down the street. These are tricky little devils too because the person that is stuck in them cannot get themselves out without making it worse and/or pricking themselves over and over. Causing the person stuck to be laughed at, as well as danger of slipping and falling when backing up on the sandy sidewalk. Kind of like me today, so not only are you left with messy hair but you are also a little scrapped from the fall, not to mention quite humbled. People don’t really hold their laughter until they are out of ear shot here. But I don’t mind I am sure it looks pretty comedic and I would laugh if I saw it too, but maybe I wouldn’t stair as long . . . - Going to the biggest diamond mine in Botswana (when thinking of this mine, don’t think of glittering rocks popping out everywhere, think of what a quarry and you will have a better idea in your head of what this looked like). I am sure that on the right day and right time this could be a wonderful trip. Yet whenever someone has to get woken up at 5AM to get in a mini-van and drive two hours to see a diamond mine in 100 degree weather does have its down sides. Also being surrounded by rocks as they hold and reflect the sun light at you from all different angles, while in long pants, a hard hat, reflective vest, and heavy work boots for two hours can be a little dehydrating. It also kind of stinks when the key/password holder to be able to get into the museum to see the diamonds and how they are step by step mind in on holiday doesn’t help a ton. This field trip also caused me to really complicate my South African weekend plans which were then not fully figured out until the night before, causing a bit of stress. However they up side was that my friends and I were able to go to a super fun pool party Friday night, which in the end made everything nearly even out. - My hair not getting as blond as I was hoping it to get by this time. I know petty and vain to things I said that there were no room for in Africa, but I donno, I guess I was just expecting to become an instant toe head again . . .

Cheers!

- My monthly allowence of T.P. complements of UB has arrived! They give us four rolls a month. It really is cut throat in my Apt. when it comes to T.P. some people are greedy and just plain sneeky, which can at times cause middle of the night bathroom break issues.

- No Starbucks or McD's in Botswana. At times when you really really need an iced coffee, this can be a little trouble some. Yet, at the same time I find it so cool that the two places in the states that you can always find to refresh you, and at this point in time all over the world, are not here. I mean what other time in my life will i be able to meet other college kids that have never had a Big Mac or a tripple grande Vanilla Non Fat extra foam latte

- Getting the chance to camp and get away from Gabs every now and then. Don't under est. the wonderfulness of it.

- Obama! this past weekend. Way to go dude!

- Having a cell phone that has snake on it! You have no idea how fun this can be when waiting in lines or waiting for your professor in class. What a wonderful game.

- Going on field trips in college (although in this one case if causes a few problems, its still fun). On friday i get to go to a diamond mine and to a pottery place . . . cool, eh?

- Getting mail! Thanks kiki and MEL they were awesome!

- My semester break being one week away! Hellllllo Mozambique!

- Students protesting in class by shouting, clapping, and yelling how they do not agree with an asignment, point, or test. Its really quite fun to watch.

Jeers.

- Egypt winning the African Cup. I really would have loved if a country from Southern Africa could have won.

- Having to leave a day later then expected for joburg. Boo.

- Not seeing Bucky again . . . Knock on wood (no pun intended).

- Time in Botswana movie too fast! If it keeps up at this rate i wont have enough time to do everything that i have been planning on!

- 6 hours of Setswana class a week. It stinks. Our teacher hates us kids from the States and comes to class 10-20 min late each day and then yells at us about how we act like we don't want to be there . . . maybe it is because we are picking up on a message that she is sending out to us. hmmm.

these are the worms and me about to eat it, i swear i am not this pale any more. God thats kind of scary to look at.

this is a village we went to on a weekend adventure, near the earliest cliff paintings in Botswana.

These are a Funny sign, that really sums up a lot, the cemetery and Botsi's kids with dear Sarah.

I have many new Cheers today:

- I have hot water. I went to take a shower today, expecting the worst, and as i was getting ready to bite my lip and jump in . . . i noticed that low and behold, the mirror was beginning to fog up. Thank You.

-The pool started getting cleaned today so i will be able to start swimming again soon. Let me explain, because of all the rain the sand from a construction sight near by fell into the pool and so it had a sandy bottom, this happened nearly two weeks ago. I have also told myself that by the time i leave i will be able to swim a mile, considering swimming 400m (one lap around a track) is painfully difficult for me this is a Challenge will, as you can see, a capital C. But I have realized that I am a better swimmer then i thought i was and was always told i was (thanks family) . . . . . . . Oh, speaking of that, word to the wise, if you ever have a kid who passes out from dehydration at the end of second grade because this kid is a super fast runner (I don't know, maybe fastest girl in her class with a 7:19 mile). And you, the parent, after taking her to every doctor in the city of Chicago, don't find everything wrong with her, STILL think that she is epileptic, just tell her. Don't tell her instead that she is a horrible swimmer and can't go in ANY water with out at flotation device, and supervision, when the summer before she could. I don't know and this just happens to be a summer you spend two weeks at a cottage in WI, with the gentlest lake ever. Just think again and don't, because it may hurt their confidence as a swimmer and when they are in the water for years and years to come.

- There is a rumor of swings, i shall keep everyone posted.

- I found my first old grave yard in Gabs. It was to bury British soldiers that were involved in small battle in the mid 1800's while protecting there little proctorial (pictures to come). If you didn't know this was a hobby of mine don't worry about it, and please don't think of me differently, i don't have time to explain it right now, but someday.

- I got my books for my classes today . . . 20 % off, I'm still broke from it though, calm down, i don't want any one to get too excited.

- I finally am going to start volunteering, you have no idea how excited this makes me, and what makes it even better . . . is that it is going to be with little kids, sadly (for them) orphans, but i really miss all my little ones in CT, so maybe this will help a little bit.

- I have my creative writing class tomorrow. woo woo, I really haven't been writing as much as i have planned/ would like since i have gotten here.

- And, I got an e-mail from Kay Dallh-ingg today, saying that the one of my poems has made it to the semi-finals of the competition that Kay and Bob so selflessly submitted it too.

Peace out,

Stay Well.

Cheers!

-Being in Africa a month!

-Feeling at home in Gabs.

- Obama winning South Carolina.

- The rains finally stopping! Botswana has seen more rain in the past 3 weeks then it has in about 12 years. It was really intense.

- Being able to have an elementary conversation in Setswana. I kind of feel like a big deal now.

-Being able to go to happy hour with Batsi, the love of my life, and program leader on Friday afternoon

- Being able to go out to lunch with Batsi and his wonderful and beautiful children on sat Ages 10 and 9.

- Becoming a Gaborone WASP for a day. Sunday a few friends and i went to the Gaborone Yacht Club for lunch. You may be asking, Elizabeth, are you crazy? Gaborone is in the dessert, there is no water for MILES! well that is when i would have nicely informed you that there is a man made dam here and that is where the yacht club is (when we all first saw the signs we were laughing pretty hard). Well once you travel about 4km down a dirt road off the main road you get to the yacht club. It is beautiful, don't get me wrong, it has the natural raw beauty, that I have found all over Botswana. However, they do not have food here, and only a bar with a thatched roof. Sadly our hungry tummies could not full, but the surrounding beauty of the dam itself was enough to fill our eyes completely full. the birds out there were awesome. Well after we traveled somewhere else to go get some lunch, my friend Sarah and I went to our riding lesson. For 60 pula (9 USD) we had an hour long horse back riding lesson. I know how to trot on a horse now! it was a very exciting and fun. However, my legs and butt are still very sore, its 3 days later. The stables were just as beautiful and RAW as the yacht club, they are owned and run by a woman named Kern, who I think is the Soul and best Anti-smoking campaign i have ever seen in my life. It was a really fun day, i now refer to it more as, WASP goes to wild west. But let us be honest with our selves, can you picture me having it any other way?

- Getting mail from my mom and dad. Thanks guys!

-being asked by a woman who works at the grocery store if she could touch me . . . She had never touched a white person.

Jeers.

- Daily/Nightly black outs because there is a power shortage in All of Southern Africa.

- Going into my second week of not having hot water. Things to consider: Showering, Washing dishes, Forgetting or hoping that today is the day that it will be fixed and then getting into the shower and no hot water.

- as well as a kitchen sink drip that is just out side my door and oddly loud.

- the swimming pool being dirty. Its just such a nice pool it is really a shame.

-Not having internet (i know that i have used this as a cheers before and it is, but sometimes i just want to look something up).

- Teachers who tells you in your HIV/AIDS class that a theory for how it has started and spread was by a fighter jet that passed and dropped fumes of HIV/AIDS, thus spreading it to many many people. Sometimes the prof's here give wrong information, it can be funny sitting in your chair thinking, "wrong, thats just wrong". But that is when it is about harmless things, if anything My HIV/AIDS preventions and control class should really have all her information together.

this was not proof read because i have to go to class, thanks for understanding!

Go Well.

I have been thinking a lot about racism since I have arrived here. How did it start? Why? When was the moment were it went from a concern to a problem? What can I do to end this? What can we do to end it? Can it be ended? Is there such a thing as a non-racist white, black, brown, green, blue, tan, gold, olive, yellowish person (I hope so!)? Is it right that I am pissed because whites in the past ruined or hurt me and potential friends, lovers, kids, because of the pigeon holes that they have put others in? How has it affected me, the person I am, and how I treat other people? Wow. colonization was A. Brutal. B. Just a bad idea for the most part. Today a girl in class passed me a note it said, “Hi my name is Girlie! Would you like to be my friend?” In my opinion I don’t think that there is a better way to start ones day, a new friend and socialism. The two gifts that keep on giving. I told you I would love to be her friend, she was pretty and I am not in the position to pass up any friends let alone good looking ones (please note the sarcasm used as humor). I asked her in my note back what she liked doing for fun, she responded, “going clubbing and going on drinking sprees with my friends”. I don’t know if she did this to impress me because of the wonderful reputation that kids my age from the States have of “BLACKOUT or get out”. However I told her that I liked to chill with friends and going to movies, because my mom has always told me that friendships that are based around drinking are buddies, not friends, and I would love more Batswana friends. She is an English and Sociology major(s) too, so already we have so much in common, we said that we would go see a comedy at the cinema together. I hope it works our, because I was kind of prepped to have some concerns. Again, at our orientation, I was warned about the motives people may have in befriending me, and I have taken these warnings to heart. Considering I have been approached to take and pay for at least 13 people to come back to the states with me and live at my home with me, buying meals for others, buying peoples grocery’s at the store, buying and covering people at clubs, and also to leave specific items that I have worn here when I leave for cretin people. Basically a big ol’ dollar bill sign flashes and screams from slightly above me head. This is why I have started to tell people I meet who ask how I came over and if I am rich, that I am on scholarship and funded by my government. This is something nearly every student can relate too because the Botswana government pays these kids to go to school and gives them a stipend. I think that the States should look in to this, I am already freaking out on how I am going to send my kids to college and I don’t even have a boyfriend right now (not like I haven’t been asked and nearly stalked concerning the issue since I have been here). The fact that the government pays for most every student really does give a different feel to the education and the intent to learn, I have observed, but it’s still getting done.

***** A concerned reader cautiously brought to my attention that I may have a few spelling and grammar errors thus far in my blog, knowing that these are not my strong points, and it has caused a little bit of insecurity within myself in the past. I would like to address this now; it is true, I am not a good speller, and I am very comma happy, they are just so cute and I like people to read my writing as if I were talking to them. So I put in the commas as little pauses or breaths of air. As for referring to my ancestors and spelling the swear damn “dam”, I did this on purpose. I am a very superstitious person and in my eyes you never know what the dead can to do to you, and I rather not find out by cursing these people I never knew. But I still wish they could have spent more time in the sun.**

When I was going through my orientation into Botswana life, we were told that our United States humor would not always translate. We were also told not to talk as openly about sex as it is know that we do in the States, in any context really: jokes, puns, stories, but especially not to make comments or ask questions of any sexual nature to Batswana (meaning the people who live in Botswana). We quickly realize this also meant all HIV/AIDS topics as well, because to the people if asking how they have, in their lives, been effected by HIV/AIDS, if they know anyone, or if they are worried about it at all, it would be as if I was asking them about their sex life and how they practice. However, with that as my introduction, I have learned since I have been here that although you may no talk about sex, showing off ones sex is a different story. I understand that it is hot out, and culturally many tribal people where different types of clothes and beads on different parts of their bodies, personally I think it is beautiful. What I don’t think is beautiful is public urination, especially when it happens any where for 5 to 20 feet from you. It is true, I understand that nature calls, however these incidences seem to happen up against the building that people are leaving are very near to one that I have personally noted has a bathroom. To be fair I have to say that I have only really had a problem with this at dusk and on, but why so close to me and other people?! Yesterday morning, I woke up naturally on my own around 8:15. Not thinking that any of my friends were up yet I opened up my curtains, for some natural light, and went back to my bed to lie down and read my book (The Autobiography of Malcolm X, a powerful and life changing book) when something catches my little eye off yonder out my window. To my amazement I see a man, not a little boy, but a man, standing on the ledge railing of the residence hall walkway wall, which is directly across the patched crab grassed area used to hang dry clothes from my room. Aside from being concerned for this mans safety I was wondering what he could possibly be looking for, for one of his hands was on his hip while the other was on his forehead making a visor. Which I can confidently say is the international sign of acutely looking for anything at any distance. I really think I know what he was looking for, and I will let you in on it, please try to calm down, I know you are super excited. Okay here it is, this man, who was glistening in the morning light, had to Must have, been looking for his clothes, because they were no where near his body. There at 8:30 in the morning is a buck naked man standing on a ledge that if it was any windier out (there are reasons that I know it was windy out in which I will not go into detail about) he would have fallen nearly 20+ feet. Well obviously I put my nose back so far into my book it took me minutes to focus my eyes on the words, and for all of you that have read Malcolm X he was still hustling at this point in the book, so I don’t think he would have been too offended, at least I hope not. I naively thought that 1. By the time I had finished four pages he would be gone. And 2. There was no way that he would have ever been able to see into my room, in which I was lying in my minimal summer PJ’s. However to my surprise when I looked up a second time, my new friend, I’ll call him Bucky for identification sake, was now sitting below the ledge with only his shoulders up being exposed, thankfully. Not so thankfully, Buck S. Naked started waving very enthusiastically in my direction, not wanting to be self absorbed or vain in anyway, I pulled my blanket up to my chin and began to read once again. However, 10 min later when lost in my book I looked up to ponder a point, and Bucky was still there and again tried to waving in my direction, I realized that he wouldn’t have been able to miss my reflective white skin from anywhere and this is when I rolled slyly off of my bed right into an army crawl and only exposing my hands to the window pulled my curtains closed. This is the last time I have seen Bucky. I can’t say I miss him. Isn’t this a lovely way to start a Sunday morning? Good morning God. GOOD GOD! Good morning.

are these not the cutest kids ever?

Cheers! - Kittens EVERYWHERE! So cute, and will let me pet them sometimes. - Classes where teachers are really excited to have a student from the States, the reasons vary: different opinion, perspectives, approach at school work, and even at times as an example (that’s not as fun)/. However any way I look at it, this is really going to help me as a scholar and an intellectual who has an opinion. - An Olympic size, outdoor, swimming pool!! On campus! It is such a comfort on the days where it is 32 degrees, Celsius, and there is not a cloud in the sky. Nevertheless, as I learned today, it can at times contribute to a jeer, but who is to blame but my dam ancestors who didn’t spend enough time in the sun? - High dives! - Finally getting the number to a place that sounds interesting to volunteer at, for youth prevention dealing with, and helping kids who have HIV/AID. - Not having a car, and being close enough to everything that you can walk. Also for public transportation, that is always really excited you are there. So what if it is a white rumbling van that can fit 8 comfortably, forcing 13 people inside of it? It cost less then 50 cents for a ride, you always get right where you need to go, and it is so easy to believe that you smell really good, and you should know, because your nose is shoved very far into your arm pit to avoid other smells. (Secret Clinical Strength, I am proud to announce is wonderful, and really, really does her job, so fresh, all day. It was a great investment.) - The US dollar being strong somewhere in the world, and coincidentally in the very place I am live right now! Jeers. - Sun burn, along with odd burn (and hopefully someday tan) lines because of sun screen that melts off. - Not knowing if people are talking about you or not. Yes, this may sound petty, but after a long day when a person maybe tired, and a group of people are starring at this person, while the group is talking ¾ in Setswana and ¼ English. Some people, I may know, can get a little paranoid. - Bugs. Of all kinds. Everywhere you could imagine. Millipedes, centipedes, mosquito’s, cockroaches (these are not in my room thank It, others I know have not faired so well), moths the size of my hand, and others bugs that look interesting, however I do not know the names. - Phone calls to anyone but Orange customers = expensive. - No walking at night alone or in pairs, one of my favorite things to do in order to clear my head. But we were told it was not safe and I promised my mum, I would not play the invincible card. - The startling statistic that 50% of the University of Botswana campus is infected with HIV/AIDS. - Lastly, Africans have a very hard time understanding sarcasm. I know maybe I will be forced to change my ways . . . Or maybe I will just make the world a funnier place. - OH! And I haven’t found any swings yet. But I have faith that I will, and I shall keep everyone posted on this magical necessity.

Here is my first e-mail that I basically sent out four different times before I decided to Do the whole blog thing:

The stars in Botswana are amazing, i have never seen so many in my life, i kid you not. Last night i say the milky way, i have never been able to see the milkyway before in the US. I will fill you in all the way, so i will start at the very beginning. I hear its a very good place to start.

the plane ride wasn't that bad at all, that was the part i was most worried about. My closest friend here thus far is a very nice young lady named Sarah, I think you would like her her . . . today we were those people who were running narrators to the lives, actions, and "thoughts" of those we were with. What fun, eh? It is so beautiful here, and hot, and already I am starting to get lil tan which i know you were really interested in. Last week started our first week of classes . . . . KIND OF, you see no one shows up the first week, not the teachers not the students, no one really, its silly so i go to class everyday sit there for 20 min hoping that someone comes and then i leave. Everyone of my classes is about africa in come way or another and we have started planning the most amazing trips, i just hope that we have enough time for all of them . . . you are so invited to come. . . I have been told by our main instructor and others that over 1/2 of the university population is positive with HIV/AIDS, and i am going to start volunteering soon, with orphans or at a clinic, which for me, is really exciting. Being here is so much more then i was expecting thus far, I mean its not perfect . . . . as you will see, but it is like something i have never seen/experienced thus far.

I found a kitten the other day, and i brought it back to my apartment with me, i named her rain cloud (mura a pula) because her coloring looks like a rain cloud, but she is so sick and skinny, less then a lb prob. I didn't keep her, because she is peeing EVERYWHERE! not cool, not cool at all, esp when you have to wash your clothes by hand.

Okay so maybe i don't HAVE to wash them by hand but i don't know where the laundry room in on campus and i lost my map, and considering the whole third world country, i don't even have Internet in my own apartment, and everywhere is BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper)I have just assumed that the washers and dyers may not be in tip top shape. But i am really happy to be here and i am meeting the coolest people. I think that you would really dig it . . .

Hiya.

I thought that i would explain the pictures, they where taken when i was on a hike a week or so ago it was early in the morning, and the first time I had seen any water since i had been in the country, it is man made and well hidden, but these views were so beautiful.

This picture is from a traditional dinner that we went to about the 3rd or fourth day in Gaborone, I ate a huge gross worm at this dinner, i don't have a picture of me eating it on my camra but one one of my friends gives it to me i shall post it, because i feel it is one of those things that you have to see to believe. However I am posting the picture of the house in which this all went down, this way you can see some of the kids in my group. Next time i have internet i will post the game reserve pictures! These pictures of the animals are so amazing!

Oh yes, and here is my address here just in case anyone wants to send me anything . . . and get something back in return!

Miss Elizabeth Otter

c/o Batisrai Chidzodzo, CIEE University of Botswana International Education and Partnerships Office, Room #149 Private Bag 0022 Gaborone, Botswana

Welcome! After battling with myself for the past two weeks, I have finally made up my mind and I shall be having a blog VS the whole group e-mail thing. This is because one of my biggest fears in life is being boring, thus boring other people, and since I have a tendency to ramble on when I write and have already started to e-mail people back. Seemingly, writing the same e-mail over and over, for these people I am starting a blog, just so they can choose which entries sound a little to similar to what I have already written to them. I have been wondering what I would write about, and this as well has been plaguing the start of the “blogging”. But what better way to start than by letting you into my smart, witty, free-spirited, wired, and at times immature head, and how I look at everyday life and their simple pleasure in this new place, or the things that I really could live with out. So begins: Cheers! And Jeers (which was once a segment in my high school news paper). Cheers! - 9 hours of Sun!! - The primaries!! and being surrounded by people who know so much about them, and seem to be as excited about this turn in out government and policy to come. - Pasty skin, on the down fall. - Going to clubs, and being told, “Eh! White girl, you really know how to dance”! It is something that I have always known, but it feels so nice to be finally recognized, if only they could see my sister and me in action together. However, my amigo here, Sarah, is doing a good enough job. - No classes the first week of school. A tradition that I did not know about until half way through last week, after sitting in each classroom alone wondering if I had the right room/times. But hey, I am definitely not complaining about it, I have almost finished two books already. - Reading for FUN again! How I miss that during the semester in the US.- There is no such thing as American vanity here, it is too hot, and there is something about this humbling experience i love.

Life of a Studio Cat As I sit each day thinking about you, as I look out the clear window; Did you know, the window and you have many things in common? Transparent, like when we are together, showing me all of your sides, It is similar to the couple below that creep silently past each night. Their arms stretched out like a tightrope, yet, still hand in hand. in an unspoken hurry, shifting their eyes rapidly. A forbidden love not ready to be exposed to the bright days, quick and harsh judgment. Like the unsure tone you use when your feelings bleed onto my ears. Opening up to me, is comparable to the slow sliding of the open window. Early summer breezes, sweet and warm breathe down my arched back, filling my lungs with hopes for our future, all while you spin me tightly. The midday sun turns our room into a bath of warmth, heating my black coat. It is near to the warmth I feel when I am curled securely within your legs. Pictures you paint to me about the adventures to come drip with optimism. As stunning as the sunsets that wash the sky from orange to violet, then black. My emerald eyes uncovered in the nighttime reflection, both in the window and your eyes, are the images that reassure me, there is life outside this room. The drops of water that dance against the bitter gray pane, remind me of the tears that land in-between my velvet triangle ears. As the drops of water depart from you chin, I am reminded once again that I am not your only love. It’s hard at times, because the window has an outside, and you an inside. Do you ever wonder what I do when the shades are shut and you are far away? I look through my hollow shadow not finding peace in what I see, and close my mind. Elizabeth Otter

Sitting all alone on this quiet cold step, I hear your voice calling out to me. But as I look down the wooded street- the canopy of leafy trees covering the harsh rays from my pail skin – sprit – vulnerable heart – . It’s not you I see on the dreary cement walk. Or in the hustling cars that pass by our home. And I am forced to realize that the cry was, once again, a memory that stole me from reality. Suddenly I realize while still safely on the limestone steps - - That you won’t be returning. It is at this moment, the busy city street stops. Everyone once focused on themselves turn to watch my demise; and it is them- not I, who all at once fall down to their knees, holding their heads while letting out a pained cry. But I will not let the world fall apart – even if you were my whole eternity. So I grab the black painted iron railing, and force myself to stand on unsure legs; picking up the folded unsure bodies as I do. Breathing for the first time in years.

I take the drugs that allow me to forget for a moment

The effect your memory has on me

I never wanted to feel this way

To be a freckle on your arm

When you are my orbit

As I wait for the drugs to creep through my body

I wish it was you instead

My make believe world will be upon me soon

Is it fair that I only have 5 minutes without you each day

In between reality and fantasy I think so

Because five minutes sometimes feels like an eternity

And I have learned about other than me, through pain

My breath is quick and unsure

Scared of what is to come out

Terrified of what may come in

So I take one more deeply drawn breath I puff my cheeks out and hold it counting to 45

Prickly white dots begin to surface to my skin

Spinning dizziness begins

The purple clarity is here once again

I enjoy this moment

Quickly before I must exhale and rush on

Trying to make up for the moment that was lost