If you are anything like I was about a year ago, you are frantically searching Peace Corps Zambia blogs in an attempt to see what this place is like and what you need to pack for your upcoming two-year adventure. I decided to put up this post to offer you some guidance, as I know how crazy the weeks leading up to fly-in can be. Below you will find a list of suggested items that I have found useful during my past year in country, as well as suggestions of what not to fret over buying or packing. This is by no means a complete list, and not every item may be important to you, but hopefully, it will give you some direction if you need it.

I also want to extend to you a big welcome to the Peace Corps Zambia Family! Peace Corps Zambia is an awesome placement. The land, people, and volunteer friends you make while here are amazing, and I hope you come to love this place as much as all us current volunteers have. Training is going to be tough and tiresome, but stick it out, because the other side is pretty great!

Safe travels, and we will see you in a few weeks!!!

Salley

P.S. If any of you current volunteers read this and have something to add, feel free to comment : )

Packing List:

-Speakers for your mp3 player (you can get some here, but the quality isn’t that great, and if you love your music, you will want to be able to listen to it while you do chores around the house or use it for dance parties with your village kids!)

-Extra set of earphones for your mp3 player (again, you can get some here, but the quality is crappy)

-Gatorade or other powdered drink packets

-Luggage locks for when traveling

-Combination padlock for your hut’s front door (great if you want to avoid the possibility of losing your key and getting locked out)

-Plastic mattress cover (queen size – great for when your roof leaks over your bed!)

-Fitted sheet (again, go with queen size – you can get these here, but they are expensive and not the finest quality – flat sheets can be found here no problem, and pc gives you a set when you get here)

-Headlamp (at least one, maybe 2) and handheld flashlight with lots of batteries!

-Camera (bring lots of memory cards and a few flash drives too – I have found that loading my pictures on them and mailing them home to have my mom post on my blog is so much simpler than me trying to load them using the slow and unreliable internet here at the Peace Corps house)

-Photos from home (aka “snaps” - great for hanging in your hut and also to show your host family and friends in the village)

-Gift for host family (calendars, a framed photo from training (bring a cheap frame from home), headlamps, etc)

-Short-wave radio

-Saddle-bag for bike (not absolutely necessary at first, but might be nice to have someone send you later if you run out of packing space)

-Enough shampoo/conditioner for about a week or so (this stuff will weigh your suitcase down if you try to bring too much, and you can get nice-smelling stuff here that works well)

-Zip-lock bags (the gallon size and “big bags” are great for storage and travel)

-If you knit, bring your needles (you can get yarn here, however, it is cheap quality)

-Face wash (if you have a favorite kind, bring it, cause you probably won’t find it here)

-Deodorant (you can get some deo/antiperspirant combos here, but they are expensive)

-Off-unscented bug spray

-Binoculars (i just went on safari, and having these made the tip so much better – you don’t have to spend a lot on them though)

-Box for electronics (I bought one at REI, it is small, padded box that is perfect for keeping your electronics safe when traveling, as expect to have you luggage squished and squeezed!)

-Laptop computer (this is, by no means absolutely necessary, however, with the growing number of volunteers and only one computer per PC house (which often crashes), it is nice to have – especially if you want to Skype home with family and friends – I bought a net book before coming here and it is cheap and small, so perfect for traveling)

-Duct tape (you will find so many uses for this stuff here)

-Nalgene bottles (2 are handy to have)

-Hand sanitizer (good for on the go – you can get it here, but it is really expensive)

-Medium-sized backpack

-Gum (you can get it here, but if you have you have a favorite type at home, it’s is nice to have)

-Rain gear (boots, umbrella, raincoat)

-Sunglasses

-List of your internet usernames and passwords (nice to have during training when your laptop is in storage and you go to internet cafes)

-List of addresses for writing postcards home

-Daily planner and journal

*packing suggestion: I packed all my toiletries in clear plastic "rubber maid" type box (it was about the size of two shoe boxes put together, and taped it up to prevent shampoo explosions while traveling to country. This worked really well, and after I settled into my house, I had an extra storage container as well.

Girl-specific items:

-Sleeveless shirts! (don’t listen to the manual – you are allowed to wear these here, and you will want to when it gets hot!)

-Knee-length stretchy skirts – the ones with the fold-over top are great, cause they are always comfy and fit well even if you gain or lose weight)

-Leggings (can be worn under skirts or chitenges when biking

-PJ pants (it will be chilly at night during training)

-Fleece jacket

-Solid colored t-shirts (buy tighter-fitting ones, because repeated hand-washing will stretch them out – these also are great to have to wear with chitenges

-Cute shirts / dresses (because you most likely will want to go out or look cute as some point during training)

-Make-up (if you wear it, bring it! You prob won’t want to wear it in the village, but at the PC house or for special occasions it is nice to have)

-Tampons (maybe bring a box or so to start with, but after that, rely on PC to provide these for you)

-Nail polish, Ped-Egg, and foot cream (these have been one of my all-time favorite care package items - your feet will take a beating here)

Other clothing advice:

-Boys: bring some pants a few inches smaller than what you ordinarily wear (and a belt!), especially if you are a little fluffier in the middle, you will lose weight

-Girls: bring stretchy clothes with elastic waist-bands, you might gain weight (I know, it’s not fair)

-Choco or Teva sandals (as a peace corps volunteer, you are eligible for awesome discounts at these companies – while these aren’t the most fashion forward footwear, it is good to have a pair for long bike rides, hikes and other adventures)

-Closed-toe shoes (for me, these were not necessary, I think I have worn mine once, however, others wear theirs often)

-2 pairs of jeans (one for the village and one for wearing in town)

Don’ts:

-Don’t worry about a fancy phone (you can get an internet phone here for pretty cheap)

-Don’t bring water purification tablets or fancy water purification devices (You can get chlorine here and PC provides you with a water filter)

-Don’t worry about trying to find Zambia-specific adaptors for your electronics, you can get those here

-Don’t bring fancy solar chargers (you may end up in an area that has a school/clinic that has power or solar panels, and you can charge your phone there)

-Don’t spent tons of money on camping equipment (some people didn’t even bring a tent and shared with other volunteers)

-Don’t spent a ton of money on new clothes at REI or similar stores (especially if you don’t already wear that type of clothing, cause you prob won’t want to wear it once here)

-Don’t bring towels (chitenges work great for this purpose, and PC will give you one as soon as you get to country)

This past Easter, I decided to forgo the Easter Bunny, and instead go on my very first SAFARI!!! While Easter Baskets and eating ham with the fam at home are great, going on Safari was life changing! We went to the park closest to my house that also just happens to be one of the best in Zambia! It is just a 4 hour drive from my hut! After my first day in the game park, I called home begging my family to come and experience the adventure too. If any of you have ever been enthralled in a National Geographic special on T.V., or were one watched the Lion King over and over as a child (that’s you, Han!), trust me that this is a million times better than that, as everything one has seen on those 60 minute television specials comes to life and is walking and breathing just meters away from you!

I went with my very best Peace Corps friend, Emily, and we stayed at a beautiful lodge just across the Luangwa River outside the park. Every day we crossed the water in a small motor boat and once on the other side, hopped into cruisers and rode around to see what was out and about that day. I was slightly worried that we would not see as much during our trip as we would if we had waited to go later in the year, because we were going right at the end of rainy season, a time where the grasses and brush would be tall and visibility might not be all that great. However, I was not unhappy in the least about our experience! We spent 4 days in the park and saw plenty – lions (including a 3 month old cub, and a couple mating!), impala, water buck, tons of beautiful birds, cats of various sizes, hippos, crocodiles, elephants, zebras, giraffe, etc.

The package we had at the lodge included two game drives or walks per day, one in the morning, and one in the evening. The night drives were really fun and also a bit scary at times, as that is when we were closest to the lions. A female and her cub walked just a few feet away from our cruiser (which was completely open, I should mention). They were so close we could hear them breathing. I think I was so scared I had to hold Emily’s hand (thanks, Em!)!

This experience was unlike any I have ever had, and it is difficult to communicate in this post the excitement that had me nearly hyperventilating every time we came across a new animal in the park. I vowed that one day, when I have children of my own, this is a vacation I will save up to take them on. The zoo is nice, but after this, I just don’t think it will cut it. If you have reservations about coming to Africa to visit, I hope that this post encourages you to make it happen. Safari is an experience you don’t want to miss!

Pictures coming soon!!!

Hello from Zambia! I know it seems that I have long forgotten this blog, but I promise I haven’t! Below you will find two posts written back in March, but I held off on posting them as I was waiting for my mother to post the accompanying pictures. She has yet to do so (hint, hint, mom), but I thought I should go ahead with these anyway so that y’all back home would know that I am still alive and doing well! Hope you are doing well too!

NC’WALA

In Februay, I attended NC’WALA, a traditional ceremony for the Ngoni people (the folks in my village are from the Ngoni tribe). I went with some other Peace Corps Volunteers and friends from my village. My family did not attend, as they feel that the ceremony is barbaric because some female participants dance topless. (Their chosen religion, Jehovah’s Witness, has shaped many of their views of traditional practices, some for the better, but also has in many ways robbed them of some rich cultural traditions. This, however, is not something I should discuss further on the blog, so I will stop there : / ). I am so glad that I went to this ceremony. There were thousands of people there, as the Ngoni tribe is also found in many of Zambia’s neighboring countries and people from all over were in attendance. The paramount chief of the Ngoni people was there, as well as President Banda.

The ceremony was mostly dancing done in a huge circle involving men in animal skins wearing bells on their ankles, and topless women chanting, singing and clapping. The dancing is done in a particular pattern of stomping (too difficult for this white girl to attempt) and involved waving of dancing sticks and shields. I believe that the Ngoni people were known for being great hunters and warriors, hence the skins and shields.

To accompany the dancing there was the presentation of a gift to the chief. This year, the gift was a chest freezer and refrigerator. In addition, there was also the slaughter of the sacrificial cow. I was able to get a pretty good seat and was just a few yards away from the cow as this was happening. I didn’t watch, of course, but a friend that was with me videotaped the whole thing and said that the cow was speared all the way through. Ugh! I was told that after the sacrificial killing, all of the important people involved in the ceremony drink the blood. However, I also heard rumors that now-a-days they just pretend to drink it for show.

I took a few pictures and videos, so hopefully, those will be up soon for your viewing pleasure!

Daily Life

I feel like I have yet to give you an idea of what my day to day routine is like in the village, so to give you a better understanding, I have come up with a general itinerary:

5:00-5:30 Awake to roosters crowing and the sound of my Zam Fam starting their day. Usually this involves my 10 year old sister walking past my house on her way to fetch water making ridiculously loud animal noises as she goes, Atate hammering something very noisily, and goats running up on my porch, or rubbing themselves along the sides of my house to scratch an itch. These noises have become very familiar to me now and are my alarm clock to awake and get started with the day.

5:30-6:30 Lay in bed contemplating my day’s schedule, checking email and facebook, etc.

6:30-7:00 Get up, put on my chosen chitenge for the day, wash face, empty chamber pot, and sweep porch (usually covered in dust and goat poop!)

7:00-7:30 Breakfast – usually cereal with powdered milk, bananas or apples with peanut butter, or bread/buns with peanut butter (there is a grocery store in town where I can purchase some of these things) along with whatever fruit is in season in the village – previously mangos and guavas

7:30-1:30 Chores around the house – dishes, fetching water, washing clothes, sweeping, weeding my yard, planning for meetings, starting a fire and cooking lunch (During this time of year, I cannot schedule meetings in the morning, because everyone is busy in their fields. I usually plan for one afternoon meeting per day). (On Wednesday mornings, I will go to the clinic around 8-9 to help with growth monitoring for children under 5 years. I have also started a mothers’ education program and have begun presenting health talks on these days as well.)

1:30-2:00 Lunch with the family or neighbor, depending on the day

2:00-4:00 Meeting (some meetings require biking to, and thus Atate and I will eat an earlier lunch and leave around 12:30)

4ish/5ish Bucket Bath! I have really perfected my technique and use 10 liters of water for bathing

6:30-8:30 Family Time – paying games with the kids, sitting by the fire and helping Amai and the girls cook, eating supper (Occasionally, I will eat by myself or with a friend, but most times I am with the family). My family has one light bulb powered by their solar panels, so we try to eat quickly before the light fades. (during rainy season, it was often too cloudy to provide more than an hour or two of indoor lighting at night)

8:30-9:00 Getting ready for bed, reading, or phone calls home if I have a phone date with one of you : )

By 10pm, if not sooner, I am usually fast asleep.

Pretty exciting, huh?

Hello from inside my hut, where I am safely tucked in bed and under my mosquito net! I heard this week that another volunteer had internet service in her house, so I inquired about the equipment and now, for just a little over 50 U.S. dollars, I have the modem that lets me connect to the internet while in the village! Technology is a beautiful thing! I hope that now I will be a bit better at keeping up with this blog.

I know it has been a while, and it is time to update you on what I have been up to since arriving at site. I hope you have enjoyed looking at the pictures. I will continue to send flash drives with more photos and videos for my mom to post, because internet here is too slow for me to get them online. Hopefully, my updates will help better describe what you see, however, they may not always be posted at the same time as the pictures.

After swear-in on September 24th, the day on which I became an official Peace Corps Volunteer, I entered what Peace Corps calls “community entry,” a 3 month period of time where new volunteers are supposed to remain within their districts, not travel, not do any major work, and focus on getting to know their communities and existing health system. Below you will find my observations during that time, as well as general descriptions of my life here in Zambia. Enjoy!

My Living Situation

I am stationed in the Eastern Province of Zambia, specifically in Chipata district, very near to the provincial capital. I live on a family compound with the Ngoma family. In the local language, Ngoma means “drum.” I have quite a few Zam family members, so let me introduce them to you.

Host Father: Atate Ngoma (Atate = Father)

Atate is about 56 years old and father of 8 children (3 from a previous marriage, and 5 from his current wife). He is not only my host father, but also my counterpart (aka my link to the community, the person that serves as translator at meetings and helps plan and organize community gatherings on my behalf). He also takes wonderful care of my property and is very concerned with my safety. He is a well-educated village resident, speaks English very well, and loves Dolly Parton and the Beatles! He is fairly well-off in the community, as he has a 4 room house with a tin roof, owns a bike and cell phone, as well as a few solar panels that store enough energy to provide a few hours of light in the evenings and charge his phone.

Host Mother: Amai Ngoma (Amai = Mother)

Amai is in her late 40s and is mother to 7 children (2 from a previous marriage (which ended in a scandal when her husband was “stolen” by another woman in the village, so I am told) and 5 from her current marriage with atate). Amai is very very skinny for having birthed 7 kids, and has a harsh-looking expression on her face most of the time, however, under the surface, she is a very caring woman that is genuinely concerned with my well-being, specifically my nshima consumption (the staple food here). Amai’s English skills are not as strong as those of Atate, but usually we are able to communicate through a mixture of Chinyanja, English, hand gestures, and lots of laughter.

Host Brothers and Sisters

Out of the 5 children Amai and Atate have together, only 4 live here in the village. The second born son is away living with an aunt and going to a better school than the village has to offer, because Atate believes he is the brightest of all the children. I have spent just a brief period of time with Danny, as he has only come to visit on his December holiday from school to see the family and help with planting in the fields.

David is my oldest Zam brother. He is about 19 years old and just passed his grade nine exams. Because the village school does not offer grades 10-12, he will have to go to boarding school if he wants to further his education. He is an overall sweet kid, but here lately, he has been testing the waters of his independence and thereby testing the patience and forgiveness of Amai and Atate. Chasing after girls, drinking, and coming home late at night have caused a rift between him and his parents. I hope that if he is permitted to go to boarding school, he straightens up, but I am sure this will come only after further exercising his independence, as is typical of any other 19 year old male across the globe. I will keep you posted on where he ends up.

Lunia is the oldest daughter, age 13, and in grade 7. Her name means jealousy, but she was named after an aunt, so I don’t think that the meaning is any reflection on her personal character (and I have never met the aunt to see if the name better fits her). Her English skills are not that strong, so we don’t usually sit around having any deep conversations or anything, but we have enough in common that we can both appreciate a good shade of nail polish and sit together to play beauty parlor. Amai deals in used clothes, so occasionally, Lunia will emerge from the house in a new piece of evening wear, and will saunter across the yard to go to the market to buy tomatoes. These moments always make my day!

Hilda is the next in line, named after her mother , 10 years old, and in grade 4. Atate says that she is brighter than her older sister, and I have observed that she did very well in school at the closing day of the term in December. Hilda is much more fascinated with me and eager to sweep my house and tote my water than Lunia – perhaps it is an age thing. Her English skills are pretty much on par with those of her sister though, so no real deep conversations with her either. She is very playful, enjoys jumping rope and playing tic-tac-toe (which I taught her), and loves to make ridiculously loud noises and impersonations of neighboring villagers, which are somewhat amusing for the first 5 minutes.

Lastly, there is the baby, John, but said “Joanie.” He is about 5 or 6 and hasn’t yet started school. During the first few weeks at site, he was my constant companion, falling asleep in my lap at the end of each day. The novelty of the white girl living in his front yard has lessened somewhat, but still remains quite strong. He enjoys sitting on my stoop, following me around, dancing for my entertainment, giving me high fives, and escorting me back to my house at night after supper (upon leaving me at my door he says “good morning!”). He is really cute, but definitely the spoiled baby in the family who has become especially good at throwing fits when he doesn’t get his way. He recently received a new bike, and within one day, learned how to balance so that he could go riding with me on the paths surrounding the family’s compound.

Family Dynamics

Male dominance is the norm in Zambian society, and my family is no exception. Atate goes first in most anything. For example, he is usually the first to wash his hands and begin filling his plate at any meal. Respecting one’s elders is of huge importance, and thus it is appropriate for a woman or child to often kneel before an elder or a man when posing a question or giving and receiving something from their hands. My host sisters kneel every time they present Atate with something. Everyone in the family works hard, especially my 13 and 10 year old sisters. The sweep, haul water, wash clothes and dishes, cook meals, as well as help in the fields. They are usually busy with these tasks around the clock, minus the time they are not at school or sleeping. The family would fall apart if not for these two. Amai does similar tasks, but works a little less intensely due to her seniority and doctor’s orders to do lighter work. Atate works very hard in the fields and around the house and community. Just the other day, he spent the entire morning hauling the family’s maize to the mill to be ground, and today he assisted in the building of a coffin and burying and older community member that just passed away. For 56, he is strong as an ox, and works so relentlessly that any chance he has to sit for a period of 2 minutes, he immediately falls asleep. David, the oldest son also helps haul water at times, take maize to the mill, and work in the family’s fields. He has his own plot of cotton to help pay for his school fees.

Crops and Cooking

Every family in the community is allocated fields by the chief to grow the crops that will sustain them throughout the year. My family’s fields are about a 20-30 minute walk from their house and are planted with mango trees, cotton, ground nuts, maize, pumpkin, rape, and another legume that I cannot remember the name of. Other crops in the area include tobacco, okra, tomato, an eggplant-like veggie, avocado, lemons, oranges, bananas, papaya, onions, cabbage, soy beans, sunflowers, and beans.

Because I live essentially in the Ngoma family’s front yard, I am treated as their daughter and take meals with them usually twice a day. Lunch is served really late, usually between 2-3 pm, due to the family’s busy morning being filled with chores. Dinner is between 7-8 pm. The staple food here is nshima. This is milled maize that is cooked in boiling water. There is a right and a wrong way to cook nshima. The right way involves a particular stirring technique, appropriate water temperature, and good deal of patience and physical strength. I am working on my skills, but am not yet fully capable of seeing a large pot cooked to completion, because the substance turns as thick as glue in the final stages, and I lack the upper body strength to continue stirring to the end. If done correctly, the final product is something like grits left to harden in the pot a bit. The cook then scoops out lumps of nshima using a special nshima scooper. What is then presented at the table is a malleable substance that is broken off bit by bit, rolled around in the hand, and used as a vessel to transport other foods (called “relish”) to the mouth – an edible fork, if you will. In an area with no dish washers, much less running water, cutting down on utensils to wash is not a bad idea, plus, eating with the hands is quite fun. I have really taken to nshima, and enjoy eating it more than some of my fellow volunteers. As I mentioned earlier, nshima is a close cousin to grits, so to a southern gal like myself, ground corn served hot is not a foreign concept to me.

Nshima is always the main course served at every meal, accompanied by relish (aka sides – protein (if lucky) and veggies). Relish at my house is typically a vegetable, usually cabbage, rape, or pumpkin leaves (my favorite, especially when cooked with pounded ground nuts) all cooked in oil with onions, tomato, and salt. Protein is usually scarce, so whenever I eat with the family, I prepare a relish that is a protein source – typically beans, lentils, or soya pieces (think textured vegetable protein, only tastier than what you can get in America.) It always amazes me the little amount of relish that is placed on the table. By using nshima, the family is able to stretch out what little there is, so that everyone gets a taste. It is heartbreaking of course, as a dietitian, to know that my family is not fed appropriately, but part of my job here is to educate on that matter, so I certainly have my work cut out for me.

My House

My house tour video is coming soon, but until then, here is a quick preview. I live in a traditional mud house with a grass thatched roof. I have two rooms – a bedroom that is pretty much taken up completely by my bed and a few suitcases, and a main room that serves as an office, food prep area, as well as a gym, whenever I take a notion to exercise. The outside of my house is in keeping with that of my neighbors’ homes, save for a beautiful Carolina blue stripe I just painted around the base the other day. The inside, however, is a bit different, as it is full of furniture made by the local carpenter, and plastic storage bins, luxuries that many of my neighbors cannot afford. The inside walls were also painted, one of the first home projects I undertook during my first week at site. I chose the colors cream and sky blue, going for a cozy Martha Stuart cottage-type them, and I am so glad I did, because it made my hut quite bright and inviting.

Living in a house made of mud and grass is quite charming, but it also comes with its share of needed maintenance. The mud walls are perfect hiding places for termites and the roof beams are an awesome environment for weevils, both of which you can hear chomping away at night if you stand still and listen really close. The termites aren’t so out of control yet, any time they burrow out of the wall, creating a little mud appendage on my pretty paint job, I just chisel it off with a butter knife, thinking that they will at least be distracted enough with the repair work to keep them from building new ones. (It usually takes them just a few hours to build it up again). The weevils were a bit more problematic, as the more they chewed through my roof beams, the more dust fell into my house. Before putting up plastic to line the roof and catch the dust, it looked like it had snowed in my house each morning when I woke up. At present, my house is rid of neither of these 2 new roommates, but as long as they stay where they are and don’t cause my house to cave in over the course of my stay, I think we will get along just fine.

I have a lovely round meeting shelter right outside my front door. The shelter is also meant for cooking, however, due to weevil dust showers, I usually cook out in the open. The shelter has instead become a sort of play pin, as I usually try to corral my tiny daily visitors to the area to keep them from hanging around my porch or peeping in my windows. I have nearly peed on myself several times due to an unexpected squeal or “salley!” behind the screen of one of my windows. I also take lunch with the family in my meeting shelter, because it contains a nice set of bamboo chairs for us to sit in during the day.

Clothing

My normal every day wear in the village is a chitenge and a tank top (gotta prevent famers tan!). A chitenge is a two meter piece of cloth wrapped tightly around the waist and falls to the ankles in order to hide the most seductive part of a woman’s body, the legs. Like nshima, I have also really embraced the chitenge. They are cheap (about 2-4 US dollars), easy to wash, and come in a variety of beautiful and wild patterns. I have already started hoarding some of them away, imagining all of the sewing projects they will inspire upon my return home!

My Village Identity

On my first visit to my village during my training period, I was given a village name. I am not sure who chose it, but I thank them for being so kind, as they named me “Chimwemwe,” meaning happiness or smiling! My host dad also christened me with a Zamified version of my own name, and now my family refers to me as “Salliwe.” I am thankful that other local names such as “Jealousy,” “Fatness,” and “Beating” didn’t make the final cut. Chimwemwe is fun to say and keeps me smiling every time I hear it!

Greetings

If there is one thing a newcomer to this country better get straight right away, it’s greetings. Greeting is an integral and time-consuming part of Zambian culture. Like in America, there are morning, afternoon, and evening greetings, however, unlike in America, here in Zambia, one can never bypass such exchanges for a simple tip of the hat, smile or nod. No sir! You greet in full or be forever banished and ignored by the village. I don’t go anywhere in the village without throwing out at least 10-20 “Muli Bwanji”s (how are you?). I may not be able to converse much more than that, but I’ll be darned if I don’t try to get in my proper hellos. You must start off on the right foot, you know? Having a meeting and someone comes in late? Well, of course we should halt and all 20 people in attendance greet the late comer! It’s only proper. These greetings are often accompanied by a hand over the heart, two clasped hands and a little curtsey, or, if in close proximity, a secret handshake that requires 3 movements (I am secretly very proud each time I pull this one off as coolly as if I have been shaking Zambian hands for years!). To go along with the handshake, it is also proper to touch your right forearm with your left hand as a sign of respect. Also, never be surprised when your handshake partner holds on longer than most Americans would deem more than enough sufficient to say hello. Zambians like to linger on this, so I have learned to just go with it and not be too much of a limp noodle. While it may seem as if I am poking fun at this tradition, please understand that this is not the intent of this post. Greeting in this way has just been one of the many cultural differences I have noted between my home country and Zambia. I have really come to appreciate the time Zambians take to inquire about one another and the acknowledgement of everyone’s presence. It is actually quite a beautiful thing to watch.

Work

Now that community entry is over, us new volunteers are expected to do more than just sit around with our neighbors and each nshima. We are supposed to get to work and get the ball rolling on sustainable development. Here in my community, I can tell that the ball is going to roll really slowly, however, from talking to more experienced volunteers, I knew to expect this, and am not in complete shock. I have instead decided to find a new hobby to keep me busy when meetings are canceled, or no one decides to show up (I will keep you posted on what I decided).

Here is a bit of background on my project and community:

I am I the CHIP program – Community Health Improvement Project. All CHIP volunteers are placed within a reasonable distance of a rural health center and are expected to help strengthen the community’s existing health structure via co-training, co-facilitating, and co-planning with local groups, clubs, and health committees. Peace Corps model of sustainable development uses “co” in many of its descriptions of the volunteer’s role, as the whole idea behind the work that we do is to essentially “work ourselves out of a job” by the end of our service, and have our communities carry on with the projects we started or strengthened together as a team. Because we are not supposed to move in and take over (which is somewhat difficult for a bossy older sister like myself), we are expected to work closely with local counterparts and share the leading role. My first counterpart has been my Atate (host dad), because he speaks excellent English, is well-educated, and is a prominent and respected member of the community who people will listen to. He also seems to have a pretty good grasp of Peace Corps mission. I am working on getting to know other members of the community a bit better, and hope to have more than just one counterpart (preferably find a female, so that I can reach women’s groups a bit better).

My clinic has just two paid employees (a nurse and an environmental health technologist), and serves approximately 8,500 individuals living in an area composed of several hundred villages, the furthest from the clinic being a 4+ hour journey on foot that crosses 3 rivers. The clinic is also staffed with volunteers from the community that donate their time and efforts to help weigh babies, distribute medicines, and educate on health topics such as prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. Some of these volunteers have been formally trained, but many have not, and are holding positions that should only be reserved for qualified personnel. However, with only 2 paid employees and 8,500+ people to care for they do their best to serve those that need medical care.

To serve as organizers, educators and spokespersons for their community’s health priorities, the clinic’s catchment area has been divided into 8 neighborhoods, each containing a representative body called an NHC (neighborhood health committee). Meeting the NHCs is a great place to start as a health volunteer, as it is important to see how organized the committees are and determine what community leaders think are their area’s greatest health priorities. I have currently met with 5 of my 8 NHCs, and am waiting to hear about the remaining 3 who have cancelled on me or not replied to my request to schedule a meeting. From what I have observed thus far, it looks like starting from square one with most of the group is what my first priority will be. Training the NHC members on their role within the community is so important, because many people join the committee because they want prestige or given a seat because they already have prestige, and do not fully understand the responsibility they have to their community. Starting with simple things such as the 5 roles of the NHC, as laid out by the Zambian Ministry of Health, is where I will begin with many of the groups. Other vital groundwork is holding elections, and writing the group constitutions. So much of my work will be organizational before I can get started with any major health projects.

I have also met with my local drama group (the villagers love skits!) that performs skits about health and my local HIV support group. Like the NHCs, both groups need to start from ground one and get organized before we really make any major headway with health education. For my second meeting with the HIV group, a whopping 2 members showed up out of the original 15 that came to the first meeting. Apparently, this poor showing was due to the fact that I did not hand out free stuff during the initial meeting, as was explained to me by the returning two members. Discouraging? Yes, a bit, but not completely unexpected. I am planning to remedy this by holding meetings closer to members’ homes, and see if that helps improve the turnout. I will let you know if it works.

Another project in the works is a school health club, if only I can convince the headmaster that “no, I am not here to provide the school with free sports equipment.” Oh dear! I can tell that a lot of what I will do here is continue to explain what Peace Corps is and how sustainable development works. I am what is called a “first generation” volunteer, meaning that I am the first volunteer to live and work at my site, and if all goes well with me, 2 others will follow so that the community has a volunteer for 6 straight years. Being first gen, I expected to have to lay a lot of ground work, my main responsibility being to assist in creating more organized groups for the following volunteers to work with (I asked to be first gen, because I like doing this sort of thing). I am up for the challenge, though I know progress will happen pangono pangono (bit by bit). I’ll keep you updated on my future endeavors!

Zanzibar

Towards the end of training, a few of my fellow volunteers and I decided to plan a Christmas vacation as something to look forward to during the 3 tedious months of community entry that lay before us. We agreed that the exotic location of Zanzibar would be the perfect get-away after 3 months of uninterrupted village life. The trip began with a train ride from Zambia’s central province, and all the way through Tanzania to Dar Es Salaam. The train ride was a two and a half day adventure. I will skip over the part where our sleeper car reservations were misplaced, forcing us to spend the first night in the bar car that smelled like urine and was home to at least 3 rats, to the part where we spent hours looking at the windows at the beautiful scenery. Tanzania was really lovely to watch roll by as I held my head out the window. Towards the end of the ride, we drove through a game park where we saw warthogs, primates, impala, giraffe, and many beautiful birds. The mood, which was slightly depressed (for all passengers) after traveling for 2 days un-showered, in cramped quarters with other stinky folks picked up considerably as the first animal sightings were made. There was a real sense of camaraderie when you’d hear someone shout “over here!” when they spotted an animal on their side of the train. Running back and forth from side to side was a fun task as the train rocked along the tracks.

By the time we arrived in Dar Es Salaam, several hours after our anticipated arrival time, it was quite dark, and all we wanted to do was get to our hotel, take a hot shower, and sleep in a real bed with a real pillow and sheets that hopefully hadn’t been used by the room’s previous occupants (as was the case on the train). The following morning, we woke and headed to the ferry, gripping our bags tightly as we boarded, due to warning that the ferry was prime pick-pocketing territory. I think that the ride to the island was about 2 hours, but I am not exactly certain, because this seasick-prone traveler forgot to pack her motion sickness medicine and spent most of the ride with her eyes closed, trying not to vomit. Once on solid ground, however, I felt much better, and after passing through immigration and filling out paperwork, I was welcomed into the alleyways of Stone Town. We spent three nights in Stone Town and filled our days there with shopping, eating and some more eating. The next three nights were spent in what was like a tree house at a beach on the northern end of the island (Kendwa Rocks) - it was very Swiss Family Robinson. The following three nights were spent at a Paje, a beach on the eastern part of the island. Both beaches were absolutely beautiful, and we spent lots of time lounging in the sun, eating seafood under thatched umbrellas on the shore, and floating in the water. We did get out for a few activities as well – spice tour, snorkeling, kayaking, as well as swimming with dolphins. See the pictures for more info on those.

Overall, it was a beautiful and relaxing trip. We returned to Stone Town for another night before boarding the ferry back to Dar the following morning. We rode the train again on our way back to Zambia, and I will again skip over the part where we almost didn’t get tickets and 3 of us had to sit in 4th class for the 1st night in a car meant for 40, but occupied by 300 Tanzanians crammed in with their extended families, many of whom refused to use the actual exists and jumped in and out using the car’s windows, to the part where we arrived safely home with all of our luggage and belongings intact, minus one passport that was found and returned a few days later.

Upon returning from vacation, we headed straight to a two week workshop in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. The workshop was one with our village counterparts, and was meant to help us plan and organize for work in the village. The workshop was entertaining, as the counterparts always kept the volunteers laughing and with their jokes and skits. A few of us took our counterparts out for Indian food as a thank you for attending the workshop (see the most recent pictures from site). Atate loved his first experience with Indian food, and even stopped by the front desk on the way out to tell the owners how much he enjoyed the meal and to ask “how do you say ‘thank you’ in your language?” Ha! He is just too much at times!

After the conclusion of the workshop, I returned to Eastern Province with two new suitcases full of stuff acquired in Zanzibar and Lusaka (so be prepared for some awesome gifts when I return home!). After being away for so long, I happily returned to the village and fell right back into the routine of daily nshima meals, something I had actually truly missed over vacation. Upon arrival at site, I was even hugged by Amai (host mother), a rare event if you read the previous section on “greetings,” as the secret handshake and lingering hold is about as touchy as welcomes get. My welcome by the rest of the community included about 10 side comments on how fat I had become over holiday. Eating was the main activity each day, so I wasn’t surprised. Two people even went so far as to say that my neck was fleshy enough to pinch! Being told you are fat, however, is a compliment here, meaning you look healthy and refreshed, and is not always indicative of actual weight gain. In my case, however, I was both refreshed and fluffier. I am not too concerned though, because with just a few trips hauling water my souvenir poundage will start melting away – fingers crossed!

Now that Christmas holiday is over, I have my eyes set on an Easter break safari! Cannot wait! I love this job : )

The moment you've all been waiting for is here! Keep your fingers crossed as you go to this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/salleykathryn/20100925ZambiaTraining?authkey=Gv1sRgCOHA4bSW28nKogE&feat=directlink

This is not a complete set of pictures. More are in the process of uploading, so check back later to see the rest!

I am at the Peace Corps house in my province at the moment having a day of rest before we begin major shopping for our sites tomorrow morning. If all goes as planned, I will be posted in my village this Thursday! I hope that during community entry (the first 3 months in my village) I will have time to type up my journal entries from training and come into town at some point and upload them.

Love and miss you lots and lots!

Hello everyone! Sorry to be so brief, but i am typing from my phone and have to keep this short. I have received so many inquiries from home regarding what should be sent in care packages, that it was suggested to me that i create a list. I have finally done so, and given it to my mother. Acting as salley's base camp high point care package coordinator, she will dissiminate this information to any eager gift givers. Please email her at mmcessna@gmail.com for suggestions. Currently, i am in training, but will be posted out in a village alone come late sept. To assure items are received prior to then, they will need to be sent by about sept 3rd or 4th. Later packages, however, are also welcomed. This is by no means a plea for gifts, as letters and pictures from home will make me smile even more than if i received the worlds biggest box of hand sanitizer and toilet paper! Love, salley

Hi Everyone! Because I do not have regular computer access during my 9 week training period, I have been keeping a journal of my experiences, here is a snippet of what I have done so far. I am internet cafe for just a short period of time, so I apologize in advance for any misspellings, etc.

First Site Visit:

After just a few nights spent at a training center outside of Zambia's capital city, Lusaka, my intake of volunteers was sent out on our first site visit. During this time, we were to stay with current volunteers at their posts out in the bush! I was sent to Northern Province, specifically Mpika district, to the village of Mununga. The current volunteer did not have enough room in her hut for all of us, so we took our tents and camped out for 3 nights. Memorable moments from the trip include:

1. Having the father in the neighboring house stay up all night guarding our tents (we heard rumors that he circled our cluster of tents with a club to protect us!)

2. Taking "snaps"of the kids. They love love love to have their picture made!

3. Watching the neighbors kill and cook a chicken and rooster in honor of our visit to the village.

4. Helping the mother of the neighboring family prepare a traditional meal: nshima, relish (rape with ground nuts), etc. (Food will require a whole separate post- coming soon, I promise!)

5. Learning from our host volunteer the boundless culinary possibilities of the brazier (or charcoal cooking stove)- we made a curry dish, spaghetti, scrambled eggs, pancakes, popcorn, tacos, and even a cake! I am definitely looking forward to experimenting with both new and old recipes as soon as I have my own brazier.

6. Learning how to tie my chitenge (wrap skirt) so that is didn't fall off while walking. I have been told that this traditional piece of cloth has 500+ uses, the most popular being clothing, apron, headwrap, baby sling, purse, blanket, towel and curtain. I am sure that I will discover many more uses over the course of my next 27 months.

7. Experimenting with the bucket bath for the first time. It's just you, a bucket of warm water, a cup and towel in an enclosure made of some sort of grass that does not lend itself to much privacy!

8. Attempting to learn how to use the bathroom in a pit latrine, a target that to most Americans would seem nearly impossible to hit. After several failed attempts and wet shoes, I learned that disrobing from the waist down was the best method while I was still in "pit latrine training".

9. Experiencing my first long ride in the back of a land cruiser - 6 hrs of bumpy roads in the back of a land cruiser with 7 other volunteers (but no one complained!).

Overall, the experience was great! It gave us volunteers a chance to see what village life is really like, time to voice our fears, concerns, and excitement surrounding our next 2 years of service in Zambia, and time to recharge after several busy days of travel, shuffling baggage, filling out forms, receiving a plethora of vaccines and playing numerous icebreakers with PC staff and fellow PC trainees.

I have other journal entries that I want to post, but my time is just about up. I attempted to upload my pictures, but the computer is taking quite a while, so I will probably have to wait until another time. I know you are on the edge of your seat waiting to see me in my adorable new chitenge, so I promise that I will try again with the pictures next time. Know that I am safe and happy and continuing to discover Zambia!

Much love!

Salley

The past two days have been quite slow, full of a string of setbacks and much waiting. We were warned that transportation would be frustrating, but I anticipated that this would come later in Zambia, not so early in our journey. It all started in Atlanta, with a bus mix-up that required us to transfer buses, leaving our luggage on a sidewalk downtown in the heat and drizzling rain for several hours. Our 16 hour flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg was delayed a bit, so upon arrival in South Africa last evening, we missed our connecting flight to Lusaka, Zambia. After spending several hours in the airport sprawled out all over the floor, Peace Corps staff were able to reserve us rooms in a nearby hotel. After one last night with a warm shower and comfortable bed, we are back at the airport in Johannesburg waiting on our flights. Our group of 58 has been split up, some having caught an earlier flight to Lusaka, others waiting for the evening flight, and still others waiting on standby. I was one of the lucky ones to secure a ticket on the evening flight tonight, so, if I keep my fingers crossed, later today I will finally set foot in Zambia! I still do not feel like I am in Africa. Being confined to the airport feels more like being stuck in an upscale mall. We are taunted by picture books in the gift shops depicting Victoria Falls and safari scenes, and I think that everyone is chomping at the bit to get to our final destination. We have explored as much of the airport as we can, lugging around our heavy carry-ons, and bought some of the local junk food. My chutney flavor Simba Chips being my first taste of Africa : ) The long fight went surprisingly well. I was seated directly in the center of my row, which wasn’t too bad as I had other volunteers on either side of me. One of my seatmates let me lean on his shoulder for a bit, which was very sweet, considering the possibility of me drooling all over him. He assured me that he had his poncho with him just in case I got out of hand, but luckily he didn’t have to use it : ) The food wasn’t too great, but edible, and the flight attendants couldn’t have been any nicer. I got up several times towards the end of the flight to look out the window at the dusty landscape of Namibia and Botswana as we crossed over. It was pretty to look at, wide and vast – my first glimpse of Africa! I will let you know when I finally reach Zambia! Until then, I will stand guard over a sleeping group of fellow volunteers in the airport, as I am the only person still awake! Thanks for reading! Hope you all are well : )

I arrived in Atlanta today for “staging,” Peace Corps pre-departure orientation. I have met some AMAZING people and feel like we have a really great and supportive group. Saying goodbye to my family this morning was very difficult, but meeting people that are feeling exactly as I am has made what could have been a really terrifying day, a really wonderful and relieving experience.

Sorry to be so brief, but I have to get my beauty rest before heading out tomorrow! I will let you know when I arrive on Thursday!

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!

Here is my first Peace Corps photo!!!

I have cried at least once each day for the past 5 days. The stress of preparation and saying goodbye has proven to be very difficult. I have been assured by returned volunteers that the first part of this journey will be the worse though, and I am hopeful that they are correct. I think that once I get to Zambia and get busy settling in and eventually find a routine, things will be better. I am still very excited to be embarking in such an incredible experience, and know that this is an opportunity I would never want to pass up.

I have included my mailing address during training to the right. I have heard that during the first 8-9 weeks, internet access is spotty, so contact via letter writing is suggested. If you feel like sending a letter to a land far far away, get out your stationary and get creative! I will appreciate hearing from you : )

I have to bring this post to a quick close, as I need to go wrestle with my suitcase for the rest of the day. Next time I write, I will probably be in Zambia!

Take care while I’m away!

Love,

Salley

It has been a while since I have last updated, so I feel like I should at least put something on the page (for all my fans out there, you know - thanks for reading, Mom). It is about time for the obligatory “COUNTDOWN!” post that so many soon-to-be Peace Corps Trainees include on their blogs as departure looms nearer, so here’s mine:

Two weeks to go, and I am surprisingly calm. I’m at the beach with my family and find myself at a loss as to what I should be doing. The past month has been spent rushing around gathering info about Zambia, filling out PC paperwork, having a ridiculous number of passport-sized photos made, buying gear I think I will need (despite all the disapproving remarks from friends who fear that I am taking more than is necessary – and yes, just so you Debbie Downers know, my Aveda hair products are essential, and they will find their way onto the plane no matter what), settling money and legal matters at home, eating (as discussed in my previous post), seeing friends and family here and there, and studying for my exam to become a Registered Dietitian (which I passed last Monday, Yippee! That’s one less thing to worry about upon my return to the states in 27 months!).

I think that because I have been pretty tied up over the last several weeks, I don’t even know what to do with myself now that I have some down time. I think I’m just going to go with it, sit back, and enjoy my last bit of time at home. It might be quite a while before I am given the opportunity to just sit and do nothing. I am looking forward to seeing one of my best friends who is flying in from NYC tomorrow, and hanging out with other buddies and family at home before I leave. Perhaps I’ll practice packing my suitcase, or setting up my tent.

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me prepare for my adventure. Because of the things I was able to purchase with your help, I feel so much better prepared for Zambia. And your kind words of encouragement will remind me, each day I am over there, of why I decided to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and give me comfort in knowing others are thinking of me back home. Thank you for supporting me, and in doing so, also showing your support of the Peace Corps!

With only about a month left before I leave for Zambia, I have begun scrambling to consume as many of my favorite comfort foods as possible. This may seem like an easy task, but right now, I sit here typing feeling extremely uncomfortable, pregnant with a slaw dog, french fries, and two glasses of Pepsi, and I wonder if I can go on. I have done pretty well so far, tried to pace myself, and have a few more things to eat before I feel like I am ready for Africa. So far my food triumphs include: Biscuit Factory, Krispy Kreme, Thai food, a waffle cone of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey, Dog House, pizza, and a banana split. Still to come are BBQ, a Cookout milkshake, Alex’s House breakfast, Mediterranean Deli, and fried chicken. I am a little over halfway there, so I hope I can see this through to the finish. Elasticized pants are definitely in my future, and I am thankful that I hear that those wraps women wear in Zambia can be very forgiving. Let’s hope so at least!

Ugh, off to take some tums and digest…

I am going to stop reading the blogs of current PC volunteers serving in Zambia. In my excitement to learn more about the country, I thought that reading first-hand accounts would give me the best idea of what to expect. While there are many touching stories of connections made with host families and village residents, the stories that seem more common are more of the “holy mother, you will never believe what happened today!” type events. There are stories of ants and termites that can bore through concrete floors, roaches and spiders who are so numerous that they become housemates or are named as pets, a rat the size of a large cat falling onto a sleeping volunteer’s face, and a cobra curled up underneath a volunteer’s bed. With all these online cries for help, you’d think Terminix would have swooped in by now to corner the market on pest control. The need is obviously there. I am now wondering whether I should devote the majority of my packing space to rat traps and roach motels, as it appears that a large majority of the volunteer’s day is spent either trying to catch or squash the little vermin, and if those efforts prove ineffective, they devote a great deal of time to writing about them instead! Either way, I know that am going to have to get to know nature a little bit better : /

After scouring my welcome book, I thought I would share a few facts with you all so that you may become more familiar with the country that will be my home for the upcoming 27 months. Here we go!

Peace Corps in Zambia:

The first volunteers were sent to Zambia in 1994. Since then, approximately 700 volunteers have served in this country, making this PC program one of the largest in all of Africa. There are currently 4 PC projects in Zambia. Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP), Rural Education Development (RED), Linking Income, Food and the Environment (LIFE), and a newer health project (that’s what I’ll be doing!).

History:

Zambia was discovered by Europeans in the mid 19th century. In 1855, David Livingston was the first European to see the falls on the Zambezi River (among the largest in the world) and named them Victoria Falls after the queen. Locally, these falls are known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or the “smoke that thunders.” The country’s previous name was Northern Rhodesia (southern half was Zimbabwe) and independence from Britain was granted in October of 1964. Since then, there have been just 4 presidents, the current on being Rupiah Banda.

Geography and Climate:

The country is named after the Zambezi River and is surrounded by Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zaire and Zimbabwe. There are 9 provinces and 72 districts in this country that is about the size of Texas. Much of the country lies on a plateau with an average elevation of about 3500-4500 feet (very similar to the elevation of North Carolina’s mountains!). The higher elevation is supposed to temper the humidity, so hopefully my hair won’t be a completely frizzy mess! There are 3 distinct seasons in Zambia. November – April is warm and wet, May – August is cool and dry, and September – October is hot and dry. The distinct seasons allow for cultivation of a wide range of crops, so hopefully I will be able to have a little garden, as I have read about other volunteers who have done so.

The People:

Zambia is one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most highly urbanized countries with half of its 11 million people concentrated in a few urban zones. There are 73 ethno-linguistic groups. English is the official language, but it is common to find people in rural areas that do not speak English (I will be trained in one of the local languages!). Most Zambians are Christians of varying denominations. Half of the population is less than 15 year old and life expectancy 36 years (one of the world’s lowest). Zambia has one of the highest incidences of HIV/AIDS in Africa. An estimated 950,000 adults and 70,000 children are infected.

Economy:

Copper mining is the # 1 income generator for the country and corn is the principle cash crop (and staple). The currency is the Kwatcha (about 5,200 Kwatcha per US dollar). Unemployment is high and per capita income is about $1,000 (relatively low compared to other African countries).

Wildlife and Outdoor Fun:

In researching Zambia, I have noticed that many have dubbed it the “real Africa” because the country’s description evokes images of Safaris and herds of Lion King-like roaming animals. Zambia has 19 national parks and 34 game management areas. Wildlife includes leopards, lions, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, wild dogs, elephants, hippos, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, various primates, antelope, reptiles, and over 700 bird species. There are opportunities for Safaris, river rafting, fishing, bungee jumping at Victoria Falls, and a host of many other outdoor African adventures! I will accrue vacation time for each month worked, so hopefully I will have the chance to explore after I settle in at my post.

I feel like I just completed a middle school social studies project! Hope you found it informative. Too bad this wasn’t in a classroom setting where I would have definitely brought in my attempt at making some type of customary Zambian food for everyone to try : )

As many of you already know, I have decided to join Peace Corps, becoming one of the nearly 8,000 volunteers currently serving in approximately 80 countries around the globe. I have always wanted to go abroad and participate in some type of global service, and after getting to getting to know the organization a bit better through returned volunteers , I settled on Peace Corps as my vessel for service and exploration. As my mother reminds me, there is no better time in my life to go and do as I please. I have finished my formal education, I am not tied down to anyone or anything (except those pesky student loans, but they can wait), and am deserving of this time of my own before deciding to settle into a more structured life at home. I applied for Peace Corps back in August of 2009, completing the application a full year before I was ready to leave home. I thought that giving myself the summer after finishing my masters would give me time to study for and take my exam to become a Registered Dietitian, time to prepare mentally, say goodbye to friends and family and perhaps work and save a little money for preparation and travel once overseas. I hadn’t really thought that I would receive my assignment until mid to late July (as I was nominated for a program in Africa departing in September) at which point I would then allow myself to get excited and really start preparing to go. Things took a real turn this past week. I was getting ready to head to the hospital on one of the last days of contract work I was doing at the same hospital where I just completed my internship, when the phone rang. It was a woman at the Peace Corps Recruiting Office. She began by asking me if I was preparing for my departure, if I was excited about the adventure, what I anticipated would be my biggest challenge, what I hoped to gain from the experience, etc. I felt like this was just a routine call, just touching base with me to see if I was still in it for the long haul and not becoming a total nut as the days to departure became fewer and fewer. Of course gave her all the answers I thought she was looking for and said what I was truly feeling at the time, “Yes, I am really excited, but certainly aware of the challenges ahead.” And “I know progress can be slow at first, but one of the most important things to remember during service is to just be present each day, interact with your hosts and enjoy learning about each other in this amazing two-year exchange of knowledge and cultural traditions.” Yadda, yadda, yadda. “ I am ready, I am excited, I am prepared!” After going on like this for about 20 minutes, she then says, “ I am trying to find a program that fits your skills set. The program that you were scheduled to join in September is full. The placements after that point are backed up until the first of 2011, except for this one program that is still open. How would you feel about a program that leaves in mid to late July?” “What!?!?” I say. “July?!? That is really soon, I mean soooo sooooooo very soon!” From this point on, my confidence crumbles. I begging blabbering on about needing a month to study for my RD exam, time to talk with my family and see friends that I had planned to spend time with this summer, time to get mentally ready to leave. I think the recruiter sensed my panic. I was all but crying on the phone. She politely, but firmly said that I could have a few days to think about it, talk with my family and make my decision. In a trembling voice, I squeaked out an OK, and hung up the phone. I immediately ran into the living room where my mom and sister were and started bawling. “They want me to leave in July!!!” I cried. “If I don’t go now, I will not get to go until 2011!” (still barely understood by my confused audience). After a few moments of me sitting on the arm of chair uttering “oh my God, oh my God, oh my God” my mom calmly comes over to me, gives me a hug and says “this is what you want, isn’t it?” and at that point, I then remember how much I have wanted to go to Africa this whole last year and I also was reminded of the support of my mother, who could have easily started crying right along side of me and begged me to stay, fueled my fear and convinced me that I was not ready to go. But she didn’t, and I quickly snapped out of my freaked out frenzy and started convincing myself that this was the right time to go, that somehow, this was meant to be. The timing is almost perfect. I was notified on May 25th, almost two months in advance of my July 20th departure date. I finished up my contract position with the hospital a day after I received the news, and did not get a second job I interviewed for the past week. Without a summer job, I will have plenty of time to devote to studying for my RD exam. My family goes on to the beach for the week of the 4th of July, so I will have a nice bit of time to spend with just them right before I go. It would have been nice to have more time to work and save up some money, but with a little in the bank left over from last year’s student loans, I think I will be ok. Time with friends will be rushed, but I hope that if I am not able to see them in before I go, they will find the time to visit me and go on SAFARI sometime over the course of the next two years (wink, wink, hint, hint, fingers crossed, start saving now!). I am so so very excited about this next phase in my life. Even though I am very happy with my chosen career field of dietetics, I have yet to determine my niche in the profession. During my internship, I was exposed to Clinical Dietetics, Food Service, and Employee Wellness. While I learned so much in each of these rotations, I feel that there are other opportunities in the profession that I would like to explore that may be better suited to my interests. I am very interested in food security issues and malnutrition and would much prefer helping people find access to healthy foods, rather than figuring a way to teach a 400 lb man to count the calories in his big gulp or put down his cheeseburger. No offense to those that do that type of work. Overconsumption and chronic disease as a result of an unhealthy diet are huge issues in our country, and dietitians here have one of the most important roles in combating these problems, but I just don’t think that work is for me. Although my primary aim during my Peace Corps assignment is to serve those in my host community, I also believe that Peace Corps may give to me the career direction I need upon my return to the states. (here’s hoping at least!) Ok, enough about all that. I apologize for being so long-winded. But if you know me well, you shouldn’t be surprised : ) On to my assignment! Where I will be going: ZAMBIA!!! My title: Community Health Development Extensionist. I will be among the second wave of volunteers working on a new health project that combines the efforts of two former Zambian PC projects focusing on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Food Security, among other health priorities of Zambia’s rural communities. Dates of service: July 22nd, 2010 to September 23rd 2012!!! (I will be almost 27 by then!) The way the program works is all of us volunteers will fly to a designated city in the US for a day or so of what is called “Staging.” This is where we receive necessary paperwork, immunizations, and a brief introduction to Peace Corps. After that, we take off and fly to our host country. Here, we will participate in Pre-Service training that goes through the end of September. In Zambia, this training is community-based, meaning each volunteer will live with a host family. At the end of the nine-week training period, we will be sworn in as Volunteers if we demonstrate competence in language, cross-cultural understanding and technical skills. After being sworn in, I will be assigned to one of the remote (bolded in my volunteer handbook) villages in one of the six provinces to which the health project currently sends volunteers. My handbook indicates that I will work within a 20 km radius from my base village, and could be as far as 100 km from the nearest volunteer! Other interesting tid-bits of information from my volunteer handbook: “you will live in a village earthen house with a thatched roof, lit by kerosene lamps or candles” “you will cook your meals over wood or charcoal” “water may need to be carried from as far as 30 minutes away on foot” “transportation to your provincial capital may take a full day and will generally be in crowded and dusty public transport where you will ride at the back of an open truck” “volunteers may at times find it necessary to travel on trucks carrying produce or livestock” “some volunteers walk or ride their bikes up to 30 km to catch a ride at a main road” At least they don’t hold back! Of course I was expecting such conditions, so don’t think I am sitting here in a panic. It’s just funny to see it typed out on paper. I could totally handle a ride with a chicken in my lap, and perhaps all those cycling classes in college will pay off with more than just buns of steel. Just because I haven’t done it yet, doesn’t mean I won’t be up for the experience : ) I am sure there are plenty other surprises to come! Ok. That’s all for now. More specifics on Zambia in my next post! Thanks for joining in on the start of my BIG ADVENTURE!!!