Hello world!

I'm down in Lusaka now. Just had my fun little fall off the bike. I got to seee my first Zambian hospital and was pleasantly surprised.  I got right in and stiched up.  Now, I'm waiting for a  CT scan in the morning to make sure I'm not broken on the inside.  Just a few bumps and brusies on the outside.

Besides all that.... Life is great!  Work in the village is picking up, as I now have two groups of lessons in my village and am working on two more groups about 15km on either side of me. I'm glad to see all the interest in fish farming. So as long as they are willing to learn, I'm willing to teach.

Last week we had a "block party" all the farmers from my district met up and showed their vegetables they have grown for the season. Pretty fun thing. Kinda like the Puyallup fair or something.  I got to see all the groups from my village show off all there goods. A few womens groups, savings groups and some individual competitors from my Village. Fun stuff.  I like harvest time,  there are a lot of hard working and happy faces around.

It works out well for everybody, I get the mornings to read all the fun stuff taht I never had time for in school and in the afternoons, when all the villagers come back from the fields, I get to give lessons and go to the market and chat with my neighbors. I get to go to the school as well and help teach classes or just sit in and learn.  I think I'm about 30ish books down and for the last two months have been getting into Nietzsche a lot!

Sooo my writing, I suppose reflects it a bit.

Funny how whenever I'm around a computer that has decent internet I never have any of my notes or stories from the village with me. Next time I'll have to make a note to bring down some of my stuff with me.

Soooo for the time being here ya go:

14.5.2012

Everything's hopeless, the world's full of doubt
I stop now to think that's what life's all about
A series of stuggles, a painting of pain
We work our whole lives, what's really to gain?
We prepare in our youth, we look to tomorrow
But, this veil hides the truth a lifetime of sorrow.
We study, we learn, we work like a slave
Is it for a bright future or just a race to the grave?
We beat daily battles to bring one more day
but this outlook on life invites more dismay.
Forcasting hadtimes and problems ahead
our woes never leave us except when we're dead
Sitting, waiting for the next day to come
In hopes for a life where our stuggles are none
We surrender our youth to be more productive
and dream of a time when leisure's seductive.
But, what of right now, what of today?
I take a deep breath, let my pains fly away.
Won't dwell on tomorrow, won't waste my whole life
won't run with the crowd, the future's their strife.
I'll rise from among them, I'll stand up and say
You fight for tomorrow and I'll live for today.



I think I may take up writing as my next favorite thing of the day


16.5.2012\

Eyes
Judging Eyes
Whose Judging Eyes
Whose Judging Eyes passing by
on the ground or in the sky
pressure grows from Judging Eyes
Stress too much, causing lies
what's with all the Judging Eyes
Worthless feelings on the rise
caused by all the Judging Eyes
Seeing through my disguise
laughter cries from Judging Eyes
Nothing more but my demise
thanks to all the Judging Eyes
With one last look, to my surprise
all that's there are my own
restless, weary
Judging Eyes

Hello there Everybody,

Seems like its been a long time since the last post. Maybe 7 months?! So I suppose the rundown. Since training completed in October I have been living in the Northern Province of Zambia in Kaka Village with the Mambwe people. In the village I live on the Family compound of the headman. It's really pleasant out there, despite all the rain. My village is about 65 km outside of the nearest town and 63 of it is on dirt, sand and mud road. Once out in my village there are most of the things that I need for basic survival. It was fun to think that back in the states, back in college, that I need so little to get by. Some food, clothes and frineds to got out with. But here things get put into perspective for you. Back there we had power, cars, running water, heat on command, and a house that doesn't leak. Now living here one can see how little you really do need to get by. Daily life here ensues with waking ith the sun at about 5 hours. I watch the sun come up over the mountain and enjoy a book while looking out my mini window in the hut. I read for a few hours after that and start my fire to heat some tea/ bathing water. Round noon the family will call me over and we'll eat some lunch, shima, beans and some sort of other side, leaves, veg, meat, fish, insects and I'll eat with the men while the mom and kids eat outside in the kitchen. After that I'll head to the market, about 10 min walk from the hut, and sit with whoever is there practicing language and trying to get the word out on fish farming. I'll mozy over to the school and hang out with the kids for a while. They enjoy is beyond anything, as do I. I'll sit in a classroom and sit among the kids working on whatever they are working on and help the teacher however possible. We have built a basketball court out back so I am now teaching them how to play. They love it. It gives them a chance to practice english with somebody who is not their teacher. I'll come back home when the sun starts to fade away and I'll make some popcorns with my little brothers and their friends. I bring out the book and they teach me language. They are the best for that because the little one will repeat any word for me untill I get it with never getting frustrated like an adult. We get along great. We eat and at about 20 hours I'm back in the hut to read some more and fall asleep.

The program I'm with is developing fish farming in the area. Since being there I've seen that it isn't a high priority of the farmers. So half the battle is convincing them this is a good switch to make. Though the govt. will subsidize their maize so why would a farmer leave from that. Fish farming is more that what it sounds at face value. We, Peace Corps, promotes a system of Integrated Farming which incorporates fish ponds, gardens, agro-forestry, bees, animal husbandry and composting. Where each element in the system grows for the benefit of something else. It is a really great system with limitless possibilities for growth. It supports the families with fresh vegitables and a source of protein that they can give to the kids. Since malnutrition is a large problem among the young ones. Myself included. Slowly, some of the farmers are coming around and willing to give this a try. It is really nice to see these farmers trying something new when uncertainty and failure would lead to a detrimental loss for the family. If the farms don't turn out, and they didn't grow maize then they have no income for the year. Leading to no food and not being able to pay school fees for the small chaps. It is a bold change for the farmers but a good one in the long run.

The people of my village are amazing. There is a high number of English speaking people since the village is on the upswing of development. We have an Upper Basic School, market, clinic and World Vision office right in the center of town. This is nice because there are many pathways I can venture down to help the village. For when the farmers are busy in the field I can become active with the school to help teach english. Or I can go to World Vision and work to start an HIV/AIDS workshop. Recently I've started a group for school drop outs to teach them business. Since most of them will go on to own little, what they call, tuckshops. Essentially stands on the side of the road that sell Coke, cookies, pens and other randome thigns. I think this will help the ones who don't finish school to help them with other ventures. Besides, it's business, it's fun, it's what I studied.

That is a solid little overview of what I have got going on for myself out here.

I will be able to write more in the future, maybe tell some little anecdotes about the oddities of life out here. I promise, there are many.

Untill later friends

Cheers!

A Day in the Life

A cool breeze, in my room, wanders its way, as the far cry of a rooster rings in the day. Rays of the sun hit my window and through to warm the floor of what now is my room. Illumination of the mosquito net shows that nights been broken and sunlight now flows. The clucking of chickens the clamor of cooking rise to a roar before my eyes begin looking. From the road comes a bark of people around hungry to hitch and find the next town. Water boils over a fire of wood as I now see the world just as one should.

The puppies nip at my feet as they slide cross the floor, gliding like sparrows as they race to my door. The excitement is over they've said what they say; the pups sprint down the trail and find elsewhere to play. A foul howl comes from the hen; her egg's been stolen, once again. The fire is roaring the oil is hot; I look on with excitement as the egg hits the pot. I look on the table and see what I've got but breakfasts complete and bound to hit the spot. As I pour from the kettle water steams with fury. This green tea I've got shall heat me in a hurry. With elegance and style Yamaayo darts through the door to hop on the bus that leads to the store. I find the hut empty, which I now call my home and realize this morning I'll drink tea alone.

The time or breakfast has come and passed; now I must prepare for 8 hours of class. It's a brain bending puzzle to fit my bike through the door. But its necessity is so great I will struggle some more. A glistening helmet of red white and blue will protect my noggin no matter what I bike through. A stroke on the shoulder from my map on the wall, show countries where friends live some big and some small.
With a brush of the teeth and a splash of the face I set off down the dusty trail at a blistering pace.

The ground is parched, the temperature rising, I will soon find the days heat overwhelmingly surprising. The bananas sway as the kids and goats scream when I ask myself “Is this real life, or some fantastical dream?" AIDS awareness is the topic tidy I can only imagine the comments they'll say. Off in the distance a sweet guitar sings, as the bell on a bike abrasively rings. Back in the meeting peoples eyes now roll as, as some off topic story begins to stroll. As I sit in the shade my attention will faded from this presentation which was diligently made. To a tree of purple with a spectacular hue a color in nature I though no plant could spew.

As break time comes round I follow the sound till that lonesome soul with the guitar is found. With a rush of excitement sweet songs are played, like ash in the air soft words are sprayed. With a tick and a tock time drools off the clock, as the man with a tie proceeds with his talk. Some jokes were made some smiles displayed, but at the end of the day we all learned about AIDS. With unbearable heat the crowd sweats to the feet, and hopes for no questions he needs to repeat. The speaker is done cheers rise to the sun the trainees will leave, teachers among.
For now we are free to do as we please. However, my appetite I need to appease. I ride to the market for soda food surly their consumption will better my mood. Welcomes extend like new sprouting leaves, as I ask for a Coke and make sure to say please. I ask in their language they laugh when I do, as if the white man who knows Bemba is some hysterical joke. As we talk some more, the laughter reduces. Looks like I'll learn this language with out too many bumps and bruises.

As the sun sinks down like syrup in water goes a sigh of relief as I'll not get hotter. I hop on the bike and wander the trail, and look forward to home where I can bathe from a pail. One pup jumps as I arrive to my home the other is still, stiff as a gnome. For the heat has got him he'll breathe no more air. Now there is one when once was a pair. Like millions of years the sun disappears in a celestial canvas, vivid with smears. Smears of orange, smears of red though not for long, as soon the mom will be high over head. The stars are out and continue to twinkle. While I spread salt on my food though only a sprinkle.
The meal is delicious and constructed with love, but I ate too much and just stare straight above. I return to my room to gather my thoughts look down at my jeans and note some new spots. I reflect on the day and decipher the way which memories will fade and which will stay. Now my eyes grow heavy so my mind can play and wait again for the breeze to wander its way.

Muli Uli!

Hello everybody.

What an amazing time I'm having here in Zambia. Everything is such a change and completely wonderful. Training. What an adventure that is. Its unlike any schooling I've had. Two four hour blocks that make up my Mambwe (language) and technical training. Language is quite intense; however, its quite rewarding to learn some language and be able to go out to the village and use it in a day to day setting. A very practical way of learning. The other volunteers in my intake are an amazing bunch. It seems all who join peace corps have a certain amount in common already, so take us away from everything at home and some tight bonds grow quickly. My family for the next two years has been formed.

I've been able to track down a guitar and a few who can play it. Now we can get some fun jams in before we all get split up and sent to our parts of the country. I will be going to Mbala district of Northern Province where I will speak Mambwe. I will be in Kaka Village, yeah..., and will be a second generation volunteer to the area. I will be living on the family compound of the head man, so I will be safe and in a great area for meeting the villagers. I will be posted up there in early November. The village is wayyyy out in the bush, the headman says about a 50 minute ride to Tanzania. Which will lead to my great adventure, climbing Kilimanjaro.

My home stay is great. I live with YaMaayo, mom, Peggy. She speaks 10 languages and has one son who is in boarding school. Every evening I get to sit by the charcoal with her and help prepare dinner, which consists of, generally, cabbage, meat, beans and, of course, Shima! Zambia's staple food. It's pretty intense cooking all your food over coals and when the sun goes down it's dark. 12 hours of sunlight and that's about it. Talking with her is always fun and interesting, there are guests nightly who come over to talk to "ELICKY" and share stories with me. It's quite enjoyable to be in a society that values family, extended family, and neighbors so highly. In Zambia you are never greeted without a smile. By anybody. It's a great place to call my home for the next to years.

Hopefully sometime I will be able to upload some photos so everybody can see the sights and have a better idea of what all this is. Next time, I'll try to write something out before I get to a computer so I can have some more details of whats going on and such.

I made it this far!

Helllllo all,

I've made it safely here to Philly. Today we have some paperwork and things to do. We stayed out last night and got to meet the others, which was quite fun. This morning we woke up early, walked around downtown and walked up the "Rocky" stairs. Tonight, we wake up at 2am and bus up to JFK where we fly straight to South Africa on a 15 hour flight.

Gotta run to go do some paper work so thats all for now.

Love you all!

Byyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Am I Famous Now?!

Looks like I'm officially a writer now, and ya'll are my captive audience. Hopefully, I'll be able to share some interesting events and insight as to life in Zambia. As well as share stories of whatever adventures I embark upon. I've never realllllly been one for writing, so we'll see how that proceeds in the future. Who knows, maybe sometime in the near future they'll have some gnarly holographic technology where I'll be able to act out my adventures directly to everybody. Until then, I'm going to have to stick to this good ol' pen and paper I have next to me.

Til next time

Cheers