Today I have some time so...
Important: I think one of my projects here is going to be building a library. This project will become more and more organized at which point I will bring it up again and perhaps solicit more direct involvement- however, just to put it out there: If you are interested in collecting donated books ( from churches, libraries, schools etc), just sending a few books to contribute, helping pay for postage for books to be sent, etc., let me know. The US Post office will let you send 66 lbs of books for $10.00 in a M - Bag (Mailer bag: http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/immicl/immicltz_026.html#NL508_26). So feel free to go ahead a send them. Or wait for the project to take shape and direction. I'm still new here.
_________________________
A few notes from my journal to finish up the last post on community entry:
"Today I spent one million Kwacha on household goods"
"Like navigating without a compass"
"There were moments when I hated today"
"Cell service around here is like a shifting plasma wave"
"I stood in a dark field for five minutes tonight-calling cosmically for someone to text me. They didn't."
"It seems the floor is the worst place for anything when mice are afoot. But that is in fact where everything is..."
"Then some man or monster tried my door. It was locked and I heard no more but still lay frightened in my bed thinking Mrs. Mary Zulu was quite right and in the morning my braiser and hammock would be lifted. Now it is midnight, and still unwilling to unlock my door for fear - I peed in a grocery bag in my hut. I thought about peeing the bath bucket but the thought was unappealing. Should have done - I can say now - since peeing in a plastic bag works even less well than you would think. They do not hold liquid. In fact even three layers of plastic bags do not hold liquid and now I have three different spots on my floor as evidence." (Then I stood holding a leaking bag of pee - still unwilling to open my door and instead threw the whole mess out the window... I'm serious. Nothing was taken and also I was not scared past daylight. I am not worried about my safety- and you shouldn't be worried either. Perhaps my decision making abilities but not safety.)
"I put down cement in the second part of the house today- by myself. It took twice as long as I expected and now my hands are raw and horribly painful in about 20 different spots...I felt wretched about myself when I started. It wasn't going so well and I was cursing myself as the failure of the floor would be a result of all my fatal flows combined: impatience, obstinacy, laziness, carelessness, and dreadful independence when entirely inappropriate. Then I felt like crying. I got better at smearing it around though and decided that perhaps tomorrow instead of hating it as a reminder of my faults and flaws, I would love it as such an accurate imprint of myself."
I got a cat. Her name is Neko: Destroyer of Worlds. I call her Neko. She has destroyed at least two rats. She has certainly left one. For this and her food thieving - I also call her Punk. But she is also a lover. I feed her dried fish and the villagers think it's funny.
Now I've told you everything.
________________
Cultural Notes:
My friend Hannah gets to name a baby. I want to name a baby because they name their children such things as: Boneface, Impervious, Giftness, Loveness, Anxious, Fatness. ( I have met all these people).
If I get to name a child it will be: Truthiness
The list of names I am compiling for Hannah's naming consists of these thus far: Phatness, Impertinence, Onus, Awkwardness, Movius*
Playing: "This is my baby, __________" is just about as fun as "This is my dog, _________" (i.e. Douglas) Sissy knows what I mean. If you want to play make a comment.
*word used in Zambia to mean you move around alot.
_____________
Let me tell you about the Chitenge. The Chitenge is perhaps the most useful item ever invented. I am learning to never leave home without one. Most commonly a chitenge is used as a wrap skirt. In it's most basic form it is but a stretch of cloth. But the chitenge can also be:
A head wrap, a shoulder wrap (Zam Jacket), a baby sling or backpack, a package in which to carry your purchases or a pumpkin perhaps, a ground cloth, a blanket, a towel, a cushion for your head while carrying water, a decorative hip accentuating belt for dancing, a wrap to keep your identical patterned chitenge suit from getting dirty. I often use mine as a sun cape to protect my pearly glean, as well as for a decorative ceiling drape, which was quickly turned into a cat napping hammock.
You can make one to use in America - just cut 2 meters or so of fabric. If you want to be true to the origin - make sure the pattern includes a rooster, the presidents face, or the insignia of whichever religious organization you affiliate with.
_________________________
A few notes from my journal to finish up the last post on community entry:
"Today I spent one million Kwacha on household goods"
"Like navigating without a compass"
"There were moments when I hated today"
"Cell service around here is like a shifting plasma wave"
"I stood in a dark field for five minutes tonight-calling cosmically for someone to text me. They didn't."
"It seems the floor is the worst place for anything when mice are afoot. But that is in fact where everything is..."
"Then some man or monster tried my door. It was locked and I heard no more but still lay frightened in my bed thinking Mrs. Mary Zulu was quite right and in the morning my braiser and hammock would be lifted. Now it is midnight, and still unwilling to unlock my door for fear - I peed in a grocery bag in my hut. I thought about peeing the bath bucket but the thought was unappealing. Should have done - I can say now - since peeing in a plastic bag works even less well than you would think. They do not hold liquid. In fact even three layers of plastic bags do not hold liquid and now I have three different spots on my floor as evidence." (Then I stood holding a leaking bag of pee - still unwilling to open my door and instead threw the whole mess out the window... I'm serious. Nothing was taken and also I was not scared past daylight. I am not worried about my safety- and you shouldn't be worried either. Perhaps my decision making abilities but not safety.)
"I put down cement in the second part of the house today- by myself. It took twice as long as I expected and now my hands are raw and horribly painful in about 20 different spots...I felt wretched about myself when I started. It wasn't going so well and I was cursing myself as the failure of the floor would be a result of all my fatal flows combined: impatience, obstinacy, laziness, carelessness, and dreadful independence when entirely inappropriate. Then I felt like crying. I got better at smearing it around though and decided that perhaps tomorrow instead of hating it as a reminder of my faults and flaws, I would love it as such an accurate imprint of myself."
I got a cat. Her name is Neko: Destroyer of Worlds. I call her Neko. She has destroyed at least two rats. She has certainly left one. For this and her food thieving - I also call her Punk. But she is also a lover. I feed her dried fish and the villagers think it's funny.
Now I've told you everything.
________________
Cultural Notes:
My friend Hannah gets to name a baby. I want to name a baby because they name their children such things as: Boneface, Impervious, Giftness, Loveness, Anxious, Fatness. ( I have met all these people).
If I get to name a child it will be: Truthiness
The list of names I am compiling for Hannah's naming consists of these thus far: Phatness, Impertinence, Onus, Awkwardness, Movius*
Playing: "This is my baby, __________" is just about as fun as "This is my dog, _________" (i.e. Douglas) Sissy knows what I mean. If you want to play make a comment.
*word used in Zambia to mean you move around alot.
_____________
Let me tell you about the Chitenge. The Chitenge is perhaps the most useful item ever invented. I am learning to never leave home without one. Most commonly a chitenge is used as a wrap skirt. In it's most basic form it is but a stretch of cloth. But the chitenge can also be:
A head wrap, a shoulder wrap (Zam Jacket), a baby sling or backpack, a package in which to carry your purchases or a pumpkin perhaps, a ground cloth, a blanket, a towel, a cushion for your head while carrying water, a decorative hip accentuating belt for dancing, a wrap to keep your identical patterned chitenge suit from getting dirty. I often use mine as a sun cape to protect my pearly glean, as well as for a decorative ceiling drape, which was quickly turned into a cat napping hammock.
You can make one to use in America - just cut 2 meters or so of fabric. If you want to be true to the origin - make sure the pattern includes a rooster, the presidents face, or the insignia of whichever religious organization you affiliate with.
posted by Keli at 2:40 AM
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