feeling so right with the world my heart might explode.
I am sorry I have not posted in so long - hopefully that will change. I get posted in a week which means moving to my village and seriously starting my time in the Peace Corps- in my village: Lwimba. We got our mountain bikes and they are super fancy. I was a little like whatever but then I rode home and fell in love. Good thing too because I will be biking a lot. I life 40k from my BOMA (closest city outside the village). Also since I last updated I went on Second Site visit- which was a good time to solidify friendships with my amazing fellow trainees. This is when I saw my new home for the first time (look at flickr.com for photos). Also we stayed for several days in PCV's village who is being replaced. Just hung out together and it was awesome. Eric, Charlyle and I climbed a mountain with 6 local children as our guides. Charlyle climbed most of it with out shoes. And on top was such a beautiful view - eventually this too will be on flickr. (BTW climbing the "mountain"- though still strenuous- only took us 20 minutes. ) Last night we had a cultural night with all our home stay families to say thank you. It went off amazingly well. I am totally impressed with our group for getting it all done with not much planning. We made "American" food and my home stay family mentioned to me maybe 6 times that the bar-b-qued chicken was too black.
Ah also interesting news: at the beginning of the week I had a bad rash on my arms and didn't really know what it was from. Two of my friends had similar rashes from caterpillars but I had not seen any caterpillars any where near me. The next day my rash was worse and spread to my torso and legs. So I eventually decided my towel was somehow involved and washed it. Then my Bama asked if I had looked around my house for caterpillars...oh good idea Bama - lets go look. Sure enough behind my laundry bag- where I hang my towel- a cocooned, evil little Caterpillar. Bama got rid of it and washed my bag. The rash is slowly getting better now that I am not rubbing catepillar toxins all over myself everyday. Funny. And had Bama NOT suggested looking I would have continued for who knows how long. Ah Zambia. This seriously has been the worse itch since chicken pox.
Whatelse whatelse: I ate chicken heads. Or at least part of chicken head. Once I saw the little eye sacks I had to put it down. My policy is pretty much eat what is put in front of you. Generally it is good. Some things go down a little thick. I don't eat the kapenta (anchovies) but my family understands that I don't like the eyes to look at me - I think the Peace Corps might have told them that.
My Bama made a clay pot the other day to give me - a traditional African pot made from the ant hill clay. It is awesome. I can't wait to try it myself.
I am tired of training but very happy with my friends. After this next week who knows when we will see each other again. My nearest neighbor is like 100k away. Now starts the long days of village life - carrying water, cooking on a fire, sitting sitting sitting. and napping whenever I want.
please please write me letters.
Love Keli
Ah also interesting news: at the beginning of the week I had a bad rash on my arms and didn't really know what it was from. Two of my friends had similar rashes from caterpillars but I had not seen any caterpillars any where near me. The next day my rash was worse and spread to my torso and legs. So I eventually decided my towel was somehow involved and washed it. Then my Bama asked if I had looked around my house for caterpillars...oh good idea Bama - lets go look. Sure enough behind my laundry bag- where I hang my towel- a cocooned, evil little Caterpillar. Bama got rid of it and washed my bag. The rash is slowly getting better now that I am not rubbing catepillar toxins all over myself everyday. Funny. And had Bama NOT suggested looking I would have continued for who knows how long. Ah Zambia. This seriously has been the worse itch since chicken pox.
Whatelse whatelse: I ate chicken heads. Or at least part of chicken head. Once I saw the little eye sacks I had to put it down. My policy is pretty much eat what is put in front of you. Generally it is good. Some things go down a little thick. I don't eat the kapenta (anchovies) but my family understands that I don't like the eyes to look at me - I think the Peace Corps might have told them that.
My Bama made a clay pot the other day to give me - a traditional African pot made from the ant hill clay. It is awesome. I can't wait to try it myself.
I am tired of training but very happy with my friends. After this next week who knows when we will see each other again. My nearest neighbor is like 100k away. Now starts the long days of village life - carrying water, cooking on a fire, sitting sitting sitting. and napping whenever I want.
please please write me letters.
Love Keli
posted by Keli at 1:48 AM
