Keli-Long time.
"Ah Keli, you are back! And you've even gotten fat!"
"Yes... Thank you."
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Once when I was at a community school with a Zambia counterpart - talking to a parent about their plans to build a school - my Zambian colleague asked about where they got the deminsions for the foundation of the building which was being dug. The parent responded that some white lady had brought out some plans for a classroom. Then my colleague said- "You mean this white lady?" and pointed at me who was just there. He didn't recognize me as I had come via car rather than bike.
I have a friend who is often hollared at as she passes on her bike by the name of the precedding volunteer. Her predecessor was a man PCV.
There once was a very tall but still feminie PCV who had been in her village for about a week or so when someone came up to her and said "So- are you a man or a woman?"
I cut my hair - like a boys, or a pixie- and was curious to see how the village would respond. .
Zambian ladies spend a lot of time making their hair longer than it really is. With extensions, weaves, wigs, whathaveyou. So reactions have been limited to a sort of silent confusion. They know I am a girl even though I wear trousers.
The other day a girl who comes to the reading games activity hour on mondays at my house,a nd who has recently acquired a foot and a half of long braids, asked me "Why you cut hair?" I tried to explain but she just looked at me like I was a fool, and shook her head as though she were very disappointed in me.
15 months left we will see how long it gets.
_____________________________________
My flowers are blooming and they bring me great joy as I walk to the latrine everyday. Walking now with TP in hand as someone has taken my little bag in which I use to hang my TP in my latrine. I suspect John. But John is old and sometimes a little senile. He shuffles past my house in a dirty old suit, with two little water containers and often asks where the borehole is. Just there John. Where you found it yesterday.
A protective Juju charm to ward off snakes cost 250,000k. Or about $62USD...Wadula Musonda! Too Exspensive!
"Yes... Thank you."
_________________________________________
Once when I was at a community school with a Zambia counterpart - talking to a parent about their plans to build a school - my Zambian colleague asked about where they got the deminsions for the foundation of the building which was being dug. The parent responded that some white lady had brought out some plans for a classroom. Then my colleague said- "You mean this white lady?" and pointed at me who was just there. He didn't recognize me as I had come via car rather than bike.
I have a friend who is often hollared at as she passes on her bike by the name of the precedding volunteer. Her predecessor was a man PCV.
There once was a very tall but still feminie PCV who had been in her village for about a week or so when someone came up to her and said "So- are you a man or a woman?"
I cut my hair - like a boys, or a pixie- and was curious to see how the village would respond. .
Zambian ladies spend a lot of time making their hair longer than it really is. With extensions, weaves, wigs, whathaveyou. So reactions have been limited to a sort of silent confusion. They know I am a girl even though I wear trousers.
The other day a girl who comes to the reading games activity hour on mondays at my house,a nd who has recently acquired a foot and a half of long braids, asked me "Why you cut hair?" I tried to explain but she just looked at me like I was a fool, and shook her head as though she were very disappointed in me.
15 months left we will see how long it gets.
_____________________________________
My flowers are blooming and they bring me great joy as I walk to the latrine everyday. Walking now with TP in hand as someone has taken my little bag in which I use to hang my TP in my latrine. I suspect John. But John is old and sometimes a little senile. He shuffles past my house in a dirty old suit, with two little water containers and often asks where the borehole is. Just there John. Where you found it yesterday.
A protective Juju charm to ward off snakes cost 250,000k. Or about $62USD...Wadula Musonda! Too Exspensive!
posted by Keli at 6:18 AM
