2nd SITE VISIT PICTURES

2nd SITE VISIT PICTURES




Bus is stuck in the mud.







Plucking a chicken for supper. I know how to do this!

 New hair style courtsey of the local Bamams

 My house, all painted with flowers.
















Inside of my living room, will need paint and trimming of the plastic.

2 views of my bed room. I slept in my tent for the visit.

  My shower house.

 

The path to my host's house.

2nd SITE VISIT

I have 2 mottoes that I use as my mantra here. One is "don't look too close" and the other is "this is Africa"

Everything can seem fine on the surface, but when you start looking closer, you may see things that you don't really want to see, or could scare you into leaving. So I decided to not look too closely and just live. And just when you think you have the hang of something, Africa steps in and screws it all up for you. Africa has it's own way of bringing you back to reality and not letting you get too comfortable.

It has been a long two weeks! Here is how it started...

You might have seen my Facebook post "So who just walked through the wilds of Africa, in the dark armed only with a solar lantern and 3 oranges? This badass..." and some of you commented on it, I was walking the 5K to another PCV's boma to meet with them, so we could catch a mini bus to Lusaka, for our site visit trek. By mini bus, I really mean a minivan and we fit 11 people in it. This is a cheap and standard form of transportation for us and locals. You can hitchhike on if you are traveling very far. If your lap is empty there is room for a child, chicken or goat!

We were in Lusaka for a couple of days, shopped for our site visit and took a the 12 hr trip to Solwezi (sol-ways-y) which is our Provincial capital for the Northwest area. 

Let me tell you about the trip up. The scenery is awesome, until you get close to the Copper mines. They are all located in the north and northwest.  They are mostly owed by China, USA, Australia and Canada. You see huge pits, erosion is everywhere and for 10 k around the area everything is dead. You see more people with missing limbs and injuries caused by mine work. You also see huge trucks carrying ore and equipment that have no regard for anyone on bike, foot or in other vehicles, we were told there are many wrecks.They also have acid rain from the mines that will corrode everything. But the Zambians are so very thankful for the mines and the jobs they bring. A double edged sword. 

We stayed a couple of days at the PC Provincial house, visiting with other PCVs and looking around. The electricity was out part of the time, this is not normal for them and we all were sad as we had planned a little internet or skype time. One night after taking a shower in the dark, but hot water and a real shower so I was happy and then I stepped out and something went squish under my feet, remembering not to look to closely, I started to walk away, but thought I really did need to check it out... what I found was that the cat had brought and slaughtered a rat on the bath mat and it was strewed everywhere and the ants had found it as well. So, back in the shower, where I scrubbed by feet, and stepping over it to get out, I told the others the shower was great, but watch for the dead rat getting out, the general comment was, just ok... remember this is Africa! OH and the exciting news is the cat had kittens and they will be ready to be farmed out when I get back to head to my village and can take one.

We spent a week with 2 PVCs in their second year at their village and camped out at their house. It was nice to see how they live, and how we will be living and how they manage. 

Then we each went to our own village, mine is Kawoma. My house been empty for 2 yrs, so it needs a little work. I have beautiful flowers on the outside of it. And will do some painting and work on the inside. I slept on the floor in a pup tent for the few days I was there. I will be purchasing a full household of stuff from another PCV that lives in a nearby boma and will be leaving as I am coming in.

I got to meet my host family, My Batata and had meet in Lusaka and his wife, she speaks no English and like all mamas had no trouble correcting my Kikaonde when I said something wrong. Their children range from about 26 to 2 months. I was able to impress my new bamama with my baby tending skills, with her 2 month old daughter, a 1 year old grandson that belongs to the oldest daughter that still lives at home and is still in school, (12th grade) so I had lots to keep me busy. That sister is very interested in the US and what she can learn from me, she speaks great English. One of my new little sisters is about 10, she is so sweet and very loving, likes to be with me all the time, meanwhile other children in the village look at me and cry, white people are scary!

At the end of my time there 2 older sisters came home from the city, one of them was very sick and needed Bamama to take care of her. 

The local Bamamas got hold of me and gave me a new hair-do as you'll see in the pics. They love to visit and ask questions about what the US is like, but it's like trying to compare apples and oranges, they don't understand us. We are very strange to them and do very strange things. Upon learning that my mom had had a daycare, they thought is was shameful that women didn't have their children with them all the time, even while working. They thought I was of the age to be home taking care of my mom! They also used a word that means strong and "a badass" when they learned that mom was divorced and took care of herself and brought home her own money!

I went to the school and meet the teachers, there are 10, the village is about 700 people and kids come from all over to go to school there. They are excited that we might be able to get some books for their library. One of the teachers will let me hire them to work on my language skills.

 My Batata, (Father) took me to meet several local farmers. They are excited to have me there and to learn about new planting and fertilizer techniques. I was given a bag of potatoes and onions that we had for supper. Supper also consisted of a rat that one of my brothers and run over with his bike on the way home, I didn't try it, not yet anyway! They didn't understand why if we have rats in the US, we don't eat them? Yeah, you try to explain it!

We went back to Solwezi to the Prov house for a couple of days before going home. We had power, internet and no dead rat! It was heaven. Then back on a bus, (this time the big bus, which are like greyhounds) and to head home.

I missed by house and my Bamama and her sons. I have another month here, more school and training before I'll go back.

I have a new address for my new site.
Hannah Perry
c/o Peace Corps
PO Box 110264 
Solwezi, Zambia 

Remember to write on the outside the following phraes to keep it sage.
GOD IS WATCHING
NO COMMERCIAL VALUE
FOR PERSONAL USE
GOD LOVES YOU

NEW SITE

I have gotten my new site assignment. I will be in the Northwest in a small village called Kawoma. In the Mwufuwand area.
Our Provincial house is in Solwezi, about 2-4 hours away depending on the transportation. I will have a proctedted water well 100 meters from my door. The market is about 6k away.

I met with the Chief this week, he was very nice. Dressed in his robe and crown. Even though he told us how progressive he was the male PCVs were able to sit in chairs while the women sat on mats on the floor. If we wanted to show we were very subservient we would have lain in the fetal position. We brought him gifts of 1 sack of flour, sugar, mealy meal (corn mea) and 3 chickens.
You can't forget to kneel and clap several times when you meet him and there is no eye contact.

My Host Ba Tata (father) Prince Fumpa Mujil. I then was able to meet my host father, we talked to over 2 hours. He is very nice, has 1 wife and 11 children. He asked me if I drank, I told him I didn't, he said he didn't any more, that is how he got 11 children! He is considered a Prince because his father is a chief. He can't wait to feed me bush baby and monkey. Another host thought is it was very funny we did not have wild monkeys in America. His village has lots of goats and cats. I told him that was great for me.

There has been on PCV in this village for the last 2 years, so I am starting from scratch.

He is also very proud of his school and the library they have yet to fill. I will be asking for everyone to help with this. The school is grades 1-9. But as they are learning English, they will need easy books. He really wants to see if we can get any kind. Remember that shipping is expensive, a 5 lbs box cost around $65.00 so donations of book and money to ship will be great, you can contact my Mom or let me know here if you are interested in helping.

He is very interested in having me involved in his programs of teaching people about mosquito nets and HIV/AIDS.

Some Days are BAD, Some Days are GOOD!

Let me tell you about a couple of bad days I've had. I found that I really hate riding a bicycle over rough, muddy roads. I fell off and in the mud one day on my way home and my BaMama laughed at me while she fixed my bath water.

Bugs...Stabbed one with my big knife, that I keep under my pillow, (thanks Papa). Found a camel spider crawling up my leg while I was tightly, secured in my sleeping bag, or so I thought. Almost stabbed him, but would have gotten my knee too, so I didn't. By the way, they are harmless, but this is what they look like.









Eating food covered in vegetable oil or salt - they need the extra fat and salt here so they are taught to coat all foods in oil or salt or both. It can be really hard to eat.

But there are good days too.
My BaMama has been sick so her sister came to take care of me. She speaks a different language and I was having trouble understanding her, my little brother Moses, who is 6 was dancing and singing around the hut and I realized he was singing what she was saying in the language I speak so I would know and could answer her. What a sweet boy. Helping him with his multiplication tables is fun. He is so smart and loves to learn. He must run outside every time a airplane flies over and he was so excited when he found out that I had flown on one and asked me how they can fly. He is a joy.