Most nights I get under my net in bed by 8pm, Crona sleeps with me and at some point she will stand on the side of the bed and meow to let me know she wants out. I untuck the net, let her out to eat, use her box and chase lizards, then she will come back, and meows to be let in.
A couple of nights ago, a little bit after she had done that, she suddenly wanted out again, I looked around to see if there were lizards on my wall for her to chase and I noticed that the wall was moving!
I sat up to get a better look saw a wave of Army Ants crawling up my wall. They were on the floor, walls and in my ceiling. First, I watched to see how many there were, I tried to call my mom in the USA, but she couldn't talk, not that she could help anyway! I then called my PCVL and asked him if this was something to worry about. He said where he'd been stationed, it had happened 3 times. To go talk to my family, they would help and he'd send someone my way tomorrow. I got Crona in her box and ran to my BaMama's house.
There is a word they use for a swarm of ants, I told my BaMama that was what was happening at my house, she had baby Maureen in a sling and was nursing her, so she just hollered at the boys to come and they grabbed hot coals and fire on thatch and headed to my house. I pick Melda up, because she had no shoes on and I and already been bitten many times on my feet, and we followed.
The boys did their part by stomping on as many as they could while my BaMama, set the grass around my house on fire with the lit thatch. She also had the boys lay out little rows of hot coals, then she came in and started sweeping out my house. I say this alot, but it is so true, BaMamas here are badass! While she is doing all this, she is nursing the baby. She keeps spitting on the ground, I asked Thumpa if she was ok, he said yes, that someone had put bad Juju on me that is why the ants came and she is stopping it.
We worked for several hours setting fires and sweeping. She did tell me it was just a small swarm, not the large swarms that they use the scary word for, I hope I don't get to see the difference. She was very worried that they had gotten into my roof, not sure why, I will find out more tomorrow. She also found and sweep out the biggest tarantula I have seen yet here! I yelped when I saw it and told her to sweep it out, the boys laughed at me and she asked, "didn't I like spiders", I told her, "no, no, get it out."
The ants, while scary were fascinating to watch, they were not stopping and there were rows and rows of them, just marching along. I really hope the bad Juju goes away and this doesn't happen again!
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Pictures
2nd row - Grace - holding Maureen, Rhoda with her baby Joseph, Fumpa
Back row - Marangu, Janet, Mama-Sylvia, Tata -Pollum
Fumpa is also their last name
What you can die of... and other random thoughts
There are so many things to die of. Food poisoning, dysentery, every disease you can think of. Every snake in Africa is poisonous, but the large spiders aren't, (even the one I had to kill with my frying pan because it was the only thing BIG enough to kill it). Any brightly colored insect and reptile should be avoided. Don't forget the crocodiles. Big trucks on the road. I don't know about you, but I am sure you can die of food cravings, and I am sure that is what will take me out! I don't miss fast foods, which I thought I would I just miss good food!
My BaMama was cooking fried chicken the other day for lunch and I was there helping them shell peanuts. It smelled so good and I was sooooo hungry for it. Then when it was almost done, she put it in a pot covered it with water and oil, and boiled it...NOOOOOOO! It was still almost like fried chicken and I ate it anyway. They really like to cover food in salady, which is their word for salad oil and they put it on everything.
I go to the tarmac shops and get eggs every week, they think it is strange that I can eat 10-13 eggs a week. Once in awhile i can find sausage and I will buy it and eat it. Also I have learned to make very good beans.
I was asked to sit in on meetings with the Teachers of the school one day. They were discussing things like how to keep the kids from stealing their teaching aids, (the school is always open and anyone can go in at anytime). They love their charts and teaching aids. They asked how we did it, I told them that we try to do hands on things, instead of always showing charts. That was new idea for them.
They also have a problem with the kids showing up late. I told them that if the teachers showed up late, which they do, then they were setting a bad example for the students. Zambians love proverbs and have many to deal with their daily life, so I told them one of our was early is on time, one time is late and late is unacceptable. They said it is their culture to be late and she said "sorry, sorry, sorry, about Zambians!"
I have offered to help with their English class. They also do not teach any science, so I said I could show them some experiments and easy tools for learning.
One day I forgot to take my notebook to language class, my teacher asked how I would write my lesson, I told him, like American kids, and I pulled out my phone to take notes. He was surprised and said he didn't know phones could do that.
I also found out that they don't have a word for purple. My language teacher said he would have to do some research to see if he could find one. I was learning past tense of words, there are no rules, every word seems to have a different rule. I also had him tell me the difference between names and words. I kept hearing my family yelling Maka, I thought that was word, as they said it a million times a day, I finally found out it's the other twin's name. I knew they were trouble! I also found out that my 12 year old brother's name is Marangu.
One of my favorite phrases is ziggie iwes, it means shoo kids. The kids of the village, when they are bored will come follow me around or hang out in my yard and watch me. Most won't talk and they giggle or run away if I talk to them. I had 42 following me one day. I use the phrase a lot!
The teachers didn't come to school one day because they all live in Mufumbwe and all the petrol stations were out of petrol. One of the teachers has a regular bicycle and he came, but they closed school for the day.
Words are very different here. Little Maureen had the hiccups I said, you have the hiccups, BaMama's eyes got big and she asked what was that I said, I pointed to Maureen when she hiccuped, and told her that. She thought that was a very funny word. They also think cheese is a funny word. Maureen has had a cold and has been sneezing, they don't say "bless you" here, (we were asked in training by our Zambian trainers why we said that), so when I was holding Maureen and she would sneeze, I'd say oof, another sneeze, every time she sneezed. Later in the day, I sneezed and BaMama looked at me and said oof. I think I started a new trend.
I heard a very strange noise coming from the trees in my yard. I stood looking up trying to figure out if it was a bird, animal or bug. My sister came over to see what I was doing, I asked her what is that sound, she gave me the crazy msungu look and said it was a bird. She told BaMama what I was doing and she laughed and said BaHannah and a word, the word is one that is used when children do something that is cute and adorable, glad I can be cute to them. Later the twins shot the bird out of the tree with their slingshot. They are really awesome with that thing.
My village thinks the dog I have been feeding is my dog, they call it dog of the msungu, dog of the white person. I now have added a kitty to my family. I was in Solwezi for a couple of days for meetings and one of my PCV friend had had kittens, so I brought one home. She is so sweet and cuddly. I named her Krona after a video game character that is always afraid of things because any noise has her running under my skirt or in my house. She is a very sweet little thing.She met my dog Anubis the other day. Remember I told you Anubis is scared of me too. Well Krona is sitting in my lap looking at Anubis, she meows, Anubis runs away which in turn scares Krona to run into my house. Crazy animals.
I have been shelling peanuts and corn. I got a big blister on my thumb from taking the corn off the cob. BaMama had to look at it and make sure I was okay and patted my hands and said "Mama hands". I have found out that I can move coals around, but not pick them up with my hands.
I attend the New Apostle Church, it has 6 members. They took communion and while listening to them, I realized they were saying the Lord's prayer. It's the most like Methodist I have found so far. I have 5 more to attend before I decide on one. Their communion is just wafers, as they have no wine. After church the women asked me to come with them and offered me munkoyaya, a grain alcohol that is not as strong. The women drink it even if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. I have even seen them give it to small children as a drink. (Another class I need to teach!)
I have been visiting with the man that was set up by UNICEF to do the under 5 clinics. He is very nice and has lots of questions. He has a book to teach from. I showed him a book I brought with me called "Where Women Have No Doctors" he was very please to look through it. In his book it has how to teach a class on breastfeeding and to tell them when to to it, there is a chart with the sun at different levels in the sky - remember no clocks.We also talked about how to teach a Positive living class for those with AIDS.
I did find out that men often have vasectomies here. They don't like to use condoms. TB is also very rampant here, about 1/2 of Kowama has it and we were trained to watch for it in ourselves.
I said that they love their proverbs. I find them very interesting. Here are a couple.
You should feed your chickens and not your doves - this I found out means to take good care of your relationship with your nephews and nieces, because if your wife leaves you she will take your children and you will not have anything to do with them.
Before you talk about a lion, make sure your door is shut - means watch what you are saying about other people.
Why pick one nite when you can pick two - it's about cooperation while working
A lazy man does not eat well - about working.
My BaMama was cooking fried chicken the other day for lunch and I was there helping them shell peanuts. It smelled so good and I was sooooo hungry for it. Then when it was almost done, she put it in a pot covered it with water and oil, and boiled it...NOOOOOOO! It was still almost like fried chicken and I ate it anyway. They really like to cover food in salady, which is their word for salad oil and they put it on everything.
I go to the tarmac shops and get eggs every week, they think it is strange that I can eat 10-13 eggs a week. Once in awhile i can find sausage and I will buy it and eat it. Also I have learned to make very good beans.
I was asked to sit in on meetings with the Teachers of the school one day. They were discussing things like how to keep the kids from stealing their teaching aids, (the school is always open and anyone can go in at anytime). They love their charts and teaching aids. They asked how we did it, I told them that we try to do hands on things, instead of always showing charts. That was new idea for them.
They also have a problem with the kids showing up late. I told them that if the teachers showed up late, which they do, then they were setting a bad example for the students. Zambians love proverbs and have many to deal with their daily life, so I told them one of our was early is on time, one time is late and late is unacceptable. They said it is their culture to be late and she said "sorry, sorry, sorry, about Zambians!"
I have offered to help with their English class. They also do not teach any science, so I said I could show them some experiments and easy tools for learning.
One day I forgot to take my notebook to language class, my teacher asked how I would write my lesson, I told him, like American kids, and I pulled out my phone to take notes. He was surprised and said he didn't know phones could do that.
I also found out that they don't have a word for purple. My language teacher said he would have to do some research to see if he could find one. I was learning past tense of words, there are no rules, every word seems to have a different rule. I also had him tell me the difference between names and words. I kept hearing my family yelling Maka, I thought that was word, as they said it a million times a day, I finally found out it's the other twin's name. I knew they were trouble! I also found out that my 12 year old brother's name is Marangu.
One of my favorite phrases is ziggie iwes, it means shoo kids. The kids of the village, when they are bored will come follow me around or hang out in my yard and watch me. Most won't talk and they giggle or run away if I talk to them. I had 42 following me one day. I use the phrase a lot!
The teachers didn't come to school one day because they all live in Mufumbwe and all the petrol stations were out of petrol. One of the teachers has a regular bicycle and he came, but they closed school for the day.
Words are very different here. Little Maureen had the hiccups I said, you have the hiccups, BaMama's eyes got big and she asked what was that I said, I pointed to Maureen when she hiccuped, and told her that. She thought that was a very funny word. They also think cheese is a funny word. Maureen has had a cold and has been sneezing, they don't say "bless you" here, (we were asked in training by our Zambian trainers why we said that), so when I was holding Maureen and she would sneeze, I'd say oof, another sneeze, every time she sneezed. Later in the day, I sneezed and BaMama looked at me and said oof. I think I started a new trend.
I heard a very strange noise coming from the trees in my yard. I stood looking up trying to figure out if it was a bird, animal or bug. My sister came over to see what I was doing, I asked her what is that sound, she gave me the crazy msungu look and said it was a bird. She told BaMama what I was doing and she laughed and said BaHannah and a word, the word is one that is used when children do something that is cute and adorable, glad I can be cute to them. Later the twins shot the bird out of the tree with their slingshot. They are really awesome with that thing.
My village thinks the dog I have been feeding is my dog, they call it dog of the msungu, dog of the white person. I now have added a kitty to my family. I was in Solwezi for a couple of days for meetings and one of my PCV friend had had kittens, so I brought one home. She is so sweet and cuddly. I named her Krona after a video game character that is always afraid of things because any noise has her running under my skirt or in my house. She is a very sweet little thing.She met my dog Anubis the other day. Remember I told you Anubis is scared of me too. Well Krona is sitting in my lap looking at Anubis, she meows, Anubis runs away which in turn scares Krona to run into my house. Crazy animals.
I have been shelling peanuts and corn. I got a big blister on my thumb from taking the corn off the cob. BaMama had to look at it and make sure I was okay and patted my hands and said "Mama hands". I have found out that I can move coals around, but not pick them up with my hands.
I attend the New Apostle Church, it has 6 members. They took communion and while listening to them, I realized they were saying the Lord's prayer. It's the most like Methodist I have found so far. I have 5 more to attend before I decide on one. Their communion is just wafers, as they have no wine. After church the women asked me to come with them and offered me munkoyaya, a grain alcohol that is not as strong. The women drink it even if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. I have even seen them give it to small children as a drink. (Another class I need to teach!)
I have been visiting with the man that was set up by UNICEF to do the under 5 clinics. He is very nice and has lots of questions. He has a book to teach from. I showed him a book I brought with me called "Where Women Have No Doctors" he was very please to look through it. In his book it has how to teach a class on breastfeeding and to tell them when to to it, there is a chart with the sun at different levels in the sky - remember no clocks.We also talked about how to teach a Positive living class for those with AIDS.
I did find out that men often have vasectomies here. They don't like to use condoms. TB is also very rampant here, about 1/2 of Kowama has it and we were trained to watch for it in ourselves.
I said that they love their proverbs. I find them very interesting. Here are a couple.
You should feed your chickens and not your doves - this I found out means to take good care of your relationship with your nephews and nieces, because if your wife leaves you she will take your children and you will not have anything to do with them.
Before you talk about a lion, make sure your door is shut - means watch what you are saying about other people.
Why pick one nite when you can pick two - it's about cooperation while working
A lazy man does not eat well - about working.
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