Work Work Work

Another brief update. I’m finding it difficult to keep up with my blog these days. I’ve been in the village since I came back from America. I went to Lusaka for work and I’ve been super busy ever since. The last three weeks I’ve been teaching eight students at Chankhanga Basic school about HIV/AIDs and to train them to be Peer Educators. Its been quite a challenge but rewarding overall. By being a Peer Educator these students will lead sessions in their Anti-AIDs clubs and other activities at the school informing their fellow peers about the basics of HIV/AIDs along with information about transmission of the virus, prevention which includes abstinence, being faithful to one partner and using condoms. They are also learning about VCT and the impact HIV/AIDs has on development in Zambia. I’m basically teaching these eight students how to be good facilitators, communicators and leaders.

Also fish farming has started up again. The farmers are gearing up and have continued to dig their ponds. Right now I’m not sure how many fish ponds I have, but the number seems to be growing everyday. The Department of Fisheries told me last week, that I’ve gotten more ponds constructed then they all have put together. That made me feel great. I just completed another fish training this past week for 22 people. It went really well and the interest is overwhelming. Looks like the volunteer who replaces my site will be quite busy. Oh and I found out today that my old site at Kapatamoyo is also getting a male volunteer. They won’t be living where I was, but they will be working in that area since fish farming is taking off there. So I feel great that both sites that I’ve worked at are getting volunteers.

As of yesterday I can say that I’m truly Zambian. Kristina and I rode our bikes 20km to a carpenters house to pick up furniture Kristina was having made. She had three benches made and they were about 1.5meters in length. We tied them onto the backs of our little Trek bikes (seriously we looked ridiculous) and rode the 20km back to her village. The journey took longer than expected and I got super burnt. Everyone was staring and pointing…quite surprised that two muzungu’s could manage such a load. I almost took out a kid on the side of the road forgetting our wide my load was. Once we got going it wasn’t back…but stopping and starting was a bit of a problem. I only dropped the bike twice.

It’s that time of year again….another set of volunteers are coming into country. Kristina will be hosting 6 new volunteers at her site next week. I’ll be helping out and should be a really good time. We are having a big party the night of the 28th to celebrate Kristina’s birthday and the arrival of the new volunteers. We invited so many people….our Indian friends, Zambian friends and other volunteers.

So it seems like I have programs everyday and time is just flying. I’m trying to spend a lot of time in the village and being with my family and friends there. I really do enjoy it and I’m sad that my time is coming to an end. I have much to look forward to though. For Easter, Caitlin and I will be traveling to Namibia to check out the ocean and beautiful sand dunes. I really can’t wait….I’ve always wanted to go there. Well that about wraps things up for now. The rains are super intense and my tribe is having their annual ceremony this weekend.