It took a few months to really settle into my mud hut and make it a home. In Zambia, most people have their house and chikuta, the kitchen, separately. I had a house, a chikuta (about 20 yards from my house), a pit latrine and a shower area (about 5 yards from my house). When … Continue reading a journal entry: 24 sept 2008
When I was a Peace Corps Volunteer, I served in Southern Province, Zambia. This usually doesn't mean much when you tell someone where you served. BUT, if I told you it's where Victoria Falls is, then you might have an idea of where I was. And if you can't locate it on a map, you have probably … Continue reading a journal entry: 31 aug 2008
As the day’s hot unforgiving sun fades into the maize fields on the horizon in Siambele Village, a cool respite takes over the farm and I walk into the chikuta. The mud bricks in the worn and well-used kitchen are blackened from years of open wood fires that have been keeping 18 people fed, washed … Continue reading Every Evening in Siambele
10 years ago, I was in Peace Corps in Zambia. I was living in a mud hut, no electricity, no running water, and having an amazing, challenging life changing experience. Since it's been 10 years, I decided to randomly peek into my journals and share with you what I wrote at the time. Raw, unedited, … Continue reading a journal entry: 3 Aug 2008
I was planning a trip to Africa and knew that Jen was also going to be there. I initially didn't think I was going to be there at the same time, but decided to change my plans so I could be. And she then asked me if I could be a part of the Planning … Continue reading #arts4change, kusafiri in madagascar
I've discovered that a few things happen to me when I am in Africa. 1. My tan comes back. I don't know when, but apparently I've been in the sun long enough for a bit of my tan to come back. The only reason I can tell is that I have a white band around … Continue reading A few things happen
When I was kid, I thought it would be incredible to have a mouse as a friend. Of course this was after I read the books about Ralph S. Mouse. Having adventures together while riding a toy motorcycle wearing a ping-pong ball helmet. What's not to love? I'm here to tell you, it's not fun … Continue reading My Friend Ralph S. Mouse
It’s September 25, 2009. And it is raining. It should be the beginning of hot season but there have been signs of rain for weeks now. The winds are coming from the northwest. The mosquitoes are insanely bad. The frogs are singing at night. The bugs are chirping during the day. Zambians call it the … Continue reading The Rains That Save the Animals.
August in the village has been pretty slow. Why you ask? Well, school is closed for the holiday and I have no big projects to work on until school starts. What have you been up to? Well, that is why I’m blogging. For the first week of August I sat at my house, read books, … Continue reading It’s The End of The World as I Know it!
One of my favorite things in the world has convinced me to stay in Zambia. I went home for the first 2 weeks of July. It was a great (and really fast) 2 weeks as I got to see a few friends and family I hadn’t seen in the year and five months that I … Continue reading Bye Mutinta!
