Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The end of the beginning
Where to begin...in the end I suppose. The end of my peace corps training has passed and I swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer last Friday. training itself has been very educational being trained in conservation farming, bee keeping, Argo forestry, and many other things to help with food security and replenishing the woodlands... though learning the bantu language Bemba (the one of Zambians 75 dialects) has proven to be challenging for me..slowly but surely..panono panono.
My homestay family, the Makuka's, have been very kind and accommodating. From teaching me to carry water on my head the 2 k it is to the well to patiently teaching as I destroyed nshima pot after nshima pot...my bamayo's patients especially has been plentiful. I have grown attached to them and feel more and more a part of there family.
I have biked 20k of fairly intense dirt roads almost everyday, tried caterpillar, carried water on my head, hitched to get from point a to point b, and the list continues. Funny enough, the lifestyle has been the easiest for me to adjust to...I really like it actually. From bucket baths, to candle light letter writing, farming in the day, making all food from scratch...it is a veery peaceful way to live...the latrine isn't even that bad, nor is the palm sized spider that has made its home in the grass thatch of my roof.
There have been challenges galore throughout this time...none of which I expected. I am surrounded by some of the efficient most hard working people i have ever met...especially the woman! It is heartbreaking though...seeing kids with clothes that have more holes than not, bellies that are puffed from malnutrition, foot infections because there is not enough money for shoes...seeing how disparity...happiness...alcohol...both fuels a society and holds them down. I am realizing the next two years will most likely harbor some veery lonely times as I attempt to understand this new reality, the complexity of it, and trying to become a part of it....when I am just all out homesick.
I will be dropped at my site on thursday by a cruiser with all of my things. My community host/counterpart seems to be very ambitious so that is exciting. I am 20 k off the tarmac and another 17 k to the nearest volunteer...for sure a day trip. To be honest...I haven't quite figured out what my role will be within my community when I get there. With all my heart and soul, I pray that whatever my role materializes to be, it will truley make a difference in the lives of my village Mubila, Kapiri, Zambia. I don't know how often I will get online once I am posted...but feel free to send me messages. They are nice to get when I manage an Internet connection. My address will now be my name, us peace corps, po box , Mkushi, Zambia. I love you all and miss you more than words can say!
Peace and Love from Zambia!
Ps, I lost my camera so I am hoping it surfaces...I have some rad pic to share when it does!
My homestay family, the Makuka's, have been very kind and accommodating. From teaching me to carry water on my head the 2 k it is to the well to patiently teaching as I destroyed nshima pot after nshima pot...my bamayo's patients especially has been plentiful. I have grown attached to them and feel more and more a part of there family.
I have biked 20k of fairly intense dirt roads almost everyday, tried caterpillar, carried water on my head, hitched to get from point a to point b, and the list continues. Funny enough, the lifestyle has been the easiest for me to adjust to...I really like it actually. From bucket baths, to candle light letter writing, farming in the day, making all food from scratch...it is a veery peaceful way to live...the latrine isn't even that bad, nor is the palm sized spider that has made its home in the grass thatch of my roof.
There have been challenges galore throughout this time...none of which I expected. I am surrounded by some of the efficient most hard working people i have ever met...especially the woman! It is heartbreaking though...seeing kids with clothes that have more holes than not, bellies that are puffed from malnutrition, foot infections because there is not enough money for shoes...seeing how disparity...happiness...alcohol...both fuels a society and holds them down. I am realizing the next two years will most likely harbor some veery lonely times as I attempt to understand this new reality, the complexity of it, and trying to become a part of it....when I am just all out homesick.
I will be dropped at my site on thursday by a cruiser with all of my things. My community host/counterpart seems to be very ambitious so that is exciting. I am 20 k off the tarmac and another 17 k to the nearest volunteer...for sure a day trip. To be honest...I haven't quite figured out what my role will be within my community when I get there. With all my heart and soul, I pray that whatever my role materializes to be, it will truley make a difference in the lives of my village Mubila, Kapiri, Zambia. I don't know how often I will get online once I am posted...but feel free to send me messages. They are nice to get when I manage an Internet connection. My address will now be my name, us peace corps, po box , Mkushi, Zambia. I love you all and miss you more than words can say!
Peace and Love from Zambia!
Ps, I lost my camera so I am hoping it surfaces...I have some rad pic to share when it does!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Life's Big Five: Beginning My Journey to Zambia
Okay, so bare with me through the first few blogs as one, i don't know how to blog per say, and two, the content is bound to get increasingly interesting as my journey in Zambia progresses.
I recently read a book that talked about Africa in the spiritual sense. How Africa has a rhythm, a beat...and few are blessed to truly tap into this beat....its a balance of the mind body and spirit....the "beginning"of life as we experience it, the interconnectedness of everyone and everything.
This same book spoke of how each of us have a Big Five For Live. The Five things in life that if you experience or accomplish you would consider your life to be a success as you have defined success. When these moments occur (however big or small), you know because it is so important and profound to you, that it is one of the five most important things you need to do see or experience before you die.
Tangent: It is important to realize that people (and situations they bring) are meant to guide you to your Big Five. I have been blessed with so many beautiful people that have guided me, helped me, and encouraged me through the good and the bad...you know who you are...and there is no 'thank you' big enough for people that help you realize your big five.
My Big Five: For me, these five things aren't yet fully defined, but i feel them pull from my heart to get me on the path of my Big Five For Life. I also think this pull could be how i may help with others Big Five.
I have accomplished one of my big five as of yet and am forever on the path to discovering the others.
The one that I have experienced was to love like no other, to be in love, to feel the compassion that comes with it. To find my "soul mate" and love him with everything that i was given. I know what this love is, i lived every moment of it....that is one of my big five that I deem as a success the way that i have defined success, spiritually, mentally, and physically.
The rest are yet to be fully realized. Two seeds were planted in the depths of my soul and reality when i was just a girl. The first was when i learned of global warming and the other various harmful ways we are destroying our planet and mother nature. The second is tapping into the beat of life...the way its meant to be drummed and danced to...the way our people did before we lost touch. I am sure these two aspects are in some way a part of my big five.
Unknown to me, My most recent job led me on the path to reveal another aspect of my Big Five For Life's: working with children. I don't know how this will play out yet, but the look in a kids eye's when they discover a new sense of awe over something you taught them, or some way you have inspired them, or a path you encouraged them on, or even the look when you know, even if you never see them again, they will remember you as a mentor, as a way to overcome whatever that may be happening in there life, good and bad....that moment is irreplaceable. Even more replaceable, the hope that each kid will do amazingly brilliant and good things with their experiences.
Possibly these last three will come together soon, or maybe they will materialize into other things. One thing I can be confident of, even though a part of me is terrified (mainly of the snakes...eeeppppp), sad for the loneliness that will probably engulf me at many points over the next 27 months, the increasing number of moments I am missing in my nephews, niece, and future kiddos lives etc...my heart tells me that this is my path and I am so thrilled to be embarking on this adventure. I will either accomplish or be on my way to accomplishing more of my and others Big Five for Life. I hope that you all can follow me on my journey, as you are all so much such a huge part of it.
Zambia, here I come...open arms with love in my heart, peace in my mind, and ambition in my soul :)
I recently read a book that talked about Africa in the spiritual sense. How Africa has a rhythm, a beat...and few are blessed to truly tap into this beat....its a balance of the mind body and spirit....the "beginning"of life as we experience it, the interconnectedness of everyone and everything.
This same book spoke of how each of us have a Big Five For Live. The Five things in life that if you experience or accomplish you would consider your life to be a success as you have defined success. When these moments occur (however big or small), you know because it is so important and profound to you, that it is one of the five most important things you need to do see or experience before you die.
Tangent: It is important to realize that people (and situations they bring) are meant to guide you to your Big Five. I have been blessed with so many beautiful people that have guided me, helped me, and encouraged me through the good and the bad...you know who you are...and there is no 'thank you' big enough for people that help you realize your big five.
My Big Five: For me, these five things aren't yet fully defined, but i feel them pull from my heart to get me on the path of my Big Five For Life. I also think this pull could be how i may help with others Big Five.
I have accomplished one of my big five as of yet and am forever on the path to discovering the others.
The one that I have experienced was to love like no other, to be in love, to feel the compassion that comes with it. To find my "soul mate" and love him with everything that i was given. I know what this love is, i lived every moment of it....that is one of my big five that I deem as a success the way that i have defined success, spiritually, mentally, and physically.
The rest are yet to be fully realized. Two seeds were planted in the depths of my soul and reality when i was just a girl. The first was when i learned of global warming and the other various harmful ways we are destroying our planet and mother nature. The second is tapping into the beat of life...the way its meant to be drummed and danced to...the way our people did before we lost touch. I am sure these two aspects are in some way a part of my big five.
Unknown to me, My most recent job led me on the path to reveal another aspect of my Big Five For Life's: working with children. I don't know how this will play out yet, but the look in a kids eye's when they discover a new sense of awe over something you taught them, or some way you have inspired them, or a path you encouraged them on, or even the look when you know, even if you never see them again, they will remember you as a mentor, as a way to overcome whatever that may be happening in there life, good and bad....that moment is irreplaceable. Even more replaceable, the hope that each kid will do amazingly brilliant and good things with their experiences.
Possibly these last three will come together soon, or maybe they will materialize into other things. One thing I can be confident of, even though a part of me is terrified (mainly of the snakes...eeeppppp), sad for the loneliness that will probably engulf me at many points over the next 27 months, the increasing number of moments I am missing in my nephews, niece, and future kiddos lives etc...my heart tells me that this is my path and I am so thrilled to be embarking on this adventure. I will either accomplish or be on my way to accomplishing more of my and others Big Five for Life. I hope that you all can follow me on my journey, as you are all so much such a huge part of it.
Zambia, here I come...open arms with love in my heart, peace in my mind, and ambition in my soul :)
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