A Typical Day in Africa

I have had some requests for a typical day for me here in Zambia including specific details. So, here it goes:

6:55 -I wake up. I get up out of my double bed, along with two of the other volunteers. One is really laid back and cool, and the other really sucks. She is pompous and condescending. Anyway, I go down stairs and eat breakfast, which usually consists of cereal and whole milk (I have gotten used to it.). I sit and talk with my cute new gay friend, Steven. We usually talk about how really really miss cleanliness, and Whole Foods. Then, I go get dressed.

7:30- The van comes and picks us up and takes us to the various schools. Mine is the furthest, so I chat with the driver, Joseph and the various other people that tag along. This could be anyone from the driver's friends, to the coordinator, to other volunteers. There are no paved roads, so the trip is extremely bumpy. It also consists of a lot of waving because the people aren't used to seeing a bunch of white people on a bus. They stare and wave a lot, so we wave back.

7:45-11:20- I teach 5th grade at the Mwandi Community School. My teacher's name is Zack, and he is very welcoming. It's just hard to watch him teach in a way that is so different from how I did, I teach English and Literacy, and I am trying to spice it up a bit because the way they he was doing it was really boring. I asked if it would be alright if I added some stuff I learned, and he was totally fine with it. I love all the kids even though they are really shy. I still think it will be a while till they warm up to me. The classroom itself is not like any classroom I have ever taught in. It's the size of my bedroom and has stuff piled in the back. There are no posters or work on the walls, which I hope to change soon. Another thing that was tough to get used to was the fact that Zack hits the kids as a punishment. If they misbehave, he will take a wooded board eraser, make them stick out there hands, and hits them really hard. We were told not to do or say anything f this happens because it's part of there culture. Also, they do a lot of singing, talking, reading about AIDS and abstinance. It was a little uncomfortable at first, but it makes sense considering it's one of the leading killers in Zambia. One of the reading passages had a picture of a prostitute and a coffin, and I just kept thinking to myself that this would never pass at Rainbow Valley.

11:30-2:15- This is my lunch/break time. I usually come home, where our cook, Ivy, has set out stuff for tuna sandwiches. I am kind of getting sick of tuna sandwiches, but I eat them because she is the sweetest lady ever, and I don't want to hurt her feelings. After lunch, I go upstairs and put on my bathing suit, along with massive amount of jungle strength bug spray (no more bug bites). I lay out at the pool till it's time to go to the next project, or I go into town and blog from my favorite fly infested, wireless Internet cafe.

2:15-4:30- These projects very. Some days you may do HIV Education in the rural communities, or farming, or home based care (which is basically where you go and visit patients who are HIV positive or who have TB, and just talk to them to see how they are), or adult literacy, or building. I did building today and it was dirty, but extremely fun. We are building places for the toilets at this mud hut school. I used a wheel barrow, and mixed cement, and laid blocks. It got annoying using the spreader, so I started using my hands. It wasn't till about 45 minutes later, that I found out it was quick drying, and it wasn't a good idea to use my hands. They are a little dry now, but it was totally worth it. We finished early so we got to play with the school kids. I learned a new game called Sililo and got my ass kicked.

4:30-7:00- We eat dinner and talk. Dinner usually consists of some sort sausage or beef (it's kind of gross, but again, I eat it to be nice). Occasionally, we will even play boggle!

7:00-till bed- This is when we go to a bar for a drink or two. Rhapsody's is often picked, but lately I really like going to The Rite Pub. Every time we go I get a Mosi (which is beer), and a waffle with ice cream. YUM.

So there it is my day, in a nut shell. I also wanted to share with all of you that they recently offered me a job to stay here as a coordinator. They want me to stay until January. But I think 5 months is a little long, even though I love it here. I said I would consider a month, but I have to check with my job at home, and see if my wonderful ex-roommates are willing to take Sammy just a bit longer. I am just wondering what my readers feel about this.


One more thing...Update on my camera: I nixed the Rastafarian idea. But this adorable teacher at one of the schools named, Norbert, has a friend who will fix it. So we will see. Maybe there will be pics posted soon!