Biking in the bush

I went on a sweet bike ride to deliver fingerlings (baby fish) to a farmer. The 20 liter jug of water strapped to the back of my bike weighed more than my bike at home. Moutain biking is a whole different ball game than I am used to. Biking with an extra 30 pounds of water and 80 fish is another story all together. The were rivers to cross, razor grass and the person in front of you would disappear into the bush if they were 10 feet ahead of you. Teton has nothing on Zambia when you are carrying 50 extra pounds uphill.

In other news, I got a cell phone. Email me if you want to get in touch. Or send letters! Otherwise I have been able to talk to my family and Ryan this week a lot more than I had been able to before. That makes life so much better. While the people in the corps are incredable it is nice to hear a voice from home. Training is tiring. I'm trying to post pictures of some of the beautiful people and places here, but internet in the bush is hard to come by and you have to bear with me.

Useful phrases here:
anytime from now- The answer to any question which starts as "when....?"
mjelelinkio- the all purpose excuse me/please polite word.
nshima- all that is good and holy on a zambia dinner table or impassa as the case may be.

did I mention I love getting mail?

Ok mom just so you don't hear it from anyone else and get scared: One guy got a slight case of Malaria already, but he is fine. He didn't even miss a class. The medicine we are on makes us very resistant to it and when we get it, it is a very managable case that is very easily treated with medicine we carry around with us. One boy got spit on by a cobra, but that is very very rare. He is perfectly fine, and it happened because he chased the cobra to see what kind of snake it was. Another boy became sick because he ate dirt. They are all going to write about this in their blogs, but honestly it's not a big deal, I am safe, they are all perfectly fine and we are in good hands. I will not eat dirt or follow snakes. The rest of the 60 of us are doing fine and so are the three boys.

I love you all! I'm put pictures up soon!

Mwerka madness

Trainfing in intesne but completely doable. I am more excited about my life here that I can tell you. Zambians are beautiful people who make you feel at home. I wish I could talk to my family a little more regularly but otheriwse life is wonderful. I take showers under the stars, eat wonderful food, live with generous kind people who have electricity and a Sega Genisis. And I know that in a few months I'll be bringing food security and a topic of conversation a small Bemba village.

I wish everyone could expriance rural life in Zambia, it is simple but full of joy. Candle lit bucket baths and nshima are my life for the next two years and it sounds fantastic. The sunsets alone are worth it! Zambian parties are wonderful. There is drumming, dancing with women with babies on their backs, and lots of tea wine! Life is good.

I cannot wait for everyone to visit. You have never seen such hospitality.

I love you all and thank you so much Anton!

Eureka!

We arrived in Lusaka yesterday morning. I had spent the night before in a beautiful 4 star hotel in Jo-burg South Africa. We have been staying at a beautiful campsite full of zebras, giraffes, buffalo and monkeys. Our days have been filled with shots and brief introductions to acronyms that will surely become second hand. Everyday I feel more confident in my decision to join the Peace Corps. I always knew I would love it, but the level of training and the incredible professional benefits are somewhat unexpected. I decided to learn Bemba, a language spoken by most Zambians. I hope to live in the Copperbelt Region and have to run!

Out of touch

I'm going to be out of touch for a while everyone! I'm sorry but I will get email eventually. So if you don't hear from me for a few weeks don't worry.

I love you all!

Leaving on a jet plane

In a few hours I'm on my way to Philly for staging and then off to Zambia! I am very excited. I've been wanting this for a very long time.

Thank you everyone for being so supportive. I know how hard this is for everyone. I promise to be safe, to never take any undue risks, to write often and to take too many pictures.

Mom I love you and I'll see you very soon.