internet

So it's my last day in Kafue town. I'm heading to Lusaka on Sunday morning, and presenting with IDE field staff/management on Monday. A few last-minute details of things to work out - my time since my village stay has gone SUPER well and everything has worked out, until today. Bah. I'm waiting on a few things that are taking longer than I had hoped. Things were going way better than normal, but now... ahh!

I'm getting a chitenge (african cloth) hoodie made, as well as a couple shirt and a dress for Julia. I'm also bringing a UVic EWB chapter gift home! But all of those things are delayed.. and it's my last day.. ahh!
My host mom made a tie-n-die chitenge for me - her woman's cooperative was taught to make them by Jairos!! So that'll become another sweet traditional shirt.

And all three of my Kafue girl friends have presents to give me, hehe.


A few weeks back, when Mike H came to visit, the internet cafe guys said that that Saturday would be my "special day" for being such a good customer (I come a few times a week, maybe 1-2 hrs/week). I put it off because it was the National Agric Show, but today I've learned what "my special day" is -- free internet!!
And it's saturday and it's fast. Or maybe they're shaping the bandwidth specially for me.

Melissa, my EWB coach, brought up relationships as one of my strengths during retreat (5 weeks into my placement). I haven't really figured it all out, but relationship building with everyone is pretty crucial. The armed (AK-47) guard selling scones on the street, shop owners, strangers that I pass, and of course farmers. I'm definitely (un)consciously incompetent with so many social functions - books could be written just about verbal and non-verbal greetings. But a good things are happening from me being myself, smiling, being open to greetings from people I don't recognize, whatever. Is this a strength? Is it due just to the friendliness of people accepting all the rude things I do (without being aware they're rude in Zambian culture)?
What am I trying to say? My connection to my host mom, my counterparts, and some farmers is just awesome. There are lots of people in town now that say hello when they recognize me, since I'm the only muzungu biking around town!


Every time I talk with other JFs, we swap some stories about our placements (good and bad happenings) and often I think we feel pretty jealous. I think everyone wants to have done things other people accomplished, and it's ALL good. In the end, our own choices and circumstances way beyond our control created valuable experiences for everyone.


Time to go. I've said my goodbyes to just about everyone I've wanted to - my host brother Aubree gave me a frickin solilique last night (he likes to talk, and boy, he wanted to say all the good things about my presence in Kasengele/Kafue). I'm sad to leave, but just about peeing myself excited to continue this adventure. My time in Kafue is up, but the experience continues! Lusaka until Tuesday, Malawi until Saturday, Nairobi/Amsterdam for a few hours on Saturday/Sunday, then Toronto until Tuesday. Then I'll be HOME on the 25th. God that's a scary thought.

This post is turning into more of an email. Or something.