Work...
I have a pretty regular work schedule these days…Monday mornings I’m at the DEBS (District Education Board Secretary) for their weekly briefings, and then in the afternoon I teach computers to grade 10. Tuesdays and Thursdays is Physical Therapy in the mornings (still don’t know what I’m doing…) and fine motor skills in the afternoon. Wednesday s is now reserved for any meetings I need to attend/ the HIV/AIDS Club. Friday is again Computers from grade 10.
The first meeting of my HIV/AIDS club was this past Wed and we had over 50 kids! The club is for grades 5-10 from Luyeye Basic, Chepela, and Chiba Community. I had to be translated into 2 languages so that all the pupils would be able to understand (Bemba and Sign language.) We talked about what they knew, what they wanted to know, and what we can do as a group to teach our peers. We also played some games I learned from the PEPFAR workshop and came up with a group name “LCC Drama Club.” The group will be preparing skits to educate their classmates about HIV/AIDS.
My computer literacy class is probably my favorite part of my week. I am teaching about 8 Grade Ten pupils from Chepela (the special needs school.) Half are physically disabled in some facet, the other half are hearing impaired. We all squeeze around one computer in a tiny office (wheels chairs and walkers and all) and I do my best to communicate through language barriers basic computer know-how. My pupils are enthusiastic and intrigued by all things electronic! The problems of space, resources, communication, and disability are many but I feel committed to the challenge! We are having fun with it.
In other work endeavors I am still working on planning a First-Aid workshop for my zone. Materials are coming together slowly although none of the donations I asked for from companies in the US have appeared. The workshop is set to take place October 30th, so hopefully I can pull it all together in a month! I am becoming more involved with the Postive-Living group that found me from Chiba village and am planning to do a condom demonstration with them next Saturday. I am trying to get some NGO’s in the area to work together on their water sanitation endeavors in my district… so all in all my plate is FULL for the next two months!
Ukusefya...
On Rosh Hashanah I attended a traditional Bemba ceremony called Ukusefya Pa N’gwena (Ceremony of the Crocodile.) The festivities are in celebration of the Bembas settling in Northern Province of Zambia (once Northern Rhodesia) from the Congo. My sister Edna and I got a ride with the DEBS to the ceremony in Mungwi District (Laura’s neck of the woods.) There were performances from different groups from all over. They sang, and wore colorful costumes, played drums, and of course danced (all to honor the Bemba Paramount Chief who arrived a few hours into the festivities.) In attendance were many big wigs…former Presidents of Zambia (Kaonde and Chiluba,) current Zambian VP, Chiefs galore and of course many Bembas spectators! Laura’s Ba Mayo, who is the Head Woman of her village, cooked us lunch (nshima and beans.) It was good times!
My Birthday...
I turned 25 this past week! For my first Zambian birthday I had two dinner parties! One was at my house the Thursday before my birthday, and a bunch of the volunteers from Northern Province came to my site for a pot-luck. My family and friends from the village came as well. There was Chinese stir-fry, Guacamole, Banana Bread, Cookies, Challah and Pizza (I put my oven to good use that night!) So we ate like kings and listened to Zambian music then all passed out. Birthday party number two came this past Monday (my actual b-day.) I had to work the whole day but at night my friends sent a cab to my house to pick me up and bring me to the provincial house! They made me dinner and chocolate cake! It was awesome. I was also surprised by how many of my Zambian counterparts gave me a birthday card (Birthdays in Bemba culture aren’t that big of a deal.) Not to pick favorites but the best ones came from two of my favorite counterparts… first Catherine Kabwe, who runs the Chiba Community School (she attended the PEPFAR workshop with me.) She had seen me making some citenge postcards during the workshop and then made me a citenge birthday card! So sweet! The other was from Mr. Bupe, the deputy head teacher of my school. He is very computer and photo savvy and scanned some photos of him, his family, and myself to make me a really cool card!
The Village...
Hot season is here. Sometimes I fall asleep dripping with sweat! It almost makes me look forward to rainy season…am I crazy?
Saturday I made some corn bread for my Positive Living group meeting cleaned my house from top to bottom then went to hang out with my family for a bit before leaving for my meeting/town. We were all sitting crafting together (beading, knitting, etc) when Edna (my sister) arrived suddenly in a cab (she had left class early) and announced that her cousin had passed away. She broke in to sobs...and ran to her fathers house. Her younger sister Mary was visiting and came from the house to join her in sobbing, which turned into loud moaning and whailing. The way Zambians express sadness and morning is so different from anything I have ever seen before. They spend hours sitting together and just whailing (screaming and crying, singing and yelling.) While they are doing this inside my Ba Tata's house neighbors and passerbys come and join them. Some crying and sing too, others jsut sit. They periodcally tap out after "paying their respects." It is really intense and tiering. I stayed with them for about an hour and a half, justing sitting and crying with them. I did not even know the cousin or the circumstances of her death (we had recieved a call the night before that she was sick very suddenly...with something?) but found myself so moved by the emotion and pain in the room. I am returning to my site in a few hours and hopefully will be involved/invited to the funeral (I have yet to attend one in Zambia and am interested culturally in going- also in supporting my family of course.)
So...I spent the last 48 in town (at the Provincial House) helping to welcome the new volunteers who just finished training. There are 9! We spent all day today doing their site shopping... all the while I am fasting for Yom Kippur (can't wait to cook up a feast tonight!!)
No comments:
Post a Comment