Week 1 acting as independent Project Manager came sooner than expected! Erin was sick this past week, and so there was no choice but to try to pick up the loose threads of her work and schedule all the volunteers and staff on projects for the whole week.

The good, and bad, thing about Erin not being here to supervise me is that I am being exposed to everything at once. I have a running list of things I don't understand, want to change, or think are useless. I feel like I'm on my way to grasping the inter-workings of this organization. The most difficult thing is probably directing staff that are far older than me. Basically, I gave up acting like I knew what was going on pretty quickly. I have assumed the role of new, humble project manager, who will, one fine day in the distant future, have it all together. Luckily, the staff are all very helpful and lovely...almost too helpful and lovely. I've learned to distinguish between the "yes's" that actually mean yes, and the "yes's" that mean no. "Yes's" that mean yes: (nod, smile) "yes!" "Yes's" that mean no: (eyes downcast) "yes," (long pause, quietly) "yes," or, the most embarrassing, "you're the boss!"

Another Zambian workplace finding: here, the polite thing is to accept what's offered, not to refuse until it's pushed upon you like it seems to work in Western culture. I discovered this when I offered my coworker some of my crackers. It went something like this, Me: "Would you like some?" Coworker: "Yes I do" "Take as many as you want!" "...(eating)..." "...(eating)..." "I may not eat any more?" It took most of my crackers before she finally admitted she didn't want any! So funny.
 

Went on a few more projects, like Holiday Club at a community school called Zambezi Sawmills. There were probably over 150 kids, divided among 6 of us volunteers, charged with the task of entertaining them for 3 hours. So much fun, but so thoroughly exhausting. We painted noodles (an Italian volunteer's idea, haha) and separated the kids into different age groups to monitor them. The youngest ones just sort of stared in unblinking awe as we held their little hands and painted for them, while the older ones preferred painting each others' faces. There were two little girls that took turns jumping on my back in the chaos when I wasn't paying attention, and when I finally sat down for 2 minutes maybe 10 came over to play with my hair. At least I have some built in entertainment for when I'm too tired to go on. We read a book about little girls having a sleepover, until I realized that none of them had ever slept over at each others houses. Somehow the fact that these exuberant, funny, curious 13 and 14 year old girls had never gossiped in sleeping bags over bowls of popcorn and a cheesy teen movie depressed me more than their obvious lack of adequate nutrition, medical care or adult attention. Maybe it's easier for me to imagine more superficial deprivations, the others are just too daunting to comprehend.

Update from last weekend: went to Bovu island with a group of volunteers that I really enjoy spending time with. Bovu island is a private island in the Zambezi river, with little beaches, hammocks, winding paths through the jungle and nice mosquito-netted beds overlooking the river. It was so relaxing, ridiculously cheap, and the stars at night are incredible! May or may not have re-enacted the Lion King starry night scene where Simba talks to his dad, who's chilling in the sky in a funky cloud formation.

Those volunteers that I went with are leaving tomorrow, which is quite sad. Thankfully I have some interesting things planned, like white water rafting (haha, everyone who knows that I secretly don't like this...how else am I supposed to bond with my coworkers?!), and a Zambian coworker invited me and some other staff for dinner next week. Stephen, the sports coordinator, is leaving as well so we're planning a big goodbye Bry (think barbecue) next week. A lot of things are changing! I just hope Erin comes back so I can learn more from her before she leaves!

Highlights: Things I never thought I'd do but have done in the past week:
 - eaten a caterpillar. It was crunchy, and just as disgusting as you're imagining.
 - walked through a waterfall at the exact point between 2 countries (Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls!)
 - Got robbed by a monkey. By robbed, I mean it ran up to me and stole a sugar packet before I could make my tea.
 - Helped coach some Zambian kids through a track meet on a soccer field. Minor alterations: no track, soccer ball as a shotput, metal poles for batons, and a very loose interpretation of the words "get set" and "go." My favorite day here so far.
 - made a cheesecake (okay so I guess that's not so extraordinary, but it is when it's in Africa) with Hannah.

Lowlights: things I'd rather not have done
 - Went to police station again to "recover" a lost ipod. Some tough volunteer leader love: a little kid in some remote village has it now, and it doesn't matter how much monkey you pay the corrupt policeman to search for it, you're never seeing it again. I'll venture to say that it's not such a huge loss when one really sits down and ponders the situation.
 - Terrible dreams and other unmentionable symptoms from my current malaria meds. They're going over the falls one of these days, so they can never ruin anyone else's body again.

Other news
 - Tonight we're eating Nshima! Ugali, to those in the east. Not exactly the most flavorful or satisfying thing in the world, sort of like tasteless mashed potatoes, but I like experiencing local foods. And it's always entertaining to introduce the new volunteers to the wonders of Nshima.
 - 10 volunteers left today, and 10 more came! The new ones are from Italy, Sweden, Ireland and England. Should make for interesting dinner conversation (over bowls of Nshima).
 - Went for nice long run yesterday, interrupted by children running out from secret hiding places on the golf course and shouting "mzungu!" "hello how are you?" "marry me, please!" Startling but cute.

You would think it's Friday from the club music blaring outside my door, but it's just another throw-down on a Wednesday night for the volunteers. I'm torn between joining them and sticking in the trusty earplugs for another night. I'm old and exhausted and where are my socks it's freezing.  

Today I took one of the massive diesel stick-shift (or manual, to the British) trucks out for a spin, aka to the police station. One of the volunteers had her ipod stolen and somehow I became the translator between the policewoman on duty and the victim, a Dutch girl. I think I'm slowly becoming an expert at distinguishing and translating among multiple foreign accents. Half the time I speak to people who don't speak English, and the other half to people with any other conceivable accent besides an American one. I referred to the trashcan as the "bin" the other day. If I avoid an identity crisis, I may become one of those worldly people who confidently fuse multiple accents into one unidentifiable globalspeak. Can I put that on my resume?

Anyway, she said in Zambenglish, "Where have the man gone, have you got him now?" and she said in Dutchenglish, "No I don't have my ipod now, it is gone because someone stole it," and so on. After that was sorted out - ? - figured out - I went to reading club with some volunteers. I taught the girl I was working with some words, like "jacuzzi" and "rollercoaster," and then realized they were irrelevant in the context of her life. Did books for children used to be this hard?? I scrapped it and scribbled my own (highly entertaining) story on a piece of paper with better words and we read that. Then I looked around and noticed the other volunteers were just hanging out with each other, as the remaining kids ran around the classroom. Kind of annoying. The burgeoning project manager within prompted me to reprimand the volunteers, but I'd rather put off being their official boss until I'm officially qualified. 

There's a pretty sweet remix of living on a prayer on right now, unless "Chop My Money" comes on (look it up now if you don't know it, if you're in Africa you're well aware of its greatness) you can find me here, passed out in my bed with no regrets. 

I never know how to start these entries?! Dearest blog...so things are normalizing in their craziness, if that makes any sense. I've officially started work, which entails me shadowing Erin, who is the current Project Manager.

2 things completely changed my perspective and reminded me of why I love what I love. First, I got to go out on volunteer projects! I went to the "Old People's Home" (So P.C.) and played memory and bingo with them...normally the idea of playing bingo doesn't exactly enthuse me, but this is a whole different game, so to speak. These people are serious about their bingo. I can understand, seeing as I'm really not sure what else they get up to besides sitting on their mats in the sun (the indoor area doesn't look all that hospitable) and making rope out of strands of hemp. But it was amazing how happy they were to simply interact with us and play some silly games. They were pretty competitive and when they won they got so excited, even though we didn't have any kind of reward for the winners. I'll admit I may have skewed the numbers so they could all win at least once each...it was just so clear that this was the highlight of their day.

I also went to adult literacy club, which was probably my favorite. When we arrived, all the women rolled out their banana-leaf mats in the shade under a tree while their kids played in the background. I helped teach two of the women English, just by going through a book with them, making up spelling and comprehension tests. It was so awesome that I was able to teach them new words despite the language barrier, and they were so determined and eager to learn! They were so lovely and open that I ended up just wanting to talk to them, and they told me about their children. Dorothy has 8 and Emily has 6, ranging from 27 to 7 years old! They all walk to 3 miles to church everyday, the mothers sell vegetables in the marketplace, and Dorothy's oldest recently passed away due to AIDS. Probably only a 15 minute conversation, but it was so affecting that I couldn't think about anything else all day.

Why have I been complaining about...anything ever? I think I have to keep going to these projects. I can't be sitting in the office all day managing from a desk, even though it is an open-air office with cool people, I have to go out and see people and things! But onto item 2,

I started going to the gym with Erin and Hannah. May not sound that exciting, but there is a huge golf course with paths and hills and crossing many different fields. I've been running there after work for the past 2 days and, as I should have known about myself by now, I need that for feeling at home anywhere. It has been hot during the day and cool at night, so by the time work ends its this fabulous evening light and slight chill that is perfect for a peaceful run.

Besides these things, last night the staff and I watched the volunteers drink a lot and behave embarrassingly, which was entertaining, I had amazing tacos at "Fez Bar" with Erin, Hannah, and Rachel, and observed a boys soccer match near the volunteer house. I have to take the cold shower I've been dreading all day now, but this is a long entry and I feel accomplished. I will soon be planning Africa trips...so many places I want to go!

OMG Shaggy is playing on the stereo outside...Alyson and Aryn I miss you!!!! Over&out

Settling In

I have been here for 3 days now, and as you can imagine it has all been a blur of meeting people and trying to adjust to foreign names, lingo, directions and time zones. I’ll throw out some concrete facts, for worried parents, and some interesting stories, for bored friends perusing the internet with no better blogs to read :) Also Piaf fellows all had better prepare themselves because I intend to travel in Africa… and homelessness is not in the game plan!

I first owe it to myself and to the unfortunate soul who sat next to me in the airplane to give an anecdote about the arduous journey to Zambia. I just never want to forget this weird experience! Some odd melatonin-induced dozing hours into the ride, I am awakened by the woman next to me, who is singing Rihanna at the top of her voice with her headphones on. There is some slow airplane-seat dancing going on too, and as entertaining as it is, I’m exhausted and ask her to please sing quietly? Hours or minutes or seconds pass, and I wake up to a mysterious smell. Yes, the drunk singing woman vomited all over me while I was sleeping. The saving grace – I was covered in an airplane blanket, which I impulsively threw up into the air upon realizing what had happened (thankfully it landed in the aisle). Confused and trapped, I looked around, praying for a stewardess to help me and the passed out lady. In time someone came, and I was reseated “because this is not healthy for you to sit in the vomit of an ill person.” Thank you stewardess angel!

After that, the journey could only improve! I felt better in the airport after helping a guy from Argentina get through customs, decipher his ticket, and find his gate. I guess Spanish hasn’t proved completely useless thus far! If I had one analogy to explain how things are here at African Impact in Livingstone, I’d say that African Impact is like college in Africa, and Livingstone is like a college town. My room is located on the main grounds, which consist of housing for the volunteers and backpackers (who share the space), a kitchen and outdoor tables, a small open air office space, a pool and lawn chairs in the center of it all, two bars bookending the pool area, and trees and grass amidst it all. It’s very lovely! The food I’ve eaten so far is good, the water is safe, and the major people I’ll be working with – current fellow Erin, Australian Brie, Hannah from the UK, and Stephen from Scotland, are all around my age and very friendly. Everyone is very close and go out often, especially with the current volunteers who are mostly college-age in the summer months. I will admit to being a bit intimidated by the tight-knit community and the parties that went on while I was trying to get over my jet-lag, but they are definitely a fun group! Erin has showed me around town, which is small with a major shopping center that has anything you could ever need, and has introduced me to most of her and the group’s major acquaintances around town. The expat community is large, and I can already sense significant cultural boundaries and how difficult it might be to meet and befriend Zambians.

I’ve done some cool things already, like attend a “Polocrosse” party (a combination of polo and lacrosse – sounds dangerous!), have brunch at a restaurant out in the bush, and learn how to drive a manual on bumpy roads with Elephants grazing on the sides! I also got to visit Nakatinde, one of the schools that African Impact works with. I’m at once overwhelmed, appreciative of the towns smallness, envious of fellows in big cities, excited to begin working and contributing, lonely, inspired by the many people I’ve met from around the world, and confused as to how and when this will become familiar to me. My first day of work starts tomorrow, and I’m hoping those positive feelings will increase and the negative ones start to fade away. Either way, I can see how this town will become at once comforting and overly familiar, and I will want to explore other places. For now, I'm just trying to absorb and learn everything I possibly can. I look forward to achieving the kind of comfort that will allow me to mould this experience into what I want it to be for me, an opportunity to be exposed to development issues in an international setting and contribute to progressive solutions. While I may be more suited to a larger city and working on more political issues like Refugee and Women’s rights, this is a way for me to be actively involved on a small scale and gain the experience that can lead me to bigger arenas of human rights work.

Friends and family, and anyone who would want to skype, my work week is from 7:15 to 5 p.m. Email me at kate.e.albers@gmail.com to schedule a time, or email or whatever!

5 Days to Go!

Post number 1! This is a testing post, to see if this whole blog thing is going to work for me. I've been packing madly for a while, and still feel like I'm not adequately prepared. I will continue to throw things into my massive duffel bags until the 24th, when I officially set off to New York for a day, and then to Livingstone on the 25th! Can't wait!