DRY SEASON: THE PERIOD OF SCARCITY AND HIGH TEMPERATURES

I read in Jeremy Gould's Left Behind: Rural Zambia in the Third Republic that dry season is the period of scarcity. It sure is the case with ground nuts. I've been craving them, but haven't found any sellers on the streets. And, although this is the time green masukus are harvested, they all seem to have been sold out. Apparently, others enjoy them as much as I do, as succulent and sweet as they are.

I’m spending another Saturday morning and afternoon at SPAR, where I am tending to my private life, preparing for life after CUSO-VSO. I came back just yesterday from Lilongwe, where I bought tiny and hopefully meaningful presents for the children I know back home.

I’ve been neglectful of my blog to date due to my busy schedule. At least, I can say that the month has been a productive one for me. I finally finished the sectoral local plan for the Magazine squatter compound; it covers the many needs of the unplanned settlement and would serve as a model for legalizing and upgrading the other five unplanned settlements in Chipata District. The monitoring of the local area plan for the same compound has also taken up a lot of my time. In Chipata, if one wants to get something done, every request and every plan has to be written on paper, otherwise they are forgotten. More importantly, without the formal written request, it is difficult to be open about proposals and intentions to the public and even more difficult for relevant personnel to keep track of the numerous projects occurring around the district. 

Likewise, October was a busy month for Chipata Municipal Council. Even though the federal elections are over, Chipata District had to conduct local elections, which took place during the first week of October and then the Council body had to orient the new Councilors to the responsibilities of their job. I attended the second half of the orientation, which was held in the second week, but couldn’t handle the heat in the conference room at Chipata Motel. It was truly stultifying; I could hardly breathe in there. Needless to say, I left early.

The overture of the orientation session was very British in conduct and appearance. The Town Clerk wore a whig, which was very commemorative of Zambia’s colonial link with England. I had never attended a British-style political event, so I found it to be very interesting.

November is turning out to be as frantically busy as October, as we in the district and the government all wind our way down to the end of the year and prepare for the Christmas holidays. During this month, I made the decision to complete the first draft of the integrated development plan for Chipata District on 31 December, 2011, so I have been taking pertinent images of the district to help readers of the IDP visualize the urban problems and the reasons for including the inserted elements as being integral and central to improving the appearance of Chipata District and its simultaneous elements. 

In addition to writing the rather large IDP document, I added mapping to my list of to do’s this month. The features and housing settlements are not included in any of the boundary maps of the squatter compounds. Because it’s necessary to demonstrate that these areas have indeed become residential areas and to further illustrate the value of upgrading the Compound in terms of the health and sanitation conditions, and the overall appearance for future funders, mapping features and boundaries are important. So, over the last three days, I have been at Magazine recording GPS coordinates. Enoc, my colleague, very kindly explained to me how to use the device. Luckily, the visuals on the device are better now and more readable compared to before. 

I must say, though, the heat has almost deterred me from heading out to the compound. Every day since the start of this GPS project I had to fight the urge to stay in the office and not brave the scorching sun. Every day after the day’s mapping session, I go home to my motel room to finish the day’s work because the temperature in my room is cooler than that in the office in the middle of the afternoon. However, my room is also where I can be shut away from the buzz of activity in the old civic center building. Working in the quiet solitude of my room, I am certain to meet my year targets and can advance the planning pilot into the next volunteer year without any distractions.

At the motel, after unlocking the door, I stumble into the foyer, eager to escape the reach of the sun’s rays and lay spread eagle on my bed, feeling like a beached whale. Fortunately, I don’t look like a beached whale, as the high temperatures occlude me from consuming huge mouthfuls of the comfort food, nshima. I suppose you could say that the heat is a blessing to my waist line.

As I’ve mentioned my dramatic reactions to the heat several times in this blog, you might have already guessed that we have entered the driest season in Zambia. Even with the occasional –very occasional during the dry season – rainy day, the heat is hard to put up with. I take cool baths now; the soothing cold water is welcomed by the heat rashes on my skin. On the hottest days, I want to scream out, "I'm dying here!!!!". But, then the rains come,which bring cooler temperatures, and make me long for the Indian summers of New England. But, with rainy season being just around the corner, I won’t be craving for long.

New Beginnings: New President

The votes have all been tallied and last Friday (23 September), the Electoral Commission of Zambia officially announced the victor, Michael Sata, the lead presidential candidate against incumbent, Rupiah Banda. The inauguration was televised Friday during the day, and Michael Sata, representing the PF (Patriotic Front) party was expected to immediately assume office the following week. Sata’s ascendency also signifies the end of more than ten years of the reign of the MMD party. 

While Rupiah Banda’s political platform focused on his development accomplishments during his presidency, he refused to acknowledge the patron-client relations that have tethered Zambian politics to institutionalized corruption. In comparison, Sata was highly critical of high-powered MMD corruption, which he alleged had gripped Zambia’s political and economic system for over ten years. If elected, he told the voters to expect him to combat political alliances unhealthy to the prosperity of Zambia. He also endeavored to bring justice and equity to Zambia’s poor. Sata’s campaign evidently struck a chord with the voters, especially those who live in the southern provinces because he won many of the southern constituencies by a landslide. I also suspect that the reason many of the rural residents favored him was because they were deficient in basic services, specifically water, and the MMD failed to bring this basic need to their communities timely, despite promises to do so. 

Apart from some news of bursts of anger primarily in the southern provinces, the elections were relatively calm. The celebrations were plentiful in Chipata, with Sata supporters hooting and beeping their horns on the streets, expressing their ecstasy over his victory. What Sata’s ascendency means for urban planning in Zambia and here in Chipata remains to be seen. I am hopeful, anyway, that Sata will maintain the progress made in urban planning over the last four years and will continue to make progress towards an integrated way of doing planning.

During the week of the elections, I stayed mainly in my motel room, trying to finish up the schedule for the comprehensive planning training. Admittedly, it was hard to concentrate on what I was writing because I was eager to see how both lead presidential candidates were making out in the polls. I have developed most of the training schedule and anticipate finishing it this week. The training will take place over three days in the mornings; I have strong expectations about the outcome. I think comprehensive planning will become clearer to the planning staff and its value more urgent as they proceed with the training.

Now that the elections have finished, life - and the pace of life - are back to normal. I am under less stress now, as well, which is good considering last week I was feeling antsy about all the coordination and other work that I had to complete. I was able to pinpoint a schedule for the cost-benefit presentation for waste management and secure the projector. The permissions were formally requested and I don’t anticipate any problems with doing the presentation next week. 

I’ve also noticed changes in the climate. Chipata Valley got hit with a heat wave last week, which lasted into Sunday. The heat seemed to have crept into my duvet, as I had trouble sleeping and took cool baths for a change. But then, this morning, it seemed a big gust of cool, savannah wind, had swept into the mountains to make me want to bring my black, winter sweater to work. It’s a good thing I didn’t because the heat wave came back this afternoon around lunch time (that’s 1:00pm here in Zambia). I went for my daily post-lunch walk on the roads of the neighborhoods encircling the center of town and could feel the heat scratching the inside of my blue, cotton blouse, causing me some discomfort.

During my walk, I noticed that many of the buds of the mango trees have started to sprout into fruits. I’ve noted several trees on the streets where I take my daily walks that will be within reach of my short stature, which means I will be able to bring home arm loads of the fruit when they are ripe enough to pick.

I have also taken photographs of the many artisans lining the road leading into Kapata Ward to illustrate to blog readers the talent of Zambians. The furniture makers and basket weavers like to display their wares on the road in easy view of passers-by, who might be interested in buying something. The three piece Morris chairs are my favorite. The craftsmanship is similar to that in Malawi and the quality is the same. The cushions are made out of soft, velvet-like fabric and the frame of the chairs from timber collected or bought from someplace unknown to me. For all of my partiality towards protecting rainforests and jungles, I admittedly find handcrafted furniture made out of quality wood difficult to pass up. I guess living at the Chipata Motel has its advantages: I am not tempted to buy this exquisite furniture, as my room is fully furnished.   

Furniture maker

 

Morris Chairs

More furniture making

As I move out of my seventh month and into my eighth (October), I wish to remind my blog readers to please contribute to this placement with $10 or more. Your contribution helps CUSO-VSO continue doing their work of sending volunteers overseas to do the needed work that brings skills and resources aid to communities, such as urban planning to Chipata. You can donate easily through the “My Fundraising Page” button to the right of this blog. Or, you can send in your contribution with a check. The address of CUSO-VSO can be found on the website, which can also be accessed through the “CUSO-VSO” button visible to the right of this blog. Checks should be made out to CUSO-VSO and the addressee should read: c/o Tara Henderson.

A View across the Valley

Sata supporters

Election fever has descended upon Chipata Central, giving an air of both tension and excitement to the community. The tail end of August has been consumed with elections; in the third week there were bands of people on Umodzi Highway, cheering and playing music loudly in the effort to bring attention to their favorite candidates. Government personnel and casual civil servants are spending days training in preparation for work at the polls and to look out for scoundrels eager to start a riot. The government has issued a national warning about riot threats and VSO has sent out information explaining evacuation procedures in case the violence gets out of hand. I thought about heading to Malawi two days before, but they have their own issues there with a president that won’t leave office. 

Excited campaigners

Almost there

Accordingly, many of our Council members have been participating in public service messages, urging people not to riot, accept the election outcome, and commit to a peaceful election. As a result, the corridors of the Old City Council Building have been quiet; on most days during this period, I have been the only person in Room 3.

Zambians are a very political people, registering to vote, and wanting to talk politics with people. 

The media seems to favor sitting president Rupiah Banda, even going so far as to claim that recent polls have already designated him the winner. Sata is the most serious contender to Banda, but he doesn’t really seem to provide an alternative to the ways things are done here. Some people seem fed up with the system, while others are very optimistic about what the elections will hold for the country.
 

The day of reckoning will be on September 20^th. On this day, the entire country will
know whether Zambia gets a new president
or another Banda term.   
 

Woman campaigni

Admittedly, the gap in work intensity has provided Council workers also with the opportunity to catch up on work or to prepare for the upcoming months. I, myself, have been busy finishing up the comprehensive planning training manual and working with Corridors of Hope to partner in our health outreach program. The election has given me ample opportunity to write and submit my quarterly report to VSO in Lusaka and to meet with my program manager regarding my 6-month preliminary review. 

August was also the month of the Kalumba Festival, a celebration of the Chewa people’s settlement in the Eastern Province from their places of origin in Mozambique and Malwi after breaking away from Ngoni brothers following an argument over power. According to Reuben, they are scattered around the 
Eastern Province, but primarily in Chadiza, Katete, and Vubi.  

Chewa Village in Katete, Dsitrict, Zambia

The Chewa people are mystical, which is evident in the masked dances. I thought the one of the men in the appropriate mask and the jerky, warrior-type movements to be very dynamic and fun to watch. The Kalumba Festival is held yearly over a period of three days from August 26^th to August 28^th. 

I want to make another fundraising appeal to those reading my blog. I ask only $10 per person to help me reach my goal of 
$2000 for this placement. Please use the link to the right of each blog and contribute by credit card or send in your contribution. 

Mask Dancers

Thank you to all who have already contributed.

IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST

Of course, my life during any given month in Chipata varies, but not considerably so. The occasional spontaneous occurrence arises and I welcome the change in what is otherwise a reiteration of the previous day.

01/08/11 – “A Capella Concert: Free for Diners”

Although I have complained about some of the goings on at the Chipata Motel, on occasion I run into guests, who add variety to my evenings there. On this particular evening, a group of four women shared a healthy plate of nshima, relish, and a large fried fish, talking in Nyanja or Chewa or Bemba. I couldn’t decipher the language. They interrupted each other, gesturing to the other to take a handful of nshima, dipping their fingers into the steaming, white meat of the fried beem fish. Suddenly, they broke into a song, a capella. A gospel song. Voices in harmony with each other, their lilting tune filled the almost empty restaurant and floated out into the night air. For some, the singing might be a tad annoying, but I enjoyed it, this “free concert”, on this balmy evening.

04/08/11 – “On Slow Days, I Will Ponder”

Sitting in my window office, in front of the second hand desk selected especially for me, I daydream about going for a long drive into Northern Zambia to see mountains and wild monkeys bounding from tree branch to tree branch.

On occasion, I sight a tree monkey, agile body positioned just so, on a bough that reaches across the roof of the Umodzi Restaurant. It is barely visible at times through the mango leaves. It almost escaped my sight the day I saw it, its shape not clear to me until it inched forward. That was when I could make out the silhouette of its arched back, right leg flung out in front of it, his identity made visible only by the powder blue canvass of the sky. I assume this monkey that I see occasionally is the same one I had seen at a previous time.

On slow days, I daydream about other things rather than focusing on the load of work in front of me. On this day, I am trying to move past the section I am writing about the history of urban planning thought, but to no avail. Jane Jacobs is not whom I want to think about today. I don’t want to write about the history of environmental justice today. As such, I procrastinate.

05/08/11 – “Dinners with Nazir”

Nazir, a native Zambian borne of Indian Muslim parents, returned to Chipata in early February to harvest, weigh, package, and trade his prized tobacco crops. His farm is his livelihood and while he grows different fruits, such as oranges, chico, and mangos, his primary trading crop is tobacco. He is in Chipata until the end of this month, and then he heads back to his wife and two young sons in Japan. His wife is a former JICA volunteer, a veterinarian, who now practices successfully in her native land.

I befriended Nazir one late afternoon while walking the familiar length of Umodzi Highway. Heading south towards Lusaka and just before the Total filling station, while chattering to myself in the usual way that I do, Nazir guided his car to a stop beside me and asked in that usual manner of his: “you okay?” He offered to give me a ride back to Chipata Motel, but we ended up at his farm, where we picked chicos and oranges to take home. An offer of a ride home resulted in a dinner invitation. Apparently, his chicken curry was already stewing on the stove and he was willing to share his creation with me.

Nazir is very generous and, apart from the occasional wanton comment so characteristic of the male culture here, is harmless. Enjoying the company of foreigners would describe him appropriately and sharing his food is his way of doing that. My offers to buy him a glass of wine and other goodies are always deflected. What do you give a man who has everything he needs?

Because I can’t cook for myself at the motel without being surrounded by a group of people, I can’t cook what I want to eat. I always readily welcome his invitations to dinner: pizza tonight, curry on another night, and tender, Lusaka steaks on yet another. We gab, I about my job and occasional frustrating occurrences and he filling me in on the cultural rules in Zambia.

These dinners have become a not so regular pattern, but his friendship has become an important element in my life here.

3 August, 2011 – “Lunch with Sebastian”

My semi-spontaneous lunch outing with Sebastian, a graduate student doing his fieldwork in Chipata to study mobile banking, introduced me to “Road Runner”, a restaurant that I had often walked past, but had never gone into. Sebastian told me it is owned and operated by a woman from Mauritius, an island in the Indian Ocean, who makes homemade burgers and protein pies. It was a busy day for me, as I was making some progress on the comprehensive planning training manual, but I go off my usual routine, which consists of a lunch wolfed down at Chef’s Pride. Not only was my chicken sandwich tasty at “Road Runner”, causing me to return for another helping two days later, it gave my taste buds something new to feast on. (Two days later, I ran into Richard at SPAR, a clandestine meeting that resulted in a tea break and another two hours of procrastination).

(Any day in August) – “Personal Growth and Growing Personally”

Spontaneity is not my strong point. I’m a planner. I need to know how events that emerge off-schedule might set me back or impact me in the coming weeks and months. Most times, the spontaneity of the event does not affect me significantly, but I can’t shake the fear of losing control over my work and my schedule, which I set for myself daily. I’m that swimmer hanging on to the buoy far out enough in the ocean from the shoreline to incite fear, sometimes even panic. I also hold grudges, unlike Zambians, as I am told by them.

I go overboard, I know.

As I grow through the month of August, I am learning from the people I meet in Chipata to let go and to not hold onto these notions of perfection I seem to cling to. These spontaneous doings pepper my otherwise regular routine of grabbing a taxi to work, grabbing a morning Joe (coffee to those reading my blog not familiar with Americanisms) at SPAR until 8h30, planning and thinking about the progress of knowledge sharing and awareness, thinking about needed trainings, thinking about the future of planning in Chipata, fantasizing about landscaping designs that would improve the appearance of this burgeoning town, writing reports to guide the planning, and so forth. I hope as I continue to let go slowly by willingly succumbing to these unplanned events, I become less uptight and be more willing to flow with the ebb and wane of human interactions to a degree that feels comfortable to me. On 11 August (Thursday), I learned that I still need to grow by much in this area.   

AUGUST 1ST, 2011

Aaaaah. Easing into August was surprisingly enjoyable - must be due to my week long holiday on the shores of the blue, blue Lake Malawi last week. I was able to make the most of my trip out there, where I willingly ensconced myself beneath the shadows of the trees and languished on the veranda of Big Blue Star Backpackers, just a few steps away from the cool water.

Sitting on that veranda, I felt like I was at the edge of an ocean that threatens to drop you as the end of it nears on your unnamed journey, like the depth of the fall at the end of the world in Amy Tan’s book, “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”. Gazing across this expanse of lake, which isn’t really all that big if you look at it on a map, you get the feeling that where I was really is the end of the world, as if there is no continuity. Of course, this perception isn’t true. Somewhere over there on the other side is Tanzania and the island port of Mbamwe (give me a map, someone!). And then, there is also the continuity of there always being something more over there in the beyond.    

One of these days, I’ll write a novel about the culture of backpacking, about the people one inevitably always meet on the road, about their stories of travel, and the inexplicable feeling of certainty, this odd knowing that I’ll see this person again, which has always given me comfort whenever I’ve crossed geographies. Conversations exchanged, mid-travel, also seem more colorful – if not unfinished - when you know that person is moving on in a couple of days. I’ve always found myself to be more than mildly inquisitive about the future direction of their journeys, but as usual was hesitant to ask for details out of fear that I would be thought too nosey. Nosey people are distasteful to some.

Easing into the following week was equally easy, as indicated by the completion of the waste technology cost-benefit report I had been working on over the past two months. Researching and writing the information that would be important for the Council to know was laborious. And finally, just last Wednesday, I finished the final revision of it and printed and bound it the following day. I feel victorious. After the labor of preparing the written report, the presentation will be a breeze. The Council now has something to work with and the members will be able to discuss and plan for waste management using concrete, qualitative and quantitative information.

Since my return from Malawi, I haven’t been able to keep the rest of Africa out of my mind. Maybe my restlessness is attributed to the morsels of braii goat meat I nibbled on somewhere between Nkhotakota and Salima, perhaps it’s due to the backpackers’ tales of their adventures in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, or quite possibly because of the written reminders from someone of how cumbersome overland travel can be. Whatever it is, I’m already planning my next trip during Christmas. Bus it to Botswana or take the ferry across to Tanzania? Whatever I choose, I’m certain that the people I meet will be as colorful as the ones I got to know on this last trip.

I’m taking suggestions.

SOME TIME IN MID-JULY . . .

Sunday. Winter has arrived in Chipata Valley and brings with it several days of cold temperatures, gusty winds, and occasional grey, ominous skies. I hear thunder rumbling in the distance today, and the clouds threaten to spill big drops of rain. After several hours, the Valley remains dry and rain-free. Because of the cold, I stayed in my motel room and did some paper work. After two weeks of long weekends, I am ready to work vigorously and catch up on delays in my work. I missed two, self-imposed due dates because of office and personal distractions.
Last Thursday (9^th July), I presented the orientation workshop on the Regional and Urban Planning Bill (2009) for Zambia. I wanted to get the planning staff ready for thinking about what the changes in administration, as required by the Bill, will mean for Chipata Municipal Council planning. The RUP Bill now calls for the production of local plans, which are detailed neighborhood plans to address urban problems. It also calls for sectoral local plans that will serve as planning guides for addressing critical problems in local districts, such as transportation development and unplanned settlements, waste management, etc. I understand that the planning department does not currently write plans; they have relied on the old town and country planning guide, which does not address critical factors afflicting Chipata District. As such, I am thinking about how to best approach the comprehensive planning training planned for August and whether or not to include guidelines on writing urban plans in the training.

The workshop coincided with a Public Works Development Committee (PWDC) meeting, but enough staff attended, which included two people from the Provincial Planning Authority, to make it worthwhile. We also had a pretty good discussion after the orientation. People asked specific questions about elements of the Bill and I felt that we as a team were able to navigate our way through the fuzziness to see clear lines.
Volunteering, I am discovering, is also a collaborative process. Although I have training in some of the capacity needs, I am not an expert in all of them. One example is the ArcGIS training handbook I compiled to respond to the skills need for about three of the planning staff. Although I have been trained on ArcGIS, I am not an expert on database building and have not used the software in seven years. Thus, I need the assistance of a volunteer better at it than I, which forces me to seek out a GIZ volunteer because GIZ tends to bring GIS technicians to Zambia.

Monday. I bound the Local Area Plan for Magazine Squatter Compound today and included the minutes and illustrations to complete the required paperwork. This maneuver follows the guidelines for area plan production under the RUP Bill. I thought adhering to the guidelines was a good way to acclimate the planning staff to the planning practices desired by the Bill and to start new planning habits. On Friday, 15^th June, 2011, I was scheduled to present it to counselors at the Hope Campus School, so I rushed to make 40 copies of the worksheets just so I could make it to my pick-up point on time (16h00) and not have to make the driver wait. However, as it turned out my ride never showed. I waited until 16h22, and then gave up, as the talk was supposed to end at 17h00. Such is the working life at the Council.

Tuesday. I gave a presentation on Integrated Land Use Design to introduce the concept and the models of ILUD to Chipata communities and to the planning department. I discussed some of the ILUD models – green infrastructure, greenways – but talked mainly about the use of permaculture in ILUD. I covered the main principles of permaculture and explained how it connects to ILUD in urban and regional planning. I anticipate incorporating ILUD concepts into the Integrated Development Plan, which I hope will become a central platform by which to think about urban design and environmental improvement in urban areas for the planning department of Chipata Municipal Council.

My presentation preceded the more detailed presentation on permaculture given by Edgar Banda, who received HIS permaculture training in Zimbabwe. I am happy to learn that permaculture teachings are making their way around the world, including sub-saharan Africa. Mr. Banda was quite knowledgeable and was able to give the participants in-depth knowledge about the historical foundation of permaculture and its central tenets and ethics of permaculture.

Friday. I finally finished the small grant for the Japanese Embassy due at the end of this month. Hectic and stressful, so stressful in fact that I ranted during the last few hours! I needed to hitch a ride to Lusaka and my only opportunity is next Monday, which means the grant truly had to be completed by today by 16h00 at the very latest. At least the bulk of the costs are listed in the bill of quantity and if we get the grant, the bill of quantity will be polished. Monday morning, I take off with Richard, a volunteer for GIZ (Germany) and company, for Lusaka and plan to be dropped off at the Japanese embassy. The following morning, I head straight for Lilongwe, Malawi with my passport in hand for a short, four to six day vacation, which I anticipate will refresh me and gear me up to face work, again.

With that, I leave you with a beautiful image of sunset that greets me as I descend into evening in my motel bed, and is the reason the fires of frustration in my heart cool into passive embers. 

Chipata setting

NACHOMA BWANJI IN JULY!

One day in June, SPAR supermarket did not open until 9:00 hours, which drove a wedge in the spoke of the wheel of my daily routines. At exactly 9:00 hours, I left my desk at the Council to seek out my daily coffee at SPAR, but it still hadn't opened. I went in search of the butcher because they too sold coffee there. I used to go there for coffee before SPAR opened, but there is no place to sit comfortably without flies buzzing around my nose and ears. Irritating to someone accustomed to sitting in fly-free cafes. Music is also often not to be found at the butchers. I realized, on the walk back to my office, butcher coffee in hand, how much SPAR filled a void in my life, in which daily trips to pleasant cafes in the Happy Valley had become such a daily norm. Sad to say, but I do crave for the cafe culture; if I had to live without it, I could adjust, but definitely with some difficulty. I also realized, from living in a community practically devoid of cafe culture, just how much independent coffee shops had become an important element of the compendium of daily pleasures in my life – things that one should not do without for too long, in my opinion.

May got me a bloody nose. One morning, I awoke with what I thought was a stuffed nose. To clear it, I got out of bed, went to the bathroom, and tore off a piece of toilet paper, and blew. The blood was bright against the white paper. I blew again, and more blood came out. I began to panic because I couldn't remember how I could have gotten a bloody nose. I hadn't had bloody noses since I was a child. I racked my brain, trying to remember the previous night. I knew, though, that my evening ritual of one glass of wine or beer would not have produced the catastrophe regarding my bloody nose facing me. My first guess is I must have been clobbered on the head. What other reason could there be for my gushing nose? Eventually, the blood cleared and I called my colleague. His reaction was nonplussed. I asked him if he was at the motel last night because if he was, then he might have seen something. “No”, he answered, and then asked, “so you are not coming in?”, as if I had just told him that I had caught a simple cold.

Being clobbered on the head could have been the only cause, in my opinion, as it has happened before in Zambia, while my back was turned. I have a suspicion about who the culprit was, this time and in previous times. This incident, as I have been learning, is merely one of the wacky events that have happened to me. Women are not treated with dignity here, but I have also gradually learned that the circumstances are worse if the woman looks Chinese or is Chinese. I have been told by Zambians that the Chinese are not looked upon with high regard here because of the problem with the low pay of Zambian workers in the Chinese-owned mines. What, though, does that have to do with me? Certainly, on one side of the argument, there are the feelings of resentment because of labor exploitation, but on the other side, there is the gross stereotyping of black haired, Chinese-looking women, who have nothing to do with the mines, let alone authorizing the wge levels of miners. That would be me. Anyway, I am not here as a labor organizer, but as an urban planner.

The bloody nose incident is about as wacky as the fact that I am still living at Chipata Motel, where the food is the same, and I can't control my food intake. I have to tiptoe around one of the cooks, who works seven days a week, because he might take out his resentments on me. This is the cook, whom I might have mentioned in a previous blog, who saturated my relish with salt even though I asked him to not put it in my food (the cause of my stomach pains) and the one, who has consistently served my food at least two hours, sometimes three hours after I have requested it.

My life is not my own here. The agreement about living accommodations, as I was told, was that I would live with other volunteers, possibly by myself, but definitely in my own room. At 41, I would like to have such a luxury, but in Zambia, such agreements are apparently not honored. The failure to honor agreements also spill over into other areas of business in Chipata, as complaints from various Zambians have quite succinctly informed me. And, the bicycle that volunteers living more than 2 kilometers from the place of work are supposed to get, according to the agreement between the partner organization and VSO Zambia, has not materialized four months after the start of my volunteer period.

Which means, I have to spend money on a bicycle, taken out of my monthly allowance of ZK2.2 million (equivalent to US$ 425).

At least I feel very productive in my work. On May 29^th, I submitted my quarterly report to my programme manager and in looking it over, I realized that I had accomplished all of my goals for the first quarter. The upgrade plan for the squatter compound is complete and was presented to representatives from the development committee in the compound on June 9^th. I have set out to follow the policies of the new Regional and Urban Planning Bill, which requires local authorities to allow stakeholders to review an urban or community plan for 30 days. Once more comments are given to me, I can incorporate them into the final draft of the plan. In July, I will be submitting a grant to the Japanese Embassy. The funds from the grant will pay for upgrading the marketplace.Also in July, I plan to go out with the socioeconomic planners to the compound and begin the outreach programs regarding land laws and other regulations.

While my personal life here is very unpredictable, my professional life is pleasantly sailing along and I am accomplishing what I intended to do here, which is to share skills, build capacity, and help prepare the planning department transition towards the Integrated Development Plan.

Just a reminder to those reading my blog, I am fundraising all year for this placement. Please contribute $10, which is easy to do through “My Fundraising Page”, which can be accessed on the left of this blog. Zikomo kwambiri! (I'm learning very easy phrases in Nyanja).

SCENES OF CHIPATA

I spent a good part of Saturday (May 29th) taking photos of different life images of Chipata. The images I selected are a constant in Chipata and give readers an idea of my daily life here.



Young tailor sewing bags

The first set of photographs is of downtown, or what locals call the "down shoppes". The tailor you see to the right is someone I met on Saturday (May 28th), who sews wonderful Zambian bags. They're great for shopping bags and other uses. This particular tailor has a unique style that is different from the other designs I have seen.

 

A busy Saturday in the down shoppes


The down shoppes is extremely busy on Saturdays right before closing down at 12:00 hours. Before then, the streets are teeming with cars and cars coming around corners block traffic. But it's not unbearable. I love the down shoppes during this time - people hurried, Saturday classes for the Muslim students in the Chingolo School. 

Then, once 12:00 hours strikes, the

Knock off time

streets go empty. The entire vernacular looks like a ghost town; not one person can be found among the shoppes except around the Jami Mosque, where the Muslims come and get ready for the evening prayer at 17:00 hours.

The Jami Mosque was built in 1963, paid for by the Muslim community. Many of the Muslims are Indians, who were brought to Zambia during the time of British Colonialism to work in the mines and in agriculture. Today, they make up a large percentage of the entrepreneurs in the down shoppes and in the center of town, owning restaurants, tailor shoppes, electronic stores, stationery shoppes, etc. Those who have succeeded live in the middle income to upper middle income community, called Little Bombay.

Jami Mosque

The Eastside Mall, diagonal to the building where I work, Old Chipata Municipal Council, is shopping central for Chipata. People come from all over to do their weekly shopping here, even as far away as Nyimba, Katete, and Mambwe. A bus comes once or twice a week and shuttles people from these more rural areas into Chipata center and back. SPAR is located in this mall and ShopRite is only another ten minute walk down Umozi Highway towards Malawi. Public transportation serving towns in the Eastern Province is truly lacking. At best, buses make return trips to far away places, Like Lusaka, Botswana, and some not so far away, like Malawi.

Eastside Mall

Other developments occurring around Chipata are roads paving projects and a new gas station in the process of being erected.

Newly paved Road

Tourism is also a growing industry in the area, although there doesn't appear to be a written plan about how and to what extent the Chipata Council wants to grow tourism. Most of the accomodations are small-scale motels. There is a youth hostel, named Deans, and a 5-Star hotel, Protea, is within walking distance of Chipata Motel and Chipembele Lodge. Expensive, though. A pot of coffee costs a whopping ZK20,000.

Maize is a staple crop and Chipata is home to many mills manufacturing factories in the vicinity. One, Rainbow Milling, sits on Lundazi Road, just across from the Chipata Motel, where I live.

Also on Lundazi are numerous street vendors, which pose a problem to some local residents, who grumble over vendors blocking the sidewalks. Understandable, but the population growth is happening much too quickly for the Council to respond adequately. Mainly, vendors are forced to sit on bamboo mats along major highways in order to make a living because they cannot afford to pay the rental prices for retail space. On Umozi Highway in Luwangwa, a basket village (I name I gave it) just explodes with baskets. It seems to be a pit stop for tourists on buses. Basket village is just one example of how difficult it is to accomodate street vendors with appropriate retail space. 

The uploading of these photos has taken me quite some time. The harddrive capacity on my netbook isn't really made for uploading large files. Thus, I've compiled some of them on the Kodak Slide Show, which can be accessed through this URL:

 http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/creativeapps/slideShow/Main.jsp?facebook=true&sourceId=984136008703

CLOSING THE CHAPTER ON MAY AND TRANSITIONING INTO JUNE

Sunday (22 May) was such a lovely day that I felt inspired to broadcast it. My friend, Richard, asked me to accompany him and his “family” on a brief hike up Kanjala Hill to get a hillside view of Chipata town. The view was breathtaking. I could see clear across along the mountain chain across to the Malawi side of Chipata. Malawi is just twenty minutes away from Chipata; the easiest way to get there is by taking Malawi Road, which leads directly to Mchinji, another squatter community (I think), inside Malawi.

On the other side of the part of Kanjala Hill that we were standing on is the Lutembwe Dam, a central drinking water source for the town. Surrounding Lutembwe Dam are acres and acres of forests, which not surprisingly are being cut down to make way for residential development, which seems to grow at a rate as fast as Amherst.

The director of the planning department in Chipata still has not sat down with me to talk about the extent and magnitude of development of Chipata into a city. There is clearly a need to complete the visioning process, as the city continues to grow outward in a way that spells potential environmental problems for the town. The lack of response to my review of the current planning document – over one month, now – implies futuristic, responsible planning might not be a priority for the Council. Instead, planning goes on as usual, which normally consists of identifying land spaces for parceling into plots, which are later sold to interested homeowners.

I have a desire to get into Malawi, but for now I have to be content with discovering Chipata. I haven't seen much of it, yet. I don't have a bike – so, I am on foot. The most I have seen of it so far is the Lundazi Road area and the town center. At best, I have gotten a bird's eye view of the area. I keep saying I'll walk to Malawi, but probably not this week. Perhaps this weekend . . .

The day was just stunning. The temperature was perfectly breezy; the afternoon sun hot on my shoulders and Richard, I, and his adopted family engaging in easy, conversations that were both focused and scattered. Richard and I, of course, tended to dominate the air with our complaints about the lethargy of Zambia, while the members of his family talked amongst themselves. The road was unpaved, which made walking downhill a little tricky. But, in a peculiar way, I liked periodically losing my footing as the iron-red gravel rolled around loosely beneath the soles of my Keen sandals.

Richard had thought far ahead, loading the trunk of his car with fruits, candy, and water. After snacking on them atop Kanjala, we all stopped at the fancy Protea Hotel for lunch, where his family met up with the children's mother, an employee at the hotel. Protea, an international 5-Star hotel, boasts a pool, probably the only one in Chipata. They all went swimming except for a handful of us. I languished on one of the plastic recliner chairs at pool side. I saw two sister's flapping about in the water, whose joyous, teasing laughter reminded me of Phoebe Prince and her sister, Lauren.

I have finally polished off my quarterly report for the VSO program office in Lusaka. Once I filled in all the boxes, I realized I had done more work than I realized. Perhaps doing all that work in a matter of three months is the reason my emotions continue to wax and wane: on most days, I feel I am having the time of my life and am having the best experience, while on the occasional nadir, I feel Zambia is the worst international experience I have ever had. I hope to stabilize my roller coaster heart in the second quarter by focusing more on the small things that I am accomplishing and less on the large, more difficult projects that are planned. Oh, and staying away from the evening news might help, as the news has endless reports about corruption, with the elections so near.

During the last two weeks of May, I learned how to use the total station. Well, “learned to use” is a bit of an exaggeration. I learned how to align the total station to a 90 degree angle, measured by the perfect positioning of a tiny infrared light on the head of a metal beacon, and learned which buttons I would have to adjust in order to make sure that the elevation and balance of the machine matched that of the land. I haven't been taught how to read the important symbols, but at least for now Mr. Total Station is no longer a mystery to me, thanks to my colleague, Paul. I still prefer the thinking part of planning, but the quick lesson on the total station gave me a general overview of its utility, which are distance, spatial depth, and plane coordinates.

I have finally bought a basic Kodak camera. I am still trying to work out why the camera is not charging my inserted battery. The model is an M550. I followed the instructions, but nothing. The light doesn't even flash. Once the camera begins functioning, I promise to get those photos posted onto this blog. In the meantime, please visit “My Fundraising Page” to the left of today's blog.

Thanks!

Labor Day Celebrations

Labor Day holiday today, which means no work. Yesterday, some of the Council staff and invited participants marched in the streets in support of workers. Back at the motel, where Council staff and others arrived to eat, there was a huge celebration. I gathered this from the hooting, laughing, and clapping. Too bad I missed it; I was busy preparing my chiwawa leaves for drying.

Like in the United States, workers are given due thanks and appreciation for running the government, the economy, public services, etc. So, we should all give ourselves a big pat on the back for being commemmorated in such an important holiday celebration.

The motel is hosting another conference, which I think is part of K-International. The organization is doing some work with HIV/AIDS education in Chipata District and have been lodging at the motel over the weekend. The restaurant was crowded and it was hard to tell if I was supposed to eat from the buffet or not. I got up early to eat breakfast, believing all of the participants had departed for their homes, but it turned out that the buffet had not yet been served. I hate getting worked up over food, but even when I ask the kitchen staff about my meal, I often don't get the answers. This has happened on a few occasions with large conference participants in the motel. I also hate feeling aggravated when I don't know how I am supposed to eat because when I feel that way, I often sound that way. At the same time, if I don't push, the motel staff do not accommodate. It would be nice to live in a house, either shared or my own. At least I would not be regularly sharing it with 60 other people and I would be able to cook as soon as I got home from work. I would also be able to prepare my own meals without having to rely on the kindness of strangers.

Last Friday, I sent off the comprehensive proposal plan for the squatter community to the Commissioner of Lands. I believe I had mentioned this project in a previous blog. I anticipate hearing from him in two weeks. I hope the three plans related to land valuation and upgrading are approved. That way, I can start working on discussing the details with other Council planners and finalizing the logistics. Grants, too, can subsequently be written to fund those projects.

The rest of my work is flowing along smoothly. I also just finished the first draft of the Excel training handbook, which was requested by one of the socio-economic planners. These trainings, so far, are aimed at sharing skills for studies of urban and peri-urban problems, as mandated under the Urban Planning Act. This Act replaces the Town and Country Planning Act and the Zambian government is seeking to implement this new Act at the district level. To that end, I am attempting to develop another training that orients the planning department at the Council of the legislative changes in planning approaches. I am having some problems with the structure of the training, as I don't want the contents to be redundant. Otherwise, I'll put people to sleep. My goal is to facilitate the transition of the way planning staff think about planning, shifting their thinking away from viewing planning as strictly a process about parceling and selling land and building regulations and towards thinking about it in terms of an integrated and comprehensive process. More about that in another blog.

I continue to fundraise for this placement. USD$2,000.00 is my minimum benchmark. If you so feel inclined, please send in your donations via the “My Fundraising Page”. Thank you.

A RESTFUL EASTER WEEKEND

It's Tuesday, April 26, the day after a long, four-day Easter holiday. I started the weekend at the office, completing the first draft of the comprehensive plan for the squatter residential area just on the edge of the center of Chipata. There are several parts to it, ideas generated after starting the rough mapping of the area, field observing infrastructural amenities and constraints, and generally talking very casually with some of the residents. After weeks of returning to the squatter community, its strengths began coming to the surface, and I began to see the community as a very mobile, vey entrepreneurially active one. The maize - what looked at first like accidental growth in little open spaces around the community was in fact urban agriculture plots intended to either feed or get the grower some income.

The objective, if my proposals are approved by the Commissioner of Lands and the Town Clerk, is to improve the physical conditions of the area and get another water kiosk in the section where according to some of the residents it is needed.

So, on this Easter holiday, I worked. Later in the afternoon, I was invited to my colleague's, Namakau, house. She works as a socio-economic planner and visits me at the office every once in a while, and I her in her squatting staunch in the deed office. We ate and watched a Nigerian movie called Blood Sisters. I'm beginning to understand the dominant themes in some of the Nigerian movies the more I watch them. They contain what I have come to interpret as folklore and in the right context the drama is very interesting to watch. The only problem with the movies is the sound; it echoes and the dialogue is at times difficult to understand.

It was a really nice lunch. I got a chance to taste other traditional Zambian foods apart from the usual fare of sauteed rape and cabbage. Namakau's cousin, Martha, the main cook for the afternoon, explained the preparation of her dishes: chiwawa and kalembula. The ingredients are pretty standard, salt, tomatoes, and onions, but the savory taste I've concluded is in the unique preparation of them. Chiwawa is first boiled, sliced into strips, and then dried for three days under the scorching sun. The kalembula is boiled, but is in addition spiced with ground nut powder. Martha also added another dish of liver stew, which had a broth that had a hint of red wine and complemented the nshima quite nicely. The entire meal was tasty and very enjoyable to eat!

I have to say that many of the foods here contain ingredients that can really only be found in the Zambian villages, but for those of you reading my blogs, if you are growing sweet potatoe or squash or pumpkin this summer to fall, you can gather the leaves of these crops yourselves, as they are the main ingredients in the dishes I ate. Clearly I love to eat, especially the healthy foods I have been able to sample here in Chipata.

I also got to see Katuta Lodge this Easter weekend with someone I befriended at the local stationery store. Tea, coke, and dinner. The garden is something to see; not really the kind of landscaping comonly found in Chipata. The green, green grass was a treat after months of seeing dusty, red clay roads.Very peaceful, but also unfortunately replete with mosquitos.

This month, I started saving up for a digital camera. I've decided that I wanted to give readers a visual idea of my life in Chipata and also offer faces of people I've met here so far. The Chewa (matriarchal) Festival is coming to Katete in August and I definitely want to take pictures of the festival participants in their traditional dresses dancing ritual dances.

I have only been living in Zambia for two months, but I am truly considering extending for another year next February. I would love to see these urban planning projects of which I have been a part completed.

WHAT'S ON TODAY?

Today is the second day of the Chipata District Leadership Training workshop. My co-worker asked me to attend. The training is part of an European Union funded initiative to support the decentralization process in Zambia as well as to facilitate the enforcement of good governance through raising public awareness and improving government practices. The topics covered (i.e. character, leadership quality, use of power and authority) are the normal topics covered in leadership trainings., but it was interesting to see the way Zambia begin an official meeting. There is the announcement of the agenda and introductions, as elsewhere, and the official declaration of the meeting. The language medium is a combination of English and Nyanja, the official language of Chipata District and the Eastern Province, as it is most widely spoken here. And then, the morning prayer. Somewhere towards the end, the participants chant of encouragement, perhaps, or to promote wisdom. I forgot to ask the reason for it.

I have been eager to talk a little bit about my work here. There is a lot of planning to do in Chipata District, but very little money. The red tape of any government system is also present here, which makes project mobility a little difficult to expedite. I am doing some self-improvement work in this department, as patience is a virtue, and am letting time run its course. More often than not, I fail. I grumble to myself when my to tasks are delayed because of government red tape.

Overall, the objective of my placement is to support decentralization and the implementation of the integrated development plan, a revised version of the former land use guide that has driven planning throughout Zambia. The land use guide notes are really outdated, dating back to the 1970s, and does not reflect the complexity of urban spaces. As a planning guide, moreover, the guide notes focus too strongly on building codes and land parceling, rather than treating these elements of planning as part of a broader system associated with the planning of towns, cities, and regions. As such, the guide notes miss the interconnections of physical planning to other elements that influence the conditions of space, such as the environment, transportation, internet connection, economic development, and place values, concepts that are generally included when analyzing urban places.

One month later. I have proposed revising the guide notes and have also started tackling one of the more pressing problems in Chipata District, which is squatter communities. There are two large ones in Chipata township, Kapata and Magazine. Magazine has not been mapped, yet, and is a project I am trying to accomplish. It has been almost three weeks, now, and I have not finished the rough sketch of the Compound. It is bigger than I imagined and we at the Council are short-staffed. Fortunately, the federal government has designated it as a housing upgrade project, but I am trying to convince local government to approach upgrading more comprehensively. The Compound has a market, which is a good target for re-designing. Needless to say, with funding constraints, grants have to be written. I hope to get funds from different aid sources that have different development targets. I plan to complete pieces of the upgrade project in the year that I am here.

I look forward to providing more details about the other projects in another blog. I hope that this bit of information gives you a better idea of the value of volunteering to the development of Zambia. Remember that I am still fundraising for this placement. I only need to raise about USD$1600 to meet my minimum fundraising goal of USD$2000. You can contribute on line. Just click on the link, “My Fundraising Page” to the left of today's blog. A million thanks in advance to those inspired to sponsor my placement.

MORE ABOUT CHIPATA DISTRICT, EASTERN PROVINCE

I should say something about Chipata, my home base for the next year. I should also let you all know, who are interested in knowing how long my placement is for, that I will be here for at least one year.

Chipata township is located in the eastern province of Zambia, about 20 kilometers from the Malawi border. Every now and then, I will see a representative from Malawi selling Malawi kwacha. They might be scalpers selling counterfeit, I don't know, but the money is really pretty.

I would have to say that one of the best things about this town, aside from the friendly people, is the mountain air. It rains intermittently and on some days like clock work around 14:00 or 15:00 hours in the early afternoon and continues for about 30 minutes to sometimes an hour, stopping briefly before resuming.

The hill on which the center of the city sits is encased by mountains. So, regardless of which direction you go from the center of town, you see mountains around you. The pace and congestion of the center is about the same as that of Amherst, Massachusetts.

Chipata is the fastest growing town and recently received approval from the federal government to achieve city status. The high density of large and small businesses and federal agencies has contributed to its growth. These institutions are also inviting many people from around the country to apply for jobs up here. The banking industry is one of the larger sectors, with the big ones like Barcalys, Stanbic, and ZANACO banks, represented here.

City growth, however, has also resulted in a need to upgrade the land use guide to reflect the anticipated growth of Chipata town and tailoring the guide to the context of Chipata township. The upgrading of the land use guide and the creation of a guide specifically for the town still needs to be approved by the Council. The high density of large and small businesses and federal agencies has contributed to its growing congestion.

Bicycles are the dominant mode of transportation here, that and cars. The public transportation system leaves much to be desired. For now, extending and increasing the number of city bus services is not something the Council can afford. So, many people either drive or hire a bike cabbie. Taxis, in addition, are commonly used for transportation around the city and the surrounding areas.

Chipata, surprisingly, attracts a lot of businesses and industries. One of its main attractions, I think, is that its fairly livable and is located in the mountains. The climate is not so hot, unlike other parts of Zambia, like the copperbelt, the southern province, and Lusaka. Lusaka has some dry heat. Thus, many people come here to establish businesses. Bicycle cabbies constitute one of the cottage industries in the town. Others are small-scale produce sellers, who sit on the side of Umodzi Highway. SPAR, which I think is a South African supermarket, just opened its doors. The owner of the store put up a small cafe in the supermarket, an added, pleasant touch for me, the quintessential cafe rat.

The Council is abuzz today with people around town waiting in line for interviews to be approved for their lands. I overheard a few people complaining about how long they have waited, telling me Zambians are not so different from Americans when it comes to expecting efficiency and expediency from their local government.

Unfortunately, no photos as of yet. I am looking for a really cheap digital camera.

FINALLY, ACCESS TO THE INTERNET . . .

Apologies for the lack of communication on my part. I have been in Chipata now for two weeks and in Zambia for a total of three weeks. I am trying very hard to adjust to the pace of life here. The red tape doesn't bother me as much, as I have experience waiting and waiting and, well, waiting for government agencies to pass papers through in the United States. Here, the wait is a bit longer, but there is a ton of exciting planning work to keep me busy. There's a lot to report and many ups and downs since I first arrived.

As soon as we landed, I was immediately taken by the wonderful Zambian air. We stepped onto the tarmac from British Airways and I could feel this light breeze lifting the hair off the back of my neck. I expected something drier and instead was rewarded with a refreshing, rainy season breathe. I hear in June, the weather gets insanely dry and hoooooot!!

I've met my co-volunteers, mainly from England and we all appear to experience our share of ups and downs. Some handle the frustration better than others and so I try to learn from the cool cucumbers.

Our in-country induction was full of information about gender, working, and in general living in Zambia. During this time, the volunteers were able to meet up with some of their employers from around the country. I was assigned after all to a district called Chipata in the Eastern Province. I work at the Chipata Municipal Council as a Town Planning Advisor. I was one of the lucky ones - my coworkers gave me a short briefing on their general goals for the first six months that I am here. And, I have been working very quickly to assess the town and country planning situation here by reading all the relevant documents. So far, I've worked out some plans to address one of their most pressing problems, which is unplanned settlements, and am now roughly sketching the settlment layout and other amenities. This project, however, is one of many and I expect to provide some details on them later on in the coming months.

I live in a motel. While the accomodations are good because we get running water, a flushing toilet, and a bath, I don't get to cook and try out some of the recipes we have been given. Privacy is also something of the past at the motel. On my first night, I could have sworn I saw two men standing over my bed, but I was a bit ill and couldn't tell if I was dreaming in the middle of the night. I told the desk clerk about this and she said there is only one key. However, in the last two weekends, three other people have managed to enter my room using a magical spare key. Being intruded upon is unnerving, to say the least, and I am now forced to deal with these break-ins more strictly. A little concerned about my personal safety and feeling the stress of getting a very typical response: circumvension and denial.

Until next week . . .

But, keep the funds coming. I will continue to fundraise over the next months. Remember, my goals is to raise a minimum of $2,000.

IN FLIGHT

So, the last few hours were a little hectic and filled with travel. I was dropped off at the Amherst Center at 8:30a.m this morning (2/17/2011), where I sipped a cup of coffee at Amherst Coffee, but the last several hours have been spent transferring from the bus to the subway to the AirTrain, before finally disembarking at Terminal 7.

I've just had a nice club sandwich at Starbucks and am a bit groggy from the Sam Adams pint I nursed a few hours ago. I think I might nap a few minutes at my gate before my flight boards. The time now reads 8:56p.m and I still have about an hour and a half to ward off before I am in flight.

There was a bit of hesitation on the part of the British Airways ticketing agent about my flight in light of the Homeland Security rules, but after much explaining and some verification of my documents and my placement with Lusaka, I was allowed through and am now swettled in at the airport. Airports - where I feel I am living now after two weeks of going in and out of them.

The long process of waiting for a placement is finally over. It was worth it for this opportunity. 

ONE MORE DAY FORWARD

Today is Tuesday. One more day towards my departure on Thursday, February 17th for Zambia. I received word from my advisor that I will be placed in the Chipata District instead to help strengthen municipal planning and to assist the planners working there. Meanwhile, I am gradually moving towards completion of my preparation, including temporarily suspending my cell phone service until August, at minimum. Tomorrow will involve more packing and  errands-running to facilitate my transition to the Chipata District.

Here is an update on my fundraising activity. I finally checked my company e-mail and found a message there from Byron Koh, who informed me that he is sending a $50 contribution to CUSO-VSO. The amount helped me to break the $400 threshold, bringing my grand total raised to $435. Thank you, Byron. I am as always grateful for any help.

SKWID Training

I just returned mid-week last week from the very intense, very fast paced SKWID training required of all CUSO-VSO volunteer newbies, otherwise known as the Skills for Working in International Development or Preparing for Change training in Ottawa, Canada. I must say, my brain is still processing all of the information and skills we practiced using role plays. The two trainers covered a LOT of different topics related to interpersonal skills, living in a different culture, and learning to manage emotions in the context of different surroundings. To belabor an obvious goal, the training forced us to imagine ourselves in different scenarios while in volunteering in our respective placements.

We ate well, became better acquainted, and fretted over our personal worries. We came from different parts of North America and Europe and are also headed to different parts of the globe. One volunteer, in fact, flew directly to Mongolia immediately after our five day training; she arrived safely.

But, now, I'm back in Sunderland, preparing my documents for entry into Zambia and planning my luggage. Pretty soon, you'll be reading more details about my work there.

Remember, you can still sponsor me with your $10 donation. The best way to do that at this point would be to visit MY FUNDRAISING PAGE on this blog site and give using your credit card.