swaying daisies sing a lazy song beneath the sun

Think I’ll begin this blog with updates on organisms not found under the classification Homo sapien. The mama hippo, which lives in the small lake to the east of me, attacked a man who was illegally fishing at midnight. The area of the lake the man was fishing in is well known by all the villagers as the hippo’s territory. The man is still alive, though in the hospital. Riding my bicycle home from town one day, I stopped to talk to a friend traveling in the opposite direction. While we were talking, two men passed on bicycles headed in my direction. Both had big firearms strapped across their backs. This isn’t too unusual, especially since one had an automatic and this is what most military personnel carry, but the other man had a humongous rifle. It was the first rifle I have seen in this country. I noted it, but shrugged it off. After saying good-bye to my friend, I continued my ride home, cutting across a shortcut path through a small forested area. I came out on the feeder road to Phikamalaza and the two men were just ahead of me (they must have taken the long way). They were a bit too far ahead and a bit too speedy on their bikes so I couldn’t stop them. When I asked my villagers about these men I was told they were game rangers and had come to kill the mama hippo. I was a bit upset considering the circumstances (I mean, the man was illegally fishing in a notoriously dangerous area), but as of now they still have not shot the hippo and I think they have even left the area. That same week, two elephants passed less than a kilometer from my house. Yes. Two wild elephants left tracks in the sand and mud in the dambo (same as a draw) just a short walk to the northwest of where I was sleeping. I suggested to my village that maybe, just maybe the elephants were coming to rescue the hippo. I don’t think they believed me.
When I got home from my HIV/AIDS workshop I was told that a pig ate Blanco Pollo. It was a sad day. I was left with four orphan chicks. Then, a hawk picked one off. So I think I’m down to three, but I’m not really sure. However, the circle of life has blessed me with another hen (a gift from my mama’s brother’s second wife). Her name is Bubbles and she doesn’t seem to be very intelligent, even by chicken standards.
The kitties, Gooey Sana and Simon Says are doing fine, sans worms.
It’s sugar cane season.

Now for updates on the Homo sapiens whom I so love. My new baby brother was named after the late Agogo who died in January: Johnston Nyasulu. But the Agogo’s nickname was Scale so this is what everyone calls the baby too.
I am currently in Chipata helping the newest intake shop for their huts. It’s been quite a long few days, but they are all sweethearts and it’s been fun.
I will be reuniting with my dear biological family in LESS THAN 3 WEEKS!!!!! After this shopping adventure in Chipata, I’ll head back to site for a busy week already packed full of activities. Then, I’ll be truckin’ back down here for a Bob Marley festival. Then, scootin’ across the country to ol’ Lusaka. Theeeen, surfin’ the blue skies to zi fatherland (Germany), where I’ll be celebrating Marcey’s graduation from her school of governance in Berlin! Things I’m most excited about: my family, good sausage and even better beer, crazyfast internets (lots o’ photo uploads!), dance clubs, cheese, reliable transportation, reliable water, the ability to go out into public and be completely ignored and/or not stared or yelled at, and the freedom to show the world my whiter-than-a-fishbelly thighs, but most of all I’m excited about hugging my family.
Things I’m slightly apprehensive about: advertisements, pollution, noise (other than the calming effect of chicken squawking), bright lights = less stars, crowds of businessmen with briefcases, shiny objects, over-priced everything, and is there such a thing as over efficiency? If there is, I bet the Germans have mastered it and it will spin my head around. Regardless, I’d say the excitement blows the apprehension out of the water (the water which is currently refusing to flow out of the tap, thus preventing me from taking a much needed shower so that I can make it to my afternoon meeting smelling clean and fresh…Zambian efficiency at its best).

Work is going well. It is definitely picking up. I met with a fish farming group and will be conducting a training session for them on pond management next week.
I’ve been meeting with some active youth groups. At PEPFAR training we received a board game that educates the players about HIV/AIDS. It’s called Edukator. The youth really enjoy playing the game. I taught one youth group how to play Red Rover. They absolutely loved it, except they had a really difficult time pronouncing the name of the game and because this is essential to actually playing the game, we had to rename it with a Tumbuka word: “belelawela,” which means you come over here.

So I know I’ve mentioned before that Zambians interchange their “r’s” and “l’s” quite often. Some are easy to decipher: like cobla instead of cobra, Ellen instead of Erin, Bob Marrey instead of Bob Marley, led instead of red, geoglaphy, engrish, and the rist goes on. Fly and fry trip me up sometimes because they are both English words as do light and right. Some mix-ups are hilarious. Around election time it is really funny when a Zambian wants to talk to you about the “upcoming erections.” Jokes aside, I had my first slip-up the other day. I was discussing the cost of planks for making benches with someone and I said, “Well, how much for just one prank?”

Since arriving in Zambia, I have crocheted 31 beanies (I’ll finish #32 tonight and I have 2 others half finished as well), 4 scarves, and 1 handbag. Obviously, I have a lot of downtime, mostly on account of Zambian time-management skills.

Rainy season is petering out which is good because Simon Says likes to crawl around between the plastic lining and the grass of my roof and this has caused big holes to form where rain now leaks right over my bed.
Also, with the end of lainy season comes the beginning of cold season. I’m not rearry looking forward to it as central heating exists in none of the structures I frequent. But on the blight side, I’ll get to drink more hot chocorate. :)

All of you affiliated with schools, I wish you well during finals. All of you not affiliated with schools, count your blessings! The next time you’ll be hearing from me, I’ll be in Deutschland enjoying the lederhosen!