Update Via Haley

I know we all miss Stevie, but how amazing is she! I’m so proud to call her friend…


LIVE from Zambia
April 3rd, 2009

Basic training schedule.

Right now I am two weeks into training. I stay in a smallish mud hut. It has a mat on the floor with my mattress on it. It is a thatched roof with garbage bags to help with the rain. I have a mattress draped in my LOVELY mosquito net at all times. I have a little window but just keep my door open so I can see and get any light in my room. I have a small stool, table and lantern. Every morning I wake up around 6:30, (two hours after the rooster, no not The Rooster), starts. My Bjmama heats up some water for my bucket bath. I have a bathing shelter that is basically an open room made of tall grass. After my bath I usually have breakfast of tea, peanut butter and some white bread or fried cornmeal. Then I have 4 hours of language-go home for lunch- then 3 hours of tech training. Thursdays and Saturdays are the only time my entire intake is together for HIV/Aids Training, as well as cultural sessions. So we have half of Saturday and Sunday off to study and do whatever.

Yesterday we threw together a game of Ultimate Frisbee and just hung around till dark. Basically, my day ends when the Sun’s gone, (around 8p) and I stay up for a bit with my flashlight, but am pretty lame and crash by 9:30p. I have training until the end of April and I think it will be a mixed blessing when it’s finally over. I am REALLY excited to cook for myself, have my own place, see and meet my community, actually be around people using the language I’m currently learning and be on my own schedule! But, this also will mean I will be totally on my own…might not have cell service and won’t see anyone from training for three months. So at this moment the training days feel like they are crawling by, but I am sure, like everything, I will miss them when they are gone.

Kaeikaipo,

Stevie