25 March 2006

 

Muli shani bonse? (“How is everyone?”)  I am in Kitwe this weekend for the last time because this is my last week of training (woohoo!).  I will be dropped off at my site on 6 APRIL, so everyone please be thinking of me on that day because I’ve been told numerous times that it will be one of those days that I’ll never forget for as long as I live.

 

So, in case you are curious about where I am going…. I will be in a small village about 60 kilometers from Kasama, the provincial capital of Northern Province.  It is deep in the heart of Bembaland, so I will have a prime opportunity to immerse myself in the local language & culture!

 

Speaking of Bemba… I have a BIG announcement to make!  The 31^st of March is our “Swearing-In Ceremony” which will be attended by a US Ambassador, the Peace Corps Country Director, several national heads of the Zambian Ministry of Education, local reporters, our homestay families, etc., etc, and I have been chosen to represent the Bemba trainees by giving a speech in the local language!  It is a huge honor to be selected, and although I love public speaking, I am starting to get a little nervous… an entire speech in Bemba, augh!  Wish me luck J

 

Time for the sub-categories… read whatever interests you!

 

Cultural Exchange

 

The following is an excerpt directly from my journal on 6 March: 

 

Last night when I got home from Kitwe, Cornelious (my brother, a 5^th grader) came & told me that Bataata (father) wanted me to come in their house & sit with him.  I got a little nervous because I’ve only been in their house once & that was on my very 1^st night here in Kakolo, and even then, I think I sat in their front room for maybe 10 minutes (the whole time being completely overwhelmed by the entire day’s events).  Anyway, I went inside & sat down.  We made small talk for awhile.  The whole time Bamaayo (mother) was going in & out doing everything that making supper involves –heating water, cooking nshima, setting portions aside for me, etc.  The whole time Bataata just sat back & talked to me, until we eventually exhausted my limited vocabulary & we resigned to watching Boaz (my brother, a 1^st grader) play & sing to himself.

 

Then the greatest thing happened… they were preparing to have supper!  Cornelious moved the table to just in front of Bataata & helped “set the table.”  He then took the warm water & a large dish & washed Bataata’s hands (I was amazed at how formal & respectful he was being! –and this was all done in complete silence!)  Next, all of the boys (Boaz, Cornelious, Abel –about 16 yrs, & Lazarus –about 18 yrs.) washed their hands & began to eat (all in silence)… I suddenly felt really out of place, like I wasn’t supposed to be there.  In American culture, you would never just sit down & begin eating in front of someone, especially without offering them food first.  It was then that I realized how strongly my cultural values have been ingrained in me… Just the fact that I became uncomfortable in that situation shows that my ideas of appropriateness are far different from theirs (Zambians).  It was very clear that they didn’t think anything of the fact that I was sitting there & I was a guest & a woman (& hungry!)… It was truly a wonderful moment for me!  I’m still not too sure why Bataata invited me into the house that night, but I am so glad he did –it was such a PURE cultural moment for me – I loved it!

 

After a few minutes of them eating, I excused myself & went back to my hut.  I was served my supper shortly after, and I am assuming that Bamaayo eats alone after everyone else has finished (which makes me kind of sad, but I’ve heard that men/boys will oftentimes eat separately from the women/girls here).  I also noticed that they had eaten nshima made with “yellow maize” (which I had seen for the 1^st time just that day), but when I was given my food I had rice instead… I am wondering fi the yellow maize is considered inferior to what they normally use & that’s why they gave me something different?... I don’t know.

 

Butterfly Bath

 

Another excerpt from my journal on 8 March:

 

This morning I was in my ulusasa (bathing structure) inspecting my fat roll (shich I think has doubled in size since I got here), when I noticed that 2 HUGE & BEAUTIFUL butterflies were perched on my grass walls.  That really helped put things in perspective a bit… One of them had a big tear on its wing, but it was sstill a wonderful sight to see.  Whenever I step back & say “Hey look… I am in Africa, taking a bath with butterflies!” my fat roll doesn’t seem like such a huge deal anymore J

 

Meeting the Chief

 

So last week I had the opportunity to visit my future site, just outside of Kasama.  During my visit, 2 volunteers in the area were able to introduce me to the chief of my region.  The following is an excerpt from my journal on 16 March describing what transpired:

 

I met my area chief this morning.  We scheduled a meeting for 10:00, but we didn’t actually get to go in & meet him until about 11:00.  As we approached his property a guard met us at the gate (he was wearing a khaki colored uniform, complete with black shoes & a matching beret).  The guard said that the chief was not ready & that we should return in maybe 5 minutes.  So we walked a little way down the road to sit in the shade of a mango tree (there was a tree just inside the gate, but the guard wouldn’t let us wait there).  While we waited, we read through the “People” & “Newsweek” magazines that we had brought as gifts for the chief – which is funny because the chief supposedly doesn’t speak much English.  And what’s even funnier is that the Oct. 2005 “Newsweek” that we brought was titled something like “Powerful women leaders” & had a big photo of Oprah on the cover. J  I wonder what the chief will think of that article!

 

When it was finally time to go in, the guard taught us how to perform the appropriate greeting – you have to kneel on the ground before the chief, place your hands on the floor & bow all the way down.  Then you sit back on your ankles, & with your back now upright, you cross your arms & place your hands on your upper-arms (around the biceps) & look at the chief.  Then you bow all the way down to the floor again & repeat.  After doing that twice, we were allowed to sit on the reed mat.  Ari (the volunteer hosting me for this visit) then introduced all of us (in Bemba) & explained how I was going to be volunteering in a nearby village.

 

After the meeting –which lasted all of maybe 10 minutes –the guard escorted us off of the property… it was an extremely interesting experience.  Of course, it was nothing like what I expected, but what do you really expect when you go to meet an African chief?  It was amazing!

 

I love & miss everyone!  Keep Zambia in your prayers & wish me luck as I move to my site on 6 April!

 

Shalenipo,

Erin

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