January 29, 2007

Hi guys! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Years... I definitely had a one-of-a-kind holiday season travelling in Tanzania- So much fun! I don't have much to say about village life this time, since I've been away from my site a lot lately. Between taking some vacation time off and assisting with the training of the new trainees who just arrived, January and February will probably be the 2 most hectic months of my year. Okay, well I guess I'll cut to the chase...

Zanzibar

Jambo Jambo! That's "hello" in Swahili, the most widely spoken language in Tanzania. Ready for a quick Swahili lesson? Asante saana = Thank you very much, Karibuni = You're welcome, Poli poli = bit by bit (or slowly, slowly), simba = lion, rafiki = friend, & hakuna matata = no problem. Needless to say, a few Lion King songs were stuck in our heads throughout our Zanzibar trip!

So, spending the Christmas and New Year's holidays in Zanzibar was even more wonderful than I imagined... I'll admit, it didn't feel like Christmas, but since Christmas is treated the same as any other day throughout this region of the world, it was nice to at least celebrate it on one of the most incredible beaches I've ever visited.

About 8 other volunteers and myself began our trip a few days before Christmas by embarking on a 2-day train ride that carried us completely across the nation of Tanzania. Throughout those 2 days we saw African landscape that was so gorgeous I was practically glued to the window in awe... thriving farmland, a picturesque mountain range, lush wilderness... We even passed through a national game park where we caught sight of water buffalo, impala, wart hogs, zebras, giraffes, and even a herd of elephants that lifted their trunks and trumpeted greetings to us as we passed by!

Once we arrived in Zanzibar we spent ample time on the beach, enjoying the white sands and admiring the Indian Ocean. We snorkled, perused local art shops, went on a spice tour, and indulged ourselves in fresh fruit and fish. We also made our way into Stone Town, which I would describe as the heartbeat of the island... a collection of old stone buildings and streets, narrow alleyways that twist and turn into complicated neighborhood grids, one-of-a-kind shops that have been ran by the same families for generations, enticing and bustling marketplaces, and venders on the corners selling anything from cashews to octopus. Amidst all of these wondrous sights and features, I was most interested in the cultural diversity of this place... It's hard to place in a category the peoples of Stone Town- Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Indigenous African traditions. When traveling through town one is likely to see women covered from head to toe in black material (with only their eyes exposed), men in long white linen shirts and leather sandals on their way to afternoon prayers, women with intricate henna tattoos turning their hands and arms into natural works of art and signifying their marital status, young girls and their mothers with their hair tired up in colorful local wraps, and of course, you're bound to see at least a dozen lazy cows roaming wherever they please with no restraints.

So in a nutshell, Zanzibar was incredible and I loved it. Not only was it a relaxing getaway from my daily life in Zambia, it was also a chance for me to broaden my perspective of life and cultures in Africa. Beautiful landscapes, peoples, and traditions... This was a holiday season to remember.

My 1st Year in Zambia

It was exactly a year ago this week that I hugged and kissed my family goodbye and left the familiarity of home for the mystery of Africa. Knowing so very little about what to expect, I remember feeling like this was one of those deciding moments in life when you take the proverbial leap of faith and hope for the best... Well in that case, my leap into a new world of people, customs, lifestyles, challenges, etc. was one of the best decisions I have ever made- changing and developing myself in countless more ways than I ever could have imagined.

Arriving in Zambia, I was unsure of whether I would be able to thrive here- Will I learn the local language? Will villagers accept me? Will my work have any lasting effect? Will I ever get used to living in a mud hut? These questions lingered in my mind during the 1st few months,  but as time passed, and I got used to the food, the folks, and the "fat" comments, everything seemed much more manageable.

Several people have asked, "Can you believe it's already been a year?" The answer is both yes and no... At times I cannot believe it's only been 1 year since I've seen my family. To think back to what I was doing over a year ago- Well, that was a lifetime ago! However, when I think about the fact that I am almost halfway through my service here in Zambia, I just can't get my mind around how fast time has seemed to pass... There's so much more that I want to accomplish with the communities that I work with and so many more sites to see and traditions to learn about and ideas to explore!

Now that I've completed my 1st year in Africa, there is one thing that I've learned that I am certain of: This life (this world) is beautiful and God is evident throughout. I love my life here... Don't get me wrong, I've faced more challenges in the past 12 months than I've probably faced in the other25 years of my life combined, but there hasn't been a single day when I considered calling it quits and going home to the States. Every day is a new experience and every experience is another chance to learn about myself: my faith, my capabilities, my resolve.

In the brief span of a year my entire life has changed... From fetching my own water everyday to dealing with bats and poisonous spiders to speaking Bemba to confronting the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS firsthand, there is nothing that could have prepared me for this. Yes, it's been incredibly difficult at times, but I am a better person for it. I'm excited to see what this next year has in store!

I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have been so encouraging and supportive of me. Your letters, your prayers, and your words of inspiration have been invaluable to me. Thank you for everything you do... And I want to specifically thank my family for their continuous encouragement- I love you!

Shalenipo,

Erin