*Note: Erin has asked that you please not send anything else to her in Africa, as she may not receive it before she comes back home to the U.S.*

February 12, 2008

Hello. Merry Christmas, Happy 2008, and Happy Valentine's Day! I haven't written in months, so I'm catching up on my holiday greetings. Last month I celebrated an important day of my own- my 2-year anniversary of arriving in Zambia. I'll be honest, there've been times when I thought the 2-year mark would never get here, but now that it's come and gone, I can't believe how soon I'll be leaving this place.

This holiday season (hopefully my last Christmas apart from family) was spent in Mozambique, which was an incredible vacation spot... Although I was welcomed back to Zambia in true Zambian form- with a leaky roof directly above my bed and a moldy pillow and sheets! I was soon to find out that moldy bedding would be the least of my problems over the upcoming weeks. Within the past month I've contracted 2 separate bouts of pink-eye, ringworm, a poisonous spider bite (same as the 1 I had in 2006), a sprained thumb (biking hazard), and a bot fly (more about this to come). Thankfully, I'm feeling fine now... so no worries!

Well, without anymore stalling, here's a few snap-shot stories of the life of a Peace Corps volunteer:

A Mozambique Holiday

A few days before Christmas a small group of Peace Corps volunteers and I took a short flight from Lusaka to Johannesburg, South Africa. From there we took a bus ride (I think it was about 10 hours long) to the captial of Mozambique, Maputo (pronounced "Maputu"). We didn't have our travel visas for Mozambique ready (although we tried! Their embassy in Lusaka wouldn't give them to us), so when the bus operator found out that we didn't have all the right stamps on our passports, he almost didn't let us get on the bus! We pleaded and pleaded, and we finally came to the understanding that if the acquisition of our visas begins to hold up the bus in any way once we hit the border, then the bus operator would unload our bags and simply leave us at the border... No problem! We just wanted on that bus (which we'd already paid for)- we'd worry about the border when we got there. In our view, it'd be a better scenario to get stranded at the border and have to hitch-hike the rest of the way into Mozambique than to stay the night at the Jo'Burg bus station and try to figure out alternate transporation.

Once we arrived at the border, we got off the bus and literally ran to the desks of the border patrol officers, which was in a sort of outdoor warehouse. We must have cut in front of 100 people who we are pretty sure were cussing at us in Portuguese. Fortunately, the visas only took about 10 minutes to get, then we ran back to the bus to see if it was still there... It was, with all of our bags sitting on the ground next to it, ready to take off without us. As I picked up my bag, I did a little dance and waved my passport at the bus operator- He smiled... It was about time he chilled out!

We visited Maputo, which reminded me of a city you'd find in Europe, not Africa. All of the streets were paved and the sidewalks were lined with small shops and cafes. The country speaks only Portuguese, so getting around and ordering food proved to be a little more difficult than we thought it'd be.

From Maputo we travelled to Villanculos, a small village on the beach. Oh, let me tell you about the spectacular beach! It was like jumping inside a tropical postcard, then walking on the sand, going for a swim, and laying out in the sun. Beautiful crystal-blue waters and coconut trees everywhere. We were camping out at a backpacker's place, and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I asked the owners if I could play my ipod on the stereo down by the bar and picnic tables that were there. They agreed, and I played non-stop Christmas carols... I'll admit that it feels a little ridiculous listening to Bing Crosby while you're wriggling your toes into the sand and re-applying sunscreen.

We met another group of Peace Corps volunteers who serve in Lesotho, and they were also on Christmas vacation (...They appreciated the carolling! I think some other guests got annoyed). One night we bought some fresh fish from the local market and had a cook-out with them. We basted the fish in butter and wine, wrapped them in coconut leaves, and grilled them over the fire. Then we asked the cooks at the bar to make us a big platter of Mozambique's staple food- which I don't remember what it's called, but it's essentially the same as maize nshima, the staple food of Zambia... It turned out to be such a wonderful meal. Probably my favorite meal of the trip.

After leaving Villanculos, we made a brief stop at Barra Reef, a huge holiday destination for white South Africans and Africaaners, then it was on to Tofo (said "tofu")- probably the biggest tourist hotspot in all of Mozambique. It was AMAZING. We camped there for about a week (and I would have stayed much longer if I didn't have a plane to catch). The beach was spacious and picturesque. Little boys walked around selling fresh roasted cashews and sea shell necklaces. The waves were enormous- frightening even- and I saw several surfers on them. I took scuba diving classes and got scuba certified while I was there... I saw some of the most incredibly bright-colored fish and reef! On New Year's Eve we walked a short distance down the beach to join a beach party hosting hundreds of backpackers. At midnight fireworks were shot out over the ocean... It was all just as I'd hoped it'd be- absolutely unforgettable.

The Infamous Bot Fly

"The Tumbu fly, cordylobia Anthropophaga, affects both humans and animals. The female fly deposits her eggs (over 100 eggs at a time) on soil, sand, and clothing that is drying in the sun. When the eggs hatch, the larvae can penetrate the skin of the host and produce a boil. In 8-9 days the larvae mature, wiggle out of the boil and fall to the ground. The most common sites for penetration are the arms, back, buttocks, scrotum, and thighs. Several lesions may be present.

The boil from the larvae is red and painful. The maggot can be seen at the center of the boil. When the mature larvae drops out of the boil, a pit is left in the center.

Treatment consists of removal of the larvae. Apply a thick oil or petroleum jelly over the entire boil. This suffocates the maggot and backs it out of the boil. The maggot can then be removed with tweezers or forceps. Care must be taken to prevent crushing the larvae and causing a more severe hypersensitivity response or subsequent infection. Clean the boil well with soap and water and cover until healed. Antibiotics may be needed to treat a secondary infection, if present.

Avoiding contact with the eggs is the primary prevention. Never lay clothes on the ground to dry. Iron all clothing with a hot iron to kill any eggs that may have contaminated the cloth. Do not sit or lie directly on the ground or sand. Treat the boil as soon as you notice it." -Peace Corps Zambia Medical Handbook

Yes, I had a Tumbu fly. It's more commonly known as a bot fly (probably since most people get them on their butts). I thought it would be fun to tell you about my bot fly experience by quoting everything I had to say about it directly from my journal. Here goes:

January 18, 2008

".... I think I have a bot fly. I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. It's on my back, just right of center, on my waistline. It's precisely where I wear the belt of my trousers, so it must be from when I wore a pair of jeans that were slightly damp along the waistline about a week ago. It hurts. I thought it was a mosquito bite at first, but it pangs from time to time (which is the worm moving around) and it doesn't itch. It's really sensitive, and it sort of has a hard center. So far it's just red and a little swollen but I've seen bot flies that have gotten huge and blue/purple and oozy and gooky. I'm just hoping it's not 1 of those. I slathered Vaseline all over it today hoping that it would suffocate the worm and either kill him or cause him to crawl out (This is the recommended course of action and is supposed to work)... but nothing happened. Guess I'll just try again tomorrow..."

January 21, 2008

"... So back to the topic of bot flies. I just read in the Peace Corps Medical Handbook that they take 8-9 days to hatch. I must be somewhere around day 4. It's really red, and I think I can actually see the maggot in the center. (It's hard to tell since I have to look at it with mirrors while I'm inside my hut, which is kinda dark). It hurts less today than it did yesterday. In fact, yesterday I could feel it moving throughout the day, but today he's been pretty still. I keep trying the peroleum jelly treatment, but nothing seems to happen. I'm expecting it to get pretty big and nasty and painful in the next couple days, at which point I can let him exit my body naturally or I can go to town and get someone to help me remove him... Both options sound painful! Oh well, I'll deal with it."

January 22, 2008

"Today the bot fly is ruining my day... It aches and throbs. I feel like this guy's been moving around all day- doing aerobics even! I've checked several times to see if he's crawling out on his own, but the bump doesn't look quite ready to spurt out a maggot yet... Although it does look much worse than yesterday. I may end up hitching to town tomorrow or the next day to get someone to pull the bot fly out..."

"... WHOA- It's night-time now, and I am laying in bed in serious pain. This bot fly has got to go! It's so sensitive that if the waistband of my trousers happens to just touch it, I jerk in pain. And whenever the little shit moves around, it feels like someone is pinching the sore and twisting it. I think I can juggle a few things around so that tomorrow afternoon I can head to town and try to take care of this. NOT FUN."

January 23, 2008

"... I came into town today to deal with the bot fly. I can't get over how painful that thing was... Anyway, I had 2 volunteers help me. I laid down on a mattress and they smeared a thick layer of petroleum jelly over the boil. In less than a minute the maggot began to emerge. He stuck his head out and sort of moved it around, but then he tried to retreat back into the hold. I had called the Peace Corps nurse beforehand, and she had told me that as soon as he begins to do that, you have to squeeze at the base of the boil, like you're trying to pop a huge pimple. This closes the canal and blocks the fly's passageway so that he has nowhere to go but out.

They were squeezing the boil, but the stubborn maggot didn't want to move. He just wanted to stay put, with about 3 millimeters of himself sticking out. After maybe 5 or 10 minutes (It felt like forever, but was probably no more than 10 minutes)... and after a lot of squeezing, he finally wiggled all the way out. Instantly, all of the pain was gone! I mean, the very moment that he exited I felt 100 times better! The nurse had said there'd be instant relief, but I didn't think there could possibly be so much relief so fast!

By the end of the day the swelling and redness were almost totally gone (although there's quite a big hole where he crawled out that continues to ooze.) We measured the maggot by laying him on a ruler- He was 1 full centimeter! He was bigger than I was expecting, and much fatter too."

So that's the saga of my bot fly. Within a few days the sore was just a small scab and looked like any old bug bite... You know, I always imagined that there might come a special day in my 20's when I'd give birth to a beautiful child- not a maggot. Life is full of surprises, huh?

Nkumba

As I was writing out this website entry, my little neighbor Shad (in grade 1) walked by with a big leaf in his hands. It looked like it was kinda heavy, and something was obviously bundled up inside. I could have sworn it was a leaf full of guts.

"Cinshi nshi?" I asked ("What is that?") He looked up at me and said, "nkumba," then continued walking to his house with his little package. Nkumba... That's pig. A little 1st grader just walked by with a leaf full of pig guts. Gotta love Zambia!

A Few Final Thoughts...

Well, as most of you already know, my 27 months of Peace Corps service are coming to an end. In fact, my official last day is April 16- only 2 months away. I can't describe how quickly- and how slowly- this time has passed. It is truly a different world here, one that must be experienced to be understood. The things I've written don't even scratch the surface of what a journey this has been for me.

I've probably learned more about myself than I have about Bemba culture... Trust me, spend 2 years alone in a mud hut and you learn to really look in the mirror. I've had more medical issues than I care to recall, and I once ate the exact same meal everyday for a month straight. My bike has given me a couple good scars, but you really can't blame it for throwing me off when I talk to it all the time like a madwoman. I've seen bats and snakes, I've been bitten by spiders and ticks, I've been called "fat," "so very fat," "huge," and "oh so fat... My god, you're just fat!"

I've also made a friend whom I've grown to love like a family member- Rhodah. And I'm happy to announce that she was married in November and is now expecting a new baby! We're both hoping for a girl. I think Erin would be a nice name, but Rhodah just laughs at me.

There are some children in my village who are regular visitors to my house. Sometimes we color, sometimes they'll sing and drum and dance for me, sometimes they just sit and stare at me... All of those fun moments, irritating moments, and even mundane moments all add up to a bunch of kids I'll never forget. And no matter how old we all grow up to be, they'll always be between 4 and 10 years old in my mind. I'll never get to know what becomes of them in the future, but I love them all the same... and I'll miss them terribly.

To say that I am experiencing some mixed emotions about returning to the States would be a gross understatement. Yes, I'm ready to see my family again. Yes, I'm looking forward to electricity. Yes, an ice cold margarita sounds so good! But to have those things I must say goodbye to so much here, so much that I've come to appreciate and love. The people, the traditions, the simplicity, the sunsets. Africa is majestic and beautiful and retains something pure that I feel we've lost touch with in the developed world. I feel at home here even though this is not my home. Someone once told me before I left that I'd "find a piece of my soul in Africa." I couldn't have put it better myself.

Thank you all for your continuous encouragement and for accompanying me on this journey. I should be home in mid-May. See you then!

Shalenipo na Lesa Mupale (Stay well and god bless you),

Erin