Welcome to Mongu.

I have arrived in Mongu. And I have also left again. Well, I’m just back in Lusaka for some more training. Which means I spent all of 4 days in my new home but it was good to be able to see where I’ll be living for the next year. Luckily, I was taken there (and back) by a driver from my new organization so I didn’t have to ride the bus (although I’m told the buses are actually pretty decent). It was about a 7 hour drive to/from Lusaka and, yes, we drove through Kafue National Park. I did get to see some amazingly beautiful elephants (like right by the car!) and also impala, kudu, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, and some other deer-like animals (I don't know what they were).  No lions or giraffes or leopards but maybe next time. We also stopped at the Kafue River to get a couple of pictures and we were accosted by a guard telling us to move our car out of the road (I think he was just drunk although to his credit we were parked in the middle of the road). Upon arrival in Mongu, I got to see my house but didn’t get to stay in it the first night. Apparently, the water pump was broken (yes! I have running water!) so I stayed at the lovely Dolphin Inn. It was very quaint in a strange sort of way (and colorful) and I also got to meet the two other Americans who live in Mongu. They are both working for an agriculture project and have been around for a few months. At least I know two people? The next day I moved into my house and, man, do I have a ton of space. It’s a 3 bedroom house with 2 bathrooms (no showers just bathtubs so it’s essentially like taking a bucket bath as you work to pour running water over you...although no hot water but I am quite content because it's extremely hot all of the time anyway). And in the rest of my house there is so much empty space it’s kind of silly. I’m just using the one bedroom and they other rooms will remain empty since I do not have the funds nor the need to get items to furnish them. So, I’m doing lots of handstands and cartwheels to fill my time.

The Mongu terrain is a bit challenging. It is a quite sandy as I was warned. Which makes transport difficult. I will have to get myself to/from work everyday which is about 5km. I do have a bike but we’ll see how that goes in the sand. And, all of this sand makes the water a nice brown color so I’m busy filtering water and it still has a lovely rust color and somewhat sandy taste. But, all in all, Mongu seems good. Still lots to learn.  

I didn't have much time to explore the beautiful flood plains, see the king's palace or check out all of the hot spots in town (aka, the many tuck shops and bars).  But you can check out the photos of my house and those amazing elephants.  And, my new address is posted!!  Start writing letters and sending lots of books (I am in need of good books) and Halloween treats!

Sending my love from Mongu.

Zamfantastic.

I made it to Zambia! Actually, I have been here two weeks already. But I have yet to get out and see much of the country because I have been immersed in training, training, and more training in the large capital city of Lusaka (which is really kind of just a big city)? But, it’s fine…because I love my new job! I feel incredibly lucky to have this amazing opportunity and I am also happy to be back in Africa. I’ll tell you all about what I will be doing soon enough but for now, here is a picture of the other two American volunteers that I have been training with (Jonathan and Margaret) in the JSI office in Lusaka. We will be in Lusaka for about another week before we leave for our respective posts in the provincial offices (we won’t be near each other at all but hopefully we’ll have opportunities to see each other during trainings in Lusaka, etc).

So, I have learned that I will be going to the Western Province to the town of Mongu. These are some of the things people have been telling me about Mongu:

• It’s really hot.

• When it’s not really hot, it floods. Like roads close and people get cut off from service.

• There’s a lot of sand…not just a little sand. lots of sand. One person gave me a visual of sand spilling over the top of your shoes when you walk (hopefully this was an exaggeration).

• You can get great fish in Mongu because it sits near the Zambezi River. Too bad I don’t eat fish.

• It is the major rice growing region of Zambia. Everyone tells me the “best” rice comes from Mongu. Oh, and they also grow cashews.

• I will be learning/speaking Lozi (which is somewhat similar to the Bantu language I learned in South Africa, thank goodness).

• There is a really cool African ceremony called the Kuomboka Ceremony which takes place in March/April and I’ve been told thousands of people come to the area to see the Lozi King journey from his dry-season palace to his wet-season palace via a huge wooden canoe. Sounds pretty amazing?

• I get to travel through (literally through – there are no fences or gates or anything) a game park to get to Mongu. People see lions, elephants, kudu right by or even on the road…and you don’t have to pay to do a game drive. That’s pretty amazing?! And sort of dangerous…

But, this is all informaiton that I'm just picking up from others. I will tell you about my new home when I get there. I’m looking forward to actually seeing what Mongu has to offer. I just like saying Mongu.

I don’t have an address yet but when I do, please send me letters…and packages too.  Maybe I'll send you some rice. 

On the road again.

It's strange to be preparing yet again to leave. Strangely, I have those same feelings I had almost 3 years ago when I left for South Africa. I am anxious, thrilled, worried, ecstatic, sad…I thought I would be more prepared having gone through this before but it’s still sort of overwhelming. I feel like I haven’t packed the right things or said goodbye to everyone or followed up on some outstanding issue. So, on the eve of my departure, I thought I would do something very important. Post some pictures on my blog (check out the link on over there to the right).


Can’t wait to meet you Zambia…prepared or not.


Self-portrait of me while gathering items from storage out of parent's garage in Colorado.