I’ve been
thinking a lot about home. And what that
means. People ask me all of the time if
I miss home. I miss my sister and those
amazing boys of hers. I miss going to
movies with my mom. I miss going to eat
Mexican food with my Grandmother. I miss
my dad’s quiet ways and his willingness to always help. I miss going to yoga (or drinks or hiking
or just spending time) with my friends. I miss my
Carnelian sisters. I was just looking at
pictures and I can’t tell you how much I miss all of you…wherever you are. But I don’t know that I miss "home." I feel like part of this journey
the past 3 years or so has been a bit of searching for where my home might be...I still don’t know that I’ve found
the perfect place for me but I know that wherever I go I find more people that
continue to make a place feel like home even if the place isn't quite home yet. And
although it makes me sad that I can’t carry everyone around in a little bag with
me wherever I go, just knowing that you are all with me (reading my blog or
sending me an email or text or just
thinking about me) it makes me feel like I’m already home. Wherever I go. And someday I will actually have a home where
you can visit me.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Kuomboka 2013. Amazing.
I feel really
lucky that not only was I able to attend Kuomboka but that I had so many friends (and friends of friends who quickly became friends over the course of the weekend...) come to Mongu to take part in the festivities…and all 15 of them stayed at my
house. People arrived Friday night and
left Sunday morning and it was a big celebration the entire time they were
here. We watched live Zambian music,
took a boat out into the floodplains of Lealui where the king prepared to start
his journey, watched traditional dancing as the Zambian Vice President arrived in his
helicopter and escorted the king to start his 6+ hour journey (with a crew of
many paddlers supporting him along the way) then saw him arrive later in the
evening to his home on higher ground in the village of Limulunga (with a
spectacular crowd and an amazing sunset).
I loved having
the opportunity to show everyone around Mongu and while at times it was a bit
hectic with so many people, I would do it again this weekend in a heartbeat…in
fact, I’m told there is a smaller “Kuomboka-like” ceremony taking place in a
village just outside of Mongu this coming weekend. Maybe I’ll try to go...I can't get enough. Although I wish all of my friends would come back. I miss them already. :(
I have some
pictures up in my photo album so please take a look. And I recommend if you are ever in Zambia in
the Western Province around the time of Kuomboka…you must attend. It was amazing.
 |
| Group shot (most of the group anyway). |
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Kuomboka. It's almost time.
Kuomboka is
coming. April 20, 2013. We have been waiting for this date to be announced for months yet I think they are just organizing for the ceremony this week. Oh, how I love Africa and last minute planning. I will be hosting about 15 people in my humble house (I’ve told them they all have to sleep on the floor because
I don’t have beds) as we enjoy the ceremony.
Look for pictures coming soon but for now read up on Kuomboka (click on the link below) which means "getting out of water." Or of course you can google Kuomboka and find lots of information.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Easter and Music in Zambia.
During Easter
weekend, I don’t think I ate a single bit of chocolate?? Or attended any religious functions for that
matter! :) But I did watch a lot of live music? In Africa, you find new ways to celebrate
holidays, I suppose.
I ended up making my way with a few friends (via a couple of buses and taxis) to Siavonga (which is a beautiful little town/village on Lake Kariba which I think I wrote about when I went there for a work function a few months ago) where they were holding a Zambian music festival. Although this was the first year this festival was being held, we had been told that “thousands” of people were expected to attend so were anxious to check it out and enjoy music outside by the lake. Unfortunately, the “thousands” number had been quite inflated. I would guess that maybe a hundred people were there? After the initial shock of realizing we were going to be dancing mostly alone (oh well?!), we figured it was still a beautiful setting and there was great music? So we enjoyed our time anyway…hopefully next year more people will take advantage of the opportunity to hear some great music. Just so you can feel like you were almost there with me (!), check out the links below (I tried to give a sample of just a few of the great artists)! I have to say that Zambian music is slowly growing on me…
I ended up making my way with a few friends (via a couple of buses and taxis) to Siavonga (which is a beautiful little town/village on Lake Kariba which I think I wrote about when I went there for a work function a few months ago) where they were holding a Zambian music festival. Although this was the first year this festival was being held, we had been told that “thousands” of people were expected to attend so were anxious to check it out and enjoy music outside by the lake. Unfortunately, the “thousands” number had been quite inflated. I would guess that maybe a hundred people were there? After the initial shock of realizing we were going to be dancing mostly alone (oh well?!), we figured it was still a beautiful setting and there was great music? So we enjoyed our time anyway…hopefully next year more people will take advantage of the opportunity to hear some great music. Just so you can feel like you were almost there with me (!), check out the links below (I tried to give a sample of just a few of the great artists)! I have to say that Zambian music is slowly growing on me…
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