| Wednesday, May 31, 2006 |
| hello from Africa |
As I was about to get into bed about 2 seconds ago, I heard all this rustling coming from behind my door. So I flung it open, and there was a cute little lizard just hanging out on the back of my door! I tried to take his picture so I could introduce him to all of you out there, but he ran away.
Better luck next time.
I barely know where to begin writing. What should I write about first? The smells. The people. The weather. The food. The houses. The roads. The customs that I'm not familiar with. The people I'm staying with. The clinic. Where to begin?
I guess I'll start with the clinic. I haven't been there yet. So there isn't much to tell. It is a clinic run by this Baptist mission, and hopefully I'll get to go tomorrow. Today we figured I should see a little of the towns around here, so I went around with Lorna (the woman who runs things around here). We went to the post office to exchange my money. The currency here is kwacha; there are about 3000 kwacha per 1 US dollar. We met the Chief of the tribe (I don't know the name of the tribe) and talked with him at his Palace. It was an honor to be invited into his palace, apparently. :) We had lunch at a local restaurant - I'm putting in a link about Zambian food so that I don't have to write it all out. So if you want to check out the food, go to this site:
http://www.bridgewater.edu/~mtembo/nshimachapter1.htm
The roads are interesting. Everyone drives on the left, which is different for me. There are no speed limits, and the roads are full of potholes (some more than others). Drivers use their turn signals for many things other than turning ... for example, when you are driving on a road without a street light and there is a car coming toward you in the right lane, you put your right blinker on so that he knows you are on the left side of the street. He also puts his blinker on. Another use: when you are passing someone, you put your blinker on the whole time you are passing them. This is so other cars around know that you are still in the right lane and they shouldn't try to get over too.
I don't want to write too much, so I guess I'll stop there. Maybe I should quickly talk about where I'm staying? The place is a Baptist mission; they run the clinic and a Bible school here. There are two Americans that have been here for 12 years and another couple that has been here for 2 years. They each have a house. There's an office building and two other house buildings where other Americans stay when they come. I'm staying in a house with a girl from Kansas City, and there are two boys in the other house. Tonight we played a game called Farkle (I'm guessing on the spelling...) at the boys' house. It's a game where you roll dice and get points, but that really has nothing to do with Zambian culture. :o)
Here is a picture of the living room and kitchen of my house. Mostly because I haven't taken any other good ones. Maybe I'll put one up of my room, too.
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posted by emily @ 6:02 PM  |
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| 9 Comments: |
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What's kind of frightening is that you were going to bed when I was talking to you tonight. Now I'm going to bed, and you're probably getting up. Definitely weird.
Thanks for the update! I want to see the lizard next time he's around. ;) Love you!
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hehe I am awake now ... it's 7 am here and 1 am there. so now YOU are asleep! :o)
We just got up and went for a walk. Maybe tomorrow I'll bring my camera and take some pictures while we're walking.
There was a frog in the bathroom this morning. :o) Maybe he knows where the lizard is ...
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Hey Em.Uncle Ed here. Thankful you made it safe and sound. Staying with someone from K.C.? Better be a Brett fan haha. Talk to you soon.By the way,Aunt Terry's ice creram/coughing pattern continues to this day.Still cracks me up... E
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We are so glad you are there safely - your guardian angel did her job! I love your experiences with the "wild-life"! Living in Florida for the winter we are very used to the lizards and frogs - down there, the lizards eat ants so are very welcome. Your house looks very comfortable. Do you have to prepare your own meals? That should be interesting with the strange foods!
Love you - lots of hugs!
Grandma
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Wow, that's so cool. Glad you got there safe!!
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And you know, ice cream makes me cough too.
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hi mookie! it's great to hear from you!
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i'm going on under an assumed name..."andre reed" guess who?
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lol ice cream occasionally makes me cough too. well, it makes me want to cough. so I do it so that I can think of Aunt Terry. ;o) hehe
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 - Name: emily
- Location: United States
Then I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
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What's kind of frightening is that you were going to bed when I was talking to you tonight. Now I'm going to bed, and you're probably getting up. Definitely weird.
Thanks for the update! I want to see the lizard next time he's around. ;) Love you!