Rain, Grading and Mukoyo

Right on schedule, with the rainy season beginning tomorrow the first rain showers have begun to fall. The rest of the week looks as if it is supposed to thunderstorm. It’s strange hearing thunder in the distance after so many months of just the same weather. The best part about the rain, though, is that it has brought the temperature down. I would say it has dropped the temperature 20 degrees. It still is fairly hot, but I do enjoy the 70’s more than the 90’s. It makes sleeping much more comfortable too.

It is funny to see the monks fearing the change in temperature. I saw Br. Paul wearing a winter jacket yesterday. Dang, the temperature has dropped, but not that much. I wore my raincoat the other day (thankfully I brought one because it looks as if I will need it) and I was sweating in it. I don’t know how some people can wear winter jackets in this heat.

The rain does cause some problems, though. My long walks are a little more difficult, but I don’t let the rain stop me. I have a small draw-string backpack that I bring with me that carries the packs of cookies/biscuits/crackers (whatever you want to call them) and my raincoat. However, I feel as if laundry will be a bit more difficult. We rely on the sun to dry our clothes so hopefully I can find an opening in my Sundays to hang my clothes to dry.

I have begun to buy multiple kinds of cookies for the kids. I enjoy handing them out and because I do so I have formed a small possè. I tend to have 8 to 10 kids follow me for several miles now. I don’t mind, but I also don’t want them to become accustomed to getting free stuff from the ‘white guy’. So I make sure to switch up who I give the cookies to and also am teaching them how to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in English. Additionally, I have learned how to say “No more” in Bemba so I can let them know that they won’t be receiving any more for that day. It is “Inshikweta” (all of my Bemba spellings are probably wrong, but that’s how it looks in my head). Each kid gets one cookie, but some try to sneak back in to grab another when I am handing them out to a large group. I make sure to line them up now so one kid doesn’t receive more than another.

I was on my walk yesterday when it began to rain. It wasn’t too bad and I had planned on just walking through it, but Cheen, my Chinese friend, came by in his pick-up truck. They have one for the construction workers. He gave me a ride back to the monastery which was about a mile away. It was nice of him and it was also nice to be in a truck again. He has invited me to stop by where the construction workers live sometime in the future. I think that could be fun.

When I asked Cheen where he lived in China he said near Shanghai. He said that he actually prefers Zambia, though. I thought that was interesting. Zambia is wonderful, but I wouldn’t choose it over Minnesota.

I also ran into Cheapo, the 29 year old I used to tutor, and he has invited me over to his house again. I will be going over to see his family next Friday around 17 hours (5:00pm). I told him I would bring some mango juice and cookies for his kids and some paper and pens for him and his wife. He has been asking for some so I thought I would help out. It’s nice being invited over by the locals. I am well-known around here now, it seems.

I tested my students on the health and disease unit on Thursday. A few received 100%’s which made me happy. Many did not, but I have marked those kids so I can help them study. I told my kids that the best way to study is by testing yourself. If you ask yourself the question and are able to conjure up the answer than you know it; if not, then you can go back and review your notes. It seems to have worked for some kids. I have found that some kids know English much better than others which obviously puts them at an advantage.

Like any classroom around the world, cheating was taking place during the test. I try my best to stifle the cheating (take their notebooks, move kids around, and no talking) but with three to a desk it becomes almost impossible. My biggest problem with cheating isn’t the cheating itself. It’s the fact that I won’t know who needs extra help and attention. The one’s who tend to cheat are the students who don’t know or understand the information, but because of the cheating still score well enough to slip underneath my radar. I don’t care what grade they get, but I do care if they know the information or not.

…and this, my friends, is the biggest problem our grading system creates. If I went into Lakeville South High School right now and asked any kid whether they would receive an “A” and not understand the information well or receive a “C” and receive additional help to completely learn the material I could guarantee every kid would respond with the first answer. Why? This is easy. It is because an “A” will get you into a better college. An “A” will get you a better job. An “A” is highly praised. Now, do we need a system to measure the intelligence and understanding of our students? Yes and the grading scale has proved to be the best so far. However, the downfall is that students do not learn all the information and are not motivated to receive help if they know all they need to do is work hard enough to receive a decent grade on a test. This pushes everyone to aim for the grade and not the knowledge. Hence the problem.

(I’ll try to tackle another one of our society’s downfalls next week, but onto other things…)

One student named Logic came to me today and asked for some additional help. I was able to spend a few hours this morning reviewing some material I have taught this term. I was glad to see that he came to me because he seemed like one who didn’t care and was just trying to scrape by. However, at my Frisbee group yesterday I think he finally warmed up to me and felt comfortable enough to ask for help. He can write in English, but cannot speak the language very well. So, in order to describe blood sugar regulation I used some berries from a nearby tree. I had four berries in my hand (too much blood sugar) and stated that I want only two. I had drawn a diagram in class which he had in his notes so I used this to help explain what happens when we have too much blood sugar (release of insulin). Then asked him to state what would happen to the berries if insulin was released. After some time he was able to understand that the blood sugar (the berries) would decrease and the blood sugar would become normal. I must resort to using other means to explain the material when there is such a strong language barrier. It was a good experience.

Also, today another student who isn’t in my class has asked me to help tutor him on Tuesdays. I said I would help out and teach him some biology at 11:00am on Tuesdays. It seems as if I am becoming known for my teaching and work in the clinic.

My Frisbee study groups have become more and more popular. The students seem to love Frisbee and the best part is that it is quite easy and anyone can do it. Therefore, students who aren’t even in my class have begun to show up. I love it. I had around 15 kids at my study group yesterday which is the most I have had so far. I know it’s not a ton, but when you start with two and now have 15 it’s a success.

Lately, at meals there has been a homemade soft drink. It is a cloudy, murky brown colored liquid. It is called the Mukoyo drink. It is made of mukoyo’s and maize (I think…I struggle with understanding what the locals say sometimes. They say things very fast and mainly in Bemba). Anyways, as I do with most things I haven’t tried, I tried it. Woof…dang son…it was rough. It is the local African soft drink which also becomes the local African beer if you allow it to ferment. Let’s just say that I will be sticking with water from here on out. The Africans pound the stuff like it’s going out of style, though. Not sure how they do it, but they seem to enjoy it.

Mukoyo’s fall from trees and are small little round balls that, if opened up, have multiple seeds inside. Then you suck on the seeds and spit them out. These taste much better than the drink, but there nothing to freak about. Additionally, it can be dangerous to collect mukoyos because snakes also enjoy them. With the rain now falling a lot of the snakes are being driven out of their holes. They like to feed on the mukoyos and you wouldn’t want to get caught battling a snake for one.

Finally, the big news around here is that Tanzania has just elected a Catholic president. The president of Tanzania usually flip-flops between a Muslim and a Catholic. It used to be a Muslim, but for the next 5 years it will be a Catholic. The population of Tanzania is 50% Christian and 50% Muslim (at least that’s what Prior Nzota told me) and, therefore, the presidential office usually flops between the two.

Well, it’s Halloween back home so I hope everyone enjoys their day. Halloween is not a holiday here. Also, happy daylight savings America - considering you’re one of the only countries that follow it. Mom and Dad, this will push me 8 hours ahead of you in Minnesota. Just so you know.

Thanks for reading!

Piknik Biscuits, Cheen and Music

Due to my visitor permit expense I had to withdraw some more kwacha from the bank. Luckily, the exchange rate has gone up even more. It sits close to 12 kwacha to 1 dollar. I plan to spend some of my remaining kwacha on Piknik crackers/cookies to distribute to the village kids. Piknik is a very popular brand of cracker in Africa. I remember having them when I lived in South Africa; very good and quite tasty. Even better is that they are fairly cheap. They are like the African form of an Oreo. Oreo’s are better, but we’ll take what we can get. They call them biscuits here, but they are more of a cracker.

As you know, I enjoy my long walks. Many kids come up to me and greet me while on these walks and so now I have begun to bring a bag of Piknik crackers with me each time. I give each kid a cracker when I pass and by the expression on their face you’d think I had just given them 20 dollars. I am unsure of what their meals consist of but I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the best thing they receive all day. It is nice to see how happy they become from such a small offering. I also give them to adults who are walking down the road. They are usually coming home from work or some kind of labor. They tend to say “Thanks, boss” when I hand them one.

The traditional way of saying ‘thank you’ in Bemba is to say nototela (pronounced: not-toe-tay-la). Furthermore, in this area of Africa (I am unsure if it is common in others) it is polite to bow a bit upon receiving a gift. They bend their knees half way and make a small bow and then grab the cracker. It’s something I am not use to seeing, but it’s neat to experience. 

I also feel as if doing this is helps defeat the idea that the ‘white man’ is scary. I am sure to some of the younger kids who have never seen a white person before that the experience can be somewhat frightening. I hope this shows that I am nice and wanting to help. It also allows me to get to know the kids a bit better. It’s still very difficult to communicate because they do not know English, but with the little Bemba I know I can at least get to know their names and ages.

Now, even if I buy a bag of crackers each day I will still have some left over kwacha so I hope I am able to exchange some for dollars. I doubt any American currency exchange accepts this kind of currency, but maybe I can find one here that will help me.

The other day I was taking a walk when I ran into a Chinese man by the name of Cheen (I think that’s what he said his name was). There are a few Chinese men who have moved into Katibunga to start work on the new secondary school and to pave the road which I like to call the “Highway to Hell”. They must think so too because they have finally decided to start working on it.

I think China has agreed to help Zambia out in exchange for some natural resources. At least that’s what the rumors are. I could be wrong, but it wouldn’t surprise me. As I was speaking with Cheen he told me that it will take some time to pave the road and that construction on it won’t happen until sometime next year. Like I have said before, it takes a while for things to get moving here in Africa.

It was nice to meet Cheen and I have seen him around a couple times since then; usually while on my walks. He speaks some broken English so when I asked him if he enjoys exercise he smiled, pointed at his fairly big belly, laughed and said “too much.” Ha so I guess he sees this as an opportunity to lose some weight. He’s a nice guy.

Lately, I have begun to meditate for 15 to 30 minutes each day. I tend to have some time right before midday prayer and lunch so I use it to just relax and meditate. Now, when you think of me meditating you probably are thinking of me sitting in cross-legged position with my arms out the side with my middle finger and thumb touching. I suppose this is one way to meditate, but I enjoy just laying down on the blanket that I still have from my KLM flight. Sometimes I will play some music, but other times I just lay there. I guess this is could be seen as just resting, but meditation focuses on relaxing. I try to find where I am stressed and then relax that part of my body. 

Another beneficial thing to do is muscle relaxation. I learn this in one of my psychology classes. What you want to do is flex a specific muscle as hard as you can for 5-10 seconds and then let it go limp. Do this three times for each muscle. This allows that muscle to become completely relaxed. It feels great.

I guess I just want to use my free time in trying new things. I would never meditate at home, but considering I have some time I might as well try it out.

Recently, some of the younger monks have approached me about getting some American music. I must say, if there is one thing that America has over the rest of the world its music. Man, our music is so much better it’s insane. I don’t mind all the music here, but it’s very repetitive and there is a lot of random screaming. Yes, it’s neat and cool but there isn’t much variety. This is probably why they want me to help them get some American tunes. They really want hip-hop and rap artists like Nicki Minaj, Eminem and Rhianna. I am a fan, but find it funny that they all want the same thing. You can obviously tell what kind of music makes it to this part of the world.

My teaching is going well and I am having a great time teaching biology. My after-school Frisbee study groups on Mondays and Fridays seem to be popular. A good amount of kids show up and some kids who aren’t even in my class come to play. They think that it is the coolest game and always thank me for teaching them (even though it’s not very difficult to do so). I plan to leave the Frisbee with the kids when I move to a new country around Christmas time.

Some of my students playing Frisbee at my study group!

I have created another test for my students which will take place tomorrow. Thursday class periods run a bit longer and this is why I plan for my tests to be on Thursdays. It gives them more time to take the test and to think about the problems. This test will cover what we learned during the month of October which is the health and disease unit. The next unit I will cover is the nervous system and sense organs. This is the unit I have been waiting to teach. Considering I have a degree in psychology I know a good amount about the nervous system and brain. I think it will be a fun unit. Additionally, back in September, my mother was able to send some photos and diagrams of the parts of the brain and sense organs (eye, ear, etc.) through text message which will help the students visualize the working parts of each organ much better.

My work in the clinic has been going well. However, things have slowed down a bit and less people have been stopping in. I will take this as a positive, though. They must be healthy if they aren’t coming to the clinic. Although, the rainy season is approaching quickly and there are multiple days of thunderstorms in next week’s forecast. The reason this may cause some people to become ill is because with more water comes more mosquitos. I am sure I will have to deal with some malaria cases before I leave Zambia.

Personally, I am looking forward to the rain and thunderstorms. It seems as if things are right on schedule. The first thunderstorm appears to be on November 1^st which also marks the first day of rainy season. As much as sunny-with-blue-sky days are nice it will be nice to have some change in weather.

Well, that’s all for now.

Thanks for reading!

Visitor Permit, The African Walk and Independence Day

This is what has caused so much
trouble this past week.

The third time is the charm. I made my way back to Chinsali one last time in order to get my visitor permit. I had packed my things and was ready to leave if needed, though. I would have made for the Tanzanian border. Luckily, things finally seemed to go in my favor and the immigration officer granted me a three month visitor permit. This will allow me to fulfill the rest of my time in Zambia. It is nice not having to leave my students in the middle of their term or leaving Violet alone at the clinic. The visitor permit will allow me to finish what I have started here.

Now that the stress of getting my permit has passed I can now focus on my teaching, work at the clinic and the Abasambi Project. All of it seems to be going well which is nice. These things consume most of my free time, but with the time I have remaining I use in multiple ways. I have begun to play chess on my computer. I love the game of chess and played it a lot when I was young. My brother and I also would play it during Christmas break. Playing against the computer is difficult, but fun and a good challenge. It is nice to refresh my skills and be able to play a game I love.

Another way I spend my free time is prepping for the GRE. If I decide to obtain a graduate degree I will need to take the GRE. I brought a GRE practice book with me to Africa and it is nice to go through and work on many of the questions. When preparing for exams such as the ACT and GRE it makes me think about how strange the education system is. In America we have a phenomenal education system and being in Africa only makes that more clear to me. However, isn’t it a bit crazy that one number (your ACT or GRE score) determines your future, but it takes two numbers to measure your own a**. Crazy, but that’s how it works. Anyways, the prep is going well and it does help pass the time.

When in Africa you notice all the differences between the American and African cultures. One thing that is hard to miss is what we call the ‘African Walk’. Africans tend to walk much slower than others. I know I am generalizing, but things are just a bit slower around here. When on my long walks I will see people close to a mile ahead of me and I will end up passing them. They just walk at a much slower pace. I am working on my ‘African Walk’ but it is difficult for a guy who walks fast for an American. So, I think I will just stick with my own pace.

When in Chinsali the other day I walked into a small shop and noticed the newspaper sitting on the table. I took a look at the front page which had an article about the president of Zambia. President Edgar Lungu has called the nation to fast, pray and repent. Now you know I wasn’t kidding when I said Zambia was a Christian nation. Anyways, the nation has been having problems with gathering enough resources and goods so the president has called for prayer. It seems as if this notion has been recognized and accepted by the people as well. So, as of now, the president and many people plan to pray and ask for guidance on how to become a better and more prosperous nation.

When coming home from Chinsali I noticed a car full of white people in Katibunga. When they saw me they seemed to not believe their eyes. They probably were wondering what a white kid from America was doing way out in the bush of Africa. I believe these people were coming from a safari and just passing through, but it was funny to see them because I haven’t seen a white person in some time now. I know that I am the only on in the surrounding villages – that’s for sure.

The monastery’s reservoir became clogged with mud this past week which caused some issues with water flow. When the water flow is affected it tends to have a chain effect on everything else. The monks quickly grouped together and worked to clear the reservoir, though, which has helped the water flow. It’s nice to have everything working again.

Someone recently asked me what the hardest part about volunteering is. There are many challenges about volunteering in Africa like the distance from home, the new culture, the way of life and the lack of everyday items that we have become accustomed to in America such as internet and clean water. However, I wouldn’t say any of those are the hardest part.

The hardest part, I think, is the exhaustion. Many probably think the life of a volunteer is nice and easy-going and it is at some points. Yet, when volunteering you are constantly giving; giving your time, energy, resources and love. This is exhausting because it becomes difficult to refill these areas. Just as a car needs to be refilled after being driven a long ways the same goes for people. This is another reason why I go for long walks or go to bed early (besides the fact that it gets super dark and there isn’t much else to do). I need to take some time to refill and gain back some energy. This is a part of the volunteer experience that I believe is glazed over often. It isn’t a bad thing that I become exhausted, but it is important to know how to handle it in order to keep moving forward.

October 24^th is Independence Day in Zambia. Many celebrations will be taking place today.

Well, it’s about time for me to start work at the clinic. I can’t believe the end of October is already upon us. I hope everyone’s Halloween costumes are planned and the candy bowl has been filled. (Mom – you should totally save me some candy for when I come home next summer…just saying haha) J

Thanks for reading!

One Word, Abasambi Project and World Maps

One word, my friends, one word. I traveled back to Chinsali with Br. Simeon yesterday and had everything they asked for (cover letter stating my reasons for being in the country, verified passport photos and passport, money, bank statement and application forms), but was denied because of one word on my cover letter which was written by Fr. Nzota. 

The letter was the exact same one that he wrote for the volunteers last year, but for reason it did not work for me. It was supposed to say "please grant Joseph a visitors permit" but it had said "please grant Joseph a work permit" which is what they told me to say last Friday. The officer yesterday told me this was unacceptable and that I shouldn't have listened to the other officer. I respond with "I'm sorry, I'm confused. How am I supposed to know which officer is telling the correct information and which one is not?" I couldn't believe it. Last Friday they were mad at me because I said I was volunteering at the school, but trying to get a visitors permit when I should be getting a work permit. So, I did as they asked and went for a work permit. Now they are saying I should be applying for a visitor permit. Dang, man, just tell me what the heck you want!? They keep flipping back and forth. 

So, I must travel back to Katibunga and have Fr. Nzota change this one word that they couldn't seem to get over (I said that we could just cross it out, but that idea was dismissed as well). They aren't very efficient and don't seem to want to compromise very much. Everything seems to take longer than it has too (that's probably a bit of the American in me coming out, but it does take awhile to complete things in Africa).

Downtown Chinsali

Then I will have to travel back and turn it all in on Thursday. Of course, Zambia's Independence Day is on Saturday which means government offices will be closing on Thursday at noon which means I must leave Katibunga at 5 or 6 in the morning to get there before they close. I'm seriously considering packing my bags just in case I need to hop on a bus and get across the border before my visa expires on Friday. I'm guessing the problem with that scenario would be that the public holiday will shut down the border patrol/immigration. I hope not. The only positive I could see is that they may let me pass on Monday considering I was unable to leave due to the holiday. I hope it doesn't come to that, but we will just have to see.

The monastery has assured me that I will be able to get the permit on Thursday, but that doesn't mean I'm not a bit nervous because so far the immigration office in Chinsali hasn't been any good to me. Even the monks and Zambians are telling me that immigration is treating me very unfairly. Not only is this costly because I must keep traveling back and forth, but it also will now come down to a few hours before my visa expires. The sad thing is none of this will matter three months from now either.

I will keep trying, though. 

As for other things...

I have just kick-started the Abasambi Project! The word 'abasambi' means student in Bemba which is the local language in this region of Zambia. I am going to run the project for ten weeks. Each week I will post a new photo, fact and the donation link to Facebook to try and get as many people as I can to donate. The money raised will benefit the students at Katibunga Primary and Secondary school. The money will be divided between students' tuition fees, textbooks and medicine for the students at the local clinic. The main objective is to keep as many kids in school as possible while giving them the best possible education. I hope the project is a success. 

Please remember, if you do donate it is important that you write "Abasambi Project" in the comments box prior to submitting your donation to the Benedictine Volunteer Corps. This way we know that the money should be given to the Abasambi Project for the kids in Zambia.

Donation Link: https://secure.squarespace.com/commerce/donate?donatePageId=5459255ae4b0632613863853

When gathering the required items for my visitors permit in Mpika on Monday I was able to check the post office. I finally received the first package my parents sent me back in August! Two months later, but it made it. That made my week! It is nice having a package and the school supplies are wonderful. The kids will love them. Additionally, my sweet tooth is very satisfied by the big bag of Starburst! Thank you, Mom and Dad! The world map you sent is being displayed proudly outside the head teachers office for all the students to enjoy! 

The world map at Katibunga Secondary School

As I was eating my piece of bread for breakfast the other day I noticed one of the brothers putting honey on his piece. I love honey so I asked if I may use some. He said of course and so I did. I noticed when I squeezed it out of the bottle that there were black specks in it. I thought that was funny and so I looked closer. There were about two hundred little ants mixed in with the honey that I just spread over my bread. It must be how they package the honey. They don't pull the ants out before they package it or they get in afterwards. So, that morning I dined on some black ants. I guess I can check that off the bucket list.

Fr. Francis, who is from the Philippines, recently left to go and start a new community in a city nearby. He has been stationed in Katibunga since January 2014 and has been given a new assignment. I really liked Fr. Francis because he was hard working and really brought life to the Katibunga Monastery. I guess it makes sense that he was the one chosen to start a new community then.

I have begun a Monday and Friday after-school study group for my biology class. I have a Frisbee and so I meet my kids near the school and pass the Frisbee around with them. As I do so I make sure to ask them questions and quiz them on topics I have taught them. I think this is a good way to make learning more fun and to help them retain the material. 

Starbursts are the best!

As I was speaking with a few of my students last week they asked me if I had any children and if I was married. I told them no to which they seemed a bit surprised. They told me that some students in my class already have children of their own which amazed me. That is quite young to have children. However, this part of the world is much different than our part so it is quite normal for young girls to have babies in their mid-late teen years. This is another reason why I hope the Abasambi Project  does well. Girls need to know that they have opportunities and a future outside of the norm which is just getting married and having kids. They need to stay in school and be allowed to pursue bigger and better opportunities.

The other day I found an old bike in the monastery garage and asked if I could take it for a spin. They told me I could. It was great being on a bike again. As a kid I biked and skateboarded miles around town with friends. It felt freeing to get on a bike and peddle off down the dusty road in Katibunga. I went for a few miles and then brought it back. I haven't been able to find the bike since then, but it was nice to take it for a ride.

Rooster!

As we were driving home from Chinsali yesterday (a 3 hour car ride one way) we encountered some goats crossing the road. You can find wild goats, roosters and chickens all over Zambia. My mother would enjoy seeing the roosters because she likes them. However, the goats are much like the deer to us in America. I explained to Br. Simeon that many people crash into deer in America, but not so many goats. He thought that was wild because people crash into goats here and never deer.

Also, on the way home we stopped to visit Br. Simeon's sisters (so his Uncle's daughters). When you visit someone they always bring out a chair for you to sit on. It's something I have come to notice. Whenever I stop by a house in a village they bring out a chair for me to rest. Interesting.

My hair is getting quite long now. I have been growing it out since March and plan to grow it until I can donate my hair to a program that uses hair to make wigs for kids who cannot grow hair. I think they may like my red hair. However, my beard is also beginning to grow out. The charger that charges my trimmer burned out because of the high voltage in the outlets in Africa. This part of the world uses a stronger current than we do in the USA. I was still surprised because I used a converter and everything, but it no longer charges. I think I have one more trim of battery left in my trimmer which I will use around Christmas I think. Hopefully when I transfer locations I find someone that can lend me their trimmer so I don't have to grow my beard out for several months ha! 

Well, that's all for now. Yes, things are a bit more stressful than I would like, but it definitely adds to the experience of being in Africa. I'll make it, though. Just appreciate the ease of living in America.

Thanks for reading! 

Chinsali or Bust

Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday on Thursday. You made my day that much better. I would have never guessed I would be turning 23 living in Zambia, but here I am. Its interesting being gone for special events like holidays and birthdays, but that is just a part of living abroad and adds to the experience.

As for Friday, though, things were much less fun. My trip to Chinsali (which is actually 3 hours away from Katibunga) was so unsuccessful it hurt. I was unable to renew my visa. The trip to Chinsali started at 6:00AM. Along our ride we picked up well over 15 people and continuously dropped them off at different villages. I guess that’s just what they do here. Anyways, once we got to the immigration office in Chinsali they told me that I was unable to get my visitor’s permit. They told me that I should have communicated with the immigration office in Mpika before coming because I needed to fill out an application form. I told them that I did communicate with them and that they did not have any application forms and so they told me to go to Chinsali. The immigration officer reiterated his foolish point about communication once again when, in reality, they were the ones not communicating properly. Their office should be in communication with Mpika’s about what is needed for visitor permits so they can tell people like me before I am forced to go travelling all over God’s green earth for the answer. Things like this really drive me up the wall.

So, there I was without the required forms and items. They told me I must get two passport size photos, a letter from the Katibunga Monastery informing them that they are hosting me (even though there was a monk sitting right next to me this entire time) and that I needed to fill out two packets of application forms. So, I started filling out the forms, they photocopied my passport, I told them I had the money for the permit and we were even able to get the little photos. I can’t believe it but we found a small shop with a guy that had a camera and a printer so I paid him to take my photos. We also emailed the monastery so they could email a letter stating they are in charge of me.

I bring all of this back to the office and they tell me that the emailed letter is unacceptable. RIGHT AFTER THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE FINE. I’m sorry, but really. Really. Is this a joke? I know rage is considered a deadly sin, but I almost lost it because of how crazy this had become. But wait…it wasn’t over. Then, after running all over town to complete these tasks, they had more for us to do. They said we needed to show them the monastery’s bank statement so they know they have sufficient funds which will help me leave the country when my time is up (it’s stuff like this that just causes everyone a big pain in the a**), that I needed a new letter from Katibunga Monastery and that my photos must be certified by the police (for whatever reason).

Now, you’re probably thinking that this was some scam or something - that these people aren’t actually the immigration officers. Heck, I almost wish I could tell you that was the case, but unfortunately these were them. This is the stuff I have to do to get my permit. My current visa expires next Friday and Chinsali is a 3 hour car ride away from where I am. This is beyond stressful.

Anyways, sorry if I sound crazy, but it was a rough day. I am sure it will get worked out, but I just can’t believe that it’s so hard for a volunteer to stay a few extra weeks to help out their country. Sheeesh. I once heard that visa stuff was never fun – now there’s an understatement.

Plus, I had to miss my study group I have created for my class. I have a Frisbee that I we pass around and while doing so I quiz them on information I taught them in the past week. It’s really fun. They have never seen or played with a Frisbee before so they enjoy it too. I have come to really enjoy teaching these kids.

This is why I will be starting the Abasambi Project (a donation fundraiser for the students at my school) this week. I will make sure to explain it all in my next blog. Additionally, I think I will try to start accessing the internet only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. With Zack gone I will have more internet time (I think) and so if I conserve it I may be able to make it last longer.

Well, I have more to talk about, but I am tired so I will leave the other stuff for next time.

A BIG shout out to Abb on her 22^nd birthday tomorrow! I love you and I hope you have a wonderful day in Denver! I couldn’t have asked for a better twin! Happy birthday!

Thanks for reading!

Mango Juice, Culture and My 23rd Birthday

Yesterday I went out to the workshop with Br. Max. The workshop is a fairly large facility where they process maize and put it into bags for storage and selling. With the rainy months approaching quickly the month of October is crucial for processing and storing maize. This will help with getting through the rainy months when food becomes scarce and harvesting is hard to accomplish.

Today, I was supposed to make the trek into Chinsali to renew my Zambian visa. It was put off on Friday and then again on Monday for some reason so I thought today would be the day. I was wrong. In America when someone says they are going to do something there is about a 98% chance that something will get done. In Africa it’s about 10%. Now I am supposed to be going tomorrow or Friday. It looks like I may be spending my birthday in a car traveling to Chinsali. I just hope it happens so I can become a Zambian citizen for another 90 days!

As I venture out into the village every day I can’t help but notice how many people are drunk. Each day you are able to find someone intoxicated no matter what time it is. There is a bad alcohol problem in each society, but especially in one’s like Katibunga. Things are undeveloped, there isn’t much to do during the day and most people are uneducated. Therefore, alcoholics emerge. It is quite easy to get alcohol because there are a few shops (like 2 or 3) that sell alcohol and they make sure to stock up on it because the shop owners know that it will be bought. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that alcohol was the number one purchased item.

I once was walking to school at 7:30AM and a number of men approached me to say hi and it was very evident that they were inebriated (hammered). Yes, at 7:30AM. The drinking age is 18 here so it is also very easy for students to drink. Also, no one cards (probably because nobody has an ID) which means anyone can purchase.

This is another reason why I make sure to touch on how bad alcohol is during class. I have had some students tell me that they would like to stop drinking and smoking which is great to hear. Will they? I have no idea, but it is good sign to hear that they are questioning their habits and health choices.

I have found one shop that does sell mango juice, though, which is fantastic because I love mango juice. It costs 5 kwacha which is 50 cents because the exchange rate has now become 10 kwacha to 1 US dollar. So I have now created Mango Juice Thursdays. I make sure to buy one each Thursday after class just to sweeten things up. With the lack of sugar in the food/diet it is nice to have something sweet.

Lately I have noticed that my name is becoming much more popular and well-known. I go for my long walks (which have increased to about 10 miles) and the village kids run outside to yell ‘hi’ and ‘how are you’ which are now followed by Joseph. I am unsure if they know that Joseph is my name or if that is what word they have come to call the ‘white man’ ha either way works for me.

I tend to follow my long walks with a few minutes of jump roping. I brought a jump rope to Africa to help with my exercise. It is nice to switch things up a bit. My legs are super sore, but after doing this for a number of weeks that will go away. All the exercise helps with sleeping at night. It tends to get quite hot at night, but after wearing myself out during the day sleep comes quite easy.

Sundays have become my days for laundry. Considering Sundays are the lazy days because there isn’t any work to do I fill my mornings with cleaning my clothes. I actually like it because it is relaxing and I enjoy being able to clean my own things. Additionally, a few other monks clean their clothes at this time which allows me to speak with them.

Through doing my laundry by hand I have come to appreciate yet another thing about life in America. Water softener. Seriously, I would have never thought I would come to appreciate something all of us never think about. After scrubbing the dirt from my clothes and rinsing them I hang them on the clothes line to dry. When I come back in the evening to pick them up my clothes are tough and crusty. This is because there is no water softener. All you have to do is shake out each piece of clothing till it becomes flimsy and soft again, but it does make you think and appreciate all the small things in life.

When doing laundry, the monks and I tend to discuss a few different topics with one being culture. I find it crucial to understand one’s culture to understand them and their way of life. Just like understanding religion can help you understand the reasons why someone does something the same goes for culture.

Br. Adrian (who once was Br. Frederick, but has now taken a new name) and I were discussing the differences between American and Zambian cultures. The topic of marriage was brought up. Br. Adrian explained to me that Zambians are able to marry their cousins. However, their cousins are their dad’s sister’s children (or something like that). It’s super confusing. The father’s family is regarded as higher than the mothers so everything is done on the father’s side. This doesn’t mean they must marry their cousins, but they can. It is common for cousins to call one another ‘husband’ or ‘wife’. For example, “How is my husband doing today?” would be appropriate even if they are not married. Interesting.

Furthermore, the father’s brother (the uncle) has more control over the children than the father does. Personally, this doesn’t make any sense to me, but that’s just the Zambian culture. For example, if I wanted to marry I would go to my Uncle Tom and ask him to help find me a wife. In this culture, it would be weird to go to your father and ask.

Just as we must understand culture we must also understand religion. Zambia is a Christian nation, but Tanzania is not. Tanzania obviously has Christianity, but it also has other religions such as Islam. So, religious celebrations in Zambia are much more accepted and open than they are in Tanzania. I’m not saying that because there is Islam in Tanzania that there is conflict, but it just adds another dynamic. I believe it is extremely important to understand culture and religion in order to understand humanity. We can find out so much from exploring both topics.

Tomorrow is my 23^rd birthday! Wooooo! It will be strange to be celebrating it by myself, but it will be good to experience it like this at least once in my life. Hey, I’ll have my mango juice to sweeten it up ha. I will be kicking-off a fundraising project next week so if you feel inclined to give me something for my birthday you can just donate the $5 to the project that will raise money for the students at my school. I’ll explain more in my next post.

Happy 23^rd Birthday to me!

Thanks for reading!

Health Education, New Shirt and the Size of our Worlds

Yesterday I was supposed to head to Chinsali to renew my visa. Chinsali is about an hour and a half to two hours away so the drive was planned for the morning. Unfortunately, a water pipe broke and the driver, Br. Simeon, had to stay and fix it. Therefore, I ended up staying back too. Now that it is the weekend the immigration office is closed so I hope to go on Monday. I need to go soon so everything can be processed in time.

Lately, there have been some problems with people coming in to the clinic, receiving medication and then failing to pay for it. I could have told you this was going to be a problem from the start, but I was instructed to distribute medicine and just charge the amount the patient owed to their bill. However, most people never come back to pay their bill. This has led to a loss of money. So now we are unable to administer any medication without payment first.

In my biology class we have entered the health and disease unit. The students seem to enjoy learning about this topic because they have a ton of questions each class period. I am happy to teach them about it as well because there is a huge lack in health education in countries such as Zambia. This is also why diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, hepatitis and tuberculosis are prevalent in this part of the world. Education will lead to healthier people, stronger communities, developed societies and longer life expectancy.

It is amazing to see what they do and don’t know. I taught them about the importance of washing their hands, brushing their teeth, bathing, and practicing safe sex. All of which they seemed surprised to learn. Of course, they have heard these things, but it wasn’t something they felt they must follow. They didn’t know things such as we should brush our teeth twice a day, coughing into your arm was better than just openly coughing, washing your hands after using the bathroom can eliminate the spread of germs and disease and that STD meant Sexually Transmitted Disease. Being that these kids are around the age of 20 and most are sexually active they did know that condoms are a good way to practice safe sex, but they thought that by using one would eliminate the chances of contracting HIV completely. Does it help? Yes, but one can still contract the disease. I almost felt bad in breaking this news to them. I also spoke about how keeping clean, washing our bodies with soap and living in a clean area was important to staying healthy.

I am happy to teach them about these things, though, because I know it is extremely useful information that will help them live better, healthier and longer lives.

As you know, I enjoy taking long walks with my free time. These walks allow the villagers to see me and speak with me (even though the conversations are fairly short). Yet, when they see me you’d think I was Brad Pitt or some major celebrity. Especially the kids, they tend to marvel at my white skin and red hair. The kids usually scream “How are you?” and I respond “Fine” which is the custom compared to saying “Good.” Then they quickly run to their parents and tell them that that spoke with the white man. It’s funny and a bit cute. Imagine how small their world is. A small interaction with me is the highlight of their day…or the week! Crazy, huh?

I recently bought some fabric from one of the shops and then went to the tailor which sits near the school and had them make me a shirt. I know have an official Zambian shirt which is fun. It’s very simple and plain, but it is a shirt nonetheless. I like it and when I wear it the villagers seem to approve. It’s nice to have something like this here. It makes me a little bit more a part of the community.

As I was walking the other day I was listening to some music. As I was listening I thought to myself how happy I was that my headphones hadn’t broken yet. Headphones tend to break extremely easy (at least for me). Either a wire frays or something goes wrong and one earbud always goes out. Well, as my luck goes, I was in the middle of thinking about how I was amazed that these headphones had made it so long and I kid you not right there and then my right earbud died. I laughed at how crazy the timing was. Oh well. I will just have to do without headphones for a while.

I better be off to dinner soon. When I was young (and still today) my Dad would always tell us to eat a bowl of cereal if there was nothing cooked. I used to be bummed by this, but now I would gladly chow down on any and all cereal. It’s the little things. Living in Africa makes you appreciate everything (and I mean everything). I am not one to complain about food and I will take what they give me, but eating the same thing day in and day out can and does get old. The African way of life, though.

I hope the cool fall weather back in Minnesota is treating you kindly. I am sure it is.

Thanks for reading!

Flying Solo

I apologize for not getting a post out last Saturday, but there was some internet and electricity issues. These are just things that one must deal with when living in Africa. If I ever miss a post again you probably can blame it on the loss of electricity, internet or if I am traveling.

It seems as if from here on out I will be flying solo. My partner, Zack, just recently informed me that he no longer wishes to be in Africa and that he wants to go home. Zack contacted our supervisor and has caught a flight out of Lusaka, Zambia. He did so yesterday. This means that I will be alone for the next coming months. I will be in Zambia until January and then in Tanzania for a number of months. I will continue my work in the clinic and school and then travel with Fr. Nick to Hanga, Tanzania where I will find new work to do. It will be strange and hard to be alone in the middle of Africa where the only phrase most people know is “how are you,” but I will make the most of it.

Last year the BVC sent four men to Africa and this year only two. It feels strange to be the only one out of the entire group of BVC members to be on the African continent now. However, life is too short to be unhappy so I believe Zack is making the right choice to go home if he knows that will make him happier. Battling the different culture as well as the way of monastic life is a difficult task so I understand his decision.

So, yesterday evening we packed his bags and loaded them into the monastery’s land cruiser. We traveled together down the ‘highway to hell’ one last time and finally made our way to the bus station in Mpika. This is where Zack caught his bus to Lusaka.

Before I got back into the car, Zack and I hugged it out one last time and said our goodbyes. As I left Zack in Mpika and made my way back down the ‘highway to hell’ to the monastery it finally set in that I am alone. It’s strange, but also a good feeling. I am one who enjoys challenges and activities that make me feel alive. This explains my love for adrenaline rushes (skydiving, bungee jumping, white water rafting, etc.). Challenges like these and the one I am facing right now make a person feel their surroundings. They make you feel where you are and how you are. I like it. I enjoy analyzing myself and taking on challenges that will make me a better person. This is one of those challenges. 

Furthermore, being alone may actually help in one way, though. Our emotions are contagious which is why smiling can actually help you and others improve your mood. So I will focus on the positives of life in Zambia as well as on my work. Like I mentioned before, our thoughts affect our outlook and actual experience.

This is not to say that I will not miss Zack. It will be much harder not having someone to talk to, but that challenge will just add to the amazing experience of being and living here in Africa. This will toughen me up mentally.

As I press on alone I focus on each new day. Each new day is a great day to learn and experience more. If there is one thing I do know is that tomorrow will be followed by another tomorrow. The days will come and go so I might as well enjoy them. Never give up on something due to the time it will take you to finish it. Yes, I will be in Africa for a number of months alone but there is not point to give up at this point. I don’t have anything of great importance to do back home (at the moment) and the time is going to pass all the same. Before I know it I will be back home in Minnesota discussing this experience with friends and family and I want to be able to speak about my entire service experience.

As Barney Stinson from the show ‘How I Met Your Mother’ always says “When I am sad I stop being sad and be awesome instead.” I am going to take after Barney and try my best to live by this quote.

With my free time I have been and will continue to teach myself the basics of Swahili. I will have to speak Swahili in Tanzania because they do not speak English at all. Furthermore, I will begin studying for the GRE just in case I plan to apply to graduate school. Lastly, I will continue to read and go on my runs and walks. Since Zack left yesterday I have already rearrange my room and spread my stuff out a bit more. I’m making it my own. I have also gone through and cleaned everything that hadn’t been cleaned since we arrived here. It’s nice having a clean space to live.

Lately Zack and I had been playing Frisbee which was a nice way to pass some free time in the day. With Zack being gone I obviously won’t be able to continue this, but maybe I can teach some kids how to play. I’m sure they would love to see a flying disc.

Last Thursday the profession of four monks took place. It was a big celebration very similar to the one we had back in August for the ordination. For lunch the entire community came out and celebrated in the monastery and then later that evening just the monks and their family members were invited for a nice dinner. It was fun and it’s always good to have something to break up the daily routine of monastic life.

Working in the clinic has been going well. I have become very comfortable handling patients, giving injections, prescribing medication and taking blood pressure (and whatever else is needed to be done). Violet’s daughter, Grace, is always fun to see when working as well. She is 7 months so soon she will begin to walk. She has been practicing a bit in the clinic.

I administered my first exam for my 11^th grade biology class. I must say, it was very nice being the teacher rather than the student. Around 40 students showed up for the exam and their scores ranged from 30%-100%. Some excelled and got everything I was hoping they would and others struggled quite a bit. I will be going over and reviewing the questions with the entire class on Tuesday just to make sure everyone understands the material before moving onto the health/disease topic. It will be strange not having Zack in class anymore as well as not going to his class each day we teach. I am unsure what will happen to his physics class, but I assume either it will just be left alone or another teacher will take it over (I wouldn’t be surprised if it was just left alone).

With Zack leaving I will now have extra products such as shampoo, soap, sunscreen, deodorant and toothpaste. He doesn’t see the sense in bringing it home and I agree. It will be nice to know I won’t run out of the main products at least.

Well, that’s all for now. The days continue to climb into the 90’s and even higher sometimes. The monks are even beginning to mention the heat. The clouds have been changing a bit too so I believe something must be moving in soon. It would be nice if November was rainy because it would cool things down a bit and the water is badly needed. Whether it’s for the fish ponds, electricity or watering the crops we could use some of it.

I hope everyone’s October is off to a good start.

Thanks for reading!