Culture, Goodbye to Zambia and Hello to Tanzania

Five days until I hit the road for Tanzania. Next Monday, January 4^th, is the day. Fr. Nick Kleespie, OSB and John Jaeger arrive today. John’s brother actually married Zack’s (my old partner) sister back in September, kind of funny. We’re all connected in some way.

I am unsure how we will be getting to Hanga, Tanzania, either by car or bus. My guess is that they will put us on a bus, but a car would be much nicer. I’ve heard that a car may be going to Hanga for an ordination on the 6^th. If lucky, we may be able to score a spot. That would make the ride much easier. 

Fr. Nick will stay one week in Tanzania and then board a flight home. John will be with me until February. He will then head home and begin grad school. I believe he will be pursuing a medical degree, but I am not sure. He had sometime between now and grad school so he thought to join me in Africa during it. Afterwards, all will return to how it has been for the majority of my time in Africa. 

Now that I have been alone for the bulk of my time in Africa it has become the norm for me. When the time comes, returning to solo flight will be easy. 

I am looking forward to my time in Tanzania. I know the change will be good. I enjoy exploring new places and getting a feel for other cultures and ways of life. I suppose that makes sense, though, I am living in Africa after all. The new place and work will be revitalizing. 

I can’t say too much about Tanzania considering I haven’t lived there yet, but I know some about my new home. Hanga Abbey is home to an orphanage, health clinic, many farms, a school, a large carpentry shop and much more. There will be many jobs available to me. Hanga is a village that is within the city limits of Songea, Tanzania. Songea is located in the southern part of Tanzania – east of Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is one of Africa’s great lakes. A big difference between our lakes and Africa’s is that African lakes tend to be home to crocodiles and alligators. I have pet the furs of lions and tigers and ridden elephants, but even I’m not stupid enough to mess with a croc. 

The national language of Tanzania is Swahili which will allow me to put my little Swahili phrasebook and dictionary to good use. I remember in seventh grade my English teacher gave us a lesson about other world languages. She taught us a short little song in Swahili. Ha, too funny. I never thought it would come in handy, but here I am! 

Learning a new language is enjoyable, but difficult. Another piece one must learn while living in a foreign land is culture. Anthony Gittins a professor in theology and culture states on page 18 of his book Living Mission Interculturally that “some people naively think that learning the culture will happen naturally, given time. This is a dangerous simplification: adults must learn a new culture with as much care, attention and trial and error as they would learn a new language (but without a grammar or vocabulary in hand).” He writes this while talking about cross-cultural persons which is what I have become (crossing from the American culture to the African). I think he does a good job in describing these challenging aspects. One cannot just sit around and expect to adjust. 

Additionally, many of the cool experiences that make time spent in Africa great cannot be lived by sitting around and closing yourself off. They won’t just happen, you must create them. Learning the culture and language of Tanzania will be challenging, but good.

Tanzania is home to Lake Victoria which I believe is another one of Africa’s great lakes. Lake Victoria is the beginning of what becomes the longest river in the world – the Nile. Not far from Lake Victoria sits the highest freestanding mountain on earth – Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s the highest freestanding mountain on earth because it is not a part of a mountain range. Mt. Everest in Nepal is. Mt. Kilimanjaro’s summit is roughly 20,000 feet. I have climbed the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas which top out at around 5,000-6,000 feet and the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa which ascend to approximately 10,000 feet (rough estimates). Now I hope to double that by climbing Kilimanjaro. The plan is to do so in March. 

Mt. Kilimanjaro is the not only known for being the highest freestanding mountain on earth. It is also a dormant volcano, the highest mountain in Africa (the roof of Africa) and while climbing a climber will ascend past each ecosystem on the planet (for example…rain forest, temperate, tundra, glacier, etc.). The glaciers at the top of Kilimanjaro are the only ones in Africa and are, unfortunately, melting at a rapid rate. Researchers on climate change and global warming believe that the famous Kilimanjaro glaciers will be completely gone within 15 to 20 years. I’m lucky to get a chance to see them before they go. Climbing Kilimanjaro has been a dream of mine for some time now.

I will speak more about the climb when the date gets closer.

Furthermore, the Serengeti is located in Tanzania and the island off the coast which is a popular vacation spot is Zanzibar. I will speak more about the work I will be doing once I get there. I do know Hanga Abbey is a much larger community and, therefore, there is more to do. 

So, now that my service in Zambia is complete it looks as if each year in my twenties has brought me to a new African country. 

21: South Africa

22: Zambia

23: Tanzania

I’m lucky to have been able to live and experience each of these countries.

As I plan for Tanzania I have begun to close out my service in Zambia. Teaching biology, working at the health clinic and farming have all been great. Teaching ended a few weeks back and I have one or two days left at the clinic. The farming has been a fun thing to try and the new field that I am helping develop with some of the boys from the secondary school will be great. With my last few days I plan to help with that. 

The boys developing this new field are a part of a group started by Fr. Francis this year that help them pursue a higher education. The farm’s crops will be sold and the money that is brought in will help fund their schooling. Money can be hard to come by here and, therefore, many people with authority are corrupt. Therefore, I must be careful with who I give the money I have raised through the Abasambi Project to. This program that Fr. Francis has started seems like a possible option. Giving the money directly to the school can be difficult because some of the teachers may take it for themselves. The monastery, as good as they are, also may not spend the money on what I want. So, it becomes tricky. I just want to make sure the money goes towards the kids and their education.

Something I may bring up to the BVC on my return is that the volunteers who come to Katibunga focus some of their work on this farming project. Fr. Francis, a Filipino monk, has been reassigned to a community in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania so he will be unable to monitor the program as closely as he’d like (he may travel to Tanzania with Fr. Nick, John and I). Of course, teaching and the health clinic can be done as well, but I think if some energy is put towards something like this then that would be great.

With the rain it becomes difficult to walk every day, but if I totaled all the miles I have walked here in Zambia I wouldn’t be surprised if it was over 1,000. I plan to continue my long walks in Tanzania. I’m unsure if it will be possible, but I am guessing so.

The time has come to give away some of my clothes that I have brought. I will give some away here and then some more in Tanzania after I finish my service. Even if a shirt or pair of pants isn’t in the best shape the kids will love them anyways. This will be my final gift to a select few. 

Christmas was an enjoyable time. It is strange to celebrate Christmas in a foreign land when you know that everyone else is back home and gathered together. However, even though, the experience was nice. Mass was presided over by Fr. Francis who is from the Philippines. This means that mass was in English and not Bemba which made it much more enjoyable. Afterwards many people gathered in the small market to celebrate. I spent part of my day cooking a meal with the boys who I work on the farm with and after I went into the market with James and some others. It was a hot day with a midday rain. Must be the first time I have seen rain on Christmas. 

A challenging part about being the white man in a poor village like this is that many people came to me wanting something. They would say “Christmas” to me as a plea for a gift which usually turned out to be some kind of alcohol. I bought a select few of my friends some things (biscuits, Coca-Cola or some beer) but if I had bought everyone something I would have blown through my life-savings. Someone always wants something I suppose ha. 

I have been able to get into Mpika twice this week to get some work done. On the way home yesterday it began to rain off in the distance. The rainbow that was created by this was one of the most vivid and close I have seen. I mention this because it literally seemed to end 50 feet from where we were. Also, another rainbow formed which created a double rainbow. It was a nice sight, however I think the best rainbow I’ve ever seen was when surfing down in South Africa. I was out alone waiting for some waves while sitting on my surf board. It was sunny where I was, but raining over the shore. The whole sight was amazing!

Now, onto New Years! I am looking forward to it. I hope all of you have a wonderful time celebrating as well.

This will be my final post from Zambia. Once I get settled in Tanzania I will begin to post again. I must find a new internet modem to buy and then I should be back in action. Either an Airtel or Vodacom modem would be a good choice (these are like Tanzania’s AT&T and Verizon). I may not post at all next week, though. Continuously check back for my next posting considering I am not sure when it will be.

It’s time to get my goodbyes in order. It will be sad, but as with all endings there comes a new beginning.

So long, Zambia – it’s been good! HELLO Tanzania! Mom and Dad, remember that I will now be 9 hours ahead of you considering I will be moving to another time zone. :)

 Happy 2016 to you all!

Thanks for reading!

Timber, Creepy Crawlers and Christmas

A few students from Katibunga Secondary School, Fr. Francis and I have begun work on the new farm field. The field will be very large when complete, but we are far from that. There are so many trees to be cut. We have begun creating a boundary from the trees we have cut and things are starting to take shape. Some of the boys were cutting trees down from outside the area and using them for the boundary which confused me. I told them they should be cutting down the trees within the area of the field so they can complete two jobs at one time. Thinking before acting!

Cutting down trees is tiresome work, though I enjoy it. I like being out there and working alongside some of my students and helping them develop something that will benefit them in the future. It is also fun to yell “TIMBER!” whenever I cut down a tree. The others didn’t know that word, but now yell it each time as well. My hands are aching from the blisters and developing calluses, but that’s good for me. My hands need to be toughened up. The area is large and amount of trees within it seems countless so I wouldn’t be surprised if it took them a year to develop the land for farming. Yet, it will get done – slowly, but surely.

I was walking the other day when I came across a chameleon. I wasn’t aware chameleons lived in Zambia. I believe this was my first time seeing one. They are pretty cool to watch because of their ability to change color. I almost stepped on it because it was sitting on the dirt path and had turned brown. It then walked into the grasses where it began to turn green. Pretty neat.

Then, a little while later, I came across a bat. I have heard bats are common here, but I hadn’t seen one around until now. On Tuesday morning I saw a tarantula crawling about. It was interesting to see one up close, but, I must say, I preferred seeing the chameleon. Finally, I saw a snail the size of my hand creeping about. I have no idea how a snail gets that big or gets inside the monastery, but it was there. The thing was massive. A week filled with interesting creatures.

Now that it is Christmas week I have begun going to a new house every day and delivering a bag of goodies to the kids. I have 5 bags filled with markers, paper, pens, toothbrushes and cookies. So far the kids have seemed to really enjoy them. It is nice being able to give something to someone who has nothing. Receiving presents isn’t much of a tradition here, but they understand the symbolism and how it relates to Christmas.

Furthermore, when I go into Mpika (like I have today) I make sure to invite some kids to eat with me. I began this last week and will continue it throughout my time in Africa. When in town I see many kids who are alone and without anything. I have seen a man who was clothed in literal rags and looked as if he hadn’t bathed in a few months. He was carrying all of his possession in a small bag. Then, last week, I saw a boy with no shoes standing in the mud digging through the garbage. I still am not very good at Bemba, but I am able to greet them and ask a few questions. Some seem more responsive then others. I always eat at the same restaurant (considering there are only two small ones there isn’t much choice involved) so I invite them to eat with me. The conversation is light, but the meal is good and they all seem to enjoy it.

While in any situation where you are buying something it is always best to have the exact amount of money. It is extremely common to find that the clerk won’t be able to give you exact change. This has been the way it is everywhere I have been in Africa. In America it would be weird not to get the correct amount of change back. Usually it’s around 1-5 kwacha I won’t get back so either I am forced to buy something else or just lose the money.

I know of one shop in Mpika that has a TV so I sometimes go there to watch. There was news about corruption in the government. Both South Africa and Zambia’s presidents are under scrutiny. South African president Jacob Zuma is a complete goofball. I just checked the synonyms for the word ‘goof’ and one of them is ‘mistake’ and that is exactly what I mean. He is a mistake to have in office. When living in South Africa and even now I thought he was a goof and now there are protests to end his term as president. He is very corrupt and it can be seen by the way money is spent.

President Edgar Lungu of Zambia is failing to do much for his country. Reports say that a new president is wanted, however what I have seen is that many people in developing countries (and others as well) fear change so usually the same person is reelected. Presidential elections in Zambia will be held next October so hopefully something happens.

I ran into Kelvin, one of my students, the other day. He didn’t show up for the biology final exam a few weeks back. He told me that he had been injured and had to have surgery. By looking at his left eye I could tell that this was true. He told me that he went to meet who he thought was his girlfriend, but when he arrived she was with another man. Tisk tisk…relationship troubles. Both men weren’t too pleased by this discovery and so a fight broke out and the other man ended it by stabbing Kelvin in the eye. Losing an eye for a cheating girlfriend isn’t something I would want. The surgery saved his eye, but he told me he can’t see out of it. Needless to say, I didn’t give him too much grief over missing the final exam.

My hair is getting long now. Long hair is definitely something to get used to and some days I wonder how women handle it. It can become annoying when it falls in your face. Overall, I don’t mind it much and I will continue to grow it out. It will be very long by the time I get home. I still don’t think it will be as long as I need it to be for the donation, but a few more months should do the trick.

I was doing my usual Sunday ritual of laundry and cleaning. I have come to enjoy doing my laundry by hand. It is actually rather peaceful and calming - something about working with your hands. This is probably why many people like to sew and work with clay.

As I was doing my laundry it began to rain. I was hoping it would hold off, but, as usual, it seemed Mother Nature didn’t care what I wanted. I gathered my clothes up and brought them inside even though they were already soaking wet. Then, once the rain passed, I brought them back out. Unfortunately, the rains came back and didn’t let up this time. I finally surrendered my clothes to the rain and had to wait a day for them to fully dry out.

Doing laundry by hand makes me think about how often we wash our clothes back home. It’s absurd how much we do it. Clean clothes are necessary and needed, but washing every day or two is not necessary. I wash my clothes once a week.

I know I mentioned last week that there wasn’t much rain, but this week has been different. The rains have rolled in and tend to fall the entire day. I was reading one day when I heard a drip-drip-drip coming from one of the corners of my small room. I discovered a leak in my ceiling. Good thing I have a large laundry bucket. It now is positioned to catch the falling water from the roof. I guess it’s a good thing I only have a week and a half left in this room otherwise I might get flooded out J my little home is caving in on me ha!

Another thing I have noticed while living here are the words people use. People are blunt and more direct with their words. For example, it is common to call a person fat. I have been called fat a number of times. However, even though they are blunt, words like ‘fat’ don’t carry the same meaning as they do in America. Being called fat in America would most likely be an insult. Here, it is simply a describing word. “Joseph is fat” is like saying “Joseph is bigger than me” – referring to my height, muscle, fat and overall build. Plus, when it comes to people in the village, it isn’t too difficult to be the ‘fat’ one.

Prior Nzota has not returned yet. He was supposed to return last week, but got held up. He will be returning next week. Fr. Nick will be visiting next week and will travel with me to Hanga, Tanzania. Additionally, John Jeager, a BVC volunteer from last year, will be coming to visit and stay until Mid-February with me in Hanga. It will be nice to have some company.

Well, Christmas is finally upon us. No Christmas tree or stocking here, but that isn’t stopping us from having a good time. A few of my friends have invited me over after mass to celebrate the day with a meal and some local beer. They have already picked the chicken they are going to cook up for our meal ha. It will be fun to enjoy the day with them and to experience Christmas in the village.

It is very normal for us to focus on what is in front of us and neglect what is not. The phrase “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” is what comes to my mind. Even though in many cases this can be helpful I challenge you all to do the opposite and take a second to think about what is out-of-sight. I am not saying you must do something, rather, just think. Think about the many people who are constantly out-of-sight and, therefore, out-of-mind. Keep them in your thoughts this Christmas season.

I hope everyone’s Christmas is great! I would write out Merry Christmas in Bemba, but there is no way to say it so they just stick to the English version. Merry Christmas to you all!

Thanks for reading!

Farming with James, The Good Life and Reading

The rain typically falls at night which leaves the days hot and dry. Being that it is rainy season the villagers are counting on the rain to provide their crops with the water they need. Unfortunately, there has been a change in climate and a bit of a drought has spanned across Zambia and southern Africa. This is not to say it doesn’t rain at all. It just doesn’t rain as much as it should. Everyone is trying to plant their fields, but need water so their seed doesn’t dry up before it can sprout. The furrow irrigation systems that run through the farm land are dried up and aren’t usually used during this season considering there is generally a good amount of rain. Without irrigation systems (sprinklers) the farmers are struggling to time their planting and cannot wait much longer.

I have been helping out my friend James with his field. We harvested some potatoes and tomatoes while weeding around his maize this past week. I really enjoy being out in the field and working with the villagers. It’s a lot of fun and it’s always good to work up a sweat. We use hoes to till the soil rather than tractors or shovels which are common in the states. James has maize, tomatoes, potatoes, sugar cane and onion in his field. The crops we are harvesting now were planted back in October. The seed I’ll help him lay will be harvested after I have left for Tanzania.

The landscape surrounding the farm land is great. The flat plains build into rolling hills that run on for miles. It’s a beautiful sight to look at. James is going to take me out to the hills one of these days. I have come to enjoy the berries (infungo, musuko, etc.) that fall from the trees around the farmland and out in the bush. It is fun to be walking and be able to pick up and eat right off the trees. Along with berries, we eat maize and sometimes put the cob in the fire to cook it. The kernels blacken and become just like the ones you would find in a bag of popcorn, but softer. They are very good. James is going to help me prepare some seeds so I can bring them home for me and my Mom to plant! I am unsure if they will grow in Minnesota’s climate, but it’s worth a shot.

Farming with James

After we harvested potatoes we delivered them to his grandmother who then offered me a large portion of the harvest which was very kind but I couldn’t take them for myself, especially when there are 8 kids in the family. Instead we boiled the potatoes over an open fire near their hut and mixed in tomatoes and onion. It was very good. Another meal we had one day after farming was ugali (maize meal), caterpillar and eggplant. I must say, I prefer the potato dish, but if one doesn’t chomp down on some caterpillar and ugali then they haven’t spent time in the village.

James is a great friend. He’s very nice and is always showing me new things. I like to try lots of new things and he helps me do so. If we are cooking a meal he will allow me to help out, if I want to try a certain berry then he will show me where they are, if I want to learn how to harvest a certain crop then he will show me how, etc. James, Fr. Francis and I are trying to start a new field across the street from his house. The money made from anything grown will then go to a fund that will help students go to school. We will hopefully start cutting down trees to clear a plot of land later this week.

It may seem as if I am switching between lots of jobs right now (which I am), but with a few weeks left in Zambia and new projects starting up I am trying to help in any area I can. Like I said, I enjoy trying new things.

Since the way of life is so real and true here many villagers say this is “the real Africa”. In comparison to Cape Town, South Africa I would completely agree. Cape Town is amazing, but it is very developed whereas other parts of South Africa and surrounding countries are not. It is good to get a feel for multiple areas. I would say that the village I reside in now is the most accurate depiction of Africa and how most Africans live.

Living here has allowed me to enjoy the simple and little things in life. When living where everything is accessible and easy to obtain we tend to overlook things that are right in front of us, however, living where there are only the bare necessities things become much more apparent. You aren’t distracted by a text message and you can’t hop in your car and race off. Instead, you must work for your food and spend time with family and friends to complete tasks. I was speaking with James and he said that if you want meat you have to kill for it. If you want milk you have to find a cow or goat and milk it. If you want food you have to grow it. If you want to speak with someone you have to go and find them.

In America, we have distanced ourselves so much from the process of obtaining our food and basic necessities. All we must do is cross the street to the nearby Super Target to gather everything we have ever dreamed of. It sure is a different world.

Don’t get me wrong, electricity and technology have improved our way of life and just about anyone would rather live with it than without it. In fact, it becomes very hard to live in this world without electricity nowadays.

Another reason why life is difficult in this part of the world is the lack of electricity. I must go into Mpika to acquire an internet connection, however sometimes when I do I either cannot or must wait many hours because of the power outages. The electricity crisis is very real right now in Zambia. Load-shedding has increased and cities are without energy from hours to days. I went in to Mpika last Friday and had to wait four hours to get an internet connection. The power was shut off to the eastern part of Zambia the night before and came on around noon Friday. While waiting for the power I decided I would go and order a piece of chicken and rice (chicken and ugali or rice here is like a burger and fries back home- very common).

But, wait! No can do. I got to the counter to order when they had told me what I already knew – the power was shut off. This means no cell tower, no ATM’s, no internet, no restaurants, no nothing; everything that requires electricity to work just stops. Businesses cease to function without electricity which, in turn, takes a toll on the economy. It’s a nasty downward spiral that makes you appreciate electricity. Our lives require it nowadays.

Speaking of the economy, Zambia’s biggest export is copper. A major province in Zambia is named Copperbelt for the mines where copper can be extracted. Copper is a great mineral to be able to export, but with the global prices of copper dropping the Zambian economy is taking another hit. Hopefully somethings works out soon.

So, even though I have to travel an hour and sometimes more to get into town I still am not guaranteed things will go smoothly. It’s just how it is. I am not complaining because…

1. I have become used to it and…

2. I don’t think I have the right to complain.

These difficulties I face are very frustrating and are not fun, but they teach me a lesson and it’s a great one to learn at my age. I have known for a while that life isn’t easy or fair, but when you take a step back and gaze out at the big picture…dang, the things we complain and worry about on a daily basis don’t seem too bad anymore.

My Dad will sometimes ask me “Jos, it’s a good life, isn’t it?” It may just be a rhetorical question or his way of stating that we do, in fact, have a good life to which I agree and always respond “Yes, Dad, it is a good life.” However, when you get a firsthand look at how many others live that good life my Dad speaks about quickly turns into a great life. If you are reading this I hope you know how awesome you have it. Dad, you’re right. Damn, we have it good.

With the limited connection I have to the outside world, when I am not working I tend to fill my free time with reading, writing and exercising. I would love to have a constant connection to everyone out there, but it sure does make these three things very enjoyable. It allows me to spend time in the present and focus on what is in front of me. Writing this blog has been a lot of fun, I have read more books in the past few months than I have in the past few years and exercising is always a good time.

I just finished the last of the Game of Thrones books. I have been reading a chapter or two a day. Book five was titled A Dance with Dragons which sounds really nerdy and weird when I write it out, but it was a very good book. The Game of Thrones series is a popular one which has been made into a TV show on HBO. However, the author, George R.R. Martin, is known for taking a long time to write his books. So far there are five books in the series. I believe he plans for there to be seven. The problem is good ol’ George is an older fellow who isn’t in the best shape of his life. Furthermore, it takes a long time to write 1,000+ page books. He published the fourth book in 2006 and the fifth in 2011. Hopefully the sixth is on its way out the door soon.

If I had to rank the books in order from best to worst I would say 3,2,1,5,4. The third book was phenomenal and the second was practically tied with the third, both very entertaining. However, book four was a bit bland. The author split book four and five up rather than making one massive book. If you ask me, it seems as if he placed some of the more boring characters in book four and some of the more fun and exciting ones in five.

Ha…well, anyways…now I will be starting Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He also wrote The Screwtape Letters which I read back in August.

Exercising is not only great for your body, but for your mind as well. It keeps you fresh and sharp. Between walking a lot I enjoy running, jump roping, push-ups and sit-ups. Cardio helps keep you sane and focused which is good when alone in a foreign country.

The beginning of December marked two months on my own and things are going well. I am now getting excited to see what Tanzania has in store for me considering I depart Zambia in two and a half weeks. Fr. Nick will be traveling down to visit on the 28^th of December. I may have mentioned (but can’t remember) that Fr. Will is unable to make the trip anymore.

Recently, a monk who has become a good friend of mine has decided to leave the monastery. Br. Adrian will be heading home to Livingstone, Zambia to find a job next week. I am sure the decision was a hard one to make, but it is a good one if the monastic life isn’t what you want.

While playing Frisbee with some of my friends the other day they began to ask me about my brothers and sisters. I told them what they did and showed them pictures of my siblings on my phone. After the many comments on our hair colors and appearances they began to ask about Thomas and how he is able to fly airplanes. They could not believe it. Airplanes are uncommon around here and everyone I have spoken to has never flown in one. They said “He must be really smart to fly an airplane, is he smarter than you?” and “tell him to fly to Katibunga because we want to ride in one.” I told them that it would be difficult to fly a plane all the way down here. I think they are still hoping, though. Ha, Thomas figure out how to get that big bird off the ground and get down here!

I missed lunch the other day because I was traveling back from Mpika. When I arrived they told me to whip up some scrambled eggs for myself and Br. Cyprian. Good thing I mastered the scrambling of eggs when I was younger. I did so and I was very happy with how they turned out. Br. Cyprian was as well. I have proven my ability to cook (eggs, at least). J

Another food that is popular around here is mushrooms. Mushrooms are in-season so we have them every so often. Unfortunately, some are poisonous and we received news that one girl passed away from picking and eating the wrong one. She and two friends were going about picking some and came across a patch of poisonous ones. Two of them became sick and one passed away.Very sad.

I have noticed that malaria cases are on the rise while working at the clinic. We have received some positive test results. The usual medications we prescribe are Coartem and Quinine. Two drugs that help fight the blood-borne pathogen.

Christmas time is upon us and the season of Advent is in full swing. Another season that is upon us here in Africa is mango season. Booya! This just may be the most wonderful time of the year. Mangos are my favorite and having them at meals is great. Many people eat food with their hands (it’s very common to do so in Africa) and mangos are one of those foods. They can be quite messy, but that doesn’t stop me. It’s great to live where mangos are grown!

I believe that is all for this week. I have continued going to midday prayer which has been nice. Prior Nzota, who has been traveling for the past two weeks, plans to return tomorrow.

I will continue to post each Wednesday throughout December. Hopefully when I reach Tanzania I will be able to post on Wednesdays and Saturdays like usual.

I want to say hi to all my grandparents who have been reading my blog frequently. I am thinking of you and love you all very much! I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! J

Thanks for reading!

The Simple Life, Ways of Thinking and Independence

I have come to enjoy the simple life that is lived in the countryside of Zambia. It may sound like an easy transition to make, but when you come from such a developed, structured and fast-pace lifestyle it can be difficult. Even now that I have adjusted to the life here I sometimes find myself wandering through the field that is filled with pine trees; a foreign tree to Zambia but planted a few years back for additional lumber (pine is strong and grows straight. Many trees here do not). The scent the trees emit bring forth a peaceful feeling that stems from the many memories of my time spent in the woods of Nisswa, Minnesota. It’s amazing how a certain smell can make you feel a specific way. 

I don’t walk through the pine trees because of homesickness, but rather to remind myself of the home I have back in the United States. It is a nice feeling to have when living in a much different area of the world that registers temperatures of 90+ for the month of December. 

Adjusting to a different lifestyle and then living in that way for a long period of time is an interesting experience. The word ‘interesting’ tends to be an overused and overlooked word, but I truly mean interesting. The experience is new, different, hard, weird, fun, thrilling and many more adjectives that when combined make up an experience that, well, peaks my interest. 

I would be lying to you if I told you that one of my first thoughts after landing in Africa wasn’t “What the hell did I get myself into this time?” Ask my parents, I, along with my brother Thomas, have been able to get ourselves into a few tough situations in our time (as two brothers should) where the same question has been asked. However, after the first impressions of the undeveloped and rural life of Tanzania and Zambia I adjusted. I have come to enjoy the differences and now when I encounter one I feel as if it is not so much a difference, but just the way it is. 

I have come to know ponono of the language (ponono is the Bemba word for “a bit” and is possibly my favorite word to say in Bemba), the Zambian handshake, the popular places to visit, the distances between those places, the phone companies, the popular brands of beer, the food you are likely to eat, when electricity is likely to go out, where safe water is, how to clean clothes by hand, the best way to travel, the car you would want to rent if traveling here, the place where you can buy 100 day-old chicks (no joke, 100 of the cute little yellow chicks) and, of course, many many more things. 

Gaining a better understanding of a certain place allows you to venture out independently and that is when you know you have conquered the hardest part. It is nice to be able to walk around Mpika and know where things are and the people to talk to. It’s a good feeling.

However, with every change come difficulties. One major obstacle I see is the length of time it takes to complete a task. I mentioned that Mr. Mulenga was arrested for stealing two pigs from the monastery farm. The process that goes into convicting and sentencing him takes weeks to months. Similar to my troubles in receiving a visitor permit to extend my stay in Zambia, this process has caused countless trips to Mpika and hours of wasted time spent waiting. Efficiency is a tough thing to lose and then adjust to.  

Additionally, it is always a risk to buy something here. This is because it may not work. If you buy a TV in the U.S. there is a solid 99.99% chance that the TV will function properly and work. The same doesn’t go for Zambia. There is probably a 50-60% chance that it will work. Meaning that you may have to travel back into town, spend more money and buy a new one. That can be frustrating.

Finally, something you adjust to (even though you think you won’t) is the BO. Body odor is the popular cologne here. Heck, even I sport BO and I’m not ashamed of it anymore. In America you’ll be looked at like you’re from Mars if you don’t cake on some deodorant or perfume. However, not only are those things hard to come by but people are unable to bathe as often here as they do in America. Rather than being different or weird it’s just simply normal.

What’s normal, standard and common in Zambia is different than the U.S. Just like what’s normal in China is different than the U.K. Normality changes with culture and area. The sooner one gets that the sooner they adjust and progress in their new lifestyle. 

For example, something that can be difficult to encounter is a different way of thinking. Many people believe that their way is the best way. The popular phrase “It’s my way or the highway” may come up. Yet, it’s important to understand that things are done differently all around the world. Different cultures, areas and lifestyles bring forth differences in thought. A major problem when helping the Haitians after the natural disasters that destroyed much of their country was building homes. Many Americans went about building homes the way they would back in their land-locked states of America. Unfortunately, these homes were decimated weeks later by a new storm. This is because Haitians build their homes differently. You have to change your thought process a bit when in a new place. Of course the homes the Americans built were destroyed because they weren’t built with a hurricane in mind whereas Haitians have to think about those things. 

I hope that helps you understand a bit more about adjusting to a new home/area.

Considering I wasn’t able to post the other Saturday I have a few topics I’d like to spit out here. Rather than go in-depth I’ll just mention them so I can get back on track with my postings and the relevance of the material within them.

Sister Agness had her Final Profession on Saturday the 28^th of November. I attended the ceremony in Mpika. When she spotted me I heard her say “Oh, he came!” That was nice to hear. I was glad to be able to support her considering she became a nice friend and person to talk with over the month of November. 

While in Mpika dealing with my internet issues I was walking around when I ran into a Japanese volunteer that resides in a village near Mpika. I cannot remember his name, but it was so nice to swap stories about our experiences. This is because he actually understands. Probably the most difficult part about living abroad (or any life changing experience) is trying to explain everything to the people back home who do not fully understand what is happening and how things really are. It can be frustrating because you want your friends and family to understand everything, but realize the only way for them to know exactly what it’s like is to live the experience themselves (which is unlikely). This is why I enjoy writing this blog so much. I hope it helps take away some confusion on your end and some frustration (that I am sure to encounter) when I return.

While saying goodbye, my Japanese friend commented on my hair. He told me that I could sell my hair and make good money off it. I won’t be selling my hair because of my goal in donating it, but it made me think “Why would anyone want someone else’s scraps of hair?” Ha, strange!

On Sunday the Mpika Football Club (soccer team) came to play the Katibunga team. Some monks are on the team and asked if I could play because they needed another player. I haven’t played a serious game of soccer probably since the 3^rd grade (which wasn’t very serious either) so I told them I would be rusty. However, I thought “Why not?” and decided to play. It was a fun time and I didn’t screw up which was nice. A lot of spectators come out to watch the game so seeing an uzungu (white man) play was a bonus. The game ended in a tie. Nil-Nil (0-0).

Something I have noticed is that Zambians love to bag everything. When you buy an item, even though it’s just one thing, they will insist on giving you a bag. I have become used to telling them no, but it’s just a popular thing to do. Unfortunately, most of these bags end up as litter scattered all over the city or village. Littering is a big problem here.

Some more of the younger monks have come to me asking for music. I am happy to give them some and they love the American music. One of my favorite rappers is Sammy Adams and so I have introduced them to his music. I feel like I have done some good now :) haha

Each grade in secondary school is separated into groupings labeled K and A, so 11K and 11A. I teach 11K. The strange part about these separations is that the two groups get taught different subjects. I teach 11K biology, but 11A will never get taught biology. Then, 11A is taught agriculture science and 11K is not. There are differences in each grade and I find this to be problematic, especially when dealing with importance subjects like biology. Additionally, A’s have supposedly tested worse on a standardized exam than the K’s and this is how they become separated. 

I finally received my parcel (package) containing some books that the BVC sent me back at the beginning of October. This means that there is just one more package that I am waiting to receive before heading to Tanzania. Terri, if you are reading this, know that I am still holding out for your package :) I hope it comes soon. I will continue to check throughout December. Thank you very much for thinking of me! 

Alright, so I think that puts us back on schedule. 

Thanks for reading!

School Closing, Malnutrition and Contacting Me

*Sorry for the random blog postings. I will try to stick to my regular posting days (Wednesday and Saturday), but am finding out that it may be unlikely. I am one who loves being organized so not being able to stick to my routine has thrown me for a loop. Bear with me while I reboot and figure out how to deal with it. I think I will be able to post Wednesday’s with a few random postings in between. We will see.

…

A few days ago I heard Christmas music coming from the church and found myself thinking “What, why would they be playing Christmas music?” Then I realized that December is upon us and Christmas is close. The summer weather had me thrown off. I’m just so used to having it be cold and snowing.

I have begun to work on a farming project with another monk. We are planting ground nuts, maize, onion, tomato and surrounding it are some banana trees. I won’t be here to harvest the crops, but it’s nice to be outside and working in the field. I enjoy manual labor. The ground is still fairly tough due to all the sun. The rain will help loosen and moisten the soil which will allow us to be able to till and dig easily.

With this week being the end of the term (testing finalized yesterday) and the beginning of a month break from school all of my students will be heading home. My students completed my biology class Wednesday. I spent the day marking exams which was tiring business. I completed each student’s exam and final grade and turned them into the school. I am now finished with my teaching in Zambia.

It was sad to leave the school because I have grown to love the place and students. Many students have asked me to stay and continue teaching them. One of my students, Dyness, was speaking with another teacher and told him that “Joseph knows how to teach!” That was great news to hear. I feel like I have done a good job because when looking through my students grades in other classes mine were the highest. Some students did very poor in math, civic education and other courses, but did well in mine. It makes me think about how the other teachers explain the material and if Dyness’s comment really does ring true.

The closing assembly was yesterday and so the teachers and I gathered in the staff room to celebrate. It was fun. One of the teachers boiled some water and brought muffins and tea. We all spent an hour just hanging out. They were happy that the term was over but said that they will miss me in the science department.

As the students were leaving, the ones who don’t live in a nearby village boarded a large truck. No yellow school busses here. When I saw them I quickly went into a shop and bought 4 packs of cookies and through them onto the truck. It made me feel like I was at a Minnesota Twins game where they shoot t-shirts into the crowd. The kids loved it and I was glad to add to the excitement of summer vacation!

I have become close with one of my students named James. James is a very nice kid and hard worker. I enjoy speaking with him and have met his little brother and sisters while on my walks through the village. They all know me by name. James has told me he plans to spend December farming his field. I have offered to help and he was very excited to hear that I wanted to. He said we will be starting by weeding the field. Thanks to my Dad, if there is one thing I know it’s how to weed a yard. A yard may not be a field, but weeding is weeding. I am looking forward to spending time with his family and helping them grow some crops.

The people of Katibunga, surrounding villages and Zambia in general are very kind. They are welcoming and love to talk. I have enjoyed getting to know many of them. However, something else I have noticed is that some can be destructive too. Just as some teenagers back home will destroy or mess with things for fun the same happens here. This week we were working on creating compost to fertilize the soil. We gathered grass and scraps of food and whatnot and placed them into a hole. We then covered it with black paper so the heat from the sun would help in creating the compost. When we went out the next day the paper had been stolen. This is common. Also, some of the crops (bananas, mangos, and tomatoes) are stolen from time to time. A man by the name of Mr. Mulenga was caught stealing animals from the monastery’s farm. He has been taken to the police in Mpika. I know a man by the name of Henry Mulenga so I wonder if it was him, however Mulenga is a common name here. It’s sort of like the name Johnson.

My Frisbee study group has become very popular at the school and the kids seem to love it. I have announced that in December I will be playing Frisbee every day. The kids have thanked me for allowing them to play with the Frisbee more, but I should be the one thanking them. Being alone for so long can wear on a guy. I enjoy hanging out and discussing with the students (they are very close in age with me and speak about things other than religion ha) and so it is nice to be able to spend a few hours playing catch with the Frisbee.

As I walk around the village I have begun to meet with some families. It can be somewhat difficult going to speak with them because I am walking right into their homes and where they cook and live. I feel like I am intruding. However, they don’t seem to mind and they enjoy meeting with the unzungu (Swahili for ‘white man’). One thing I have found out is that many of the people struggle to stay occupied and busy. They have lots of work to do, but also have lots of time to do it. There is an extreme lack of jobs (the monastery is the only ‘company’ that hires in the surrounding area) and once you’re done with school there isn’t much to do except work in the fields. I have not given the markers and paper away yet so as I meet with some of the families I see what they have and how many kids. I recently met a family with 4 girls. I am sure they would love some markers and paper to draw. I know this isn’t much, but I am sure it would spice up their day a bit. I plan on giving them some supplies soon.

Another thing I have noticed is malnutrition. When living in America it can be very difficult to imagine malnutrition and understand what it looks like which is why many tend to forget the fact that people due suffer and die from it each day. Americans suffer from the opposite of malnutrition. Obesity and the many diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, etc.) that are contributed to the over consumption of unhealthy and fast foods has become an epidemic. In 2004, one-fourth of all vegetables eaten in the United States were French fries (yikes, I also wouldn’t be surprised if this percentage has increased).

Malnutrition and the lack of food in areas such as Africa lead to shorter life-spans as well as differences in appearance. I have noticed some kids who look no older than 15 who are actually in their mid-20’s. On the flip side, I have noticed some older men and women who are in their late 40’s who look as if they are in their 60’s or 70’s. This is hard to see and is very sad. It makes you think about your consumption patterns and the way you live your life.

Recently, a priest from Germany arrived in Katibunga. Father Robert will be staying for a short time to get a better idea of the monastery and area in which it is located. As I was speaking with him he mentioned that many people think American’s are scared to go abroad so the ones that do are the very best. I thought that was funny. I told him my last name, which is very German, and he thought it was great.

Father Robert has been to Tanzania and knows five languages with one being Swahili. He said that it is a difficult language and one that will be hard to pick up in 6 months (in many phrases the noun comes first in Swahili. Rather than “I have no more biscuits,” you’d say “Biscuits I have no more.” – so it differs from English a bit). I told him that I thought it might be. I suppose the transition will have its challenges, but I am also happy that I will get to see two countries rather than just spending my entire time in one.

The electricity in Zambia is very weak right now and so the government has begun to load-shed again. In past posts I mentioned load-shedding. To remind you it is when they shut the power off to certain parts of the country. Last week, a few days, the eastern part has had no power. Imagine the eastern United States having no power. Yeah, crazy to think about.

Cramped truck full of people heading to Mpika.
It's a rough ride, trust me! I counted 30+ people.

Additionally, the cell tower that is located in the area has no power so cell phones and internet do not work.  To make things worse is that the monastery has not paid their internet bill for the month of December and January and will not be. This means I will not have internet until Tanzania (where the electricity, power and internet are even worse). Prior Nzota asked me what load-shedding is like in the United States and I told him that it never happens. In fact, we never lose power. He was awestruck – couldn’t believe his ears. This marks a major difference between third world and first world countries. Time to send up a prayer thanking God you were born in a first world country.

As I type this I am unsure if I will be able to post it, but I am hoping. We will see. To get internet now I have to either go into Mpika or walk 2 miles and climb a hill (no joke) where my new mobile modem I bought picks up a signal. I must move around until I find a signal and then sit very still for it to connect. The hill isn’t the size of Buck Hill, but it reminds me of it. The major difference is that I thoroughly enjoyed spending most of my time between the ages of 10-17 snowboarding down Buck Hill, not climbing this one to get an internet signal ha!

Happy December, everyone!

If you are one who frequently contacts me:

Here's me on top of the hill trying to get an internet signal!
I know, my beard is gnarly. I'll be trimming it in January so
I look presentable when I go to Tanzania :)

1. Facebook Messenger or Email is best. If I had to pick between the two I would prefer you contact me through Facebook Messenger.

2. Even with the mobile modem the internet connection is still poor (by the grace of God I am able to pull a signal from a cell tower in Mpika). I know it won’t work most of the time so when I do use it, it will be for more important things such as posting to this blog.

3. I will still travel into Mpika once or twice a week to use the internet café. I have met a few minibus (minivans/trucks with too many people squished inside) drivers who go to Mpika on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. They pass through at 5:00AM and come back to Katibunga at 1:00PM. I will hop a ride with them for 40 kwacha round trip. The internet in Mpika is much quicker. This is when I will respond to your Facebook messages and emails.

Thanks for reading!