Bubbles!

Today I got out a bottle of bubbles that I had bought in a pack of three in the dollar store in the US. Even my host mom had never seen such a thing! The kids gathered around as I started blowing bubbles and I only had to pop one for them to get the idea. They started running around and laughing and yelling with joy. It was amazing. I couldn't blow the bubbles fast enough! They would hold out their little hands to me and call my name, A Ezzie! And when some bubbles finally came their eyes would light up and they would squeal with the biggest smiles! I can't think of anything that has made me so happy, maybe ever, than to see kids so fascinated with bubbles. Little dolas who is two and possibly my favorite noticed my tattoos on my feet ( after seeing them everyday for the last month lol) she gently tried to pinch them up, I laughed and found it beyond adorable. I knew it was almost time for dinner and should stop blowing bubbles, but I didn't really want to because I was having so much fun. So I blew bubbles until little Roberta ( 3 yrs) said ezzie kuwela over and over very sternly, I asked my amai what it meant and she said that Roberta was telling me its ok to stop. The kids here are so cute and loving and respectful.

Yesterday we went to an all girls boarding highschool to give a talk. Paul and I did and hour and a half on facts and myths of HIV/AIDS. The girls were super engaged and knew a lot, at the end we asked what they had learned and it was super impressive all the facts they shot back at us. The teaching here is all lecture and memorization so the students absolutely love playing games and they really soak it up. My evergreen nonformal education techniques really come in handy. They are so welcoming and want to share their culture with us, as well as learn about the states. At the end one girl asked "what was I leaving them with?" very shyly, and I said "hopefully some knowledge," and I was estastic when she smiled and said "oh yes I have learned a lot." When all the peace corps trainees and students got back out to the courtyard someone started a dance competition and it was soo much fun and oh man Zambians can dance!

Tomorrow afternoon I will find out my official site posting! I can't wait!! I'm so excited to know what Pcvs will be near me, what generation pcv I'll be, and what province ill be in. Next weekend I will be traveling to my province where ill stay a few days with a current PCV and then I'll spend 3 days alone in my site! I'm so excited to finally see where I'll be living the next 2 years of my life.

I'm officially half done with training! I'm looking forward to being posted but I'll miss the amazing friends I've made. My language skills are alright, definitely not the best, but not the worst! Some days are better than others, and I'm worn out of sitting in training all day everyday, so I can't wait to get to my village and have time to do what I want and really get to know people. But little moments like showing kids what bubbles are and hearing them laugh and be so happy make all the frustration worth it.

Just shy of month 1

I've been in Zambia just 4 days short of a month, nearly a third of the way through training, which Im convinced is the hardest part of service. In two weeks I find out whether I'll be going to eastern or central province, and in another month ill have second site visit at my actual site.
Today two people came to visit me while I was at home. The one guy said he didn't believe his friend that an American was living in the village. I sat with them and my amai and we chatted for a while. He had so many questions, how long would I be here? What were my days like? What.was surprising to me? What would I tell Americans about Zambia? And when I asked him if he had ever been to America he said that he hadn't and the only reason he would go would be to see that its real because its hard for him to believe that the movies are true. I tried to.explain a little about the states but its too much to try and explain. I wish I had a picture book or something :)
Everyday I keep my amai company while she cooks and today she tried to teach me. I wasn't even strong enough to stir the n'sima! We laughed and luckily she helped me, I wouldn't want to eat what I would have made. She also let me pound peanuts with a 2 foot big wooden mortar and pestal. Cooking meals takes about 2 hours.
The other day we went into Lusaka, and saw the museum and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda's house when he was first president while Zambia was still under British rule. The moderator talked a lot about Dr. KK's emphasis on unity and how he brought together 73 tribes as one nation. I have so much respect for this perspective and I'm sure that's why Zambia is such a peaceful country. His home was kept the same as when he lived in it with his wife and 7 kids. It's a small house with 2 bed rooms, a kitchen, and a main room. I couldn't help but think back to my trip to Washington DC where I saw President George Washington's rich mansion that he lived in about 200 years before Dr. KK. It took me some time to realize that although both were first presidents, only Dr. KK is a national of the country, while President George Washington had come from British privilege. The strength of Zambian people continues to impress me.

I was taken aback to see witchcraft artifacts in the museum. Not even alleged witchcraft, full on "when he carried this stick he was invisible to police" this is so different than any museum I've ever been to. But it was very interesting and the art was gorgeous, and of course I liked the historical stuff. They also had a box of stuff that looked like cotton labeled poisonous stuff. Haha I don't know if witchcraft is real but its a bit of a culture shock to be somewhere is accepted as a part of life.
My amai has two chickens who have lots of little chicks right now. And omg! They are beyond adorable! I love seeing them all run around and I definitely want chickens of my own when I get to site.
I love u & miss u all. <3