Friday, May 21, 2004

Eh, who needs a subject

Hello! Third trip to Monze, got up at 4:30 to get here early but we didn't leave until 5:30 and then had to stop at Ba Bonifus' to borrow a bicycle (Ba Lenix's is in many pieces) so we didn't get on the road until 6 - but we were here by quarter after 8!

I got to talk to Emily! and it made me so happy (I'm glad I brought a handkerchief). She sounds just like I remember and hearing her voice it was as if I'd just talked to her yesterday.

JJ (my boss) came to visit this week and brought me mail from Kitwe (from April). There're letters from Wendy and Anthony and the Lewins and Grandma & Grandpa and Nelson and my Big Big and even Uncle Tom & Auntie Gail! I'm so happy and excited! I haven't opened them all yet - trying to be good and savor them, Hanukkah instead of christmas - but it's hard. I have to be careful though, letters give me the most joy and the most sorrow - I love hearing how everyone is but I miss everyone sooo much.

Whenever I think of my friends back home I start crying - but not tears of sadness, tears of joy. I am so incredibly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life - I can't even express how much you all mean to me *tear, smile*.

And something I've been working on sitting in my hut:

Things to do When I get Back (This list is by no means exhaustive and will probably change many times.)
Go to Chili's w/ Em
Visit Katie wherever she's living
Buy Wendy a drink (cause she'll be old enough to have it)
Go shoe shopping and to Leon's w/ Katrina - make her drive
Get a job - at least for the summer to start with
Hug Matt
Talk physics with Daddy - catch-up on everything I'm missing
Meet Ant - providing he be willing
Sew with Mommy

Will add more in future

Miss everyone, Love you all lots

- Nchimunya [that's me :) ]

(Original Post)

Ecstatic

Saturday, May 15, 2004

One month

Greetings from Chikuni - came to visit at the mission for a day and Ba Lenix hasn't come to get me yet - guess I'm staying another night - even if I left now (it's almost 4pm) I wouldn't get home before dark. Yesterday I helped package cassette tapes by a local group fresh off the dubbing/printing machines - pretty neat.

One month at site, 23 months to go, gosh 23 months ago, where was I? Ah yes, working at the phy plant trying to get a certain big jack-vampire to notice me *sigh* what a waste of my charms ;) At least I loved the job.

I'll be in Monze again on Friday - we're going to the hardware store :) - so I should be able to update again then and since I need to leave there by 15:00 to be home before dark, the posting shld be up pretty early USA time.

I miss everyone soooooo much!

(Original Post)

Chipper

Friday, May 7, 2004

Address!!

Woo hoo!! Finally. 2nd trip to Monze, left at 5:30 am, arrived about 9 - Ba Lenix's bike was not being very nice.

My address:
c/o Lenix Kayanda
Chona Middle Basic School
PO BOX 393
Monze, Zambia

Send music: Poison, Obie Trice, any music
Send books: Physics, Math, any books

Mommy, I also need more film, esp some b&w because I started photographing the building of the school in b&w and white, and I would like to complete it in such. Thanks!

And this because I thought it'd be funny - from Em's journal:

1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:
umm...no books around

2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?
the wall

3: What is the last thing you watched on TV
umm.. I think it was the Rocky Horror Picture show on the tv in the hotel, but that was over a month ago - I don't remember

4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what time it is:
10:38 am

5: Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?
10:40 am

6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
people in the hallway

7: When did you last step outside?
before I walked in here - the question should be when was I last inside a real building before this, and that wld be last time I came to Monze

8: Before you came to this website, what did you look at?
Emily's journal

9: What are you wearing?
oh gosh you would all die if you could see me! A long brown and yellow patterened skirt w/ my brown adidas, white socks w/ green turtles, a blue and white striped shirt and a navy bandana - I took of my black biking gloves to type - yikes!

10: Did you dream last night?
yeah and it was bizzare as always

11: When did you last laugh?
Probably today, if not, yesterday, I laugh a lot

12: What is on the walls of the room you are in?
a few signs

13: Seen anything weird lately?
I have to swerve around cows to get anywhere, is there anything here that anyone reading this wldn't think is weird?!

14: What do you think of this quiz?
ehh

15: What is the last film you saw?
I have no idea what-so-ever

16: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?
ummm..... i don't know, music and books and stuff for my friends

17: Tell me something about you that I don't know:
nope

18: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
nothing

19: Do you like to dance?
sometimes

20: George Bush: is he a power-crazy nut case or some one who is finally doing something that has needed to be done for years?
As part of my job description I am not allowed to discuss politics

21: Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Elysium Eden

21: Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Ba Lenix says he wants to name my 1st boy - he asked me to name his newest son

22: Would you ever consider living abroad?
Umm.... I'm IN Zambia - what do you think?

(Original Post)