August 30, 2005
Festival Mania
Okay, so it has been a rough weekend and beginning of the week, but I got to see something really awesome on Saturday. My friend Mathew and I went to Eastern Province (a nightmarish bus ride through the twistiest turniest area of Zambia on the Great East Road) for a tribal festival of the Chewa. I think that I might be spelling that wrong, but basically it is an annual festival to honor the paramount chief of the whole tribe. The Chewa people live in Eastern Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. People travel from all over Chewa land to honor him with dancing and songs and presentations of gifts and such. Outside of the fesitval grounds are food vendors, Zambian carnies calling to you to gamble and play games, and just general big-crowd meyham. Anyway, apart from the flat tire on the bus (and they had no spare and had to take one of the dooley wheels off and use it), it was an awesome experience. I have Mathew to thank really; he's the one who convinced me to go. I'm sure there will be pictures sometime, but I have no idea when! Oh, if you haven't gotten replies from me about packages and letters I've received, it might be because I haven't received them. There is a diesel shortage in Zambia and mail is having issues. I'm sure I'll get everything eventually, but outgoing mail is stopped-up too.
Posted by ringo at 4:11 PM | Comments (1)
August 21, 2005
It's gettin' hot in here. . .
Okay, so everyone told me that the hot dry season was coming. I was told it would be at its peak in October/November. If this is only a "warm-up" for then, I'm in trouble! And accompanying the heat is this fierce wind. Every booger in my nose is as black as the Minnesota dirt! The dust storms are enormous and with them comes cyclones of garbage zipping through town! Hotlanta ain't nothin' compared to what is and what is coming! Send dry ice stat. Just kidding. I'm sure I'll find a way to cope. Hope all you faithful readers are well, and if you haven't checked in for awhile, don't forget to drop me a line to tell me you're okay. I'm homesick :(
Posted by ringo at 10:47 AM | Comments (4)
August 17, 2005
Mental Health Attitudes
Well, to answer the mental health question is difficult. There are many different beliefs from tribe to tribe within Zambia. Some tribes blieve that those afflicted with mental illness are really juju witches and such. They supposedly have an "inner eye" into the "other side" and so, they are taken care of in the villages, but are also shied away from most of the time. Many times those that have mental problems will marry each other. They have houses, kids, etc, and are often cared for by their extended families. That's the case with Africans in general... they take care of each other. I am starting to find that the practices we have as Americans in taking care of those that need it... well, just think of the nastiest nursing home you've ever been in and you get an idea. That being said, a lot of mentally ill people here don't want to be taken care of; those end up on the streets. There are about 3 Choma regulars that I see every day on my way around town. They are most often harmless, but will shout and curse at me sometimes. One of them is a very nice lady most of the time, but then she will come into my friend Mukesh's store and shout at him, "The kids are at home starving, you haven't given me money for relish in weeks." I don't know if she actually thinks that she is married to him or not. People here usually take a better approach than in the States and will often give her food. Overall, I would say that Zambians are much more compasionate. Now, there is one national institution in Lusaka. I have heard horror stories of the place; think 1800's mental hospitals in the States. I would like to visit it before I leave, but I'm not sure what you need to gain access. So there you go. I hope all is well with all of you...
Posted by ringo at 9:32 AM | Comments (2)
August 15, 2005
Home to Choma... again
Well, it has been a full week and a half. I was at that wonderful training for a long while at a religious center near Kitwe. I got to see the people that I wanted to see and now am in Lusaka... ready to go back to Choma today. I miss my bed.
Posted by ringo at 10:13 AM | Comments (2)
August 5, 2005
Training
Well, I am off to Kitwe tomorrow morning for some Peace Corps training. While it will be good to see all the ones that I love that I haven't seen since April, I've just been getting back into my routine here in Choma without Beverly here. I'm ready to take questions again from you guys about what things in Zambia are like or whatever you want to ask... fire away. I miss you all tons. Thanks for the love postings; I can feel it half way round the world!
Posted by ringo at 10:53 AM | Comments (3)
August 2, 2005
All By Myself
Well, Bev left yesterday (a Zambian holiday, so I was able to go to Lusaka to see her off). I hope that she had a great time. I know that she got to see things that she'd never be able to see anywhere else in the world. I will tell you though that my bus ride back to Choma, the remainder of last night, and this morning so far have been my hardest times in Zambia. While the visit was wonderful and I can't wait for other people to visit me from the States, when a person that you love leaves and you realize that you are essentially here alone again... thoughts of home invade, temptations to go home settle, and sadness sets in. I'm sure that in a couple days I'll be back to my normal chipper self, but I'm giving myself just that-- a couple days. Zambia is still a beautiful country with the friendliest people on earth. I still love my friends here and feel as if I can do good work here. I hope that you all are well. Sending warm fuzzies...
Posted by ringo at 9:06 AM | Comments (3)