We've graduated!

From chalk to markers! Next up? Finger paints...

Bike Ride Photos

I've started to take long bike rides in the morning in hopes of exploring more of the Luapula landscape...and sometimes I find interesting things along the way:

Sadly, every time I bike past this shop it's never open....

Yes, this is a mushroom.

No, this is not a giraffe. It is a rock.

Cow crossing?

The View

The various views from my home...

The rainbow is leading to my pit latrine!
The wind's a howlin' and a storm's a brewin...it rained all night and all of the next day
Sunset behind my clinic

The wildlife of AFRICAAAAAAAA

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!!! Well, not quite. Although I do see a lot of cool looking spiders, farm animals, snakes, and bugs...

Food chain in action: wall spider eating moth

Moth...pre-lunch for wall spider. kidding.

Pig outside a friend's house. It just likes to run back and forth taunting us. Good thing I don't eat pork!

The STORK at Samfya beach!!!!

Grasshopper wing

Beetles are fun(!) when they're pretty...

and even more fun(!!) when they're pre-historically-scary. Yikes!!! (of course I'm in the background telling someone to touch it...)

Super Mario World large

The snake, pictured dead, that was residing in my bathing shelter. After my neighbor killed it he said about the snake, "oh, it just wanted to watch you bathe."

Home, Sweet Home

Here are some snaps of my home...enjoy!

Living room:

Me. In my home. How exciting!

View from the from of my house

After the first rain these flowers sprouted in my front yard

And of course, my favorite little girl, MpunduLove and miss you all!!! and Happy Franksgiving!!!

-b

My 24/7 Babysitting Job

So where there's rural life in Zambia, there are children---and lots of them! I have a few favorites, they come over and sweep my yard for sweets, sing and dance with me, or even make hats out of leaves and sticks. They are alllllways full of energy and don't really like to listen when I tell them to leave. The other day some of them latched my door shut from the outside and the little buggers walked away...leaving me locked in my hut for 30 minutes. But even with the constant babysitting, I have a few favorites:

This is what happens when you give the children chalk and no paper to write on...I think I caught Supserman in the act of eating it...which makes the dissapearance of my chalk more understandable now.

It took me 3 weeks to figure out what "injuka" meant, and now they play with my playing cards every single dayEverything is good in the village- I miss you all! Send letters!

Love,b

Ukushana!!!

Hello hello!

It has been about 3 weeks since being posted in my village and I am having an amazing time. My village is very motivated and excited to work with me. Lots of biking and meetings...and plenty of time to sit around and think, paint, write, and read. I have started to get settled into my house, and have finally gotten a table and chair--it's nice to not have to sit on a yoga mat anymore! I forgot my camera chord so have included some photos from a friend's camera-enjoy!

This photo to the left was taken at the waterfalls--oh, to wash dishes in the river...in Zambia...right next to a waterfall...life is amazing! The one on the right was during second site visit--the kid on my shoulders was holding on for dear life...

Below is at Samfya beach-white sand, clear water, and crocs...what more could you ask for? Unfortunately, even with the strict advice or a passer-by to not "let the sun burn your skin," the sub-saharan ball of fire scorched my epidermus like it was going out of style.

Have received many of your letters and packages---thank you for the love!!

I miss you all and hope life is well.

-b