I don't eat brothers

I began my first week of Bemba language classes. Bemba is the second most used language in Zambia behind English. The classes are long and tedious, but I am slowly picking things up. In our first week we learned some basic phrases like "Hello, my name is Devin." "What is your name?" Etc. The other day my teacher wanted us to get some practice with people in the community. We walked to a local village and started conversing with some women who were lounging under a tree. I introduced myself in Bemba and starting spouting off everything that I had learned in the last week. After I had asked the women what each of her ten siblings did for work and what their names where the conversation started to slow down. The only thing I could think of to say was "Nshilya inama," "I don't eat meat," but because I am good at Bemba I made a mistake and said "Nshilya banume," "I don't eat brothers." The woman looked at me with a terrified look as my teaching started busting into tears laughing. I think I am going to enjoy learning Bemba.

Everyone Dance!

We arrived in Zambia and after a short stay at a campground with zebras, impala, giraffe, and other animals that roamed passed our dorm at night, we went to visit a current volunteer in the Northern Province. We got to help a farmer with a fish harvest and visit some of the ponds and farmers that he had been working with. That night he invited some of the local village kids over to play the drums for us. There were two drummers and three dancers. One by one each member of my group was called out to dance. As more people gathered they were each called out to dance one by one. They particularly liked the dancing of one of the girls in my group and would call out "Christina dance dance," "Christina dance dance." If they didn't know your name, they would just point at you and say "this one dance dance," "this one dance dance." Then, "Americans dance dance" "Americans dance dance." Then, "Zambians dance" "Zambians dance." By now there were probably about 30 people (which is the entire village), so of course "everyone dance" "everyone dance." It was a great sight to see eight Americans stepping all over their feet surrounded by an entire African village of people dancing.

As soon as they had come, the village and the five boys were gone and the village was silent once again. All we could do was sit around our fire, laugh, and ask ourselves what had just happened.

I'm all shot up!

I just got blasted with Yellow Fever and Polio vaccines and it felt great! My bus leaves for the airport in 15 minutes, so this will be short. Orientation was good. There are 24 people in my group from all different walks of life. We did lots of group hugging and team building activities. Now we get to spend 17 hours on a packed airplane together, so that should be fun. I plan on taking some Tylenol PM and passing out. Our first stop is Johannasberg for one night in a hotel. Then Lusaka for two nights in a campground and a couple days out visiting pond sites. Then, up to Mkwera for 10 weeks of training. They have informed us that we won't have email during that time, so this may be my last post for a while and my next post might be in Bemba or some other tribal language. This is a picture of me and Randy at my deportation party.

Last Day On The Westside

Today is my last day on the west coast. Tomorrow will be my final bash in San Francisco and Monday I am off to Philadelphia for a few days of training before I leave on the 8th. Thanks to everyone for all of your support. I will miss you all. Here is a picture of me and my sister at her 30th birthday party last night. The saki bombs were droppin.