Out of Africa: Archive

nineteen

I am going to try and update this thing once a week. Too little, too late? Maybe. Last Wednesday, Heather and I went to tell Bonnie that we were going to Kabwe. Guess what Bonnie said? She said that if we were able to fill three shopping bags with monkey fruit she would give us a ride. This was clearly the best news ever. There was only one problem. Monkey fruit are not very plentiful...

Jan 25th

eighteen

This may be a record. So, the grade 8s came on Sunday. I was really enjoying my dorm when it was just grade 9s. They were quiet in the morning. It was amazing. I was able to sleep until 0630. That is unheard of. With the addition of five grade 8s, my dorm has increased in volume tenfold. One of the grade 9s made an announcement asking them to keep it down in the morning. It was funny. I...

Jan 18th

seventeen

Disclaimer: for some reason, tumblr is not letting me post photos, so this will be another imageless post. Alright, so I am back at Banani eagerly awaiting the arrival of my children tomorrow. I was really not looking forward to coming back here, but two things made me SO HAPPY today. Actually, first I should say that I was looking forward to seeing Heather, Nura, Sharghi, Krista and Shadon. ...

Jan 15th

sixteen

So, I’ve just returned from an amazing trip to Malawi with Olivia and Naveed! It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life, and it was probably the cheapest trip ever. So, basically, everyone should go to Malawi. Specifically, everyone should go to Nkhata Bay and stay at Mayoka Village because the people are amazing, the food is SOOOOO good, the water is clear and...

Dec 25th

fifteen

Oh man, so my computer broke and now I can’t use it. I am not a happy camper. I guess it’s not that big of a deal though. We will see. So last Monday, Heather, her parents, Krista, Nura, Sharghi and I all made the trip to Livingstone. Heather’s parents had invited me to stay with them at a lodge up there, so obviously I accepted. When the girls found out we were going in December, they all...

Dec 11th

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fourteen

So one of my favourite people in the whole wide world said to me, “Colleen, you’re always saying how much you love, but I want you to prove it.” What the heck? How am I supposed to do such a thing? I thought long and hard about this, and settled on writing the world’s best poem. It’s pretty much a masterpiece; so much so that I am unwilling to share it. I will say that it contains the phrase,...

Dec 11th

thirteen

So I basically fail at life, no? So much to write about. So, a little while ago, Heather and I decided that we were dissatisfied with what we are doing here. We both feel like we have a lot of free time and we need to make use of it. Since it is 100% up to us, we decided to plan to have a book display in Liteta, one of the neighbouring villages. So we planned what books we wanted, when we...

Nov 21st

twelve

I have been extremely neglectful, and for that I am sorry. I guess I have been doing a lot, but really it’s been a lot of nothing. The Girls came back and I was so happy to see them. I always miss them when they leave, but when they are here sometimes I wish they weren’t. My grade 9s are finishing exams on November 26, so they leave one week before the rest. As much as I will enjoy the quiet...

Nov 2nd

eleven

Oh man. So I have started hand-washing certain articles of clothing because I don’t want them ruined in the washing machine. Hand-washing is really hard. I got sores on my fingers and my wrists the first two times I did it. The girls made fun of me. Midterm break has come and gone. The six of us all went into Lusaka for six days. It was nice to get away from Banani, to eat some real...

Oct 18th

ten

Now that a new term has started I have gained new responsibilities. This is very good. Last term I was mostly doing nothing. I would just open up the library and go to reception once a week. And there were children’s classes and jy and devotionals as well, but there was a lot of time spent doing nothing. Now, I have character development class with grade 9A. I am also helping with grade 11...

Sep 21st

nine

I have been without internet since sometime at the beginning of August. That is my excuse for not writing since then, and the reason that this is so much longer than normal. The other day I tried monkey fruit for the first time. It was quite good. It looks really disgusting though. When we went to the Institute for children’s class on Friday I could smell hotdogs. I wanted/still want a...

Sep 13th

eight

For the past week four members of some choir have been at the institute. We have gone every day from 1600-1700 and learned new songs. I have only managed to learn two songs, well three I guess. For one of them, I have no idea what I am saying. It could be really offensive for all I know: Eyi nzamba zambi yami, bayi wutali. Hakufwila kwami hela, hayilwilu yamiku. Ilana wutali mwanta, hakufukula...

Jul 29th

seven

I have compiled a list of words that are different in Zambia and Canada: Canada Zambia Biscuit devo cake Cookie biscuit Bathroom ablution Cream of wheat porridge Eraser rubber Wallet purse Purse pocket book Pencil...

Jul 22nd

six

A week and a half ago the grade 8s went to Chimfunshi, a chimpanzee orphanage in the north. Last week, it was announced that some people they met there were going to be visiting later on in the day. About 15 people arrived at Banani in the afternoon. Imagine my surprise when I noticed that all these people were white. It is funny to think how shocked I was to see white people. I had been in...

Jul 14th

five

I forgot to write about my scare. Today I had my first encounter with a largeish bug. It was quite a shock as I have not seen anything too big up until now. I was walking along the path, minding my own business when my foot brushes against something. Naturally, I look down. What do I see? The biggest beetle of my life. I hate beetles a lot. I don’t really like any bugs that have...

Jul 11th

four

Oh man, I am so full. We had a pizza party today. It was sooooooo good. And then since Sunday is custard day, and I love custard, I had two scoops at dinner. It’s like Thanksgiving, but not. Also, I became a vegetarian two days ago. It’s working out very well for me. I have now had cauliflower, green peppers, beans, and carrots. That’s twice the variety in vegetables. I am very happy...

Jul 11th

three

Since yesterday was a holiday we decided to organize a scavenger hunt for the girls. You would have thought that we were asking them to spend the night in a snake pit the way some of them were carrying on about it. I don’t get it; they weren’t being forced into anything. I guess they just like to complain. After it got started, and they got the hang of it they began to have fun. We had it set...

Jul 6th

two

The first school week with the girls went by faster than expected. It took me a little bit to get the hang of things (even now I’m still adjusting), but things are running more smoothly now which is good. Tonight, there is entertainment. I’m not 100 % sure what that means, but I think it involves dancing. It should be fun. It also means that there is no quiet time, this makes me very...

Jul 3rd

one

I left Canada one week ago today. It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. When I arrived we drove through Lusaka running some errands. There was a lot of poverty, more than I imagined. We drove through one part of town where the roofs were held down with cinder blocks. People walk through the cars selling newspapers. It makes me feel guilty, being at this school where everyone is...

Jun 29th