I offer my sincerest apologies to those of you who are actually reading my blog. It has been a busy season (winter in Zambia, summer in the US). The highlights included:· Preparation for and assistance during the annual visit of a group of teachers and students from the school in Seattle where I used to work. It was great to have them here.
· A Safari in Botswana with the Seattle group. We saw loads of wildlife near the Chobe river (see photo of elephants).
· Preparation for a teacher computer training in Lusaka (to be held in August while I was gone).
· A lovely (but expensive!) few days in London on my way to the US.
· A great family trip to the
Pacific coast (check out this picture of a river otter with sea stars – my niece and I thought it was a sea otter since it was at the sea, logical right?)· Helping my parents move
· Some great (but often too brief) visit with friends, family and neighbors.
· Helpful meetings with my sponsor and others involved with the program in Lusaka
· Shopping and packing (not so easy to make weight!) for the return trip
· A trip to see my grandmother on my way back to Zambia
Even though I was on vacation, it was amazing how little time I had for reflection or even catching up on notes. My return to Lusaka, however, immediately presented me with opportunities for writing (because of the slower pace of life and also while hanging around the house waiting for people to come and fix our lack-of-water problem), so here I am getting my blog back in action.
I am now in Lusaka until late December, continuing the two part mission of helping improve some school computer projects and also helping a community group start a computer project. Increasingly I am learning that local commitment to a project, while sometimes hard to get, is vital for the long term success of a project (unless the sponsoring organization plans on supporting and leading the project forever). My sponsor also believes in this, and therefore is encouraging me to figure out how to get at least some of the groups we work with here to apply for grants from his organization. So, I have a lot to learn now about grants and grant writing. Anyone out there with suggestions or advice is welcome to offer it!
2 comments:
I cannot believe there is a park as big as the state I live in. Oh my goodness...but I am glad there are protected lands of that size too in Africa.
The picture of the elephants, Heidi, is beautiful! I keep wanting to write big expansive words for a big expansive life-experience I imagine is yours now and in your recent past. I am sure there is a small daily life there too, but it all feels grand, exotic and far-away-mysterious to me.
I am very interested in the slower pace you say you have there in Zambia. Just from my reading of the Botswana-little white van ladies's detective books, I can feel what that slower pace would b e some, but it would be fun to hear what an actual day is like for you...I assume one gets less done...well, "less" according to some U.S. or Penny standard....but not really, because I am sure just as much gets done, but just not in the same way, and not with the same angst...I would love to know more about how one sets a different pace internally as the environment allows it externally. Hawaii was that way and such a joy! But not easy to maintain when life begins again. Were you able to stay quieter when back in the U.S. this summer? Anyway, this struck a chord...thanks for the blog! I have you in my heart....much love
(Auntie) Penny
Thanks for the thoughts Penny!
I think less does get done in Lusaka than in the US, but it's a tradeoff to consider. Sometimes I'm happy about the slow pace and sometimes it makes me crazy.
It sure is nice not to be slave to the alarm clock!
Love, H.
Post a Comment