Zambia Gott Katie

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Sunday, March 05, 2006

What a week

Hello All,
So this was an interesting week. I TALKED WITH MY SISTER, MOM AND DAD...SO AMAZING. That fact made my week and was very thankful that the cell phone service here is fianlly some what working. I still have chicken fleas eventhough they sprayed my room. It is okay...I like to be itchy constantly. I had my first presentation to a group of Zambians. We asked them what were major health concerns and problems within their community. They said malaria, coughing, TB, diarrhea and lastly AIDS. Then we asked them to compare those health concerns to one another...they said coughing in worse than AIDS. It was a huge eye opener to me and showed me how hard my job here really is going to be to educate about a disease that they have little knowledge on. People in Zambia are more concerned with diseases that you can cure then AIDS. Also, people don't get tested here so they will die or a cough but it really is AIDS.
We had homestay day on Tuesday. After class I came home and did homestay things like cooked vegies and learned how to wash my clothes. Man, washing clothes is not a easy task. I hope you all think of me next time you start your washing machine back at home. You guys get to turn a knob while I scrub and scrub...gosh it sucks. Good thing I wear things numerous time before they need to be washed :)
On Saturday we all went to a dam. We could not swim in the dam because it is full or crocodiles but they did have a pool that we could all swim in. We Bbqed up some hamburgers...they were sooo good but left me feeling ill for quite some time afterwards.
Whenever I come home my little brothers come running up to me yelling Ba Katie Ba Katie. (you say Ba in front of somebodys name as a sign of respect). The one that is 2 normally has wet himself and all he wants to do is climb all over me. It is not my favorite part of the day but it is okay...i guess. I do the helicopeter with them a few times and they we play in the dirt. I really love my family and it is going to be hard to leave them in a few weeks.
The other night after I had completed my bush bath and was entering into my hut...I saw something climbing on my bike. So...not only do I have fleas but now I have RATS!! I thought I had for some time now but it sucks. All night I hear them in my room walking around in the roof...gross. Again thank God I have am ipod. Oh and 2 people in my group have Malaria eventhough we are on meds.
This Thursday I get my site....I am sooo exicted. Then on Saturday I head to the site and stay there for a week. It should be a great time...finally I am going to find out where I will be for the next 2 years.
Zambia is beautiful and wonderful but I am ready for the rain to stop. It normally rains at least once a day and sometimes we have crazy thunder and lightning storms. I don't like them all that much but am getting used to those too. Hope all is well...I will talk to you later. Love ya..oh stop mailing things to my Kitwe address since I am leaving here soon and getting a new one soon. I will post it once I get it.

Thank you JEHDA for the 2 letters, MOM for the People magazine and DAD for the letter!

1 Comments:

  • At 7/3/06, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Katie,
    Please stay away from the crocodiles! Great news and such fun to read over and over. You amaze me kido! GREAT to talk to YOU also. Hugs and kisses,
    Mom

     

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