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Look Out, Croc! - Tuesday, July 31, 2001
by Ratty
July 3, 2001
My Dear Fellow African Descendants:
Greetings once again from the bushy-bush! The Zambian winter sun is beating down on the rapidly defoliating drought-deciduous trees, our language ability is slowly improving, and a steady diet of beans, rice and instant coffee have calmed our riotous bowels -- all is well with Mr. T. and Mrs. P. Peace Corps training is now about half over, and we were amazed to realize we've been in Africa for just over one month. In some ways it feels like we just arrived and in others, we've lived a lifetime here already.
July 4: I just wanted to quickly record this moment before JP and I dive into another evening of language study: I have just consumed 3 1/2 sausages (along with a mountain of nshima). If this is the last you hear from me, blame the Zambian mystery meat factory. I was feeling rather daring at the (very short) dinner table tonight. It's amazing how 6 days without vomiting or soiling one's shorts can boost dietary confidence. Further thoughts on Zambian meat products: We've discovered that the only bones that are inedible belong to the pig and the cow. Chicken bones are routinely and noisily consumed as are fish fins, eyes and lips.
July 6: I'm writing from the Zambian immigration office, where standing in lines seems to be the main activity. "Line" as such is the wrong word. Tight crowd is more accurate. Our group of 9 Americans stand out like 9 Africans would in Eugene, Oregon. The heavy smell of many warm humans is accentuated by the poor lighting and light green cement walls.
(Later, back home now): We've just witnessed a glorious sight: the annual burning off of grass around our house. This time of year is the burning season. The rains stopped in about April, so things are pretty brown now. Not sure if I've already described it, but the landscape around this area was miombo woodland, but in its current deforested state is a grassland. The bulk of the non-forested areas (most of our village) is 7-foot tall dense grass, interrupted only by an occasional hut, sweet potato field or dirt road. The average Zambian barely glances at the raging inferno next to his hut -- so different from America, where prescribed burning is such a careful science. The field that would take 30 firefighters, a mountain of paperwork and loads of planning in America takes one Zambian, who innately understands weather and fire behavior. So refreshing!
We've received several letters so far. It's such fun to hear what's happening back home! We're so busy and engaged here most of the time, neither of us has had any real homesickness yet. (We've had other kinds of sicknesses, but nothing fit to print.) Several people had questions in their letters; I'll try and remember them:
Our diet consists of about 5 different food items, all of them good, none of them with any spices. (Does salt count?) Our host family is volunteering to put us up (put up with us?) for the dubious glory of caring for the funny Americans. I haven't killed the rooster (yet) and Jena's fascination with bot flies will likely continue until she hosts one.
Today we had another language assimilation test (part of the exam involved bartering in Tonga -- love it!) Then we PC trainees built an improved maize storage structure from native materials. One of the main livelihood problems in Zambia is lack of food security (which leads to people seeking supplementary protein from wild animals.) If a subsistence farmer experiences poor weather conditions, infertile soil, pest problems or food storage failure, he's either going to go hungry or eat "bush meat." There's no freezer full of TV dinners and no 7-11 store down the street.
I think it's safe to say that the work we do here as members of the Peace Corps "Black Rhino Project" will not involve tending to baby black rhinos; while that might be fun and fulfilling, it's not really the route to a sustainable balance between people and the land. You can't expect someone who is desperately hungry or poor to have an interest in preserving species for esoteric reasons.
July 7: Today is Saturday, the second day of the Oregon Country Fair (*Editor's Note: Well, Rat was a week off here, but he's operating on Africa Time.) And oddly enough Eugene doesn't feel that far away right now, although just this morning JP mentioned that she recently realized how long two years really is, and American felt very far away. (Not an entirely bad feeling, given our current President!)
Speaking of politics, Zambia is having its third presidential election (ever!) later this year. Picture this: a handwritten sign on 8 1/2 x 11" paper nailed to a tree reading "Voter Registration Here" with an arrow pointing at a run-down hut. So very Africa! At last count, there were 42 registered political parties. Apparently all one has to do to run is fill out some forms, pay a few kwacha and --ta da --you're a presidential candidate. I wonder if they have debates, each candidate speaking a different language. (Did I mention the 72 Zambian tribal languages?)
Our host brother has recovered from malaria. Sonny is the younger of the two "chaps" here, and for a few days he could not eat, vomited continuously and had a meltdown fever. (Worry not, we're taking our Mephloquine.) A neighbor boy of about 5 years old died last week from a burn injury. Fires and boiling water are a leading cause of harm to young children here. This child pulled a bucket of boiling water onto himself, spent two weeks in the hospital (I'm not sure how the parents got him the 50 km to Kitwe), then passed away. We attended part of the funeral, which takes place at the home of the deceased. Funerals normally last one week, and everyone in the village comes to pay last respects and offer condolences. The home of the child is about half a kilometer from us, and for four nights we could hear the wailing of the women and mournful drumming of the men.
Tormorrow we will head to the Luangwa Valley (east) for two weeks of training (and big game viewing!) Letter writing may take a hiatus.
Love you all,
RT & JP
P.S. Additions to bird list: blue waybill, grey heron, black-shouldered kite, mousebird of some sort, Retz's red-billed helmet shrike, common bulbul, tropical boubou. Visited a bird sanctuary just south of the Congo border. Sign at entrance read: "Beware of crocodiles. Enjoy your visit." Ha!
* Editor in this case was Rat's Dad Jack
- Created:
- Tuesday, October 12, 2004 at 12:41 PM