Brrr...Cold Season

It's officially cold season below the equator and I was shocked to find that it's actually a bit chilly! The days are still sunny and hot but nights and mornings are cold enough to require a jacket and I can see my breath!

In other news: Five days until I become an official Peace Corps Volunteer! Technically this all depends on my Bemba language score this Tuesday. So, send me all your thoughts and prayers as I take my final test! Friday will be our big swearing-in ceremony at the US Ambassadors home. I'm excited and ready to complete training. Although after two months of constant American interaction, I'll have a bit of a shock moving into my village. However, I'm looking forward to returning to my new village. I had a fantastic week long stay in my new home during training. Once again, I'll be living in close proximity to a host family. This time though, I'll be much more independent, they will not be cooking for me or doing my laundry. While I'm ready to start cooking my own food again, I am dubious of my laundry skills- I'll probably end up paying a woman in my village to do it for me! My new family is wonderful; they've had two Peace Corps volunteers prior to me so understand Peace Corps and my American-ness. I'll have my own home on their compound and in terms of Peace Corps homes it's a mansion (actually it's a two roomed brick hut)! And it's fully furnished thanks to the volunteer before me. Another added bonus is that my water source is a water pump only 100 yards from my front door. And the real selling point is my backyard is a banana orchard!!!

My first three months at site are for 'community entry.' Technically I'm not supposed to be doing an Peace Corps projects or work, my job during this time is to meet all the families in my village and travel to all the schools in my district to meet the teachers. For those of you who know how bad I am with names and faces, this is probably going to be more work than actual projects I hope to accomplish! However, after these two intense months of training I am looking forward to the slower pace of being in the village. Following community entry, I'll go back to Lusaka for one final week of training and then I can officially begin my Peace Corps service.

Zambian factoids:
For those of you that follow soccer, Zambia has a chance to make the 2010 World Cup Playoffs! This is big news here and it's hard not to get drawn into football excitement. I broke down and bought an internet phone. I'll have the same phone number but will now be able to facebook and email more easily and it'll be cheaper than texting for all you in the states. And finally, it's harvest season here and since my new family has a large farm I'm about to learn the art of harvesting corn- wish me luck!

I have a new address, keep the letters coming! I love any and all news from home!

Cindy Schuchart/ PCV
PO Box 840038
Mkushi, Zambia
Africa