Meeting the wife of an Alzheimer's patient on the trail

In the 'tramily' pack that I have been hiking with for the past week there's a tradition at the end of the day to go around and share your 'High, Low, and Ut-Oh of the day. So, Is like to share my high point of the day from yesterday.
...

Today I had a very happy encounter on the side of a mountain. I met a brave woman named Mrs. Eleanor who loves hiking and many of the same things I do :) Eleanor was out for a day's walk with her hip pack and single hiking stick - her therapy, she called it. We crossed paths and she cheerily asked me, "Are you going all the way to Maine?" Well no, in fact I told her, I'm perfectly happy taking it on in sections. So we started our conversation with her telling me that it's just her out hiking since her husband has Alzheimer's and it isn't safe for him, as he gets easily confused and doesn't always want to leave the house anyway.. Mrs. Eleanor told me that they have been residents of nearby NC for a while and that she and her husband loved being outdoors. We bonded on many fleeting sorts of topics for at least 10-15 mins. She told me about the bears that get into her garage and I told her about what it was like to see the influence of climate flux in the subsistence farming community I recently moved from. She felt sincerely appreciative of the cause for Alzheimer's Disease awareness and The Longest Day Event idea of going out and making a memory in honor of something you love doing, especially something a loved one with Alzheimer's loves doing. I was touched when she told me about the 50th anniversary trip she took with her husband to the great national parks in the western US. Now, she reflects on those memories along with the advice that her husband's neurologist gave her to 'Keep your husband safe and take care of yourself.' I knew that she sometimes gets frustrated but her demeanor is so sedating, kind. So, every now and then, she takes time to go out into nature by herself and listen to the sounds of the birds and releases her fears, anger, and stress - as we all should do.

I am so touched by people like Mrs. Eleanor. She embodies the strength of every loved one and caregiver for patients (people) with Alzheimer's Disease. She makes me proud and hopeful to support such research and cause work that the Alzheimer's Association does. In finally passing, we agreed that our encounter was meant to happen and we bid our best wishes.

Thanks for recounting this precious trail moment with me and ... well, thanks for supporting the cause though my fundraising page!! If you haven't checked out, it's here: http://act.alz.org/goto/TakeAhike4ALZ

Keep Calm and Walk On,
B.

Back on the Trail...

This section of the Appalachian Trail has twisted from NC to TN and now I am looking forward to Virginia in a week's walk. I started out slow, while the heat has grown with humidity and my feet are badly torn up...and of course, it's been buggy!!

Trail gnats seem to directly dive for eyeballs or a way to the throat, like up your nose!! So in recollecting the past week's hike, you have a conditioned image, ha!! But the walks have had many highlights and there has been so much natural beauty to relish. Also, my knee has done a 180 and is feeling springy again! I started sprinting downhill when it is a nice, clear pine tree path... but in my boots which is why my feet are in poor shape. Luckily I found a mix matched pair of trail runners in a Hiker Free-Box. They seem to fit really well!

Fresh water sources have
 been a highlight of hiking.

Ok. I'd like to start by mentioning that I have met so many different, amazing hikers and there just happens to be a TON of people from, well Pinellas County! Even my hometown! Ha! I got to joking that we've gotten tired of the surf but it's really neat that so many Floridians get out to these woods.

Along a 2 mile
ridgeline on
Firescald Ridge
 in Tennessee

I met one USF graduate who was out hiking with her boyfriend and dogs. They live in Knoxville and she is a Watershed Scientist. She has had some cool research destinations! When I was up on Firescald Ridge I began to pass a Eagle Scout troop out of Tampa who were doing a week on the Appalachian Trail! 

Moving up in miles, I have walked over several PUDs (Pointless Ups and Downs) but also some very sweet ups and downs (non-knee crunching) with great views!

Little Bald

Up on a meadow facing Big and Little Bald (my hike for the next day), I camped with an improvised lean-to made from my rain tarp wrapped over my trekking poles and my bug net. The night out in the stars was fantastic! I woke up at the right time to try and spot the comet (panSTARRS) in the sky right now. Before clouds rolled over I even saw a shooting star ☄ Now, does this even compare to the sight of the galactic night sky over Zambia? No way, but I'm happy to have so many elements of nature together in the woods!

A good morning meadow wake up!

Also, I must admit defeat over starting a fire in the ring on the meadow, though I'm not surprised with myself. I don't have a Ba Mayo (that'd be, my Zambian Host Mother - a strong woman) to come to my aid; plus, it's been fairly wet recently.

As I get into a day's walk I have enjoyed
listening to a podcast or some good hiking music - like the new Dave Matthews Band album! I'm a happy fan. Or Kenny Chesney's latest - Hey, I am pretty close to his hometown!

Anyway, I recently listened to a fantastic interview by Krista Tippet with a naturalist and author, Michael McCarthy, that made me ponder connections we draw everyday and contribute to our happiness, as well as the profoundess of Earth's annual rebirth. McCarthy describes his reverence for the places in Europe that sparked his philosophy on the power of nature to influence our direction (trees as honing beacon?). He also discusses the meaningfulmess of England's native butterflies in memory of his late mother. You can click the link below to download the episode. I would also recommend the episode of On Being interviewing Joanna Macy, entitled A Wild Love of the World.
https://onbeing.org/programs/nature-joy-and-human-becoming-may2018

I'll wrap up this post with a rare moment caught of my Zambian Host Mother cutting a rug with a smile she so often flashed up to her cheekbones.

Joy to the World, Brandi.

2 Weeks at the DMV

So I'm wrapping up a respite from the woods and ready to get back to hiking. My fate-filled encounter with new friend GQ allowed me to spend more than enough time in the DC/MD/VA are to see friends, eat amazing food, and make myself all too anxious about meeting society's standards. The choices were plentiful and decor, advertisements and flavors enticed my senses. Still, I remain turned off to this area in terms of residency. There are plenty of positively charged cities out there where the same income affords more of the pie. So I bid the capital farewell and forlorn, for the mountains are calling... and, well, you know.. I must go.

Much love to my friends there making it happen and for putting me up and showing me a great time! A couple shoutouts:

To my RPCV fam in the area- Good luck with your careers. I see you on the beat. Don't forget the pace you were once familiar with and appreciate the value of down time.

My Alicia- Thank you for a bliss-filled week, living in your space and sharing your time. The best version of you lies behind those "Gulf of Mexico in the Summer" green eyes. I love you and always will.

Bloss- You've always been clutch, buddy. I'm glad I could distract you from your innovating, fundraising, and email answering. See you again soon. Thanks for all your comfort. Thank Jim and Julia for me, as well.

AJ- Good luck with all your classes at GW and in Oxford. I'm taking notes from your determination and I'm glad we share insights toward law school. Stay focused, you're doing great! Thanks for letting me cuddle with your dogs... I've easily never cuddled so well in my life...ha!

So, I'm going walking for another couple of weeks leading up to The Longest Day Alzheimer's Association event on June 21st. Then I fly home to celebrate life and love and summertime back in Florida with friends and family. Stay tuned to stories from the trail.

As we say in Zambia, Be Free... b.

The Longest Day

The Longest Day has taken on new meaning beyond hiking from sun up to sun down. The longest day of year is on it's way to the Northern Hemisphere, by the way. Out on the trail, I have felt the temperature increasing as Summer creeps in, rain and all. On the day of the Summer Solstice, June 21st, I am officially inviting you to follow my lead and do something you love to do - like take a hike! Do something that leaves a sweet, loving memory of quality time spent. Now dedicate that memory to those who have lost theirs - to the more than 5 million Americans currently suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

Let me introduce you to the Alzheimer's Association's annual event being held this June in honor of Alzheimer's Disease awareness, care, and research. The Longest Day seeks to expand the invitation that I have extended to you and call upon advocates to donate toward the cause of fighting a disease  that affects 1 in 4 aging Americans. Scientists are working to explain and treat the cause of this most common form of dementia. Do you know someone who has had Alzheimer's Disease? What about someone who has had to care for a dementia patient?

I believe in the good work being done to engage communities in raising awareness as to the seriousness surrounding the future of Alzheimer's Disease. Many flags are raised when you investigate the prevalence of the disease among genetic and environmental influences that worry me about the future quality of life for our elders (of me one day!) if this disease isn't put in check. From memory loss to dizziness, frustration, depression and confusion, a shrinking brain causes eventual death to its sufferer.

In dedication of those suffering to remember who they are, the lives they have lived, and how to function, I have started a fundraising campaign in conjunction with The Longest Day. Donations to my page do directly to the Alzheimer's Association, which dedicates 77% of its total expenses directly to care, support, research, awareness and advocacy. Please join me in engaging in this substantial cause. You can visit my Facebook Fundraiser or access my Longest Day page to donate toward my personal goal.

Let's not forget,
Love.
b.

Hiking for a Great Cause!

Since I have returned home from Africa, I have been regaining connections with family and friends and hearing their stories of events that have taken place in the time that I was living abroad. I have missed births, deaths and marriages, among countless other achievements and upsets. I have told my own stories of life in Zambia, including all the aforementioned staples, albeit with different cultural elements. I mean, I witnessed MANY births, deaths and marriages while I was living in a communal village setting, where generations of large families might all reside in the same area (which I loved in a sense of security). There were countless differences to society between Zambia and the US, of course, but one little aspect that I noticed in Zambia was how strong elderly people there are. While here in America, our aging citizens are riddled with diseases like the one I'm presently calling attention to  - Alzheimer's Disease (and more largely, dementia). Rates of Alzheimer's Disease and dementia are much higher among societies that consume a "Western" diet and, possibly more specifically, animal fat. I recall my mother's late grandfather and other family members who struggled at the end of their lives with memory loss, dizziness, confusion, and depression associated with this disease which chokes and degenerates their brain to the point of nonfunction.

There has not been a single survivor of Alzheimer's Disease but research is being done to decelerate and reverse this abnormally to aging. The numbers in the U.S. are already high - the statistics claim a new case is formed every 65 SECONDS. Now, links are being drawn between Alzheimer's Disease and advanced forms of diabetes - casting blame on genetics and the Western diet that I mentioned. The way civilizations around the world are turning are increasingly toward a diet of fewer grains and more animal products. I have witnessed the increased consumption of salt and cooking oil to the diets of Zambians in both the villages and in the cities. The difference is that in the village, people conduct hard labor daily, while in town people lead sedentary lives with motor vehicle communities and stationary jobs. The only obese people are in town. They ail of ulcers and the number of diabetes patients is on the rise. What does this mean for our global society?

Could we possibly lose our quality of live in old age to more diseases that limit our body function and health? I know that you or someone you know has been affected by Alzheimer's Disease in some way. Loved ones facing memory loss and those who must then care for them face daily struggles to retain the love and strength that this disease wipes away. I'm so passionate about this issue because I believe that not only is it gaining in prevalence but that we are also coming closer to scientifically understanding the disease and how to fight it in order to end it. Will you or I be 1 out of every 4 Americans to develop dementia before we die?

Next, I'll let you know about the Alzheimer's Association campaign that I am participating in to raise awareness for the fight to end the disease.

Thanks for reading and make a new memory with a loved one today,
Brandi

The Longest Day Campaign

Bopping Along

Sunday's hike was 11.5 miles of easy beginnings and on up to a bald mountain called Max Patch. It's a popular spot for day visitors, with no exception this day. The views were great all around and the breeze was so nice. I played down a bit and ate some snacks. I continued on to find the place I had planned to camp for the night. GQ showed up and asked to join. We ate our dinners and chatted about the world as we know it. Did I mention he is almost 72?!! According to his DNA ancestry report, he told me that he's got roots all over the world, most notably from the Congo and Tanzania. I talked about my Peace Corps experience in Zambia and he told me about his travels with the military, including two tours in Vietnam. What amazing dialogue we've had!

Heading up to Max Patch

Another night in my hammock made for an exciting evening. I was visited by a young white tail deer who munched grass all around my set up, no more than 5-10 feet away. It apparently did not fear my bug net covered suspension and I was able to observe it for 15-20 mins. Later in the night, it visited again and led me to watch fireflies dance about in the moonless dark.

I've now made it to a hiker town that the Appalachian Trail cuts right through. Hot Springs is an adorable little community with a few artisan shops, hiker-friendly grocery stores, a pub and a tavern, along with several inns and hostels. Fate has it that my new kindred spirit friend GQ is heading home for a short two weeks in Frederick, MD. I'm taking the opportunity to hitch along to DC, where I can rest my knee and visit my close friend Alicia.


I've got another few weeks before I have to be back in Florida for a couple summer celebrations with friends and family, so I'll head back to where I left off and hike as far as I can until then!!


Take Good Care,
B

Bruce Sausage Willis, a dog hiking the AT.

Holed up on Mount Cammerer

On my third day of hiking (an eventual 13 miles for the day), I was hiking with my new friends up to Mt. Cammerer - a nearly 5,000 footer with a modern style fire tower on top offering 360 degree views of rolling mountains. Approaching the trail up to the tower we encountered another hiker (a 71 year old recently retired veteran whose trail name is GQ) that we had met the night before. He informed us of impending foul weather so we all decided to set up camp in the fully enclosed octagonal fire tower instead of walking another 5 miles to the next shelter. You see, in the Smokies, hikers are relegated to camp only in designated areas, mostly shelters.

After a short, rocky climb to the tower, we all got inside just as the rain came. It passed quickly and left amazing views of sparkling terrain and a giant rainbow. The next day we all liked out of the Northern terminus of the Smokies, which marked the end of the Koreans' trip. One of them, Brian, from San Francisco, lent me his knee braces and trekking poles for the rest of my trip - I don't know what I would have done without them. God bless them and mountain magic.

I walked several miles to a little hiker's oasis called Standing Bear Hostel. It was complete with a cat, dogs, and a rooster - which made for a Zambian sounding morning with the first crow at 4 AM.... Ah felt like home!! Not that anyone else agreed. But the hostel had everything a weary hiker could ask for  - laundry service, pizza oven, beer, and a jam packed snack and gear store. It was a great stay!

The next day's hike had some high ups and downs but I finished early after only 7 miles, since I was nursing my knee. I met back up with GQ and we found the next shelter just in time for rain. Since we weren't restricted to only staying in shelters like in GSMNP, I pitched my hammock under the great trees - alongside 8 other people... including 2 more Floridians!



If you are curious what music I have been bopping along the trail to, I created a youtube playlist for examples :)

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLo7hi_-OeEyKVtvu1qVSe7CAkmCD4k2ZA


Remember two things: Love your Mother and leave nothing but footprints.
b.

Smokies Section

For whatever reason, I decided to start my hike at the highest point on the A.T...

I got an Uber from my lovely hostel in West Asheville to get to Clingman's Dome in the middle of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park (GSMNP). My Uber driver was a retired Vietnam War Veteran from North Carolina. He played excellent mountain music the entire 2 hour ride, so I was feeling inspired to get to walking. I should mention that I have not conditioned myself for this endeavor besides the past 2 years constantly using outdoor gear, living (far) off the grid, and on a carb-heavy staple diet. My legs, however, haven't done this much walking since my last half-marathon a year ago. I don't suggest my approach.

Anyhow, I arrived at my destination and my new pal wished me well before I took off uphill for a 13% steep gradient, half-mile hike up to the Observation Deck on top of the Dome (6,643 ft). The overcast blue mountains were showing off their colors today, so I took a deep breath and dove onto the trail. I walked 10.5 miles until sundown when I reached my first shelter, Ice water Creek. There I met a whole cast of people - some that I would subsequently see throughout the trip since we were headed in the same direction. One couple heading south graduated from Eckerd College near my previous residence and another guy was born in my hometown! Imagine that. Anyway, we prepared our sleeping bags across 2 long wooden platforms under the 3-walled shelter and cozied in for the night. Around 9:30 PM, 4 more people showed up so we made room for them to pile in.

The next day we all ate, packed up and headed out in our respective directions. Since it was Day 2 for me I was already feeling sore with a 25 lb. pack pulling down on me and a bum knee acting up. The weather was cloudy and at our elevation... we were IN the clouds!

About a mile up the way I happened upon the 4 shelter latecomers, they were retired Korean men hiking the Smokies. We became instant friends and for the next 2 days they fed me Korean market food and I think I even started speaking their language! Ha! Two of them were avid hikers. There was a novice at the age of 70. And one guy was very comical and would shout out variations of, "Smokey Highway!!" or, when it was a flat section, "Florida Highway!", they made the hike so entertaining.

I am looking forward to stretches of alone time on the trail but I have met countless hikers with unique stories, all of whom have the same dedication and reverence to the Trail, with the ultimate goal of walking all 2,200+ miles of it. Me, I simply want to take advantage of the blessing of time that I have post Peace Corps and get some fresh air.



Happy Trails is the wise way to say I acknowledge your journey and I wish you strength and pleasure along the way.


Happy Trails!
b.

I'm a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer!

Wow, two years have flown by! Obviously I did not diligently keep this blog updated the whole time... but I have closed my service with Peace Corps Zambia! I'll tell you, the last three months were easily the hardest... saying goodbye was nearly impossible. For all the local languages I learned to speak, there was no way to express through them the abundant gratitude, pride, and love that I have for the citizens of Mulaushi Village and for the Peace Corps staff headquartered in Lusaka. I have learned more than I have taught, I have gained strength in ways I never imagined and I have parted in time and space with my Zambian family and friends; and, as a result, I feel a void in my heart that will take extensive reflection to fill back up.

I am indeed back in the US and trying to reintegrate! Ha! Seriously, I've been reconnecting with friends and family and Florida and consumer choices and voter opinions and traffic! But I'm having a blast figuring out what comes next. Maybe I have it figured out? I'm planning to start Grad school in the Fall, which means the Summer is all mine!

So what am I up to now? Well, currently I'm resisting the race race and hiking along the Appalachian Trail!! I've missed our wild places and I've grown so used to the outdoor, off-the-grid lifestyle so I dropped onto the Trail in the Smokies and I'm walking north. I'll be updating this journal along my merry way, so stay tuned!

Have an adventure for you and I to explore? Just let me know and we'll go! Oh the places....

Keep It Simple Society.
Your Girl, B.

Missing my fur baby and her babes.

It left like losing my innocence when I parted with two of my best friends/helpers!

This is one of the strongest women I know! And the one who take care of me for 2 yrs. My sister, Noria.

Sacred Self Reflection

Today I'm thinking about all the sacrifices I have made to fulfill a longtime dream of mine to serve overseas, albeit in the middle of the African Bush. For the contract of over two whole years I have dedicated myself to this land and its people, every day, living closely to both. I am missing my family's and (BEST, seriously each so dear to me) friends' marriages, divorces, career achievements, children's births.. Luckily no funerals yet.. But I have been to plenty here in central Zambia...

I have momentarily forgone other dreams, job opportunities, paths worth pursuing... In reflection, I used to let fear overwhelm me... Fear of missed opportunities, having to choose paths... And now I groggily laugh, HA!, Alas!, I have chosen for now. [These days, as a fact, I no longer fear. Fear escapes me. I have adapted in more ways to more unusual situations than I can count.]

All in all, it's a simple life here. Struggles abound, I greet the light of day with a smile. Even on a rainy day, it is welcome here. It's an odd simulation, though, I must say. I'm given a general outline of a job description, dumped in a two room mud brick house and have to budget a peanut salary. Then, I have a community asking me questions in a foreign language and I'm suddenly conforming to the cultural norms of the village. Ok great - challenge accepted.

Cut to, 10 months and 3 seasons later I am facing a certain time block ahead of me... Knowing what I know now... The language, the job, the seasons... And I just sit here painting my walls with the rain outside and my crops emerging from the soil in my field.. And I think, I am so content. But what's next? I'm a bit of an analyzer, if you know me at all. I take a lot to heart, too. I calculatingly fly off the seat of my pants and I chase dreams til I'm riding their clouds.

Photo courtesy of a 5 y.o.
Just noticed there's paint on me here too, ha!

I mentioned how happy I am these days... But damnit I get filled with inescapable emotion when I think about all the other fantastic days of my family and friends. I truly value the ways in which I can stay connected with them.. When it's possible.. I do live in the bush and half the world's time zones away.

Still, I am carving out this little happy chunk of time to serving the people around me in any way I know how. Oh, and I am in proximity to dozens of wondrous destinations around this continent and I have ample time to see so many! And it's not just me here in Zambia. I have made countless friends and brought along two fantastic ones that I already knew!

Now, I tell you, I'm growing within myself and in my gardens. I'm seeking, I'm finding. I'm being kind to myself and others. I'm gaining confidence in all things. I still have trouble simply living day to day, but the pace of life and the people here have dictated my rate of project completion and enforced a continuum of working to live.

Indeed, I have witnessed both working to live (here) and living to work (in the states) to their extremes.. And as I sit here covered in paint, listening to rain mixed with a cool jazz hi-hat tremble from my speaker, I think, I am so content.

I am as happy for my friends and family living their dreams as I am here living mine.. And I'm real happy for them! I look ahead with my palms outward facing, my blessings on my back, and my eyes wide open to what bliss I am to find next.

This small dissertation was the result of a moment to myself. These moments we each need; to align ourselves with our own destiny. Try it for yourself. Produce art, listen to music, revere nature - all at once if you are lucky. Find inspiration everyday: in the work you do, in the ones you love, in the reflection you make.


I am wishing everyone near and far Happy Holidays and don't forget to keep in touch. Love and Joy!

Brandi
Current Mood: trembling Current Music: Again Today/Hiing My Heart - Brandi Carlile

A li'l update

Waiting for transport to haul my host's maize to market... Oh, yeah, I cut my hair..

Greetings!

I'm here at the Central Province office catching up on messages, research and electricity consumption! The last few months have proven to be a new scramble over the hills of service. Also, I've been climbing more hills (or mountains, as they are called no matter the size) around my area. I made it well through the cold season, which saw overnight temps of mid-upper 40's Fahrenheit. But, we've forgotten all that and now complain (just like Floridians do) about the heat of October. It's going to hit 91F today! though, soon enough the summer rains will come... For conservation farming purposes, we say to plant on Nov. 15.

As for me and my community, we have been busy with Cooperative meetings and field planning. Also, now is the time to finish up any construction projects before we enter the 5 month rainy season.

Co-op meeting to discuss a piggery project, under a mango tree at my home

 I just started my home garden nursery with seeds from the states (I hope they take!) so I can enjoy some nostalgia and variety in my diet! The field around my home will be planted with sunflowers and soybeans. Both are conservation crops which break the monotony of staple crops like maize and cassava. Sunflowers are an emerging industry with commercial use as oil, livestock and bird feed, and other applications. Soybeans are extremely nutritious and fix Nitrogen into the ground to naturally supplement the soil for the next season. I'll also grow my own maize, in part to demonstrate my earnestness to farm here.

 We recently held a youth outdoor environmental camp in our Province. We took 16 school children and 6 mentors to Kasanka National Park for 4 days of environmental education and nature tours. We had a blast! It was a fun opportunity since likely all of the children there would not have otherwise visited the Park which is just in their own backyards. We had lessons in English and Bemba and games and interactions throughout the day. We even went on safaris and saw an elephant in the near distance... my first sight in the wild and their first time ever! Oh, how they lit up with joy and wonder! At the end of the trip, all the kids had made new friends and went back to their villages to share their experience with their schools. Next, we'll have an all girls camp called, Girls Leading Our World (GLOW).

With friends, Shadreck and Ryan at Camp TREE

Next week I'll be enjoying a bit of exploration in the neighboring country, Malawi. First, we will head for the mountains for waterfall hiking, then down to Lake Malawi to snorkel the clear water and relax with a cold beverage, or three. Once in a lifetime, I will say.

Current Music: "Loving Wings" - Dave and Tim
Current Mood: Seasonal Cold Congestion

Adventures through the Zambian Bush

Local bridge

                 

Magic moments are frequent here. It seems so easy for exactly what should happen to come to fruition because our lives are overall quite simple; very few distractions (only vices) to take us off the right path. Besides that, adventure waits around every corner!

Here's a day in my life:

From my village there are two ways to get to my neighbor's community south of me: by the Tarmac or through the bush. I have traveled there by road, but only about 10km are by motorcar... The remaining 12km are by foot. Needless to say, I've wanted to find the bush path for some time now.

It was a Sunday when my counterpart, Mr. Mambwe, Rodgers, and I set off on our bicycles to reach Andre's place. First, we crossed the long flooded valley where farmers in my community have abundantly irrigated gardens. Then we traveled 8km of straight, slightly sandy path. We found a village soon and took winding paths through their homesteads - and I was supposed to remember the way. Anyway, by this point we had passed a group of rocky hills, making the scenery beautiful and unique. Now it was time to dip down deep into a ravine and cross a river on a wood log bridge (pictured). We walked our bikes all of this time and reached the edge of André's village (about 16km total)!

Mr. Mambwe

I got to catch up with him while Ba Rodgers attended the local church service. Come to find out though, the main reason for traveling this day was for a soccer match between Andre's village and ours (for which, Ba Rodgers is the coach of). So, by noon we were headed to the field where I immediately recognized the young men hanging out in the shade. Upon greeting them, we took spots to hang out and, quickly, more of our players rode up on bikes. Not having seen any local players, we were able to relax and joke around and dance a bit. Two hours and no locals later, I was already feeling pride for my boys, maybe a little too much in front of Andre... But then we were surprised with lunch from a (drunk, but happy) man named Isaiah: nshima and rape (basically kale) for the whole team! Full and energized, the players retreated to the field...for another hour, as it were. By 15:00 hours, the locals came around and we were ready to play. By now, the players were all changing into their red jerseys and those with silicon (not leather, or lined) cleets had them on...the rest play barefooted!

Our guys in red, winning!

The first half of the game we scored one goal and I entertained the children on our side of the field by passing a zamball (usually plastic bags bound by chitenge) and greeting them in Bemba. After halftime I was placing bets with the locals who could speak English and were drunk on beer made from maize (a very common sight in the villages). As the game and the day grew late we were up 3-0 and I was shouting and cheering in Bemba for my boys. After the last whistle, all the women and children from the other side of the field came over dancing and singing for our team's victory.

Now, at the start of dusk, we loaded our bikes and headed back the way we came. First, down the crevassed river pass, we hooted and hollered. Up the other side, through the neighboring village, the night crept in. Still singing, I willfully pedaled in the middle of the parade. I couldn't keep an open mouth grin from my face even with my growing fear of falling off my bike in the dark. The power of the boys' praise songs was echoed throughout the bush. Only the crescent moon lit our way down narrow paths of sand and stone, under sparse forests. As dark as the night became, I exuded elation. Pride for my village team and the adventure I was having. Eventually we made it back to the open valley of the local stream, with millions of stars above our heads... I knew we were home.

I love and miss everybody back in the states...but I hope you're getting a few snapshots of my exciting life here! Enjoy the simplicity in our day and give praise always!

Peace,

Brandi

Current Music: Catching up on 'Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me'

Current Mood: Giddy

First Three Months in the Village

Next week, I will be celebrating my 6-month kilometerstone of living in Zambia! I expected the time to fly by, but I didn't realize just how fulfilling it would be each day. Up until now I have been in the phase of my service know as Community Entry, a time in which I have simply been integrating with my village and getting my home in order. At this time, I have just returned from the capital city, Lusaka, for what was two weeks of workshops and exploring the big city. Lusaka residents live a completely different lifestyle than Zambians in the rural areas of the country, and small towns for that matter. Still, the struggles of the city are apparent as we tried to get around on foot or by taxi. Buses are erratic and extremely unsafe, sometimes the drivers are drunk and you are always battling their attempts to overcharge you....

In Lusaka, there are huge, overwhelming open markets (which are filthy) and large, modern shopping malls (retailers delight). On a visit to the capital, volunteers get to stock up on fancy foods and readymade house goods. Also, dining out in Lusaka is a total luxury, but an expensive one! It's a nice "break" from the simple village life.

At an Irish pub in Lusaka drinking an expensive Guinness!

Out for Korean BBQ and karaoke for Will's B-day!

Back in the vil, I have been getting to know my neighbors...and all the local drama that comes with a small, disparaged community. I've slowly gained a sense of life here, including family matters and making a livelihood from subsistence farming. Right now, farmers are completing the big maize harvest, next comes processing (hand-shucking and milling) and buying and selling among villagers and to the market.

Kalli, who is quickly growing big on a diet of eggs and nshima

Kalli helping harvest maize

Also, I got a kitten! I have named her after the cat I had growing up since she looks just like her! Funnily, Kalli Kay (with different spelling) actually means "let her be" in Bemba....it gets a little confusing at times, ha. She's the best little bed deadweight and mouse chaser and my host family seems to like her.

I want to shout out to my loved ones back home who have sent me letters, post cards, and offered care packages. It is truly my favorite part of this experience to hear from you all in different ways; it really makes me happy. Keep 'em coming!

Here is my new PO Box address:

Brandi Murphy

PO Box 850055

Serenje, Zambia

Once I head back from the Provincial House tomorrow to go back to the village, I'll be getting down to working: planning farming demos, school garden lessons, and bracing myself for the hot season!

Missing everyone back home! xo, Brandi

Current Mood: Anxious

Current Music: I Will - Brandi Carlile

First Three Weeks of Village Life

On this day, the day in celebration of my 26th year in existence, I am comfortably resting in our Central Provincial House / crash pad for our yearly meeting. I would otherwise be confined to my village and nearest market for the remaining two months of Community Entry. But the fresh intake of LIFErs (like myself) and RAPpers (Aquaculture Specialists) were granted a respite from our disorganized settling in and the strain of speaking local language, not to mention remembering all the new people we have met in our communities!

LIFE and RAP 2016 Central Province

Since we finished Pre Service Training, we were whisked off to Lusaka for our Swearing In Ceremony and to do all of our fancy modern shopping at the malls and whatnot. From there we had to say goodbye to all of our cohorts going to different provinces, which was a huge crying fest. 

We bought furniture and housewares in our local bomas (township) and were rushed out to our sites to greet our hosts. The first few days I was able to get my bed fixed up with a mosquito net and started to unpack bags. My little two-room grass thatch home is filling out slowing...

In the past three weeks at my site I have been meeting and greeting with neighbors, local farmers and visiting the closest health clinic and primary school. 

New bed, familiar sheets, cozy lights

I have seen some very impressive gardens and have been eating fresh from the field for weeks. At the local clinic, the head nurse Ba Grace has welcomed me overwhelming me - I was even put to work upon visiting the clinic on an Under 5 day. This is a day when mothers flock to the clinic (on foot) to weigh their babies, get immunizations and other supplements. I was happy to participate in the reporting and chart checking.

My new home garden :)

The past week I have also been visiting the local Grade 1-7 school a quick 5km bike ride from my house. I first met with the Deputy Head Teacher and her staff to introduce myself and discuss the idea of me contributing to the lessons on gardening and agriculture in the future. I have also been training with the sports teams as they prepare for tournaments this week. I have fallen in love with net ball, which is similar to women's basketball, but you can't move with the ball.

Now, at Provs, I have met the prior intakes of volunteers in Central Province and reunited with my LIFE and RAP boys (and KiKi!). We communally discussed issues of Peace Corps policy and procedures, as well as, site specific inquiries and hardships. There's nothing like sitting down and talking to people one-on-one or together with many insights and perspectives. I have enjoyed my time with the others and all the amenities of a functional, modern home...refrigerator, et. al. We were also just moved to a new Provincial House after, I suspect, over a decade elsewhere. It will be a unique time to contribute to the flair and comfort that our House provides, hopefully that includes wall paint! Ha!

Net ball girls

Futbol boys crashing the picture

Love these kids!

Besides not feeling well at all this week as a result of eating something foul, I have enjoyed my birthday and meetings. Next I will head back to my village to pick up where I was and continue learning, greeting, and growing in the land of the LaLa people. Oh and I am taking home a kitten!

Signing off for now. Please keep me in your thoughts and hearts. I should have a P.O. box set up by the end of the week and I will post it for folks to stay in touch or send me relief packages ;)

Light and Love, B

Burning Man Prov Party

Current mood: Sleepy
Current Music: Two Step DMB

Transportation in Zambia

We occasionally leave our training village for day trips and visits to Lusaka. When we do, we sometimes take 4WD cruisers or small to medium sized buses. The roads here are mostly dirt and rock...and mud and holes. Traveling to and from town actually gives me anxiety. It feels like the worst carnival ride ever and I usually question the driver's sanity...and these are Peace Corps drivers...

The cruisers could probably double as fall out shelters...but they're still no match for the roads off the asphalt. Looking at a map of Zambia, there are basically 4 paved highway roads stretching NSEW from the capital. My new home will actually because stone's throw off the Great North Road.

We all have bikes to haul to our new sites. It took a while but more that half of us got bike racks on the backs...they can't handle much though. I may not use my bike very often in the village, and I'll probably take public transportation or hitchhike to get to other towns. Hitching is pretty common here, and not always free. People just taxi their cars out and make a ton of money. I am hoping to make friends with people from the national park by my house in order to hitch on with them if they go in to the provincial capital or Lusaka. I also expect to do a lot of camping there!

As I take more public transportation I will have more outrageous travel stories.... For instance, my first "taxi" ride was a guy's tiny 4door Toyota with 6 other people and 2 babies... We were on top of each other, and luggage was piled out of the trunk. I rode this way for 70 km into my nearest town. He also had fresh caught fish hanging from his driver's rear mirror...the smell was intense.  Anyway, the ride cost 50 Kwatcha and took my right to my destination. Otherwise I could have caught a eurovan sized bus ..that gets just as cramped.

Traveling all be an ingoing tension for me. One if the things that continue to make me Africa strong.

Current mood: sinus and throat pains
Current music: On Green Dolphin Street - Miles Davis

Site Reveals!

So one hidden anxiety all of the trainees have had pertains to the actual location where we will all end up living for our two year service. Based on the origins of the particular language we are each learning comes a village which has requested that the Zambian government send them a PC Volunteer to aid in a specific sector that they feel their community would benefit from. Well the day came and we are now looking into each village and scouring for current volunteers nearby to get insight from.

This week we will actually be meeting our permanent host families for a workshop in the capital and the following week the staff will let us, as bold fledglings, visit our future sites for several nights and even travel, on our own via public transportation, back here to training.

This loosening of the training wheels has been pretty effective to me, despite the drain from a full schedule and cramming a foreign language into my brain. (I'll go into a reflection on training further down the line)

Along foreign culture lines, I had my fill today...

The morning began with a few hours of Bemba lessons including but not limited to conjunctions, strong/polite commands, and shopping/bargaining. I then joined the group in visiting the local Chief at his palace or "ifumu Camuka kwisano". We were all told to dress appropriately so for women that meant cloth wrap skirts known as chitenges..they are often quite colorful or busy with patterns. I am currently having a dress made from chitenge, as well. It is customary to bring the Chief an honorable gift so we had 1 sack of mealie meal (ground maize), 1 sack of sugar, one bottle of cooking oil and a live chicken (shout out to Rikki for handling that thing). Those offering the gifts had a sequence involving kneeling and clapping, we all also got down on our knees when he approached his highnesses chair. The Chief turned out to be extremely well spoken and is taking an active liberal role in his duties. In his lecture (because he is also a teacher at the farm college) he expressed the importance of our work (under God), as well as, the need for gender equality and representation, which I appreciated. I even had a fantastic dance session with the Chief's singing bamayos (motherly women).

Indeed, the cultural differences are becoming more apparent as I spend more time in both the village and the city. Lines are mostly drawn among gender roles. Also, the manual work load is greater here. Of course, I am living and working in a rural farming community...

Settling in to PST

Hello blog followers! I have finally gotten my phone set up here in Zambia. They have three major carriers and significant reception in most towns. I now have a 12 digit phone number and very limited data.

At this point I am settling in to Pre Service Training with the other 34 LIFE volunteers like me. We are staying in the town of Chipembi and attending the Farm College here. Each volunteer was placed with a host family in the surrounding villages and was given a bike to commute to language classes and technical training 6 days a week. We were warned that PST was intense and after 4 weeks we are feeling the strain.

Still, I am so happy to have so many new friends with such great attitudes and dispositions. We have all been getting along so well and the days have been flying by.

Where should I begin to update?

Well, as I mentioned I am living in a town called Chipembi, which is north of the country's capital. The is the original land of the Lenja's but there are many languages spoken here, especially English. I am learning to speak Bemba, one of the country's most widespread languages. The traditional land of the Bemba's is in Northeast Zambia. So I can expect to have my final site somewhere up there.

My host family is Bemba, but they all know English. My Bamayo (mother) is the head of the home with 2 of her 4 daughters, Mwiza (13) and Martha (23), oh and baby Mienza (1), son of Martha. It is a lively farming home with gardens and maize fields all around it.

My daily routine consists of waking up to roosters outside of my room before dawn, bathing from a wash basin inside a grass shower enclosure and watching the sun rise, playing with the baby while my older sister cleans the floors and then eating my home mother's awesome egg dishes and dough fritters. By 7:45 I am on my bike headed to language class for 4 hours. I head home for lunch and to the farm college for agricultural training for 4 hours. By the time we all bike home, the sun is setting and the family is home cooking dinner. We eat together and basically gossip for the rest of the evening. While I attempt to study at night, by the time my head hits the pillow I am out like a light.

This is just a quick overview of my day to give everyone reassurance that I'm still alive. I plan to break my day down more and post some pictures too.

Also FYI, it was snowing in Philadelphia when we left, and arrived in Zambia to the rainy hot season. I already have a tan on my arms. Unfortunately my legs will remain pale because women can't expose above their knees....

Overall there are plenty of struggles to keep me on my toes and tired. I'm lucky to have good friends with me and Facebook... Ha! Missing home everyday.

Please stay in touch!
Til next time,
Brandi

We are off!!!!

Here is my mailing address for the next three months. Keep in mind letters and boxes will that upwards of 6 weeks to arrive!

Brandi Murphy/PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 50707
Lusaka, Zambia

Love you all!