The first few days …
Posted in Uncategorized on May 19, 2008 by MollyYesterday I got a quick phone call from Jessica (actually my husband got the call and passed me the message). Jessica reported that they had already had one school group visit - one of the International schools, which includes kids from all over the world whose parents are working in Zambia in some capacity. They had also been up to Sylvia’s (Sheila Siddle’s daughter) for a brie (BBQ). If the brie was like last year, most students went out to the “futball” (soccer) field for a very competitive game with some of the Zambian staff (they are very skilled at soccer). Others might have walked around Sylvia’s place, which is right on the Kafue river, minding the very large sign to beware of “crocs and hippos” (we didn’t see any but the sign was quite a sight itself!).
I also received the following from Dr. Beth Cooley (GU English professor whose husband, Dr. Dan Butterworth – Chair of GU English department, is also on the trip). Dan wrote from Cingola on the first day in town (Friday):
“Hey there–I am in Chingola, Friday morning. We arrived at Chimfunsi after many hours of driving on a day that started at 6:30 landing in Lusaka. Everybody is fine and only one bag was lost from the whole group. We saw Raymond and Sema in Lusaka and waitied for their very late bus with them before we left the airport. I am going to have my first driving experience on the way back–it takes about two hours or so to get here from our door, and over half of it is on a dirt road like the one to the Alfini place in Idaho–only worse! The countryside is hu\gely more beautiful than google earth or photos suggest. The temps are perfect–warm and cool breeze during the day, not too cold at night. I have a room alone in a building weith several girls whole share a room [clarification from Molly: Dan's roon is private - the girls are sharing the large room in the back 
]. We had a big meal last night–the time is strange and it feels like I’ve lost several days, which I have. Already the cultural immersion is fantastic since we are with people who work at Chimf. and who live in the towns around here or on site. Everything is very exotic and intriguing–my main observation is how alive the roads are–like the vein that keeps everything going. People are moving their bikes loaded with charcoal sacks or sticks or clothing or vegetables and the cars and trucks are playng leap frog and there are steady streams of people walking along the road with bowls and bundles on their heads, tools, huge bundles of sticks and the like. We saw Sylivia and a chimp she’s mothering last night, a weird flock of hornbills, white-bellied crows, herds of brahma cows we drive through–all very cool. I’m a bit surprised that I feel as good as I dusual fog of the human condition. We are getting supplies today, cell phones, etc. I am looking forward to hanging out and not movong for a few days after today. I slept well but in the middle of the night I reached my arm out and spilled everything on top of my table to a tremendous crash–who knows who I woke up with that display. I think that’s all I’ve got for now–it takes a long time to get on–basivcally phone line with the worst sort of anti-virus slow down–. Tomorrow I will do the chimp thing in the morning and take it from there. Plenty of food and some good stuff, like chicken pot pie inside a sort of tort like dough. Ok. I’ll write again if I get a chance–that would be next Tuesday probably.”
I will continue to post as I hear news of their adventures!
