Sika | July 30, 2007
In some ways I feel like I am back in the end of high school or beginning of college. Getting away from my routine and into a job that has a definite end date–not to mention all the scholarships I can get with Peace Corps Fellows which fixes a number of problems with going back [...]
Sika | July 30, 2007
I didn’t have surgery today because the power went out at the hospital and so my surgery got rescheduled for tomorrow. I know that people at home will probably be upset about the power, but to be perfectly honest, that doesn’t concern me. Maybe already I have been here too long; gotten complacent about the [...]
Sika | July 30, 2007
Afghan Woman by Lana Šlezi?
My mama brought me a copy of the July/August Mother Jones. In it is part of the photos taken by my new favorite photographer, Lana Šlezi?. This picture, and many others evoke something almost indescribable in me–their power is palpable and the subjects are both heartbreaking and heartbroken. She has photographed [...]
Sika | July 28, 2007
Many of you already know, but I am on Medical hold in Pretoria right now, waiting for surgery on Monday. This is surgery to do correctly what was missed the last time I had surgery. Which is not to say that the last surgeon did the job badly, as it apparently can be difficult to [...]
Sika | July 13, 2007
So, I can’t room with a Malawian because judging from this day that would mean that my coworkers will try to save me at work and at home, and really a person shouldn’t have to deal with being saved more than once a day.
We were told that we could say that we pray at [...]
Sika | July 13, 2007
I met with Nancy, education PCV and my theoretical/proposed site mate, to go to the half market today. There is always something at the Nkhoma market, but it really only has variety on Saturdays and a little bit on Wednesdays. I had told the principal that I wouldn’t be in today, but I told the [...]
Sika | July 13, 2007
I went for a hike up the path behind the house I’m staying in. Instead of going to the right, up the tall peak, I stayed straight—largely because I figured I would reduce the risk of getting lost despite my propensity for doing exactly that. Up the mountain I found a small village and [...]
Sika | July 13, 2007
I am at Nkhoma, staying in the house of the deputy principal this week. On Friday (the day I’ll be posting this, so here I am, time traveling [neener neener]). There’s been a slight hitch, which really should not surprise me as nothing has happened without a hitch yet. The slight hitch is that the [...]
Sika | July 13, 2007
Today was our village farewell. It was pretty awesome. The amayi of Mterera and Paolo have been practicing their dancing and singing.
The schoolchildren danced for us, too. Christine, as the acting CD (country director), got up and gave a speech. She mentioned that the people back home tend to think that the hardest part [...]
Sika | July 8, 2007
Puh-LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZE
My number (including international access and the country code) is 0112659476765
Sika | July 8, 2007
Yesterday we went to the Lighthouse, which is a HIV/AIDS testing and treatment place near Lilongwe. The presentation was actually pretty good, but once again communication issues got in the way. We were told that we would open our bank accounts and then we could finally get phones and access our money from the safe [...]
Sika | July 8, 2007
I got a phone! I got a phone! My # (including country code and access symbol thingie) is +265 9476765. If you’re calling from a land line, it’s 011 instead of +. I can receive text messages and calls free, but for me to call the U.S. costs me about $10 for 5 minutes, and [...]
Sika | July 8, 2007
We found out our sites 2 days ago. I got Nkhoma, Lilongwe District. I am less than enthusiastic about it and so I’m going to talk about my reservations before talking about how awesome the site is, or you will think I’m crazy.
I don’t think I’m quite over the fact that I’m not going to [...]
Sika | July 8, 2007
I carried water on my head yesterday! My amayi was super impressed and immediately offered to take me to the borehole and let me carry some water. Not being an idiot, I refused. Well, actually, I said that I already had to do it again this morning so we could water our newly transplanted seedlings,
which [...]