So much to share....

This week has been a whirlwind of activity and change. Besides encountering many "firsts" that have challenged my thinking, I am working on changing the way I write the date (day/month/year), think about time (military), convert to metric, and figure out how to navigate driving on the other side of the road. In all honesty, this has the potential of being a stressful nightmare, but thankfully, it isn't. I have an amazing support team from the school whom has assisted me every step of the way. Furthermore, I am coming to realize that Zambians, in general, are some of the kindest most laid back people you can ever meet. The culture promotes this with an easy-going relaxed attitude. Therefore, if you want to eat out in a timely manner, be prepared to wait much longer than you do in the States. The bonus is that your meal is always served with a pleasant smile and your requests are heard.

Coming from New Hampshire, I anticipated that it would be hot here. Even though I was warned it is the "cool" season, the image of Africa in my mind is HOT, certainly much hotter than New England. Well, that isn't always so. The days are cool and the nights are downright chilly where we sleep in sweatshirts, sweatpants, and socks. I will most likely long for this  weather once the "hot" season arrives in September. Another interesting fact is that the sun sets at 18:00 (6:00) every night. I long for the warm summer evenings where it is light until 21:00 (9:00) but it will never be dark at 16:00!

The landscape is dressed in shades of brown, tan, copper, and reds at the moment. It is a contrast to the green hills and mountains of NH right now, yet it has its own beauty. There are splashes of color among the brown that attract the eye. We went into the "bush" outside of our backyard and there are quite a few blooms on various trees. I hope to begin to learn more about the plant, animal, and bird life while I am here. We have not seen any monkeys yet, but a colleague had one in his yard the other day as well as a large bat which may have been a fruit bat. I greet Africa every morning outside with my cup of coffee but other than a few exotically colored birds, and crows that look like ours except they have a white band on their bellies, I haven't seen anything out of the ordinary. We do have tiny geckos and very large spiders called "flatties" that are literally flat against the wall. They look like stickers they are so flat, but they are harmless and do a lot of good eating the bugs so we leave them alone.

Outside of my backyard

One thing I found fascinating is that the trees appear to be covered in red dirt.

The soil here is the color of terra cotta and looks like it is spreading up the trees. I asked the gardener, Grant, about it and he explained it is tiny ants that create the illusion. The ants take the dirt up the trees and live underneath during the non-rainy season. It does not injure the trees at all. When rainy season comes ( Dec.-April), the ants go back into the ground and cannot be seen. It sounds to me like they are hibernating. If you touch a tree, the soil is fairy think and crumbles to the ground allowing you to see the ants at work. I was told the tiny ants are harmless and do not bite yet the bigger ground ants can deliver a nasty pinch.

There is so much to watch, learn, and explore that we are never bored. Everyone is considerate and welcoming and goes out of their way to be accommodating in all aspects. This mentality truly proves that with a positive mindset and caring support, anyone can achieve anything.
Be well,
Jill .  (Noisy Librarian)