Let me tell you about Zambia and what it's like here so far.

Overall, I love it.

The trees are changing colors and it looks like fall. I was sad about leaving the states and missing out on my favorite season, but at least i get to see the beautiful colors of the leaves beiing, red, orange and yellow. The funny thing though is it is not fall here at all, it's actually about to become the hottest here. It's quite amazing, in Zambia, things look forward to the rain, which comes in November, and they bloom! Without having any water for most of the year. So for Zambian trees, the first leaves come out being red, yellow and orange and then when they die, they turn green and then fall. Quite opposite.
Here is a picture of some trees from far away, up close there very vibrant. Everyone says October is the most beautiful beacause by then there will be fields of flowers and all the trees will be in bloom. I'm quite surprised with all the color here, Zambia is fertile, lots of fruit trees and flowers. The flowers are all around right now but they are so small that you have to look for them to find them and then you will see many, Mom you would love it. Here are some picutures of flowers i have found in the bush and around Ndubaluba:

I'm very exciteds to see what else will pop up this next month between the dust and grass here.






Everynight and everymorning I am invaded with sounds. There are so many birds here it's quite amazing. Tons of small colorful ones and soome big ones too. I've seen an owl at night, some hawks and even a heron, i think,. And just the other day i saw the Ndubaluba bird!!! which is very rare to see and Ndubs is one of the only places where this bird lives. I was looking at MONKEYS! right outside my house and then i turn around just in time to see the Ndubaluba bird fly above me and land for only seconds on a high branch! It has a beautiful tall red mohawk and a yellow face mask with yellow and red and maybe even blue under his wings. It made my day. I was taking pictures of monkeys so i did have my camera but as soon





as i went to take one the bird moved around the tree to hide and then it flew away... They have alot of the same birds we have too. I've seen magpies, Norene's favorite, king fisher's and crows! except the crows are huge and are way louder than our crows and they have white on there bellies and neck! Here's a pic for you Alex.

The sounds of the birds make me feel like I am in a bird sanctuary, it's peaceful. A not so peaceful sound is all of the bees. There are so many bees here! I was not expecting that, and there huge! But there everywhere and no one has been stung by one so i guess I have good odds.
Everything here smells like campfire, which I like because the brick furnaces heat all the water for showers and what not. Here is a picture of the shower water i get to bath in....i don't take many baths...


Don't worry i let it run a bit and then it gets clearer, they say it has alot of iron in it. Oh and its much darker than the picture...much..




This has already taken me an Hour to write this because of the connection. I want to write about the people here and how simple their lives are and how hard they work. I have become friends with a couple of the workers on the grounds and their eyes always seem so tired yet they are so kind and friendly. On the very wavy and bumpy road from Ndubabluba to Chengelo I see people come and go into the bush where there villages are, with no running water, no electricity and barrely a shelter. I see them on the roads walking or riding their bikes with loads of branches in there arms or on their heads and huge water jugs on their heads that they had to get from miles and miles away and then take back to their village for fire or whatever. It's really humbling to see how hard they work and what the body is capable of. Something else that has struck me is the workers on the grounds are buliding a new little house right now and their tools! All they have are dull axes, shovels and hatchet it seems. No electric drills or things like that. It is another reason why time is slow here, everything takes awhile because they use what they have. Oh and breaks, there are two breaks in the day that people take very searioussly, tea in the morning and then alomost a two hour lunch break, and then you have tea when you get home too. They are very influenced by the UK.

My skin always smells like dust and my feet are constintlly browner than the rest of my body. It has been very hot but the sun actually dosen't feel very strong. My mouth seems to be dry alot and going through clouds of dust is unavoidable. I have already had to come to terms with many different things like, being dusty is just fine, smelling like fire is great, bugs are okay, there are soo many, not ones that will hurt me(that ive seen) but just all around, making sure i feel up on water from the only tap thats safe to drink, the brown water, not using to much electricity because were on solar, the roads and so much. But it hasn't been hard really. I'm enjoying it very much.I want to say more but i must go, here are some more pictures, including more pics of my hair which yo have asked for. I do miss you all very much and can't wait to share expereiences in person. I love you


The women and the baby on top is a Zambian women who was washing clothes and dishes near the dam. She was with a friend. The man is a local farmer taking his cows through Ndubaluba. And the girls in the tree are two local chhildren living in the compound next to us, worker's children.


The top is one of the many monkey's I saw, the spider was really close to me which i didn't know, but seemed to be friendly, the zambian boys were at the dam when we had a canoe race with the campers, and so where these girls, in their school uniforms.
So here is my hair again.
The one on the left is me, Sara, who works with me and is my friend now, then Enellia and Victor who are teachers of the kids we had this past week and then Collin who is one of the directors at Ndubs. And then me and Enellia.


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So the next ones are of me and Sara, a small group of girls from the trip last week and then my house and a little shelter which are all over here.


Okay I have alot more but I must go. Sara and I are at Chengelo and we are about to do a hike with some other teachers. I love you all and miss you. Thanks for your prayers!