Questions I have gotten

Hey all, I have gotten a lot of questions about random things that is probably good for everyone to know:

1: How to send letters and packages to me in Zambia.
I have my address for the first two months on the right hand side of this blog and on my facebook, so if you want to send a letter, that is pretty straight forward. Take the letter to the post office (make sure you write AFRICA on it to make sure they know what pile to throw it on.) It should be 94 cents to send a regular size envelope. Also, be sure to write AIR MAIL or PAR AVION on the letter or package.

The easiest thing for packages is to send bubble envelopes! This means no full size packages unless it is absolutely necessary! I apparently have to pay tax for packages, so bigger ones mean I have to pay more, and it is more likely that things will be stolen from them. Write "includes bible" or bible verses on the packages and supposedly there is less chance that things will be stolen. The magic number is 4 pounds and I believe it is around $18 to send something that is 4 pounds or less. Any more than that and you will be paying almost twice that. Mail takes anywhere from 2 weeks to never to get there (hey, its Africa!) Expect three weeks to five weeks.

2. Are you just popped in a village all alone!?
Well...the first two months I will be located more or less in the capital of Zambia (Lusaka) with some site visits to see other volunteers' sites. During this time we will be trained in a local language, be given classes in our area (I am in Education,) and given cultural topics to help us living alone. Then at the end of the two months, they interview you and find out what you NEED from a village (will you go crazy if there isn't another American nearby? Are you unable to physically get to the water source closest to your hut?) The Peace Corps obviously doesn't want you to hate your location and to be miserable, so they do their best to place you somewhere you will like. But yes, in the end, you are usually in a village all alone. Every once in awhile they have a training in the capital where they teach you small lessons about HIV/AIDS or other topics and to give you updates about what you should be focusing on and doing in the village.

3. Will you be seeing lots of animals like lions and elephants?
Probably not. Hopefully not unless I am in a game park. I have heard a lot of people have bat and scorpion problems. No, the Lion King is not adequate preparation for Peace Corps.

4. What happens if you hate it or conditions get too bad (politically, food security, etc)
Peace Corps tells you outright that they are not the military. There is no "dishonorable discharge" or anything. You are allowed to leave at any time, and they are required to take care of your health and security. This means that if you get malaria badly or something they will send you to a hospital that has the facilities to take care of you. If there is political or any other type of trouble they will fly you home or to another country that is stable.

5. How often do you get to come home?
I get two vacation days per month of service, not counting the first two months of training. BUT I would have to pay for my flight home. I cannot leave the first five months of service or the last three months of service. I am allowed four days per quarter for in country travel (visiting other volunteers most likely). I will hopefully get to come home for a week after my first year of service, but it depends on a lot of factors.

6. What will you eat?
Mostly nshima (cornmeal porridge), cabbage, corn everything!, mangoes, guavas, bananas, avocados

7. Can I visit you!?
YES! Please do! Depending on my school schedule I will let you know what the best time to visit is. You cannot visit until June (after my first three months in my village.) It seems like the cheapest time to come is May (November is also, but that is the beginning of rainy season) with tickets hovering around $1,600. You DO need a visa to come, a single entry only costs $50, multi-entry (if you want to hit other countries in the area) is $80. The visa claims that there are no required innoculations to get into Zambia, but you might want to check out malaria pills, typhoid pills, and yellow fever just to be safe.

8. What is the weather like there?

The dry/cool season is mid-April to August.

The hot season is September to mid-November

The wet season is mid-November to mid-April

Temperatures are generally in the high 70s to low 80s. In the hot season it can get up to 100, in cold season it can dip down to the 40s at night.

9. Do you get paid?

Yes, I get paid to live at the level of the community (about $1 a day). I get a move-in allowance to buy non-perishable food, containers to bathe in, furniture, seeds, and all that good, start up stuff. If I am able to complete my service term then I get a $6,000 paycheck so I can pay rent on an apartment, buy a cheap car, or whatever else I need to do to set myself up back in the US.