So Stevie wrote two songs for In Service Training, and she posted them on her blog, but I want to post them here as well. She is a genius.
Go Slow
Chorus
[Go Slow, don’t move too fast Just enough to keep the kids coming to sweep the classGo slow, don’t move too fastNext term might see some teachin’ so sit back and relax]
Now let me tell you all a little tale
Of life under the sun for one quite pale
The mission in front was impossible
To make teachers willing not just capable
Chorus
At first I hoped to be just a fly on the wall
But soon there was nothing to see at all
The first week of term was for cleaning the class
And all the complaints were just a pain in the ass
No rural hardship so we fight for the cause
And then with the what what, sports and nataz
The strike was decided the only way
No learning to do so pupils stayed at bay
Chorus
Yet I still have three months to fill with time
So I thought I’d tell you about in this here rhyme
With the schools all deserted and empty
I found many other things tempting
There is the important job of entertainin’
Always a hit- what’s that mazungu makin’
I became master of the brazier cake
Cause mufu birthday’s were serious to take
Chorus
Chasing after the DEBS took many a day
Happy to find a new one’s on the way
See our DEBS happened to be a big fat jerk
And seemed to hate me just as much as my work
Never turned down a single invitation
Resulting in hours of church and salvation
I made friends with the small one block boma
On days with power we cried HALLEJAH
Chorus
The strike finally ceased with 3 weeks to go
Hit the ground runnin’ on with the show
My ZIC’s quite a rockstar, she is one sassy lady
We were bikin to schools in my zone daily
Managed to fit some TGM’s in
Did lots of work with a program called SHN
I am used when it comes to life village side
Just ok with selling my soul… for a free ride
Chorus
House décor included some painting
And when I get home there’ll be kitty waiting
Let’s hope that the go slow is truly finished
Otherwise my to read list will be diminished
Not sure how much real teaching there will be to see
When all of these kids out runnin’ free
But I’ll still be there tryin’ to fight the good fight
One step at a time, proving education’s a right
Chorus…just a bit of culture exchange
Southern Cross
Verse 1
Cast out on a shipset on land all a blaze
unknown how life has come this way
everyday set the course destination unsure
and the patience of waiting and waiting, not knowing if it matters at all
Chorus
When the sun melts away
And one by one the stars appear
Then I gaze at the Southern Cross
And the world melts away
All the worries and the doubts
And I know that this is right
Verse 2
Some days start so strong
endless movement forward
this could be the real start of things
yet somehow turn away
everything falls apart
and I'm sinking and spinning and trying
just to keep floating at all
Chorus
When the sun melts away
And one by one the stars appear
Then I gaze at the Southern Cross
And the world melts away
All the worries and the doubts
And I know that this is right
Bridge
How much can you change without taking what is there
And How much take you give without knowing if they care
And How much can you take without loosing while you came
There's value in unseen efforts
The beauty's in the choice of time
Verse 3
All it takes is one day
one sweet moment of bliss
then the shore somehow comes into view
on it goes spend your days
slowly gliding along
without seeing, or asking,
not knowing how this became home at all
When the sun melts away
And one by one the stars appear
Then I gaze at the Southern Cross
And the world melts away
All the worries and the doubts
And I know that this here right
When the sun melts away
And one by one the stars appear
Then I gaze at the Southern Cross
And the world melts away
All the worries and the doubts
And I know that this is right yes
I know that this, this is right
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Akuli Musana (It is hot!)
Hey Everyone!
I am in Lusaka on my way to a music festival, and I have FREE internet! So let me update you all.
First of all the big news is that there is a new intake of fish farmers and health volunteers, so Mufumbwe has grown by 4 more volunteers. I have already biked to one of the sites, my new nearest neighbors which are about 27-30km from my house. They all seemed to be getting settled alright, and we are really excited to have new faces.
I have been working on my garden a lot, my fence is all put up and I am working on perma culture techniques, so I am learning as I go. I have already planted onions, marygolds, and hot peppers. When I get back to site I hope to plant oregano, cilantro, basil, rosemary (thanks Aunt Nancy!) carrots, lettuce, celery, green peppers, and tomatoes. I have never gardened before so if even one thing grows I will be really happy! I generally work on it between 5-7am because it has been really brutally hot out lately, and I have to fetch water from my borehole to water the plants.
Hot season is in full swing here. We did get our first rains a week ago, but since it has continued to be very very hot. Most locals get up around 4 or 5am and head to their fields, come back around 10am and do work around the house. Then work starts up again around 3pm when it starts to get a little cooler. The mornings are wonderfully cool, but it is difficult to get to sleep at night because it is so hot. The rains are supposed to start at the end of the month, which will be a welcome relief.
The library in my zone, thanks to the previous volunteer's hard work, just recieved over 4,000 books from America. So I have been busy busy going through them all, reminicing, and categorizing. We had to categorize, shelf, stamp, pocket, record, and label all the books, so I am sure I will be busy with that for quite awhile now.
The schools in my zone along with the Ministry of Education (MOE) have been rock stars this term. One school is building 2 teachers houses, and 2 new classroom blocks (one by the MOE and one community funded.) Another school just put a roof on their long standing roofless classroom blocks that was community built (imagine, 3 classrooms and two offices not being used because there is no roof,) they got two new teachers, which doubles their staff, which is a much needed addition. They had 200+ kids and only two teachers, one of which was the principal so he wasn't really supposed to teach. They are also getting another classroom block built by the MOE. So my area is really developing quickly. Let's hope the projects are followed through to fruition.
Otherwise I have studying Luvale, hanging out with friends, sewing, reading, napping, visiting schools, having meetings, and other things like that to keep busy. I might be starting two more nursery schools soon, but I am not sure if they are serious or not.
I think that is about all for now. Check out picture on facebook.
I am in Lusaka on my way to a music festival, and I have FREE internet! So let me update you all.
First of all the big news is that there is a new intake of fish farmers and health volunteers, so Mufumbwe has grown by 4 more volunteers. I have already biked to one of the sites, my new nearest neighbors which are about 27-30km from my house. They all seemed to be getting settled alright, and we are really excited to have new faces.
I have been working on my garden a lot, my fence is all put up and I am working on perma culture techniques, so I am learning as I go. I have already planted onions, marygolds, and hot peppers. When I get back to site I hope to plant oregano, cilantro, basil, rosemary (thanks Aunt Nancy!) carrots, lettuce, celery, green peppers, and tomatoes. I have never gardened before so if even one thing grows I will be really happy! I generally work on it between 5-7am because it has been really brutally hot out lately, and I have to fetch water from my borehole to water the plants.
Hot season is in full swing here. We did get our first rains a week ago, but since it has continued to be very very hot. Most locals get up around 4 or 5am and head to their fields, come back around 10am and do work around the house. Then work starts up again around 3pm when it starts to get a little cooler. The mornings are wonderfully cool, but it is difficult to get to sleep at night because it is so hot. The rains are supposed to start at the end of the month, which will be a welcome relief.
The library in my zone, thanks to the previous volunteer's hard work, just recieved over 4,000 books from America. So I have been busy busy going through them all, reminicing, and categorizing. We had to categorize, shelf, stamp, pocket, record, and label all the books, so I am sure I will be busy with that for quite awhile now.
The schools in my zone along with the Ministry of Education (MOE) have been rock stars this term. One school is building 2 teachers houses, and 2 new classroom blocks (one by the MOE and one community funded.) Another school just put a roof on their long standing roofless classroom blocks that was community built (imagine, 3 classrooms and two offices not being used because there is no roof,) they got two new teachers, which doubles their staff, which is a much needed addition. They had 200+ kids and only two teachers, one of which was the principal so he wasn't really supposed to teach. They are also getting another classroom block built by the MOE. So my area is really developing quickly. Let's hope the projects are followed through to fruition.
Otherwise I have studying Luvale, hanging out with friends, sewing, reading, napping, visiting schools, having meetings, and other things like that to keep busy. I might be starting two more nursery schools soon, but I am not sure if they are serious or not.
I think that is about all for now. Check out picture on facebook.
Amazing Shop Names
I will keep an on going list of all the amazing shop names I see here in Zambia
That Place-Kabwe
Boom Shaka-outside Kabwe
Stranded Millionare-Mufumbwe
Just in Case Butchery-outside Lusaka
Mysterious Hardware-Lusaka
If Not, Why Not?-Kasempa
Then the variations of Shop Rite:
Shop Left-Between Solwezi and Kasempa
PoshRite- Kasempa Turnoff
Write Shop
Rite Shope-outside Lusaka
That Place-Kabwe
Boom Shaka-outside Kabwe
Stranded Millionare-Mufumbwe
Just in Case Butchery-outside Lusaka
Mysterious Hardware-Lusaka
If Not, Why Not?-Kasempa
Then the variations of Shop Rite:
Shop Left-Between Solwezi and Kasempa
PoshRite- Kasempa Turnoff
Write Shop
Rite Shope-outside Lusaka
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