Training Days

Welcome back my friends,

Its been a few weeks, hopefuly you're still reading. I know the posting is somewhat sporadic but the days are long and Im normally pretty burnt out by the time I get back from training.

Tonight my family cat caught a viper after dinner right near my Amomma's house, which was about 10 feet from where we were eating. Kitty killed the thing and then I walked over to see what she got and it turned out to be a snake. All the kids and mom freaked out (side note all zambians are terrified of snakes) so even though it was dead my mom wouldnt let the cat eat the snake. Obet (one of my host brothers) had to fetch a huge stick as so he didnt have to get near the snake while moving it into the bush while mom held the cat back.

(Side note, the cat just had 4 kittens last week and shes already too skinny and really wanted to eat that snake. I try feeding her when no one is looking because I secretly want a kitten to bring to site.)

Anyway, what made this whole snake thing so funny is we had a 4 hour medical lecture on animals to avoid while in zambia today. The viper being one. We were talking about the snakes today and what to do if you get bit. The black mumba was being discussed, it being the most deadly snake in the world\ one of the most aggressive. Some asked Gilly (our awesome british medical officer) she then made a witty british joke "off the path without a posse" and informed up we'd have less than 2 hours to live if we were bitten. There is no anti venom in zambia.

Wow long snake story. The sad thing is we got way more tales of peace corps people and thier misadventures with the various creepy crawlies that lurk in the dark places in zambia. We were assured that we would be impregnated with botfly larva at some point during service. Look that up people the african botfly. They lay eggs in wet clothes, which then hatch and the pre larval stage will burrow into your flesh where it will mature. Now think about how it rains for 6 months. How to dry out clothes? Luckily, it you cover the larvas air supply it will wiggle out of your skin before becoming a fly.

Okay enough of that. So, tomorrow i do my first fish transport on my bike, should be good. I have my interview with all the peace corps directors on saturday; cross your fingers for a first gen site.

Thats it for now. Send me pictures of home or anything my family loves them. Send any mail to the address i posted below or email me for faster responses. Ill have steady email / mail until the end of september. After that i wont have any regular contact with the outside world until after christmas.

Mad love.

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