Hi Everyone

In 2 days I am off to my placement so I thought I’d give you an update of Zambia so far and what I’m going to be doing for the next wee while!!

First off, training.  There are 96 volunteers (peer educators) in the SHEP 2009 (Schools HIV&AIDS Education Programme) so there have been so many people to meet!  We have been staying at a motel (it’s pretty classy - my toilet doesn’t flush…) and have had a really intense schedule.   We have breakfast at 6.30 and have 4 sessions every day with often compulsory sessions at night (though sometimes this may be dancing - which is so so much fun here!).  The sessions started off not so good but have gotten better along the way.  We have been learning about so many things that we will be teaching on and also about how we will be teaching.  Mostly this is non-formal techniques such as discussion, role play, debate, songs exc etc.  We do probably about 10-15 warmers/energizers a day mostly in local languages.  The major language that everyone speaks here in Central Province is Bemba and I have been trying my hardest to learn it.  For the first 2 weeks of training I was analysing everyone thinking about who I wanted my partner to be - I wanted someone who would be confident and knowledgeable and understanding of my ignorance of things like cooking nshima (maize meal - the staple food).  We got to put down 3 preferences of who we would like but this didn’t necessarily mean we would get one of them.   Our partners and placements were announced on Sunday night and it was very intense.  They posted the different districts (there are 6) around the walls and you had to go and find your name.  I was trying to find mine when I heard someone excitedly screaming ‘Emma!! Emma!’  I didn’t know who it was at first but then I saw it was Thelmah who was one of my preferences.  We were screaming and hugging and I definitely think we were the loudest and most excited partnership!!  So I’m so happy about that - had been worrying about it for the last couple of months actually so I’m totally relieved!

Me and Thelmah are going to be placed in Mukonchi High School which is about a 1 and a half hours drive from Kabwe (where we are having training).  So hopefully I’ll be able to come here every now and then and email and get a few things that we can’t get there.  Its in a farming area so is quite rural but still has all the food we want.  The transport to get out there is in open trucks - which are basically like big utes!  hopefully on monday though we will go with our head teacher (they are all coming to the motel tomorrow).  but it will definitely be an experience the first time we take the truck!  This morning we have been doing all our shopping - got a lot of food from the markets (and some compliments and lots of greetings) as it is slightly cheaper to buy from kabwe.  we also had to get cups, buckets, cutlery etc etc.  I am so looking forward to seeing where we are going to live and making it our home!  it is right near the school and has electricity and an external pump for water.

Am so pleased to be with Thelmah.  This week we had to prepare 2 lesons and teach them within our districts and we got marked and we topped our class - 87% for both.  marking system was a bit random i think but ill boast anyway!  it was great teaching with thelmah - i have been calling us the dream team!

So we will initially be in placement for 2 weeks and then back in Kabwe for extension training for a week.  then we will be back in placement till april holidays (2-3 weeks).  am looking forward to going to the victoria falls then with the other international volunteers.  for the first 2 weeks in placement we will basically  be introducng ourselves to the teachers and students (in our placement school and also extension school), setting up meetings with clubs and key people, getting to know the community, and hopefully start teaching our SRH (Sexual Reproductive Health) and Life Skills lessons.  Looks like we will be doing about 40 of these a week - they are 40 minutes long and we will be teaching diff grade levels - 5-12 so lots of planning involved there!

Well I think I will leave it there for now but I will say that I’m absolutely loving it here and feel so at home (though missing everyone in NZ too!)  I’m so so so looking forward to finally doing the guts of the work - training has seemed soooo long.  I can’t believe we have only been here just over 3 weeks.  Oh, and in case you were wondering about the weather it has been pretty hot though the last few days not so much - its usually 25-30degrees.  raining on and off and quite often lightning storms when its not even raining at all!  i think its meant to get wetter in february and im sure in placement ill experience it even more since we will be moving about the place.

Anyway must go as have to get back to the motel for lunch and afternoon sessions (the food is nshima or rice with various other food lunch and dinner - though not very various - and im VERY sick of it.  am looking forward to a bit more variety on placement, have been buying a few things every week from the supermarket anyway - like fruit to balance up my diet).

Ok I’ll leave you here.  Sorry if this was too long!!  Will write again anyway in 2 weeks when I’m back in Kabwe and let you know all about placement!!