visitors

Kaleigh and Cassidy came. 

Oscar came. 

Peace Corps came. X2

(This was an accident.They were not supposed to come but I burnt a hole in my water filter.)  

Oscar is coming right now (on the plane as I type). 

It has been crazy. I was writing in my journal and I had a constant companion for almost 2 months straight. It was this person and then right after it was the next or camp or meetings. I never had alone time. So, I just had a month all to myself and it was weird. 

Cassidy and Kaleigh came the last day of MTC (Mid-term Conference). I have passed my 1/2 mark and I am on my downwards slope. It is so strange to think that. We went clubbing the night they came in and then straight to the vil at 06:00. I can't even tell you what happened during that time because it was all such a whirlwind especially the time Cassidy was there. Somewhere in there we fit in time to visit Jeremiah, paint a mural, have a water meeting, fetch water, wash, teach and dance. We had to break into teams sometimes because there was just too much to do. 

Cassidy and I sat down and made a plan for the mural. She had no idea what to do. It just came to me either mid-shower or mid-squat.... I don't remember. The theme is Gender Equality. She drew 6 children; 3 boys and 3 girls. Each of these children are doing jobs that normally the other sex does. At the bottom of the mural it reads, "If you can dream it... you can do it!" 

Perfection.

Kaleigh stayed a week and a half longer or even more. I forget. The mural was done at this point and so all we had were a few numbers and letters to throw up in the pre-school and grade 1 classrooms. Easy peasy. Kaleigh and I just did a lot of chilling in the village. She found the river and fell in-love with it. We took a stayaction and went to Kabwe for a few days. It was so fun to just get away and walk around town. I loved the clothes piles and digging through them. 

Looking at pictures I now remember a little better what we did. Kaleigh taught the kids American slang. I still hear the kids using it in their daily vocabulary. If only they grasped other topics which such excitement. She helped me mark books everyday and we made compost. It was a fun visit and the village kids cried when she left. Kaleigh and I thought it was hilarious. 

Kaleigh wasn't even gone a week when we were all surprised that Oscar came to visit. He and I were talking about him coming on Monday and by that Friday or something he was here. It was crazy fast. 

As things always happen with Oscar, I think the village likes him more than me. He was instantly drafted on the village football team as the striker. I arranged for him to play but I didn't know they were going to like having him around so much. 

He came to class with me everyday and we taught. He is excellent at marking books. He even got to class late one day and had to dance for everyone. We had a few extra minutes at the end of class one time and so the kids got to ask Oscar questions. Some of the questions made him feel so awkward. I loved it. 

We didn't do much. It was extremely hot when he was here. He helped me fetch water, cook, mark books, etc. Before he left I came back to Lusaka with him to hang out with Adam. In Lusaka we went to church, mattress sliding, swimming and clubbing. They were all great but dancing was SO fun. Adam and Oscar are the perfect clubbing partners. The next morning I got on a bus while the boys were still sleeping and headed home. Later the same day Oscar got on his plane. 

But now he is on the plane again. 

And for the Peace Corps visits... I put that on myself. A candle dropped on my plastic filter that the Peace Corps gives to us and I guess they are highly flammable. They had to collect the old one and bring me a new one.