Tuesday, December 30, 2008
A promise is a promise
I promise pictures are coming soon. Unfortunetly, last night, all the pictures of the last week and a half I had on my camera were somehow erased and my batteries are totally dead. But I have a few on my laptop which isn't with me, but will be soon. So hang in there man!
Punch Drum Love
So last night we was trying to throw another party since the first one was so slamming, and we had nothing better to do. However unbenounced to us the guy with all the sound equipment was in a meeting so we sat and waited. In our waiting a freind named Kawawa managed to get his hands on a drum and began serenating us with intricate African rhythms. As intruiged as I'm sure you imagined me to be, I quickly located another drum with a much bassier sound and joined in. Since a human beings life relies on rhythm, that is the rhythm of the heart beat, I thought it appropraite to beat the bass in accordance to my own. Our drumming reverberated through the hall and a crowd developed. More people started joining in, including an Umusungu (white girl) from the UK.
The drumming got louder and more intense and chairs, walls, knees, guitars and other people all became instruments of rhythm. We jammed for a good half an hour before our hands became swollen and our ears were satisfied. It was a gloriously sponteneous event.
Afterwards I went and had a conversation with the English gal, the first conversation I ever really had with her, which was nice. I've developed a bit of a fancy for this englishwoman, because she too is extremely musically gifted and passionate. Wonderful singer, guitarist, floutist, drummer and composer; natrually I found myself attracted. A friendship I'm sure with bare many musical fruits.
The day ended in the rain.
The drumming got louder and more intense and chairs, walls, knees, guitars and other people all became instruments of rhythm. We jammed for a good half an hour before our hands became swollen and our ears were satisfied. It was a gloriously sponteneous event.
Afterwards I went and had a conversation with the English gal, the first conversation I ever really had with her, which was nice. I've developed a bit of a fancy for this englishwoman, because she too is extremely musically gifted and passionate. Wonderful singer, guitarist, floutist, drummer and composer; natrually I found myself attracted. A friendship I'm sure with bare many musical fruits.
The day ended in the rain.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The day of today
For the last 8 days I've been at the Banani Intrnation School located between Kabwe and Lusaka taking an intensive ruhi course in Book 5, junior youth animator training. Well tody we finished the book, tomorrow we summarize, and the I will be a full fledged junior youth animato, trained and ready.
So now the plan is to go back home to Kabwe and start a junior youth group, which to tell you the truth, I was very nervous about before. But in doing book 5 we also completed Breezes of Confirmation which I think was a great idea, because when I first did the book I was 13 and really didn't much out of it. Since then the meaning behind it has changed and I know realize the true meaning of God's confirmation, and that has instilled me with confidence. Rather than before, where I was thinking man how can I help these guys, I think how can I help Baha'u'llah help these guys. I learned that I have to make an effort and if I 'm meant for the job then God will confirm me and if not then he won't. But the important thing is that the effort is made and I go into it as a channel through which Baha'u'llah can spread his teachings. I'm actually really excited now.
In addition to doing the book these was much singing and laughter, parties and movie nights.. well one party and one movie night, but it was fun.
So that's what happned today. Happy birthday Mom., I know you think you're getting old but unfortuanetly you're not an accountant so you can't fudge the numbers (The Office reference)
PS. I had a big plate of Inswa today, they are deLISHOUS!!! :):):)
So now the plan is to go back home to Kabwe and start a junior youth group, which to tell you the truth, I was very nervous about before. But in doing book 5 we also completed Breezes of Confirmation which I think was a great idea, because when I first did the book I was 13 and really didn't much out of it. Since then the meaning behind it has changed and I know realize the true meaning of God's confirmation, and that has instilled me with confidence. Rather than before, where I was thinking man how can I help these guys, I think how can I help Baha'u'llah help these guys. I learned that I have to make an effort and if I 'm meant for the job then God will confirm me and if not then he won't. But the important thing is that the effort is made and I go into it as a channel through which Baha'u'llah can spread his teachings. I'm actually really excited now.
In addition to doing the book these was much singing and laughter, parties and movie nights.. well one party and one movie night, but it was fun.
So that's what happned today. Happy birthday Mom., I know you think you're getting old but unfortuanetly you're not an accountant so you can't fudge the numbers (The Office reference)
PS. I had a big plate of Inswa today, they are deLISHOUS!!! :):):)
Friday, December 26, 2008
The first of many
Appologies friends for the delay of my first blog. As you can imagine finding a computer with good internet is not the easiest thing to do. But I managed to find some time on a good one now. I've been in Zambia now for ten days, though soooo much has happened I don't know where to begin.
We arrived safely and without problems with the customs agents, even though the five of us had a total of 18 large bags and carry-ons. The five of us being myslf, my aunt and uncle and two cousins whom I am living with now in Kabwe, although in first arriving in Lusaka we didn't go immedietly to Kabwe because it was late. The journey from US to Africa took about 5 days during which we took no showers or had a change of clothes since all our luggage was always in the possestion of the airport people. Needless to say the first shower I took in Kabwe, although weak in pressure and reletivly cold, was heavenly.
The house in which we stay lies in the center of a preperty completely boxed in by high brick walls and glass shards, and a large steel gate. Don't be alarmed, in fact these security measures are generally mild compared to that of our neighbors, with thier electric fences and vicious gaurd dogs.
We live in the house with another family, a father, mother and two sons, one is 1 and the other is 13. The 13 year old and I becam fast friends. His name is Mwape and he's sharp as a whip and very clever. For the first order of buisness him and I made a basketball rim with a shower net and a wire hanger fastened to a board and hung on the water tower out back. Although cool to look at, completely ineffective as a basketball rim, but was fun anyway to make.
As far as adjusting to to the culture here it is actually not very different from the Bahamas, in climate and in social behavior, although people here are much friendlier and the roads are much more bumpy. Driving through the heart of Lusaka is not unlike driving down Bay Street in Nassua, except for the glaring absence of a beautiful beach and salt in the air. There is an abundance of Baha'i youth there in Lusaka, the Baha'i community itself is about 300. It seems every youth I meet is a Baha'i, raised Baha'i even, which I always find a surprise to hear, simply because I'm not used to the fact. However in Kabwe the comminute is almost nonexistant and I'll tell you why: Because the purpose for my aunt and uncle being there, and by extention the reason I'm there, is to work with a program called Inshindo which focusses on essencially teaching people, mainly youth, how to teach themselves and take their education into thier own hands. The program is not affiliated with the Baha'i faith, and in an effort to keep it that way, the faith is taught very seldom. We don't want people to think we're using Inshindo to try and spread the faith, lest we scare them away form the program, but rather to support them as two seperate grwoing entities that have no connection with eachother.
The culture here is very rich. In addition to english most people of Kabwe speak Bemba, which I'm learning, and Nyanja. Nyanja is a very blocky language in the way it sounds and reminds me of japanes when spoken by men. But bemba is alot more lyrical and flowing with alot of 'wah' sounds and 'ns' inbetween words. For example the word for no is 'awe' and the word for you or hey is 'iwe'. 'Mulishani' is how are you to which you respond Bwino', good, and 'nga iwe' and you, etc.
The FOOD here is phenominal! They eat a maize product similar to grits called inshima or in Bemba 'Ubwali'. Shima is much thicker than grits and very packable, and they eat it with any kind of flavorful side dish: vegetables, muchrooms, beans, chicken, pork, with lots of sauce and without fork or spoon but rather by taking bots of it and rolling into balls in thier hands and dipping it in the sause. The technique takes some practice to get used to but in time I'll have it down pat. Of course food here is similar or just the same as food home, but I'll mention two exceptions. One, Kapenta, which is small fish like minoes which is dried and boiled and eaten with shima. Certainly fish is no strange characteristic of food for us islanders but believe me when I say a bowl of Kapenta is like no dish a Bahamian has seen.
Two, is of course, Inswa, which is large termites. They come in swarms after the rains and thier wings fall off, and large quanteties of wings can be fuond in places where there are windows. After which people go and collect the wingless Inswa and fry them in oil. I"ve been told they taste like crispy bacon though I haven't had the pleasure myself of trying them yet. Soon though, I promise you, I can't wait.
This blog is extensive though it doesn't nearly cover the extent of the details of my stay so far. I will try to make more frequent updates so that too much doesn't go by.
With love from Banani
Jens
We arrived safely and without problems with the customs agents, even though the five of us had a total of 18 large bags and carry-ons. The five of us being myslf, my aunt and uncle and two cousins whom I am living with now in Kabwe, although in first arriving in Lusaka we didn't go immedietly to Kabwe because it was late. The journey from US to Africa took about 5 days during which we took no showers or had a change of clothes since all our luggage was always in the possestion of the airport people. Needless to say the first shower I took in Kabwe, although weak in pressure and reletivly cold, was heavenly.
The house in which we stay lies in the center of a preperty completely boxed in by high brick walls and glass shards, and a large steel gate. Don't be alarmed, in fact these security measures are generally mild compared to that of our neighbors, with thier electric fences and vicious gaurd dogs.
We live in the house with another family, a father, mother and two sons, one is 1 and the other is 13. The 13 year old and I becam fast friends. His name is Mwape and he's sharp as a whip and very clever. For the first order of buisness him and I made a basketball rim with a shower net and a wire hanger fastened to a board and hung on the water tower out back. Although cool to look at, completely ineffective as a basketball rim, but was fun anyway to make.
As far as adjusting to to the culture here it is actually not very different from the Bahamas, in climate and in social behavior, although people here are much friendlier and the roads are much more bumpy. Driving through the heart of Lusaka is not unlike driving down Bay Street in Nassua, except for the glaring absence of a beautiful beach and salt in the air. There is an abundance of Baha'i youth there in Lusaka, the Baha'i community itself is about 300. It seems every youth I meet is a Baha'i, raised Baha'i even, which I always find a surprise to hear, simply because I'm not used to the fact. However in Kabwe the comminute is almost nonexistant and I'll tell you why: Because the purpose for my aunt and uncle being there, and by extention the reason I'm there, is to work with a program called Inshindo which focusses on essencially teaching people, mainly youth, how to teach themselves and take their education into thier own hands. The program is not affiliated with the Baha'i faith, and in an effort to keep it that way, the faith is taught very seldom. We don't want people to think we're using Inshindo to try and spread the faith, lest we scare them away form the program, but rather to support them as two seperate grwoing entities that have no connection with eachother.
The culture here is very rich. In addition to english most people of Kabwe speak Bemba, which I'm learning, and Nyanja. Nyanja is a very blocky language in the way it sounds and reminds me of japanes when spoken by men. But bemba is alot more lyrical and flowing with alot of 'wah' sounds and 'ns' inbetween words. For example the word for no is 'awe' and the word for you or hey is 'iwe'. 'Mulishani' is how are you to which you respond Bwino', good, and 'nga iwe' and you, etc.
The FOOD here is phenominal! They eat a maize product similar to grits called inshima or in Bemba 'Ubwali'. Shima is much thicker than grits and very packable, and they eat it with any kind of flavorful side dish: vegetables, muchrooms, beans, chicken, pork, with lots of sauce and without fork or spoon but rather by taking bots of it and rolling into balls in thier hands and dipping it in the sause. The technique takes some practice to get used to but in time I'll have it down pat. Of course food here is similar or just the same as food home, but I'll mention two exceptions. One, Kapenta, which is small fish like minoes which is dried and boiled and eaten with shima. Certainly fish is no strange characteristic of food for us islanders but believe me when I say a bowl of Kapenta is like no dish a Bahamian has seen.
Two, is of course, Inswa, which is large termites. They come in swarms after the rains and thier wings fall off, and large quanteties of wings can be fuond in places where there are windows. After which people go and collect the wingless Inswa and fry them in oil. I"ve been told they taste like crispy bacon though I haven't had the pleasure myself of trying them yet. Soon though, I promise you, I can't wait.
This blog is extensive though it doesn't nearly cover the extent of the details of my stay so far. I will try to make more frequent updates so that too much doesn't go by.
With love from Banani
Jens
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