The rains have finally come to Southern Province. Tonga land is the last stand for the annual dry season in Zambia and the rains are said to finish earlier here than anywhere else in the country. Overcast skies provided a welcome reprieve from the sweltering heat of this region and the response from flora was overwhelming in its sudden and conspicuous nature. The color green has become dominant in the landscape and the results are stunning. My bio-digester apprenticeship continued under the cooler skies with a visit to a site in Mubanga with Christopher, an astute and experienced expert in the field. The Water and Sanitation Association of Zambia (WASAZA) is working to install a bio-gas system for the secondary school in this remote village.The project is funded by World Vision and will safely process the waste from several hundred
students into cooking fuel for the cafeteria. The system features a double-digester "trap" to catch solids and a Planted Gravel Filter (PGF) that includes a garden area to clean and use any waste water from the ablution blocks at either respective dormitory. Gas produced from the solids at each double-digester will feed into a digester near the cafeteria kitchen, where kitchen waste can be processed, and held until the gas is needed for cooking. WASAZA personnel had stayed on site throughout the construction process and done a great job. The school hasn't yet opened but will provide a much needed site for continuing education in a relatively isolated area.
B and I spent the holidays stateside. We took a relatively cheap flight at a rate reduced in acknowledgement of 14 hours of total lay-over time. The ticket seemed like a deal at first but by Amsterdam we had both resolved to avoid any flights like this in the future. We arrived short on sleep to a fortunately mild patch of Virginia winter. This was the first time I had seen my family in two and a half years and the experience was overwhelming. My brother, Garth, and his fiance, Margaret, flew in from Washington state and for the first time in a long time, we were all together. I took the opportunity to cook a Zambian meal for my family complete with nshima, ifisashi (ground peanuts and greens), supu (a condiment made of tomato, onion, and oil or fat), and soya pieces. Eating with one hand (no utensils) proved challenging for my family at first but everyone enjoyed the meal and got a little insight into the Zambian diet.First night Virginia in Charlottesville was a nostalgic experience and a great opportunity to hang
out with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Mindy and Leah, who came up from Winston-Salem to visit with B and I. We all went with my folks to see a Mark Nizer, the Buzzard Hollow Boys, a short film showcase, and Dr. Levine and the Dreaded Blues Lady. The acts were great and revived my love for Americana but the final countdown was a disappointing nightcap. Charlottesville opted to employ a laser light show instead of shooting off fireworks this year which held promise but kind of let everyone down. I would guess budget cuts but for the expense of this kind of entertainment and might venture an environmental prerogative if not for the huge cost of electricity in terms of coal and oil. Everyone enjoyed themselves throughout the evening, however, and it was great to reconnect with friends stateside and show off my hometown to B, Mindy, and Leah.B and I headed up to the Washington, DC area for the few days before our departure so that we could spend some time with her family. We flew back to warmer climes shortly after the New Year a little bit fatter, sad to go but happy to have had such a welcome holiday with friends and family.
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