This is the blog that never ends...

Except now it is ending. I am done, and it took way too long. I haven't been in Zambia for three and a half months; it's about time I cut the apron strings (not to say Zambia is like a coddling mother or anything.)

If you want to learn about my life now, head over to my new blog:
http://christinewandering.wordpress.com/
a much more accommodating name, since I can't seem to keep still for very long these days...

But one last photo to say goodbye to my friends in Zambia -- I miss you!

Mosi oa Tunya

While Mike and I were in Livingstone, we of course went to see Victoria Falls, known in Nyanja as Mosi oa Tunya, "The Smoke that Thunders." We actually had to go twice because the first time it poured, and when you combine rain with mist from one of the world's largest waterfalls, you end up with a miserable day. However, we did remedy this horrible day with lounging at a high-end resort near the Falls, being entertained by the antics of the ever-present monkeys (including jumping on a guy's table and stealing his sugar packets), partaking in high tea, where the monkeys made another appearance (I calmly jumped out of my seat and started yelling "MONKEY!!!!" to alert the security guards with slingshots... yes, slingshots. But don't worry, all you animal lovers, the monkey made a great escape and with handfuls of pastries at that), and getting to see the two animals that alluded us during our trip to Botswana -- zebras and giraffes. Here are some photos from that day of the amazing wildlife we did get to see (note the monkey perched on the roof, poised to wreak havoc on some unsuspecting diner).

We did make it back to Victoria Falls, two days later, and despite the ominous clouds (as seen in the pictures below), it rained very little, and we were able to enjoy the grandeur that is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. We also hiked down to the first set of rapids on the Zambezi River right after the Falls, a spot called the Boiling Pot. The hike was quite an adventure - a steep descent into a flooded area that required wading through thigh-deep, flowing water. We were led through the waters by two accommodating Zambian men, looking to make a few bucks; I was very grateful for their help, though, because we would have never made it on our own. However, this did not stop me from thinking about all the things that could be in that water or remembering the really creepy photos of disgusting worms that burrow into your skin that they showed us at training week... But in the end, I'm glad we went; it was worth the trip.
And that pretty much wraps up Mike's trip to Zambia. It was great to have him there, to finally see and experience where I was living and what I was doing and what I had been eating /drinking for the four months I spent in Zambia. And I hope he enjoyed it a little bit...

I bless the rains down in Africa...

When Mike arrived in Zambia, I knew I would be leaving fairly soon, so it was important to me to make sure that we took a little time to travel. So on New Year's Day 2008, Mike and I took a bus to Livingstone -- Zambian home of Victoria Falls. The bus ride was okay, though the 25 kilometers of potholes in a bus that feels like one more good shake will rip it apart was not so fun.

We stayed at a hostel with more white people at it then I had seen in three months, so honestly, it was a bit of a shock to me at first. (After a while in Zambia, I found myself shocked by my own (very) whiteness some days....) But all in all, we had a good time, even though it rained practically the entire time. That's okay, though; rain gives me an excuse to insist on lazy veg days at the hostel.

Probably the best thing we did while in Livingstone was going to Botswana for a safari! Definitely of my best days in Zambia, even with the rain and the pictures turning out grainy because of the rain. Here are some of those grainy pics (click on the photos for a bigger picture if you can't read the captions):

Memories...

Click on the photo to be able to read the captions.
(And scroll down to the next post for more explanation of why I'm posting old stuff...)

T.I.N.A. (This is NOT Africa)

So, as many of you know, I am no longer in Africa. However, if you only know me through this blog (or, worse yet, know me but I haven't kept in touch), you might not be aware of that. Yes, I am horrendous at keeping people up to date. I think I put too much pressure on myself to be witty and fun and end up just not finishing anything for fear of being seen as terribly boring.

All this being said, my plan has been for two months now to finish off this blog and start a new one (name to be revealed soon -- after all, I can't really say "the Real Africa" because where I am now is nothing like the Real Africa). So for the next week, I'll be posting Zambia photos with a little bit of info for those of you that are interested, and then starting by next Saturday, I will have a whole new blog with new adventures for you all to read.

And I'm going to post more... I promise.

(And for those of you who haven't heard why I'm not in Zambia any more, here's the skinny:
For the four months I was in Zambia, mypart in the work of my organization there was an evolving process. I was spending some time working on legal issues, but for the most part, I have been involved with other random matters in the office, including filling in as the acting accountant for three weeks, developing newfound skills as the IT person, and just generally serving as a file clerk / administrator (along with Mason, who is infinitely better at this than I am). As much as I enjoyed being with the people at the office, I was becoming discouraged because I felt I wasn’t using my legal skills to help the organization. So after speaking with our office director and the director of the fellowship program, we decided together that it would be best if I moved to an office that more needed the legal skills I can offer. So, I left in February, spent a month at home, and moved on to a busier, more frenetic location...)