Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas on another continent.

This Christmas is an extra special one especially for me. Instead of moping about sad because my family is on the other side of the planet gorging themselves on crab, chocolate fondue, and lemon meringue pie (this may not be the usual Christmas foods it's just what i'm craving right now) I got the best present I could ever receive. My beloved SISTER came to visit me over Christmas and new years!!! It was definitely one of the happiest moments I have ever had picking her up at the airport I was that person you see who makes a giant madly hopping, squealing scene and yet has no shame! My wonderful parents sent her over to me as a present to the both of us. If I have never said this before I will say it again... I have the best parents a girl could ask for. No lies! 
This is us just off the long sweaty bus ride and for some reason taking a picture of ourselves in this condition seemed like a good idea...




The one in the stripes belongs to me for the holidays! She is the one sitting beneath the cunningly devised Christmas tree that has been cut out of Zambian material and sticky tacked to the wall.  Awesome? Oh yes. 
It has been so much fun having my sister here I feel like I haven't laughed this hard in years my abs elusive stomach muscles are actually hurting! 


"Move OVER!" "Haha where shall I go??" 
I thought it would be a great idea to have a pool in the back yard so Georgia and I could lay in it and get our tan on.. unfortunately I thought we were smaller than we actually are in real life. 


Liz is currently thinking, "What the deuce were they thinking?" WELL don't for a minute think that a small detail like a microscopic pool is going to phase two sweaty determined ladies!


So of course with a bit of shimmying we managed to fit quite snugly. Noooo problem. 

Yesterday we went to a Christmas party at the Village with all the house mothers and that was really fun lot's of African dancing (they were showing us how to "shake it") and singing and eating oh Lord I wasn't even hungry the next day. Georgia got to try the local dish of nshima a corn based porridge-like food, the staple diet of Zambia. She said it tasted like skin and so we subtly exchange coal slaw for nshima. And a good time was had by all! 


It is very late here right now and  we have to be up at four-thirty to jump on the bus headed to Livingstone to see the famous Victoria falls. I know what a rough life! We also have a date with the Chobi national park on Christmas day we are doing a river cruise and a game drive! Yes you are definitely supposed to be very green in the face with envy right now. 
But I am hoping your Christmas is very white filled with families in good humor and tables full of food to get your holiday girth on! 

Merry Christmas and have a very happy New Years! 



Saturday, December 3, 2011

Clothing Distribution day

Thursday and Friday was clothing distribution day at the Village of Hope so alas I did not have classes. One reason being they needed my large sewing tables aaaand I don't think I would have any student show up anyways as they would all be attending the clothing craziness...


The throng.

There were over 900 students present over the course of the two days and each were allowed to take four pieces of clothing... that is over 3600 pieces I just figured out using a calculator in my head holy grail that is a lot! 


Believe it or not this place was actually organized at one point but then the girls came and all playing and pillaging broke loose. I tried to create some semblance of an order with the girls stuff sorting bottoms from tops but that lasted all of twenty minutes sooooo I just gave up and had fun suggesting stuff for the girls and rooting through it myself.


The guys were slightly more chilled than the girls it seemed. But our gender is always a little crazy when it comes to rad deals and of course free clothing.


It all felt vaguely familiar for some reason... and then it came to me, this reminded me of 50% off day at Value Village and of course of myself and my fantastic scrounging skills! Oooh VV Boutique how I miss thee and thy glorious pillaging playground!

And in other news:
It is stinkin HOT here today so I am going to have a cold shower Hooraah!