Training = CAPWA

Yes. Training is over! On to the good stuff. Capwa means finished, over, done, etc. in Bemba.

My language interview went well. I didn't think it went as well as my mock interview last week, but I scored the same Intermediate-Mid proficiency. So that's pretty awesome.

I moved out of my home-stay this morning. It was kind of sad, kind of awkward, kind of a blessing. I am so excited to have control over my meals, have my time completely to myself, and all that fun stuff. Ask me again in a month when I'm feeling all isolated and sad.

Right, about that. I'll be able to post again this week from Mansa, but after I get posted on Friday it could/will be a while until you hear from me. I supposedly have some cell service in the village, but I won't know for sure until I get there. There is supposedly no Internet in my BOMA Nchelenge/Kashikishi, but I will use it in Mansa and whenever else it is available.

Okay so on Monday I will officially swear-in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer (11am Zam-time, so you can be there mentally/in your sleep). It is a big deal and I'm pretty excited for it. There will be special guests from the different Zambian Ministries (Health and Agriculture, I think - details will come eventually), and from the US Embassy, etc. We met our new Peace Corps Country Director today. I liked her. She seems cool. She's a two time PCV and has just come to us from her position as PC CD in Guatemala.

So Monday I swear-in, Tuesday I will take public transport with all of my other fun Luapula people up to Mansa. We'll spend two nights at the Mansa house, shop for all of our settling in possessions (matress, dishes, charcoal, you name it), and on Friday Raven, my PCVL will drop me at my site in Kanyembo and I'm on my own from there. I'll have the first three months to get acquainted with my village and do a bunch of community entry assignments:

Hello, my name is Libby. I am from America. I am here to do some sustainable development to help reduce the HIV infection rate in Nchelenge district and specifically here in Kanyembo.

Okay. Gotta go. I' m fortunate enough to have a ride today and they're ready to go. So, read Lea's blog. She and I are inseperable and we're sort of the same person. So, if she hasn't already written all the same stuff you can get more details from her.

Oh yeah, I'm meeting Chad's parents tomorrow! Really excited!!!

Lots of love. Much more from Mansa in a few days.

Smooches,
LIBBY