• Settled and Satisfied

    Settled and Satisfied

    I am so lucky to be in a town with a biking culture, where motorists and pedestrians respect bikers, there are makeshift bike lanes and enough paved roads through and across town that make my commute easy (though, the side streets are a beast). I was reluctant to borrow a bicycle from Peace Corps and…

  • Chitenge, in the wind

    Chitenge, in the wind

    A man whistled, a car honked, and someone shouted, “Hey, hey, hey.” I looked to my left and saw a reflection of my entire backside exposed. My Chitenge (a patterned fabric) wrap loosened from my waist and flew in the wind. My heart sunk to my feet! I was so embarrassed. Thankfully a small piece…

  • Meet the DREAMers

    Meet the DREAMers

    If you have come to help me, you’re wasting your time. But if you’ve come because your liberation is bound up in mine, then let us work together. ~ Lilla Watson Our Country Director ended a presentation with this quote during our first day of orientation. He encouraged us to hold on to Lilla’s words…

  • Arrival

    Arrival

    I was immediately overwhelmed with nostalgia as Peace Corps staff greeted me at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, in Zambia. Their hospitality and warmth reminded me of my initial encounters with Peace Corps staff in Addis Ababa, almost ten years ago. I missed out on the views from the airport to our accommodations because we…

  • You’ve Got Mail

    You’ve Got Mail

    With only three days left before my departure to Zambia, I decided to sit down and write letters to my close friends. My penmanship is awful, so I typed each letter and placed stamps on each envelope. I thought that it would be a sweet surprise to receive a letter via USPS from me, because…