I know it has been well over a day like I promised, but I hope that this post will help better aquaint you with the country I will be serving in as well as the project I will be working on while there.

Zambia is a land locked country, about the size of Texas, in the south central part of Africa, and home to the great Zambezi River and the infamous Victoria Falls.

>>>Iteresting side note that I think is wicked cool, in Zambia, Victoria Falls is known as Musi-o-tunya, which means "Smoke that Thunders."<<<<

It was formally known as Northern Rhodesia, but received its independence from Britain in 1964. Zambia is in economic shambles, but for most all of its history has depended heavily on the nation's copper as the main industry and export.  Food stability and drought are a serious problem, and hopefully this (food stability) is where I will be helping them. The population of Zambia is 11 million people, most of which are clustered in high densities in urban areas. Of these 11 million people, over half of them are kids under the age of 15, which sadly is about half of the life they can expect to live (average life expectency is 36 years old). They also have a rather high rate of HIV/AIDS in the country, last I read (probably +/- a few percentage points) about 10% of the population is infected. It is a very beautiful country situated ontop of a high plataeu ranging from 3,500-4,500 feet in elevation. This elevation helps mediate the humidity during the warm and wet season.

Climate I think is going to be a huge challenge for me to over come and get used to. So Zambia has 3 distinct seasons: Warm&Wet (Nov.-Apr.), Cool&Dry (May-Aug.), and Hot&Dry (Sep. and Oct.). No where do I see COLD!!!! It is going to be hard for me to go without my winters and beautiful snow, 0 degree weather, igloo building, and snow mobiling. Yes, I know some of you are confused if I am be sarcastic or not, but I assure you I am not. Anyone who knows me knows I am a bigger fan of winter than summer, and I can't stand temperatures above 75-80, but I will have to tap into my southern roots from my mother, and learn to deal with the miserable, hot, sticky, sweating work environment :)... I think I will manage.
Now you know just a little about Zambia itself, so I want to tell you about my project, and maybe a little bit of what I expect when I get there!

The Peace Corps was requested to come to Zambia in 1993, and the first program began in 1994. My super official government assigned title is RURAL FISH CULTURE EXTENSION AGENT. It's big, awesome, and wicked fun to say to people inquiring about my adventure when at work or playing cards at Tara's (Tara's Pub is a bar I rent from, best Irish bar in Rhode Island, and very possibly the U.S. If you ever find yourself in southern RI (Matunuck more specifically) you owe yourself a favor to stop in and have a Guiness here...). sorry for the tangent, I love saying the title, and I think it is wicked cool that I have been situated into a program that directly reflects my major, and in the field that I want to develop a career in. The official project that I am going to be working on is the Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP) initiative started by the Peace Corps in 1996.
RAP is a project that works with the Zambian government and the Department of Fisheries to develop fish farming in rural communities. It is an effort to not only provide them with a better diet and stronger food stability, but to also develope an industry that can supply a suplimentary income for farmers and their families. We assess farmers and communities needs, look at what they have for resources and provide assistance planning and building irrigation systems, dams, fish ponds, and basic extensive aquaculture infrastructure like food storage, and fish processing (no heavy machinery[maybe]). I am very much looking forward to trying to combine my "book" knowledge and the ambitious minds and work ethic of the local farmers in trying to create something sustainable and productive.
From what I hear from Hunter I will also be playing part doctor, veterinarian, community organizer (that word makes me shiver... I can't help but think of the pathetic president), and basic health educator. But I look forward to any and all challenges this trip will throw at me.
Depending on how rural my site is I will have spotty cell phone service, and my email and computer access will most likely be limited to visits to provincial Peace Corps houses and/or "major" cities. I will be able to recieve mail and packages, but this takes a long time to come to and from, so I will have to be patient. Most volunteers live in earthen mud houses, lighted by kerosene, because there is not electricity or running water. I might have to walk up to 30 mins away to even get drinking/wash up water (I don't expect to be taking showers very often). A typical mud hut will have a latrine, and an outdoor cooking pit. The cooking pits are essential and they told me I need to do exercises to strengthen my back and prepare myself for all the bending over every day to cook food and the 20-30 kilometers of biking I will do on a daily basis.
       Last but not least, I really am going to be interested in the food availability. I will certainly not have the same American diet, possibly not even my butter and cheese I love so much! For those of you who don't know butter and cheese, it is pasta, butter, and parmesan cheese (and a dash of black pepper). In Zambia corn maze is the largest cash crop and fundamental staple of their diet. I will have to get used to eating nshima (a cornmeal porridge like thing), and plenty of kapenta which is fish!!! I love fish so I don't think it will be too difficult for me to adjust. Meat is not readily available to volunteers, BUT I have heard from Hunter that when he goes to tribal meetings he receives chickens... If I start to accrue a small family of chickens for my keeping, I can assure yall that there will definitely be chickens that "go missing" in the night... And if yall want to send me anything, keep bbq sauce in mind so I can make some good American style bbq chicken! I am sure my community will love to try something from home!

Well I will know more and fill you in on a lot more once I get there. But until I get closer to leaving and start packing my bags, we will be in touch then. I very impatiently await my departure!!!