Midterm Conference

Midterm Conference
This past week I’ve been in Lusaka with my entire intake – well the original 49 of us minus 9 people who have ET’d. Since we have all been here over a year now, we’ve been having our Midterm Conference. Basically we got checked out by our medical staff and got a TB test, hemoglobin test, flu shot, and a Hep A shot. They asked us how we were doing mentally and emotionally at our site, and sent us on our way. We also got to go to a dentist which was a surprisingly pleasant experience. The office was beautiful and actually nicer than the dentist I go to in the states. They took x-rays that showed up on the computer screen right behind the chair- it was so cool! The dentist cleaned my teeth and said that everything looks good! The rest of the week was administrative meetings with our Assistant Peace Corps Director of the LIFE program, and other admin staff. Nothing too exciting…
Wednesday was my birthday, and PC had set up a panel at the house of the Deputy Chief of Mission, who is essentially the second in command behind the US ambassador . The panel consisted of embassy workers and the topic of discussion was the presidential elections coming up here in Zambia. We don’t know when the elections will be since the ruling party gets to decide. Sometime in June, President Banda will dissolve parliament and then set a date for the elections up to 90 days after that. So theoretically, the elections will be sometime in August. It’s going to be a very interesting election since the ruling MMD party has been in power for over two decades. The opposition party, PF, is headed by Michael Sata who is actually from Mpika. Basically, I’m living in Sata-land, which should prove to be an interesting vantage point for the elections. Since my birthday was also on the 18th, a bunch of us went out to a fancy Italian restaurant I had never been to before. There was even a piano player and lounge singer, so you know it was a classy joint. We had a lot of fun dancing and one of my friends even got up and sang a song with the piano player for my birthday! That combined with the cake I had for breakfast, and the bagel sandwich I had for lunch made for a great 24th birthday. This week has been a lot of fun overall since I’ve been able to see all of my friends from training. I’ve gone to two movies and eaten a lot of great food in Lusaka. Even though we rarely get to see other volunteers from different provinces, when we all get together, there’s always a great energy.
Next up, I’ll be heading back to Mpika and working hard to prepare for my big VCT day. I’m planning a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Day in Luchembe to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS. I applied for a small grant from Peace Corps so there will be food for all of those who attend (Zambians love free food- well let’s be honest, who doesn’t?). World Vision and CARITAS are helping me by providing counselors/testers. I’m also going to present a cooking demonstration of foods that are healthy and nutritious- especially for those living with HIV/AIDS. The school anti-AIDS club will put on skits and songs, and a church choir will sing for entertainment. Because every Zambian event needs a guest of honor, the District Commissioner of Mpika will attend to say a few words. I’m also trying to get our MP to attend, but we’ll see if that works out (it is an election year though, so politicians are always looking for a publicity opportunity). Other activities will include educational information sessions about HIV, a raffle for anyone who gets tested, and lots of nshima, beans, and cabbage. I was just able to pick up the money for my grant, so when I get back to Mpika, I’ll have lots to do!