She wears a pony tail too

Today, Saturday, is my 10 year high school reunion. Throughout the past ten years I have thought about this day and what it would be like. Where would we all be in our lives? What would be we look like? What kind of professions would we have? I am particularly bad at keeping in touch with people and have lost contact with good friends from high school. The advent of facebook has revolutionized this inadequacy of people like me, so I see updates and photos of people from lives past and communicate though comments and messaging. Not quite the same as sending an email, or picking up the phone when I am at my mom’s house to hangout, but it’s better than nothing I suppose. With this day looming I have started to think about what I have accomplished over the past ten years since my classmates and I parted ways and let the toll of time drift us apart. The more I thought about what I have done over the decade the less it feels like I have accomplished.


What I deem accomplishments:

• Graduated college, in 5 years, from a mediocre, small state school in East Texas

• Moved from Texas to see what the big, wide world had to offer (different strokes for different folks and Texas is not my stroke, no offense to those who’s stroke it is)

• Became really good at tying knots at fish camp, an skill that has proven invaluable many a time

• Completed a 200 mile sled dog race, in second to last place, with all of my dogs

• Finished my two year Peace Corps Service in the village, against all the odds it felt so many times

• Learned a foreign language, even though I am not fluent

• Extended my Peace Corps Service for a year to work with an organization that fits my interests perfectly and has afforded me several opportunities and given me unprecedented experience

During all the anxiety of graduating high school and taking the next significant life step, I never in a million years could have pictured myself in the place that I am. At 18 ten years seems like a long time and 28 seems old. I pictured myself with a master’s or PhD, with an important job and a salary to match, married, living on the coast, maybe a baby, traveling and beefing up my 401k. I didn’t know what I wanted a masters or PhD in, I hadn’t even sorted out my undergrad degree, I didn’t know what I wanted that important job to be, nor which coast to be on, nor which man to take as my husband. I just trusted that it all would sort itself out in time. Basically I had no clue what I wanted to do and the American dream filled in the gaps. I have been pleased thus far with my life, but have obviously struggled to find direction and focus. When I start to quantify significant life achievements they start to feel few and far between. There is no PhD let alone a master’s degree decorating my CV, I have not published anything (although I have a paper pending publication with me as the lead author). I haven’t started my own company or made my first million. I actually have yet to make enough money for the government to warrant even asking me to pay taxes, and my 401k hasn’t seen any value adding in at least 3 years. I am not married or have kids, although I am getting tempted to adopt and get on with the mothering side of life. You get the drift, I was feeling unaccomplished while lamenting my youthful ambitions.

Just as I was starting to feel like a failure the universe gifted me a wonderful opportunity. The African Growth Opportunity Act Forum was being held in Lusaka and the organizers of the event needed repertoires for the event. Don’t worry I had to look the word up. It is a beautiful way of saying note taker, minutes keeper, executive secretary, etc. This required some finagling on the part of the coordinator to get me a badge, but at one in the morning an email was sent directing me to pick it up at 7:00 on the day of the conference. On Wednesday I furiously scribbled notes and was told that I was on the Zambian news, furiously writing notes. My duties a repertoires were finished on Wednesday, but I was now the proud owner of an AGOA badge that cost participants Kw 2 million ($200) to obtain.

On Friday, I furiously finished work and repertoires responsibilities by 14:30 to dash out the door with the boss to hear Secretary of State Hilary Clinton give a speech at the closing ceremony for AGOA. We were mesmerized and inspired.

Dr. Simon Heck (WorldFish) and Dr. Geoff Heinrich (CRS) at the Clinton speech for AGOA

 
It’s hard not to think of the Bill scandals when you see the woman. Yet during her speech she referred to him twice. First, as the person responsible for signing an act to increase trade with Africa (AGOA). Second, she has been working on women’s equality issues relentlessly and told a moving story. When her husband was in a public office in Arkansas and she was a practicing attorney she was making about three times what her husband was making. But because of the laws and regulations in place in the United States in the 1970s (women were not allowed to have credit or take loans) she was not ALLOWED to get a credit card in her own name. She would not disclose the company but reassured us she has never done business with them since. With such conviction for women’s equality it leaves you to wonder why on Earth she is still married to President Clinton. But the overall effect that she had on the room was phenomenal. Here was a woman who seemed to overcome so much adversary encouraging the delegates that we too could overcome so many obstacles to bring Africa into its rightful place in the World. What a high to step out of a room into the cool African night, amongst the movers and shakers of Africa’s future.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, US Ambassador to Zambia Mark Storella

As if this wasn’t justification enough for the last 3 years of my life, my fellow Lusaka volunteers and I were granted permission to attend the meet and greet at the US embassy today, Saturday, with the very same Madame Secretary Clinton. It was hours of waiting, standing and “schmoozing” with members of the US Mission (Embassy, USAID, CDC). After she met with opposition party leaders to encourage a violence free election this year, she gave a short speech about the US Mission in Zambia. During this time she focused a bit of time on the Peace Corps, especially since the US Ambassador to Zambia, Mark Storella, is a huge fan! She congratulated us on being the second largest Peace Crops contingent in Africa (lagging behind Senegal by 2 volunteers), and having the highest extension rate of Peace Corps Volunteers in the World. This of course warranted a high five among fellow extension volunteers and some ululating. Thank you Secretary Clinton for this appraisal, appreciation and recognition. After her speech she slowly made her way out of the open hall shaking hands and greeting her staff in Zambia. It was a thrill to look this woman in the eye and shake her hand.

Hilary Clinton at the US Embassy Meet and Greet

I overheard a conversation in the restroom, a woman exasperated by her son’s resentment at having to spend his Saturday at the embassy on lock down waiting to meet Hilary Clinton. “Mom,” he vented earlier that morning “why do we have to go sit around for hours to see Hilary Clinton? She is just a person.” My dear boy you are right. She is just a person. But she is a person that has accomplished so much. Who was ambitious like we all are at your youthful, innocent age with endless possibilities at our fingertips because we don’t yet know how difficult it actually is to accomplish our dreams. She is a person who made it to the place that many dream of and few ever reach. She is a person who stands for success, has overcome obstacles, and taken her position in life and using it to the benefit of so many people who don’t have the courage or power to speak on their own. She is the person we thought we would be. My dear boy, keep your youthful ambitions and dreams, and realize that they are within your reach. It might not be on your time frame. But if they are dreams you truly want, you have every right to fight to make them come true. Hilary Clinton is just a person, human, full of mistakes and oddities just like each of us. She is the focused person we all hope to see in ourselves, who will pull her hair into a pony tail to meet all her obligations and maybe get a few extra minutes sleep in as well. She has inspired me to tackle the next decade of my life with the ambitious youth I so vividly remember ten years ago, walking across the stage receiving my diploma.

Watch out world, here I come.

Whinnying Weekend

Fall is in the air. For those of you above the equator it is hard to imagine the cool weather, changing leaves, jackets and shawls we are experiencing here on the other side. In fact it is probably hard for those of you not on the African continent that it gets cold enough in Africa to even put on a jacket. It does. And the longer you are here the more clothes you put on when it is a freezing 65◦F. It actually might get colder than this, but I don't have a thermometer nor do I look up the weather on line. There is no need. It is the cold season; it will be cold in the mornings and evenings and warmish during the day. Layer to prepare. In the hot season it is simply HOT. In the rainy season it is rainy and HOT. Wear clothes for the hot weather and bring a rain coat. Since we are in the cold season, layering is the best option for dressing. But I am not meaning to write about the weather, even though this is my favorite time of year. I am meaning to write about adventures, clothes and pumpkins.

I finally did it! I started my next big learning project. Horseback riding! I have mention before this desire but only in passing. It kind of seemed like an arbitrary thing to want to do. But I took the plunge and got on the back of horse on Saturday. Unfortunately I have no photographs of this funtivity so you will just have to take my word for it that it actually happened. Saturday morning I woke up early to replace the tire tube on my bike, clean the bike chain and lube it up for the trek I was about to make. I packed myself a picnic lunch of cheese and crackers. Dug up my salaula (second hand) jeans and cut up long sleeve t-shirt I stole from my brother. I headed to my friends' house on my bike, riding for the first time in 9 months, and met up with my new riding partner. I will spare you the details of all the delays, but we were an hour late starting off for our destination. Somewhere in the midst of the delays my bike went from a smooth ride to completely dead weight, giving me a harder workout in 1 km than what the other 15 km offered. My buddy figured out the problem, I only know how to change a tired on my bike, and we took off up Leopards Hill Road towards Eastern Province. Because we were running late hitching to the country side seemed like the right decision. A canter truck carrying flatware to the American International School picked us up and took us part way. From the American School we carried on biking to where the tar road ends and the dirt road begins. We were looking for the second gate on the left after the tar road ended. All said and done we were only 10 minutes late but arrived very dirty and a little tired.



Picture by Ryan Keating. Thanks for the contribution!

  Patrick met us with a smile and laughing at the thought of us having ridden some 15 km out into the country to go horseback riding. Patrick is himself an avid biker, but not so much anymore because he has horses now. Turns out it only takes him 30 minutes to bike the distance that we had just come (it took us an hour and ten minutes including the dragging tire riding, fixing the dragging tire and the hitch). We got changed into our horse riding gear, I once again donned my bike helmet and we met our horses. Jill was the pregnant mama horse that I would be riding for the day. I can't remember the last time I was on a horse. Maybe high school. Maybe my birthday party in middle school when we went on a trail ride and my brother got knocked off of his horse. The saddles looked different. The horses didn't seem as tall. But I was still a little nervous. Ok maybe a lot nervous. I clambered on to Jill and sat awkwardly in my English style saddle feeling like an idiot sitting precariously on top of a horse in my snazzy bike helmet just waiting for the moment I was going to fall off. With me holding on for dear life on top of Jill, Evans led us to our lesson. Patrick stood in the middle of the kraal while Evans led Jill and I in circles letting us get used to each other. She actually couldn't be bothered. She was more concerned about the other horses passing by, whinnying at them every chance she got. After a while I got more comfortable on her and we moved on from the kraal to a yard that had obstacles. We were not ready for the obstacles. However, we were learning up-down-up-down movements to ride the horse in a standing trot. My god, were my knees and thighs killing me after 15-20mins of this, and yes my butt too. To rest these very unused body parts we went for a leisurely walk through the woods. And then the lesson was over. It went really fast. It wasn't quite an hour. But we were late to begin with and I was tired by the end of the lesson. Buddy and I sat on the steps of the equestrian shop eating our picnic lunches. Buddy's girlfriend packed him a lovely lunch of a toasted sandwich, carrots, tortilla chips and walnuts. My cheese and crackers paled in comparison. It was beautiful out though and so nice to have a rest before heading back. The ride back only took 50 minutes, door-to-door. An afternoon nap was in order to rest up for people coming over for dinner and to meet up with the "British Chicks" for an evening of dancing, and no drinking for me.

On Sunday I was up early to get the house back in order and to do laundry before people were coming over to meet up with the tailor Winnie we have recently commissioned to realize our fashion dreams. Alex, Ruben and I had an impromptu and awkward fashion show for all the guests. (Sorry there are no pictures of us in the outfits, it was really uncomfortable having people stare at us that were not participating. At least I know now that I don't have the stomach, in more than one way, for modeling as my future career). But here are the clothes I had made: 2 skirts, a wrap top, and a long dress.



New additions to my wardrode: two skirts, a dress and sleevless blouse.

 Before everyone came over Ruben and I were busy making pumpkin pie, cinnamon rolls and pumpkin soup (I suppose this could be the other reason I don't have a stomach for modeling!). Geoff and Ruben had both bought pumpkins while up country, traveling for work. I boiled Geoff's pumpkin donation down the other day after making roasted pumpkin for dinner. Ruben's pumpkins were used for making the pies, mine was far too watery and stringy. Mine made a fantastic soup though. It was a day full of pumpkin. Pumpkin pie for lunch. Pumpkin soup for dinner.



My pumpkin pie





Pumpkin Soup

 It was a very successful and productive weekend. Hope the week is as good as the weekend was.

Horses.

I need something more in my life right now. My mother would probably suggest that a boyfriend/husband/kids are the missing ingredients and she has a point. But for the time being those ingredients are hard to come by so I will have to explore other options. As you might have read, I recently gave up booze and coffee for a variety of reasons. Loosing weight was a major incentive (for the booze), plus I felt like that was all I was doing. Going out on weekends, staying out late and dancing. Its fun occasionally, not every weekend. The coffee was because I was way too addicted and that has become apparent with my moodiness this week.

To find fulfillment elsewhere I have decided that horseback riding is going to be my next new hobby. After doing some investigating and accusing random women of looking like a "horsewoman" I finally have an "appointment" to meet with a teacher tomorrow. Patrick, a lovely gentlemen on the phone. He couldn't take my phone number down because he was on a horse...using a cellphone. When I mentioned that I was thinking of riding my bike out to where he teaches (maybe 25k from my house) he got a real kick out of the thought of that, I suppose you could say he was laughing at me on the phone. Rightfully so, I haven't ridden a bike since sometime last August and now I want to go 50k round trip. Ha. I am going to be dead tomorrow. And, suffering from a sever lack of coffee.