Facebook Statuses I never posted:
Maggie Anne Henton is obsessed with the way my new hut looks when it is lit by candlelight.
Maggie Anne Henton gardening with Bob Marley today. He is upset about the grass that I am not growing.
Maggie Anne Henton Today a kid told me that I could buy babies in town for 500,000 kwacha. About 100 USD. Been here a year and had no idea.
Maggie Anne Henton Because of my beloved garden my life takes about 60 Liters of water daily. That takes me an hour to collect. I miss running water.
Maggie Anne Henton Felt like a runner again this week...I bled through my sock twice this week. :)
Maggie Anne Henton has graduated from a Zambian baby to a Zambian toddler. I can now eat a whole stalk of sugar cane...but I still needed my Amai to start it for me. That shit hurts your teeth.
April 20, 2011
The End Of A Perfect Day
It is 19:00. I am handwriting this blog by candlelight. The air is crisp, clean and cold from this afternoons chilly rain. My feet are being kept warm by the charcoal that is cooking my dinner. Eric Clapton's Greatest Hits is playing from my iPod. Layla is the perfect blanket over the chorus of village noises that the night often brings. (i.e screaming children, and the drums that can be heard every night, the frogs, and my Atate chatting and giggling with passerby's)
Today was one of those perfect days. The kind where you don't really notice it as it is happening until the night falls and you realize that you are sad to see the day go. Nothing too exciting or out of the ordinary happened today. I did some laundry. I really needed it to it. Sadly after rubbing my fingers raw getting caught up on laundry I discovered that a rat ate through a bag that I stored my heavy blanket in throughout hot season...more laundry to do again tomorrow, weather permitting.
I also helped my host family get water. They are cementing the floor of their house. Yeah that is right! i said house, not hut...a mother fuckin' house. In case you are new to this blog, my Atate is a bad ass therefore they have a brick house with a nailed down tin roof. Badass status established and maintained! Go Atate. After the water was drawn my Amai helped me tear down my fence and weed and clear my future garden area,
Looking back on today, I think, that it was during all of my family time that the perfect day was in the making. While my Amai was helping me with the garden I still had clothes on the line and the rain came. We hustled around to get all of my clothes off of the line and my garden tools into shelter and out of the rain. When my Amai realized that I had it under control she rushed over to her compound to perform the same jobs. When I finished with my hut I ran over to help her put their firewood undercover. My Amai and I had a moment of eye contact when she first saw me helping that seemed to say everything. I was in the family, it was my job to help just as much as everyone else's job. I ran around with the women getting everything away while the men delt with the farm equipment. When everyone was finished I scattered to the comfort of my own hut to watch the beautiful rain in dry shelter. My Amain kept running around doing "mom jobs." She still had to deliver all of the boiled corn to all of her kids huts. The last stop on the afternoon snack tour...her newest daughter. I am pretty much the equivelent of a Zambian toddler, but she loves me still. :)
Today was confirmation that I am totally apart of the family. I think I knew that for a while, but I needed today to see just how much apart of it all I really am.
Today was one of those perfect days. The kind where you don't really notice it as it is happening until the night falls and you realize that you are sad to see the day go. Nothing too exciting or out of the ordinary happened today. I did some laundry. I really needed it to it. Sadly after rubbing my fingers raw getting caught up on laundry I discovered that a rat ate through a bag that I stored my heavy blanket in throughout hot season...more laundry to do again tomorrow, weather permitting.
I also helped my host family get water. They are cementing the floor of their house. Yeah that is right! i said house, not hut...a mother fuckin' house. In case you are new to this blog, my Atate is a bad ass therefore they have a brick house with a nailed down tin roof. Badass status established and maintained! Go Atate. After the water was drawn my Amai helped me tear down my fence and weed and clear my future garden area,
Looking back on today, I think, that it was during all of my family time that the perfect day was in the making. While my Amai was helping me with the garden I still had clothes on the line and the rain came. We hustled around to get all of my clothes off of the line and my garden tools into shelter and out of the rain. When my Amai realized that I had it under control she rushed over to her compound to perform the same jobs. When I finished with my hut I ran over to help her put their firewood undercover. My Amai and I had a moment of eye contact when she first saw me helping that seemed to say everything. I was in the family, it was my job to help just as much as everyone else's job. I ran around with the women getting everything away while the men delt with the farm equipment. When everyone was finished I scattered to the comfort of my own hut to watch the beautiful rain in dry shelter. My Amain kept running around doing "mom jobs." She still had to deliver all of the boiled corn to all of her kids huts. The last stop on the afternoon snack tour...her newest daughter. I am pretty much the equivelent of a Zambian toddler, but she loves me still. :)
Today was confirmation that I am totally apart of the family. I think I knew that for a while, but I needed today to see just how much apart of it all I really am.
April 8, 2011
Banja Langa (My Family)
I've always been blessed.
I mean everyone is always blessed, all the time, but I think that when it comes to my family I really got a good hand.
When I was younger I remember my best friends coming to school and confiding in me the fights that they had had with their parents. I can still say that at 24 years old, I've never been in a fight with my parents. I really think that a strong sense of mutual respect was always there, ever since I can remember. My house would be a safe haven for friends that were fighting with their parents. My parents always opened their doors to them no questions asked. Momma Julie always ready to cook a meal that would make friends forget the tears that brought them to my house in the first place. Or if food was not in order she would sneak in a shoulder squeeze at just the right time. Pappa Tom always ready to make people laugh with a smart ass comment, and then on many occasions he would say just the right thing just before we were off to bed. My parents have always been perfect! I have always been blessed.
The first time a friend from college came home with me for a weekend she was shocked by how nice my family treated one another. Mostly she was referring to the fact that there was no yelling in my house...even...gasp...between my brother and I! My brother and I have a very loving relationship, though he would never admit it. Every time I tell him I love him Zach grabs my little muffin top and says "yeah, well you're getting fat." But then he smiles a little smile and we both know. Or he punches me hard enough to leave a bruise. Meh, brotherly love. I love that kid! In fact the only time Zach has ever verbally said those three words to me was the day that I left for PC, when it counts, Zach always pulls through.
The point is, I've never once taken for granted my family. My mom always cooking huge beautiful meals for large groups of our friends that we didn't tell her were coming at a moments notice, I always knew that she would do it, and I've always loved her for it. Or how no matter how pist she was that I once again blew through my monthly living allowance and needed more money she always gave it to me. She still hates me for it, but she did it. My dad coaching my softball time from the time I was in 2nd grade until I was an 8th grader, I still tell people that with so much love it chokes me up. My memories of him teaching me how to drive...when I was just old enough to reach the peddles. Or how he would let Zach and I drain his fountain Pepsi just after he bought it! Or Zach bringing water to me in bed when it was really annoying. Or how if I was already in bed he would just come in and turn the light on and leave. Those are the moments I know we all love each other the most.
I've always had a good family!
When I went to New York for a summer I got placed in an apartment with two of the kindest people I have ever met. My Brooklyn mom and dad, Ruthie and Edmund. They were an amazing family and took incredibly good care of me. I've always been lucky when it comes to families.
About a year ago today I was going to see my site for the first time. I was fucking terrified and questioning if I was actually insane or not. I got there really late and was worried about everything. People breaking in a killing me late at night....a snake sneaking into my hut and killing me late at night...things getting stolen...my mind was running wild. But before I could get too carried away a tall fat jolly looking man came up to me and said in breaking english "I live just there, if you need anything, just yell, I will be able to hear you. You are my daughter now, I will be your father." I trusted him instantly. Some PCVs don't have host families, they don't have Atates that make them laugh really hard daily. They don't have Amais whose laughter brings them out of a gray mood. I've always been blessed when it comes to families.
I've always been blessed! The good news is that I've always known it, and I've always loved it. What continues to amaze me is how lucky I keep getting with my families. Mom, Dad and Zach, will always always always be incredible and the loves of my life. Always! I will always know that. I will always remember that.
What continues to amaze me is how I keep getting good families. I am sure someday I luck will run out, but for now I am going to enjoy the ride. Constantly feeling this loved from this many sides of the world is too good of a feeling!
The love of a family is among life's greatest blessings. ~Unknown
I mean everyone is always blessed, all the time, but I think that when it comes to my family I really got a good hand.
When I was younger I remember my best friends coming to school and confiding in me the fights that they had had with their parents. I can still say that at 24 years old, I've never been in a fight with my parents. I really think that a strong sense of mutual respect was always there, ever since I can remember. My house would be a safe haven for friends that were fighting with their parents. My parents always opened their doors to them no questions asked. Momma Julie always ready to cook a meal that would make friends forget the tears that brought them to my house in the first place. Or if food was not in order she would sneak in a shoulder squeeze at just the right time. Pappa Tom always ready to make people laugh with a smart ass comment, and then on many occasions he would say just the right thing just before we were off to bed. My parents have always been perfect! I have always been blessed.
The first time a friend from college came home with me for a weekend she was shocked by how nice my family treated one another. Mostly she was referring to the fact that there was no yelling in my house...even...gasp...between my brother and I! My brother and I have a very loving relationship, though he would never admit it. Every time I tell him I love him Zach grabs my little muffin top and says "yeah, well you're getting fat." But then he smiles a little smile and we both know. Or he punches me hard enough to leave a bruise. Meh, brotherly love. I love that kid! In fact the only time Zach has ever verbally said those three words to me was the day that I left for PC, when it counts, Zach always pulls through.
The point is, I've never once taken for granted my family. My mom always cooking huge beautiful meals for large groups of our friends that we didn't tell her were coming at a moments notice, I always knew that she would do it, and I've always loved her for it. Or how no matter how pist she was that I once again blew through my monthly living allowance and needed more money she always gave it to me. She still hates me for it, but she did it. My dad coaching my softball time from the time I was in 2nd grade until I was an 8th grader, I still tell people that with so much love it chokes me up. My memories of him teaching me how to drive...when I was just old enough to reach the peddles. Or how he would let Zach and I drain his fountain Pepsi just after he bought it! Or Zach bringing water to me in bed when it was really annoying. Or how if I was already in bed he would just come in and turn the light on and leave. Those are the moments I know we all love each other the most.
I've always had a good family!
When I went to New York for a summer I got placed in an apartment with two of the kindest people I have ever met. My Brooklyn mom and dad, Ruthie and Edmund. They were an amazing family and took incredibly good care of me. I've always been lucky when it comes to families.
About a year ago today I was going to see my site for the first time. I was fucking terrified and questioning if I was actually insane or not. I got there really late and was worried about everything. People breaking in a killing me late at night....a snake sneaking into my hut and killing me late at night...things getting stolen...my mind was running wild. But before I could get too carried away a tall fat jolly looking man came up to me and said in breaking english "I live just there, if you need anything, just yell, I will be able to hear you. You are my daughter now, I will be your father." I trusted him instantly. Some PCVs don't have host families, they don't have Atates that make them laugh really hard daily. They don't have Amais whose laughter brings them out of a gray mood. I've always been blessed when it comes to families.
I've always been blessed! The good news is that I've always known it, and I've always loved it. What continues to amaze me is how lucky I keep getting with my families. Mom, Dad and Zach, will always always always be incredible and the loves of my life. Always! I will always know that. I will always remember that.
What continues to amaze me is how I keep getting good families. I am sure someday I luck will run out, but for now I am going to enjoy the ride. Constantly feeling this loved from this many sides of the world is too good of a feeling!
The love of a family is among life's greatest blessings. ~Unknown
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