Kit's Bushbaby

Bushbaby in hand

Kit's Drinking Buddies

Having a drink with friends

Kit's Home

My new home!

Slowazi

I have been sitting in Solwezi for 10 days because I have no money. For about 5 days now the bank says "ah there is no money for you today mr. fischer." Ok so I guess I'll just hang out in lovely solwezi. Tomorrow i will be going back to my site and getting back to the house building project and maybe a little fish farming. I have come to the realization, however, that a PC volunteer does a lot more American public relations than actual development work. I figure at this point if I can get at least a pond or two dug with fish by the time I leave it will be a "success." The concept of time is something foreign in Zambia and doing a project, even if you say "now, now" that means maybe in a week or a month. But, no worries, I am entering the heart of the tiger fishing season...

I am now a Lunda by tribe

this may be the longest period I've ever gone without checking email, hearing any world news or eating ice cream in my life. I was posted to my village, Kangaya (about 60 k south of Mwinilunga) on Aug. 18 and have been 'settling in' ever since. Basically lots of reading, meeting people, serving as lead architect and foreman for my house, fishing and putting on a couple 'programs' as they call them here. The first was an introduction to fish farming and what peace corps is all about, in front of maybe 150 people. The next program was a child health lecture- since I am such an authority on the subject... But telling people to feed their children more than once a day and wash them is pretty basic. I've been cooking my own food, eating rice, bushmeat (duiker and bushbaby). Eating the village food is a little challenging but we have lots of great fruit in the village; papaya, mango, guava, banana, avacado, lemon. I had a pet bushbaby by the way. But after I got sick for two days and neglected feeding it the kids ate it. I also had quite an interesting fishing trip.
WEST LUNGU TIGER FISHING
About an hour cycle from my village is the west lungu river, one of the two rivers that make up the main Zambezi. In the dry season (now) the tiger fishing is quite good. So along with two 'escorts' we cycled down to the river to try my luck at the tiger fish. Four zambians stared while I rigged up my rod - they kept calling it 'a very powerful machine.' I was using hard tackle because there was no way to cast a fly road with the overgrowth and my unwillingness to get near the unknown croc waters left me throwing monster rapalas and spinning lures. After only 10 minutes I hooked into my first tiger fish and it put up quite a fight- I dragged it into shore and the villagers wouldn't get near it. After I saw the teeth I understood why it is named so. The teeth look like those on a barracuda. The fish weighed something like 4-5 kg but the villagers said my line wouldn't be strong enough for the 15 kg tiger fish that are common. Needless to say I'm quite happy with my location and awesome fishing. The day ended with the three of us outcycling a bush fire that a drunk had lit while we were down by the river. It just so happened that 15 mph winds picked up as we were walking out of the gorge. Everything else is well here and no malaria yet (even though 2 people in my province got it and another treated for a spider bite).