Dear Everyone,
Wow! I can not believe it has been 6 months since my last entry! I really feel blessed that I got to see so many of my friends in VA and CA when I went back to the states!
I wanted to fill you in on what I have done, where I am and what I am about to do!
In December I flew home from the Ayurveda Yoga Retreat Center in India to Virginia Beach, VA and arrived on December 16th. So Christmas was fantastic with family. Angel flew in from LA. My family had an incredible 60th Birthday Party for me and so I got to see alot of friends! My brother Kevin and Sister-in-Law flew up from Flordia to be with us for the birthday party right after Christmas. Many people traveled along way to come and for this I am truely grateful. My 78 year old cousin, Rosa even drove up from North Carolina! I really was so happy and appreciative of what everyone did for me for the party and for my return from 2 years in Uganda! It was a phenomenal homecoming! My family really did an outstanding job with the party. I had 60 intuition red roses, food, drink and friends!s Steve put together this power point from when I was a baby all though the years up until now! It was really alot of fun!
It snowed in Virginia Beach the first a January...so I was able to experience the beauty of snow again. I went up to Washington in January to visit Shelley and Linda and the Peace Corps Office. They both came back from Uganda before me, so it was great seeing them again. I then flew back to LA in February.
As soon as I finally unpacked from Uganda, I started looking for Peace Corps Response positions, I also applied to Doctors without Borders. On March 7th I was notified that I was accepted into Peace Corps Response as a Maternal and Child Health Specialist (Zambia) with Zambia Center for Applied Health Research and Development (ZCAHRD) and Boston University for a 12 month assignment. I will be working on the “Saving Mothers Giving Life” project.
“There are an estimated 600,000 births and 2,600 maternal and 20,400 newborn deaths every year in Zambia. The probability that a 15-year old girl will eventually die from a materna cause is 100 times greater than that of a heigh income country such as the US or Norway.” Source WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA ansd the World Bank, 2012. Trends in Maternal Mortality 1990 to 2010.
Peace Corps said that our departure date would be the first of May. I deployed on May 10th. So that was great news for me, because I had scheduled a vacation with my friends Cheryl Birch, Mary Roach and Dana How to go to Kauai! In April I left for Kauai and hooked up with one of my dear friends from Healing Touch International, Savitri Kumaran who lives on the island.
It was so good to see Savitri again and she was great! She took us all over the island and showed us some sacred sites and sacred places. We also went to Polihale National Park, which is sacred to the Hawaiians, they feel that the souls depart the earth their between the mountains. Cheryl and I hiked over lava rocks in the misty rain just to get a look at the two mountains. That was a hike we will not forget! But it was good to experience and a great challenge. We also went snokling, kayaking, beaching/pooling, hot tub, and shopping. Karen, Cheryl and I did a Helicopter ride! We really had a great time! So much fun and pictures are on my dropbox, if you want to see them just send me your email and I will share the link.
Then right before I left for Zambia, Angel took me to Palm Springs Desert and we stay at a place that had hot springs and mineral water baths. That really makes your skin feel so nice! She also took me on a
Aerotrain up the mountain that was great! Then we stayed one night at the Morongo Casino...yes I played and lost then won. So I basically broke even and had a great time doing it!
Then on May 10th, I left for Zambia. My flight was really good, but long. I flew from LA to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to JoBurg, South Africa, then from SA to Lusaka, Zambia. We arrive at around 8:30 pm Zambian time. Yes, Peace Corps was at the airport to meet me and took me though immigration. It was not like Uganda, if you remember I was left at the airport by Peace Corps and they had to come back for me.
My stay here so far has been fantastic! We are in the guest house that has hot showers, AC and heat, refrigerators, flat screen TV’s in the rooms and a beautiful bathroom. The room also comes with breakfast. Peace Corps Zambia has been great. We were sworn in on May 13th, 2013.
We have had a good administrative week. I will be living in Kalomo and the language there is Tonga. So that is what I studied this week. We also went shopping for all our settling in stuff. During language my instructor for Tonga language gave me a Zambia name. It is Lushomo, which means Faith/Hope.
Next week on Monday, I will meet the Boston University people that I will be working with, I can not wait! Then we will have Sexual Harassment training and that will end our, which is orientation Tuesday afternoon. I leave for my site to Kalomo, Zambia on Wednesday morning. I heard that it was about 4 or 5 hours from Lusaka (the capital). So we will see! I will keep you posted when I find out more information about my job/position with ZCHARD/BU! I will also let you know when I have an address!
Until then, Stay Safe and Be Happy!
Love & Light,
Mari “Lushomo”
Wow! I can not believe it has been 6 months since my last entry! I really feel blessed that I got to see so many of my friends in VA and CA when I went back to the states!
I wanted to fill you in on what I have done, where I am and what I am about to do!
In December I flew home from the Ayurveda Yoga Retreat Center in India to Virginia Beach, VA and arrived on December 16th. So Christmas was fantastic with family. Angel flew in from LA. My family had an incredible 60th Birthday Party for me and so I got to see alot of friends! My brother Kevin and Sister-in-Law flew up from Flordia to be with us for the birthday party right after Christmas. Many people traveled along way to come and for this I am truely grateful. My 78 year old cousin, Rosa even drove up from North Carolina! I really was so happy and appreciative of what everyone did for me for the party and for my return from 2 years in Uganda! It was a phenomenal homecoming! My family really did an outstanding job with the party. I had 60 intuition red roses, food, drink and friends!s Steve put together this power point from when I was a baby all though the years up until now! It was really alot of fun!
It snowed in Virginia Beach the first a January...so I was able to experience the beauty of snow again. I went up to Washington in January to visit Shelley and Linda and the Peace Corps Office. They both came back from Uganda before me, so it was great seeing them again. I then flew back to LA in February.
As soon as I finally unpacked from Uganda, I started looking for Peace Corps Response positions, I also applied to Doctors without Borders. On March 7th I was notified that I was accepted into Peace Corps Response as a Maternal and Child Health Specialist (Zambia) with Zambia Center for Applied Health Research and Development (ZCAHRD) and Boston University for a 12 month assignment. I will be working on the “Saving Mothers Giving Life” project.
“There are an estimated 600,000 births and 2,600 maternal and 20,400 newborn deaths every year in Zambia. The probability that a 15-year old girl will eventually die from a materna cause is 100 times greater than that of a heigh income country such as the US or Norway.” Source WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA ansd the World Bank, 2012. Trends in Maternal Mortality 1990 to 2010.
Peace Corps said that our departure date would be the first of May. I deployed on May 10th. So that was great news for me, because I had scheduled a vacation with my friends Cheryl Birch, Mary Roach and Dana How to go to Kauai! In April I left for Kauai and hooked up with one of my dear friends from Healing Touch International, Savitri Kumaran who lives on the island.
Then right before I left for Zambia, Angel took me to Palm Springs Desert and we stay at a place that had hot springs and mineral water baths. That really makes your skin feel so nice! She also took me on a
Then on May 10th, I left for Zambia. My flight was really good, but long. I flew from LA to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to JoBurg, South Africa, then from SA to Lusaka, Zambia. We arrive at around 8:30 pm Zambian time. Yes, Peace Corps was at the airport to meet me and took me though immigration. It was not like Uganda, if you remember I was left at the airport by Peace Corps and they had to come back for me.
My stay here so far has been fantastic! We are in the guest house that has hot showers, AC and heat, refrigerators, flat screen TV’s in the rooms and a beautiful bathroom. The room also comes with breakfast. Peace Corps Zambia has been great. We were sworn in on May 13th, 2013.
Next week on Monday, I will meet the Boston University people that I will be working with, I can not wait! Then we will have Sexual Harassment training and that will end our, which is orientation Tuesday afternoon. I leave for my site to Kalomo, Zambia on Wednesday morning. I heard that it was about 4 or 5 hours from Lusaka (the capital). So we will see! I will keep you posted when I find out more information about my job/position with ZCHARD/BU! I will also let you know when I have an address!
Until then, Stay Safe and Be Happy!
Love & Light,
Mari “Lushomo”
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