Departing Details

Lions, Tigers, and Hippos OH MY! The time has finally come. For those of you who are saying, "I know she is going to Africa with no running water or electricty to work with kids or radio..." and have forgotten the details, the following is for you (For those who have heard the story a thousand times, please skip!). For the next 27 months, my primary project will be serving as a coordinator for an interactive radio instruction program focused on bringing primary school curriculum to the people of rural Zambia who have neither facilities nor instructors for traditional schools. My secondary projects will target the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

I depart Nashville Monday the 22nd for orientation in Washington, DC. There I will meet the others in my training group who are headed to Zambia (est. 30+ volunteers). For the next three days we will learn the ins and outs of volunteer service and safety precautions followed by rounds of immunizations. Once we are protected from malaria, yellow fever, and hepatitis, we will board a 16 hour flight directly to Johannesburg, South Africa--thank goodness I have Harry Potter downloaded to my ipod! We will stay overnight in Johannesburg and take a short two hour flight to Zambia's capital Lusaka the following afternoon. Zambia's time is eastern + 8 hours. For the next three months I will live with a host family while in Pre-Service Training (PST). Then I will be assigned a village for the next two years. Once I a home aka hut, I will update my address.

We have been warned that the most challenging aspect of service is isolation from friends and family. I will be more than likely to live 50+ kilometers from the nearest volunteer and internet access will be very limited. Snail mail will be my primary method of communication and greatly appreciated. For untampered mail, the PC advises Air Mail or Par Avion be written on envelopes (some have even suggested writing Religious Material on envelopes/packages). Air Mail takes a minimum of 2-4 weeks to arrive in Lusaka--so start writing now :) My address during training will be:
Charlye Ramsey/PCT
c/o Peace Corps
PO Box 50707
Lusaka, Zambia
Many of you have asked about packages and for a list of items I may need. These are items current volunteers have requested:

• drink/spice mixes
• packaged pastas
• instant oatmeal
• rechargable batteries
• rope/twine
• magazines/newspapers/books
• granola/protein bars
• gifts for Zambians-anything "American"

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. You have given me the strength to bear spiders and rats in my hut, biking 50 km each day, eating maize (ground corn), and walking 3km for water. After two years I know I will walk away an even more determined, happier, stronger person for taking the risks and hardships. If you are interested in learning more of the specifics of my service check out the PC Zambia Welcome Book at this site http://www.peacecorps.gov/welcomebooks/zmwb611.pdf I will miss you all greatly and will be anxiously awaiting your letters!