Dear Aunt Alice,

We finally got the school books that have been on order for MONTHS! Words cannot express how excited I am. This means that I won't have to keep erasing (or rubbing as they say here) old books in order to teach my pupils!! I actually got a blister from rubbing books...

It's hard to explain how life is here, but I think that the biggest thing is that some things just are and some just aren't. You can almost always find maize, tomatoes and onions, but getting cheese and yogurt is a challenge. Zambians are never in a rush and taking the time to greet properly is extremely important. It just is what it is here. If something doesn't get done or if it doesn't work, it's not a matter for concern. It's generally just accepted.

I guess this is what happens when you pray for patience...you end up in a country where power and water are often optional and internet can be down right non-existent and times! It really has changed me though - I see myself much less concerned with those things and much better able to cope when the power suddenly goes out in the middle of dinner preparations (you just light the gas stove and keep on trucking!).