March 20 "Hitchhiking'

Today on the docket was driving from Chipata to Lusaka, a 7 hour journey. Most of the journey was similar to the ride there: I watched the tiny huts and villagers and slept a lot. Since it was Sunday, we also grabbed a tape—yes, a cassette tape—and listened to two church services from the States on the Transfiguration and the first Sunday in Lent. Thank you to the pastor from Atonement in Milwaukee for preaching on February 22 and 29 (Leap Day!) in 2004 and sending the tape to Chipata so that I could have “church” today. Random, but worship, nonetheless.

We got back to the Seminary around 3 pm, but all T and I could do was drop off our things and head out the door again! We needed to buy new Internet bundles today as they expired while we were gone. So a venture on the minibus into town was on the agenda. We prayed they would still be open, because you never know! They were open and our trip was successful, hence my blogging updates. J Since it’s Sunday, too, the Sunday market was still around! T and I browsed for a bit to get Mrs. D&D and birthday present. I also bought a few souvenirs for a few lucky readers. You’d be proud of my bartering skills: talked one thing down from K80,000 to K35,000 and another from K100,000 to K75,000 to K30,000. J I heart shopping! Oh, and the sudden downpour helped that second purchase. T and I were soaked by this time and hopped on a minibus back home, seeing another gorgeous double rainbow on the way. After getting off the bus (I’d be angry if I was the person to sit in our seats after us!), we began our 15 minute walk back to the Seminary in the rain. Shortly after we began our walk, a young gentleman in a very nice vehicle pulled up beside us and offered a ride. Along all instincts were telling me not to get in a car with a young gentleman stranger in a foreign country, I did it anyway. I was surprised T agreed, but I suppose the rain was getting to us. So yes, we arrived in one piece at the Seminary a few minutes later, and I survived my first hitchhiking experience! I hope he doesn’t end up coming to the grounds again because he knows where we live now, but he wouldn’t be the first. I’ve had two random guys stop me while walking or biking and know where I live. Creepy. Or maybe it’s because there are not many Mzungus around and most of them come from the Seminary. Oh well, we still survived. J

Mrs. A was back from her journey. Hurray! We haven’t seen her in a week and a half! She cooked us a DELISH dinner in the evening. I had really missed her meals for the past few days! Nighttime included lesson planning and catching up on the powers of the Internet. We unpacked, but not much as we will need to pack again on Tuesday night for Vic Falls!