Mwashavuka shaani,

So a short post today to let everyone know where I am at. I am off on a bus north to the copper belt province to do some investigative interviews for one of our projects, a timber kiln meant to provide a value adding service for small scale producers. This should hopefully get me out to see some of rural Zambia although that is only if plans don't fall through. I will go up to Ndola and stay for the weekend with my officemates brother. Then on Monday I will go to stay with Mr Enright who operates a timber kiln unit. He will hopefully have set me up some tours and interviews with some small scale timber providers so that I can see what the situation is for them and whether our project is feasible economically and logistically. Then on Thursday we will be seeing the kiln and viewing the design for ideas on how we can build one of our own. So then on Friday I will be back to Lusaka to leave right away to go to Siavonga in the south for an EWB retreat weekend. Finally I will get back to Lusaka on the 4th of July.

The other thing that is going on with me right now is that I have decided to move from my current house to another one. I liked the area, the distance from work, the family, and the house. What I was not so fond of was that the house was also the base for a pentacostal church which met 4 times a week. This means that over half the time I was there I was in church not integrating or in my room not integrating. Either was I was having a hard time getting close with my family, and so I decided I would have a better look at a Zambian family at another house. So now I am moving to another family in a different area. I have to take a bus to work and back, but the family is nice and they have assured me that they go to a church away from the house on Sundays. I will be moving in with them when I get back in on the 4th of July.

Sort of as an aside, I don't know whether the news caught this in Canada, but there has been a strike at UNZA where I work. Of course TDAU is not striking, but all the teachers are, which is causing problems for students who were supposed to have exams this week. SO for the last week and a half I have had to go home 4 times because the students were demonstrating at the university. Usually these are peaceful demonstrations, but there are times when it gets out of hand and so we have to leave work just in case. I just want to assure everyone, in case they have seen anything on the news, I am ok, and I have never been in any danger. But that doesn't mean it isn't a bit exciting to see the places I go everyday on the news!

Well I should go, so that I can get up to Ndola on time. I hope everyone has a good week and as I probably won't be able to get on before the 1st, HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!!

SJ