BAD NEWSi

I went to Nykata Bay for my 30th b-day this weekend and a rasta STOLE MY CAMERA!! Im very bummed!!!! I loved that thing. So I can no longer post any more pics. If any one has an old extra camera by chance to donate, I would very much appriciate.

But my vacation was fun. We (George and Rob) spent my actuall b-day(june 28) in Kasungu Boma drinkin with George's chief at the local pubs. That night we saw some very good Malawian live music at Kasungu Inn where I danced on the stage. Im sooo embarrassing. So the next day we went to Mayoka Lodge in Nykata Bay. Ive never seen soo many azungu's(white folk) in one place. They are really boring. But the lodge is cool, its built on a rocky hill with stone steps leading to cute chalets in every direction and a beautiful crystal clear, turquoise blue lake with great snorkling. It was great. I wish I could show you the pics :( We spent 2 neights there then spent one night at the transit house in Mzuzu city just watching movies and cooked a good dinner. Now im in lilongwe and im headed back to site tomorrow.

Chulu is good, its very cold at night these days, so im cooking on fires, to keep warm. My cats are good too, although zambo is eating all my neighbors birds and is becoming hostile to his cat friend Mzanu.

Maybe more later if i think of anything interesting... for now im just depressed bout my camera and my blogs will be boring with no pics..

Love yall

Ku Msika. At Market in Chulu
Helping build a mushroom House
With my Girls
Blood Donation Drive Posters
Gulu WauKulu

How is It?? Im well, those of you concerned..DONT BE. Ive just been at home working very hard(2-3 hrs/day). Im back in Lilongwe for the 4th of July celebration that is on June 8th. So things are good. My newest projects include a bee keeping club, tree nursery, oil pressing business, permaculture and irrigation site, and additional mushroom houses. So im staying some what busy. I had a very successful blood donation drive in my village with 45 donations, including myself. The second time donors recieved nice footballs and were very excited. Well my time is up on the computer, so maybe if i think of more to say i will add. Take Care!! Love U All!!

Back from South Africa

Hey there, Im now back from my medical leave to Pretoria, S. Africa. Everything is good, my results are also good, there is no proplem. It was a nice vacation though. I stayed in a beautiful B & B and ate some good food and visited a bird sanctuary. But mostly I watched T.V. in my bed in my room... It was sweet. Now im bout to head back to my site for a few weeks then I will be back for mid-service training and maybe head to Blantyr for some dance party.

So my project is now up on this website... www.peacecorps.gov ...please, please, please donate

Love yall-------------Ja-chi

My favorite activity is climbling this small mountain near my village, My village is at the end of that path somewhere.
Permaculture training at the Nordin's

Me N Banda Learning Permaculture
Again at the mountain, where I almost fell off just as I was snaping a photo
My bedroom and living room

njinga yanga
Nyumba Yanga

My Back Yard with chalkboard and shade, great place to chill in tha shade with my village made maize sack chairs
My back yard, you can see my toilet way in tha back
The front of my house

Hey peeps,

Just wanted to give you an idea of where I live. It's comfortable and I really enjoy it. I have an extra bed if your interested!! So I just came from a permaculture training with 2 guys from my village and it was really great. We learned a lot, drank some good cood beers and they cooked up some great food right from the gardens. So I have 2 days until I leave for S. Africa. Those of you worried...DONT. Everythings cool. So I have nothing really new to say. Keep it Nyatwa!

Hello all,
Just a short update, I forgot my card reader so i will not be able to post any pics but soon I will have pics of my house. Every thing is still good. I spent the last week in Dedza training the new pcv's how to make soap. Everyone was very impressed with my training and the quality of my soap... so im feeling proud.

Now im back in Lilongwe for my mid-service physical I'm very healthy and ive lost bout 30 lbs since being in country but I have a lump on my breast and they decided to send me to S. Africa to have it removed and tested. I'm not very concerned but it's surgery and Ill be alone... so that kinda sucks but no worries. The diahrea is improving, so thats good.

My project will be posted on www.peacecorps.gov in the next couple of days. Its for environmental education for secondary students and I beg you to help these really fantastic kids make a better future for themselves and Malawi. Soon I will be creating a blog site with their pictures and our activities so you can follow along with the project. Its tax deductable and unlike most organization's that you donate too... 100% of the money goes to the kids. They will learn about the environment and wildlife as well as new environmentally friendly skills that can give them a way to find money such as bee-keeping, mushroom farming and raising tree's and other plants from seed.

My newest project is permaculture/irrigation farming with my good friends in my village. I just set up a training for them at the end of this month with ex-PCV's who live here and practice permaculture. Im really excited about this because its a great thing to introduce in to the village because it will be a demonstration to others of how to farm in such a way that they do not go hungry and I will really learn a lot through the implementation of this project. I think by the mid of April I will have submitted a proposal for that.

So that's all I got for now. Im headed back to Chulu tomorrow where I will remain untill the end of the month, then I will come back to Lilongwe for the permaculture training. After that I will go to S. Africa on wednesday April 3rd and will return the week after. Then back to site for a few weeks then back to lilongwe for our mid-service training in Dedza.

Love you, take care
Ja-Chi

Osayiwala kupatsa ndalama ku www.peacecorps.gov (Dont forget to give money at ...)

Few more pics 4 ya

This is Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary where I spent my lunch time hours hiking and had lunch today
Unfortunatly I did not see any Crocs today
But The foliage was beautiful