What I will be doing in Zambia

Peace Corps volunteers first were introduced to Zambia in 1994 doing water/sanitation projects. Now Zambia has one of the highest concentrations of Peace Corps volunteers in all of Africa, with approximately 245 volunteers serving at different posts. Other programs include Community Health (CHIP), Rural Aquaculture (RAP), Linking Income, Food & The Environment (LIFE), and finally my program: Rural Education Development (RED).

 I will be co-teaching and working as an English teacher in anywhere from one to several different schools. This will include riding a bike up to 20 kilometers a day! Wooo! I guess I'll get in shape one way or another!

I will be trained for three months in what is called Pre-Service Training (PST). This will take place in the capital city of Lusaka. During this time I will be living with a host family either in the city, or a little outside the city.

During PST, I will be trained to teach English as a Second Language in a primary classroom (grades 1-9). This includes intensive language learning of one of the seven bantu languages.

After the three months of training, I will be sworn in as an official Peace Corps volunteer, and start my journey living in rural Zambia: The Real Africa. And oh, did I mention I'll be living in a hut...

I can't believe that I am finally leaving! This whole process started nearly two years ago. Now after going through so many hoops, I finally get to leave on this fantastic journey. Thanks everyone for helping me get here! Much love! -Amanda