Langtang

I just finished trekking for 7-8 days in Langtang National Park in Nepal. It was really inspiring. I think I'll do it again at some point. Unfortunately, I did not get to enjoy it to it's fullest because I seriously jacked up my knees. I'm a big guy and I had all my stuff in my backpack and I really trucked up those slopes the first day. I really hurt myself. I'm now taking the sporadic oxycodine, so hopefully I get better. I don't want to be hobbling for the rest of my travels.
The Tibetan culture was pretty cool. From colourful yak wool fabrics to neat little curved knives called Khukuri. Pretty interesting stuff.

Mumbai, Nasik, Aurangabad

I' m in India. Enjoying it. I'm uploading my thoughts and spots about it at my travel blog.

Done!

Holy crap! Fraser is done with HAP! I did it, yo! I finished being a Peace Corps Volunteer. On the day of September 2nd, I finished my three years (and change) with the Peace Corps. It was a fantastic opportunity and I enjoyed every bit of it. From the horrible transport to the pesky kids, I loved it. I would not trade my experience for anything. Incredible. It's time to move on, now. A lot of people (mostly Peace Corps types) see our service has an opportunity to postpone life and not do real work. I think I went about it a different way. I accomplished a lot of things and learned a lot on the way. I think the skills I've learned will go towards making me very competitive in the business world. I will apply myself and get the things that I deserve. I'm moving forward, not to say I won't take the scenic way forward. I leave for India on Saturday. I feel I'm typing that a whole bunch right now. India, Saturday, Me, Going. Like I said earlier in the post, incredible.

More Chongwe.

Hello, again. Chongwe is good. We've got a really solid group. A little young but awesome none the less. They seem to come from many different backgrounds but basically all right out of college...which is fine. I like the fresh faces and clean polartec and spotless nalgenes. Good times. I'm really enjoying facilitating them. They are motivated to be here and know they need to know the subject matter. Good for me and them.

Chongwe yay

So I moved out of Lusaka. I'm now living the quasi-village life in Chalimbana, out near Chongwe. It's colder and the power goes out frequently. It's nice though. Preparing for PST is fun. I didn't think much about this change in venue but now that I'm done with Jhpiego and I'm focusing on now on the HAP PST, I'm becoming really motivated - especially because of PACA. O' Participatory Development, how I love thee. Good times. Good times.

Times A Changin'

I've been in Lusaka for awhile now. I've enjoyed my days and I've enjoyed my nights. I really enjoy this place. But next begins a new chapter. More of an interlude before my next phase. I'm moving out to the Peace Corps training centre in Chongwe. It's about an hour outside of town. I will be the HIV Technical Trainer for this year's HAP and RAP volunteers. I'll still be coming in to check out the weekend activities.

I packed up many things and put them in boxes. I'm hopefully posting them soon. Should get to snowy Penn or brisk Tenn in a short month or so. Hopefully. That's if my housekeeper hasn't ransacked them already.

oh, Peace Corps

Every time I enter the office I tend to get the looks. These looks are often immediately followed by, "what are you doing here?" or, "aren't you supposed to be in America?" Yes, many people in the Peace Corps office tend to think I'm no longer a volunteer because I'm like to work. Peace Corps is great but the best part about it is the hands-off mentality. They train and then they let you go. This is good because the actual office is a mecca of bureaucratic mess. Snafu. Shitshow. Call it what you want, it's never efficient. It's a great office, but seriously, do I have to fill out that many forms and talk to this many people to get a refund for 5 dollars? Jhpiego is nice because less red-tape. I get to do what is needed and it takes less time. I often consider myself a Jhpiego intern over PCV. Oh, Peace Corps, you get me every time.

Again, this time with less feeling.

I've created a new blog. It's on Wordpress. I wonder if I'll keep it. The templates are better there but you can't customize nearly as much. Plus the interface is just awesome here. I guess I created it because I don't really want people reading my old posts. I guess there is nothing to bad. I deleted some old posts recently that were to emotional. It's fun creating something. I almost want to creat multiple blogs just for shits and giggles. I like creating graphic things, even if basically I use other people's templates. I guess I like the design aspect. I do like design. Probably the only reason I like fashion...well that, and the hot models.

One Big Trip

I'm beginning preparations for a long trip around the world. I bought a ticket to Mumbai. I will buy a ticket from India to Hanoi. I will then buy a ticket from Singapore to Auckland. I will then travel from Auckland to USA. Should be amazing. I cannot wait for the trip. Yay! When the trip comes I will post stuff here, I think. Maybe start a new blog?

Theme Party Ideas.

1. Cowboys vs. Ninjas vs. Pirates
2. Sock Hop
3. PG Wodehouse (Jeeves & Wooster)
4. Edward 40 Hands
5. Random Quote from Wikipedia
6. Favourite Stereotype
7. Anything but Clothes
8. 30 Something

Things I enjoy: One Man Vs. Everyone Else

I'm International.

Describe international? Use this example: I went to Ultimate Frisbee, threw it around for awhile. It was dandy. Good crowd of Americans, both US and Canadians. It was a good ole time. I then went to check on Thai (I was house sitting for Matt and Renee). Thai was good. I proceeded to get a ride with Jennie (from CIDRZ) to Melissa's Grocery. Then began the walk down Leopard's Hill Road to Crossroads to meet Elena, Maureen, and Victoria. We then got picked up for the Lusaka Hash House Harrier's run. It was a gallant time, filled with running, looking, and thorn bushes. Upon the finish, I drank some beer, mostly Castle, which is unusual (but not that unusual). The Hash is a mostly British thing, with peoples from all over the Commonwealth. It was enjoyable with the end being the closest thing to Monty Python's Bruce's Philosophy Song Skit that I'll ever live to see. The next day, a wonderful Sunday, was greeted with Planet Earth (Sooo, international) and a nice leisure day of Polo at the Italian Corner of the Showgrounds. Just dandy. I drank cold ciders and watched the Polo Ponies run to and fro. All in all a good international weekend (don't forget the Chinese Hotpot for Matty G's Birthday!).

Cold Hands and the What Not.

I think the cold season has finally started. Goodness, my hands kind of hurt right now. Is this from the incessant typing of the FY 2008 COP or from the cold. Both probably.
I am throwing a small soiree tonight. BaEness asked for me to put together a "discussion" for the new volunteers from Kenya. I've made it a salad-themed dinner. We will see how this goes. I think it should be a hit. Then we will all go to the ambassador's party. Dancing and Karaoke. Sounds like a good time.

Also, debating cutting my hair. I put up a discussion forum to discuss this urgent matter on facebook.

Victoria Falls Panorama

I did this in Publisher. I don't know how else to

do this.

Red-Tape Rugby

Is American Football Red-Tape Rugby? It's 30 seconds of work followed by 7 minutes of people forming various lines and reviewing what has already been done. It's also filled with safety equipment. Tons of padding to ensure that no one gets hurt. It there was a metaphor for bureaucracy using sports, I would choose American Football.

Postscript: I have a date tonight. I don't like to go on dates. I try to go on them as little as possible. I'll keep blogger posted.

Sutures, Birthday, and What What

I went to Adventure City again. This time I collided with Phillipe. My chin split open. I had to call Gilly, the PCMO and head over to Corps Med Medical Center. They stitched me up. Four sutures on my chinny-chin-chin. So I promptly shaved to a mustache and went creepy all week. Which worked out well because I was at an STI training. Nothing like looking at pictures of genital ulcers while playing with ones mustache.
Had my birthday yesterday. We went to Portico. What a pleasant restaurant. I wore my suit; it was fun. Okay I'm done typing. The big monitor close to my face is making my eyes hurt.

Village; I am

I took a road trip with Joanne Lee. It was a whole lot of fun. Minus the massive tyre problems. We drove a Toyota Corolla Ceres up to Chibwika. From Lusaka to Solwezi Joanne drove. She's a fast driver so that was good for that leg. I'm more careful, so I drove the pothole nether land that is Solwezi to Mwinilunga. It was fun. I gave the car one hell of a flat. The rim was severely bent. I fixed the flat, in nothing flat. (yes!). Plus we road on the fuel light for a good 45 minutes. That was a time of anxiety.
The village was great. I got to see Terry, Jennifer, Mevis, and all the kids. That was great. I wonder when I'll get to see all of them again? Maybe never? I don't know. I'd like to come back at some point but who knows. Life just keeps on truckin'.

Preggers!

It was bound to happen. The first of what will be many. The first of my friends to get pregnant. Holy crap. I'm entering a new phase of my life. Friends and family will start having kids and getting married. Sure, I know plenty of people that have kids. They were to young or not really friends. Usually too young. But now my friends, Laura and Bret, are having a child. Man oh man. It will not stop. This is the beginning. Everyone will be preggers. All my friends will grow up. . . and have children.
And the funny thing? I'm totally diggin' it.

Forever and a day

It seems to have been forever and a day since I last wrote here. This is typical behaviour for me. I tend to buy multiple journals but only fill up a few. Need to place it in the routine section of my brain or it is not done. Here's a little of what's happened recently:

1. Went on a date with a local. An HCN as the Peace Corps lingo goes. It was okay. It was an exceptionally odd/awkward date. Lots of silence. Shared silence is a wonderful thing when your sharing it around a fire or with people you know. Not appropriate for a date, where learning about the other person is the objective. I was on the fence on the whole thing but then she started calling me. A lot. A whole lot. So that basically was a huge turn off. That was ended.
2. Went to Adventure City. It was a waterpark with no rules. It was fun. We put as many people as possible on single rafts. It was dangerous. Chris from Tucson got hurt. He was bleeding around the eye because we flipped over and he rode on his face down the entire slide.
3. Had the flu. Missed a day and a half of work. That doesn't happen often. I don't like to call in sick. Never did it at Pesto Brothers. Never did it at Barnes & Noble. Never did it Windstone Rock Masonry. Yeah. I don't like to do it. Plus I'm never sick. But when I do, it's a doozy.
4. Everything else is boring.

Death and the Stages of Grief

A few days ago the guard to my apartment complex came up to me. He had been gone a few days. Nothing huge. I noticed but it didn't really effect me that much. Maybe my greetings were a little shortened with the "new guy." He came up to apologize for his absence.
"Are you sick, malaria?"
"Ah, no it is my child."
"Oh, your child is still suffering from the sickness?"
"She passed away."
I proceed to do the thing that I do best, stare at my feet and mumble. He then told me how sorry he was to have missed the past few days. Whoa. Priorities man. I said I was sorry several times because I don't think he knows the word "condolences." It's a long complicated english word that basically means "I feel sorry."
It's amazing how death is treated here. Someone dies, a child or parent, and after a few days of mourning and wailing, everything is fine. It's just a remark in a conversation. Something one skims over when they talk about their week.
"Oh, things have been just okay. I ate nshima. I bathed my dog. My child died. I ran out of talk time. Zambia tied Egypt yesterday. You know, bit by bit."
I wonder how I will react to death when it hits someone I love. My grandmother died while I was in college. That was sad, but I think that it was sadder to me to realize that my family only really gets together during funerals. My mother got married and I didn't attend it. How absolutely ridiculous and rude is that? I am an asshole. When someone close to me dies, and my entire family shows up, how will I react? Will I be stoic? Will I cry? Will I tell jokes that border on inappropriate? Probably all the above. I will give a stoic cry that seems controlled yet hints at my sensitivity. I will then ruin said sensitivity by saying something along the lines, "the bitch had it coming...get it? She was old!" I am quite pathetic but at least I understand my own psyche.

If I Was Affluent

Seems like in the movies/books all super rich people have a quirk. Something that makes them eccentric. Miss Humphrey in the James Harriot series is obsessed with Tricky-woo, her prize dog. Howard Hughes was famous for being filthy and pooping in jars. If I had a lot of money what would I do? I would have an entire year where I wore a new pair of socks for every day. That's 365 socks, brand new. I would wear a pair once and then put it in a box. The next day I would put on another new pair. At the end of the year I would then have 365 pairs of socks that had only been worn once. Not too bad.
Socks are the only piece of clothing that gets remarkably worse every time you were them. Matty G said today that socks are one of the few articles of clothing he cannot wear for more than a few days. Underwear? I've gone a week. Socks? That just gross. T-shirts (if you wash them) feel better the more you wear them. That's why thrift store shirts feel so awesome. They've been used. If I was an eccentric rich guy I would have a new pair of socks for every day.

Taxi Terror

I was at the Emory kids place in Emmasdale. It was a fun time filled with Butternut Squash Pasta and Wine.
It came time to leave, so we all piled into a taxi, a very stripped-down vehicle. We eventually dropped everyone off but eventually it was just I. Sitting in the back with the spikes from the window cranks pointing towards me. As we were rolling at incredible speeds down Independence Avenue something bizarre happened: the hood came up. We couldn't see at all. I yelled, "shit." The cabby slowed us down and we pulled to the side. It was late, so no cars. It was Independence so the road was straight. That is what saved us. I was even thinking about what it would be like to be in a horrible accident at the time of the opening hood. It was scary. I had adrenaline. It was an incredible experience with transport.

Rick Rolled

I just learned of an old internet phenomenom: being rick rolled. This is awesome. I have been utterly obsessed with current.tv. I watch countless segments from infomania and viral videos. It's pretty great. One of the segments was hosted by the hilarious Brett Elrich. In it he said something about being Rick Rolled. Then the Rick Asterly song played. It's hilarious. You basically put a link up for something in demand: See this link for new Starcraft mods! And then your unsuspecting viewer goes to a Rick video. Pretty darn funny. Like a more mischievious hamster dance. Far more entertaining actually.

Mozambique; Return 2

The bus station in Jo'burg isn't that bad. It's the surrounding city blocks that cause paranoia (well-founded from the horror stories one hears). A "crazy" person was spouting the typical "AIDS is God's way of punishing gays/women." I noticed several people finding his tirade amusing, including some white people. These white people ended up being Peace Corps Volunteers from Lesotho. I hung out with them for awhile. Because they were cool? Yes. Because we Volunteers tend to have much in common? Yes. Because we were stranded at a weigh station for seven hours while Intercape attempted to overload our bus with eggs and onions? Yes. It took forever. Everyone on the bus became good friends. Even a guy in a Masai plaid chitenge tried to get everyone to revolt. He eventually invited everyone on board to a wedding but said no one from the bus company could come because they suck (not his language, mine). We made it to Maputo, but most of us were cranky well before then.

Mozambique; Return

Mozambique was fun. It was a lot different from what I expected. Here is a little exerpt from the voyage.

The plane was late in picking me up. The plane in Jo'burg did not have any fuel. It was two hours late. Plus, I had my knife confiscated at the security check point. Sad. I love that knife. Torrey will be upset as well. He bought it for me.

Made it to Jo'burg. The city surrounding the bus station is dark and scary. Much like an episode of Homicide: Life in the Streets but with more trash and more crack heads. Of course I don't think it was crackheads, just that Tsotsi look alot like gool ol' American Crackheads. Odd.