Its 5:00 am and I am wide awake waiting for my alarm to sound on my phone beside me. My green mosquito net hangs around me as I lay on my comfy mattress under warm blankets in my homey tin-roofed hut.
The air is cold around me, but as I crawl out of my netted haven, the crispness reminds me of the new day ahead. I grab a sweater, put on my shoes and head to the cimbuzi with my head lamp. Using an outdoor pit latrine is now part of my routine and I realize upon reentering my hut that I barely registered what I was doing.
Its now 6:10 and the sun is beginning to flood the morning with light. I ready myself for the day ahead and dress in leggings, skirt, t-shirt, sweater, and scarf.
Finally, I got to greet my host family with a warm "Mwabuka buti." My Bataata and Bamaama respond with a smiling, "Kabotu." The four bana are also around and silently smile a hello.
I have my breakfast of three fried balls of dough called Fritters with some peanut butter and Rooibos tea. I say, "Ndalumba," to Bamaama, brush my teeth, grab my bag, put on my helmet, and bike down the bumpy dirt road to the PC training center.
At the center, I greet the other trainees and sit down in the outside meeting area, sometimes called an nsaka. The trainers facilitate the sessions on language, cross-culture, and technical training. Midway through the morning, we break for tea and more fritters. I have at least two or three!
Lunch comes at 12:30 and again I have a plate full of coleslaw, pasta, chicken, and rice. If desired, I grab a coke or fanta.
By 14:00, I back in my chair between Mary and Kenny learning about diarrhea and preventing or treating it. If all else fails, we can grab our poop cup and take a stool sample by ourselves to send in!
It is at this time I am so grateful to be as healthy as can be and again go grab three more fritters from the kitchen during our afternoon break.
After training, I bike back home and enjoy a bucket bath in my cisambilo with warm water my Bamaama heated. Around 18:30 I sit down for a meal of nshima, cabbage, and chicken with my Bataata.
Later, back in my hut under my mosquito net, I reflect in darkness about how blessed I feel for the most beautiful host family, an abundance of food and fritters, and a healthy body, soul and mind!
