The highlight of the month was going to Kafue National Park with Mark and Amy where we saw a cheetah. It just casually meandered across the road right in front of our truck. We also saw a male and female lion.
Other than that, the month was pretty dull. At school, my class load has tripled from 2 to 6 classes. Meanwhile, I am still the school secretary, although I am trying to teach teachers to do some things themselves so they can do it when I leave. Nonetheless, I am busy. (In fact, I probably wouldn’t have time to do everything if I still made lesson plans. I am getting better at just winging it and some lessons I have taught already.) In the afternoons, I tutor pupils for an hour and hope to start teaching the staff computer lessons. MCC recently donated 5 computers to the school. I must admit I am a bit surprised by the amount of enthusiasm of the staff. Hopefully, it will stay that way.
It seems hard to believe that it is summer back home. Here it is getting much colder. It gets down to around 40 degrees which is no colder than it gets at home but at home we have insulated houses and heating. However, it is not too bad at night. I have plenty of blankets. What I don’t like is trying to take a bath in the morning. Every morning I am forced to make a decision between dirt and cold – usually I choose dirt. (I do wash my face and hair.)
I had an interesting conversation with a drunk guy on a mini-bus from Choma to Batoka. I think he offered me one of his daughters. They crammed 5 of us into the back seat of a mini-bus and the guy next to me (more on my lap) happened to be slightly intoxicated. Unfortunately, he wanted to chat. After greeting and introductions, the conversation went like this:

Gilbert: …yeah, me, I have 11 babies.
Me: Oh, that’s good.
Gilbert: All daughters.
Me: Oh really.
Gilbert: Yeah, those two up there (points to front of mini-bus). They mine.
Me: I see.
Gilbert: You, how many babies?
Me: I don’t have any.
Gilbert: Two?
Me: No, I don’t have any. Zero.
Gilbert: Oh. [pause] I give you one of mine.
Me: Oh, thank you.
Gilbert: Next year.
Me: Yeah, next year would be better.
Gilbert: Yeah, you come stay with him. [meaning her, he didn’t know that him is gender specific]
Me: Okay. But next year.
Gilbert: Yeah, she’s in 7th grade.
Me: [trying not to laugh, and trying to figure out if she will be my daughter or wife] Oh, that seems young.
Gilbert: Yeah its young. But you stay with him next year…