In all of the excitement and thinking I'd talked to everyone about Peace Corps, I realized that there is no description of Zambia or what I'll be doing as a volunteer.  Minor details.

Zambia!  Instead of regurgitating what the internet already knows, I'll just include a few links for you to browse.

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/za.html

News

http://allafrica.com/zambia/

And in case you want to visit!

http://www.zambiatourism.com/

The official position that I will hold is as a Forestry Extension Agent working on the LIFE Project (http://zambia.usembassy.gov/zambia/life.html).  The project encompasses many different aspects besides just forestry.  From my understanding it is doing agroforestry on subsistence farms near national parks and entails incorporating trees into the cropping/farming system on these farms.  Natural resource management, alternative income generating activities, business skills/management, and sustainable agriculture techniques are all part of the project as well.  I'm not really sure what any of this means or how to go about distributing knowledge and encouraging ideas for alternative income generating activities and know nothing about business management.  I'm also not sure how much of this is actually going to be a daily part of the volunteer experience.  For now, that's all there is to go on.  It seems like a huge part of the Peace Corps experience is getting accustomed to the lifestyle and that much of the day is used for daily household chores like hauling water or preparing meals.  If only I could find an edible plants book for Zambia, then I could spend a large majority of my time foraging (and working, of course)!

Address

During training here is the address that you can send letters (or care packages!) to, if you're into that sort of thing.  I love getting mail and writing letters so feel free to send me one randomly, and I will most likely respond!

My Name, Peace Corps Volunteer
PO Box 50707
Lusaka
Zambia

This will change once I get assigned a site, but for the first 2-3 months this is where I'll be.

It's mind boggling to think that in a few short weeks my life will be taking a drastic turn.  In February I leave with a group of other volunteers for Zambia to work as a forestry extension agent in the Peace Corps!  I don't expect to say anything that another PC volunteer has not already said about service or all of the emotions, thoughts, hesitations, and excitements that I'm sure every volunteer has before departing.  This is really just to share my experience with family and friends, to include people who may be interested in what PC service is like or just want to keep in touch.  Hopefully I will get better at this blogging thing!