Hey everyone! My name is Dylan (Dill) Eldred and February 12th I'll be departing for Zambia where I'll be serving as a volunteer for the Peace Corps for the next 27 months. I have been selected to serve as Food Security Specialist for the LIFE (Linking Income, Food, and Environment) Project. This blog is going to be the place where I share stories and pictures about my experiences in Zambia.
While I know the basic gist of what the project entails it is definitely going to be a learning experience. Luckily there's three months of training before I get placed in my permanent village, which I will live in for the following two years. During Pre-Service Training, or PST, I will be educated on many topics. These will include lessons on Zambian culture, agricultural practices, and in depth language instruction. Though English is the official language of Zambia, there are actually over 70 languages spoken in Zambia! Understanding of the language of the local community that I am placed in, in addition to understanding cultural values and practices, will hopefully help me integrate into the community I'll be living in for two years.
Below is a picture of where Zambia is located on the African continent for those who don't know.
I'll be trying to keep this blog as updated as I can while in Zambia. I'm excited for what the next 27 months have in store and hope that you follow along with my adventures through this blog!