For the Love of Reading

I hope everyone is doing well!

Community entry is tough, I’m not going to lie to you. I’ve told you from the start that I’m determined to share with you the whole experience, not just the happy parts of it. I’m bored out of my mind, since I’m not meant to be starting any programs right now. I’m living alone for the first time in my life, which is its own challenge. The language and cultural barrier is significant and isolating. And I feel that I’m not accomplishing anything significant, which is particularly hard because America deeply ingrains in us that our value is rooted in productivity, which is an incredibly difficult idea to un-learn.

That’s not to say that I hate being here, in fact it’s the opposite! Though this is the hardest thing I’ve done in my life, there are many bright spots to my days, such as my amazing host family (check out my last blog post to learn more about them), videochatting with my family and boyfriend at home, seeking solace in American treats brought from home and sent in care packages (though I have very little willpower in this regard!!), and settling into meaningful routines in my day.

One of my biggest comforts and favorite ways to pass the time has been reading. Anyone who knows me knows that I have loved to read since I was little, but similar to many bibliophiles as they grow up, I lost touch with reading to take care of responsibilities, studying, and other pastimes. Ever since coming to Zambia, I’ve had much more free time (one might argue too much free time {trust me, it’s possible}), and free mental space, and I have deeply enjoyed falling in love with reading all over again.

It feels like such a gift to be able to sit down and enter another world for a while, to let my imagination run free in the lives of the characters, and to relax into a quiet escape. Since arriving, I’ve also decided to make an effort to read books written by marginalized and minority authors, which is also enriching my experience. I am really enjoying reading books written from a perspective outside of my own. So if you have any suggestions, please let me know! (Better yet, send me your suggestions and a kindle gift card to get the book-my parents will thank you 😉)

I feel so grateful that I can sit down and read often more than once per day. Reading has become a deeply meaningful part of each day for me. Additionally, when I feel daunted by being social in my community (which is frequent, considering the not-insignificant language barrier), I can sit out on my porch reading and be “visible” while still being in my own world. My days are often bracketed with this escape-I read each morning while I eat my breakfast and savor my coffee, and before I go to bed.

I hope that telling you how meaningful it has been to bring reading back into my daily life, you feel inspired to bring it into yours! My goal is to read at least 100 books while serving in the Peace Corps, and you can check out my reading list here if you’re in need of a recommendation!