GISBE

Last month I participated in the Great International Secret Gift Exchange, and last weekend I received my parcel (sorry it has taken me so long to blog about it...).

My gifts came all the way from Zambia from my new best friend in Africa, Claypot, who just happens to maintain an excellent blog, as well. Claypot works for an NGO and writes, "you probably drew the short straw with a parcel from Zambia - one of the poorest countries in the world."

"But, Claypot," I say out loud to her letter, "that was my whole point in requesting an African nation. You see, your $20 will go oh so much further in Zambia than my $20 will go in Seattle."

And sure enough, I made out like a bandit. Claypot sent me 1 CD by the Zambian recording artist k'millian. Very sweet. I also received a chitenge, the traditional cloth used by Zambian women for everything from skirts to baby slings. Plus, a package of biscuits (gone), a package of sweets (nearly gone), a sachet of pop, a sachet of coffee (soon to be devoured), tea (see coffee), and two local newspapers, one featuring Cher.

Like a kid in a candy store, I cannot imagine being any more pleased with my gifts than I am. Even had I received a package of porn and booze, I would not be so thrilled. Kidding.

Gifts aside, it's obvious that Claypot went to some trouble to put all of this together and ship it off. My envelope had at least 1500 separate stamps on it, so my biggest fear is that Claypot is lying poisoned and passed out in some faraway clinic, solely for the purpose of bringing a smile to my face. To you Claypot, I assure you it was worth the trouble.

Tsikomo!