Zambition

Hello from Zambia! I'm back in the warmer temperatures working on this water technology research again. I know you're all surprised to see a blog post, but I've decided to try to restart this while I'm here in Zambia. I'll try not to write only about work. 

Last year when I went to Zambia, I came straight from a weekend in the mountains learning to ski. This time, I've also come straight from the mountains, but I wisely left out the skis this year. My friends Dave and Janine were getting married, so instead of skis, I took sassy high heels and a pair of white snow boots with furry tops (so fun!) and spent all afternoon and evening switching between the two any time I went inside or outside. "Snow boots with a dress?!" I can hear you asking.  I really think the fur made it work. :) So inside it was grey suede heels, and outside it was white fluffy boots. Here's a tip though: don't wear a dress shorter than your coat. It makes one look a teensy bit trampy. Here are a few pictures from the wedding weekend:

Saanen, Switzerland. Just up the valley from the famous Gstaad, where fancy folks vacation.

I met a cat at the hotel.

I didn't have the best photo-taking location during the ceremony, unfortunately, but you can kind of see the inside of the church here.

Five course dinner at the hotel! Did you know that those curvy knives that look like mustaches are fish knives? I thought they were butter knives. Luckily, I was across from a classy Austrian who set me straight about my table knife etiquette.

Raph, Lincoln and Henry

Youjin and moi

Patricia, the classy Austrian scientist

I was seated in the Tropical and Public Health Institute corner.

Ed and Eva. They were seated in a German-speaking corner.

"flash mob" dance at the reception. Most of the dinner guests practiced this line dance between the first reception and the dinner as a surprise for Dave and Janine. While they were learning that, I was riding in a horse-drawn sleigh with the bride and groom to their next photo location, holding a plate full of snacks for them, while Raph kept the snow at bay with a giant umbrella. 

Head table discussing details