Lusaka, Zambia: 2006
Wednesday, July 5:I am in Zambia
I am in Lusaka, and everything went as planned. Amazing. Left Arusha yesterday--a 4 gate airport, where you verify your luggage before they load it on the plane to Nairobi (which at least gave me the assurance that it would get there if I did.) Short flight, emerged at Nairobi airport which must be the airport hub for Africa. At least, lots and lots of people, multiple terminals, people from all over the world, going to all over the world, and because of long layovers, people in all positions (upright, sitting, lying) in all sorts of places (corners, chairs, floors.) Quickly navigated through passport control, able to purchase a transit visa for $20 with no hassle. Much better than having sent it off to Washington before I came!
Emerged from baggage claim to see.... Robert, holding a sign with my name on it! (Robert has become my new best friend--nothing like having a taxi driver meet you, greet you by name, and take you where you're going.) Slow drive to the hotel (it was the peak of rush hour, and rush hour in Nairobi turns out to be legendary for just.... sitting in traffic, windows up because of the dangers, and.;...sitting.) Got to my hotel, which is a colonial era place, very pleasant, gardens, restaurants, walled off from the city, and across from the Israel embassy, meaning very, very secure. (Lots of armed guards all around the embassy, along with concrete bollards, high walls, I'm sure lots of electronic devices, etc.) Had dinner by the pool, then retired to my room which was above the atrium, drifted to sleep to the sounds of a very nice piano player, playing nice, quiet music.
Up early (5) this morning to catch my early flight to Lusaka. Was able to get breakfast before greeting Robert (we'd arranged it.) Quick trip this time---no rush hour at 6 a.m.!--but only after we had a little trouble getting going. Like, couldn't start his taxi. After some jiggling of wires, got it started, and we were on our way.
The flight from Nairobi to Lusaka, by way of Lilongwe, was uneventful except for them spraying the entire cabin with insecticide after departing Nairobi. Don't know what that was about. Plane was only about 1/3 full, so that made for easy flying.
Landed in Lusaka about noon. Happiness is seeing your bag on the conveyor belt, though it was beyond the passport control office where I was still waiting. The guy in front of me was part of a delegation of 29 IT professionals from China. Something tells me they weren't here to buy things from the Zambians.
First impressions of Lusaka--beautiful sunny day, clear blue sky, temperature in the 70s, light breeze. Just your typical winter day! Mutinta was waiting for me when I emerged--she's been with Habitat for 7 years, the last 3 as on-site coordinator, so she knows her stuff. She took me to the guesthouse where we're staying. It's on the outskirts of the city, quite pleasant though, and it has the essentials--a bed and a bathroom--which we will come to miss shortly. It also is a nice walk from a shopping center where I've found the essentials--an ATM machine (I'm a multimillionaire in Zambia since the exchange rate is 3600 to the dollar), a bakery (for a wonderful sweet roll and coffee) and this Internet cafe (for internet and another roll and coffee.) I could have had a Subway, but I declined.
The walk was through what I guess is a very upper level neighborhood--all single-family homes, all walled and gated in, sometimes with razor wire running along the wall. Lots of school kids walking along the side street, since it's Wednesday and a school day. All very nicely dressed, most talking in one of the 73 tribal languages rather than the official language, English.
The shopping mall is classic mall. You'd never know where you were by looking at the range of shops and the dress of the people. I suspect this is a huge difference from the village where we'll be working.
The rest of the group arrives early (very early, like 6 a.m.) tomorrow. I suspect that after a nap, we'll gather for lunch, then probably do something together, and spend the night at the same guesthouse. Not sure what the schedule is after that--probably move to our village on Friday and begin working.
So, I'm here, I'm ready to go, and looking forward to the continuation of my African safari.
Friday, July 7: Cold Turkey
Things are getting underway. Rest of the group arrived yesterday morning, though 3 hours late because of flight delay from London. All luggage arrived, too...except Don's! So he's doing the thing I did last summer. He's already demonstrated the true Habitat spirit--be flexible. His luggage might come in tomorrow, on the next BA flight. Or Tuesday. Anyway, he's in good spirits, now that he's borrowed some blankets from the guesthouse since his sleeping bag was in the checked luggage.
After a little chilling time, we all went to the shopping center for lunch. Then walked back and sat around, talking, then back out for dinner at an upscale restaurant. Had kudu brochette, something that isn't often found in Cary restaurant menus.
Had our orientation this morning, after another nice walk. We head out to the affiliate in the village where we'll be living and working for the week. About a 1/2 hour drive from here. And we'll be going cold turkey. I gave a last look at my bed, electricity, running water, and hot water this morning---the last we'll see until next Sunday night in Livingstone. We'll be staying in two Habitat houses that have been completed, but not occupied yet. And we'll be working on houses that are very close by.
Right now, we're buying groceries to take with us for about 4 days' worth of food. There is a small market nearby where we're living, but only for fresh vegetables and fruit, eggs and milk. Everything else we have to bring in.
We'll start building tomorrow and hope to build most of the day (though usually, the locals think of Saturday afternoon as "off.") Sunday will be non-building--probably church in the morning, not sure about the afternoon. Then Monday through next Saturday should be straight build. At this point, it looks as though we won't be back in Lusaka all week, which also means cold turkey for Internet. (sorry about that)
After the build, we go directly from the village down to Livingstone, about a 7-hour bus ride, where we'll spend two days. The main attraction: Victoria Falls. Plus we'll do a game drive or walk, and some other activities available.
So all is falling into place. Weather continues to be fantastic---dry, clear, warm days, cool/cold nights (last week, it was as low as 40 degrees one night!). Should be great working weather.
Sunday, July 9: Village Living
Surprise! I negotiated a trip into Lusaka this afternoon (it being Sunday, there's no building) and we found an open Internet cafe. So I'll get to catch up with my mail!
Got to Tiyende Pomodzi (our village) Friday afternoon. It's located just off the Great North Road (one of four--and only?) intercity roads in Zambia. (I'm guessing I don't need to tell you the names of the other three.) It's a Habitat Village, started in 2003, with 46 completed houses and another 40 to be built.
Along the way, saw a billboard advertising Fairy toilet tissue. Their claim to fame: "made from virgen material." Mind boggles at the alternative.
Bus pulled into the village and immediately met by a swarm (no other term applies) of children. All saying "hello," "how are you?" and "I am fine." Further conversation quickly devolved to "hello," "how are you?", "I am fine." Spirit was good, though.
Kids also quickly organized into an assembly line for unloading all the luggage and especially, the groceries. Went amazingly fast.
About the houses: They are a little larger than I've seen elsewhere--about 21 by 25 feet. Each has two bedrooms, a shower room (for when/if water comes to the area), a kitchen, and a living room. The six guys are staying in one, 9 women in the other. Three of us fit nicely on the floor, parallel, in each bedroom, with room to spare at the foot for all the bags (or actually, almost all--Don's still isn't here.) And wonder of wonders, in our honor, they've built a built-up toilet seat on the pit latrines! Important, since I wasn't sure that squatting, aiming and going were possible for this guy. Two out of three, perhaps, but not all three.
Also wonder of wonders, they had pieces of foam for us to put under our sleeping bags! I knew that would make a difference, but simply didn't have it in me to bring a pad. So now, I didn't have to.
Dinner prepared by the local women, with our supplies, and eaten by candlelight in "our" living room (the women are sleeping in theirs.) Eggs, tomatoes, and onions thrown in a large pot and cooked over an open charcoal fire--the only cooking method available to us, or them, in the village.
After dinner, at no one’s request, Kevin brought out his Cape Breton fiddle (something like a small, squawky violin) and played Scottish/Irish jig music endlessly. Reminded me of the Peruvians--one song. Some of us threatened to "disappear" the fiddle in the latrine, but he stopped. And hasn't resumed thus far.
Almost full moon which, with crystal clear skies, makes for wonderful light. And welcome for those nocturnal trips to the pit latrine.
Saturday morning dawned after a restless night (lots of snoring in my bedroom). Very windy, and therefore, very dusty. (The dust/dirt level is phenomenal--I'm into deep camp mode where it doesn't matter any more--I'm filthy, and won't be clean for days.) Our initial building task was to "pour" the foundation for the house (fortunately, the foundation was dug already.) Involves mixing concrete, which involves wheelbarrows of sand, wheelbarrows of stone, bags of cement, and water. The water is obtained by rolling the barrel up the hill, to the community pump. Pumping it full, closing it, and rolling it back down the hill. Went well, and we finished before lunch. And since it then has to dry thoroughly, that was the end of work for the day.
Lunch was our first nshima, the national dish (served 3 times a day if left to them) which is finely ground corn meal, cooked in a large pot, until it is thick (sort of like thick cream of wheat.) Put on a plate, served along with "something" (meat, vegetables--even they say it's tasteless otherwise), and eaten with your hands. It's filling, but not much else.
So much for life in the village!
Sunday, July 9: A Glimpse of Urban
Saturday afternoon, I organized a group trip into Lusaka. Used the argument (1) we didn't have anything else to do and (2) otherwise, we'd never see Lusaka, since we're going directly from the village to Livingstone next Saturday. So we all headed out to the Great North Road, accompanied by two locals as our guardians. 15 people in all.
Best mode of transportation is min-buses, which are numerous. Waited a while until one that was not too crowded (i.e., had about 9 seats available) came by, and all crowded on. (Since they are independently owned and operated, the driver has great incentive to pack in as many as possible.) About a 20-minute ride to the downtown bus terminal which is absolutely filled with people and minibuses. Then a short walk to the central market. I expect you can buy absolutely anything at the market--reminded me of markets I've been to in other countries. And being Saturday, it was quite filled with people. And smells of all sorts of things--fruits, vegetables, incredible quantities of tables filled with salted, dried fish of all types, plus endless stalls of merchandise. Then a short walk to the Great Cairo Road, the "main" street of Lusaka.
It's hard to describe the city since it's so different from what I would have expected, given that it is 2 million people, the government and financial center of the country. There's nothing about the downtown that would suggest any of that. No big buildings, no big stores, nothing like that. Can't quite figure out where "business" is done, but it isn't downtown.
Some folks bought something called "shake-shake" which is corn-based beer, unique to this area. Walking along, carrying half-gallon cartons of this attracted quite a number of comments and thumbs up. Apparently, this isn't something that mzungas (white people) usually do. Those who had some last night only had some--and gave the rest to the locals, who were delighted and grateful.
Had an interesting discussion with Don and another guy about why Zambia (and so many other African countries) is still so poor, despite being rich in resources and free of colonial rule for a long time. No answers, and don't know if I'll think of any, but it's a question that puzzles me. I do know that copper prices are at near record levels, there has been a massive inflow of money into the country and the kwachi has appreciated significantly against the dollar (creating problems for our leader, Dennis, since the budget was fixed earlier.) But more than that, I don't know.
Then back on the mini-bus, this time we commandeered an entire bus, for the quick trip back to the village.
Sunday, July 9: Women on the Left, Men on the Right
Sunday morning, a day of rest (from building.) Shortly after getting up, the local women brought us a large pail of warm water for cleaning up. This led to a true sartorial outpouring from the guys--shaving and a hair rinse. (Not a hair wash--no shampoo used, too little water, but simply pouring warm water from a height and getting some of the dust out.) The towel used for drying, however, doesn't bear looking at.
One guy did brave a solar shower, which is using water that has been warmed by the sun. Of course, overnight, it was cooled by the absence of sun. And since the overnight low was in the 40's (we could see our breath this morning), so was the solar shower. He gritted his teeth---and wrapped himself in sweatshirts afterwards.
Almost all of us went to church, which involved changing into "church" clothes (you should excuse the expression) which for me, consist of the clothes I've worn all last week except when we are in camp. Then off to church, about a 30-minute walk up the Great North Road.
The United Church of Zambia was an absolutely fantastic experience--one of those things that I hope I can remember for a long time. Began by being seated--women on the left side, men on the right side. Then, after a little while, the men's quartet (5 guys sitting in the bench in front of us) began singing. Reminded me of Ladysmith Black Mombazo. Call and response, harmonizing, and of course, totally a cappella. Then the male choir took over, probably about 20 voices that sounded like 50. Then the opening hymn--"Holy, Holy, Holy", sung in the local language, bimba. The man behind us passed us the hymnal so I could sing along in bimba, since I know the tune.
The offertory anthem involved dueling choirs--the men's and the women's---each doing fantastic singing, with drums, and dancing. The offering involves everyone proceeding, in line, up to the front and depositing their offering in the basket. Goes on for quite a while--the church was filled--and so does the music.
A 2nd offering after the first--"more is needed"--and another giving opportunity. More music. More drums, and dancing. (Why are black churches so filled with joy and energy and the white churches I know so somber and lifeless by comparison?)
Today's scripture lessons were from I Corinthians and Romans and involved.... the need for making an offering each week. Apparently, the church is embarking on a (surprise) fund-raising campaign to (surprise) expand the building and extend their ministry (surprise) to the unchurched in nearby villages. (Some things truly are universal.) So they're having a major campaign, culminating (I think) in October. And the sermon (given in both English and Bimba, because of our presence) was devoted to the subject.
A couple of interesting things about the church building itself: A clock located above the altar, in clear view of everyone. Makes it a little harder, I suspect to go over whatever the expected time is. And painted on the walls was "switch off phones." Again, some things transcend place.
After the service, much more music, dancing and drumming. I used to say that I wanted a Quaker funeral, with New Orleans Jazz Funeral before and after. Thinking now I want a Quaker funeral, with African church music before and after. The drumming and dancing are so compelling to me--they just seem to be a natural part of who I am. But maybe that can be later?
Then a walk back to the village and lunch prepared by us--pbj sandwiches on rolls we bought at the supermarket yesterday. And an array of chips (tomato, chicken-flavored, chutney flavored) and cookies. Very satisfying, and easy.
While we were eating lunch, Dennis was dispatched to pick out/up the chickens for dinner. Came back with four, with legs tied, who had eaten their last meal. The women named them (reminded me of CJ in "West Wing") for four of us--Don, Dennis, Macias, and John. Then Jonathan (our local leader) came and....well, the chickens are now in another form, being prepared for dinner.
Tomorrow begins the real work. Our schedule calls for 5 full workdays, then a half-day or so on Saturday, then the closing festivities, and then we'll be off to Livingstone on Sunday. This time, I fully expect that I will not be anywhere near an Internet until Livingstone, at least. So I'm really happy to have found this opportunity to catch up.
Best to all. I regularly remind myself to pay attention, this isn't my usual life, to take in everything that I can. It's always a remarkable experience. This time's no different.
Tuesday, July 11: (Mostly) Building
Another day when we finished the building we could do before the day was over (actually, about lunchtime) so Don, Macias and I hitched a ride into town with Mutinta to do some more exploring
Work began in earnest yesterday (Monday) morning. First task: build the first course of concrete block, 3-4 courses, depending on the height of the land. I got involved with mixing the concrete, then my favorite--doing some block work! Don was helping me, then he did some masonry himself. And we got the ultimate--the thumbs up from the supervisor after inspection.
Team did very well, working together, learning together, sharing the work, and working very efficiently. So efficiently that we essentially finished about lunchtime. Since that had to dry sufficiently for the next task, we stopped work about 2:30. Some frustration at this (mine included), but there's really nothing we can do--the mortar has to dry, there are stages of construction, and can't be rushed. The real problem is that we are working on only 1 house. From past experiences, I know that teams of this size work best with 2 or more sites. But for reasons that aren't known, that's not possible here. So there's plenty of time to socialize...and go into Lusaka!
Sunday night was the final of the World Cup---a BIG DEAL here. The locals figured it would be a big deal for us, so they arranged to bring a TV down to our house, along with a cord able to stretch about 100 yards to an electrical outlet up the hill, and then we invited them to join us. Most of us went to bed long before the game was over, but a few stalwarts watched until the end. And all the locals did.
After finishing work yesterday, took my first solar shower (well, actually, just washed my hair--with shampoo this time.) A solar shower is a bag with several gallons of water, left out in the sun, hung on a hook, and a nozzle turned on. At this point, it was wonderful simply to get the first layer of grit off the head.
After that, several of us walked down the main road to the nearby market--about 30 minute walk. Unlike anything I have ever seen. A more primitive (if that's possible) version of the central markets I've seen here and elsewhere. Lots of produce available, live chickens, used and new shoes, clothing, etc. etc. All in open stalls, primitive in construction, on a dirt field. Adam Smith would be pleased to see individual entrepreneurship alive and well in Lusaka, since I'm guessing virtually all these vendors are simply middle men, connecting producers to retail customers.
Yesterday was also Don's big day--Mutinta brought his bag! So last night, we were treated to the great unpacking and display of the full range of things he got at REI, at his kids' behest. The expected sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and camp towel; the slightly more exotic jacket, hat, zip-off pants, and REI sun block; and the truly remarkable bug bivy, which he has yet to master setting up and getting into. Fortunately, the mosquitoes really haven't been bad.
I'm always aware of the fact that living space is contextual. Six guys are living in one house (two bedrooms of it, actually) and feel a bit cramped. Nine women are living in one house (two bedrooms and the living area) and feel a bit cramped. Jonathan, our site supervisor, and his family (wife and 9 children) live in the same size house and feel vastly improved. And there's another family in the village, a family of 17, that lives in the same size house.
Today's building task was to level the dirt floor so that tomorrow, we can pour the concrete for the floor. This didn't take too long, which is why we finished early and could come into Lusaka. Tomorrow, we'll be mixing concrete by the wheelbarrow full. Can't imagine how many barrows it will take for the floor, but many, many. So we expect to be fully occupied. Then, it's build the remainder of the walls Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning.
So, all continues to go well. Team's great, people getting along, food's adequate, work is satisfying, local people are wonderful. Just another great GV experience.
Wednesday, July 12: Work Until (Late) Lunch
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. We confirmed yesterday that we do, indeed, know how to get the minibus back to our village. So today, after finishing the day's work, Don, Macias, Kevin and I cleaned up (minimal standards--washed my hair, face and neck but didn't change from my construction pants, which are the only ones I currently have, the "travel" pants being at the local laundry), hopped a minibus into town, and have our freedom! (We all agree that had we been in the original village, about 5 hours from here, and nowhere near a city, we'd be stir crazy by now.)
A good day of work. The day's objective was "pouring" the floor (you should excuse the _expression "pouring.") This involved mixing the concrete from the pile of 65 wheelbarrows of sand, 70 wheelbarrows of stone, 11 bags of cement, and countless barrels of water that we'd assembled yesterday.
Then, after mixing, it was time to tamp down the dirt floor to lay a proper foundation for the concrete. Tamping down the dirt floor involved.....each of us taking a concrete block, raising it over our head, and pushing it down to the ground. Hard. Repeatedly. I thought we should probably sing in cadence, like the slaves used to do, but we didn't.
And then came the loading of the wheelbarrows with the concrete, wheeling it into place, dumping, and repeat. Meanwhile, the women smoothed it. And the local builders finished by using a screed to make it absolutely level and smooth.
Quite impressive, actually, and we finished by a (late) lunch.
Afternoon, we began the digging of a new latrine for the next two houses. (I'm back into the toilet-digging business, like in Mexico.) The hole ultimately needs to be 3 meters (about 10 feet) deep, but today, we "only" dug a couple of feet down, then poured barrels of water into it to soften up the dirt for tomorrow's dig. So we finished by about 3, and off to town we went.
Tomorrow is block laying of the walls and toilet hole drilling. I'm hoping for the former--playing my "previously skilled" card (and ignoring that I'm actually "skilled" in digging toilet holes.)
We introduced our cooks to Jungle Oats for breakfast this morning---the local brand of oatmeal. They had never seen, cooked or tasted it. They did fantastically. And hot oatmeal, with raisins and sugar, was wonderful change from the cold dry cereal we've been having.
One of the local builders smokes something resembling cigarettes. I've confirmed with others that the ingredients really are tobacco. The papers he rolls the tobacco in are...pieces of the newspaper. Talk about absorbing the day's news while you smoke!
Got a little involved in filling the water barrels this afternoon. This involves going up to the pump and pumping, for quite a while, into the barrel. When it's about 2/3 full, you then pump into a bucket, transfer the water from the bucket into a watering can, and pour into the barrel. When the barrel's (finally) full, you plug it, using a plastic bag (one of many blowing around all the time), tied with a piece of string that you "find" somewhere on the ground. Then roll the full barrel to the site, empty, and repeat. Repeatedly.
Team continues to be in great spirits. No whiners, not even the vegan who is mostly just suffering quietly. Weather continues to be great for building---sunny, quite windy, not too hot during the day, and very crisp, cool nights. My 40 degree sleeping bag isn't enough by night's end--one of the blankets Don got from the guest house is a welcome addition about 4 a.m. or so.
And that's it for today from Lusaka. Am giving up predicting if or when I'll be back to the city, since I'm wrong so frequently. All I do know is that we're leaving Sunday for Livingstone, about a 7-hour bus ride from here, for several days of R&R at Victoria Falls.
Best to all, from the (not quite) heart of Africa.
Thursday, July 13: “Definitely Today”
The first rule for GV trips is "be flexible." (That's also the 2nd rule, and the 3rd, for slow learners.) And we're being tested.
The concrete block needed to build the walls was due to be delivered Wednesday afternoon. Absolutely, positively. Wednesday came, and the message was "not today, definitely tomorrow." So, no work today, which required some quick juggling of Saturday's schedule to today and hopefully, the concrete block truly will be delivered today. Otherwise, I fear insurrection (although some of the women are rather pleased not to have any more building today.)
So instead, we took a trip to a reptile farm outside of town. Snakes and crocs not being my favorite cup of tea, and zoo-type things not being my favorite place, I was less than overwhelmed. But what the heck, when in Zambia.....
Stopped at a crafts market on the way back to see endless quantities of carved things. Many bought things, but having already shopped in Tanzania, I resisted. Maybe I'll succumb when I'm in Livingstone?
One of the great aspects of getting out on our own as we've done the last couple of days is getting a feel for what I term the "real deal"--how regular folks actually live. This includes, of course, riding the mini-buses, which I've admired in other countries but never ventured onto. I figure there are several thousand, all independently owned and operated, with a driver and hawker/conductor, trying to keep them filled. The vehicles look like they're made for 20 people, but 25 or more regularly are squeezed in. Along with whatever people are buying, like sacks of maize, bags of groceries, even live chickens (like Dennis took home from the market last Sunday.) All squeezed together, money passing back and forth (the fare is 2000 kwachi, about 65 cents), lots of chatter, and lots of smiles. There are a specific number of stops and specific routes, so knowing where you want to go is necessary. But we've mastered it, at least so far. And it's a rich cultural experience.
Tuesday afternoon we decided we wanted to get a beer--a Mosi, the local brew. Walked into the Lusaka Hotel, but their bar only serves residents. (Frankly, considering how I'm dressed, in my construction pants, I don't blame them.) Off to another likely place, but they serve food, not alcohol (different license.) Asked for suggestions, was given directions to Servenbsa, which we never found. Headed back toward the bus, saw a "Mosi" sign in a window of a mini-mart, went in, bought some Mosi's, sat down at a table in back, and enjoyed ourselves.
Last night we had decided to have dinner in town. The menu at home was nshima and vegetables, which we decided we could do better than. Found a highly recommended Zambian restaurant, Fajema, along the main street. But they were about to close. Any recommendations? "Servensa, but their food isn't as good. Or, you could try our annex, the next street over."
So, off to ChaChaCha Street and the search for Fajema. Found it, went in, still serving. Asked for a menu. "We're printing new ones, but I can tell you the choices: nshima with chicken or gammon or beef or chicken curry; or chips with chicken, gammon, beef, or chicken curry." Somehow, the nshima sounded better here, at a restaurant with tables and chairs. So ordered it, with beef. And it was, indeed, better than what we'd had before. Absolutely wonderful, in fact. Eat it with our hands, and they bring a bowl of hot water for rinsing up afterwards. (I was tempted to take a bath, but decided that was tacky.) All for the princely sum of less than $4.
Then decided we needed a Mosi (Fajema doesn't have......). Noticed Serbensa almost across the street, set back from the road. Wandered into the bar, ordered our Mosi, they pulled in extra chairs, and sat around enjoying it. Nice African music in the background, bar filled with locals, and just a really, nice time.
So it's these kinds of adventures that I get to have while allegedly "working." Just another reason why I love doing these trips.
And when I step back and think about Zambia, I realize it is definitely the most underdeveloped country I have experienced--less developed than Mongolia, even. The level of poverty is so evident. Unemployment is stated as being about 75%. The AIDS epidemic has lowered the life expectancy from the mid 50's to the mid-30's, which is incomprehensible to me. And yet, there's energy in the people, willingness to do what's necessary to try and scrape out a living. Not sure what I can imagine lies ahead for this country. As is true for all the places I visit, I'll watch with interest and pay closer attention in the years ahead to see how, if at all, it advances.
Enough for today. Hopefully, the block will be at our village and we can have a couple of productive days building. Otherwise.....
Saturday, July 15: Building’s Done, Fun Continues
So we rode back from town Thursday afternoon, hoping (but actually, not believing) to see a pile of block at the work site. Learned quickly that "definitely today" didn't mean "today"--sort of like "open 24 hours" but not in a row.
Attitude turned rather negative for some of us (though those who aren't all that work oriented weren't unhappy.) Many discussions, some ideas, mostly just consternation and frustration. We were then promised "absolutely, positively early tomorrow."
To top things off, a local person was to bring freshly caught fish for our dinner. She didn't arrive, a hurried call, then she finally appeared for a late dinner. So things weren't in good shape Thursday night.
The excitement first thing Friday morning was a fuel truck tipped over on the Great North Road right at our village, wiping out three shack stores. No injuries, but the tank sprung a leak and was full of diesel fuel. So diesel fuel began running out, down the side of the road. Environmental accident? No, economic opportunity. A steady procession of people (adults, kids) ran up, bringing any container they could, to collect whatever they could. Since you can't cook with diesel fuel, and virtually no one in the village has a vehicle, it's not certain what they're going to do with it---perhaps sell it at the market. Anyway, one woman, carrying a dishpan of diesel fuel, shouted "I'm rich" as she returned to her home.
No block first thing either. Turns out the problem is that there is a single, legal supplier of block in Lusaka--the only one that pays its taxes. Lots of other companies, but Habitat will only deal with fully legal companies (which I applaud.) And there's lots of building going on, so there's an excess demand for block. But finally, around 10, a truck pulled up with block, and we were in business! And happy (or at least, most of us.) Were able to work steadily all day, putting up a fair amount of exterior walls, and positioning us for some work on the interior walls today. Greater happiness prevailed. Especially after a nice dinner of freshly killed fried chicken.
Before the block came, I took advantage of the free time and walked down the dirt road to the next village, Chazunga. Most interesting. Saw some residential areas of somewhat nicer homes. Also saw two strip malls in Chazunga, each with the usual assortment of shops--grocery, drug store, hardware store, beauty salon, butcher, etc. Not sure why they need two such malls, less than a block apart, but they have them.
Also found a couple of bars that looked like easier places to get a beer than going back onto Lusaka. Made a mental note.
As I said, a good work day, mostly I spent laying block. I always work for the approval of the head mason (this one is Lloyd.) He oversaw my work for a little while, then let me go and came back and checked and made small adjustments. Then he came back, pointed at a block I laid, asked "did you do that?" and when I said "yes" he nodded, and pretty much left me alone for the rest of the day. I do love getting approval for my block laying!
After work, organized a trip to the local bar in Chazunga. Picked up a couple of the local builders along the way, and our group of 10 invaded the beer garden. Great fun, as it always is. Dancing, drinking, pool-playing, and just good times. After a bit, though, I was getting a little concerned about the behavior of some of our young women--they were doing things they'd do in the States at hook-up bars, which didn't seem wise. So I engineered our departure, though they weren't too happy about it.
In the midst of the difficulties Thursday night as we contemplated (erroneously) the possibility that our building would be finished for the week, I thought about why it is I make these trips. I do so because they take me to places I wouldn't otherwise go (certainly true for almost all the places I've been!) I do them because they give me an opportunity to meet people whom I would otherwise never meet, and connect to them in a way I couldn't otherwise do. And I do them because they offer a way to expressing my willingness to help others in a very concrete (no pun intended) way. Naturally, I prefer a full time of building, since I really enjoy it. But as I tried to chill a little Thursday night, I realized that even if we didn't build any more this week, I would have met my own objectives for the trip. Of course, getting some more building time makes me even more satisfied.
So after the closing ceremony later this afternoon (which I have to get back for--I went off on my own today, feeling quite independent), we'll leave early tomorrow morning for about a 7-hour drive to Livingstone. We'll be there Monday and Tuesday, with some group activities (game drive/walk, river cruise) and free time to just enjoy ourselves. Looking forward to it, and, of course, to seeing Victoria Falls.
Best to all---the length of this is due to there being a "weekend special" of 60 minutes for the price of 30!
Tuesday, July 18: Three Hots and a Cot
Chilling out nicely on our R&R in Livingstone. It's amazing what my own version of the well-known prison adage is. Give me a hot shower (though initially, I confess, it was tepid. Didn't realize that while the faucets in the sink were the "wrong" way, those in the shower weren't, so all I was getting was the cold. Still, it was running water). And a bed. And a chair, table and silverware to eat with. As is always true, set the expectations low, and they're easier to meet!
The closing ceremony on Saturday was quite nice, and mercifully short. A local choir was there for some wonderful singing. A few obligatory speeches from them and us. A song from us ("Amazing Grace"--no national anthems need apply). And that was pretty much it. Looking at the assembled kids, though, I couldn't help but wonder what lies ahead in their lives--whether there's any reasonable chance they will see significant improvements in their (possibly short) lifetime.
Charles, one of the village elders, was talking a little to us about some grim statistics. Like if you have 7 children, 3 are likely to live to a fully adulthood. And whereas there used to be an average of 20 deaths per day in Lusaka, now there are 200 per day, and the cemeteries are full. The scourge, of course, is AIDS. And despite all the posters, campaigns, etc. it still rages on.
The bus trip on Sunday was faster than expected, partly because we decided to skip stopping for lunch and hustle on to the Fawlty Towers, our hotel. It's a curious place--a combination of hostel with dormitory rooms, a budget hotel with ordinary rooms (which we have), and a lawn area with tents for backpackers. But it has the essentials, and we are pleased.
Yesterday was a full day of activities, all as a group (which began to wear on my, but that's me.) Began with a game drive in a small, local preserve. Saw a few zebras, giraffes, baboons, lots of impalas, and monkeys. Not nearly as many animals as I saw in Tanzania, but for those for whom this was their only opportunity, it was good. The highlight for me was two rhinos, up close and personal, which I hadn't seen in Tanzania.
Quick trip back to the hotel, change to another bus, and off to see Victoria Falls. There is no way to adequately describe it. It truly is awesome, a most over-used word, and beautiful. It is always raining there--not from the sky, but from the falls--and there's no way to avoid being soaked. Fortunately, they rent slickers, which were a low-cost way of keeping sort of dry. Traipsed all over the area, looking at the falls from various angles, going down in the gorge, and generally, having a great, leisurely time.
Quick trip back to the hotel, a little down time, then back on another bus to go to a sunset cruise on the Zambezi. I always forget that a river cruise is, frankly, rather boring. But once I adjusted to the slow pace and simply enjoyed the approaching sunset, drank some beer, had some snacks and a mediocre dinner, then watched the concluding sunset, which was stunning, I decided it was a great way to end the day. We also saw some hippos and one elephant, which was particularly nice for all to see.
Today is a free day in terms of group activities, time for all of us to do anything we want, or nothing, or a combination. Some years ago, I read about bungee jumping in New Zealand. I vowed that when I went to New Zealand, I'd go bungee jumping. But before we went to New Zealand, we came across a bungee jumping place in British Columbia. So one Sunday morning, off I went, and down I jumped. Had mixed reactions to it, and could actually recreate the fear in my mind in the split second after I jumped--the take-off wasn't so bad, it was the next split second that seemed to capture my mind.
So when I learned that there's a bungee jump from the bridge at Victoria Falls, I knew I had to do it. LIke they say, "if you fall off a horse, you need to get right back on and ride." The bridge is 110 meters above the water, meaning about the equivalent of a 35-story building. Unlike the one I did before, in this one (which I watched yesterday), you jump, bounce, then they reel you back up (rather than letting you down into a boat.) Five of us headed off this morning and jumped. And I can now say that the adage about a horse is correct. I enjoyed the jump this time. And I don't need to jump any more.
Had originally planned to do another activity this afternoon (gorge swing), but Macias was feeling a little queasy after his bungee and I wasn't that committed to it, so came back, sat around the pool, and will wander around the shops a little more before having a last African dinner.
We make the bus trip back to Lusaka tomorrow, then Thursday morning I begin my 36-hour/6 airport/4 flight trip back to Cary with stops in Lilongwe, Nairobi (6 hours), Amsterdam (4 hours) and Newark. And then I'll resume my normal life. As always, I'll be happy to get home (especially since it's been a month). And I'm happy to have had this double safari. Feel very fortunate and grateful.
No comments:
Post a Comment