Canada Day 2007

No matter how far from home, I can never forget Canada Day, one of my favourite all time celebrations.
Somehow (in the dead of a freezing cold winter in Lusaka), we managed to have absolutely perfect weather for July 1st. Since things were a bit hectic with work & my BSA basketball team was in a tournament all day Saturday (which actually spilt over to Monday morning for the semi-final & final matches...my team won the whole tournament*whoop whoop*!! I'm only sad because I missed the final game...but I'm looking forward to hearing all the details this evening. The boys really surprised me as we had to beat two teams we've never beaten before. I can't wait to see the champs!!)

Right, I digress. So my Canada celebrations were set to be small due to my hectic weekend schedule. Frisbee, beers, roast chicken & veg and mashed potatoes. Here are some shots of Canada-Day-like weather in Lusaka.

Just getting a couple beers down on the 'patio' before hitting the lawn for some frisbee...



Sarah in action



I must not be much of a basektballer anymore...all of that reach & my foot is still on the ground*hahaha*



Alvin's cousins brought over their new puppy Frodo. I fell in love until he peed in my house. Twice. Grrr.

Me, thankful for Laura Bush’s trip to Zambia?!?

When there’s a moment in the office, all of the gossip is surrounding the highly secure visit of George Bush’s wife to the Government of the Republic of Zambia. “Can you believe they brought in FIFTEEN of their own vehicles” one colleague commented. Thank goodness we were stopped at a red light when a convoy of massive American vehicles flew past Alvin & me. We were struck by the size & speed of the vehicles; there were modern GMC Surburbans & those massive Ford trucks that you can only find in red-neck North America.

But the purpose of this post is not to dig my heels into the audacity of her visit (or the limitations on how American dollars are spent in ‘fighting disease’ in Zambia.) But as a side note- can ANYone explain to me just how one would believe that abstinence-only education is an effective way to fight sexually transmitted infections? Because I, for one, disagree whole-heartedly; to best illustrate my point, I was thinking way back to the days spent at Bellerose Composite high school. I was in the change room with my basketball team & one of the girls said “Don’t look” when she went to remove her shirt. Everyone in the change room swivelled to face the girl who had asked us all NOT to look. We ended up killing ourselves laughing at how one’s immediate reaction when told NOT to do something, is to go & do it & find out for yourself why it was forbidden. Now input sex education…abstinence-only- Gah.

But back to my story- the goodness of Bush’s trip to Lusaka. Yesterday when I knocked off from work I was enjoying a warm walk home (despite the chill in the winter air) until I noticed a man who looked a bit mad following me home. I never worry when I can hear the people, or predict why they might be following me. This man was walking much slower than me, so when he decided to catch up I could hear his loose pata-patas (flip flops) smacking loudly against the asphalt in his uneven attempt at a jog. Once he was just behind me, he would start walking again, so the gap would stretch between us. Ages ago, I had a bit of an altercation with a (possibly) schizophrenic drunk man, so whenever people approach me who appear mad, I am cautious (I’m not paranoid…but this guy wasn’t quite right in the head, therefore rather unpredictable).

I decided as long as I was on a busy street I would have no problems. There was a bit of a gap in pedestrian traffic as I was approaching an intersection with Addis Ababa Road (a well-paved, high traffic road). On the corner I noticed a trio of cops. Never in my life (in ANY country) have I ever been so thrilled to see policemen & women. As I neared, one of the policewomen said “Good afternoon”. I jumped at the chance for some friendly conversation & chatted with the threesome until the crazy man had passed (who promptly waited for me a few steps away from my new-found security friends). I desperately looked down Addis for hope of escape. Imagine a slow wide grin spreading across my face. Hahaha: Bush is on the move, which means cops are posted on every corner to prevent incident & stop the traffic! I giggled & laughed & greeted ALL of the cops on my way down the street. The crazy man became discouraged & turned down another road in search of a new adventure.

I suppose I owe the excessive Americans a vote of thanks...Happy 4th of July*giggling*

Perhaps I've hit a new low

Right, so I know this is pathetic...but I am SO excited about the candle holders I recently purchased. I don't know what took me so long to finally give in & buy them...but aren't they great?! There's drummer & a warrior. I light them everyday. Sometimes twice a day. I wonder when the thrill will wear off*giggling*

Alvin's birthday

Kudos to my Canadian girls who dressed & made me up...we had a beautiful birthday celebration! Here we are:

I’m a fighter…

Despite my pacifist Mennonite heritage, I have officially become a fighter! After posting a nicey-nice story (obviously not the one about peeing), I thought I would write about a scenario in which I found myself scared.

As I have previously posted, some of the ladies & I got a little bit silly at a Bob Marley tribute. Initially I was a bit apprehensive to go because I was worried that the Rastas would get upset that this whitey (whose ancestors-arguably- had contributed to the whole Ras tafari movement) would dare attend such a gathering. Realistically, I’m the bad guy, right? It was people of my skin colour that made life a living hell for millions of people who did not have the same skin tones. But I swallowed my apprehension & hopped on the band wagon (especially because there is a lot of One Love talk from good ol’ Bobby).

As expected, as the night wore on, people became belligerent on drugs & alcohol. That was about the time I was putting on the pressure to leave the park. So the line up of beautiful (if tipsy) women started making our way to the entrance to leave the celebrations. Unfortunately, the entrance was blocked & security told us the only way to exit the park was through a little muddy lane on the other side of the park. (This exit doubled as an illegal entry…& a man literally had to catapult me & the girls over the chain link fence that screamed illegal entrance).

En route to the shady exit I felt someone roughly grab my forearm. I turned around with the expectation that it would be someone I knew, grasping me tightly for a joke. I came face-to-face with an angry dark face. That night, I wasn’t having it. “What the bleep is your problem”, I screamed at him to be heard over the music. I couldn’t make out what he was saying but it was something about whites leaving the black continent bladdy-blah. I took another look at his face & grabbed his forearm (with my free hand) with all of my might & said “This is my bleeping problem”. With no facial expression whatsoever, he dropped my arm & we proceeded to the ‘exit’. I was upset, and a bit shaky, but upon reflection, it feels great to know that a little ‘fight back’ in the potential face of violence can deter an aggressor.

I’ve never done anything like that in my life. Cue Beyonce, I’m out

Pissing like a racehorse

A whole new meaning. (Sorry for using profanity…but ‘peeing’ like a racehorse simply doesn’t carry the same ring).

I’ve always been amused by the fact that anywhere you walk in Lusaka, there’s going to be a man discreetly peeing somewhere. My favourite are those who pile out of their cars (inevitably on Friday evenings or anytime Saturday or Sunday after a few too many alcoholic bevies) & pee right by the roadside. Surprisingly, I’ve never been heckled nor had an uncomfortable experience by someone who is relieving himself publicly.

Sometime back I had caught a ride into work with Alvin & was keeping my self busy peering out the window. There was a woman standing awkwardly on the side of a busy side-street. Her skirt is hiked up to her knees & she’s casually watching the traffic passing. As my chin drops in shock, my forehead hits the window & I’m thinking “She’s pissing; standing up in a skirt alongside a busy road”. That was a first. And for those of you who know Zambia…she was NOT in chitenge, but in a jean skirt- all the more unusual!

I love women here, dressed to the nines, plodding slowly to their working place in ridiculously high heels. Not missing a stride to blow a snot rocket or apparently, to piss like a race horse.
What will I do for entertainment when I come home this summer?!*hahahaha*

Ba shikulu…this is Lusaka!

When people who don’t know Africa discover I’m living in Zambia, the reaction is “You’re so brave”, and “Is it safe” etc. I find this endlessly amusing, as I am convinced that Lusaka is a much safer city than most Canadian cities. Granted, I do stand out & could be regarded as a target for mugging- but that has only ever happened to me once or twice. I have a brilliant example (& yes, this is characteristic of Lusaka only…there are several brutal & rough African cities in which I would not move around with so much confidence) of the kindness I have experienced here.

I was coming home after coaching at BSA one evening. The sun had dropped (as it does so quickly here), & I found myself rushing home so as not to be moving around when it’s dark dark- “Dark dark” refers to late night dark, not the dark that is only beginning to settle in after sunset. (Sorry mom & dad, I do try to avoid walking after dark but it takes me about 20 minutes to walk home from the grounds…& the sun sets in 15)*grin*. So I was being careful & checking to see if any shady figures were watching me from afar. But I have this small problem with night vision. All of the shadows confuse the potholes & I end up walking like a fool, high stepping through the darkness hoping not to trip on a rock or fall into a hole. (And there are about a bazillion potholes on the short dirt road that leads to my flat). I was literally on the other side of the road from my flat when an elderly man came up from behind & asked me if I was all right, asking why I couldn’t see my way. I kind of chuckled, this is one of those ancient African men who probably has glaucoma, & he realized I couldn’t see where I was stepping. He simply said “Follow my footsteps, you’re safe. I’ll walk you home”. I had to chuckle & say “Zicomo ba shikulu, but I’ve reached”, as I stumbled across the road into the safety of the well-lit yard. I only heard his soft chuckle as he set off at what would have been a break-neck pace for me.

NB: Shikulu means Grandfather; it is a respectful way to address an elder.

Bob Marley tribute

Here are the photos from the most recent girls night...We drank enough liquor while buried under the haze of the 'legal for the night' "dagga". Ganja. Pot. Marijuana.


This is my bululu (family). Kupela & Namukolo




Can you see the size of that??? Laurane & Kupela are subtly posing for the camera to include the 81/2 x 11 inch joint.

The art of relaxation

It seems I may not have mastered any meditation or strenuous yoga poses…but I do what I can. Armed with the yoga book Faizal gave to me before returning to Zambia, & my mother’s long-forgotten yoga mat I have recommenced practicing yoga. Solo.

Last night I was going through the poses & hit one of the relaxing poses: I’m laying face down, legs spread, and forehead resting upon forearms. I jerk my head up & immediately wipe my mouth when some noisy mosquito disturbed my slumber. Little puddle of drool & all- Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh. I left the yoga mat, took a quick bath & let myself sleep for the night. And yeah…it was probably around 20h30*giggling*.

A little bit of this, & a little bit of that

The latest:

1. I have to upload photos from the crazy girls night I recently had. We decided to brave a Bob Marley tribute & it was ridiculous. After a box of wine & a pony key of Mosi...every little thing was all right! I promise photos

2. Dear friends have recently been inquiring about Aid to Africa. I feel like I'm in the luckiest spot ever. I'm working under CIDA, therefore I'm slowly getting insight into the policies, bureaucracies & funding modalities at the International level. On the other hand, I am so deeply involved with Breakthrough Sports Academy, a small Community based organization that works in sports for development from the grass root. One day all of my experiences will come together & I'll be able to make a statement on my beliefs in International Development- more specifically within Lusaka. There's a lot of good, a lot of bad, plenty of frustrations & endless hope. That's as far as I've gotten*grin*

3. There's lots of excitement for me with North American visitors. There'll certainly be photos to come.

4. Spa day: entailed haircut + pedicure with my partner in crime Sarah. The haircut is much better than the last one so I will also have to send a photo if I ever do my hair up nicely (right now it's under cap after a glorious morning in the hot sun).

Best to all. I miss blogging more regularly & hope for some photo updates soon!
How many more days till my arrival in Edmonton??!!! (Still can't wait)!

A blog for books

I’ve been involved in a few comical adventures of late, but I feel like writing about books today. So forget about my basketball team’s opening league game loss by 40 points, forget about the hell of a horseback ride I went for (chasing giraffes) that left my hands with blisters from holding on for dear life, & I’ll pause on all that is up & coming to share what I’ve been reading of late.

I thought maybe Google Reads would provide an outlet where I could post on my blog my recent reads. But all of this touring & background information on particular sites makes my head spin…so I’ll do it the old fashioned way*smile*

Quite possibly two of the things I miss most from home- apart from family & friends of course- are: a) a good library, & b) beautiful second hand book stores. I have managed some book swaps that have opened my eyes to books I never would have chosen to read. The advantage of having Zambian friends from well-educated families is that there are bookshelves full of African literature! (Something I never felt I had access to back home). One of my favourite recent authors is Kenyan NGUGI (he has “~ “ those things on top of the “G’s” in his name)*giggling*. I read A grain of wheat & savoured the fact that this author is Kenyan, educated in Uganda. So many of the African authors I’d previously read had been educated outside the continent. I felt Ngugi’s fiction provides a different take on colonial times...& I had just returned from Nairobi so anything Kenyan was/is fascinating. I also read a book whose title escapes me by a female lawyer from Botswana named Unity Dow. Again, an intimate look at African life from an African perspective, & in this case a rarely heard female voice- beautiful!

A second genre; books on Africa by non-Africans

At desperate times, with no other books on my shelf, I finally cracked open Shake hands with the devil. Romeo Dallaire blew me away during my second attempt to read the epic. One of the heaviest books I’ve ever read, but it was a much overdue “must read”. And then there was the bizarre White Masai…so strange that I would love to read the sequels*chuckling*.

Outside of African literature, I’ve been reading everything from David Baldacci to Roddy Doyle & I’m currently racing to finish Heather O’Neill’s lullabies for little criminals set in Montreal. I love that this Canada Reads book ended up in my hands, & that Roddy Doyle’s A Star called Henry took me back to the bleak beginnings of Irelands notorious IRA. Forever a bookworm, I still love been deported to mysterious corners of the world…set in timescapes I’ll never know. Now if only I had more time to read.

Been in Africa too long...

Oh dear, I just went to turn of the air conditioning in my office because I'm feeling a bit chilly. The A/C is supposed to be maintaing a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius...

Perhaps I have been here too long?! And it's not even cold season yet & I'm whining!!

Neglecting my blog

Well it feels like I haven't written in ages, but it's only been a week since my last post.
I think I have writer's block. There's so much happening for me right now, I just feel like nothing is important enough to share*giggle*

That being said, the first match of Cranium I've ever played in Lusaka did touchdown Tuesday evening. There was a lot going on...so it wasn't the best game, & then since we didn't drink enough wine, we became tired instead of rowdy. I think we'll plan a tournament & I'll try to document the excitement via photos!

Yup, guess things aren't that exciting. I'm just loving the humdrum of routine right now. More when I've a good story to report.

Oh, the update on Breakthrough Sports Academy Basketball. The girls commitment is still up & down, but I have so much to learn from Coach Alinafe's patience. Some days he has 1 girl, other days he has 6. In the meantime (which is the good news), the Under 15 boys team has started training this week! And Alinafe's response to my question about whether or not he's frustrated was: "Now I have the boys to work with, & the girls will come". Kudos Ali!!

Home for the holidays!

I’m so excited, I don’t actually know how I’m going to wait until July 30th now…

I will be coming home WITH Alvin for 3 weeks! We’ll arrive in Edmonton on July 31st & return to Lusaka on the 19th of August. I’m so excited that I won’t be making the marathon journey alone, & I’m just looking so forward to everything. First, introducing Alvin to you all, & second, introducing him to my country. After that excitement, I’m just planning all of the meals I’m craving (Gran’s/ parents’ home cooking), all of the restaurants I need to re-visit & places I’ve missed…from Hawrelak Park to Jasper!

We’ll be home in time for BBQ’s, slurpees, fresh air & Edmonton’s famous festivals! Let’s start planning!!!!!!

It should prove to be an overwhelming couple of weeks, I’ll be sure to savour every second! Can’t wait to catch up with you all

Vinkubala

Pronounced: Vin-ku-vala

Definition: Bemba delicacy of fried caterpillars

Now, if I was really smart I would’ve brought my camera to Kolo’s for her “Zambian cuisine” dinner party. But I really wasn’t expecting so many traditional dishes. Of course, my eyes were riveted on the two big bowls of fried black caterpillars. All of my favourite other dishes are there: village chicken, lumanda (particular type of vegetable cooked in a peanut sauce), nshima, chikanda...But there I am, stopped with one hand on the red wine bottle peering down at the brown-headed, semi-curled, many-legged (or furry?) caterpillars.

My words of recent days echoed in my head “I would only try those things if I knew they were prepared properly, at a friend’s place”. Push came to shove & I popped one. The taste was actually ok, the texture less appetizing; it was like a sand bomb had exploded in my mouth. Confession: I only managed to eat one. And I felt like the remnants of caterpillar gut were stuck in my teeth until I had thoroughly washed it down with food & wine.

I’ve been chuckling reminiscing about my days at the former Provincial Museum of Alberta. The husband to my Grade 3 teacher had me eating live mealworms…& I only managed one fried caterpillar??

What is life without a little adventure? Next time I’ll take photos*giggling*

An Aside

I found myself giggling on my walk home from work yesterday. I love the things that remind me that I don't live in North America!

Passing a young man on the dusty pathway, I couldn't help but notice how his starched white top matched exactly his shiny white dress shoes- the only interruption being a pair of baggy jeans. A slow broad smile spread to my lips just as my phone beeped that I had a new message. Saved by the excuse to giggle while looking at the face of my phone, I didn't feel too "crazy" (laughing all by myself, that is). Better yet, it was my Canadian friend complaining about some annoyance ...perfect opportunity to verify if I haven't been gone from Canada too long.

My text reply:
"Male dress: Please remind me if white dress shoes = pimp, and it is indeed a fashion faux pas to wear aqua socks in public. Reminders as to why we love Zambia".

Disclaimer: I do not have any male friends here who sport white dress shoes.

Confession: I do have two male friends who move around Lusaka in aqua socks.

Point in case: Living proof: my dear friend Alinafe

Chaminuka March 2007

I absolutely lucked out! I was invited to a conference at the end of March, held at a beautiful lodge about an hour outside of Lusaka. The lodge is actually quite near to Lusaka…but there are about 23 km on a heavily pot-holed road. The bumpy ride is very much worth it though. (I’m sure my folks & my Uncle can second that motion)! There must be hundreds of hectares of property filled with giraffe, a couple of elephants, hundreds of antelope, zebra etc. The more dangerous creatures are in outdoor cages- they have both lions & hyenas. The lodge itself is magnificent with a heated pool, incredible meals (cheese factory + game meat), & all local alcoholic beverages included. Yes, that means Amarula, Castle, Mosi and Malawi gin for free*giggle*

I was able to go for a ‘bush-walk’ (during which I saw more insects than animals) & for about a two-hour horseback ride. I’ve selected only my favourite shots so those of you who have yet to visit me here will have an idea of why one might want to stay in this “paradise” (as one visitor from Canada put it this morning). Another friend mentioned (after waking up & heading out onto my little patio) “why would you want to live anywhere else?”

What am I trying to justify? You all know I love it here…I’ll just be awaiting more visitors*warm smile*. I must confess, some of these African savannah shots remind me of the beautiful Canadian prairies I have grown to love. So much wonder & calm.


Sun playing on the field



Prairie? Savannah.



Mama Giraffe



Amusing African art*insert wicked smile here*

It's official!

I will be home on July 31st!!! Woohoo! I've got my plane ticket in hand & am so excited to be heading back to Edmonton for my favourite time of year.

I will be back in Lusaka on the 19th of August.

To be fair, I am missing every wedding I have been invited to this year. I'm sorry for that, but in the end it will be easier to catch up with the crew of you when you're not on the altar, right?? (It didn't actually happen on purpose, applying for leave was a process).
The only other business is that Alvin's ticket is booked, but nothing can be confirmed until his visitor's visa is approved. And we haven't applied yet...so that news will follow HOPEFULLY soon!!

Happy Easter to you all, I'm looking forward to a relaxing 4-day weekend! And of course, seeing many of you this summer!

1st Drop in Sports Camp of 2007

I had such a great weekend! (I am speaking of 30th, 31st, March)*smile*

On Friday (that would have been the 30th of March) Breakthrough Sports Academy had our first “Drop in Sports Camp” for 2007. BSA has three grounds at which we offer coaching & football. The main grounds certainly attract most of the attention, and are central for all of the coaches to meet. Our Drop in Sports Camps fall under our “Outreach” programs. Our aim is to target those kids we don’t have in our regular programs, and to cause some commotion at our ‘outreach’ grounds.
As we moved deeper into Luangwa compound, the stares become longer, & more children are curiously calling “mzungu”. It is safe for me to move around in compounds (aka shanty towns), but it is certainly uncommon for white people to spend time within the compounds.

We coordinated the event with the help of Zilole, the young man who coaches most of teams at Kampala grounds. Zilole has re-inspired me in every respect. We had over fifty children participate (we were hoping for about thirty), and they all must have been under 14 years old. Zilole didn’t flinch. He had ALL of the kids up, organized, singing & dancing. I was amazed. All of the kids adore him, & somehow he manages to get these kids to play football in an organized manner.

Zilole is always quiet during our coaches meetings, & only ever quietly requested that we coaches try to make it out to his grounds. Now I understand why. There are so many kids, & there is so much potential for the grounds to be an enormous hub of activity, but he certainly can’t do it alone. Both the Director of BSA & myself are hoping to recruit some coaches to help him out, & to get more than football happening at the grounds (some educational components such as HIV/AIDS education, active living, leadership development, and team building would be so beneficial to the kids in these communities).

I love how my perceptions of “success” have changed during my time in Lusaka. Our program started 45 minutes late, & one of the facilitators pitched up at the grounds when we were supposed to be finishing the program. But the fact that we attracted so many kids (16 of whom were young girls), & that all of the children who participated had so much fun counter those minor “upsets”.

I continue to be humbled by young Zambians I meet. Zilole couldn’t thank me enough for being out there. It makes no sense to me why it matters that I go, and then I realize that he feels like he’s finally getting the support he needs from the “greater BSA”. I feel revitalized, and so do my colleagues. It’s a wonderful feeling to want to give more. If I ever manage to get more of Zilole’s “story” (in my broken Nyanja), I’ll be sure to include it on my blog.

Malanga (director of BSA) Zilole nearby



She looks so happy!

George teaching 'chinese baseball'



Zilole circling up the troops

Peter.



More kids

We got Hoops!

Woo hoo! At long last, after months of waiting, BSA will train today on our full court- I can't wait. I'm so excited I may actually play with the boys today instead of coaching them*grin*