GO! A note to all those family members, friends and foes alike reading Daniel's blog: YOU MUST GO TO AFRICA! If for nothing else you go to watch those Nigerian films on long bus rides, it provides endless hours of entertainment as when the movie finishes everyone proceeds to discuss the movie in fervour and some even take on temporary roles of actors from the film you just watched or others and proceed to reenact their favourite scenes! OH and of course you go for the weddings! How did you get stuck at the bridal party? You poor poor mzungu boy you. But back on going to Africa, I firmly believe that you will never truly know how great this world is until you visit Africa and become friends with real Africans.
To Dan: Looking forward to your return (even if you're not) as there'll be someone around who's kind of on the same wavelength as me. Your blog has flooded me with memories. Ah, now I'm getting all teary eyed.....
Luv Laura
P.S. I am sorely dissappointed that you didn't tell me you were in Zambia in June! Did you know I was about 20km from the Zambian border and about a day train ride from Lusaka???
Dan introduces a Zambian Cowboy We have a wedding in our family one week from today and before I get there I get to see a wedding in Zambia and all the beautiful people.
I would have liked to see the bride and groom together. Maybe another blog entry? The two women in their best going-to-weddings dresses are beautiful.
How wonderful that you can share the richness of Zambian life with us, in story and pictures.
The cowboy with his stick is a picture worth a million words. I guess it never occurs to him how brave he is.
But, how did Zambia become a demolition derby?
Are there cars and busses that actually work without a wrecker carrying them around?
I love your travels. I envy you. What a wonderful experience for Dan and what a gift that you share with your blog people, your readers.
Keep the good times coming.
Final Stretch Daniel, great to get your latest update. It is hard to believe that your time there is less than one month now. It was great to read about your villiage visits and the meetings you are organizing. You are really in the thick of it. I love the pictures, reminds me so much of our time in Zambia, it makes me home sick. I can't wait to see all of your pictures when you get back. Hope you get our care package soon, at least before you leave Zambia, or else you'll have to make arrangements for it to be mailed to Canada! Much love, from your Dad.
Solution to hard seat Try filling a pillow case or, for that matter, any bag with articles of clothing you do not mind wrinklong and, BINGO, you have a bum protector for your self.
I must congratulate you for your excellent lexicon (very unusual these days, when anything goes).
The quality of your photography is also excellent and very informative! Keep the good work.
Great update and pictures Daniel, I just wanted to let you know I've read your latest blog and seen the great pictures. You are becoming a good photographer. I enjoyed the update immensely. Sounds like you are really getting into the assignment. I don't envy your long rides on the back of the motorcycle. Maybe you could get one of your own. I'll email you later.
Keep those happening s coming Daniel,
I really like your blog. It's great to see you going everywhere and having so many different experiences. Keep them coming.
Your church experience, Seventh Day Adventists, was most interesting. It is also a good thing that you didn't end up as the groom in the wedding. Stick to dancing. It may be your thing.
I thought that the Senenth Day Adventists were a North American phenomenon. We have one of their churches down the road a bit. I never thought of them as African. Thanks for straigtening me out.
The bus trip sounds most interesting. I am so pleased that you are taking public transportation. You must surely get to see not only the country, but the people who live there and take the bus like you.
Pictures are great as long as you are in some of them with sites and attractions in the background or side ground.
Summer has come to c entral Canada. Is Zambia in summer all year long? There must be a dirty season, rain? what? Is the sun always directly above?
I have to go and take my two wild animals out in the noon day sun. Remember the song title "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon day sun!" I am the englishman with 2 mad dogs. And you be careful of the noon day sun.
GoGo
Daniel back in Zambia Daniel, I'm so impressed with your travels, and your commitment, and your photos and comments.
You must be thrilled to be back in Zambia. I bet there isn't an undesireable place to be in Zambia, but are you going to spend time in Lusaka?
Will you be able to visit the school and your house in Banani!
I think that Livingstone sounds so historicval and so interesting. You'll be right by the falls. I know you have been there before-to the falls.
Be sure to post a picture of the Falls on your blog.
You were asking about rites of passage in Canada or wherever. The aboriginal people had rites of passage for me and women. In a more modern vein, the Newfoundlanders still have a rite. Its the great seal hunt. A boy is not a man in Newfoundland unless he has "gone to the ice", participated in the annual and very scary and very danderous and very killing seal hunt. Its not just the seals that get killed. The men get killed, or they starve and many of them freeze and horrid stuff like that. You know the pictures a seal hunt gone bad that are in my office, prints from David Blackwood, a Newfie through and through and a guy I used to work with at Trinity College Scool and who is now a famous Canadian painter and print maker. There is also a book entitles "In
the Wake of the Great Sealers". David Blackwood cooperated with Farley Mowat, a famous Canadian writer. I have the book and you must read it some time.
Men see "getting laid" as an absolutely necessary rite of passage. Its not one that girls regoice in as much as men do.
That's about it.
I guess the other one is drining the car.
Nothing very challenging or exciting. Tribal. familiy centered groups are more self conscious of the family or the tribe and have challenging things for men (and women too, I guess) to prove themselves in and be recognised for.
In times past we also had the thing where the sons were given or started their own farms. That was very much a pattern in the Ottawa Valley with Irish and Scottish families and clans.
One of my rites was to "drive" a horse on your own, cultivating weeds from the tomatoes. I had a great old horse that I got free from the glue factory and which thanked me by working hard and being a very obedient cultivator puller. I didn't have a watch and so I tied an alarm clock to the horses harness. One day I forgot about the clock and the alarm went off at noon and the old horse took off and ran across the fiedld dragging the cultivator and detroying a great deal of the tomato crop. He thought he was Seabiscuit in the Kentuck Derby. And I am running after him all the way back to the glue factory. I forgave him and took him home.
So much about rites.Your graduating from U. of C. will be a significant "passage". I am very proud.
But I have to go.
I am very well and a far way from the glue factory. I don't know about the Kentucky Dewrby but I am on the Treadmill every day.
Daniel, I love you and am so impressed by what you are doing with EWB.Your boundaries have so expanded. Good for you. Keep at it Dr. Livingstone.
Much love
GoGo and Sandra
Acronisms Dear Daniel: Your use of acronisms lends itself to confusion!
We are pleased that you got to Zambia all in one piece and in time.
We are really very interestered in your endeavours, however, please take care of yourself at all times, as there are risks lurking all over the place, this applying to Canuckland as well.
Let us know where you will be working (what does the countyside ans environment look like; prairy, hills, jungle or whatever?) doing what (then I can find you in the Google map.)
Can we look forward to your visit on the way back?? Let me know!
We have had only so-so weather in June (it has rained a lot and today we had strong winds and zero Celsius).
We spent a vey pleasant Mother's Day at uncle Oscar's place, managing to see all of the Ontarians. All the grands are quite good looking, however wee Rebecca appeared stunning and the tallest of the G-daughters (and by far).
Good luck and farewell.
A B U E L O
first trip abroad in 2006 Daniel,
I found the site with absolutely no trouble. The picture helped a great deal in identifying the blog as you. You sure are a hairy man. Is that your tongue hanging out, or is it also hair? Was the picture taken at home? Are those Kevin destroyed vehicles in the background?
I bet you're excited to be going back to Zambia. I just wonder when you are going to write home and tell us that you are staying somewhere on the great continent.
I wonder if you will be anywhere near Banani. And will I be able to contact you by Email. Just use your same old Email address?
I can't talk long right now. I have promised to do so much around the house. And I guess I can't write a book long comment anyway.
Don't let projects get in the way of people. When it is all over and done, it will be the people who mattered most and whom you will remember best. Trust me on that and on the C'oms. I may not be a wise old man, but I am old and I have had a lot of experience and I am still growing; so imagine how much growing you have ahead of you.
I wish you would get a "residency" here in Ottawa. There sure are lots of sickies and we do have a Silicon Valley".
Must go. Much love.
I am a great fan.
GoGo
Hey Everyone! I'm a Engineering student from Calgary, Alberta.
This summer I am in Zambia working with Engineers Without Borders on a private sector development project. Wish me luck!... full info
La-OO-ra (As the Africans say)
non-member comment
GO!
A note to all those family members, friends and foes alike reading Daniel's blog: YOU MUST GO TO AFRICA! If for nothing else you go to watch those Nigerian films on long bus rides, it provides endless hours of entertainment as when the movie finishes everyone proceeds to discuss the movie in fervour and some even take on temporary roles of actors from the film you just watched or others and proceed to reenact their favourite scenes! OH and of course you go for the weddings! How did you get stuck at the bridal party? You poor poor mzungu boy you. But back on going to Africa, I firmly believe that you will never truly know how great this world is until you visit Africa and become friends with real Africans. To Dan: Looking forward to your return (even if you're not) as there'll be someone around who's kind of on the same wavelength as me. Your blog has flooded me with memories. Ah, now I'm getting all teary eyed..... Luv Laura P.S. I am sorely dissappointed that you didn't tell me you were in Zambia in June! Did you know I was about 20km from the Zambian border and about a day train ride from Lusaka???