Blogs from Lusaka, Zambia, Africa - page 7

So, life has come to a bit of a standstill for various reasons and I've decided to head off to see a little more of the continent for a while. I haven't really done any tourist stuff in Africa except for one weekend in Livingstone so this should be a serious (and much needed) change of pace for me. Certain things about living here were getting a tad too heavy for me (I've never been very good with heavy). I'm leaving tomorrow morning towards the northern border of Zambia to spend a few days on Lake Tanganyika...if anyone wants postcards they should send me a current mailing address...hopefully I'll find some good ones and I love sending postcards. Had a long cheesy farewell to Lusaka written but then decided better...hopefully I'll come up with some more ... read more

Heya. So been back in Lusaka for just over a week now and been relatively busy. Yesterday I was doing the shopping and it was epic, I think there is a national beer shortage so we can find beer hardly anywhere and Shoprite (the local supermarket) was closed due to strikes that keep happening at the moment. Which are really inappropriate! Its been quite quiet at the camp which has been a shame because it is such a good place and Paul (the owner) works really hard to keep it going, but it just reflects on the economic downturn in the country at the moment. Zambia is a very expensive country for Africa, the cost of living is very high and to own and maintain a lodge is very difficult, well I have found it very ... read more

We arrived on Monday morning for our scheduled outreach only to be told they had printed the advertising posters with Wednesday’s date. There were a number of people present (it is a large, busy clinic, simply lacking in HIV care) but they asked us to come back on Wednesday, assuring a far greater turnout. We returned, defeated, to clinic, but as our numbers are currently large enough to support unscheduled outreaches, we agreed to return. Amazingly, on Wednesday, we were exactly on time, 9:00 AM, as the posters read in bold. I considered it an exceptional good sign (I don’t think the team has EVER been on time for anything). As soon as we set up our supplies the nurse ushered in our first patients, a woman with three children. The whole family was negative; it ... read more

So…for once I haven’t written for a while, not because I couldn’t think of anything to write, but because I’ve been too busy! Hard to believe isn’t it, that a volunteer job could capitalize so much of my time? Well…not all of it was work. Yesterday I spent all day cooking Thanksgiving dinner. And then I spent all evening awkwardly playing hostess while too tired to actually realize what was going on around me. You know how after thanksgiving you’re supposed to have stuffing and mashed potatoes for breakfast the next day? Well…there weren’t any leftovers, too many people came. So I’m sitting here on Sunday morning drinking ginger tea and eating a twix bar (they’re better here) for breakfast because I’m done with cooking for a couple days. Anyhoo, I’ve been busy. Last weekend was ... read more

I have time for one more blog so thought I would tell the tale of the Chicken Caper. It is one of the pranks that the girls managed to pull off on Artie and Steven...with the help of their new friar student friends, Emmanuel (Manny) and Augustine AND with the help of the College president Fr Mack and Fr Bonaventure, the friary guardian. It involves catching the chickens and putting them in Steven and Artie's rooms. Artie's room was easier because keys were extra. Steven's room needed some creativity with removing screens from windows and replacing. The final coup was running some shorts of Artie's up the flagpole. Revenge is sweet after the girls had been terrorized the previous evening as Steve and Artie hid under the girls bed for 45 minutes in the dust and ... read more