Hello Hot Season

There’s no doubting it anymore- the hot season has arrived. Though it’s only been in the mid to upper 90’s, the sun burns with exceptional intensity. It’ the kind of heat that will render the inside of your car a blistering, uninhabitable wasteland if you leave it parked in the sun for long. The sun just bakes the asphalt to the point where walking feels more like being roasted from all sides in an oven. Hopefully it will only be a few more weeks before the rains come and cool things down a bit. Although, if I don’t get serious about fixing the A/C in my car, I may not make it that far.

Speaking of cars, keeping my cool has been even trickier thanks to a week of automotive troubles. First, failing brakes and unnatural sounds coming from under the hood forced me to hand my car over to the mechanic (again). The mechanic we use is a great guy, and knowing how much I need a car for my job, he offered to let me use his while he worked on mine. It was a good temporary solution, but his car requires even more loving attention than my own. Heavily tinted windows make driving at night complicated. A lack of wiper blades makes driving in the rain problematic. A broken windshield makes driving in general tricky. Even getting in the car is difficult as there are no handles and only two of the doors unlock. The shifter sticks, the interior lights frequently go off, and this morning I woke up to find one of the tires had deflated. He did warn me the fuel gauge was “deceptive,” but I learned the hard way today just how misleading it could be. Driving down the highway, I found out that a quarter tank actually means completely and utterly empty. Thankfully, there was a filling station nearby which I limped into, literally running on the fumes of fumes.

On a more positive note, there have been some really cool things going on at work lately. First of all, we’ve reached the final stage of our selection process for next year’s scholarship recipients. We spent many hours last week driving all over Lusaka to interview the 15 students who received top marks on the exam we administered last month. Visiting their homes and talking with the students allowed us to make a more detailed assessment of both their vulnerability and their personalities. I think we all came away with a better idea of who will make the best additions to our program. Unfortunately, funding limitations will probably not allow us to take all 15 students, so we will be facing some difficult decisions soon.

There has also been a lot of progress with one of our student community service projects. A group of both KF and non-KF students at Chalo Trust School have been working on a project dealing with the environment; specifically the dangers of plastics and improper waste disposal. In conjunction with students from the International School of Lusaka and various non-profits, we have been looking for ways to take this project to the next level. The idea is to use different mediums (art, literature, music…) to spread messages about dangers to the environment, and also health, to members of the students’ communities. The first steps toward this goal are beginning to be realized; some students have been making art projects out of recycled materials while others have written a simple book which talks about a particular environmental risk in communities. Today I took the story to a primary school to be illustrated by the younger students there.  

(KF, Chalo and ISL students working on artwork made from recycled materials)

Outside of work, the next few weeks are shaping up to be pretty interesting. We’re heading to Livingstone for the upcoming long weekend where we’re planning to whitewater raft and walk along the edge of Victoria Falls. I’m also hoping to be able to cross into Zimbabwe and meet up with the couple whose home I stayed at 3 years ago. The following weekend is Halloween, and after that my housemates’ production company (R&G Events) is throwing another party. They’ve purchased a foam cannon which, we have discovered, can bury a car and half a dozen people in under 5 minutes. 

(The foam machine in action)

Before the festivities at night, there will be a Frisbee tournament involving hopefully a hundred people from all over Zambia. We ordered some custom Frisbees for the occasion that I helped design. They just arrived this week and look pretty great. Expect some good stories and new photos soon!

(Our ZamUltimate Frisbees)

Mission: Malawi

It was still dark when we loaded our belongings into the taxi, conducted a final bleary-eyed review of the essential items, and set off for the bus station. Arriving in time to catch an earlier bus, we squeezed our way on board, crammed our bags into any remaining spaces, and, settling into our seats, eagerly awaited the beginning of our journey to the Lake of Stars music festival in Malawi.

The driver must have known we were music lovers because he wasted no time in putting on his vast collection of gospel hits, sung in auto-tuned Nyanje with elaborate synth accompaniment. As it was very early and most people looked ready to doze off, he made sure to set the volume somewhere between ear-splitting and mind-numbing to prevent anyone from missing out. So, from 5:45 in the morning to about 9, our thoughts, dreams, even our very existence, was fully pervaded by these soulful serenades. At our first pit-stop somewhere in the mountains of central Zambia, we finally got a reprieve, allowing our brains a chance to reform to their original shape. But even after starting out again the music remained paused. We wondered; could we be so lucky? But it was merely an opportunity for some sermonizing from a fellow passenger. So while enjoying our complementary pineapple Fantas, we dutifully learned about thieves and good shepherds, though I find it hard to recall how they were related. In an abrupt and concerning turn of events, the entertainment following the preacher was Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead, a gratuitously violent movie involving murderous cannibal hillbillies and concluding with the death of every character in the film. Fully over-stimulated by this point, we spent the remainder of the trip in a confused catatonic state, and were all too happy when the bus rolled into our final destination: Chipata. We stayed the night in this border town with a friend, collected two more compatriots from the airport in the morning, then in a hired van, the five of us set out for Malawi.

Immediate impressions of Malawi found many similarities with Zambia, but that’s not surprising considering the permeable, flexible borders and shared heritage. Quickly, the landscape opened up. Rolling green plains were strewn with immense rock formations jutting out in angular ways like sinking ships. We passed through the capital, Lilongwe, and though it was hard to explain why, we could definitely feel we were in a different country. In a few hours we drew close to the mountains and began ascending into their heights. Through them we traced a twisting and meandering route, peppered with hair-pin turns, the kind at the end of which you find you’ve been unconsciously holding your breath. At last, we made it to the other side and could see massive Lake Malawi stretched across the horizon.

The festival was held directly on the lake, so both our campsite and the stage area were on the beach. After sorting out some logistical problems due to the lack of cell service, we were able to set up camp before nightfall and made it to the first night of music. In the morning, we were awoken by sunrise and, climbing out of our tents, were struck by the view. Amongst palms of different varieties and heights, colorful tents dotted the beach like blooming exotic flowers, rain flies fluttering in the cool breeze coming off the water. 

(The campsite)

Ringing the expansive lake, implied ghosts of purple mountains could be seen through mist.  During the day, even in the morning, the heat was intense. Luckily, this was one of those rare African lakes that are swimmable- you risk a couple parasites but at least there are few crocodiles. We divided our days between swimming, lounging and eating. The most active we got was either climbing a nearby hill or the dancing in the sand all night (actually pretty tiring). 

(From the hill: stage can been seen on beach through trees on center right)

The second night was the musical highlight of the trip, and the best of the best had to have been Freshlyground, a South African group. I’ve been hearing of them for years but had missed many chances to see them live. I guess they’ve reached a pretty high level of fame by this point; last year they recorded WakaWaka with Shakira for the World Cup. When they played that as an encore (sans Shakira) the whole beach was just a moving mass of happy faces. We had one more day and night to soak in all the beauty of the lake, the happy music and the friendly people before having to say goodbye. Early Monday morning we climbed, exhausted but happy, into our van and started back the way we came.

In our short journey we saw a beautiful face of Malawi, but we also got a glimpse of another side of the country. It is currently undergoing both political and economic upheaval as the ruling party dukes it out with both foreign governments and unhappy citizens. 40% of Malawi’s budget comes from foreign aid, and the UK is the primary contributor. However, after a row over alleged mishandling of government money and authority (read: shiny new jet for the president), diplomatic relations with Britain have crumbled. The British high commissioner was expelled and in retaliation, Britain, followed by others, froze much of its aid. A lack of foreign exchange has inhibited the purchasing of fuel to the point where, “fuel stations are just for decoration here,” as our driver put it. The rare station that has gas also has long lines of cars. Lack of fuel and new austerity measures have sparked deadly riots around the country.

Even in our brief travels across the country we felt the effects of these problems. Running out of gas on our way home, we spent almost an hour in Lilongwe looking for somewhere to refill. With all the uncertainty and scarcity of fuel, it was surprising to see the roads still jammed with cars. In the end we had to drive all the way to a bootlegger’s house to get 5 liters out of a water jug. I’m certain we burned more than that searching for it. Our journey was complicated further by another particularly ugly side-effect of the country’s woes. All along the roads we had to contend with an ever present, ever greedy, Malawian police force. We must have gone through over a dozen “checkpoints” over the course of the trip, sometimes as close as five minutes apart. Probably unpaid by the government, their salaries are made up by “fines” collected at these stops. Time and time again we were stopped and payment was unrelentingly demanded. It passed the point of reasonable; even our calm driver was pushed to extreme agitation. We finally limped our way back into Zambia, and I couldn’t suppress a smile as the friendly customs agent stamped my passport: it was a spectacular trip, but it was good to be home.

Let's Hear it for Zambia

Late last night, Zambians achieved what has, of late, eluded many other countries: the successful and peaceful transfer of power from one political party to another. After a relatively quiet couple days of voting and counting, the results were made official around midnight last night. Upon their announcement, crowds of exuberant supporters, armed with car horns and vuvuzelas, took to the streets in celebration. Somehow I managed to sleep through it all, but this morning you can still see echoes of the jubilant night. The roads are jammed with marchers and there’s a literal symphony of triumphant honking, whistling and singing as people hang out their car windows with wild abandon. Everywhere you look the blue propaganda of the incumbent party has been quickly and effectively replaced by posters and wraps in opposition green, and the refrain of the opposition’s theme song, Donchi Kubeba (Don’t Tell Them) can be heard from every direction. This is a marked change from the past two days, when Lusaka was an empty ghost town. There was a huge army and police presence on the streets and all businesses would close up at the slightest rumor of unrest.

It's true, it wasn't a perfect execution; opportunistic mobs burned and looted businesses in a few cities across the country, and opposing supporters clashed in the compounds (though the vast majority of businesses and citizens were safe and secure). In addition, far too much money was spent on the campaigns and the government was wrong to silence all but state media ahead of the announcing the results. Nonetheless, the crowning success cannot be denied: the opposition candidate has been elected and the incumbent party is duly and peacefully handing over power. Not to say I believe one party to be better than another, I truly don't have the knowledge or experience to comment on Zambian politics. Rather, I'm celebrating the turnover (after twenty years) and the transition. If, by the end of today, this changeover reaches a peaceful resolution, I think the world should applaud what has happened here. With respect for fellow citizens and for the foundations of a democratic system, Zambians have laid the framework for a model of peaceful and representative elections which should be built on by all countries, in Africa and beyond.

Read more here and here 

What's New? (Other than the year)

Cruising on a secluded back road, returning from one of our schools to town, the windows are down, the breeze is perfect, Paul Simon is crooning from the speakers and the landscape is awash with a spectacularly orange sunset that seems to last for hours. These are the times I can really just relax and enjoy what’s happening around me. I wish I could share all of these little moments, but at least I can tell you about some of the cool things that have been happening here.

(A brilliant sunrise)

First of all, happy 2004! No I’m not suffering from heat stroke, that’s the new year as of yesterday according to the Ethiopian calendar. I’m sure my fellow fellows in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia enjoyed some great celebrations there, but even in Lusaka we observed the holiday. My roommate was invited to a new years party put on by the Ethiopian community here by a coworker at the UN, and she took me along. The food was amazing, the company was great and it was wonderful to sit in on the celebration of what felt like one big family. There was a roving band of singing kids decked out in their finest clothes approaching tables and handing out roses in exchange for a donation (nothing short of extortion through cuteness). Unsurprisingly, there was plenty of impressive dancing in styles I had never seen before involving lots of exaggerated shoulder and leg movement (more on this here). The highlight may have been the tradition of jumping over a roaring bonfire as a test of one’s manliness. All of this redoubled my resolve to visit Ethiopia at some point in the next year.

There have been a few firsts in the past month; we had our first student move on to the next step in life as he headed out to do his A-levels at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa. We’re very proud and happy for him as he joins the ranks of other future African leaders who've attended this prestigious program. I had my first paid gig as a photographer, shooting headshots at a party for a casting company. KF had our first event where we were able to gather some of our older students and their mentors together for dinner and a discussion of their futures. It was a delicious meal and a very productive dialogue.

Right now it’s hot and dry, and it hasn’t rained in months, but amazingly life is starting to bloom here. There are trees filled with stunning purple flowers that look absolutely surreal scattered on the rust colored ground. There's bougainvillea that looks like rolling waves of color overflowing the walls of houses around town. Even the thorny plants growing out of the gravel in my yard are putting out dramatic red flowers. I’m told that this is just the smallest taste of the lush, vibrant rainy season, so that’s definitely something to look forward to.

(Bougainvillea)

There’s a farm out in Lusaka West where they keep lions- mostly for breeding, but a couple as actual pets. All questions about the intelligence of keeping wild predators as pets aside, it was pretty incredible to be close enough to touch these beautiful and, happily, friendly big cats.

Community service is a big part of our scholarship program; each student is expected to design and implement a project. One of the ongoing projects has been the sensitization of communities to the issue of waste disposal, specifically plastics. To help the students further this project, we’ve been looking at different ways they could teach people how to reuse plastics. Two of the places we’ve visited so far to help inspire the kids have been pretty incredible. 

First, we met a group of boys in one of the compounds who, on their own initiative, have been creating instruments (drums, kazoos, cymbals) out of rubbish. What’s more, they’ve organised themselves into a legitimate band, with a repertoire of well rehearsed songs and even marching choreography. I was told sometimes they march down the main streets to raise money for their school fees. I don't have the internet bandwidth to post the videos I took of these so called Band Boyz, so a picture will have to do instead. 

Another weekend, we visited a hospital where the relatives of the patients are taught how to make jewelry and bags out of paper and plastic so they can earn a little money. The techniques were very precise and at times painstaking, but the end products are really amazing. This ingenuity and enterprise definitely impressed and inspired me, and I hope it did the same for our kids.

Thanks for reading! With the national elections next week and an upcoming trip to Malawi for the Lake of Stars music festival at the end of the month, I'm sure there will be more stories to share soon.

Rules of the Road

Life in Lusaka is full of speed bumps. No, not metaphorical ones, real cement humps in the middle of the road. They’re everywhere, of varying size and degree of concealment. Seriously, I feel like they were intentionally made to be impossible to see; under the shade of a tree, around a sharp corner, with no distinguishing coloring or warning signs. At first, this made for some exciting and unpredictable car rides. You’re cruising down the road, mid conversation with the person in the passenger seat when “WHUMP” your heads are hitting the ceiling and the car is making all sorts of concerning sounds. The other day I realized, when I didn’t slam full speed into a particularly sneaky one on my ride home, I was actually getting a hang of where they were located. In fact, I feel like I’m learning how to avoid a lot of speed bumps (metaphorical ones this time) related to driving in this city. Here are some things I’ve discovered so far:

When backing up, don’t expect any consideration from other drivers other than helping you find your blind spots and test your brakes; they will find any way to cut behind you.

If you plan to meet someone or pick something up, even if you’ve confirmed, always, always call ahead; gas isn’t cheap so you risk wasting a lot more than time.

If someone flashes their high beams at you it’s easier to just make something up rather than try to figure out their reasoning. Are your high beams on? No. Maybe there’s a cop ahead? Probably not. Perhaps they’re commenting on the weather, or maybe they’re lonely and just want a little human contact. I was worried I was missing out on some Zambian driving code until someone flashed us when I was in a taxi and I asked the driver why. I had to laugh when he answered, “I have no idea.”

It’s important to realize that the colors of a traffic light have different meaning here. Green is go, yellow is go faster, and red is keep going until a car from the other direction physically blocks your path.

Passing is encouraged, often necessary with the sorry state of some of the cars here, but if you’re stuck behind a slow moving election campaign convoy, it’s best just to accept your fate and take the opportunity to admire the scenery.

Road rage, on the other hand, is frowned upon. If some cheating driver cuts a long line for a light, the typical Zambian will let not only him in, but also the ten other cars attempting the same move. A simple nonchalant wave of the hand out the window seems to excuse even the most thoughtless and dangerous driving decisions. You can imagine how frustrating this can get for someone from the ruthless world of Boston driving.

However, I did get put in my place the other day when attempting to reverse out of a parking space. After the third car mercilessly blocked my exit I lost my patience and laid on the horn. When the other driver got out of his car I braced for a verbal attack, but was surprised and humbled to hear instead, “Peace is the most important.” Needless to say, I let him pass, and have tried to always keep that in mind since then, even in the most maddening of situations. I guess switching sides of the road wasn’t the biggest adjustment to driving here.

Catching up: Two Busy Weeks in Lusaka

Two weeks ago I moved into my new place, and I feel like life has been in fast forward since then. This post may be a bit disjointed, but I want to write a little about what I’ve been up to before I lose any more time.

The end of the first week of August was the deadline for short listing our best applicants for the scholarship this year. This meant scrambling all week to make sure I had read and graded all one hundred and thirty or so applications from our partner basic schools. As most of our applicants come from very vulnerable backgrounds, this frequently proved to be a difficult task.  Judging on financial need alone, it would be impossible to pick only a handful from this pool. Because we are looking for exceptional academic achievement as well, it is possible to identify a group of students who fit both criteria. As in any case where you are using a narrow tool to address a wide need, it is difficult to put aside those who do not fit the criteria as well. However, after a long staff meeting to compare our picks, I have a really good feeling about the forty Grade 7’s we have selected to sit our exams. We’ll have to await the exam results to know for sure, but I’m confident there are some brilliant, driven students in that group who will make good use of this scholarship.

This past week was the beginning of KF’s Work Experience program, one of the programs I'm responsible for. Each year we find work placements for our Grade 10 students for a week during their August holiday. We try to place them at businesses or organisations in their field of interest where they can also get an idea of what working in an office is like, discover some of their talents and strengths and gain useful skills for the future. During this past week we had students at Nkanza Labs, a pathology laboratory; CIDRZ, a health organisation which is fighting HIV/AIDS through treatment, research and training; and Afri-Connect, one of the big internet providers in Zambia. 

(Martinho gets a lesson in blood clotting at Nkanza Labs)

(Ngosa attends a puppet show put on by CIDRZ in order to sensitize children about HIV/AIDS)

(Edson keeps an eye on the grid at Afri-Connect)

Ensuring everything went well meant a lot of driving around to visit students at their placements and getting up at 5:30 every morning. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this; it’s nice to see the sunrise and to feel like you’ve accomplished a lot by 9 in the morning. We’ll have to wait and see if I can manage to continue getting up early after the program ends. This week our other three Grade 10’s are going to Multi-Choice, one of Lusaka’s main TV providers; a cancer clinic at the University Teaching Hospital; and the WorldWide Fund for Nature. I am hoping these students will enjoy their placements as much as the first three seemed to.

Outside of work, things have been almost as busy. We’ve hosted some fun get-togethers at my new place already. We had an especially nice dinner last Tuesday where we cooked about 14 pounds of fresh crayfish from the farmers market and served that up alongside sautéed bok choy, delicious garlic mashed potatoes and capped off with Johanne’s now famous homemade chocolate cake rolls. 

(Lots of crayfish to be shelled)

Last week was also my first time playing rugby. Two of my roommates, former members of the national Zambian rugby team, are avid players. Luckily they are also patient teachers as I was starting from very close to zero knowledge about the sport. After gauging the size of some of our fellow players, I was pretty thankful we were playing touch rugby. The strategy is completely different from anything I’ve played before, especially the idea of only being able to pass backwards, but I think with some time and practice it could be pretty fun. The weekends have been a great combination of fun and relaxation. Two weekends ago we spent a lazy day enjoying a botanical garden just outside the city which also houses a wildlife reserves (pictures are up on Flickr). This past Saturday was another languid morning full of coffee and books before attending a marathon wedding anniversary for one of our mentors (and coincidentally, my friend’s landlord).

Other events from the past weeks include finally finishing the newsletter we send out to our mentors each term which is written and edited by the students (I can email you a copy if you’d like to see), meeting up with Erin, the other PiAf Fellow in Zambia during her twelve hour visit from Livingstone to Lusaka, and saying more goodbyes. Lusaka is losing one of the closest friends I've made here as she returns to Denmark to finish her masters, as well as our awesome intern Julian who heads back to school in Switzerland.

(Zambia PiAf Fellows!)

One story from last week; I’ve been meaning to buy a desk for my new room, but after doing some scoping on the roads where carpenters sell their goods, I was having trouble finding time to actually go make a purchase. I happened to be driving down that road one morning and, upon seeing a good choice, decided to just pull over and buy it on the spot. I negotiated a fair price (I think) but there was a catch; the desk wasn’t quite finished. Peter the carpenter offered to come finish it at my house, but I was actually on my way to work from a café. Not wanting to come back to this side of town later, I loaded the desk, Peter and all his tools into my car and drove to the café where he finished it up in the parking lot. We then brought it to my house before I dropped him off at home. It was just one of those moments that make you smile, made possible by so many elements that just wouldn’t happen at home. It was nice to buy something from the person who actually made it, and so far it’s been a great desk and good first step in my room-improvement plan.

In closing, I’d like to wish a late happy 34^th wedding anniversary to my parents, and an early happy 14^th birthday to my little sister Sophie; just because I’m not there doesn’t mean I’m not celebrating with you.

Homemade Pasta and Hugo the Hippo

The one month mark has come and gone. The fact that it slipped by unnoticed is a good sign; between a full work load and an eventful after work scene life has been pretty busy, but it’s been time well spent. Today is a new marker in my life here, one that’s a bit more noticeable. This will be the first night I spend away from my host family and in my new home. If you’re looking at a map of Lusaka, I’ve moved from way down in the bottom right corner up to the center-middle to an area called Kalundu. I’ll be living in a four bedroom house with two Zambians guys and an Australian girl. Having been able to spend time with them since arriving in June I know they are all great, hard-working people who are also a lot of fun. I actually got to know the two guys more while working as a photographer at a concert their production company, R&G Events, put on last weekend. I’m really looking forward to spending at least the next six months at this house. Most of all I’m excited to put down some roots, to finally unpack my suitcases, and to start cooking in my own kitchen.

(Working at the concert)

Before moving out of the Mwenye household, I cooked them a farewell dinner. I decided to go with an old standby; my interpretation of my Dad’s interpretation of my Grandmother’s unbelievable pasta sauce. I picked up fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic and parsley from the farmer’s market and was able to find most of the other ingredients at the grocery store. With some help from Aunt Paulina and Gertrude we managed to cook a pretty authentic version of the dish which was eyed warily at first as it bubbled in the pot, but was eventually enjoyed thoroughly by all.

(Gertrude enjoying her pasta)

This long weekend (today was Farmer’s Day) also contained another exciting event. It was my first time since getting here that I left the boundaries of Lusaka. A casual suggestion on Saturday morning came together quickly, and impressively, into a full blown overnight trip to Lake Kariba in the southeast of the country on the border with Zimbabwe. It’s hard to explain the full benefit of escaping from the dry crowded city into the rolling green hills and being close to a body of water for the first time in this land-locked country. While the road required some attentive driving, between overloaded trucks and sporadic potholes, the ride was only about two and a half hours and the scenery was captivating. The lake itself was massive; at 5,580 square kilometers it is the largest artificial lake in the world. It is the product of a dam that filled in a massive river valley along the Zambezi and which now supplies power to both Zambia and Zimbabwe. Unfortunately we were unable to swim due to the triple threat of bacteria, Nile crocodiles and the ever dangerous hippopotamus which call the lake home. We did, however, take a beautiful sunset cruise at night, and in the morning were able to go fishing. While as a team we failed to catch anything larger than my thumb, we did come very close to a troop of island baboons, and our guide managed to snag himself a tiger fish, which lives up to its namesake in the tooth department I must say.

(Sunset over Lake Kariba)

While the trip was on a whole extremely relaxing, we did find ourselves in a uniquely stressful situation after our sunset cruise. As we pulled up to shore we suddenly realized we had a rather large visitor in our campsite. Grazing his way toward our tents was the 5,000 lb resident of the area, Hugo the Hippo. It was very cool to see one outside of water and to really get a sense of their sheer mass; it’s much bigger than a cow and probably as tall as a horse. On the other hand, this bulk combined with their high aggression and territorial nature makes them one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. So it was with some trepidation that we approached to within thirty feet of Hugo to make our campfire and cook dinner. Having to walk past him to the bathroom sent my heart racing- every time he would raise his massive head from grazing and fix me with that unnerving stare it was all I could do not to sprint for the nearest building. We all breathed a little easier once he wandered off into the night, but I wasn’t the only one who later dreamed in his flimsy canvas tent of that massive beast meandering back through our site. Ultimately we survived our hippo encounter, and I came back to Lusaka today refreshed and ready for an important and busy week at work where we begin to narrow down this year’s applicant pool for the scholarships.