Touch down in Zambia

So the first week has felt like the first few days of university. There have been lots of new friends to get to know as over the weekend 19 VSO volunteers arrived in Lusaka from the likes of the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada, US, India, Kenya and Uganda. I met Judy for the first time, a volunteer from Kenya who I will be working alongside in Mazabuka at the District AIDS Task Force. We have all been staying at the Commonwealth Centre next to the University of Zambia and have moved around like a tour group.  There was a bus trip to see the supposed highlights of Lusaka such as the Parliament, National Museum, Embassies and markets! We became millionaires overnight when we changed some money as £1 is equivalent to around 7,000 Kwacha.  There are also no coins in Zambia with the smallest note being only 50 Kwacha which buys virtually nothing.

We went to VSO’s office in the capital and at the reception there were various local dishes to try including caterpillar which was pretty chewy and tasteless so one to avoid if I can.  VSO managed to fast track us through the work permit process so we all now have passport like permit books and are officially allowed to work here for the next two years.  There have been various induction sessions, some about our placements and others on the history, culture and economy of Zambia involving guest speakers.  The most interesting was on the current HIV and AIDS situation in the country which was really given a human face by two activists talking about their experiences of being HIV+ and how this has affected their lives.

The social side of the week has been good. We met most of the current VSO volunteers based in Zambia at a Braii (BBQ) held at a volunteer’s house in Lusaka (if my house is as nice then I will be happy).  The Commonwealth Centre has a bar so we have familiarised ourselves with the local beer with Mosi seeming to be the favourite choice here.  Then we got all dressed up for a reception at the British High Commission where we met the High Commissioner for Zambia, her deputy and a few other staff from DFID.  Without the warm evening air and the odd mosquito flying around, we could have been anywhere as we enjoyed numerous canapés, wine and a few gin and tonics, and just about left before we caused too much embarrassment.

Zambian customs #1 - Clapping

Why applaud someone when a kilo will do? Rather than clapping people if the speech or presentation has been well received then Zambian’s will offer them a kilo. This involves three quick claps, followed by a further three quick claps and finished off with a single clap. Try it at your next meeting!

Packing and panicking

Random thoughts . . . packing, packing and more packing, decisions on what to leave behind after I had been given so many presents; am I taking the right things? what to wear that work, what’s the weather going to be like, where will I be living?; before all that there was more packing but this time boxing up everything in my house, finding space for it in the loft, in others’ homes (thank you) or just giving things away, how did I manage to accumulate so much?; some serious stuff too like renting out the house, bills and more bills, doing a will; so little time and too much to do; I must have forgotten something; anxious, nervous, worrying; then there were the goodbyes with friends and family, everyone being far too generous, very touching and very hard; but lots of promises of visits!