Life in Zambia

Sometimes you just have to commit to saying yes.  That has been my main focus over the past couple of weeks.  I don’t care if I’m tired or feeling lazy.  Hey Josh, do you want to get up at 6am, drive 2 hours, watch volleyball outside all day, and then drive 2 hours back home?  Yes, please.  Hey Josh, do you want to come watch some cultural singing and dancing, and probably be asked to join in the dancing?  Why not (perhaps more hesitantly… I have two left feet).  Hey Josh, do you want to join me at the Yellow House (the local watering hole) and possibly drink a few too many Castle’s?  OK, that one was easier to say yes to.  Jim Carrey may have taken it a bit too far in “Yes Man,” but the point is to experience the things around you.  Africa is not the place you go to say no to new experiences.  I’m here to go to the daily 6am mass when my friend Busiku invites me.  I’m here to find any bit of work I can do for the college, even if that means having a disorganized schedule with a bit too much free time. 

James, me, and Godfrey at the Yellow House (two of the CLCE Lecturers)

me and Busiku (with Busiku's sunglasses)

The men's and women's volleyball teams from CLCE

These shorts are too great not to share

Speaking of free time and being “bored,” I was able to have an inspirational conversation with Raymond Reyes (every conversation with Raymond seems to be inspirational and uplifting).  Raymond, one of my Zambia study abroad professors in 2011, stopped to visit CLCE on his way home from Keyna and Malawi.  Along with Fr. Sebastian, Fr. Kabwe, and Katy (the Seattle U. student), we talked about the challenges that accompany traveling to a new and unique place.  I have struggled at times to occupy my free time.  Not only does Zambia have a completely different culture, but also an entirely different sense of time.  Life moves at a different pace in this part of the world.  I am working on accepting the position that I’m in, which means transforming my “boredom” into reflection, research, reading, or simply relaxing (funny how they all ended up beginning with “r”).  This was all put into perspective when Raymond and Fr. Sebastian discussed the 30-day period of silence that Jesuits have to undergo.  

Raymond and I

There is a really cool article that has been floating around recently (check it out if you haven’t already… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-bartolotta/happiness-tips_b_3956114.html).  The first point asks us to “Stop Believing in Your Bullshit.”  Because of our insecurities or fears, “we all have dreams inside of us that we’ve tucked away because somewhere along the line we tacked on those ideas about who we are that buried the essential brilliant, childlike sense of wonder.”  When you fail to do something, or go somewhere (maybe Africa?), then you miss out on important, and most likely transformative, life experiences.  I didn’t let myself think it before traveling, but I am scared.  When traveling alone thousands of miles from home, you’d be crazy to think that you’re completely safe and in control.  I have lost my cool from time to time in the last two weeks (especially when I was in bed sick all day yesterday... feeling better now), but then I remember why I came back to Zambia and how important this adventure will be for my life going forward.   I love learning about, and experiencing, new cultures.  The only way you can do that is by dropping yourself right in the middle of something new. 

I am still not sure about my long-term schedule.  If my workload (or lack of) means that I fail to continue being a productive member of the college, then I will be on my way.  This has been my plan from the start, so we’ll just see how things go.  Let’s see what immigration thinks about this when I try to get my Passport stamped after 30 days.  When the time comes, leaving my Charles Lwanga family will be extremely difficult.

My schedule now includes a Friday afternoon literacy program.  This program has local grade school children come to Charles Lwanga on Friday afternoons.  The college students work on language skills with the learners they are paired with.  This is a really important program, and the college is focused on improving and strengthening the impact that these learning sessions have on the children (as well as the college students).  I look forward to contributing in any way possible.  The sports program took a step forward yesterday (3 October).  A contractor from Lusaka came to give an estimate on the tennis court site.  Once we get two more estimates early next week, the building process will begin.  I am also in talks with the Vice Principal about teaching a class/workshop on a specific topic within the area of social studies.  I'm not sure what I will teach, or when, but the next step is to work on aligning my topic with what is currently being taught at the college.  Let's see if I remember how to teach!  

Mrs. Daka, a lady who works at the college and is giving me cooking lessons, has given me my Tonga name (Tonga is the local language).  I am now referred to as Chabota, which means good/nice.  I’ll take it.  In addition to Chabota, I am called Mzungu, which literally means white man.  Hey, at least I know they are talking about me when I hear this name (I’m generally the only white person around).  Just to clarify, this is not a derogatory term.

Mrs. Daka teaching me how to cook (or she's doing all the cooking...)

Father Kabwe had a great message at mass last week.  He pointed out that we are given the gift of compassion.  What a gift to receive!  We all have it, even though that sometimes doesn’t seem to be the case.  With so many people struggling, failing to utilize this gift is the definition of selfishness.  We are also given the gift of speech, which should be used to comfort others.  In the past year, I have personally seen just how impactful this gift can be.  You don’t have to be religious to believe these two ideas; you just have to be alive.  In the Zambian culture, failing to ask someone how he or she is doing (I’m working on the Tonga version of this … Mulibuti) is seen as being disrespectful.  What a simple way to show somebody you care.

Pictures of snow back home in Wyoming have actually made me a little homesick.  That will happen when you are in the heart of Africa, and October is the hottest month of the year.  You always want what you don’t have, and snow is definitely on my wish list.

I hope you enjoyed this entry! As always, if you have any questions or comments, I love receiving
e-mails (and I respond every time!)  

Josh (Chabota)
joshdube6@gmail.com

I am in need of a good shoe shine