101.

It’s been over a month and I’m still trying to find the right words to describe this whole experience.  For now, I figured these were some things you should know about life here in Zambia:

1.  I am temporarily staying with the Banda family in Luanshya (a very small town where our 2^nd school is located).  There are 6 of us staying in the house: John and Charity (who run Haven of Hope), their 5 year old son, Daniel, their niece, Womba and their nephew, Adolf.
2. It’s cold here.  Really cold.  From 18:00 when the sun goes down till about 10:00 the next day you can find me bundled up in as many layers as possible.  This is because we are currently in Zambia’s “winter,” although it works more like America’s fall in that some of the trees lose their leaves and it’s quite windy.
3. There are people walking EVERYWHERE at EVERY minute of the day.  Children walking to school, woman carrying giant bundles on their head, men making their way to the mines, or friends just passing time.  Hiking (aka hitch-hiking) is quite common in Zambia, and there are always truck beds filled to capacity with people coming to and from work.
4. When you don’t feel like walking, you hail a taxi for a whopping $0.60.  There are legit taxis and then random people with cars who want to make some extra cash.  They honk at you to let you know they have an open seat and then continue honking during the drive until their car is full.  These cars generally have broken window shields due to the poor road conditions and the passenger’s side is usually covered in stickers supporting the driver’s favorite football team.
5. Nshima is the staple meal in Zambia.  It’s ground up maize that is then made into “cakes” that look like mashed potatoes but are thicker.  You eat this with your hands and dip it into the “relishes” of meat or vegetables.  Most people in Zambia eat nshima twice a day if they can afford it, and consider any other meal without it just a snack.
6. There are over 73 tribes in Zambia, many of which are known for a specific type of strange food that they eat.  For example, the Bembas are known for eating monkeys and the Nsengas for eating rats, although most people don’t actually follow these traditions.  The other day, I was asking our students which tribe their families come from and a large majority said Bemba (the most common tribe in our part of Zambia).  John, a child from the Chirwa tribe, jokingly said we should start buying monkeys to cook at school so that all our Bemba students would be happy.
7. Because of the many different tribes, most Zambians can speak 3-4 different languages, depending on their family’s tribal heritage.  I always cringe when people ask me how many languages I can speak.  Oh America and our “we only need to know English!” mindset.
8. Zambian time is MUCH different than American time.  If you know me at all, you know that I’m pretty much always late; but here, I’m pretty much always early.  Because in Zambia, being on time is being early and being 15 minutes late is being on time.  The pace of life is completely different and most people knock off (end their day) by 16 or 17 hours.  The rest of the night is devoted to resting, working in the garden, playing and eating dinner.
9. Everyone wants to go to America.  Even in the poorest communities, you will see satellite dishes outside mud homes, and these people are mostly watching American television.  Because they admire America so much, EVERYONE wants to get to know me.  I’ve already had multiple taxi drivers ask for my number so that we can be friends and I can tell them all about America.  For an introverted girl, this is a strange phenomenon.
10. An average teacher’s salary at the government schools is 1.5 million kwacha, or about $300 a month.  Before taxes.
11. HIV/AIDS is still extremely high in Zambia, but most people still don’t talk about it.  There are still many myths surrounding the virus, which keeps people from getting the help that they need.  Many people are afraid to admit that they are HIV positive, but I was blessed the other day to have a new friend open up to me about her status.  It was not easy, but knowing that she trusted me enough to be honest was huge.  It’s hard to wrap your mind around a disease that causes so much devastation.
12. A major backlash of HIV/AIDS is the millions of orphans left in its wake.  It is extremely common for children to move from house to house, living with extended family members temporarily until a better situation is found.  The family unit is extremely strong in Zambia, and it often makes asking a child about their family very complicated.  For example, if I ask a student how many brothers and sisters he has, he’ll most likely count all of his cousins and any other children that live in his household.
13. Zambian people are the strongest people I’ve ever met.  Physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally.  If you could see the conditions some of these people live in, or could hear their stories, you would be dumbfounded.  And yet, they are the friendliest people in the world.  They ALWAYS have smiles on their faces.  They sing the most beautiful songs you’ll ever hear.  And they dance with more joy than I’ve ever seen. 

So there you go.  A quick glimpse into my world.  I truly believe I was made for this place; or it was made for me.  I have not once felt uncomfortable or regretted the decision to move here.  I love everything about my new life in Zambia, and I can’t believe I get to call it home.  I am making true, trustworthy friends that I can be myself around, I am learning something new every day, and I am blessed with the ability to come alongside our teachers and students to help them reach the next level in education.  God is good and I’m so excited to continue sharing this journey and this place with all of you!