Thursday 10/30/08
Mike has some funny stories about this “smelter” of theirs. He came home for lunch today and told me that he had told the guys there that they had to have an over shoot of some sort for the launders in case there’s a plug there has to be some place for all this hot metal that’s coming down the shoot to go. Next time he checks they have built a shoot which comes off the launder and just goes out into space 50 ft up in the air and would drop the hot metal on a concrete slab below where people walk all the time!! There would be no warning or anything. You’re just walking along and 2 tons of metal at 2000 degrees drops on your head! Oh hello! Now if you thought that was funny, listen to this. They got this guy who’s a welder, OK. Mike walks by him and he’s welding away, but he has no eye protection from the welder’s flame which can actually blind you in seconds. So the guy opens his eyes, sees what he wants to weld next, then closes his eyes and lets go with the torch!! A few seconds later he stops the torch and sees how his weld is going, then he closes his eyes again and starts the flame up! Are you picturing this, no welder’s head gear at all. Actually the Indians just think of the Zambians as expendable. If he goes blind they’ll just replace him tomorrow. Unbelievable. As for me, I’m just blogging and washing floors, cleaning house and having a low profile!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Grandma's Journal 10/29/08
Wednesday 10/29/08
Mike worked and I cleaned house all morning (yes we have no maid any more and I’m much happier) and then played Mah Jong in the afternoon. This is usually a Tuesday/Thursday tradition, but that’s because nobody wants to play tomorrow because it is election day and there could be riots, etc. I don’t think so, not in Chingola. Possibly the bigger cities, but why on election day, I think the only problem will be the day after when they have counted the votes. We are supposed to play on Friday (the day after). They told us in Church on Sunday to be home by 5 pm this week and stay off the streets. Of course he is mostly thinking about those in Kitwe… it’s a bigger town. We went out to dinner with Dennis, Suzanne and Bob ‘cause Bob is leaving on Friday. I think he wanted to get rid of his Kwatcha.
Mike worked and I cleaned house all morning (yes we have no maid any more and I’m much happier) and then played Mah Jong in the afternoon. This is usually a Tuesday/Thursday tradition, but that’s because nobody wants to play tomorrow because it is election day and there could be riots, etc. I don’t think so, not in Chingola. Possibly the bigger cities, but why on election day, I think the only problem will be the day after when they have counted the votes. We are supposed to play on Friday (the day after). They told us in Church on Sunday to be home by 5 pm this week and stay off the streets. Of course he is mostly thinking about those in Kitwe… it’s a bigger town. We went out to dinner with Dennis, Suzanne and Bob ‘cause Bob is leaving on Friday. I think he wanted to get rid of his Kwatcha.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Hey Bonnie, this one's for you! We actually to have indoor plumbing. The weird thing is that you have one room which has nothing but a toilet in it, then the "wash" room is out the door and into the next room. There you find a wash basin, medicine cabinet and a tub. Not fancy, but we're sure glad we have them!
Tuesday 10/28/08
OK remember the young man we met at church on Sunday and gave a ride home. He showed up at my gate this a.m. saying that his little 2 wk old baby girl died this morning. He wanted me to give him k450, 000 to buy a coffin. I was so upset and I didn’t know what to do. In the church we have a really well regulated system that handles these things. However, when we are so far away from each other in this country, it’s really hard. I got on the phone and called the Branch President. Thank Heaven (and I mean that) he answered his phone. He called the District President who then called me back. He talked to me a little and asked to speak the young man. They spoke and DP said he would call back. The DP called back and told me he could not find his records and wanted to talk with him again. They spoke for awhile and the man gave DP more information about this church service, where he lived and attended and many other things. I fed this guy and sat with him and tried to be comforting. Mike was at work, I had no car, I didn’t have any minutes left on my phone, and Mike was at work. Then a priesthood leader from Lusaka called twice. He had a long talk with me and then Mike came home in the middle of our talk. He told Mike and me that all of the things he had told him on the phone were lies. He was able to research everything he had said about where he lived and attended church, where he was baptized, etc. and none of it was true, so probably his baby had not died either and he was just trying to con us out of money. l was so upset; it was such an emotional strain. The man from Lusaka said that we should follow our heart, but he thought it was a con. We give the man more food but no money and put him in the car and drove him to his neighborhood and told him to get out of the car. I was so emotionally drained I came home and cried. Mike said he know there was something off about him from last Sunday, but wasn’t sure what it was. When I think back about our conversation in the car on the way home from church on Sunday, I realize there were a lot of lies there too. What a sad story to tell. Live and learn I guess, but I still feel sorry for them. I actually wanted to go to the house and see the baby myself and then really yell and tell him off, but Mike said no, we will just drop him off at the beginning of his neighborhood and tell the guards to never let him in again. Sad.
OK remember the young man we met at church on Sunday and gave a ride home. He showed up at my gate this a.m. saying that his little 2 wk old baby girl died this morning. He wanted me to give him k450, 000 to buy a coffin. I was so upset and I didn’t know what to do. In the church we have a really well regulated system that handles these things. However, when we are so far away from each other in this country, it’s really hard. I got on the phone and called the Branch President. Thank Heaven (and I mean that) he answered his phone. He called the District President who then called me back. He talked to me a little and asked to speak the young man. They spoke and DP said he would call back. The DP called back and told me he could not find his records and wanted to talk with him again. They spoke for awhile and the man gave DP more information about this church service, where he lived and attended and many other things. I fed this guy and sat with him and tried to be comforting. Mike was at work, I had no car, I didn’t have any minutes left on my phone, and Mike was at work. Then a priesthood leader from Lusaka called twice. He had a long talk with me and then Mike came home in the middle of our talk. He told Mike and me that all of the things he had told him on the phone were lies. He was able to research everything he had said about where he lived and attended church, where he was baptized, etc. and none of it was true, so probably his baby had not died either and he was just trying to con us out of money. l was so upset; it was such an emotional strain. The man from Lusaka said that we should follow our heart, but he thought it was a con. We give the man more food but no money and put him in the car and drove him to his neighborhood and told him to get out of the car. I was so emotionally drained I came home and cried. Mike said he know there was something off about him from last Sunday, but wasn’t sure what it was. When I think back about our conversation in the car on the way home from church on Sunday, I realize there were a lot of lies there too. What a sad story to tell. Live and learn I guess, but I still feel sorry for them. I actually wanted to go to the house and see the baby myself and then really yell and tell him off, but Mike said no, we will just drop him off at the beginning of his neighborhood and tell the guards to never let him in again. Sad.
Here's a pic of one of the babies in our nursery. Isn't he cute? To get an idea of size, he is on the wall at the top where it joins the ceiling and that is "crown molding" so to speak. We had one on our bed last night. I think I blogged that. Anyway they are really cute. Probably find one in our luggage when we come home!Grandma's Journal 10/17/08
Monday 10/27/08 (Mike’s B-Day)
Mike got so many birthday emails it was amazing! He was thrilled! Made his day! He worked sporadic hours today. They told him he would be working nights for a few nights. Yuk! They started the smelter after some sort of religious ceremony by the Indians. He said it had something to do with praying for a good start up and they broke coconuts at the end. The start up went really well. When he left to come home he said you had better turn the burners down or you’ll have a foam over. They acted like he didn’t know what he was talking about. He came home and in the middle of the night got a call saying they had a foam over. “Told ya so, told ya so! Maybe after a few more of these incidents they’ll actual listen to the expert!
Mike got so many birthday emails it was amazing! He was thrilled! Made his day! He worked sporadic hours today. They told him he would be working nights for a few nights. Yuk! They started the smelter after some sort of religious ceremony by the Indians. He said it had something to do with praying for a good start up and they broke coconuts at the end. The start up went really well. When he left to come home he said you had better turn the burners down or you’ll have a foam over. They acted like he didn’t know what he was talking about. He came home and in the middle of the night got a call saying they had a foam over. “Told ya so, told ya so! Maybe after a few more of these incidents they’ll actual listen to the expert!
Grandma's Journal 10/26/08
Sunday 10/26/08
We hadn’t been to church in a couple of weeks and were really missing it. Mike was told that the smelter start up would be Sunday, so I figured we wouldn’t be going again. (He had to work last Sunday too.) Then late Saturday night he got a phone call saying that they were going to wait until Monday (Mike’s B-Day) to start. Sooooo yeah! We got to go. They have RS and PH first, then Sun School and then Sacrament meeting, starting the block at 10:00 a.m. The senior missionaries were there and we got to meet them after having only talked on the phone previously. They are from Vernal and very nice people. She is only about 4’10”. They brought their son with them; he is Down’s syndrome, but functions really well and is assigned to this one brother who has trouble walking. He helps him from room to room, etc.
Every sister in RS “greets” you. The say hello and shake your hand before and after the meeting. The minute the RS started singing the opening song I felt the spirit. Their singing (without accompaniment by the way) is so beautiful. The sing harmony on the hymns and everything. They make up their own harmony. It’s just beautiful. RS president gave a good lesson. She is so nice and bubbly and she was telling some of us after church that she used to be so shy she wouldn’t talk to anyone, especially strangers and since she joined the church she now gives talks, lessons, talks to everyone she meets in the street, etc.
We sat next to a young man who lives in Chingola and offered him a ride home. He mentioned that his family didn’t have any food. We stopped at our house and picked up some Millie Meal and water and stuff and took him home. We went in and met his wife and two daughters. One toddler, so cute, and a 2 wk old baby. I held the baby while she slept. Their whole house was only slightly larger than my dinning room, and so clean. Very old paint, furniture, etc., but scrubbed clean every where.
We came home and we were lazy the rest of the day!
We hadn’t been to church in a couple of weeks and were really missing it. Mike was told that the smelter start up would be Sunday, so I figured we wouldn’t be going again. (He had to work last Sunday too.) Then late Saturday night he got a phone call saying that they were going to wait until Monday (Mike’s B-Day) to start. Sooooo yeah! We got to go. They have RS and PH first, then Sun School and then Sacrament meeting, starting the block at 10:00 a.m. The senior missionaries were there and we got to meet them after having only talked on the phone previously. They are from Vernal and very nice people. She is only about 4’10”. They brought their son with them; he is Down’s syndrome, but functions really well and is assigned to this one brother who has trouble walking. He helps him from room to room, etc.
Every sister in RS “greets” you. The say hello and shake your hand before and after the meeting. The minute the RS started singing the opening song I felt the spirit. Their singing (without accompaniment by the way) is so beautiful. The sing harmony on the hymns and everything. They make up their own harmony. It’s just beautiful. RS president gave a good lesson. She is so nice and bubbly and she was telling some of us after church that she used to be so shy she wouldn’t talk to anyone, especially strangers and since she joined the church she now gives talks, lessons, talks to everyone she meets in the street, etc.
We sat next to a young man who lives in Chingola and offered him a ride home. He mentioned that his family didn’t have any food. We stopped at our house and picked up some Millie Meal and water and stuff and took him home. We went in and met his wife and two daughters. One toddler, so cute, and a 2 wk old baby. I held the baby while she slept. Their whole house was only slightly larger than my dinning room, and so clean. Very old paint, furniture, etc., but scrubbed clean every where.
We came home and we were lazy the rest of the day!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Grandma's Journal 10/23/08
Today is Thursday and it was my favorite day in Africa. It was because of the weather. It was cloudy which brought the temperature down to around 76. It was very humid, and at that temperature I love the humidity. It was simply beautiful to look at and beautiful to feel. After lunch I took Grandpa to work so that I could have the car. Tuesdays and Thursdays a group of us women play MahJong. (Suzanne had to teach me). It really fun to play, but it's more about getting together as women really. There is me, the American; Suzanne, the Australian (but getting her US Citizenship when she gets back and living in Arizona); Sadna, the Eastern Indian with her red dot and henna tatoos, etc; and Dagma who is from South Africa. We have cookies and tea, coffee or hot chocolate (me). We all get along well and laugh a lot. The three of them do spinning at the gym four mornings a week. I haven't started that yet! Of course I'm older than all of them. It is very nice to have some companionship rather than just staying home alone all day. Of course I have sort of a relationship with my Guard Sarah, which none of them have. Sarah and I laugh a lot together. Her 9 mo old son has Malaria right now, but has medicine and is getting better every day. I'm so glad.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
This is the fireplace. There are two candles of different heights (like you can't figure that out on your own). The pictures on each side are so pretty. My friend Cindy, who has already left the area gave them to me. The pictures are of black women in costume. The face is done in black paper sillhoette (sp?). The rest of the picture is entirely done in bird feathers and they are so pretty! I'll have to take a close up.
OK, here's the living room from the opposite direction, looking into the door to the dinning room and then the kitchen is past the dinning room. We pretty much only use the "back" door, or the kitchen door. It is right on the driveway and closest to the garage, so we seldom use the front door. I forgot to mention in the last picture, that door that you see with the window in it is the door to the entryway. It is a room that is about as big as the dinning room, but currently empty. There are some roadside shops which sometimes sell sling type chairs and we have contemplated buying some so that we could sit in that room, it has lots of windows, and watch the rain when it comes in November. Haven't decided yet.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
This is our living room looking towards the front door from the dinning room. You can see the fireplace on ther left, painted black on the inside. Too bad this pic doesn't show off the rug more. I found it in Lusaka and I just loved the colors and pattern. Kind of stripey like a Zebra and warm brown and tans. Next I'll post a pic of the living room from the other end and a pic of the fireplace where the only decorations I have are placed.
This is our kitchen. Our little tiny washer and dryer. You can do about 2 pair of jeans and a shirt in one load. It's OK though. I'm really glad to have it. The refridgerator is on the right, the electric stove straight ahead with a really dirty oven and 2 burners that don't work, and the sink on the left where brown water comes straight from the tap! I don't think I have told everyone yet that we can't drink the water here, not even to brush teeth and if you saw it you wouldn't brush your teeth in it either. We have to constantly by water by the plastic bottle and I feel guilty about all the plastic trash in Zambia, but we would be way sick if we used the water. I have a large pot in which I boil water and then cool it and then run it through a filter system. I then store it in the plastic water bottles that I save. I use this water for boiling potatoes, or pasta, etc., but still don't drink it.
This is our dinning room. We still don't have anything on the walls or windows. I'm not sure we will be here long enough to worry about that. I bought the fabric in Lusaka and hemmed it up (by hand mind you). Put a runner on the table and on the white feather bedspead, which I hope to be able to bring home. Depends on a lot of factors like if we come straight home, if I leave all my clothes here, etc.
Grandma's Journal 10/22/08
Cleaned house, paid bills online, blah, blah, blah. Sounds boring. I'm posting some pics of the house next. You have to understand that it takes about 45 min just to get two pics into the blog. Talk about slow, and then I have to try several times 'cause the computer times out and we start all over again. It was a rather typical day today, the only different thing was that I gave the guard Sarah a ride into town because her little boy (9 mos) had to be taken to the doc. Seems he has malaria too. He's on meds now and is doing better, less fever. I'll post a pic of our "bednet" which we hope is keeping the flying bugs from us. We hope to have no mosquitos. Grandpa had to work until about 7 pm tonight. Bummer, he sure is tired. I think after this start up he needs to retire!
Grandma's Journal 10/21/08
Today I want to talk about my gardner. He works so hard with really crappy tools. I can't believe how much he has accomplised in this overgrown yard in the last week and a half. He has dug tree rings around all our trees (this is in Bermuda Grass mind you!), he has burned all the trash and leaves, he has cleared the ascending Bermuda Grass from the actual garden plots (of which there are 14. This is 14 times the size of my garden at home.) We are working on planting as the yard is plenty big enough to feed several families. I went early to the store today and brought him seeds; watermelon, onion, and cabbage, which was all I could find at the local store. I'll get more later. He came to me later on and told me he had a headache. I gave him 2 aspirin and told him to rest or sleep in the shade. He stayed for lunch (as Sarah the guard is usually in the mood to make him Nshema which is their staple). It's kind of like cream of wheat only with corn instead of wheat. Then he came to me again and said "Madame I don't have "power" to go home." I other words, which took me a few minutes and a few questions to understand, he was weak with a fever and couldn't walk all the way home. He asked for a ride. I had the car as I had taken Mike to work. I drove him home post haste hoping the whole time that he didn't have anything contageous. He said he thought he probably had Malaria, that he would get some medicine. I told him not to come tomorrow if he didn't feel well, all this stuff will wait. Anyway, he proceeded to give me directions to his home. Oh dear, it is so poor in his section of town out in the dusty, dry area. He's one of the "lucky" ones. He has a job and a cinder block house about the size of my dinning room. He makes k350,000 a month. That is about $105. He has a wife and 3 children. Mike's boss, Bob, has employed him for a long time and will pay him this month. We will start next month. We do give him tips every week, k20,000 here and there, but it's just sad. They are ready to have an election at the end of the month. The sitting president by the name of Sata, is president because he was vice and the president died of old age. They say the old president was pretty good. This Sata does not like foreigners. In fact he wants all foreigners to be paid the same as the Zambians. However, no one would come to teach them how to do everthing for such wages. It's insane. The man running against him is Banda. We hope he wins.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
OK you guys who've seen my paintings, I appologize. These are for Diana in California who wanted to see them.
The window is called window, oddly enough! It's just a broken window looking out over the fall.
The other is Mermaid and baby mermaid, which is actually a copy of another artist's idea, but I liked it so much I painted it anyway. More to come, I couldn't make any others download right now. Will try again later.
Monday, October 20, 2008
More for 10/20/08
I should publish a picture of my face right now. I'm having another of my fabulous allergic reactions (remember my eye, Jackie?). Not sure what is causing it. Could be the different soap they have here and I'm washing with, could be the new bottle of make up I opened (same brand, new bottle?). Could be the pineapple I ate on Saturday, that would explain the gigantic lip swelling, but probably not the eye swelling. Could be the new shampoo... Anyway, I'm not going to show you a pic 'cause it's really ugly. Trying some cortizone cream today and see where we go from there.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Now these are the eggs that we hope will hatch. I haven't checked lately to see if the babies we are seeing are coming from these eggs. Notice how clean the window sill is? On the right there is a more or less full grown gecko who was roaming around our kitchen for a few days. You can also see my fabulous flooring which is throught the entire house. White (should have used brown) linoleum with grey flecks and stripes.
Grandma's Journal 10/20/08
Thought that today I would write down some things that are different in Zambia compared to Utah.
Weather: The weather is nice all the time, except of course if you don’t like thunder storms. The storms they have here are truly awesome! It rains so hard that it looks like hail, but it’s just big rain drops bouncing off the grass and road. Then the frogs come out. They practically cover the back lawn. (They just live in the back, not out near the road.)
Locks: Locks are a big thing here. There are locks on all the doors...closet doors, bedroom doors, refrigerator and freezer doors, (I’m not kidding), dinning room doors, kitchen doors, etc. Literally all the doors. Oh I forgot the locks on the closet doors, yes; you can lock your shirts that are hanging in the closet. It’s because there is so much theft. However, I don’t judge the people because I don’t know what I would do if I were so poor and my children were hungry, so no judgment here. When the maid comes (OK it’s not that I am lazy, it’s just good for the economy and this is a really big house, and remember they don’t have vacuums here, except at the hotels). In fact, my maid is here right now and because I don’t know her I have had to put everything away and lock it in the closets! She is such a hard worker, but I’ve been warned that you cannot trust these people. I will make up my own mind on that one, probably after I’ve been ripped off several times, if it ever happens.
Driving: It’s a lot like Mexico or Puerto Rico, except you drive on the left! Lots of pot holes, like Utah. Just kidding, the roads are very bad; you could actually disappear in a pot hole here! It’s a good deterrent for speeding , however. The only roads that are in good condition are the ones between the cities. However, they are dangerous, two lane roads with lots of big trucks and buses. Passing can turn your hair gray! And if they have a wreck, it’s really a mess.
Morning: I’m very thankful that in Utah I don’t have a rooster next door. We had to get a fan that makes a lot of noise so the rooster doesn’t wake us, and he can’t tell time. Two a.m. is not morning!
Air Conditioning: These are units that hang on the wall and the motor is outside. We have one in the living room and one in the Master bedroom. They cool those rooms really well; the rest of the house is just hot.
Door handles: Most of the door handles are up high like they are in England. (Lots of English influence here.) And the handles are not the round kind you twist, but the straight handle that you push down.
Furniture: It all crap. But that’s OK I’m not going to live here forever. They believe in love seats, not couches, and overstuffed chairs. So in my “lounge” (oh yeah, that’s another difference, it’s not called living room, but lounge) I have two love seats and two overstuffed chairs.
Fireplace: OK I don’t understand this, but every house has a fireplace. I haven’t been here that long, but I can’t imagine why anyone would need one, it’s very warm here. There are no heaters in any houses. But, my guard came to my door yesterday wanting some hot water for tea because she was cold. It was probably 65 or 70 degrees.
Bed Nets: Every “white” person seems to own one. You don’t want to get malaria from the mosquitoes. I have only seen one mosquito since we have been in this new place. Yeah!
Aids: Every fourth person here has aids. So sad. Can’t tell who they are, everyone looks OK. I think there are international societies here that hand out medication for free.
Gate Guards: Everyone has a wall or fence totally around their property. Then when you are at the driveway gate, if the guard is not watching, you beep and he/she will come and open the gate for you, and the garage doors, if you have any, and you drive in. It’s funny; about 5 or 6 p.m. you hear a lot of beeping.
Television: We don’t have any. Maybe someday, who knows? Still waiting for the red tape to get finished. It’s only been a month after all. But really, we have only been asking for them to get it done for about 2 weeks, so not that long in Zambian time.
Trash pick up: You put your trash out in plastic bags, 30 gallon. They will only take 2 bags. Oh brother!
Growing Season: Everything grows here, and it blooms or ripens all year long!!
Grocery Shopping: Sometimes they have the things you need, and sometimes they don’t. If they are “out” of whatever you need, you go without. There is only one grocery store in Chingola. There is a produce market across the street, however. It has better produce but I never knew about it until my friend Suz took me Wednesday. It’s kind of scary back there, but the produce is better and they have it even tho the market may be out.
Wall Sockets: They are a different current, 220, I think. All of the sockets have switches on them so you can turn them on or off.
Bars: OK, not the kind when you’re thirsty, but the bars on the windows and doors. Every window and every door. Need I say more.
Burning: We burn our dead leaves, weeds, and some trash (what else are you going to do with it if they only allow 2 bags per week?)
Clothing: Many people have their clothing made, especially the beautiful African print dresses. You also cannot buy many ready made drapes or curtains, so you have them sown. There is not much selection of clothing in the shops. Most of it is made in China and the sizes are all small (and that lets me out).
Weight: I have seen only a one or two overweight people here. It was Mike and I!!! Just kidding, I meant Zambian people.
Transportation: I think part of why they are not overweight is that they walk everywhere. In the morning the neighborhood streets are full of people walking to work. There are also a lot of buses which they call “city” buses. That’s because the drive from one city to another. The actual cities are quite far apart with nothing in between except a few villages.
Geckos: We don’t have lizard eggs in our window sill in Utah, but we do here. Lots of little geckos hatching and running around the house. So cute! I love the little things. They are about 1 ½ inches long and cute as a button. Wish they could catch all the other bugs. Nothing terrible. A few roaches now and then, only 2 mosquitoes so far (but were not in the rainy season yet), and some very small jumping spiders. Oh well, got to feed the lizard population!
Pillowcases: The pillowcases here are smaller, and they fold over at the end kinda like a sandwich bag. Not the ziplock kind, but just the fold over kind. Keeps the pillow inside I guess, but I don’t remember ever seeing a pillow fall out of the pillow case. Don’t know…
Weather: The weather is nice all the time, except of course if you don’t like thunder storms. The storms they have here are truly awesome! It rains so hard that it looks like hail, but it’s just big rain drops bouncing off the grass and road. Then the frogs come out. They practically cover the back lawn. (They just live in the back, not out near the road.)
Locks: Locks are a big thing here. There are locks on all the doors...closet doors, bedroom doors, refrigerator and freezer doors, (I’m not kidding), dinning room doors, kitchen doors, etc. Literally all the doors. Oh I forgot the locks on the closet doors, yes; you can lock your shirts that are hanging in the closet. It’s because there is so much theft. However, I don’t judge the people because I don’t know what I would do if I were so poor and my children were hungry, so no judgment here. When the maid comes (OK it’s not that I am lazy, it’s just good for the economy and this is a really big house, and remember they don’t have vacuums here, except at the hotels). In fact, my maid is here right now and because I don’t know her I have had to put everything away and lock it in the closets! She is such a hard worker, but I’ve been warned that you cannot trust these people. I will make up my own mind on that one, probably after I’ve been ripped off several times, if it ever happens.
Driving: It’s a lot like Mexico or Puerto Rico, except you drive on the left! Lots of pot holes, like Utah. Just kidding, the roads are very bad; you could actually disappear in a pot hole here! It’s a good deterrent for speeding , however. The only roads that are in good condition are the ones between the cities. However, they are dangerous, two lane roads with lots of big trucks and buses. Passing can turn your hair gray! And if they have a wreck, it’s really a mess.
Morning: I’m very thankful that in Utah I don’t have a rooster next door. We had to get a fan that makes a lot of noise so the rooster doesn’t wake us, and he can’t tell time. Two a.m. is not morning!
Air Conditioning: These are units that hang on the wall and the motor is outside. We have one in the living room and one in the Master bedroom. They cool those rooms really well; the rest of the house is just hot.
Door handles: Most of the door handles are up high like they are in England. (Lots of English influence here.) And the handles are not the round kind you twist, but the straight handle that you push down.
Furniture: It all crap. But that’s OK I’m not going to live here forever. They believe in love seats, not couches, and overstuffed chairs. So in my “lounge” (oh yeah, that’s another difference, it’s not called living room, but lounge) I have two love seats and two overstuffed chairs.
Fireplace: OK I don’t understand this, but every house has a fireplace. I haven’t been here that long, but I can’t imagine why anyone would need one, it’s very warm here. There are no heaters in any houses. But, my guard came to my door yesterday wanting some hot water for tea because she was cold. It was probably 65 or 70 degrees.
Bed Nets: Every “white” person seems to own one. You don’t want to get malaria from the mosquitoes. I have only seen one mosquito since we have been in this new place. Yeah!
Aids: Every fourth person here has aids. So sad. Can’t tell who they are, everyone looks OK. I think there are international societies here that hand out medication for free.
Gate Guards: Everyone has a wall or fence totally around their property. Then when you are at the driveway gate, if the guard is not watching, you beep and he/she will come and open the gate for you, and the garage doors, if you have any, and you drive in. It’s funny; about 5 or 6 p.m. you hear a lot of beeping.
Television: We don’t have any. Maybe someday, who knows? Still waiting for the red tape to get finished. It’s only been a month after all. But really, we have only been asking for them to get it done for about 2 weeks, so not that long in Zambian time.
Trash pick up: You put your trash out in plastic bags, 30 gallon. They will only take 2 bags. Oh brother!
Growing Season: Everything grows here, and it blooms or ripens all year long!!
Grocery Shopping: Sometimes they have the things you need, and sometimes they don’t. If they are “out” of whatever you need, you go without. There is only one grocery store in Chingola. There is a produce market across the street, however. It has better produce but I never knew about it until my friend Suz took me Wednesday. It’s kind of scary back there, but the produce is better and they have it even tho the market may be out.
Wall Sockets: They are a different current, 220, I think. All of the sockets have switches on them so you can turn them on or off.
Bars: OK, not the kind when you’re thirsty, but the bars on the windows and doors. Every window and every door. Need I say more.
Burning: We burn our dead leaves, weeds, and some trash (what else are you going to do with it if they only allow 2 bags per week?)
Clothing: Many people have their clothing made, especially the beautiful African print dresses. You also cannot buy many ready made drapes or curtains, so you have them sown. There is not much selection of clothing in the shops. Most of it is made in China and the sizes are all small (and that lets me out).
Weight: I have seen only a one or two overweight people here. It was Mike and I!!! Just kidding, I meant Zambian people.
Transportation: I think part of why they are not overweight is that they walk everywhere. In the morning the neighborhood streets are full of people walking to work. There are also a lot of buses which they call “city” buses. That’s because the drive from one city to another. The actual cities are quite far apart with nothing in between except a few villages.
Geckos: We don’t have lizard eggs in our window sill in Utah, but we do here. Lots of little geckos hatching and running around the house. So cute! I love the little things. They are about 1 ½ inches long and cute as a button. Wish they could catch all the other bugs. Nothing terrible. A few roaches now and then, only 2 mosquitoes so far (but were not in the rainy season yet), and some very small jumping spiders. Oh well, got to feed the lizard population!
Pillowcases: The pillowcases here are smaller, and they fold over at the end kinda like a sandwich bag. Not the ziplock kind, but just the fold over kind. Keeps the pillow inside I guess, but I don’t remember ever seeing a pillow fall out of the pillow case. Don’t know…
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Zambian Guards
This is Columba and Sarah our guards. Sarah in the day and Columba at night. They are very nice. We hope they are very honest, they seem to be. We feed them all the time which makes them very happy. Columba had never had cantalope until last night when we gave him some, along with a roast beef sandwich. That's our green water tank in the background with a banana tree next to it.
Grandma's Journal 10/13/08
Another day in the life of a Zambian transplant. (By the way, I don't have time to proof read today, so whatever.) The day started out just great. A few mins after Mike left for work I locked myself out of the house. It's not like you can "break in" to any of these houses. Bars on the windows, double locks on the door, double doors. So we had to send out for help. (Actually, I didn't lock myself out, it's just that when I closed the door, the inside lock fell down and locked itself.) Sarah, the guard for the daytime 6 to 6 shift suggested, after laughing a lot, that she go down the street to another guard she knows who has a radio. She did and they are talking on the radio to dispatch and laughing hysterically. "No...the Madame is outside the house...No the door is locked and the Madame is outside!" They were all thinking this is really funny. So they say they are going to send someone with a key. Well now the lock which locked itself automatically, doesn't have any key that I know of, I don't have a key to it. So, maybe they do. Approximately 2 and 1/2 hours later a guy shows up. He was very nice. He had tools and took a hammer and screw driver to the hinges and took the door off. Then put it back on once the "Madame" was inside the house! During all this the gardner we recently hired to clean the messy and trashy and leaf blown yard was raking and burning trash and leaves. We hired him to do a thorough cleaning of the yard and what we thought was a one time thing. Agreed to pay him K300,000. This was the price he asked. He doesn't speak very good English, is very hard to understand, even tho I was using Sarah, the guard. to help translate. (The company was supposed to have someone come and do this for us. They don't do much of what they say they're going to do. As a matter of fact I'm home this a.m. because the TV guy is supposed to come and set it up. It's know 1:30 pm and no one has come. If he comes this afternoon...too bad because I'm going with Sadna over the Suzannes and we are playing cards like some old bitties would do.) So anyway, this little, skinny, extremely soft spoken and humble man who looks like he hasn't had a good meal for days, is working in the yard. So Mike's at work and told Bob (his boss) that we agreed to do that. Bob had a fit because we were giving him too much money and he was ripping us off and k300,000 is how much he is supposed to make in a month, not in a few days. So I'm at Suzannes and Mike's at work and Bob comes to our house and gives him k50,000, fires the guy and tells Sarah not to every let him back into the yard. Bob also did this because Bob has a gardner that has nothing to do now that we own the tools and Cindy has left for the U.S. and Bob has to pay him anyway, so he wants William to work for us until the end of the month. Sarah tells us this after I pick up Mike and we get back home. Sarah has tears in her eyes. She said that she tried to explain that the gardner meant k300,000 for a month! We all misunderstood each other. I felt so bad, but explained that he was the boss and we didn't feel we could do anything about it. I keep thinking about him and how I wish he would come by and I would tell him sorry and give him some more kwatcha just 'cause I feel so bad!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Grandma's Journal 10/7/08
Tuesday 10/7/08
You should see how full the car is, what a riot! We went back to GAME today and bought a few more items we thought we would need. Remember how I said the next door neighbors have rooster, dogs, etc. that keep us up all night? Well Mike says let’s look at fans while we are here. So we find the fan display and I ask this nice gentleman if ye could plug it in for me, because I don’t want a fan, I want a noise make, and if you remember, mine was blown up shortly after we arrived in Zambia. It was hilarious. The guy takes the fan over to the exercise equip. area where they have a plug. I’m getting down close to the fan to see if it is loud enough to combat the noise next door. He thinks I want to see if it moves air well, and keeps turning it toward me so it can blow on me, and I’m bent over trying to hear the noise it’s making and we keep going around in a circle like that. We bought the fan! Drive back to Chingola, long drive, very tired. Got email from Jac, Sarah had her baby!! A boy! Maxwell! So excited! And so close to the due date. I think it was actually on her due date. That almost never happens.
You should see how full the car is, what a riot! We went back to GAME today and bought a few more items we thought we would need. Remember how I said the next door neighbors have rooster, dogs, etc. that keep us up all night? Well Mike says let’s look at fans while we are here. So we find the fan display and I ask this nice gentleman if ye could plug it in for me, because I don’t want a fan, I want a noise make, and if you remember, mine was blown up shortly after we arrived in Zambia. It was hilarious. The guy takes the fan over to the exercise equip. area where they have a plug. I’m getting down close to the fan to see if it is loud enough to combat the noise next door. He thinks I want to see if it moves air well, and keeps turning it toward me so it can blow on me, and I’m bent over trying to hear the noise it’s making and we keep going around in a circle like that. We bought the fan! Drive back to Chingola, long drive, very tired. Got email from Jac, Sarah had her baby!! A boy! Maxwell! So excited! And so close to the due date. I think it was actually on her due date. That almost never happens.
Grandma's Journal 10/6/08
Monday 10/6/08 (Sarah’s due date…)
Went shopping at the GAME store which is Zambia’s answer to Wal-Mart. Not even close. But we managed to spend the companies money to the tune of almost $2000. We had to by bedding, dishes, flatware, everything. We had three carts full going out of the store.
Went shopping at the GAME store which is Zambia’s answer to Wal-Mart. Not even close. But we managed to spend the companies money to the tune of almost $2000. We had to by bedding, dishes, flatware, everything. We had three carts full going out of the store.
Grandma's Journal 10/5/08
Sunday 10/5/08
Drove to Lusaka (about 5 hours). Of course the trip would not be complete without Mike being pulled over at the police check point. He came barreling down a hill and passing a truck when he saw the barrels which means…”Stop! There are cops ahead!” He was going really too fast and had to slow down in a hurry. Didn’t slow down fast enough and the cop saw how fast he was going. OK, so now they tell us we have to park the car, get out and leave the car while they transport us to the police station to pay a fine. Well Mike’s and old pro now. So he innocently says, “Can’t I just pay you officer?” The cop says no that he doesn’t have a receipt book. Mike said, “but, we are in an awful hurry going to Lusaka.” The cop then wants him to go into the “office.” OK the office is a storage pod along the highway. Mike goes in the private room and offers the guy k50,000 kwatcha (that’s about $15). The cop says no, no, two. So Mike gives him another k50,000. Then the cop says, “I need to buy some drinks.” So Mike gives him another k20,000. Then we were off and on our way!! Much better than being detained in the police station. I should start taking pictures of these incidents to put in the blot. Once in Lusaka we were lost for about 1 hr, then found our hotel. Got some lunch and laid by the pool. Pool water is much to cold to swim in, at least in this late afternoon hour. Grabbed some soup and sandwich and crashed. You should see this $200 a night hotel room. The bed is down feathers everywhere. Very soft and beautiful room. Fortunately the company is paying.... Just Heavenly.
Drove to Lusaka (about 5 hours). Of course the trip would not be complete without Mike being pulled over at the police check point. He came barreling down a hill and passing a truck when he saw the barrels which means…”Stop! There are cops ahead!” He was going really too fast and had to slow down in a hurry. Didn’t slow down fast enough and the cop saw how fast he was going. OK, so now they tell us we have to park the car, get out and leave the car while they transport us to the police station to pay a fine. Well Mike’s and old pro now. So he innocently says, “Can’t I just pay you officer?” The cop says no that he doesn’t have a receipt book. Mike said, “but, we are in an awful hurry going to Lusaka.” The cop then wants him to go into the “office.” OK the office is a storage pod along the highway. Mike goes in the private room and offers the guy k50,000 kwatcha (that’s about $15). The cop says no, no, two. So Mike gives him another k50,000. Then the cop says, “I need to buy some drinks.” So Mike gives him another k20,000. Then we were off and on our way!! Much better than being detained in the police station. I should start taking pictures of these incidents to put in the blot. Once in Lusaka we were lost for about 1 hr, then found our hotel. Got some lunch and laid by the pool. Pool water is much to cold to swim in, at least in this late afternoon hour. Grabbed some soup and sandwich and crashed. You should see this $200 a night hotel room. The bed is down feathers everywhere. Very soft and beautiful room. Fortunately the company is paying.... Just Heavenly.
Grandma's Journal 10/4/08
Saturday 10/4/2008
Wow! After Dennis and Bob came over yesterday and yelled at the contractors about our house not being finished, it made a big difference! They were there about 7:30 am. All work was done, they did a good job and now we can move in. Went to Kitwe and moved all our stuff up to Chingola. The house is a mess and dirty from the workers coming and going, but we are leaving it the way it is and going to Lusaka tomorrow. We are so tired. I took a sleeping pill and slept through most of the noise, and still tired, but Mike didn’t get much sleep.
Wow! After Dennis and Bob came over yesterday and yelled at the contractors about our house not being finished, it made a big difference! They were there about 7:30 am. All work was done, they did a good job and now we can move in. Went to Kitwe and moved all our stuff up to Chingola. The house is a mess and dirty from the workers coming and going, but we are leaving it the way it is and going to Lusaka tomorrow. We are so tired. I took a sleeping pill and slept through most of the noise, and still tired, but Mike didn’t get much sleep.
Grandma's Journal 10/3/08
Fri 10/3/08
Well, Mike did get the cash yesterday, but because we have been having so much trouble getting the house done, they set up a meeting at 9 am today, so we didn't go to Lusaka, but we did get a lot of work done on the house! The toilet is fixed, they put new workings in the toilet and it works well, they put a new (bigger, yeah) air conditioner in the living room, fixed the plug on the bedroom air, and worked until after dark. They finally went home and said they would be back tomorrow at 8 a.m. Mike and I borrowed a blanket and some soap from Suz ‘cause it’s way to scary to drive the 40 miles home in the dark, and we spent the night. OK, OK! I’ll tell you the pillow story, stop begging! We went downtown ‘cause we had decided to spend the night and we didn’t have any pillows. So we go to this shop downtown (I wish I could somehow explain to you how dirty these shops are, there is dirt and dust all over everything). We see these two pillows wrapped in plastic and holler over to the guy, “how much are the pillows?” He says K35,000 for the standard and K40,000 for the deluxe. Well we are pushing the dirty plastic and trying to decide which pillow would be best, softest, hardest, etc. So we decide to get one of each and see how we like them. Anyone who knows me knows that I have to sleep with at least 4 pillows for the pressure points, so it’s a good investment. We get home and I unwrap them and start laughing. The standard pillow is sort of filled with quilt batting and it’s not great, but it’s OK and then I open the “deluxe” pillow and you’ll never guess what it is filled with... Carpet padding!!! It’s been cut into little pieces!!!! I’m not freaking kidding! I was laughing so hard Mike came in to see what was going on. Carpet padding! OK, that was the funny part, but that night we got acquainted with the dogs, chickens and rooster next door!! (Not up close and personal or anything, but I am thinking about checking out the Zambian gun laws.) It was so loud we hardly slept a wink.
Well, Mike did get the cash yesterday, but because we have been having so much trouble getting the house done, they set up a meeting at 9 am today, so we didn't go to Lusaka, but we did get a lot of work done on the house! The toilet is fixed, they put new workings in the toilet and it works well, they put a new (bigger, yeah) air conditioner in the living room, fixed the plug on the bedroom air, and worked until after dark. They finally went home and said they would be back tomorrow at 8 a.m. Mike and I borrowed a blanket and some soap from Suz ‘cause it’s way to scary to drive the 40 miles home in the dark, and we spent the night. OK, OK! I’ll tell you the pillow story, stop begging! We went downtown ‘cause we had decided to spend the night and we didn’t have any pillows. So we go to this shop downtown (I wish I could somehow explain to you how dirty these shops are, there is dirt and dust all over everything). We see these two pillows wrapped in plastic and holler over to the guy, “how much are the pillows?” He says K35,000 for the standard and K40,000 for the deluxe. Well we are pushing the dirty plastic and trying to decide which pillow would be best, softest, hardest, etc. So we decide to get one of each and see how we like them. Anyone who knows me knows that I have to sleep with at least 4 pillows for the pressure points, so it’s a good investment. We get home and I unwrap them and start laughing. The standard pillow is sort of filled with quilt batting and it’s not great, but it’s OK and then I open the “deluxe” pillow and you’ll never guess what it is filled with... Carpet padding!!! It’s been cut into little pieces!!!! I’m not freaking kidding! I was laughing so hard Mike came in to see what was going on. Carpet padding! OK, that was the funny part, but that night we got acquainted with the dogs, chickens and rooster next door!! (Not up close and personal or anything, but I am thinking about checking out the Zambian gun laws.) It was so loud we hardly slept a wink.
Grandma's Journal 10/2/08
Thursday 10/2/08
Today’s my Mom’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mommy! We both went to Chingola today ‘cause furniture is supposed to be delivered today. They show up at about 10 to tell me there are no trucks until the truck returns from Ndola. That’s a 4 hr drive from here and I seriously doubt if it will even happen. They are supposed to fix the Geyser. OK 8 o’clock sharp they show up to fix the Geyser. This is a new record! They install the element, but wouldn’t you know today is a power share day and we have no power to test if the new pump or geyser is working. Power will be back on 2 pm, or how they say it here, 1400 hours. Electricians say they will be back at 2, but I’ll believe it when I see it... They came back, but couldn’t make living room air work. Mike supposed to get $2000 cash today so we can take off and go to Lusaka tomorrow to buy for the house. Who knows? Drove home in the dark, way too scary. Some if these people don’t even drive with headlights on! They are nuts!
Today’s my Mom’s birthday. Happy Birthday Mommy! We both went to Chingola today ‘cause furniture is supposed to be delivered today. They show up at about 10 to tell me there are no trucks until the truck returns from Ndola. That’s a 4 hr drive from here and I seriously doubt if it will even happen. They are supposed to fix the Geyser. OK 8 o’clock sharp they show up to fix the Geyser. This is a new record! They install the element, but wouldn’t you know today is a power share day and we have no power to test if the new pump or geyser is working. Power will be back on 2 pm, or how they say it here, 1400 hours. Electricians say they will be back at 2, but I’ll believe it when I see it... They came back, but couldn’t make living room air work. Mike supposed to get $2000 cash today so we can take off and go to Lusaka tomorrow to buy for the house. Who knows? Drove home in the dark, way too scary. Some if these people don’t even drive with headlights on! They are nuts!
Grandma's Journal 10/1/08
Wednesday 10/1/08
We both went to Chingola ‘cause Mike wanted me to get Bob’s computer with the internet. We went over at noon and got it. Electricians came by and outlets are OK, but my plug was bad. Mike emailed kids when we got back to Kitwe.
We both went to Chingola ‘cause Mike wanted me to get Bob’s computer with the internet. We went over at noon and got it. Electricians came by and outlets are OK, but my plug was bad. Mike emailed kids when we got back to Kitwe.
Grandma's Journal 9/30/08
Tuesday 9/30/08
I stayed home today because 1) I don’t feel well and 2) I don’t want to look at the Chingola house and be disappointed again. Mike hates the almost 1 hr drive everyday and I don’t blame him, but he will have to get tough with these people to get the house done so he doesn’t have that drive. If we ever get to Chingola, he’s close enough he could actually walk to work (just 5 or 6 blocks), or he could drive, or I could take him and have the car that day. We’ll see. Mike checked the house, nothing done. Bare wires still sticking into the plug for the air conditioner, etc, etc. I sat by the pool for about an hour today (don’t tell Dr. Galaria). Worked on an art project, read, rested (still coughing like crazy, but feel better today) and played solitaire. This is what I like about staying in Kitwe. When in Chingola I have a house that’s broken, no furniture, and nothing to do. Suz and Den came home and picked up Duke. Their luggage was lost on the way home. Pray they may find it. Mike was in the furnace today. When the got ready to open it up, there were a lot of guys there watching to learn. None had safety glasses, gloves, long sleeves. Mike just can’t believe the lack of safety here. He asked for the burners to be turned off, which is about a 5 min duty. It took almost an hour while he sat up there and waited. (In case you didn’t know it, my husband doesn’t like to wait.) He asked them to bring back some gloves and a leather jacket for his protection. After all he is going into a furnace!! They came back with no leather jacket and some gloves that were really inadequate. He went in and had to grab a hot cable with these inadequate gloves. He told Bob that these things have to change. They don’t even give these guys respirators. Bob let him use one of his. Soooo I’m thinking to myself does this mean that Mike will be the only one doing all the dangerous and hot work???
I stayed home today because 1) I don’t feel well and 2) I don’t want to look at the Chingola house and be disappointed again. Mike hates the almost 1 hr drive everyday and I don’t blame him, but he will have to get tough with these people to get the house done so he doesn’t have that drive. If we ever get to Chingola, he’s close enough he could actually walk to work (just 5 or 6 blocks), or he could drive, or I could take him and have the car that day. We’ll see. Mike checked the house, nothing done. Bare wires still sticking into the plug for the air conditioner, etc, etc. I sat by the pool for about an hour today (don’t tell Dr. Galaria). Worked on an art project, read, rested (still coughing like crazy, but feel better today) and played solitaire. This is what I like about staying in Kitwe. When in Chingola I have a house that’s broken, no furniture, and nothing to do. Suz and Den came home and picked up Duke. Their luggage was lost on the way home. Pray they may find it. Mike was in the furnace today. When the got ready to open it up, there were a lot of guys there watching to learn. None had safety glasses, gloves, long sleeves. Mike just can’t believe the lack of safety here. He asked for the burners to be turned off, which is about a 5 min duty. It took almost an hour while he sat up there and waited. (In case you didn’t know it, my husband doesn’t like to wait.) He asked them to bring back some gloves and a leather jacket for his protection. After all he is going into a furnace!! They came back with no leather jacket and some gloves that were really inadequate. He went in and had to grab a hot cable with these inadequate gloves. He told Bob that these things have to change. They don’t even give these guys respirators. Bob let him use one of his. Soooo I’m thinking to myself does this mean that Mike will be the only one doing all the dangerous and hot work???
Grandma's Discouraging Journal 9/29/08
Monday 9/29/08
Went to Chingola house today and I’m so discouraged. I guess my expectations are too high. I should just assume that we will never be able to move up there and then if we finally can, I will be pleasantly surprised. Most of the work they did on Friday doesn’t work today. The new water pump may or may not be working, but the water tank is leaking. They said they were going to replace the mechanism in the toilet, but they just “fixed” it and now it doesn’t work again. There is not water coming out of the kitchen tap on the hot side, which has been a problem since the beginning. I’m very discouraged and it doesn’t help that I don’t feel good. Mike worked and had meetings most of the day, but we had lunch at the Grill. He says that his pay is settled and he will be getting a check. Plus they are supposed to give us $2000 to buy stuff for the new house, but we’ve been trying to get it since we got here. I went to the store which terrifies me ‘cause it’s so hard to figure out the money. Then I spent a lot of time sitting in Suz’s house watching TV and playing with the dog. They are still out of town and she was kind enough to give me her keys because she knows how things go here. Her house is the only place I could feel at peace.
Went to Chingola house today and I’m so discouraged. I guess my expectations are too high. I should just assume that we will never be able to move up there and then if we finally can, I will be pleasantly surprised. Most of the work they did on Friday doesn’t work today. The new water pump may or may not be working, but the water tank is leaking. They said they were going to replace the mechanism in the toilet, but they just “fixed” it and now it doesn’t work again. There is not water coming out of the kitchen tap on the hot side, which has been a problem since the beginning. I’m very discouraged and it doesn’t help that I don’t feel good. Mike worked and had meetings most of the day, but we had lunch at the Grill. He says that his pay is settled and he will be getting a check. Plus they are supposed to give us $2000 to buy stuff for the new house, but we’ve been trying to get it since we got here. I went to the store which terrifies me ‘cause it’s so hard to figure out the money. Then I spent a lot of time sitting in Suz’s house watching TV and playing with the dog. They are still out of town and she was kind enough to give me her keys because she knows how things go here. Her house is the only place I could feel at peace.
Grandma's Journal 9/28/08
Sunday 9/28/08
Trouble breathing but we finally got a hold of the church and they had someone meet us in town and then ride with us to the meeting which was in a house that the church is renting. No air conditioner and Sacrament Meeting was outside under a tent on the patio. Sort of like a tent meeting! The meeting was excellent. Two wonderful brothers stood up and spoke without any notes and from the scriptures and the talks were so good, inspiring. Everyone is very friendly. Met with the District President after church. He says there is a missionary couple that will be in our area and they will be very glad we’re here. Of course Mike told him we would be glad to do anything and help in any way we can which translated means he will volunteer me for just about anything because he will be working all the time. Bad attitude I know, probably because I don't feel well. OK here’s one thing you don’t see in Sacrament Meeting in Utah…One little boy, about 2 gets up out of his chair and walks to the back of the congregation and then on up to the house and pees on the wall! He walks up to the wall and I look at his Dad and his Dad is shaking his head no, but he pees anyway. His Mom puts her face in her hands and shakes her head like what could possibly happen next. Oh well, what can you do? We were in the RS room, which is sort of the dinning room or living room of this house and there are some shelves up front. I look up and there is the Young Women’s motto taped to a piece of cardboard cut off from a box, and next to it is the Proclamation to the Family next to it on a piece of brown cardboard box. These people are so poor. But the church is true no matter where you go! I think we have decided to pay our tithing here instead of waiting till we get home and paying it in one lump sum. It came to both of us while in Sacrament Meeting and we talked about it after. These people need the money. We have to talk to them about getting reporting for our taxes and so forth.
Trouble breathing but we finally got a hold of the church and they had someone meet us in town and then ride with us to the meeting which was in a house that the church is renting. No air conditioner and Sacrament Meeting was outside under a tent on the patio. Sort of like a tent meeting! The meeting was excellent. Two wonderful brothers stood up and spoke without any notes and from the scriptures and the talks were so good, inspiring. Everyone is very friendly. Met with the District President after church. He says there is a missionary couple that will be in our area and they will be very glad we’re here. Of course Mike told him we would be glad to do anything and help in any way we can which translated means he will volunteer me for just about anything because he will be working all the time. Bad attitude I know, probably because I don't feel well. OK here’s one thing you don’t see in Sacrament Meeting in Utah…One little boy, about 2 gets up out of his chair and walks to the back of the congregation and then on up to the house and pees on the wall! He walks up to the wall and I look at his Dad and his Dad is shaking his head no, but he pees anyway. His Mom puts her face in her hands and shakes her head like what could possibly happen next. Oh well, what can you do? We were in the RS room, which is sort of the dinning room or living room of this house and there are some shelves up front. I look up and there is the Young Women’s motto taped to a piece of cardboard cut off from a box, and next to it is the Proclamation to the Family next to it on a piece of brown cardboard box. These people are so poor. But the church is true no matter where you go! I think we have decided to pay our tithing here instead of waiting till we get home and paying it in one lump sum. It came to both of us while in Sacrament Meeting and we talked about it after. These people need the money. We have to talk to them about getting reporting for our taxes and so forth.
Grandma's Journal 9/27/08
Saturday 9/27/08
Finally have full blown lung thing, probably from Mike’s head cold. Didn’t feel well at all. Took my meals at home and started on Cortisone inhaler. I don’t think it helps that we live right next door to a smelter!
Finally have full blown lung thing, probably from Mike’s head cold. Didn’t feel well at all. Took my meals at home and started on Cortisone inhaler. I don’t think it helps that we live right next door to a smelter!
Some pics
Above, in the distance, you can see the high school kids walking to school (left). On the right you have a typical Zambian Car Wash! They pile up rocks on the dirt so the water won't splash up and get the car dirty. No hoses are used, only water in buckets and rags. This will cost you 10,000 kwatcha, or about $3. By the time Mike "tips" them, they end up with about 30,000!Grandma's Journal 9/26/08
Friday 9/26/08
Came to the Chingola house today and Cindy had a maid for me. The poor girl scrubbed the WC and bathroom and then all of the floors on her hands and knees. I can’t believe how hard she worked all day, and all this for about $6. She didn’t have a babysitter so she brought her 4 yr old daughter with her. Oh my gosh, what a sweetheart. She wanted me to hold her all day, or hold her hand, but I was busy washing out all the bedroom cupboards and then had go to the store which took forever because it’s close to the end of the month and that means payday and the stores are packed. I bought her some crayons and some paper and showed her how to make a mark on the paper. Bought her some cookies too, you can plainly see them on her face in the picture. It was really cute. She spent the whole day there with nothing to do and never fussed or complained at all. She also never smiled which kinda bothered me. I couldn’t get her to. I took her picture and then showed her on the camera. She just kept staring at it in amazement. Most of the house is done. They put in a new water pump, the painting is finished. I had to chip all the sealing goop off the floor from where they sealed the ceiling. The toilet is fixed. The bedroom air is installed, but the electrician has to do his part and he also has to install a new element for the 2nd hot water tank, joyfully known here as a “geyzer”, but spelled Giezer (as in Old Faithful?).
Came to the Chingola house today and Cindy had a maid for me. The poor girl scrubbed the WC and bathroom and then all of the floors on her hands and knees. I can’t believe how hard she worked all day, and all this for about $6. She didn’t have a babysitter so she brought her 4 yr old daughter with her. Oh my gosh, what a sweetheart. She wanted me to hold her all day, or hold her hand, but I was busy washing out all the bedroom cupboards and then had go to the store which took forever because it’s close to the end of the month and that means payday and the stores are packed. I bought her some crayons and some paper and showed her how to make a mark on the paper. Bought her some cookies too, you can plainly see them on her face in the picture. It was really cute. She spent the whole day there with nothing to do and never fussed or complained at all. She also never smiled which kinda bothered me. I couldn’t get her to. I took her picture and then showed her on the camera. She just kept staring at it in amazement. Most of the house is done. They put in a new water pump, the painting is finished. I had to chip all the sealing goop off the floor from where they sealed the ceiling. The toilet is fixed. The bedroom air is installed, but the electrician has to do his part and he also has to install a new element for the 2nd hot water tank, joyfully known here as a “geyzer”, but spelled Giezer (as in Old Faithful?).
Grandma's Journal 9/29/08
Thursday 9/25/08Scrubbed the kitchen cupboards inside and out today. Felt good to get that much done anyway. They are painting and sealing the ceiling. Whatever. I didn’t think it needed painting and the whole process is making a mess. Still not much water, the toilet only works if you take the back off (not that I would ever touch the thing) to flush it. Maybe tomorrow…. Still have the dog; they will be back on Tuesday
Wednesday 9/24/08
Mike had a busy, frustrating day with Bill and trying to get more of the paper work and tests done for both of them. My day was better today. We arrived at the house about 8 am and it was hard to believe, many men there ready to work?????? They began painting the inside of the house and they painted the trim outside also. They were talking about painting the outside of the house. I told them I don’t think it needs it, ‘cause I just want them to be done and out of my way. It’s not really paint they are using, but some kind of white wash, which is good because it doesn’t smell. The outside trim stuff is actually paint. Get ready, here’s the funny of the day. The head Indian guy who’s in charge of air conditioning came and said he had an order to move the air out of the living room into the master bedroom. I said I thought they were going to put a new one in the bedroom, but “no that was not the order” he says. The young Zambian man that was working for him whispered to me when his boss wasn’t near, “if you insist, they will get you another one.” So I took out my cell phone, called Bob and asked him if we were supposed to get a second air conditioner and he said yes. I handed the phone to the Indian guy and let him talk to Bob. He was so shocked that I would have the clout to call Bob Foster! Of course now we have to have a new “work order” that will probably take days to get. I whispered to the young man and said “Thank You,” and he nodded. Anyway it will be good to have 2. It’s getting hotter now. They say next month is the hottest of the year. Would like to mention what the temp was, but I don’t have a thermometer and I don’t have a TV to watch the news or weather. Went to Suz’s today and she let me use her computer. I was able to finally read all our email and pay bills. It was such a relief. Hope we can get Bob’s internet card on Friday. OK this is for Jackie. Went in the bedroom tonight and there was some sort of a bug along the baseboard, so I got out my trusty can of bug spray (they leave one in every room) and sprayed said bug. It then proceeded to “open up” and “stand up” and turned out to be a great big spider, kinda like a wolf spider. The really good thing is that it didn’t run. Just kinda struggled for awhile and then Mike flushed him. I was noticing today how many busses they have here. It’s either bus or walk for most people. The busses have no air conditioning so all the windows are open. What irritates me is you’re driving along and someone will throw his trash out the bus window. Today we brought Dennis and Suz’s dog home with us. They are out of the country on “holiday.” In other words, their visas are up and Den was working illegal so they have to go to So. Africa for a few days and then re-enter the country and get a new visa. I don’t know about this place. The dog is a sweetheart!
Mike had a busy, frustrating day with Bill and trying to get more of the paper work and tests done for both of them. My day was better today. We arrived at the house about 8 am and it was hard to believe, many men there ready to work?????? They began painting the inside of the house and they painted the trim outside also. They were talking about painting the outside of the house. I told them I don’t think it needs it, ‘cause I just want them to be done and out of my way. It’s not really paint they are using, but some kind of white wash, which is good because it doesn’t smell. The outside trim stuff is actually paint. Get ready, here’s the funny of the day. The head Indian guy who’s in charge of air conditioning came and said he had an order to move the air out of the living room into the master bedroom. I said I thought they were going to put a new one in the bedroom, but “no that was not the order” he says. The young Zambian man that was working for him whispered to me when his boss wasn’t near, “if you insist, they will get you another one.” So I took out my cell phone, called Bob and asked him if we were supposed to get a second air conditioner and he said yes. I handed the phone to the Indian guy and let him talk to Bob. He was so shocked that I would have the clout to call Bob Foster! Of course now we have to have a new “work order” that will probably take days to get. I whispered to the young man and said “Thank You,” and he nodded. Anyway it will be good to have 2. It’s getting hotter now. They say next month is the hottest of the year. Would like to mention what the temp was, but I don’t have a thermometer and I don’t have a TV to watch the news or weather. Went to Suz’s today and she let me use her computer. I was able to finally read all our email and pay bills. It was such a relief. Hope we can get Bob’s internet card on Friday. OK this is for Jackie. Went in the bedroom tonight and there was some sort of a bug along the baseboard, so I got out my trusty can of bug spray (they leave one in every room) and sprayed said bug. It then proceeded to “open up” and “stand up” and turned out to be a great big spider, kinda like a wolf spider. The really good thing is that it didn’t run. Just kinda struggled for awhile and then Mike flushed him. I was noticing today how many busses they have here. It’s either bus or walk for most people. The busses have no air conditioning so all the windows are open. What irritates me is you’re driving along and someone will throw his trash out the bus window. Today we brought Dennis and Suz’s dog home with us. They are out of the country on “holiday.” In other words, their visas are up and Den was working illegal so they have to go to So. Africa for a few days and then re-enter the country and get a new visa. I don’t know about this place. The dog is a sweetheart!
Wednesday 9/24/08
Mike had a busy, frustrating day with Bill and trying to get more of the paper work and tests done for both of them. My day was better today. We arrived at the house about 8 am and it was hard to believe, many men there ready to work?????? They began painting the inside of the house and they painted the trim outside also. They were talking about painting the outside of the house. I told them I don’t think it needs it, ‘cause I just want them to be done and out of my way. It’s not really paint they are using, but some kind of white wash, which is good because it doesn’t smell. The outside trim stuff is actually paint. Get ready, here’s the funny of the day. The head Indian guy who’s in charge of air conditioning came and said he had an order to move the air out of the living room into the master bedroom. I said I thought they were going to put a new one in the bedroom, but “no that was not the order” he says. The young Zambian man that was working for him whispered to me when his boss wasn’t near, “if you insist, they will get you another one.” So I took out my cell phone, called Bob and asked him if we were supposed to get a second air conditioner and he said yes. I handed the phone to the Indian guy and let him talk to Bob. He was so shocked that I would have the clout to call Bob Foster! Of course now we have to have a new “work order” that will probably take days to get. I whispered to the young man and said “Thank You,” and he nodded. Anyway it will be good to have 2. It’s getting hotter now. They say next month is the hottest of the year. Would like to mention what the temp was, but I don’t have a thermometer and I don’t have a TV to watch the news or weather. Went to Suz’s today and she let me use her computer. I was able to finally read all our email and pay bills. It was such a relief. Hope we can get Bob’s internet card on Friday. OK this is for Jackie. Went in the bedroom tonight and there was some sort of a bug along the baseboard, so I got out my trusty can of bug spray (they leave one in every room) and sprayed said bug. It then proceeded to “open up” and “stand up” and turned out to be a great big spider, kinda like a wolf spider. The really good thing is that it didn’t run. Just kinda struggled for awhile and then Mike flushed him. I was noticing today how many busses they have here. It’s either bus or walk for most people. The busses have no air conditioning so all the windows are open. What irritates me is you’re driving along and someone will throw his trash out the bus window. Today we brought Dennis and Suz’s dog home with us. They are out of the country on “holiday.” In other words, their visas are up and Den was working illegal so they have to go to So. Africa for a few days and then re-enter the country and get a new visa. I don’t know about this place. The dog is a sweetheart!
Mike had a busy, frustrating day with Bill and trying to get more of the paper work and tests done for both of them. My day was better today. We arrived at the house about 8 am and it was hard to believe, many men there ready to work?????? They began painting the inside of the house and they painted the trim outside also. They were talking about painting the outside of the house. I told them I don’t think it needs it, ‘cause I just want them to be done and out of my way. It’s not really paint they are using, but some kind of white wash, which is good because it doesn’t smell. The outside trim stuff is actually paint. Get ready, here’s the funny of the day. The head Indian guy who’s in charge of air conditioning came and said he had an order to move the air out of the living room into the master bedroom. I said I thought they were going to put a new one in the bedroom, but “no that was not the order” he says. The young Zambian man that was working for him whispered to me when his boss wasn’t near, “if you insist, they will get you another one.” So I took out my cell phone, called Bob and asked him if we were supposed to get a second air conditioner and he said yes. I handed the phone to the Indian guy and let him talk to Bob. He was so shocked that I would have the clout to call Bob Foster! Of course now we have to have a new “work order” that will probably take days to get. I whispered to the young man and said “Thank You,” and he nodded. Anyway it will be good to have 2. It’s getting hotter now. They say next month is the hottest of the year. Would like to mention what the temp was, but I don’t have a thermometer and I don’t have a TV to watch the news or weather. Went to Suz’s today and she let me use her computer. I was able to finally read all our email and pay bills. It was such a relief. Hope we can get Bob’s internet card on Friday. OK this is for Jackie. Went in the bedroom tonight and there was some sort of a bug along the baseboard, so I got out my trusty can of bug spray (they leave one in every room) and sprayed said bug. It then proceeded to “open up” and “stand up” and turned out to be a great big spider, kinda like a wolf spider. The really good thing is that it didn’t run. Just kinda struggled for awhile and then Mike flushed him. I was noticing today how many busses they have here. It’s either bus or walk for most people. The busses have no air conditioning so all the windows are open. What irritates me is you’re driving along and someone will throw his trash out the bus window. Today we brought Dennis and Suz’s dog home with us. They are out of the country on “holiday.” In other words, their visas are up and Den was working illegal so they have to go to So. Africa for a few days and then re-enter the country and get a new visa. I don’t know about this place. The dog is a sweetheart!
Grandma's Journal 9/23/08
Tuesday 9/23/08
Today Mike and I were on our way to Chingola and Mike was going to give notice. Part of the way there Bob called and asked if he could meet us in Kitwe at our semi (that’s what they call a duplex). We turned around and drove back. Bob came and brought Mike his cell phone, told us they were coming today to put air conditioning in our bedroom in Chingola and the moving check is ready in the office. Then he said I could have his internet card on Friday when Cindy leaves ‘cause he doesn’t use it at home. He also said if that didn’t work then we should go ahead and sign the 1 yr contract and then just skip out in 6 mos. We felt better about the situation and will try a little longer. OK now the hilarious item of the day. Talked to Suz. She says her cleaning service calls and is all excited because they have a carpet cleaner and they are going to come and clean her carpet. So she says OK and wonders the whole time what they are going to bring with them because they don’t have carpet cleaners here, let alone vacuums. When my house guy comes to clean, he sweeps the carpet with a broom. They get there and it’s a shop vac!! They take the carpet outside and proceed to “vacuum” the carpet with this little tiny nozzle while she’s in the house cracking up. Really different life here. I kind of thought about buying a little CD player so I could have some noise in the house, but they cost about $90 here. We only have one channel on the TV at the moment because we are not going to pay for cable until we get up to Chingola. The one channel we get is the religious channel and they have different preachers on all day and night. Actually, some of them are pretty good, while some are just plain annoying. Bill Day got here today and is an old friend of Mike’s from Kennecott and they will be working together. Mike enjoyed reminiscing. Bill’s not in very good health and frankly I don’t think he is going to make it. Tried the internet café today and after waiting 15 min online to get into our email, we gave up and left. The guy was really nice and didn’t charge us. OK it’s an internet café, right? They have dial up! Driving me nuts to not be able to read email.
Today Mike and I were on our way to Chingola and Mike was going to give notice. Part of the way there Bob called and asked if he could meet us in Kitwe at our semi (that’s what they call a duplex). We turned around and drove back. Bob came and brought Mike his cell phone, told us they were coming today to put air conditioning in our bedroom in Chingola and the moving check is ready in the office. Then he said I could have his internet card on Friday when Cindy leaves ‘cause he doesn’t use it at home. He also said if that didn’t work then we should go ahead and sign the 1 yr contract and then just skip out in 6 mos. We felt better about the situation and will try a little longer. OK now the hilarious item of the day. Talked to Suz. She says her cleaning service calls and is all excited because they have a carpet cleaner and they are going to come and clean her carpet. So she says OK and wonders the whole time what they are going to bring with them because they don’t have carpet cleaners here, let alone vacuums. When my house guy comes to clean, he sweeps the carpet with a broom. They get there and it’s a shop vac!! They take the carpet outside and proceed to “vacuum” the carpet with this little tiny nozzle while she’s in the house cracking up. Really different life here. I kind of thought about buying a little CD player so I could have some noise in the house, but they cost about $90 here. We only have one channel on the TV at the moment because we are not going to pay for cable until we get up to Chingola. The one channel we get is the religious channel and they have different preachers on all day and night. Actually, some of them are pretty good, while some are just plain annoying. Bill Day got here today and is an old friend of Mike’s from Kennecott and they will be working together. Mike enjoyed reminiscing. Bill’s not in very good health and frankly I don’t think he is going to make it. Tried the internet café today and after waiting 15 min online to get into our email, we gave up and left. The guy was really nice and didn’t charge us. OK it’s an internet café, right? They have dial up! Driving me nuts to not be able to read email.
Grandma's Journal 9/22/08
Monday 9/22/08
Mike dropped me off at the house in Chingola in the a.m. and Cindy met me there. She brought me stuff from her house since she is moving. She is just the nicest person, so giving, although I would not want to be on the wrong side of Cindy. She can really tell you what is and what isn’t! I guess yesterday Bob and Dennis both blew up at the people in charge of getting our house ready, and getting Mike a cell, and getting us the $2000 we were promised to buy “linens” and several other reasons. However, today nothing was done again! The place is so dirty and so I finally broke down and bought all the cleaning stuff, broom, mop, soap, scrubbing stiff, bleach, gloves, etc. Cindy has a lady lined up to come and help me tomorrow. Then we tried again to get the internet. They told us to go to Microlite. They were not in, so we called. By the time we got back from Chingola this afternoon at 4, they called back and told us the prices. Expensive, but it is a must, then they said that you have to sign a year contract even on the month to month plan. That won’t work for us, so we went all day thinking that we had the internet problem solved, and once again, it won’t work. Mike and I had a long talk and decided it is just too hard. We have tried to be patient and gone in about a million directions trying to do everything that is necessary and that KCM asked us to do, but we get nowhere and are exhausted. Mike is also sick now with a head cold…probably from all the stress. He is going to tell them tomorrow that he will give 30 days notice. It’s just too hard. We have a good life at home without all this stress. Why go through this. Most of the things we have been running around doing for the last week could have been done before we even got here. Just tired of fighting so hard and not getting anywhere. We’ll see what they say tomorrow. Sad to leave Bob in a lurch and sad to leave our friends here, but Cindy is leaving this Saturday and Bob on Nov 1. Now I find out that Dennis and Suzanne will also be leaving Nov 1, so who will be here anymore? It’s going to be lonely. Oh well, we’ll see.
Mike dropped me off at the house in Chingola in the a.m. and Cindy met me there. She brought me stuff from her house since she is moving. She is just the nicest person, so giving, although I would not want to be on the wrong side of Cindy. She can really tell you what is and what isn’t! I guess yesterday Bob and Dennis both blew up at the people in charge of getting our house ready, and getting Mike a cell, and getting us the $2000 we were promised to buy “linens” and several other reasons. However, today nothing was done again! The place is so dirty and so I finally broke down and bought all the cleaning stuff, broom, mop, soap, scrubbing stiff, bleach, gloves, etc. Cindy has a lady lined up to come and help me tomorrow. Then we tried again to get the internet. They told us to go to Microlite. They were not in, so we called. By the time we got back from Chingola this afternoon at 4, they called back and told us the prices. Expensive, but it is a must, then they said that you have to sign a year contract even on the month to month plan. That won’t work for us, so we went all day thinking that we had the internet problem solved, and once again, it won’t work. Mike and I had a long talk and decided it is just too hard. We have tried to be patient and gone in about a million directions trying to do everything that is necessary and that KCM asked us to do, but we get nowhere and are exhausted. Mike is also sick now with a head cold…probably from all the stress. He is going to tell them tomorrow that he will give 30 days notice. It’s just too hard. We have a good life at home without all this stress. Why go through this. Most of the things we have been running around doing for the last week could have been done before we even got here. Just tired of fighting so hard and not getting anywhere. We’ll see what they say tomorrow. Sad to leave Bob in a lurch and sad to leave our friends here, but Cindy is leaving this Saturday and Bob on Nov 1. Now I find out that Dennis and Suzanne will also be leaving Nov 1, so who will be here anymore? It’s going to be lonely. Oh well, we’ll see.
Grandma's Journal 9/21/08
Sunday 9/21/08
Still haven’t found the church. Maybe next week. Woke up not feeling very well. Wanted to spend the day resting, but the smoke here in Kitwe is so bad between the smelter and the farmers burning leaves, fields, etc., I said to Mike, let’s go to Chingola and see if the air is any better. It was. On our way we listed to the Mormon Tab Choir CD and that made us feel a little better about it being Sunday and all. Also on our way we actually found the gas station that Mike owed the money to, and we paid them. That was surely a blessing from the Lord, because we were out in a part of town where we didn’t know where we were and all of the sudden there it was. Mike was so glad to get that off his chest. He is so honest that this had bothered him a lot because he had promised the man he would return with the money. When we got to Chingola, we measured all the rooms in our house to see if the furniture would fit. And measured the windows to see how much fabric and many curtains to buy. Ran into Suz and Dennis at the golf club when we went to lunch, but it was so crowded we left and went to the Hotel Protea and before ordering Bob called and said they would meet us there. They came and we had a wonderful lunch and visit. Then we drove back home. We hope to be in our house sometime next week. Cindy is going to ask her maid’s mother if she wants to come and help me clean (‘cause the cleaning boys obviously don’t know how) for 20 Kwatcha a day. I’ll probably work with her and we can knock it out in two days. We are supposed to get the bedroom furniture on Tue, but there are still a lot of problems with the house. Can’t believe how slow everything here moves. Today Bob said how sorry he was that the house was not ready right after we got here, but he’s going to tell some people to get on it. We need the toilet, fridge and hot water fixed! I tried to take some interesting pictures today, but I’ll have to go on a day by myself because Mike just doesn’t have the patience to stop every 15 min and turn around and get a good picture.
Still haven’t found the church. Maybe next week. Woke up not feeling very well. Wanted to spend the day resting, but the smoke here in Kitwe is so bad between the smelter and the farmers burning leaves, fields, etc., I said to Mike, let’s go to Chingola and see if the air is any better. It was. On our way we listed to the Mormon Tab Choir CD and that made us feel a little better about it being Sunday and all. Also on our way we actually found the gas station that Mike owed the money to, and we paid them. That was surely a blessing from the Lord, because we were out in a part of town where we didn’t know where we were and all of the sudden there it was. Mike was so glad to get that off his chest. He is so honest that this had bothered him a lot because he had promised the man he would return with the money. When we got to Chingola, we measured all the rooms in our house to see if the furniture would fit. And measured the windows to see how much fabric and many curtains to buy. Ran into Suz and Dennis at the golf club when we went to lunch, but it was so crowded we left and went to the Hotel Protea and before ordering Bob called and said they would meet us there. They came and we had a wonderful lunch and visit. Then we drove back home. We hope to be in our house sometime next week. Cindy is going to ask her maid’s mother if she wants to come and help me clean (‘cause the cleaning boys obviously don’t know how) for 20 Kwatcha a day. I’ll probably work with her and we can knock it out in two days. We are supposed to get the bedroom furniture on Tue, but there are still a lot of problems with the house. Can’t believe how slow everything here moves. Today Bob said how sorry he was that the house was not ready right after we got here, but he’s going to tell some people to get on it. We need the toilet, fridge and hot water fixed! I tried to take some interesting pictures today, but I’ll have to go on a day by myself because Mike just doesn’t have the patience to stop every 15 min and turn around and get a good picture.
Saturday 9/20/08
Called Jac and sang happy birthday. Talked for a few mins and then our phone ran out of minutes. Miss all the family a lot. We learned today that Bob, the guy who got Mike over here for the job, is leaving. He and Cindy (the two who picked us up from the airport) are taking a job in Uzbekistan! That’s just below Russia. They are paying him 1 million dollars for a 3 year contract. I think here he makes 250 thousand a year. I’m glad I’m not going, but I’m sad that Cindy is leaving. She has been a real friend during our short friendship. I am currently relying a lot on Suzanne, who is just a sweetheart and helps me with anything I need or need to know.
Called Jac and sang happy birthday. Talked for a few mins and then our phone ran out of minutes. Miss all the family a lot. We learned today that Bob, the guy who got Mike over here for the job, is leaving. He and Cindy (the two who picked us up from the airport) are taking a job in Uzbekistan! That’s just below Russia. They are paying him 1 million dollars for a 3 year contract. I think here he makes 250 thousand a year. I’m glad I’m not going, but I’m sad that Cindy is leaving. She has been a real friend during our short friendship. I am currently relying a lot on Suzanne, who is just a sweetheart and helps me with anything I need or need to know.
Grandma's Journal 9/19/08
Friday 9/19/08 – Jackie and Mikey’s birthdays.
Cindy Foster told me today that if you call someone stupid in Zambia the will either put you in jail or deport you! Still trying to figure out how to get the internet. I called Zamtel, the main telecommunications in the country today and had to explain to them what the internet was. Oh brother. I’ve been able to use Suzanne’s internet twice and probably will again tomorrow, need to pay bills. I want the internet so bad I’m about ready to pay 1 million Kwatcha! (That’s about $300.) Mike worked all day today, mostly doing tests, x-rays, etc. They won’t let him in the plant ‘till he gets his medical release. We have a list now of furniture we are supposed to buy and are going to try and pick some of it tomorrow. I painted for a few hours today and did a lot of ironing, when the power was on. We were talking this evening about two nice things about this country that we like better than the U.S. There is no swearing, and I’ve only seen two African people smoke out of the hordes of people all over the streets and in town.
Cindy Foster told me today that if you call someone stupid in Zambia the will either put you in jail or deport you! Still trying to figure out how to get the internet. I called Zamtel, the main telecommunications in the country today and had to explain to them what the internet was. Oh brother. I’ve been able to use Suzanne’s internet twice and probably will again tomorrow, need to pay bills. I want the internet so bad I’m about ready to pay 1 million Kwatcha! (That’s about $300.) Mike worked all day today, mostly doing tests, x-rays, etc. They won’t let him in the plant ‘till he gets his medical release. We have a list now of furniture we are supposed to buy and are going to try and pick some of it tomorrow. I painted for a few hours today and did a lot of ironing, when the power was on. We were talking this evening about two nice things about this country that we like better than the U.S. There is no swearing, and I’ve only seen two African people smoke out of the hordes of people all over the streets and in town.
This is the front of the Chingola House. All of the windows have bars and the doors have iron gates as well, this is because of the fear of theft. The Master Bedroom is also a panic room. OK kids, don't panic! We don't know who lived here yrs ago, but I guess he was worried about security. It has an solid iron door with padlock capability and the bars on the windows are extra heavy. More pictures later when we get the yard up to snuff. It's kind of like living in a mosoleum because we don't have a lot of furniture and nothing on the walls and the only curtains we have so far are in the bedroom, so it echos and sounds very hollow inside.
Thursday 9/18/08
Mike was off today and we went to Chingola again. Met the cleaning men at the house at 8 a.m. They spent a short time sweeping and mopping then took a break for the rest of the day! They are so slow! We have our own private 24 hr guard. In the day it is a nice girl named Leeda. A man comes and stays all night. This is to prevent robbery, not violence. They keep the gate locked and have to open it every time we show up. Everyone who works for KCM and lives around here has 24 hr guards. At Dennis and Suzanne’s house you have to go through two guarded gates to get in. Our yard has fruit trees. We have guava, avocado, lemon, papaya and a garden (which is currently weedy because the house hasn’t been lived in for quite a while). We ran into Dennis and went to their house for lunch. Suzanne is such fun. I will love getting to know her better. We went shopping downtown and got a Simm card for the cell phone, which now works. Shopped a little at the grocery and found out what kind of plug we need to charge the computer. Shopped for furniture for the new house. I kind of wish that it was already furnished with whatever, ‘cause it’s a lot of work to figure all the colors and stuff and do so within a budget of 24 million. (Kwatcha that is.) Divide that by 3500 and you get the dollars. Came back to Kitwe and shopped there as well. We actually paid some kid to stand at the back of our car and guard it while we shopped (his idea, not ours). They just do anything here to try and make money. Guarding a car is better than begging; at least he was doing something for the money. We paid him 10,000 Kwatcha (about $6). Its funny how there are no stray dogs here. Cindy and Bob have a dog, Spaniel named Lucy; and Suz and Den have a mixed breed dog named Duke, you've seen his pictures. He is so sweet and just beautiful. I think he looks part shepherd, part Irish setter, part lab, and who knows what.
Mike was off today and we went to Chingola again. Met the cleaning men at the house at 8 a.m. They spent a short time sweeping and mopping then took a break for the rest of the day! They are so slow! We have our own private 24 hr guard. In the day it is a nice girl named Leeda. A man comes and stays all night. This is to prevent robbery, not violence. They keep the gate locked and have to open it every time we show up. Everyone who works for KCM and lives around here has 24 hr guards. At Dennis and Suzanne’s house you have to go through two guarded gates to get in. Our yard has fruit trees. We have guava, avocado, lemon, papaya and a garden (which is currently weedy because the house hasn’t been lived in for quite a while). We ran into Dennis and went to their house for lunch. Suzanne is such fun. I will love getting to know her better. We went shopping downtown and got a Simm card for the cell phone, which now works. Shopped a little at the grocery and found out what kind of plug we need to charge the computer. Shopped for furniture for the new house. I kind of wish that it was already furnished with whatever, ‘cause it’s a lot of work to figure all the colors and stuff and do so within a budget of 24 million. (Kwatcha that is.) Divide that by 3500 and you get the dollars. Came back to Kitwe and shopped there as well. We actually paid some kid to stand at the back of our car and guard it while we shopped (his idea, not ours). They just do anything here to try and make money. Guarding a car is better than begging; at least he was doing something for the money. We paid him 10,000 Kwatcha (about $6). Its funny how there are no stray dogs here. Cindy and Bob have a dog, Spaniel named Lucy; and Suz and Den have a mixed breed dog named Duke, you've seen his pictures. He is so sweet and just beautiful. I think he looks part shepherd, part Irish setter, part lab, and who knows what.
More pics Kitwe Road to Chingola
Here are some crops off the side of the road. They grow the biggest cabbages I've ever seen! There is a very tiny stream going through the land there and the "workers" dip watering cans into the stream and water the crops by hand. The tree below is one of the Jacaranda. Don't know how clear you can see it, but they are filled with purple flowers. Just beautiful!
This is the typical way mother's carry their babies until they are old enough to walk. The colorful skirts you see are usually worn to cover their other clothes they have underneath so that they won't get dirty walking along in the dirt. Below is charcoal. They cut down trees, then slowly burn them, chop them up and put them in these holders. They sell them to those who don't have any charcoal and they use it for cooking, heating, etc.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Kitwe Road to Chingola
OK, Kitwe is where we lived as of 9/16/08. We will be moving to Chingola where the new smelter is. These are some of the sights we see on the drive there.
These are grocery stores for one of the small villages on the way. The blue building is where you get your minutes topped off for your cell phone.
Wednesday 9/17/08
Much better day. We went to see our house in Chingola. I see why Mike’s drive is still nerve racking. Narrow two lane hwy a lot like driving in Mexico except you’re on the opposite side of the rode. I noticed today that we don’t even listen to radio or a CD because it would be just too much input while trying concentrate on the road. The house is nice. Brick painted white with black trim. All the floors are linoleum, white with black splashes. So glad not to have carpet. Three bedrooms, all of which are quite small. Only one WC or toilet to you Americans is in one room and that’s the only thing in there. Not even a sink which I think is kind of sickening. Then there is a bathroom, literally, with a tub with a shower in it and a sink and medicine cabinet, etc. The walls are all painted white. It’s an old house, not much to look at, but we are very grateful to have it. Plenty of room for visitors although I wouldn’t wish that trip on anybody! Met two new friends today, they came to the house to meet us there and take a look and see how they can help us. They are so nice. Cindy, Suzanne & Sadna came. We went and changed $600 into 1,000,600 Kwatcha. This is so hard to learn. Guess we have to give it some time. We had to rush to get back to Kitwe before dark because you don’t want to be driving on these highways at night. We take our meals in the dinning hall whenever we are home in our duplex. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The food is mostly very good. They seem to serve T-bone steak a lot. They also make this cabbage thing with carrots and onions which is so good. Peter is the head waiter and so nice. Elizabeth is the boss of everybody. Mission is usually the morning guy in the dinning hall and is cute as a button. Sometimes it is Elliot in the morning. You should see the Jacaranda trees all over and blooming in a sea of lavender. So many beautiful flowers and everything grows so easy here. It is the dry season now and October is the hottest month. Then November starts the rainy season.
Much better day. We went to see our house in Chingola. I see why Mike’s drive is still nerve racking. Narrow two lane hwy a lot like driving in Mexico except you’re on the opposite side of the rode. I noticed today that we don’t even listen to radio or a CD because it would be just too much input while trying concentrate on the road. The house is nice. Brick painted white with black trim. All the floors are linoleum, white with black splashes. So glad not to have carpet. Three bedrooms, all of which are quite small. Only one WC or toilet to you Americans is in one room and that’s the only thing in there. Not even a sink which I think is kind of sickening. Then there is a bathroom, literally, with a tub with a shower in it and a sink and medicine cabinet, etc. The walls are all painted white. It’s an old house, not much to look at, but we are very grateful to have it. Plenty of room for visitors although I wouldn’t wish that trip on anybody! Met two new friends today, they came to the house to meet us there and take a look and see how they can help us. They are so nice. Cindy, Suzanne & Sadna came. We went and changed $600 into 1,000,600 Kwatcha. This is so hard to learn. Guess we have to give it some time. We had to rush to get back to Kitwe before dark because you don’t want to be driving on these highways at night. We take our meals in the dinning hall whenever we are home in our duplex. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. The food is mostly very good. They seem to serve T-bone steak a lot. They also make this cabbage thing with carrots and onions which is so good. Peter is the head waiter and so nice. Elizabeth is the boss of everybody. Mission is usually the morning guy in the dinning hall and is cute as a button. Sometimes it is Elliot in the morning. You should see the Jacaranda trees all over and blooming in a sea of lavender. So many beautiful flowers and everything grows so easy here. It is the dry season now and October is the hottest month. Then November starts the rainy season.
Grandma's journal continuation of 9/16
If you thought 9/16 couldn't get any funnier, get this. About 2 a.m. we both got up to use the facility and we had the bedroom door shut because there was a mosquito in the living room and we didn't want it to come into the bedroom. We tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. We thought maybe it was locked..."Did you lock the door?"..."No, did you?"..."No." We realized that the key was on the outside and it locks from the outside! We're half asleep and I like to think if we weren't we would figure this out sooner. We're thinking someone must have come in the house and locked us in while they pilage our house! Then we figured out that the latch that goes into the doorjam when you let go of the handle and then moves when you turn the handle had fallen off and wasn't coming out of the doorjam when you turn the handle. Duh! We finally got it figured out and the rest of the night was peaceful. Ahhhh, life in Zambia!
Some Pictures to go with 9/16
Here is a picture of the duplex we lived in when we first got here. The dog belongs to Suzanne and Dennis. Dennis works with Grampa. They went to So. Africa for about 4 days and we got to babysit the dog!! It was really fun. He's such a cutie. His name is Duke.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday 9/16/08
Mike's first day of going to work. The poor guy... Frist, right now he has to drive 45 min to work on a two lane road which is very scary. First thing, he gets a "ticket" for not wearing a seat belt. (How many times have I said....) The cop was really nice. Cindy says everyone her is very nice...The nicest theives you would ever want to meet. She is so right. So after pulling over the cop wants to know if it is OK for him to sit in the car. Make says sure. Mike appologizes over and over, the cop then says "How would you like to buy me breakfast." Mike says, "I'd love to!" He hands the cop a 50,000 kwatcha bill. (Too bad he didn't have anything smaller on him.) The cop says now I wouldn't want anyone to think I was taking a bribe, so just slide the money across the seat down low. Mike does as asked. The cop acted like he was writing out a ticket, and then let him go. It's hillarous here!! Mike had to go to the hospital and get some blood work done, other tests required by work, etc. When on his way back home, he got lost! Then while he was lost, he had a flat tire! He changed the tire, risking his life on these highways and nutty drivers. He takes off again, still lost and finds he is almost out of gas. He sees a gas station up ahead and pulls in. Not knowing anything about the money around here, he says fill it up. Well, he didn't have enough money for the gas and had to beg the manager of the station to let him go and promised to come back and pay him the 150,000 kwatcha he owed. (That's about $45). The man took his name and employer and let him go. Mike asks some guy for directions and he said, not in so many words, pay me and I'll tell you. Mike drives off and sees the smoke stacks of the smelter. He follows this lead, because we live just north of them. He finally finds home. The whole thing would be hysterically funny if it were not so stressful on Mike. He was about ready for a nervous breakdown when he got home. Currently in our temporary home, we live in kind of a compound in a duplex. There are single rooms in a different building and two sets of duplexes. They call them semi here, not duplex. We have 2 bedrooms with a sink and shower in each bedroom, living room/dinning room combo, kitchen and a WC or toilet room. It's very different here. None of the toilets are in the same room as the bathtub or shower. We take our meals in the dinning hall across the way. They feed us breakfast, lunch and dinner. (Course if Mikes at work, I go to lunch alone.) Breakfast is from 6:30 to 7:30. Lunch is 12:30 to 1:30, and dinner is 6:30 to 7:30. Of course here they use military time, so dinner is 18:30 to 19:30. Something else to get used to. When you say "I'll be over at 2," here they think you mean 2 in the morning.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Thursday 9/11/08
OK I feel a little better today, not going to die after all! We took the "Big Bus" tour today. Went to the National Portrait Museum which is filled with lots of very old and very beautiful art. It is located in Trafalgar Square which is impressive. Huge fountain with statues. Large statue of Horatio Nelson with 4 big lions around it. It rained while we were on the top of the double decker bus, no cover, but they handed out ponchos and we loved it. We stopped a 221 Baker St. and took pictures of Shirlock Holmes statue and looked in gift shop. Bought an umbrella since it had been riaing so much, got back on the next bus and it never rained on us again.
We went by the horse guarded gates near Buckingham Palace. Beautiful horses, took pictures of course. We had our first plate of actual English Fish and Chips. It was quite good and we were feeling like part of the whole English scene by then.
Wednesday 9/10/08
We arrived in England around 10 am. Had to go through customs and then took a Taxi to our hotel in Kensington. $100 buck ride. It is so expensive here. Got checked in and went straight to bed (about 1 pm). Woke up and walked a little around our neighborhood and ate Greek Food Med a nice Canadian couple and chatted cduring dinner. Went to bed again. So tired wish I were dead!
Tuesday 9/9/08
Jackie came to get us to go to the airport. She had her movie camera and took movies of us reading to the kids so she could play it for the kids so they won't forget who we are. Then Jackie and kids took us to the airport. Really hard to say goodbye...We flew to Minn/St Paul leaving at 1:50 pm. We had a long layover in Minn/St Paul, then left for London at 9:50 pm. Yuk! Flew all night. Didn't even try to sleep.
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