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…
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