SETTLED IN… AGAIN

It has been only three and a half weeks, but we have already settled into some kind of schedule: I work through the mornings, spending the afternoons doing emails, working at home, marketing with Sean and watching the occasional movie (in a “stadium-seating” movie theatre no less!- a South African company). We have Citonga language lessons once or twice and week and have slowly built up a set of friends we spend time with in the evenings and on the weekends- provided it doesn’t conflict with our viewing of Isidingo, a South African TV drama.

Isidingo is a far cry from Desperate Housewives but it has sex, scandal, murder and all the rest… with editing, sound, and all the rest. As we have come to learn, most African TV shows are probably filmed with one guy holding a camcorder. So, Isidingo is kind of our daily dose of “western” entertainment.

Our TV watching also includes the local national news broadcast, dubbed “Mwanawasa News” because President Mwanawasa’s most incidental activities (sneezes, tooth-brushing, etc.) are prominently featured on this state-owned channel (there is also a private channel and a Christian channel- we have also heard that many folks have satellite TV but have not lived anywhere yet where we could enjoy this luxury).

Which brings me to our new “digs”- we moved out of our old apartment due to some problems with maintenance etc. and are now eternally indebted to our Zambian friend at the embassy. She has warmly opened her house to us for a short-term rental (hard to find in Lusaka) while she is on an extended business trip in Washington DC. We share the home with her young 4 1/2 year old son and his nanny and enjoy the company of a steady stream of relatives who pop in for varying lengths of time- so far, a new relative has appeared each day! The son is sweet and loving and really likes it when I pretend to be his brother/sister/mother/father—anything but the “Auntie” that I am in the family dynamics! The flip side is that he has trouble entertaining himself and it can be hard to do work when he is always nagging to play. This will probably work itself out in time. At least Sean is his favorite- which buys me some peaceful moments and encourages Sean to get away from the house for long periods of time!

Photo: Kwame the Terror

Our place is in a neighborhood with many Indians- so we are currently listening to the fireworks of the end of Diwali (festival of light). The local Indian restaurant is fantastic- $5.50 for all you can eat! Doesn’t hurt that the beer (which Sean has deemed to be far better than American beer –but the hangover is on par) is pretty cheap there, too.

So, all in all, we are happy and I am more productive because I don’t spend all day at home waiting for plumbers and electricians who never show up.

Our visits to immigration are another story….. to be told when they are a distant memory, not a fresh daily annoyance.

11/17/2005