Ruben bloggar frå turar, innland og utland: Back to "normal"

So… today I was supposed start another course this Monday, just like last week, but late last night I got a call from one of my supervisors saying that it has been postponed, either until midweek, or next week. Therefore I’m back to the office working on my exam. I’m now halfway (has to be 15 pages over 4 assignments) and the deadline is not until 6^th of December. I told a German last week that my goal is to get it done by end of October, but he said I wouldn’t finish it before December. «Research says that you will use your time you’ve been given», was his argument. This statement made me a bit angry, and I will show him that I will finish the paper by end of October, if not earlier! Therefore these office days will do me some good.

Nyanja Course
Last Friday I finally started my Nyanja language course! I’ve been waiting for this for literally 9 weeks! The first session was very basic, but still very useful, I’m destined that I will learn Nyanja, and my goal is to speak Nyanja more or less fluently when I go back to Norway in June. We are going to have 3 sessions a week for 8 weeks at Kamwela High School, which is not far from my home. The teacher seems very good and I think he wants us to be a lot outside, talking to strangers in Nyanja.

My hair On Sunday my little sister Dawn took me to the hair salon, and I’ve been waiting for this for many weeks. I finally got my hair platted (it took more than 2 hours!) and I’m sort of happy with how it looks. I had to use extensions, since my hair is not long enough, and the only hair colour they had was black (or red-ish), so it does look a bit funny at some places. If I didn’t get enough looks before, I certainly got enough now!

Now-now, not now I have discovered that saying “Now”, doesn’t mean now, but “like today”, while “Now-now” means “Now!” I am so used to the western way of being efficient, but here everything takes time. No-one is in a hurry, and it’s rude to go to a person saying: “where can I find Kamwela High School?” you should say: “Hello. How are you? I’m fine thanks” before you ask for anything.
I asked for the strategy-plans for the company I work for (ZAA) and I was asked how soon I needed it, and I said ASAP (as soon as possible). What was the reply? “Ok” and then he went back to “work” on his computer that didn’t have power. These are situations I have to get used to while I’m in Africa. TTT (Things Takes Time!) But I’m getting there; I know when to show up at meetings and appointments without waiting for an hour being frustrated. I just got to chill and not expect too much.

Gym Since I came here, I’ve been a member of a gym. I find it really useful when I got days where I sit on the chair the whole day doing nothing. Exercising is so much more than just being fit, it helps your mind, mood and awareness.

The danger of walking in Lusaka at night time I don’t want to worry my families (in the States and Norway) but it is dangerous here in Lusaka, especially as a “mozongo” (white person). When I finish a late day at work and it’s dark (6:30 PM), I get asked who is driving me home, and when I say I will walk (about 3km) people say: “but, you will get beat up!” But so far, nobody has touched me, I guess it helps to be 190cm (6’2’’) and 92kg (14.5 stone /220 lbs). One evening even a lady stopped her car and said she would drive me home because it was too dangerous to walk, but I refused, it actually gave me a bit of adrenalin rush, trying to spot someone who would attack me.

The joy of walking in Lusaka in daylight I enjoy walking in Lusaka more and more, I rarely use my iPod (broke my old one I got in 2005, but borrowing Anja’s pink one for exercising) anymore. On Saturday was a great example; I walked about 5km to where I was getting picked up for the Hash run and so many people greet me on the way, and when I reply on Nyanja I always get a great reaction from them. They get surprised that I speak their language and think it’s cool to speak Nyanja with a white person, as long as I’m not in a hurry I take time to speak to them. They always ask me how I find Zambia, and what I’m doing here.