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.

Me and Dawn on Sunday. Had the dishes in the backtground so we could look extra good

Doreen had to fix a bit on my hair when I got back from the salon. 

Everyone helps out

Happy with how it looks in the back

My first hair band ever :p

Shocked, and bored, at work

What?!

My first week working!

A Zambian course participant suddenly said something in Norwegian!

Finally I got to do some work!! And it is meaningful and fun. This week, from Monday to Thursday I've been holding a 4 day course at Olympic Youth Development Centre here in Lusaka, our participants are peer-leaders working for NGOs (Non-government organization) like EduSport, Sport in Action etc. I, Ralph and another German called Wilfred was the course leaders. We are holding the course about Kids’ Athletics, without making it specialized. It was a fun week, and the peer-leaders had their “exam” today arranging a sports day for kids where they made competitions without using bought equipment (so they had to use things they find in the streets and in the bin). The most interesting day was, without doubt, today. We had to meet up at 10AM and the peer-leaders had to bring 50 kids, which of course was at some extend delayed. The plan was that they had 2 hours to set up the 5-6 events with the sticks and boxes they had found and prepared the day before. The field was ready, but the kids weren't. We didn't start until 1 PM, and there were a few big confusions in the beginning. The sand storm which went through the equipment didn't help either.  After an hour of activity, we had seen 30 minutes of chaos and 30 minutes of well-organized activity for the kids. Afterwards we had a dinner and a ceremony for the kids who participated, and the peer-leaders who completed the course.

Next week we will do the same course, but for PE teachers in Lusaka. The plan is that I will travel to the Copperbelt (North), Eastern-, Western- and Southern- Province to do this course for other sports leaders. I am very excited about this, and I hope I will see a lot of Zambia, as well as teaching the leaders how to train the kids in a fun and varied way without fancy sophisticated equipment. There is a lot of raw talent in Zambia, so maybe, with these competitions we had today, we will spot talent and give them better opportunities for the future.

This course is also good to organize a competition for kids who got nothing (no stadium, track or equipment) who maybe normally would stroll the streets instead of doing sports.

Started off the course with some theory

Then some practical, where we threw the ball backwards

Local games with the kids

More ball throwing

More local games

Dancing/jumping game

Always fun with African games

They made a ball out of a shirt and some rope

On Tuesday we got a visitor. A cockroach 

Daniel didn't really like it

I thought it was massive!

Kasawa shows me how to carry a box on my head. I couldn't do it

Morgan (my x-room mate from General Orientation) and Kasawa greets the ZAA president

A van with loud music drove my in the morning to advertise OMO!

Not always easy to organize activities for kids

Cross-Jumping

The ladder

I've been learning some Nyanja while I've stayed here, but my classes will first start tomorrow!! Can't wait!

Last week before the work really starts!

This week has been another quiet week at work, but tomorrow I will do a course at OYDC (Finally!) so I’m excited about that! 

On Wednesday it was so quiet that I went to the pool during the afternoon to practise my backflips. I can inform you that I am getting better. The weather was pretty bad on Monday and Tuesday so it was very chilly here in Lusaka for once! Down to 20 degrees is suddenly a low temperature! 

On Friday we had waffle-lunch as normal at the Norwegian embassy, Anita and Anja came as well as the Norwegian nurses, who joined us on a better lunch at Pzazz Pzazz after the waffles and coffee. We were 9 of us all together, and it was good to spend some time together. 

During the Friday morning I finished the book Anja gave me on Saturday last week, so it’s been a lot of reading while I’ve been here (5^th book I’ve finished). So I passed the book, about Nigeria, on to Anita.

In the evening Pelle, another Norwegian (actually the guy that started with this whole Peace Corse Project) invited me, Anita and Anja for dinner at his house with his family. It was so much fun, and seeing his kids play around in a very different way than the Africans. Hopefully we will have more dinners with him, his American wife and their two kids.

On Satuday I went to the Kabwata Marked around noon and met a bunch of drunk locals at a bar who fought about being my new best friend. Not nice. In the end it was this one guy following me almost all the way home, until I told him to leave (several times). I also bought a Zambian wristband, but before I bought it I asked the seller how much it costs, and I was surprised when he said “15 kwatcha” since that is very expensive. I answered: “Noooo! I want five wristbands for 15 Kwatcha!” and so I did. (K15 is about £2 or 18NOK). Negotiating the price here is pretty easy at times.

In the afternoon I went on something called a Hash run, which is a run in the bush with a bunch of other people (it was about 40 of us). It’s a social thing which is happening all over the world, even in Oslo, but very few people have heard about it. You can read more about HHH on the internet (Hash House Harriers, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers). It is SO cool and we met a lot of new people, both foreigners and locals. It cost K20 and then we get cold drinks after the run. I def. recommend it if you want to do something social in a new city.

On Sunday I chilled with the nurses at the pool. It was such a nice day that we all got a bit sunburned (I think we need to practise to put on our sun screen).

This is a short video from the swimming last weekend

On a Wednesday I got the entire pool for myself!

Drank RedBull, but it DIDN'T give me any wings!!

Not even when I jumped from the 3 meter

Good times

And yes, I got a bit sunburned this day as well...

and then some more pictures:

Me and Daniel played a game with Coca Cola and Fanta caps

We got really into it

So simple, and so fun

And then, in the end, I won :D

Chilling by the pool with the Norwegian nurses

Pretty sweet day

Jonas shows us how to do a backflip from the 5 meter

5 wristbands for K15

Jonas does a backflip from 5 meters

A week where I made most of the fun myself

This week has been quite quiet. So, to make sure I had fun, I made it fun. 

On Tuesday (or was in Monday?) I sent a mail to my boss' boss and asked about money for a bike, so I can cycle to work, instead of walking. (and also explore this city). I got the money the following day and got it.
In the start of the week, I also used olive oil to moisturise my hair during work, it's getting long, so I need to take care of it in this heat. Washed my hair with shampoo in our garden.

On Thursday I was the chef in the house, so I made home-made lasagne. First time I have ever made it "from the bottom" with the cheese sauce and stuff. Got some help from my little sister Dawn, so it was good fun. The family loved it!

On Friday I went to the movie theatre twice with Anja, the other Norwegian volunteer here in Lusaka. 2 Guns and Runner Runner. Two ok films. 

Saturday (today) we went to the marked and to a swimming pool. Took a lot of pictures.

Some bird for dinner on Monday evening

Olive oil in my hair

yeah! Stella is being bored in the background, maybe she should try the olive oil trick as well?

Rub it in!

Then clean it out afterwards. Our security guard was looking

Working day is over, and Im on my way home, on my bike!

Who cares if it's a road or not! The cars can drive anywhere as long as it gets from A to B

Traffic

Lasagne! The mince sauce and cheese sauce

Two happy chefs!

Our little kitchen. Daniel is the photographer taking the photos. He wanted to be in it as well

Two people very concentrated and one curious one

The women are resting before dinner, for once

you see the Norwegian thing in the middle of the picture? It's from the former Norwegian volunteer

Almost done. Putting the layers 

Last layer

Diving in the pool on Saturday

Big jump

Haven't cut my hair since May, so it's getting long :)

I should be in a shampoo advert!

O YEAH!

A picture from the marked today. So many people, so many whites, TOO many whites!

I had no idea what to buy. I ended up with an Zambian wrist band for K5

"The Norwegian dive"

From the top

"The Fresvik dive"

This is how people from Fresvik jump in the water

This is how people from Jæren jump in the water ;)

Dive

The DJ dive

Never a boring jump

All this water makes my hair heavy!

Awesome sunset dive, I mean picture!

Kung fu dive!

I tried really hard to jump at the same time as it splashed in the background. Here I succeeded 

...and here

Last jump/picture of the day!