Be Right Back, Society

This is how many Africans get around because it's cheap and convenient. But it definitely is not the safest - you are shoulder to shoulder with people and drivers are drunk at times.

This is how many Africans get around because it's cheap and convenient. But it definitely is not the safest - you are shoulder to shoulder with people and drivers are drunk at times.

Originally, I had intended to take the 1.5 hour Mashandu charter bus from Lusaka to Mazabuka filled with spacious seats but somehow ended up in a squished minivan filled with 20 other people. I had taken the advice of my contact in Mazabuka and opted for the cheaper minivan ($6) vs. a charter bus ($10) and had the ride of my life through the African highway. Stares I did get. Who is this foreigner taking the local mini-bus? Why did I choose to pack myself in a sardine can riding 3 hours down unfamiliar territory? I guess I wanted a local experience, and this would be the start of something very local.

I arrived in the heart of town. Untouched but tired as hell. My neck was aching from ducking underneath the roof of the van for 3 hours, and my joints breathed a sigh of relief as I exited the van to more stares on the road. By this time, I got the message – I was different.

I had come to town to volunteer for a school for the blind and disabled, and DJ Cosmo (husband of the founder) picked me up in his urban 4-wheeler. If T-Paine and Lil Jon had a son together, it would be DJ Cosmo. He’s a well-known rapper in Zambia and sings about girls and butts. And yes he has dreadlocks.

We drove and listened to his latest single about butts and soon realized that school was nowhere near town. I had thought Mazabuka was as local as you can get with downtown only a few blocks long…but we were about to venture 18 miles deep into the villages.

If I thought the roads in Zimbabwe were bad, getting into Malaikha school could possibly be the most challenging road I’ve ever seen. The road is just dirt, mud, and rocks with natural potholes planted every step of the way. When it rains, it’s nearly impossible to use the road by car.

But we continued venturing far away from urban society and deeper into primitive society. I got more stares now but this time, these stares were stares of surprise – like they’ve never seen a light-colored person before. The sun pounded down hard through the crevices of the car windows as I thought to myself, “Damn I knew I should’ve bought a hat.”

The car came to a slower halt from a speed of 10 mph to 5 mph – we were close. And eventually we pulled into Malaikha School, greeted by free-roaming chickens and two school donkeys. I spotted a kid playfully running a beat-up tire up and down the stove-top dirt road in his bare feet. Then I heard snorts…multiple non-human snorts…which could only mean one thing – pigs. I was quickly escorted to my hut suite, arms packed with mosquito net and all. I had a bed with several roommates – two lizards and a multitude of insects. Home sweet home…


Couchsurfing in Zambia

Family dinner with Shima and traditional Zambian food

Family dinner with Shima and traditional Zambian food

Zimbabwe was a great first country to get my foot wet in Africa – it is a country with multitudes of friendly faces from left to right. And no, I did not get Ebola or Malaria. However, being set up in a 4 bedroom mansion with pool, personal maid and gardener, and chauffeur service was not the African experience I was expecting. So after tending to some personal things, I bought a one-way ticket to Zambia.

My temporary housing quarters in Zimbabwe...I was living better there than back in the States. WTF.

My temporary housing quarters in Zimbabwe...I was living better there than back in the States. WTF.

I arrived in Lusaka, Zambia during the evening to see a wave of orange and red streaks lace the sky. Fresh air. No potholes! I’m home, baby!

Stacked with freshly minted Kwachas and my data-charged iPhone, I took a taxi to meet my Couchsurfing host, Jonathan Kays. And let me tell you, Jonathan was the men of men. Think the wits of Mark Cuban with the heart of Mother Theresa. Nestled within the traffic-laden streets of Zambia lies a house from the western world, and this is where Jonathan reigns. He not only founded 4 businesses coming form nothing but is also a Family Man at heart. He wined and dined me and even took me around to see his businesses. I can’t say enough of how truly great a person Jonathan and his family were in taking me in. Off to a great start, Zambia!

And off to a new adventure in the country’s capital! Lusaka! Actually…there’s not much to do in Lusaka. I venture the streets turning every corner to see the same exact construction site but with different men drilling. I had been forewarned…there is nothing in Lusaka, but you can try wandering. And wander I did. And lost I did get. I then stumbled upon Levy shopping mall, which was almost the best day of my life. I would eventually make a round-trip walk of the mall 5x until it was time to go home. That is Lusaka for you.

But my stay with Jonathan and his family was my highlight of Lusaka, and since accommodation, breakfast, and dinner were provided, I only spent $7 in my two days there. After 2 glorious and comfortable nights, it was time to take the bus down to Mazabuka, where I’d be volunteering for the next month in a school for the blind and disabled. No more chauffeur service. It would be me and my arms and legs. No more chicken pies. It would be me vs. a real life chicken. No more comfy bed. It would be and my mosquito net…

Life in Zimbabwe

Unemployment in Zimbabwe has been unverified but estimates have been upwards of 75%.

Unemployment in Zimbabwe has been unverified but estimates have been upwards of 75%.

Let me begin by first saying before coming to Africa, despite the multitude of “be safe” and “don’t get malaria” warnings received from friends and family, I literally had no time to comprehend where I was headed– I just knew I wanted to get the hell out. However, as I boarded the plane towards Zimbabwe, it began to sink in on me…holy shit – I am going to Africa!

“Do I have enough anti-malaria pills?! Cholera?! What am I doing?!”

As soon as these ridiculous thoughts dawned on me, an Angolan man who sat next to me on the flight, reached out and introduced himself, “Hi – I’m Francisco.” We ended up chatting for the next 10 hours and thus ended my nonsensical hysteria.

And these thoughts would quickly vanish once setting foot in Zimbabwe...

My first impression of Zimbabwe is that the country prides itself on family. Life is centered on family (not work!). Most people will start work at 8/9 and leave by 5/6 to see their families. I remember working with a co-worker who had bought a Hello Kitty doll during lunch to treat her daughter for not having seen her in 4 days due to long work hours – Zimbabweans would shake their head.

In terms of food, their staple food is called sadza, which is a cooked cornmeal and usually served alongside meat and vegetables. A meal will run you $2 and turn your afternoon into a 3-hour nap session. Most restaurants serving sadza are not your typical run of the mill restaurants but are located inside someone’s house or backyard – it pays to be a local to know the good hotspots. And if you don’t want to look like an overblown tourist, eat like the locals and use your hands.

Potholes…more potholes…and more potholes. You get used to the roller coaster rides after your first few days. And when you see drivers weave in and out – they’re not trying to hit you, just trying to avoid some more potholes.

However, the country has been marred by socioeconomic and political turmoil. It’s a mess to say the least. Land reform policies that redistributed farms from white farmers to local indigenous blacks led the country into a downward spiral and hyperinflation. Most locals I’ve talked to agree the land reform idea was the right idea but was badly executed. Agriculture was the backbone of the economy and as soon as the white farmers were forced out, so was the economy itself. And this led to the infamous hyperinflation period. Imagine trillion dollar bills that would buy you nothing. Imagine taking a taxi in the morning for $20…and in the afternoon, the price would’ve fluctuated to $100. That’s how bad things were. And when the dollar was adopted as the national currency, everyone lost everything in their bank accounts and had to start over.

And prices? Prices are ridiculously high compared to average earnings! Domestic workers make $125-$250 per month while office workers may rake in $800 - $1500 per month. But you are still paying westernized prices in the supermarkets.  

Despite all the economic hardships, the people here are resilient. They are happy. They are tough. They laugh. They sing. They enjoy life, and that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned from Zimbabwe – as long as you have family, you are good.

Leaving Society for the Unknown

This is not Africa,,,but evokes how I feel.

"Be careful of Ebola! Don't catch malaria!"

I had just left my job in Hollywood for a non-paid volunteer opportunity in Zimbabwe...

"What the hell are you doing?!" exclaimed my Asian parents.

And as I write this blog post while being entranced by snowflakes drifting upon the Toronto Pearson runway in the middle of my 30-hour flight to Zimbabwe, it's also a question I ask myself..."What the hell am I doing?"

However, I keep having to remind myself...life thus far has been a series of standardized steps. Especially growing up in a traditional Chinese household. Let me explain to you my life story and the life story of most Asian Americans. Rather it's the ideal story for most Asians...

Go to school...Get good grades...Go to (good) college...And remember, no girlfriend until after college...Get good job...Buy house...Raise family...Retire...Go dim sum every single damn day...Go on Chinese bus tours.

“成家立業 (Start Family and Build Career)”
— Chinese Idiom (repeated 100x by my Mother)

Yep, I just predicted my life for the next 50 years with 90% accuracy. And it wasn't as obvious until post-employment. I remember taking the subway into downtown San Francisco while watching batch after batch of employed workers enter and exit the train. Same expressions. Similar dress codes. Am I in a Sims game? Is everyone real? I remember the day I had to force a smile while driving to work because I heard it increased happiness - I never want to do that again.

“There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living”
— Nelson Mandela

Of course those "batches" of robotic workers are a mere figment of my current imagination, and I genuinely envy those who have found their true calling. At this point in life, I don't have everything figured out (and I don't know if I ever will), but I do know one important thing - time flies. And time is something we can never have back. So let's get moving. Let's just say I still aspire certain aspects of my predictable life such as family and marriage, and I'd rather do the failing and exploring now versus later.