Malaria pills have many side effects such as vertigo, sensitivity to light, dizziness, nausea, and there famous for their effects on dreams. You need to take them with a meal, and not within two hours of any vitamins. I made the mistake of washing it down with water that was high in Calcium, and I was sick for days and couldn’t figure out why. Everyday, I feel some side effects of the malaria medication, but I keep taking it because I know what could happen if I contract Malaria.
I usually, will get up between 5:15-5:30am. I can hear my roomie Shaina making coffee and starting the morning porridge. I hop in the shower (which is a hose in a wall and shoots out a skinny stream of water) we’ve been extremely lucky, to be able to have hot water. I know my fellow interns in Uganda have to shower in a bucket and gather their own shower water.
I do a daily search on my body to make sure I have no open wounds. If I have an open wound I need to have it covered. This is just risk management and keeping yourself safe in Africa. This is tough, because if you know me, you know of my life long struggle with itchy eczema. In Zambia, it has a high rate of HIV/AIDS (Approx 15%) and I don’t want any blood to get into any parts of my body.I may be being overprotective but I dont take any chances. So I always do my best to not have open wounds.
I put on my work clothes and attempt to do my hair and make up. I don’t wear much makeup, because it is sooooo hot, it will just melt off! I secretly am jealous of the Zambian womens adaptation to the heat. They always look amazing reguardless of the temperature. Then I quickly eat breakfast and choke down some instant coffee. I already miss a good cup of home brewed coffee with my mom and dad.
Its 7:00 am, and we do the quick check, have you put on your mosquito spray? Have you taken your malaria pill? Do you have water in your backpack? Do you have bus money? After we’ve gathered all our things, we head off for my favorite part of the day, the commute to work, we walk to the University Teaching Hospital bus stop and get on a mini bus. It is a small mini van usually sacked up with 16-20 people. It reminds me of a clown car, people just keep piling in and out. Then we bus into town and transfer to a bus that goes to Chelston and Nathan, Shaina & I get off at North Mead, the area in town where our office is located. Along the way, many people say “Maokwabwangee” It translates to Good Morning, and we wave to many people and smile.
Lots of Zambians are curious about the three mazoongoos (foreigners) and ask us questions, most Zambians think were Chinese, or from Thailand. Nobody ever guesses Canada. First Nations peoples are not well known. If we say were Indian, they think were East Indian. You have to say Pochohontas, then they might know what kind of indian you are. LOL We then get to the office between 8:00-8:30. There is no punch clocks in Zambia. Everything rolls on Zambia Time. Reminds me of Indian Time back home. LOL then I work the morning in my office and check emails from home and have a cup of tea and visit with the other staff. In Lusaka, people check in every single day with each other to see how everyone is holding up through these tough times at WFC.
Lunch time rolls around at 1:00, and if we’re lucky, our colleagues will take us for Shima and T’Bone Steak. Usually costs around 12 000, if we all pitch in. Which would be around $3.00 Cdn for a meal. You have to eat with your hands and just dig into the shima and grab some steak, and there is also pumpkin leaves in peanut sauce. Very tasty! You roll it in your hands and be careful not to get burned. Mr. Swanze did not warn us how hot the Shima was. The first time we went. He laughed and said “that’s the best part about getting new interns, burning there hand on the shima” Everyone shares some laughs and they teach us more Nanja-One of the popular languages in Lusaka.
We come back to the office between 2:00-2:30 and work until 4:30. Then we do the 1-2 hour commute back to the YWCA, where we live. The commute is longer on the way back, because we grab things for dinner for the night and Lusaka has BAD traffic jams. I could tell you stories for days about the adventures with the mini busses and how no one follows the street lights.
We make dinner and chat with Courtenay and Tashayna who are our roomies and work with Justice for Widows and Orphans. We all teach each other the new words we learn, and find something to laugh about. Never a dull moment in the cottage! If were not sitting and laughing, were killing spiders. Well Shaina kills them……. I usually freak out and hide. They are way too big to squish and they run so fast!
We are so ZOMBIE tired at this point, we will play some cards to pass the time, visit people staying at the YWCA, or work out. People think were weird for working out. They laugh because we tell them we eat too much Shima!!
Then we get ready for bed, check our beds for any tarantalas, and crawl into our bug nets. Me and Shaina (my roomie, we share a little bedroom at our cottage) stay up for a few minutes and talk about everything! Mostly our boyfriends. Ha Ha. Then me and Chicky (my teddy bear) will say our prayers and pray for everyone here and at home. Then eventually fall asleep. I try to fall asleep before Shaina because she SNORES and I mean snores! She has boughten me some pink ear plugs to help and I keep my Ipod in my bed, and I can hear her snoring over my music. So we get some sleep and do it all over again the next day!
No two days are the same. We have fun every day and make the most out of our Africa experience!! We know how rare this opportunity is!
What do I want to accomplish in Zambia before I leave. I want to make a lasting impression with the Non-Governmental Organization that I’ve been partnered with. I want to educate them, that even in Canada, my peoples still struggle with the same issues of sustainability. I want them to know, I respect and admire their culture. I want to be able to do my best in advocacy for sociological issues that are gender based violence related.
In Canada, I also strive for the same goals. First Nations struggle with the issue of sustainability daily. I want to be a positive role model for young aboriginal women. I want to make my family and community proud. I want youth and women to be empowered. I just want to make life easier for the average First Nations person. I have seen what a struggle it has been to try to succeed in a society where I’m expected to fail.
I do not know the creators plan for me, but I pray every day for guidance. He guided me to Zambia for a reason and I’ll keep praying for advice on how to use what I’ve learned.
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