Random musings on blessings and recent happenings

What do they say about the best-laid plans? Well, whatever it is I’m sure it can also be said of my intentions to blog regularly. Clearly, I have not succeeded in this. The truth is though that I actually spend quite a bit of time on the computer for research doing things like for reading articles, sending emails to contacts, looking up places to go, organizing/creating research questions for an upcoming interview or transcribing interview recordings. By the time I’m done tasks like that I’d just rather not type any more! Plus I haven’t felt a lot of pressure to post regularly because Matthew has been incredibly diligent about sending regular journal-style emails to a big list of family and friends—so at least our parents know that we are alive and well. My lack of posting does not, however, mean that I haven’t thought of a zillion things I could write about. There are plenty of things on my list—or ‘plent’ as is often said here! ;) Unfortunately, when the list piles up, my post ends up being quite long and I’m sure a bit tedious to read. So, here I will just share some random thoughts of our journey thus far and then over the next week or so I will post pictures and few words to highlight specific happenings as time and internet connection speed permits.

We have now called Lusaka home for about 6 weeks. Our initial feeling towards this place were a bit neutral as we didn’t know many people and were unsure what this research-thing would look like. It is a pretty big city—at least as far as our limited urban experiences go and, of course, it was unfamiliar. But we like Lusaka more now. Not nearly as much as being in a rural location, but Lusaka has its advantages—such as its proximity to delicious Indian food.

We are kind of in a suburb, so most things are kind of far away. We walk where we can in this neighbourhood and take a taxi for further away places. We have a regular guy named Max. He’s been a blessing.  I do love to walk though; I always think that is the best way to know a place. I especially became a fan of walking in Halifax last year. I feel like I really see a place when I walk and get a sense of its atmosphere when I’m walking: for example I notice the way people either attempt or avoid eye contact as you pass one another, the smell of diesel zooming by, the carefully piled stacks of tomatoes–some for 3 pin and others for 5 (a pin = a thousand kwacha; 5,000 kwacha = approx. $1), the broad smile of the gentleman selling talk time when you call him over to buy cell phone minutes, the way the little cloud of dust caused by each step of my feet makes my toes and ankles filthy in under 30 seconds, the hopeful expression of a street vendor saying “madam, madam, avocado, nice price”, the surprise and smile of the veggie lady when I greet her with “muulishani”, and—most difficult to miss—the heat of the sun beating down on my bronzing shoulders.

The first few weeks into the research we were quite discouraged because I had several contacts but very few responses for interviews. I started to doubt coming here and spending so much money for a ‘silly’ thesis. I don’t really think it is silly—but I’ve had my moments. In fact, the further into this I get the more I love my topic: Decision-making processes of Customary Land in Zambia. It is timely, relevant, and incredibly important to Zambian farmers, identity, and future. Anyway, the first few weeks were slow: it took me 12 days to get my first interview and then another 14 days to get a second one. At that pace we’d need a year to reach the target of 30 interviews! But then momentum started to build, in the next 2 weeks I did 5 interviews. This past week we traveled a few hours south and I did 10 interviews plus a focus group—in ONE week. The grand total is now 18. Phew! It would have been 20 today but I had two cancellations. I was relieved though because I was pretty wiped after this past week and we just returned home on the bus at 20h30 last night. We were grateful for the break and quickly declared today a Sabbath day. This rest day included some walking, a little reading, some wandering around a neat shop and café we’d heard about, chatting and giggling about nothing and some lounging around home. Oh yes, and a sweet ABBA dance party for me - so great! It also included feasting on some yummy things like litchis, naartjes (basically a mandarin orange), a bush fruit that grows in a gourd-type thing, fresh greens with basil and parsley mixed in (so wonderful!), crepes with cinnamon, banana, and ice cream—enjoyed with an Irish coffee. Lovely.

This past week was unique because we traveled out of town to meet with a contact who had arranged some interviews for us with chiefs and farmers. It was so interesting and we learned a lot. We took one of the super buses down—it even had air conditioning! Matthew was in heaven. We stayed at a little lodge just off the tarmac called the Golden Pillow and it is on the same property as the Tooters take-away food place—famous for their friend chicken. Alisha, Matthew and I have an inside joke about that place from 2006. And the chicken is exceptional. I mostly just love the names they come up with here though, I mean seriously, Tooters?! Anyway, the trip was extremely fruitful and totally worth the expense. I just love to sit under a tree and learn from others as cows and goats wander by. One of my best memories from 2003 is sitting under a tree talking to a mudala (old man) for along time about polygamy. Such a unique opportunity to learn about different life experiences. I am extremely grateful for the people that we have met here that have gone out of their way to help us with this project and genuinely appreciate the topic because it in an area that they are passionate about. This type of research absolutely cannot happen without energetic and motivated people like this. I am astounded by those who work tirelessly for community organizations with extremely lean budgets and they just keep charging ahead with a zeal that inspires. Compassion for the vulnerable lived out in action. Amazing.

I am also so thankful for the family and friends that been praying this project forward. I reached a point in the first few weeks when I was almost panicked that all this effort and expense was going to be a total waste and that I would fail. And that I had wasted the resources we’ve been blessed with. Of course I realize that this stemmed from my attempt to trust in my own weak self. I was looking inward instead of upward. I wrote to dear ones to request prayers for contacts to respond and for our efforts here to be blessed. Within a day interview responses began to trickle in and interviews began happening more regularly—culminating in quite a rapid pace over the past 2 weeks. Indeed, we did more interviews this week than we did in the whole first month! Abundant blessings indeed! I am humbled and reminded again that it is not by my own strength that I succeed.

Now, this might go without saying, but I must state here and now that I truly have the best husband on earth. Honestly. He is just the best partner I could ever ask or hope for. I have always known that he is a gem and I have often marveled at his diligence, patience and thoughtfulness. And I am often grateful for how well we work as a team, but this experience has reminded me anew. Perhaps I am so amazed because we were apart for most of last year while I was at school but now little things like finding my purse, sunglasses and water lined up ready for me to go out the door astound me. Or perhaps it is how he carefully rolls a towel to put at the bottom of the door each night so no creepy crawlies come in. Or how he diligently checks under my bed for snakes each night. Now that’s love, baby! (Although I’m not too sure what he would do if he actually found one…;) Speaking of true love, our relationship has gone to a whole new level living in this little house because we have no bathroom door! That has been quite the experience. Perhaps this means our relationship has gone to a whole new low?! Ha! I can now hear my mom’s voice in my head telling me that bathroom talk is inappropriate, so I best move on. This guy is seriously incredible though. He comes to each interview with me, listens intently, sweats through hours of talking in often very stuffy rooms, enthusiastically shares the points he found most intriguing as we chat about it afterwards, and is also genuinely excited by this work. He carries groceries and that darn backpack everywhere we go. And he insists on constantly asking me where the house key is—just planning ahead you know. We always joke about this, because he will always dig the key out when we get in the taxi to go home - 40 minutes in advance - whereas I might think to dig it out when I am two steps away from hitting my nose on the door of our cottage! In any case, for sure now when somebody asks Matthew what my topic is he will be able to answer quite thoroughly. I am just so thankful to have this unique experience with him. It is amazing to have a constant companion and partner throughout this project, because research can often feel isolating or overwhelming because it rests solely on your own shoulders. I am blessed to have such a beautiful soul and wonderful man to help me carry this load!

So, things are definitely moving forward with research and I am sad to say that our days here are already half over. So sad. We often wish that we could just live and work here for a few few years or indefinitely. Oh the things we could grow in this climate! I wish you see the orchard I have already planted in my imagination! [sigh] Perhaps someday. For now though I'll just be thankful for the days and experiences we have had in the beautiful place.