My First Day at Work

I slept soundly from 9pm to 6.30am. After having a good breakfast, sharing table with the only other guest in the house (a Japanese boy), I decided to follow Edusport suggestion and walk to work. Only a short walk, they said. After 40 minutes of walking, I'd not consider using the word "near" so easily. But I did enjoy the walk. There are no pavements, and so I ended up walking among the trees, past stall vendors, with many of the local buses coming across blowing claxons (by this they are asking you if you want to get in), as well as the taxis. Most of people even say hello or how are you when you pass close to them. I am enthusiast with my way. Nearby the embassies avenue I walked past the central prison, and finally I arrived at my office.

Today because it is Friday, the staff only work until 12-1pm but there must be something special about this Friday because the girls I met yesterday are not at work today. I perform my initial assessment by interviewing Sydney in order to have a better understanding of the NGO, the proccesses, weaknesses, current controls, accounting policies, etc. Very profitable meeting :-) From Monday the hard work will start!

I took some pictures with the Friday staff. At the end I had to remind Michael about my safari plans over the weekend. He'd offered to provide a cheaper alternate to the safari on my tourist guide. He drove me to a travel agency where the officer promised to call back with options but what a surprise when he phoned me (4 hours later) without suitable options (one trip to Lower Zambezi N.Park without safari walk and me as the only visitor in the guided trip, with one night accomodation, costing $770!). I regret not having purchased the Chachacha offer (half a price, two nights all inclusive). As they cannot offer me anything else for tomorrow (I try to profit my spare time of weekend), I took a taxi straight to the Zambian tourist board, and when I arrive they had already closed (only 5 minutes earlier).

So no safari plans for this weekend...I feel a little bit frustrated, but second lesson learnt: Change my western mind chip to an african mind one. Not to get stressed by trying to take advantage of all of my time. To do nothing doesn't mean to waste the time. From tomorrow on, I wont go in a hurry, and will let things come along to me... By the way tomorrow I am meeting Miyanda (an AfID volunteer based here). And for today, time is over! I'll come back to my place and pay the internet bill (in the same place where today I enjoyed a big dish of noodles).