Welcome Party

As Americans, we can expect to be the first ones to everything here.

On Sunday afternoon I was thrown a delightful welcome party by Father Bob. Father Bob is a Jesuit Priest who has been in Zambia for over 15 years. Coming from a Jesuit University, Henry has gotten to know Father Bob during his time here. Other attendees included ex-pats from Ireland, Zimbabwe, and India. Some of them had been living in Zambia for over 40 years. It was fascinating to hear them talk about their time in this country and the changes they have seen. The party was planned for 12:30, specifically to account for the load shedding that would occur in the evening (for an explanation of load shedding, see end of post). A lack of electricity can really make it difficult to prepare food and even socialize. I felt really honored to be welcomed by this group and enjoyed the best home cooked meal I expect to have during my time here. I hope I get to see many of them again and hear more stories!

Ready to party.

Load shedding: there is more of a demand for electricity in the country than is currently generated. As a result, the entire country is experiencing load shedding, or planned power outages. There is a rotating schedule, and you will either be without power from 10:00 pm - 6:00 am, 6:00 am - 2:00 pm, or 2:00 pm - 10:00 pm. Of course, the schedule is not always followed, and it is not always discernible.