This is my Tumblr post from October 12, 2018
I have now been a week in Harare, Zimbabwe and all I have taken pictures of are flowers, birds and trees. That is pretty normal for me but seems so bland given what has been going on in that time.
4 days before I arrived, the government made an announcement about their dual currencies which gave its citizens flashbacks to 2008 when their economy and currency basically collapsed. As this week has progressed the line ups (queues) at the gas stations have extended for blocks, if not full kilometers. Similar queues are still growing in the grocery stores as people stock up while dollars and food last. Bread is already gone in many stores, as is flour. Some have closed their doors until further notice.
But, no rioting or demonstrations. I haven’t even heard complaining. Conversations, yes. Sardonic smiles. But mostly just people getting on with it. Going to school, going to work – if they have work. I wouldn’t know such uncertainty was hanging over my coworkers if it wasn’t all over the newspapers and radio.
I am humbled by their resilience and their capacity to just keep going. In Canada we complain about everything. A carbon tax is a severe hardship for us. Or, heaven forbid, the Prime Minister forgets to list your province during a speech. We never worry if there will be gas at the station when we go to fill up. Or bread at the store.
I’m not worried for my safety (I don’t walk around alone at night in Edmonton either) or about whether I will eat. I’m a foreigner with US dollars and offshore (Canadian) bank accounts so I am protected by privilege yet again. I am grateful for this experience. To get to know these people and have my eyes opened again to how good I really have it.
And here are some pretty pictures.
A Travelling Accountant 