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Go Bananas!!

by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

This FYI moment is brought to you by… my curiosity

I love bananas. On their own, in bread, even mashed up over ripe ones mixed with cocoa – seriously, try it!

I also love watching them as they grow. I became facinated with the banana flower stage while on my horseback ride in Cambodia. We rode through the grove and it took my a few minutes to realize what I was seeing. The flower simply does not look like bananas are in there. But they are.

Then I made banana flower salad during my cooking class in Phnom Penh. I got to see the flower up close and basically dissected. Then I could see the beginnings of the bananas.

And banana flower salad is 👌 I made that! And ate it too.

So that is a quick background to help explain why I ended up researching bananas this weekend.

I learned some cool facts!

The bananas that we eat are a human invention from as far back as 5000 B.C. Originally, bananas were full of seeds, but because people are picky eaters, banana hybrids were created, making the fruit seed-free. There are still tiny little seeds in banana, but they don’t serve any function.

Yikes! GMO way BC!

And the banana tree, well, isn’t!

“Is a banana a fruit or an herb? Believe it or not, both terms apply.

Consider this: have you ever heard of banana tree wood? You haven’t because that banana tree is technically a tree-like herbaceous plant as the heavy “trunk” holding the leafy topknot is composed of tight leaf bracts. No wood. The banana plant itself is a perennial where the leafy crown dies back for a sucker offspring from the rhizome root to take over the following year”

That is a very tall herb!!

Each plant/tree/herb, only bears friut once then it dies. It shoots a new “eye” (a baby plant) before dying, and the entire process only takes about ten months. So it does not grow from seeds.

I guess that is good since we apparently bred the seeds down to uselessness 🤷‍♀️

Final fun fact – origins

Bananas were originally found in South East Asia, mainly in India. They were brought west by Arab conquerors in 327 B.C. and moved from Asia Minor to Africa and were finally carried to the New World by the first explorers and missionaries to the Caribbean.

So ends my tribute to the lovely yellow fruit my daughter hated until her twenties.

Oh, I took the picture below wondering what the heck it was. Pretty sure its what is between the banana bunch and flower in the picture right above it. Yes?

Finally, I wrote this on my back deck in front of, you guessed it, banana,’trees’

Bonne nuit!

Entebbe Botanical Gardens

by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

Nemophilist Paradise!

I finally took an outing beyond walking or boda distance from my apartment!  A coworker recommended the Entebbe Botanical Gardens as a place worth visiting, so I called an Uber this past Sunday (the app works everywhere!) and I headed to Entebbe. It’s a 45 minute to one hour ride, depending on traffic.  The same as going to the airport, which is also in Entebbe.  I enjoy seeing the bustling activity and then suddenly breaking out into open space on the freeway.

The ride to and from was the expensive part of the trip. It was a mere 10,000 shillings to get in, which is about $4 Canadian. That’s the currency I know best so it is my comparative 🙂  For Ugandans it is only $3,000, which I think is great!

There are usually volunteer tour guides at the entrance to the gardens who take you around for a tip, but nobody was there when I arrived.  I started walking and quickly fell in love with wandering around on my own.  John, one of the volunteer guides approached me a short way in and offered to take over, show me around and explain what I was seeing, but at that point I was in a happy place and chose to continue alone.

It was rejuvenating, invigorating, peaceful and smelled like heaven.  I saw some monkeys close up, squirrels less close up and so many birds!

This little adventure has inspired me.  With or without a companion, I will be getting out into the city and surrounding areas on weekends.  Here’s to Adventure!

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AboutUganda.com for more on the gardens

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International Women’s Day 2019

by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized
It is mid-afternoon in Kampala. I have been out and about, doing some shopping and indulging in a double cappuccino and lovely cake at Brood Muyenga, and enjoying the multitude of posts on my social media feeds celebrating women and this day.
It is Friday but I am not working. Why? Because in Uganda, International Women’s Day is a public holiday. Now that’s a way to help get men behind the Day 🙂
So this impromptu post is to celebrate many strong, vibrant and inspiring women that touch my life in different ways.
I also want to share my appreciation for the growing sisterhood that I have experienced over the last five to ten years. It was approximately that long ago that a young woman spoke to me as I walked in a daze to the downtown Edmonton parkade after work. I was zoning out, probably frustrated from a day at work. Suddenly I heard – “That is a lovely dress. You look beautiful!” I jolted to attention, looked at this glorious creature and said “Thank you!” My entire mood and day were instantly elevated. I felt like a million bucks. Visible, beautiful and somehow like I mattered. From one little statement.
Since then I have paid the compliment forward countless times. Even earlier today as I returned home, telling a young woman that her dress was beautiful. My mantra since that day – If I notice something positive about a person, tell them! It has happened much more with women than ment but I have included men too!
Of course this sisterhood goes well beyond compliments. I am finding women overall are more supportive of each other. Be it career, body image, motherhood – or the choice not to become a mother, all of it. We are coming out of the need to compete and put each other down; truly embracing that lifting up one another as individuals lifts us all up as a whole.
I want to call out some specific women now. A couple are pillars to me, and one or two more that have touched me recently to a greater impact than they intended or know.
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First, my daughter. 26, a teacher and all around incredible human being. In the context of International Women’s Day, she is the reason I am now an intersectional feminist. It is easy as a western white woman of privilege to fancy myself a feminist, but if I don’t recognise that so many women around the globe face discrimination and difficulties that go beyond my experience then I fall short. If we are not all free, none of us are, right?!
So thank you Siobhan! Keep being you, the smart, sassy, anxiety-ridden teacher extraordinaire! @siostewart_ on Instagram
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Next, my work daughter Courtney! I cannot imagine how the past 10 years would have gone by without you in them. I think our mutual admiration and inspiration society has served us both very well. And we have expanded our sisterhood because of knowing each other. Would your mum and I have become friends without you? Maybe but probably we would have just been work acquaintances. And now I can count Rachelle and Danielle as part of my tribe too! In addition to being an accomplished professional well before 30, Courtney is also on the way to being a significant influencer through her blog The Courtney Collection Blog
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Always an inspiration and my rock no matter what stupid decision I make or situation I get myself into – my mother – Sue Harper! Probably the smartest woman I know, and I know some smart cookies. She is there for me and every singe other person that ever comes to her for help and advice. And she will tell me when I am an idiot – sometimes not right in the moment because I am too fragile – but later when I am ready to hear it. She has inspired me since I was a girl. Performing musically, sharing her voice with the world. I still know the word to most of the songs for Oliver from when she was practicing to be Nancy. She went on strike with only 5 other women, mid winter in Northern Manitoba. She wasn’t part of a union but they felt strongly that they were not being treated well. Years later when I was a summer student employee at the company I commented about the feminine protection that was in the washrooms free of charge and Mum informed me that was one of the perks they won from that strike! YOU GO GIRL!! Anyway, my Mum is an entire line of posts so I will stop here. *photo circa the time of the strike

My dearest friend Kim. Since 1995 her grace, poise and indomitable spirit have lit up my world and strengthened me. She has rarely had an easy go of it but she makes the most of her situation every time. And she is ALWAYS available when I need her, even now that we are separated by half the globe and 11 hours. I am tearing up just thinking of what she means to me. I love you!!! Here she is with the next 2 generations of fabulous women she is inspiring, supporting and mentoring.

Less than five months ago I met Fran in Harare, Zimbabwe. We were instant friends. She saved my weekend and came to Chinhoyi with me and we had the-best-time-ever! Our hotel room ran out of water (actually the entire hotel did), there was one restaurant, and it rained when we visited the caves. But we both saw the sunniest side of whatever came our way and we shared our souls. She is my sister-from-another-mister and I know we are friends forever! Follow her on Twitter @FpatsikaMagumbo you won’t be sorry!

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Another incredible woman from Zimbabwe started out as my Airbnb host but is now a great friend. I don’t really know what to tell you about Debbie. She is a former pharmacist and then moved on to international banking and investing – what???!!! Yes! She is an author – A Modern African Nomad, property manager, political phenom and an outright celebrity in Harare. And now she has launched an online store – Debbie Nyasha
One final shout-out, and I know she isn’t expecting it. We all have our hours/days/weeks where we are a bit off, down, a little out of sorts. And that was me for much of this week. For no reason, just how things go. Well last night in my instagram messages, a travel blogger that has lit up my feed since December sent me a DM “Love your website, I’m studying for my aca and your website has thoroughly helped motivate me! Love the idea of travelling and still getting paid” Well, @tanakatravels, you made my day! And you actually helped pull me from my funk!
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Never doubt that you can touch somebody in a positive and meaningful way just by sharing a thought or feeling!
So to wrap up a super long post – HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Why a Stylist, Why This Stylist?

by Tracy, posted in Career and work, Personal stuff
Jen D Style
Meet Jen

I have been working with my Stylist virtually for a little over a month.  It’s not something I ever thought I would do but as a fan of What Not to Wear for it’s entire run, I have believed in the value of a professional stylist for a long time.

How it happened for me is actually related to my first layoff, from Oil & Gas in late 2016.  I was one of a great many let go from Finance, and so was my stylist.  We didn’t actually ever work together but I remember admiring her skill in the company arranged yoga classes we both attended (you didn’t know that, did you Jen?)

Our paths crossed again in our next roles – mine in corporate finance of a large health care provider, hers as a recruiter with a firm my organisation engaged.  Jen made her own path out by following her passion for fashion.  I wasn’t so brave and didn’t pursue my dream until I was once again laid off.

Just a few months into my new life/career path, on my Christmas trip home from Africa, I saw a posting of Jen’s on LinkedIn, talking about her services **unsponsored plug for LinkedIn – connect with people, you never know where it can lead ** I thought – hey, I’ve been fumbling around this fashion/style thing for 30 years, why not get some professional help?!  And support a fellow corporate defector and dream chaser at the same time!

We connected for just one face to face meeting at Second Cup (how Canadian!) Jen agreed that we could try this virtually since I was off to Uganda days after we talked.

My end goal – a wardrobe that can fit in two large suitcases, that will take me to work, through the weekend and even the odd fancy night out.  Work will be largely business casual, but I still need a few fully professional business outfits.  I love dresses but need them to be culturally appropriate (not more than an inch or so above the knee) for some more modest countries, since I don’t know where I may land.  Climate – well I hope to focus on warm if not hot countries, so fabric is also a constraint.

We are now more than a month into the actual process and I am so happy and confident that I will end up with even more than I hoped for.

We have been creative with how we share information.  I needed to show her my wardrobe which meant sharing pictures of everything I have here in Kampala.  It took the better part of a Sunday for me because I brought much more than I thought; and in two suitcases!  How to get that many pictures from East Africa to Western Canada? Why share a shared Google Drive of course!

Also shared via email, the shared Drive and Instagram – my body shape, using leggings and a tank top and my outfits for several days to better show what I have and how clothes look on me.  I learned to cover my face to hide the stern looks of concentration 🙂

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How can we discuss what I like without going to a mall?  Jen created a private Pinterest board and I pinned away.  Then, another Pinterest board for her to share potential items with me.  It’s been a very smooth process actually.

And regular Skype meetings.  Not a simple task finding times that work for us since we are 10 hours apart.  We have settled into morning for her/ evening for me.  Usually between 8 and 9 am MST, which is 6 to 7 pm EAT.

We are now at the buying stage – most exciting!!!!  Over the next few days Jen is going to send me links to purchase items we’ve agreed on.  Some I never would have thought of or looked at without guidance.  And I have to let my Mum know that I’m shipping them to her in Manitoba so she can bring them to me when she visits in April!  (sorry not sorry Mum)

You can reach Jen and learn more about her and her services on her website  jendstyle, and social media- Jen’s LinkedIn and  Jen’s Instagram and I highly recommend that you do.  You don’t have to sign on for a full meal deal like I have.  She has great content and suggestions, and she is just a very real, positive person. DSC_0667

This post is already long, so I will leave off here.  In another post soon to come I will talk about another side of Jen’s services.  She is  building me a look book of how to mix and match what I have and what I am getting.  I’m excited to learn how many more ways there are to wear what  is already in my closet.  I even had the nerve to order this piece from a Uganda designer!  I hope to have it in hand this week!

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Yes, Sometimes I Get Lonely

by Tracy, posted in Africa, Personal stuff

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It’s Sunday morning as I type.

Outside I can hear the building staff sweeping up from the epic equatorial storm that hammered Kampala last night.  There’s been one every night since Tuesday and I am told they will continue through April, which suits me fine.  I love crazy thunder, lightening and rain storms.  Last night was particularly violent though.  Doors and windows were slamming and items were blown around on the rooftop, outside and on my wee balcony.

I think maybe the sheer magnitude of the storm has me feeling small, insignificant and vulnerable.  Combine that with waking up, alone, in the middle of the night to a world gone mad.  And then being a little over-tired due to disturbed sleep.  Okay, hormones may be playing a small role as well (tmi again, right?)

So, I’m going to put it all out here.  I’m a little weepy and indulging in a small helping of self-pity.

Yes, I’ve chosen to come halfway across the globe by myself and I do not regret it.  Sometimes, though, I feel lonely and isolated.  Especially during the first half of my day when my Canadian friends and family are sleeping.  I try not to send them too many texts (thank you WhatsApp for connecting the world!) but I give in occasionally and send little random thoughts and questions just to feel close.

I have been slower making friends outside of work in Kampala.  Partly because in Zimbabwe and Cambodia I actually lived with people.  Here I have a great apartment but I’m by myself.  But it’s also because I haven’t made much of an effort yet.  That will change this week.  I’m going to an Internations event this week. I’m also going to use the connections functionality to reach out to some other women expats to see if they want to meet up.  I’ve dabbled with a couple of dating apps, but it’s not really my thing plus I’m more interested in finding friends than dates.  (side note – ghosting people is just plain rude!)

What else can I write about feeling lonesome?  I know it will pass.  Probably within a few hours, when I head to the gym again with my boss, Phil.  He has introduced me to some places here in Kampala.  I also had a co-worker take me out for a day of swimming a few weeks back at the beautiful Lake Victoria Hotel.  For 25,000 shillings (approximately $7USD) we spent the entire day lounging by the pool with hotel guests.  *not sure how that fits in this post but inserting random thoughts where they don’t belong is a signature trait of mine*

It’s time for me to take the bull by the horns and integrate more in Kampala. That’s why I am here.  To LIVE in Africa, not just watch it or be a tourist.  And it’s not like I’m shy.  I talk to anybody, anywhere, anytime.  It’s more like I’m lazy or apathetic, both of which are easily addressed.

** at this point in writing, I was indeed invited to head to the gym, which I did for the second day in a row.  I had great workout and my legs will make me pay tomorrow.  Endorphins have taken over and I feel great.

Yesterday’s gym: Espace Gym & Spa, Silver Springs Hotel

Today’s gym: Paradise Fitness City

4 days and 3 nights at a Nairobi Convent

by Tracy, posted in Africa

Barely a week into my job in Uganda I attended a team workshop in Nairobi. It was a great introduction to the regional team, many of whom are new within the last year and even 6 months. I did not see much of Nairobi as we only left the convent grounds once, when we went out for dinner on Friday evening. We arrived two days after a bomb attack in the city so venturing out didn’t feel wise.

I want to give an appreciative shout out to Kenya Immigration. I filled out the e-visa application less than 24 hours before arriving in country. Obviously it was not yet approved. After my tedious relationship with Zimbabwe Immigration *do I dare post what I wrote about that* I was certain I would have to pay again at the Nairobi airport in order to get into the country. NOPE! The Immigration officer at the immigration desk simply directed me to the immigration office when I told her I had applied and paid online. In the office, the fellow pulled up my application, took a quick look and said I was all good. He wrote approved on the printout I had of my application and I was good to go. I filled out the declaration and was through immigration in no time. Kudos Kenya!

As I say in the title, our event was held at a convent. The Dimesse Sisters Kenya to be exact. You can find them here: Dimesse Sisters

The only real downside to the venue was the 7pm curfew, which seriously hindered our ability to socialize outside of the formal team events. The food was very good, the rooms were clean and sufficiently comfortable and the building and grounds quite lovely. The mosquitos rivalled what I am used to in Northern Canada in quantity, if not size, so I was grateful for the mosquito netting.

There are 4 small tortoises living in the inner garden of the compound which were an ongoing source of amusement for me and my colleagues. I also encountered a little chameleon on two different mornings. Since I help a couple of them at Snake World in Zimbabwe I was brave enough to pick up the little creature and interact with it.

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I took a ton of pictures of the convent grounds and my creature friends. I will definitely be returning to Kenya for a true visit to see more of Nairobi and more of the country.

Kampala, first few weeks

by Tracy, posted in Africa

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I feel that I am letting Kampala down, not posting about it all yet.  Today marks 3 weeks since I arrived.  In that time I have accomplished quite a bit, really.  I am established in my apartment , work found it for me, I simply came and approved.  I have my local phone number/SIM card, activated wifi, set up and loaded my mobile money and have sufficient local currency in supply.  Basically by myself, so pretty good.

But I haven’t seen much of Kampala at all.  I walk to work – less than 5 minutes which is my best “commute” ever! I walk to the supermarket and bring my groceries home in my backpack.  I scoped out a gym but won’t be using that one.  I have a line on a gym through a new friend so hopefully I will be back on the workout wagon soon, and with vigor.  So for now I will share that my neighbourhood has been fairly easy for me to adapt to.

The heat and humidity lie somewhere between Harare and Phnom Pehn.  Far less hot and humid than Cambodia but certainly more so than Zimbabwe.  The hardest adaptation for me is the absence of air conditioning.  In Cambodia I was always sweaty due to humidity when I was outside, but both my bedroom and office were air conditioned.  In Zimbabwe, while it could get up to 30 celsius, there was not the humidity to contend with.  And there was usually a morning breeze which moved the air around nicely.  Not complaining really – at home it’s been -47 with the wind chill.  Eeek!

I have discovered in the last two days that I need a better deodorant.  And I learned that something I noticed is true and usual for most people.  One armpit is usually smellier than the other (I’ve only noticed one of mine)!  The right pit.  I didn’t read far enough to learn why, but there’s a something learned for you.  Sorry if it’s TMI on my odor situation.  I don’t think it is enough for anybody but me to notice and I am taking measures now 🙂

I am working at ICCO Cooperation, a Dutch NGO.  I am going to talk with communications and do a post about the organisation and my role there.  I learned at a workshop in Kenya that they are open to workers sharing on social media.  Oh yeah, I spent a few days in Nairobi, mainly at a convent for a team workshop.  I’ll share some about that in another post!

Here are a few pictures from my first few weeks, in addition to the shot above which is the view from my ceiling terrace:

First of all, my apartment, while very nice, is built for a giant.  This is the top of my head while I am standing underneath the cabinet for my dishes! LOL!

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I’ve working on establishing a walking route.  I live in an area with busy roads and dead end streets so it is taking some exploring.  This is a taste of Muyenga, the section of Kampala I live in.

I’m not allowed pets, so this little dude is as close as I’m going to get.  And as I regularly say when posting these on Instagram – #betterthanspiders

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I will endeavour to post more about my new life in Africa.  I’m hopeful that this short term contract is just the beginning of a new career path!  Cheers!

Tips for longer stays abroad (based on what I’ve done wrong)’

by Tracy, posted in Travel tips and follies

Get a local SIM card or cheap local phone

In Cambodia I had a cheap local phone but I did not get very good at using it. I was able to do some texting and make a few calls, but I stayed too dependant on my home cell phone/SIM. This prevented me from communicating more with my local friends and I see it now as a bit arrogant

I have now started a collection of SIM cards. I have my Canadian number, Zimbabwe and now Uganda. I swear if I am going to spend more than 2 weeks in any country I will just get a SIM. Heck I may end up doing it for less time depending on the rates in the country.

I just swap back to my home SIM card when I need to check out my Canadian voice mail or deal with things at home.
Do not assume Wi-Fi access or data availability

In Cambodia, unlimited data was a thing. My Airbnb host provided Wi-Fi and I streamed shows all the time. Sometimes connectivity was not great since it was the start of the rainy season, but the actual data usage was not a concern. Also, basically every restaurant I went to had Wi-Fi and posted the password for patrons to see and use.

In Zimbabwe, Wi-Fi is available publicly and data is available in bundles for home wifi or your local SIM. It isn’t expensive – 30gb passes can be purchased for $25USD but when I ran the data out where I was staying, Wi-Fi was just gone. Bundles are readily available and reloading is fairly simple.

In Uganda the Wi-Fi bundles are reasonably priced (caveat, I’m Canadian so I have been gouged for all mobile and internet usage forever. It is possible that what is reasonable to me may seem expensive to you) I have a 10gb monthly plan for my phone for 120,000 UGX (approximately $34 USD, $45 CAD). I may have made a mistake on my home internet. I purchased the Premium Unlimited plan for 330,000 UGX ($92USD, $124 CAD) – I checked the conversion too late for that one. I have an allowance for Internet and phone for $100 USD per month, so I am spending slightly over that. My internet is indeed unlimited but it throttles back to 256kps after 3GB of use each day. Back up the next morning though. It was nice for this privileged Canadian chick to do some Netflixing yesterday.

Investigate the electrical power situation – infrastructure quality and outages

This was especially a factor in Zimbabwe because of the time of my stay. It is the start of the rainy season – apparently that’s when I go to countries – and the local people told me power outages are common for that time of the year. The country’s infrastructure is aging which means that extreme rain and/or winds can have dramatic impact.

Soon after I arrived much of Harare was without power for two full days, on and off, mostly off. In many of the more well to do areas citizens have backup generators or solar inverters to keep them powered up during outages. My work also used generator power for much of those two days. As for me, I was in blackout from the time I got home from work Wednesday afternoon until I was back to work Thursday. Power was restored around midday. There is a solar inverter where I stayed but it was being repaired at the time. It wasn’t really a hardship but I could have been better prepared intellectually for the experience.

For my apartment in Uganda I have prepaid power which is an entirely new concept to me. And I ran out of power my first night because I didn’t talk to my building manager more clearly about the whole process. I am now up and running with power and will be tracking it to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Power outages here are less frequent than my time in Zimbabwe but definitely more frequent than home. *written after only one week in the country*
Toiletries – bring anything truly important to you

I was proactive on this for all trips but for Zimbabwe I missed two items that I rely on almost daily. I actually started getting them ready at home for the trip but didn’t follow through. The first item is Q-tips. The name brand. I use them daily as ear towels, to help with makeup mishaps and a multitude of other little things that pop up. I put my travel bag of Q-tips in the bathroom to reload and then forgot about it until I was unpacking. I found something there but they do not compare and my host Debbie told that once she used them and the cotton came off in her ear!! I had no such mishaps but really missed my Q-tips.

The second item is a nail clipper! I grabbed my manicure set but didn’t open until I was here. No clipper. And the worst nail scissors ever! It broke before week one was finished. I eventually found a clipper hiding in the depths of my bag and I found a variety in the pharmacy, phew!

I have a skin reaction to perfumed lotion, so I brought my own. I also have my preferred shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste.

If it matters greatly to you, bring it along.

Another item that is scarce in Zimbabwe but was readily available in Phnom Pehn is pain medication. I was recovering from a pinched neck nerve when I left home and brought a large bottle of both acetaminophen and ibuprofen. I’m glad I did because finding pain meds in Zimbabwe is no easy feat.

Added to my list now – laxative, monostat (for the ladies, I haven’t needed this in years but realized I would not want to be anywhere needing this item and not be able to get it!) I have cold medication and allergy medication (I don’t have allergies but they can pop up any time in life). Yeah, I’m carrying too much but since I am living here I don’t mind using the extra space.
Be humble and kind

I have done some dumb things while travelling, like dropping my cell phone or taking a wrong turn and getting a bit lost (not at night or in a dangerous area). I have found that local people are very helpful when I smile and speak politely. I do not assume they owe me any assistance or that I have any rank or importance above their own. I am actually uncomfortable if I am deferred to because of my status as a foreigner or tourist. Or perceived American identity.
Share about where you are from to all who are curious

I enjoy when people what to know about Canada. Or the US, so far as I an speak for it. I especially like to show pictures of moose and am happy to discuss how cold it gets, how long winter lasts, how far the drive is to my home town and how long it takes. It is always entertaining to see the faces of people who live near the equator when I explain that in the summer it is light until 11pm! The sun is down earlier, I say, but it does not get dark until really late.

I don’t mean be naïve and over-share. There will always be people ready to take advantage of others, especially ‘rich’ tourists. So I exercise caution but do not let it sour me to being open, honest and caring.
Think about your wardrobe but don’t overthink it

Still be you. I over-relied on internet guidance for my first two trips and felt silly for some of it – like not bringing black t-shirts to Zimbabwe because black attracts certain insects. I was in the city! People wear black all the time and most of my favourite t-shirts are black! So to Uganda I brought what I wanted while keeping the climate and cultural realities in mind, such as making sure my dresses are not shorter than just above the knee.

Part of being me – yellow rubber boots for Victoria 😊

I am sure I will come up with more tips as I am positive that I will be making more mistakes! Also, I will be making a separate post on currency and mobile money because I want to do some research and make it more useful. Thank you and have a blessed day!!

Lake Chivero – a perfect day

by Tracy, posted in Africa, Zimbabwe

One of my best days in Harare was the Saturday my friend and co-worker took me out to see another side of life in Zimbabwe – one outside of my cushy little cocoon of Gunhill and Borrowdale. All I did was provide some US cash and get in the car.

His work organising the day started before mine (see previous post about my privileged existence). He arranged for and picked up the car, then picked me up. Next we went to change some US cash to Zimbabwean bond. Why, you may ask? Well because $40 US became $112 bond! Despite the government insisting that the currencies were one to one (they gave up on that later), the exchange rate on the street clearly indicated otherwise.

Then we put some petrol in the car, stopped at the supermarket for some beer and snacks and off we went on my local, non-upscale, adventure.

First stop was Snake World, a pretty modest attraction that a few tourists and school children take in. But it was right up my alley. My friend was horrified to learn that at one point I had lived with a snake, my then-boyfriend’s corn snake Rusty. Honestly, the only Zimbabwean I have met who doesn’t have a problem with snakes is the young man who was working at Snake World. He gave us a great tour, explaining all about the snakes and even riling up the cobras to get them to strike – at the glass, don’t worry.

There was a small non-venomous snake that I held – while Enos was a good 10 feet away – hahah! Then at the end of the tour I also got to hold 2 chameleons!

After leaving Snake World we went for beer and braai – based on my credit card statement and somewhat backed up by my internet search – the place is Club Millenium. It’s a roadside establishment (restaurant, bar) with seating outside as well as in a canopied area with open walls. The walls may close up as well but I didn’t see that.
The process to eat involves going to the onsite butcher to buy your meat and then walking it over to the guys manning the braai to get it cooked. You pay everybody separately as you walk through the process.

We ordered some beer and grabbed a table under the canopy. Football (soccer for my fellow North Americans) was on the tv’s, typical of sports bars everywhere. The music was mostly the same as bar tunes at home with some African music was mixed in as well. The meat arrived along with sadza as well as sliced cucumber and tomato. It was a very tasty, meaty feast eaten with our hands. We had pork, beef and boerewors (sausage) – so I’m not kidding about meaty. I was in heaven because – meat! Yum! And grilled meat is the best meat. Did I mention there was meat?

After a couple/few brews (less than 4% alcohol, relax!) we went for a drive to Lake Chivero. There people were having a great time at the beach. Swimming, listening to tunes, dancing, grilling – braai everywhere! We enjoyed the view and talked for a while.

We stopped at the roadside bar again before heading home. It was a really nice day so why rush to end it. When I finally got home it was about 7pm, so the day was about 8 hours all told.

I was tired but there was a dinner party at the house so my socializing continued to well past 11. So did my alcohol consumption – but when in Zim!

Privilege is my middle name

by Tracy, posted in Uncategorized

So far my Zimbabwe posts have not touched on the economic situation during my visit.  That was intentional, as I think there is so much more to the country than the financial and economic issues the citizens must perpetually endure.

Things are never really great here economically but my term here has coincided with what most people I speak with say is the worst time yet.

On October 1, 2018, only a few days before I arrived, the government’s new finance minister made an announcement concerning currency.  I’m not going to get into that as a quick Google search will tell you anything you could wish to know.

On October 5th, I arrived in Harare.  Just as the fuel shortage was escalating to levels not seen since 2008.  At the same time, a panic about the availability of basic grocery availability started and people started buying up everything in the shops, hoarding to avoid future shortfalls.  The unfortunate side effect was basically a self-fulfilling prophecy – the hoarding actually produced the scarcity of resources.

The queues in the supermarkets were insanely long.  Stores had to limit how many items could be purchased for much of the stock.  Bread was one of the things that had to be limited, and it was often not available at all for the first few weeks I was here.  Even still, bread is usually limited to 2 loaves per purchase and rarely hits the shelves – people line up and get it right from the flats as it comes from the back.

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Fuel queues became reasonable for the middle portion of my stay, most of November.  But by the end of November my travel plans to see Great Zimbabwe were quashed because fuel was once again scarce, and Great Zimbabwe is more than a tank of petrol or diesel away from Harare.

The second weekend in December it was slightly improved and I did get out of the city to see the Chinhoyi Caves.  On the way back into the city my friend and I came across a reasonable queue and we were able to almost fill her tank.  This was the only time in my stay that I participated in a fuel queue.  It was a short line and only took an hour. I took these photos to document the experience and the first was taken at 2:57 as we arrived while the last was at 4pm when we got to the pump.

People have asked me how I have handled the situation in Zimbabwe and I respond that I didn’t have to deal with issues at all.  I stayed in an upscale neighbourhood and my Airbnb host, now friend, shared her friends, transportation and the benefits of her position with me.  I was given an allowance in US$ from my NGO so I did not experience currency issues.  I was given a ride to and from work as well so transportation was no concern.  In short, my entire stay in Harare was one of privilege, the story of my life actually.