Senanga (aka senannnnnnnnngahh)

This is for my mama, cause she likes to give out Canadian tattoos as well. There was a lot of laughter from the location of this tattoo!!

Western Province feels like home to me. Not literally, but we are finally settled in with some familiarities of home. For instance, we have a garbage for compost, recycling (ok you caught me, we burn the paper products), and then a garbage for plastics that we bury. We had our first family meal in the new house and organized the pantry. It feels good to be moved in. I have to say that the Sisters we are staying with are the craftiest ladies I know. They have literally recycled almost everything into something. For example, the loofah in our shower is an old onion bag (you know the orange kind) and it is amazing next to the rock that doubles as a pumice stone!
Our first week at the school was filled with meetings and getting to know the staff. We sat in on a lecture the other day, and I finally feel that I can do this. The classrooms are smaller so it is an intimate setting with the students, which I like better than larger lecture theatres. I have to get me one of those nursing hats that all the students wear! It is the ultimate souvenir. Next week is the projected start date of our lectures, however, all of our teaching tools are in Lusaka awaiting a trip to Mongu (they were suppose to be here last week, need I say doing laundry is a must with only a few pairs of underwear!). There was a glitch in communication and we are still waiting for the remainder of our luggage.
The class we sat in on started off with a prayer (as almost event/task does in this country) and the most beautiful song I have ever heard. The spirituality and faith here is portrayed with a multitude of songs and dances. It is unreal how harmonious a group can sound at such an early hour of the morning.
Last week was a long weekend, so Monday and Tuesday were holidays (I am not sure which ones, I am sure Jess will mention it though). We spent the weekend travelling around Western Province with Gene and Mubita (Margaret’s husband). Before I get into the details, I have to say that everyone has been commenting on how much I look like a Losi. The other day two guards at the visa office said I look Losi and gave me a Losi name, Limpo (meaning “gift”). My Losi is coming along nicely too I must add, I know at least 7 words now….
Ok, back to the trip. We travelled for just over an hour South West from Mongu. A company from Japan was paving the road. When Gene travelled to Senanga last year, he said it took close to 3 hours. Thanks to the new road, the trip took us just over an hour. When we first arrived in Senanga we fell in love. It is a quaint, cosy little town, and…there was a fishing derby! Dad this is where you need to pay attention. There were teams that each had a boat and over 60 people in total. The fishermen consisted mainly of South Africans, and other mukwas (white people) from the surrounding areas. The two main fish in the Zambezi are Bream and Tiger fish. Bream are very tasty. In fact while we were visiting Mubita’s village, Tamoona, we had the local dish nshima (buhobe in this area) and bream.

Tasty looking aint it!!

The fishing derby attracted many locals that would drink and watch the fishermen come in. Tragically, one of the boats lost control and hit a local fishing boat (like a canoe). The fishing derby boats are speedboats, so when they collided, a small local boy was killed. In Canada the fishing derby would have stopped, but the fishing derby went on, as did the celebrations.

Lianne