TOUCHING DOWN...LUSAKA

Finally after 24 hours of grueling flight, 3 plane transfers, I, together with two other Filipino volunteers, touched down Lusaka International Airport. A VSO staff picked us up from the airport and assisted us in securing our visa granting us 30 days because our work permit has not been released yet.

The VSO driver took us to a place called Barn “Motel” which will be our “house” during the induction week. The place is very simple, housed in a wide compound surrounded with trees and different flowering plants that serves as fence, and for this country, the landscaping was pretty good and it has a swimming pool! In this country I have seen the best quality of roses with big flowers, thick petals and a variety of colors. A small reception area separate from the line of rooms was our first destination, after leaving our luggage we proceeded to the dining area to have our most awaited lunch! Some volunteers from other countries were already around, having arrived ahead of us, probably due to the short distance from their origin. The food serving was huge, more than enough for 2 persons of my eating capacity. I was so hungry but only to be disappointed with the rice that was not cooked the way I expected. Maybe my tongue has to adjust again from the taste of rice cooked the African way. I couldn’t blame my distaste for the food entirely on how it was prepared but maybe the fatigue I felt from the long trip since all I want to do is lie down, besides, our arrival time in Lusaka was already 8.30 in the evening, Philippines’ time. My body clock has to adjust with time in Zambia.

After settling in, I did the most awaited part of the journey, lie down in bed! I did not sleep because I have to condition myself and waited for the evening so I could sleep soundly. After few hours of rest, I couldn’t wait to call home which I managed to do through the reception area. Mum was still emotional when I talked to her, which was understandable under the circumstances. Ten thousand kwacha for a 3-minute call, I did not bother converting how much it was in peso! After hanging up the phone, I received my first kwacha for the equipment, half million (kwacha!), dream come true, I am a millionaire in Zambia! But that was only equivalent to less than a hundred US$.