I was not expecting that my laptop is going to be my best friend in Zambia. Fr. Richard told me once, a friend who cannot respond and react. I call it my best friend because I turn to it whenever I feel down and bored, I switch it to watch film, listen to music and most of all, I talk to it through my stories. Blogging is supposed to be stories about the place as the title goes but I guess it can also be true figuratively that I am taking the road less travelled, that includes life which I guess somebody who is not brave enough would take. Power service interruption is normal in Chipata, it is called load shedding but on Saturday—the 20th of December, it took the whole day. I failed to cook breakfast and lunch because load shedding, which I am now used to, usually takes 2 hours. I took some crisps “junk foods”---Filipino English and some biscuits but these foods failed to substitute real food, naturally it did not appease my hunger. Fortunately, Fr. Richard gave me a call and unashamedly told him I was hungry, to the rescue of the Father’s House, I took lunch there. I am now getting used to nshima, pumpkin leaves and beef/chicken cooked in tomatoes which until now I could not copy despite the efforts because I really liked the way it is cooked. I stayed for a while after eating hoping that the power will be back but it came at six o’clock in the evening. But I left an hour after eating because it seemed hopeless waiting. I finished a book while taking naps in-between. The day ended like this.
The next day, I was well-prepared. I went for prayers and took some food with me with a plan that I would stay at the office the whole day, surfing the net and sending out Christmas greetings--- By the way, Caritas Office is just across the Mchini Parish---unfortunately, after the mass, power went off. I waited for 2 hours but again I was disappointed. Power was back at 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Again, I was reading a book wherein I fall asleep which lasted for 3 hours, something I don’t normally do in the Philippines. I have to force myself out of the bed because I don’t want to sleep longer; getting out of bed, I found the power was back. So hurriedly, I put the rice cooker and just when I was about to wash the rice, I found out that there’s no water in the tap. I haven’t had a lunch, could not have it from the Father’s House because it’s too much to eat from there every day. I have to share the costs then, though the priests are very welcoming. I waited for the water but I failed, after two hours of waiting I decided to just use the water from my water filter. As I am writing this, I am cooking the rice.
Coping up when you are away from home is difficult, I tell you. However, as I always say, I have made this decision. So, I have to exert efforts and try harder to make this work. I was supposed to join other volunteers to Malawi but due to visa matters, I failed; although, I am still hoping to follow after Christmas. The rest of my volunteer friends don’t have to bother themselves with visa to Malawi because their countries are members or I would rather say, initiated the Commonwealth countries. I asked myself should I feel bad that Philippines is not a member on situations like this? Or I should be happy it is not. Well, certainly I feel proud to be a Filipino and happy of the latter.
Christmas---reality bites. It’s only four days away. I don’t want to feel it, away from home. Alone in this part of the world, it’s too much to think about. I am trying to control my emotions, not to let the situation affect me but I guess I have to face it whether I like it or not, however, it depends so much on me how I will do it. Sometimes, I feel that life is not fair, I have come this far for a reason, but I could say it has failed me in this respect. As a consolation, two Filipinos will be joining me. So we would be celebrating the noche buena together, and perhaps make each other happy and enjoy Christmas in Zambia.
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