Title: Andrew Sacret (
Zambia)
Status: Active
URL:
http://andrew-in-mazabuka.blogspot.com/
All Posts Cached via RSS
Fond farewells - 02/Aug/2011 02:31 - 5007 days ago
Apparently, some folks have waiting patiently for the "last installment" of my blog. Since I've had such loyal followers, ...
Finished! - 01/Jun/2011 14:35 - 5069 days ago
After 10.5 months in Mazabuka, I am finally coming home. The reality is starting to sink in, but it still feels a bit unre...
Desert Fun - 16/May/2011 15:52 - 5085 days ago
After my tour ended, I headed onwards to Swakopmund to meet up with Victoria. We spent a very foggy and alarmingly cold weekend...
Landscapes as far as the eye can see! - 16/May/2011 15:42 - 5085 days ago
The itinerary for the camping tour took our group to a few interesting landmarks in southern Namibia. First stop was the Quiver...
Namibia - 16/May/2011 15:12 - 5085 days ago
It's been a few days now since I returned from my holiday in Namibia. What I found the most striking about Namibia were the lan...
Extension #2 - 24/Apr/2011 07:25 - 5107 days ago
I know it may be hard to believe, but I have agreed to another short extension to my placement in Zambia. I will now be st...
The mail must go through... - 21/Apr/2011 17:03 - 5110 days ago
It had been a long time since I'd given up hope of ever receiving a promised parcel from my office in Ottawa. Lo and behol...
Same blog channel, same blog time... - 19/Apr/2011 19:59 - 5112 days ago
I was fiddling with some design settings and realized I couldn't go back. So here's the new blog look, admittedly late in ...
The only sheet of ice in Zambia - 16/Apr/2011 11:59 - 5115 days ago
A few days ago, it was my turn to be celebrated. This past week I took another bold step into my thirties. So far so...
A taste of Japan - 03/Apr/2011 15:04 - 5128 days ago
Last night, my local Japanese friend celebrated her birthday with a futo-maki (sushi) rolling party, hosted at Marco's house.&nb...
The Sweetest Town in the Nation - 03/Apr/2011 14:11 - 5128 days ago
Yesterday being a bright, sunny Saturday, I borrowed my roommate's bicycle and went out for a ride. I decided to check out...
Galvanized by tragedy - 28/Mar/2011 19:04 - 5134 days ago
Truck accidents are an all too common occurrence around Mazabuka. This morning, there was another horrible accident at the...
More fresh produce - 26/Mar/2011 12:01 - 5136 days ago
It just keeps getting better. Now the local bananas are back in season, along with these strange looking oranges called“naart...
Under African Skies - 25/Mar/2011 11:58 - 5137 days ago
As we begin the transition from the southern summer to winter, the sunset comes earlier– around 5:45 p.m. It's now pretty muc...
Colourful Currency - 13/Mar/2011 13:01 - 5149 days ago
I've always been interested in nerdy things like currency and stamps. Yes, I said it, I'm a nerd. Didn't you know?So, I've don...
Environmentalism? - 12/Mar/2011 13:50 - 5150 days ago
A few months ago, I bought a few of the“green” shopping bags proudly on sale at the Shoprite store. Since there's virtually...
More trouble on the street - 12/Mar/2011 13:42 - 5150 days ago
Today when I went into town for some shopping, I happened upon another scene of devastation on the main street of Mazabuka. App...
International Women's Day - 12/Mar/2011 13:32 - 5150 days ago
Tuesday March 8 was International Women's Day, which is celebrated as a public holiday in Zambia. To celebrate, women (and a fe...
Dangerous driver - 11/Mar/2011 12:55 - 5151 days ago
After many months of walking, I rode a bicycle for the first time today. It was quite a liberating experience. Howev...
An international audience - 11/Mar/2011 09:25 - 5151 days ago
The other day, I realized that I could check the statistics on how many people are reading my blog. I was really astonishe...
Peter's Farewell - 10/Mar/2011 13:49 - 5152 days ago
Sadly, another farewell party. This one was for Peter, a Ugandan volunteer who has been working with the Council for the last t...
Leaving Livingstone - 06/Mar/2011 13:59 - 5156 days ago
Two weeks ago, my friend Emily returned to England after her year as a VSO in Livingstone. To send her off, a bunch of us ...
Juxtapositions 3: The Mazabuka Olympics - 06/Mar/2011 13:58 - 5156 days ago
The Mazabuka contingent of expats and volunteers has acquired a reputation as a party crowd. Befitting the reputation, we organ...
Juxtapositions 2: Birthdays - 06/Mar/2011 13:48 - 5156 days ago
Despite the tensions in Mazabuka, there are always reasons to celebrate... such as birthdays. My colleagues and friends Pami an...
Juxtapositions 1: Modern Life in the Capital - 05/Mar/2011 13:38 - 5157 days ago
Upon leaving Mazabuka amid the protests, store closures and the general sense of unease, I came to Lusaka for a long weekend. M...
Evacuated - 03/Mar/2011 15:00 - 5159 days ago
Unfortunately, the situation in Mazabuka has escalated. The police were out again today allegedly looking for the proteste...
Senseless tragedy - 02/Mar/2011 10:05 - 5160 days ago
Around 9:30 this morning, a large and noisy crowd began to assemble on the street in front of the police station. Naturally, wo...
Rainy relief - 28/Feb/2011 15:52 - 5162 days ago
It turns out that those teasing thundershowers last Friday were the beginning of some more substantial rains. It has raine...
Weather worries - 25/Feb/2011 12:36 - 5165 days ago
It's now been over three weeks since Mazabuka has seen any rain. The situation is not yet a real problem, but everyone is ...
The Case for Planning in Mazabuka - 15/Feb/2011 15:33 - 5175 days ago
The following is a second article for the Mazabuka Times on the IDP:***In the January issue of the Mazabuka Times, we reported o...
From the vault - 10/Feb/2011 11:41 - 5180 days ago
One of the things we need to do for the IDP is to have a proper dialogue with the landholders south of town to explain the Counc...
The harvests continue - 01/Feb/2011 17:26 - 5189 days ago
As I hear of friends and family shivering in the -33C weather back in Ottawa/Toronto, I can't help but think how different my Fe...
D.I.Y. Utilities Inc. - 15/Jan/2011 10:54 - 5206 days ago
This morning, Rob and I woke up to find both the water and the power off. While it's a bit of overkill to get a generator, it's...
Rainy season - 12/Jan/2011 10:42 - 5209 days ago
This week, I finally received a Christmas card from my mother in which she asked whether the initial rains had been temporary. ...
Freedom 55 Retirement - 10/Jan/2011 10:31 - 5211 days ago
For Councils in Zambia, the mandatory retirement age is an alarmingly young 55 years old. However, in a country where overall l...
Matebeto - 09/Jan/2011 10:45 - 5212 days ago
Last night, my good friends Victoria and Lweendo prepared and hosted a group of us for a traditional Bemba dinner. I learned th...
Extension - 08/Jan/2011 15:43 - 5213 days ago
Though news has been getting around, I thought I'd take the opportunity to officially let everyone know that I'm going to be sta...
Urban Zanzibar: Stone Town - 06/Jan/2011 17:09 - 5215 days ago
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The dawn of a New Year - 03/Jan/2011 16:57 - 5218 days ago
On the 31st, we shifted north to the happening town of Nungwi. The beach there dropped off much more steeply into the sea ...
A spicy destination: Zanzibar - 30/Dec/2010 16:56 - 5222 days ago
What can I say about Zanzibar in a nutshell? For one thing, it is every bit the paradise island that it claims to be with ...
Cosmpolitan Africa: Dar es Salaam - 27/Dec/2010 16:09 - 5225 days ago
Though I only spent a few hours in Dar es Salaam, I found it a very pleasant and interesting city. Dar es Salaam, while not ...
The Tazara Christmas Express - 26/Dec/2010 15:53 - 5226 days ago
Christmas had an entirely different feel this year. Not least of which was the temperature– I've never before worn shorts, t-...
Compliments of the season! - 22/Dec/2010 21:28 - 5230 days ago
Though I've known for months that it was coming, somehow Christmas has taken me by surprise. I just can't seem to shake th...
The running club - 14/Dec/2010 19:53 - 5238 days ago
After a somewhat stressful day, I was a bundle of nervous energy. From my experience, the best recipe to beat the stress-i...
The urban barnyard - 11/Dec/2010 09:12 - 5241 days ago
Sadly, due to my suburban upbringing and subsequent downtown conditioning, I've not had much opportunity to observe barnyard ani...
An unusual tourist attraction - 07/Dec/2010 16:23 - 5245 days ago
No, I've not gone batty. However, this past weekend, I traveled to Kasanka National Park in northern Zambia with a small g...
Sights and sounds of the office - 02/Dec/2010 08:41 - 5250 days ago
The office I share with the Deputy Director of Planning is quite open to the outside world. While there's something very n...
Community connections - 27/Nov/2010 08:42 - 5255 days ago
I've had a bit of a planning dilemma over the last few months. One of the components of an Integrated Development Plan is ...
Candy currency - 25/Nov/2010 19:28 - 5257 days ago
Some things are just too "sweet" to be true.Tonight, for the second time since I arrived in Zambia, I received candy as change a...
The smoke that whispers - 23/Nov/2010 16:09 - 5259 days ago
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to travel to Livingstone for a braii (barbeque) for all the Southern Province volunteer...
Garden fresh: Part II - 18/Nov/2010 16:16 - 5264 days ago
The newest garden-fresh delight is butternut squash! Naturally, we're quite delighted with the results.Tasty roasted veget...
Sprawl, sprawl, ubiquitous sprawl - 13/Nov/2010 12:43 - 5269 days ago
Don't get me wrong, I really do enjoy writing about all the fun experiences I'm having outside of work. But since this is not ...
A lesson in making someone's day - 07/Nov/2010 15:33 - 5275 days ago
Tomorrow is Rebecca's birthday. In case I haven't mentioned her before, Rebecca is the daughter of Stellah, the lady Rob a...
Barometric changes - 01/Nov/2010 11:59 - 5281 days ago
With one loud clap of thunder at 12:36 on Sunday October 31, the skies opened and the rainy season in Mazabuka officially began....
Garden fresh - 29/Oct/2010 17:41 - 5284 days ago
I'm getting used to this climate. Happy late October! :-)Fresh spinach salad, hand picked from the garden out back....
Jingle bells, jingle all the way! - 28/Oct/2010 23:23 - 5285 days ago
On a superficial level, I'd say Christmas is going to be pretty much the same as in Canada. I believe the Zambian retailer...
Build first, ask later - 20/Oct/2010 21:09 - 5293 days ago
Yesterday, the boss came into the office I share with the Deputy Planning Director bearing building plans for a new branch of th...
Family ties - 19/Oct/2010 16:36 - 5294 days ago
This past Saturday, I arranged to meet the family of my Zambian-born friend Bibiana in their village near Choma. It was quite a...
Chipata and onwards to Mazabuka - 16/Oct/2010 16:26 - 5297 days ago
I soon discovered that the bus to Lusaka departed the following day, so came to the realization that I would have to spend overn...
Zambia, the achingly tough reality - 15/Oct/2010 16:24 - 5298 days ago
After the serene sanctuary of Wildlife Camp and the park, I was faced with the difficult decision of how to get out of there. T...
"The monkeys got away with the cat food!" - 14/Oct/2010 16:02 - 5299 days ago
No, I wasn't playing a good ol' game of“Telephone” to reminisce about childhood days.Last week, I arranged some holiday time...
Expectant Spring - 10/Oct/2010 16:01 - 5303 days ago
Since I have been hearing of Thanksgiving turkey, cooler days, and technicolour forests back home, I thought I might take a minu...
Things we don't see every day - the sequel - 07/Oct/2010 14:21 - 5306 days ago
A few weeks ago, I reported that a truck had not quite made the sharp left turn at the bottom of the hill into town. That truck...
Old news... last week's stories - 06/Oct/2010 02:20 - 5307 days ago
I'm happy to report that there haven't been any more snakes.What I had been trying to write about the other day, was the annual ...
Slingshots... beyond child's play - 03/Oct/2010 19:38 - 5310 days ago
Tonight while dinner was on the stove, I decided to sit down and write about the past week. However, upon writing the first few...
Make a joyful noise - 26/Sep/2010 19:12 - 5317 days ago
As many of you know, I am a regular member of First United Church in Ottawa. For my fellow church goers, I think you understand...
Zambian expressions and buzzwords - 25/Sep/2010 14:35 - 5318 days ago
Every culture has distinctive expressions– Zambia is no exception. All professions have their share of jargon too. In this p...
Check your shoes! - 14/Sep/2010 20:20 - 5329 days ago
Friends warned me to check my shoes before putting them on. I now see why.This morning, I nearly stepped into a spider. I have...
Best alarm clocks ever - 14/Sep/2010 10:33 - 5329 days ago
If you have difficulty waking up in the morning, I highly recommend buying a rooster and putting it directly outside your window...
Some real work for a change - 09/Sep/2010 19:10 - 5334 days ago
I've heard of these beasts before, but not having worked directly in a municipal government, I've never helped to assemble“the...
The Muzungu CAN dance! - 07/Sep/2010 20:48 - 5336 days ago
This past weekend marked another“muzungu convention” (i.e. party weekend) here in Mazabuka. Every time we get together, the...
Saddle up! - 02/Sep/2010 18:52 - 5341 days ago
If these cockroaches get any bigger, I'm going to start riding them to work! Between the cockroaches, the geckos and the mozzie...
High highs and low lows - 01/Sep/2010 16:03 - 5342 days ago
As I near the two month mark, I am conscious of how my feelings towards my placement experience have ebbed and flowed. The...
Things we don't see every day... thankfully - 26/Aug/2010 20:36 - 5348 days ago
I thought I might show off a couple of surprising events from the main streets of Mazabuka. I noticed the first a few days...
Excellent Edibles - 08/Aug/2010 19:36 - 5366 days ago
Many people have asked what I'm eating here in Zambia. Generally I'm eating quite well– much better than I thought I would. ...
Week 2 Experiences - 02/Aug/2010 19:57 - 5372 days ago
It's hard for me to believe that I'm only starting my third week in Zambia. So much has happened in such a short time. This pa...
Arrived in Mazabuka - 20/Jul/2010 20:22 - 5385 days ago
I've now been in Mazabuka for four days and have been on the job already for the past two. My travel to Zambia went as planned...
PICNIC IS NOW AN OPEN HOUSE - 25/Jun/2010 20:52 - 5410 days ago
There's no sense ignoring the obvious. The weather forecast calls quite clearly for rain tomorrow which will make a picnic le...
Help me reach my fundraising target! - 11/Jun/2010 01:24 - 5424 days ago
In addition to lending my skills and experience in Zambia, I have been issued a challenge to raise funds to support CUSO-VSO’...
Golf green lawns - 09/Jun/2010 03:20 - 5426 days ago
This post has nothing much to do with Zambia itself... but it is related to my upcoming adventure. I have been searching f...
Welcome to my blog - 15/May/2010 13:46 - 5451 days ago
Welcome to my blog! I'm delighted that you've somehow found your way here, whether your visit is deliberate or accidental....
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