Earlier this month, a friend of mine from back when I volunteered in a Russian orphanage, asked me to do a guest post for her blog Just One Of The Boys.
It turned out to be a great opportunity for me to recap my years here in Zambia and how things are going over there at the moment and lay open my heart. Check out my blog post for In Her Shoes.
This is a short version of a true story that I wrote up for a little
family book my grandmother put together in 2012.
***************
"Only God Noes My Futuer"
This
saying, painted on the wall of a village hut, could not have been more
fitting. It was a perfect description for that moment in time, as well
as my life!
Some friends and I were on a five day
adventure to see the sights of Zambia's Northern Province. On the fourth
day of our journey we decided to leave the main road in search of a
waterfall mentioned in our "Little Known Waterfalls of Zambia"
guidebook. We found ourselves driving miles into the bush following some
overgrown tire tracks. Then suddenly we felt and heard a terrible crash
underneath our car. The long grass had hidden a sharp rock jutting up
from the ground and now our transmission fluid was gushing. We caught as
much as we could in an empty water bottle, but our best sock-and-duct
tape patching job could not do the trick. So with sun setting we left
the car behind and began walking in search of help. After an hour, we
came to a village. The people were friendly but didn't speak a word of
English and we didn't speak a word of Bemba. Yet, as if it was inscribed
there just for us were the words "Only God Noes My Futuer".
We
did not have a clue what the outcome would be in this situation and
could not see a clear way out, but I felt peace in knowing that God held
my future in His hand and already knew just what was coming next.
As
we were trying our best to communicate to the villagers through crazy
looking gestures, we heard the distant rumble of a diesel engine.
Amazingly, a large flat-bed truck appeared making a rare trip to a
distant farm to pick up a maize harvest. Even more amazingly, the truck
driver spoke perfect English and instantly stopped upon seeing our
worried white faces and offered to help. This act of kindness was the
first of many that night. He offered to tow us out of the bush as soon
as he took care of the harvest. He explained to the villagers our
predicament and they welcomed us into their village insaka to sit around
the community fire and covered us with all of the cloths and sacks they
could find when the night turned bitter cold.
After a
long night and a bright morning, we found ourselves waving goodbye to
our new village friends from the back of the flatbed truck on our way to
the nearest mechanic, our car following behind tied to a fallen tree.
By the end of the day, we were having dinner with friends back in Lusaka
recounting the tale of our epic journey.
So whether it is
being broken down in the African bush, or being dressed in a robe and
wig in an African courtroom, I can truly take courage and comfort in the
fact that "Only God Knows My Future".
This is a Facebook post from years ago that seemed fitting for this blog chronicling my Zambian Law journey.
**********
When I decided to go to school in Zambia to study for the Zambia
version of the Bar Exams (the Legal Practitioners Qualifications Exams),
I knew there would be a number of adjustments I would have to make.
Listening to lectures in unfamiliar accents, applying different
principles of law, puzzling over case names, sticking out like a sore
thumb... One thing I was totally unprepared for was the dress code! On
the eve of my first day of school, I casually asked a former ZIALE
(Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education) student what I should
wear. When he replied that anything within the dress code would be fine,
I knew I was in trouble.
At ZIALE, we are taught to treat our
classroom like a courtroom. Considering that the higher courts require
advocates to wear a wig and robe, this means quite a degree of
formality. We stand when the lecturer comes in the door and remain
standing until told to sit. We address the lecturer by any formal title
he may have such as "State Counsel" and if you really want to pour on
the formality, you can add "Much Obliged" when he answers your question.
All that, I can handle. But the dress code is just a different story.
My friend explained that at ZIALE, they take decorum very seriously.
This means dressing in a black, grey, or dark blue suit every day. With
the suit I have to wear a collared shirt that is white, sky blue, or
lilac. A subtle white stripe is also allowed in the shirt. At the time, I
had a grand total of one black suit and two white shirts! Good thing
the weather is dry because that meant a lot of handwashing in the
evenings.
Over the past five months, I have managed to build up
my academic wardrobe to the point where I no longer feel like I am
wearing the same clothes everyday. I've added a couple more black suits,
a dark blue, and even a grey! I have a white shirt for every day of the
week, as well as a blue and a blue stripe. Lilac has still eluded me. I
have even gone so far to sport a lilac scarf during the cold season and
a red and black necklace now that it's hot. Apparently, the staff think
I am taking things just a bit too far.
Yesterday, I was told by
one of my classmates that I was being called to the office. When I
arrived I expected to be asked about some sort of paperwork or permit.
Instead I was asked "Have you not been here long enough to remember that
you must wear a collared shirt?" Naturally, in the 93 degree weather, I
had waited until the last moment to put on my suit jacket and had not
adjusted the collar well. I quickly pulled it out and apologized as I
smoothed it down. Not to be deterred, I was then critically looked over
from head to toe. The toe is what got me in trouble. I was then informed
that my shoes were completely unacceptable. They were too open. Didn't I
know that my toes should not be showing?!?!?
Thus, I was busted
for violating the dress code. Sure it was nothing more than a stern
look and a ban on just about my entire shoe wardrobe. But still!
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