Round 2 Changes

Well, I’m back in the same town at the same orphanage doing the same job…but a few things will be different this time around.

My appearance is the first difference that comes to mind. I’m ashamed to admit that I gave in. I sold out. I got a haircut and shaved off my beard for the first time in a long, long time. It’s been a disaster. I was walking around Lusaka all day on Tuesday and not once did I get shouted at by drunk guys on the street. Long gone are the days when they’d point and yell, “It’s Chuck Norris!” or “Hey, Jesus!”. Now I’m just another clean cut white man in the city. Oh well. There’s no going back now. Maybe I’ll get a new nickname soon.

Aside from my appearance, my job will be slightly different this time around. We have a new worker these days, a volunteer from India named Vinod, sent to the orphanage through an international organization called Volunteer Services Overseas (VSO). Vinod comes complete with an MBA and previous experience working in Africa. He’s here for two years and, like me, will focus on the Namumu income-generating activities, among other things. I’m excited to work with him. For the next few weeks I’ll be hitting him with every bit of fishing, carpentry, welding, poultry and farming information that I’ve got in my head so that he can pick things up and keep them moving in the right direction. I feel good about it all.

Also, my documentation of this stretch in Zambia should be a bit different as well. I’ve got a small video camera and plan on getting a lot of footage, so get ready for a feature-length Namumu documentary when I return.

Finally, while much of my free time last time was dedicated to tracking down local hot sauces in the nearby markets and begging friends and family to ship me bottles in order to feed my addiction, this time I came prepared. I packed around 20 bottles in my checked bag and they all arrived safely in Siavonga. So, don’t worry about me, it looks like I’ll be completely set for a few weeks. Until then, I don’t have to worry about hot sauce no more. And I say, that’s good. One less thing.