The Market and Burning

Well I wanted to post a couple of pictures today to give you a better idea of life in Zambia. I am sorry for the poor quality on the first picture but that is of the market in Kansenshi (the neighborhood in which I live). Now most of my shopping I do at the modern shopping complex but I buy my fruits and vegetables here. Inside the market are rows of wooden booths in which the women sit all day selling their home grown food. They all have fly swatters to keep away the bugs from the food. It is kinda fun buying your food there. It makes you feel like you are really living the life. The other shopping place where I buy most of my food is seriously just like an American shopping market. I mean don't get me wrong about the American shopping market. I love that for all that it is worth. Today I found Bertolli's Olive Oil, Kellogg's Rice Crispies, Miracle Whip, Coke Zero, Feta cheese, and the most recent Time magazine. To be honest if I did not go into the compounds I could lose track of the fact that I am in Africa. Life is definitely different, from the underdeveloped nature of the city to the different customs, but you can find a semblance of western culture in a city as large as Ndola.

The second picture is of the burn pile beside my house. Yes, I agree that it is dangerously close to my house, but that is for a different story. My house is where the bricks are on the left. If you have ever been to most underdeveloped parts of Africa, you know that the way to get rid of trash or anything else is to burn it. You either burn it in a big hole in your backyard or you burn it in the ditch in front of your house. Therefore, there is a constant smell of smoke whenever you drive around the city. It is not like a pleasant smell of a burning campfire, but instead it is a rather putrid burn. Those are just two characteristics of life in Zambia. In the coming weeks, hopefully I can bring you more tidbits like these to give you a better idea if you ever want to come live or visit. Peace!