How many of you knew that yesterday, March 8th, was International Women’s Day? If you did, did you celebrate? Well, I celebrated because International Women’s Day is a holiday in Zambia. Don’t ask me. From the information I can gather nobody does anything out of the ordinary except that no one goes to work. I cleaned up my house, went for a run, went out to lunch with some friends, and did work from home. There is not much to do in Ndola on days off; therefore, I don’t appreciate the holidays here as much as I appreciate the holidays in the states.
The weirdest thing though is that this is not the only federal holiday this week in Zambia. Friday, March 12th, is Youth Day. I am not making these things up. All offices are closed on Friday to celebrate the youth of Zambia. I thought Americans were the only ones to take weird holidays. I was wrong. It looks like it is a worldwide trend.
So, if you don’t want to go into work on Friday just claim that you are Zambian and have to celebrate Youth Day. I am sure that your boss will buy it. I will write you a note if you need one. To validate your claim go take a kid to the park. I think that I am going to work on Friday so someone can claim my day off for themselves. Now I am off to celebrate another people group. I wonder which one we get to celebrate next week. Babies? Aborigines? WASPs?
I heard on NPR's Morning Edition that yesterday was IWD. Unfortunately, I don't know any international women.
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