This past August, ARI staff traveled to Zambia and Malawi, Africa, to visit a total of 23 ARI graduates.
We would like to share with you a series of travelogues written by Steven.
Now, it is time to begin the main part of the series.
Let’s trace the long, long way to get to Zambia with them.
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!
【The African journey to visit ARI graduates, Days 1 & 2】
Getting to Zambia
I’m setting two dates for the first entry because it all just seems like one long day. With the crossing of multiple time zones over the span of four flights, time and space felt crumpled like a thick blanket.
I met my hearty traveling partner, Kai, in Haneda Airport, weighed down with multiple last-minute gifts from ARI folks for friends in Africa.
The empty airport days of COVID are definitely over. Long lines at security and immigration, plus the fact that my first flight from Oita was late, had us arriving at the gate just as people were boarding.
Our route took us first through Hong Kong where we had enough transit time to enjoy an amazing beef noodle dish, recommended by Kai’s friend.
It’s #701 on the menu at the Masato restaurant, in case you want to give it a try.
Then we jumped on the next plane for a 12-hour flight to Johannesburg. The flight before was three and a half hours, in case you were wondering.
Our row mate was a young woman from China who teaches English and Intercultural Communication at Nan Fang College in Guang Zhou. Kai started talking to her about ARI and she got super interested and wants to volunteer!
Luckily the transfer to the regional airline, Airlink, in J-burg went smoothly enough that these two famished travelers had time for lunch – a huge lunch consisting of a local meat-laden dish called a Braai, and a fancy French toasty thing called Croque Madame!
After an hour and half jaunt across arid Botswana we finally arrived at our destination of Livingstone, Zambia where we were greeted by the smiling face of Geoffrey (2023 ARI Graduate).
This is a spacious and clean town, much prized by Zambians for its tourism appeal and the big bucks it pulls in.
The draw is thundering Victoria Falls, and its 1,500- meter curtain of torrential river, gushing over the cliffs of the mighty Zambezi River, or so I was expecting, but more about that later.
Livingstone and Victoria Falls
We first went to get settled in at our Ngoma Zanga Lodge, with its sloping thatched roofs and prolific display of African art.
Then we went out for some essentials, like malaria medicine and SIM cards. Typical for me, no SIM card worked, but I welcome the chance for some digital detox.
Geoffrey had arranged for a driver to take us around. His name is Mebin, and he speaks the two local languages of Tonga and Lozi. There are 72 recognized tribes in Zambia, each with their own language and traditions. You’ll be hard pressed to find a person who speaks less than three languages around here.
Mebin explained how much the town depends on tourism and how the tourists tend to be of more value than the locals. As an example, from a professional driver’s point of view, if he were to accidentally hit a white person, he could get up to 25 years in prison. If the person is black, the penalty is ten years, and that is negotiable!
A few more things about Zambia – trash is mostly burned or sometimes buried by folks around their own homes. The city will do pickups at the markets, but their capacity is not enough to cover the volume of the whole town. Kai was asking about this because responsible garbage management is a big challenge the world over.
This year Zambia has been experiencing a severe drought and so far, one whole crop has failed, which has led to hunger in some areas. Their main source of power is hydro-electric and the water levels in the rivers these days is just not enough to push those turbines, resulting in strategic power outages called “load shedding.”
It is this drought, which is generally attributed to El Nino, that has tamed the magnificent Victoria Falls. For the time being, there is no thundering to be heard for miles around, no mist so thick you need a raincoat just to stand and take a look. The famous “curtain” of water is divided into multiple strands of narrow falls, with lots of bare rock in between. But it is still a spectacle to behold, and I imagine the days when it will flow in its full glory once again.
Adventure tourism is hot around here, so if you want to try one of the highest bungee jumps in the world, or zip-lining, gorge swinging, kayaking, or swimming in Devil’s Pool right at the edge of the falls, this is the place for you.
Evening was introduced by a dark red sun slowly sinking into the African landscape. As jet lag was taking its toll, we decided to head back to the hotel early, but not before stopping for a Zambian meal eaten in the African style, fingers, that is.
Various meats and vegetables were served with “nshima,” a food made from maize flour and known by different names all across Africa, such as fufu or ugali. Around here, white corn is the main ingredient of choice, but it can also be made from casava, sorghum, or other types of flour. If this description doesn’t give you the slightest understanding of what this dish is, please take a look at the photo, but a more recommended option would be to come and try it!
Well, the only thing left for today is a quick local beer and a date with a soft pillow.
Goodnight.
Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)
Click here to read the series of articles
Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】
Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 <== Now, you’re here
Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】
