Thursday, 01 September 2011

First impressions of Zambia from a newly arrived Swedish man trailing behind


By Gustaf

Newly arrived in a very different country – isn’t it a fact that first impressions are quite well parcelled? During my first months here in Lusaka, I thought I’d share some of my impressions. Maybe the reader will experience feel-good-recognition and hopefully a surprise or two. Just for the record, I am not entirely new to Africa. A couple of months in Ethiopia some 10 years ago have substantially contributed to my personal interest in the continent.

At this time, I probably have to admit that I have been added to the movement of “Swedish Men Trailing Behind”. This might not be one of Zambia’s larger identifiable species. But, if you would take only the Swedish expat community as one sub-population, then this species would definitely seem to be entirely dominating. Why this should be the case is probably a question only for Swedish political science researchers to explain.

So, what is it then that these men do? So far I have only been able to scratch the surface, but my investigations show that these men seem to be engaged, driven by genuine interest, in a large spectrum of activities (which cannot be said of their lower middle age spouses who all work for the embassy or for the UN). The only thing we “trailing men” have in common is that no one has a “real job”, even if some of us probably have a decent income from some sort of “business”, while others become rich on what life and Zambia has to offer us.

What activity I will be engaged in myself is still an open question. But I am certain that I will eventually be wealthy in either one of those ways,and maybe in both. And in the meantime, in the beginning of my family’s adventure here, it seems impossible for me to avoid getting rich on impressions and new encounters.

OK, I guess this didn’t add up to much of impressions of Zambia this time, but more of the trailing expat’s unavoidable impressions. In the next issue of Blaskan, I hope reflect on peculiarities in the languages spoken here in Lusaka, but that could of course change after upcoming impressions and new encounters…

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