Emily the Holiday Float

As many of you know I don't have a car here in Zambia and my travel is primarily on foot or on bike. Sometimes I bike 80K in one day and I pass anywhere from 10 to 500 people along the way. In the USA I could walk by 10,000 people and wouldn't feel as much of a spectacle.

What I usually end up feeling like is a one woman parade. I smile, I wave, I shout out half-hearted greetings, and if it is early enough in the ride or walk I might even stop and shake hands. Now I can handle being the 24/7 one-woman parade, but what I can't handle is that people think that the 24/7 one-woman parade has a bottomless supply of candy and money that should be passed out on request. Who told them that parades throw out candy? I don't even have candy. And if I did I'm not in a position to distribute it--nor do I have the desire-- as I rumble down the dusty paths.

I find nothing more disheartening than people begging; women, men, children. "Give me 500 kwacha," "Give me a sweetie," or "Buy me beer." Buy me a beer, give me a sweetie! I'll admit it, I yell at people, especially kids. Who teaches them to beg from strangers? In America you don't talk to strangers, much less beg for sweeties. That's how strangers lure little kids into the milk box modeling agency. Even worse they aren't grateful if you do share with them (obviously not all, but most.)

In town its a whole different set of parade on-lookers. There requests are to marry them, take their taxi, or buy there fruit. Who buys fruit from a person walking in the middle of the road? (ok, sometimes me) I get the most unforeseen compliments. People who are in the same queue tell me how much they like me. No reason that I can see other than that I am not Zambian. Its blatant insincerity, I doesn't make me mad but I'm just so taken back by the transparency. In America there is just as much if not more idle flattery but you won't know it until its too late.

Typical conversation:
"I want to be friends with you." "Why?" "because you are American."
Its no secret. I'm not sure what I like better the insincere interest you find in America or the no tricks salesmanship of insincerity here.

So it may sound like I'm taking this all negatively but besides being annoyed occasionally it is really just interesting to see how different it is here. I'm still enjoying myself and the job that I am doing. I'll try to keep the posts coming.