A lot has happened again and that's why I haven't had time to update the blog. African time can also be partly to blame since everything here tends to happen mailo (tomorrow) :) I try and write something soon. Meanwhile, here are some pictures for you!
1) These are my tailoring students on their computer skills lesson. They are usually studying in Kanyama but on Fridays, they come to City Campus since we don't yet have a computer class at the KYP center in Kanyama. On Tuesdays, I go to Kanyama to teach them entrepreneurship. The computers are working so and so, but there are only two computers for all the students (approximately 200 of them at KYPT), which is far from enough (I use my laptop on the lessons as an addition and still, cannot provide a computer for each of the students). Also some new mouses and keyboards would be highly appreciated here, since the current ones are not working properly.
Also a student library would be needed here since they don't have one yet. There have been plans of establishing a library in this computer class room but currently, the students are not offered any books to borrow or use for their assignments. I'm sure that books related to their vocational studies (carpentry, tailoring, automotive mechanics, auto electrical, power electrical and hotel and catering) would be appreciated, but also material on entrepreneurship (including everything from business ideas to record keeping and marketing), business communication and basic computer skills would come in need. I've been creating a comprehensive Microsoft Word and Excel instructions folder for the students but it is only a drop in the ocean of information.
2) Austin, whose mum is one of the hotel and catering students, keeps me company at my and Andrew's office. Under the piece of cake, that's my lap covered in chitenge. Gotta love this kid! He loves to press every button that he can find in my laptop and camera so I guess he has a bright future as an engineer ahead of him :)
3) On Friday 14th of September we had a Graduation Ceremony for the 2006 intakes at KYP. Aren't the graduands looking handsome and beautiful in their gowns! I was one of the planning committee members with Andrew and Mariska, we made everything from invitations and programmes to decorations. In the beginning of the Ceremony, we had some difficulties since we were late of the timetable and the PA didn't work properly but in the end, the event was simply beautiful and touching and I'm sure the graduands and their families got very good memories of the Graduation.
4) That's a jacaranda tree at Bishop Road in Kabulonga, shattering its purple flowers everywhere. I can't stop adoring the trees and flowers here, they are so colourful and beautiful.
Lollipops and biscuits are popular sweets here in Zambia. People rarely eat the kind of sweets that we have in Finland: chocolate, liqourice, wine gums, toffee and so on. Especially chocolate (and other dairy products as well, including cheese and yoghurt!) is very expensive here. It's hard to find sweets even in grocery stores. It's just biscuits and lollipops everywhere. According to KYPT employees (and myself, too :), the number one biscuit is Chicco, they have those in different flavours.
6) Dance performance at Moto Moto garage yard in Kanyama a couple of weeks ago. Believe it or not, me and Mariska were performing as well!
7) In Livingstone, at Victoria Falls. A boy watching a girl swimming in the river.
8) And finally, from last Sunday, a picture of Leonard's family that I was visiting in Kanyama. They cooked me a delicious Zambian dinner with nshima, fisashi (pumpkin leaves with groundnuts), fish and beans. And sure, I got a glass full of fresh chibuku, too (Zambian beer that is white in colour and tastes strongly like yeast - I definitely prefer Mosi!). The head of the family, Mr. Chikoloma, is working in construction business. Like many of the people living in Kanyama, they don't have electricity or running water in the house.
