Love the Life You Live

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Motobo National Park in Zimbabwe


On Safari in Kafue National Park
For 3 weeks, over Christmas and New Year's, I went to Zambia and Zimbabwe to visit family. I had never been to Zambia before and I hadn't been to Zimbabwe in about 21 years. These countries were shocking and beautiful at the same time. While in both countries, I saw police asking people directly for money at police checks, lots of garbage strewn about, and plenty of non-functioning toilets. In Zimbabwe, I saw cars lined up around blocks waiting to get gas and heard countless comments about how hard it is to get anything done without bribing someone.

Mukambi Safari Lodge in Zambia
Despite this, my extremely generous African family welcomed our motley crew of 7 with open arms and showed us all there was to love about both countries. They gave us a taste of what everyday life was like and took us to various game parks, tourist sites, and local hangouts. In addition to this, I saw some of the world's most beautiful women. With their brightly colored clothing, fitted dresses, strong-looking bodies, and straight postures.

Chicken Curry and Cabbage Bredie at a family party
In Zambia, in particular, I noticed that most women wore dresses or long skirts, from pencil skirts in the cities to cocktail-style, party dresses, the kind you might wear on a night out. These seemed like everyday wear, even in rural areas. I also saw many women wearing "chitenges." A chitenge is a piece of material, often brightly colored with bold patterns, that is wrapped around the body or waist. The material seems to hug the body without looking constraining.

Everywhere we drove in Zambia, whether in Lusaka or out in the middle of nowhere, I saw the same thing. Women walking or standing very tall, wearing fitted dresses or skirts, and carrying some sort of bags or bowls on their heads. A very powerful image.

White Rhino Lusaka National Park in Zambia
Zambia has many indigenous cultures, most of which are patriarchal and have traditional female and male roles. To some, this might seem strange or an outdated notion. Over there, women lead hard and rugged lives. Their lives often involve not only having and raising large families but physically working hard by farming the land to scrape a living.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Going to Zambia and Zimbabwe humbled me and made me realize just how easy my life is in comparison. While I can't say whether or not women there seem happy, I can say that I am thankful to have the life that I have surrounded by people that I love. One of the reasons I enjoy travelling so much is because I see and learn how others live and hopefully come away appreciating my own life in a new way. If I don't, I can always make a change.

Went to a braai on the outskirts of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

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