This beautiful Saturday morning is truly the first time I’ve paused to relax for an entire week! So many awesome things happened this week. I’ll admit, I’m even feeling rather lazy with this journal entry as I feel more inclined to curl up in the sun and take a nap. Hopefully, I can at least finish what I’ve started, haha.
In any case, work is work. I finished the newsletter, which Jim can’t stop raving about, and it’ll be sent out Monday to Americans living in Zimbabwe. I’ve been procrastinating on the fraud cases still. Granted, I have started two of the cases, but it’s really tough for me to be motivated. To be honest, I look forward to work mainly because of the people there. I love the people in the office. Jim, Hector, Lizzie, and Trudee are so kind and helpful. I’ve become very comfortable around all of them, and have even started to act a little silly sometimes…you know by cracking jokes, teasing, or literally waltzing around the office with the barcode scanner. Trudee has learned to roll her eyes at me already, and the others reward my antics with laughs. It makes me feel good to integrate so smoothly into the group. I feel very welcome indeed.
I’ve been shadowing Thu, the Political Officer in the Poli/Econ department upstairs, a lot during her working hours. She’s been taking me to all sorts of human rights meetings and various political events. Perhaps the most poignant for me was attending a 2+hour forum regarding U.S. sanctions in Zimbabwe. Thu’s boss was one of the panelists, and strictly argued American policy, to a room bristling with emotion. It was slightly intimidating to be surrounded my so much anger; anger which granted, in my opinion, is misplaced towards the United States but anger that is still justified. Zimbabweans are angry about the imposition of sanctions because not only do they feel that such a tool intending to oust Mugabe has failed, the U.S. is preventing the fruition of economic opportunities that is causing the common citizen to suffer. Zimbabweans say, “give us economic liberty, and our political structures will follow.” The United States government however, aware of the degree of corruption within banking institutions and political structures (sanctions blacklist approx. 200 wealthy individuals who have stolen $millions from their own people, and thus are prohibited from travel to the U.S. and have had their funds frozen) continue to uphold the idea that political reform must occur before economic liberty is even possible. Foreign investors won’t invest in Zimbabwe if there is no rule of law to ensure that their money, if loaned, will be returned. Thus, Zimbabwe is stuck in the ultimate Catch-22: economic growth will not occur without political reform, but political reform is hard to come by with little finance to invest in such a restructuring of government…
When I’m not working, I go out and about in the evenings. I think it’s fair to say that I work hard, and play harder! :) This past Wednesday I ended up staying out until 2am Thursday morning! I hung out with Regan, the oboe-playing Marine. It’s funny because he actually in a lot of ways reminds me of Matt Cordell; incredibly extroverted, flamboyant mannerisms, a passionate love for Disney, yet straight as an arrow, haha! The USA vs. Algeria game was on Wednesday night. The two of us ended up walking to a bar called Reps – a great little hangout for local, but mostly white, Zimbabweans. Regan kept buying me drinks and doubling his own. Not surprisingly, he was very quickly ridiculously drunk. Libby, and her daughter, Kirsty, along with their friend Jayke also showed up and I hung out with them while Regan fluttered around the bar loudly auctioning off his musical tickets. It was truly a grand time. Plus, when it neared 8pm, I was invited over for dinner! However, my poor stomach had to wait because I had to take care of Regan and have his driver get us to the rehearsal hall so he could drop off some things. Of course however a quick 20 minute stop turned into an hour and a half at least. It's slightly annoying trying to talk logic to a drunk man, but I did get a stellar insider view into the studio with marvelously talented dancers. It was a real treat.
Finally, I was able to pull Regan away from the rehearsal studio and back into the car. I then instructed the driver where to go by glancing at the address Jayke had fortunately written on my arm in blue pen, haha! Once we arrived, I had the pleasure of meeting Asa, the most HILARIOUS and awesome guy ever! Libby, Kirstie, Jayke, Stan, and Asa had just finished their dessert but they piled my plate full of delicious noodle stir fry, followed by Stan’s homemade vanilla ice cream. It was truly divine. Of course, when it comes to ice cream though, I’m very easy to please. Talk around the table gradually drifted towards music, and upon mentioning my desire for a jam session, I was promptly rewarded. Asa jammed on the piano, Stan picked up the guitar, and Jayke did harmonica and vocals. I just sat back in the overstuffed chair, singing along, and swinging my feet, grinning happily to myself. As Stan said, never joke about starting a jam session around such company; it will more than likely happen rather than not. :)
The night’s finale brought Asa, Jayke, Stan, Regan, and I back to Blue@2 completing a full circle. The five of us piled into Asa’s Audi, which he proceeded to drive insanely fast along Zim’s unlit, potholed roads. Upon reaching Blue@2 I once again greet Roger and Danielle (the bar tenders) for the second time in a single evening and settle into some more social meet and greet with random people. Stan and I also stuck up a good convo, and he offered to buy me a drink or two, which I tried to decline, but out of courtesy and his light teasing, I reconsidered and accepted. We sat down on a couch in one of the corners and made some pretty good conversation until Asa loudly came over and crashed our little intimate gathering. Typical Asa, haha! I think he figured out almost as quickly as I did that Stan might like me. Anyways, then Regan and Jayke joined us again, and brought over the hookah, and the five of us proceed to argue about music and politics, and tell stories until 2am. I love hangin’ out with the boys, especially as the only girl in the group. Not only do you get spoiled with drinks, but you also get to engage in some pretty hilarious and interesting conversations. Nothing beats it. It was one of the best nights ever.
Okay, that’s enough for now. I actually am going to take my snooze in the sun by the pool. I’ll have to tell you about this past weekend’s craziness in the next journal entry.
Until then, carpe diem!!
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