Twenty-fourth week in Zambia🔆🇿🇲

Week of September 8th to 14th

The last few days here are flying by, full of matches, colors, encounters, and little unexpected moments. Zambia–Morocco was the first big excitement of the week: a packed stadium, a surprise evening with some super friendly Zambian national team players, chats and laughs, snacks, and a special baobab fruit drink! By the way, at the stadium during the match… they even took a photo of us from the field that ended up on every possible page, us being the ultimate super fans. Ahahah

The following days were a whirlwind: running to the field for training, taking photos for the mini-documentary we’re making, buying materials for Petronella for the products we’re creating, and with Jo, filling water tanks in the dark at night, praying not to trip… basically, days full of energy… even if the heat does drain a bit of that energy, ahah.

There were intense moments too: a packed bus to go see George, another friend from Chipulukusu, play… the feeling of not being in the safest place and only realizing upon arrival why I was told not to go alone… But here, every experience becomes a lesson. (In the end, I went with another friend to see him, so I wasn’t completely alone).

Thursday was a marathon day: first in town to open the academy’s bank account (an epic mission!) — which, for now, wasn’t successful — then to Chipulukusu to meet the girls and chat with the boys, and finally dinner at Jo’s, now my regular spot… I often spend evenings with him, Tip, and Jr, my little brothers! I’m really going to miss them!!

On Friday, camera in hand for the documentary in the morning, and in the afternoon CVs with the Agape kids; "I saw you at the stadium and I told him to say to you that I saw you"... only a few will get this, ahah.

Sweet moments aren’t missing: chasing after the kids with their makeshift wheelbarrows, meeting George’s family, spending the evening with Frida, our little crazy one, now an honorary niece. And the surreal moments: stopped by immigration officers without uniforms (we, of course, had everything in order, but what a surprise!)… we keep thinking they were just random people curious about who we were and what we were doing… but everything stayed under control.

Saturday off the field: the kids from Chipulukusu walked for miles to come see the Mapsa match – so sweet. Then the Color Festival in the afternoon until late evening: painted faces, music, laughter, and a bit of tension when our friend lost her wallet (stolen, but at least we recovered her work permit – the most important thing). The scene of us at the police station with our faces painted looked straight out of a movie. Ahahaha, I’ll put it below… I really took a risk taking this photo, eh, the last thing we needed was to get arrested, ahaha!

A hot, slow Sunday full of company: in the morning with the girls shooting videos, then lunch at Jo’s, and in the afternoon watching the Manchester Derby in a pub packed with people… then back to Jo’s to eat popcorn and rice with Ba Soya, as I call her… before heading home, where of course lately I keep finding no water and no power!!

Word of the week:

DOCOTELA – means “doctor.” It’s the nickname they gave me because sometimes I pretend to be the team’s doctor or science teacher. It makes me smile and reminds me that every day here is a discovery.

Photo of the week:

Here we are!!

Since there are only a few weeks left in this adventure, I’ll probably write the next two weeks all together when I’m back, to enjoy every moment to the fullest. A kiss to everyone from here!

MartTina