Zambia: Some Cliff's Notes

Here are a few illuminating facts:

Population: 12 million

Size: About the same as Texas

Average Life Expectancy: 37 Years.

Languages: English officially, but spoken as a second language by everyone. There are literally dozens of indigenous languages.

Money: Think real-life monopoly. $1 USD = 3400 Kwacha. I am, technically speaking, a millionaire.

Transportation: In Lusaka, there are cabs which cost about $8 USD. Otherwise, you can take hitch a ride in a VW flat-van (Zambia's public transport) for the equivalent of 30 cents. The vans are designed to seat 12 people; in my last ride, we packed 21!

Ethnicities: Zambia has a sizeable Indian minority community with lots of economic clout.

Religions: mainly Christian (both Catholic and Protestant), though traditional beliefs persist. I was told that one of the Peace Corps volunteers had to be relocated because the villagers concluded he was a witch! God is EVERYWHERE- on billboards, buses, television, etc.

Dress: Shorts are only worn by children (sigh). Button down shirts and khakis are the norm.

Food: In Lusaka, Western food is widely accessible if you're willing to pay. A foot-long from Subway (yes, Subway) costs $8 dollars! The local food mainly consists of nshima (a maize and kassava root blend) and capenta (dried minnows. New Yorkers, think Mill Restaurant appetizers). These have been the staples of my diet. A little spice goes a loooong way.