I'm really neglecting the journal, but I realize that I'm doing it now because I don't want to have to catch up. So suffice it to say that I finished up all the schoolwork, saw Jenna off, then came back to Chokwe to spend a little more time with Nanosh and Chokwe folk in order to prepare for Maputo, then went to Maputo from Tuesday to Saturday where I got ripped off for $100, then came back to Chokwe. I'm still there right now and have been organizing my trip to Zimbabwe and beyond ever since. This first leg might prove to be the most difficult in terms of politics. If all goes well, I should be fine, as I've arranged it. But you never know in Zimbabwe, because the wrong person might think you're doing the wrong thing there. Which very well might be the case.
You see, Zimbabwe's economy is currently suffering because of the president's stifling economic policy of kicking white farmers off their land and replacing them with blacks. But the blacks don't have the equipment or the same know-how to handle these industrial farms, so the economy is spiralling downward. At the banks, I can buy $5,000ZIM for $1US. On the street it's double. And the highest issued note is $1000ZIM, or the equivalent of one dime. Bread costs about $3500ZIM. So to remedy this, the government has started to issue special notes that can be pulled back in at any time of $5000, $10,000 and $20,000ZIM. This, from a currency that wasn't far from the dollar (1 to 1) not so long ago.
And tonight I have been speaking with one of the secretary-generals for the opposition MDC party, who has promised me a visit with the foreign minister of the party, a well-travelled woman named Priscilla. I'm going to have to be quite careful if I do meet her, however. The whole situation is very reminiscent of apartheid-era South Africa. This secretary-general was beaten unconscious and left for dead by the current regime. I figured that was why his English was so slow and deliberate.
But it sounds like if I don't get made out to be a politico for the West all will be fine. I just have to be careful.
It's Monday and I leave on Wednesday. Almost all the gaps have been filled in, except for my visit with Allison. I haven't told her about it, mainly because I can't but also because it's Christmas time and if she's not there, I don't want her to feel guilted into being there. For that reason I may or may not go to Zambia. I will probably call first ...
If not, I can just skip out from Zimbabwe back into Mozambique, but that seems a lot less adventurous.
It's 1AM. Still haven't tried to get any sleep.
I know I can do this trip, but it'll be on of the hardest of my life.
Peace,
John
