Launching A Blog In Zambia

Launching a blog in Zambia has been somewhat of a challenge. When I was writing blogs in a rural village in Madagascar, there was no electricity and no running water. Back then I knew that posting blogs would be a constant challenge. This time, I thought things would be a breeze. I live in a BOMA (a Provincial capital that even boasts a ShopRite—which burnt down, but I’ll save that story for another day). I have electricity and running water. I even budgeted my monthly stipend to splurge for the premium wifi connection. Yes, I thought launching a blog in Zambia would be a breeze.

Instead, I am finding launching a blog is turning out to be an opportunity to cultivate greater patience. My electricity often goes out—Thanks Zesco. My wifi router must be connected to constant power to work, and that little red “x” of horrors on my signal bars particularly seems to enjoy appearing right as I am about to click post. Consequently, all my changes fail to load and I am back to square one.

Many days my pages won’t load, but instead choose to send me cryptic messages that make me feel like a lost traveler in ancient lands, but still incredibly novel to me. Some days I exhaust the omnipotent Google in search of a Rosetta Stone for this codex language. Other days, I turn my computer off, sit in my bed and try not to cry. Sounds dramatic I know, but some days that’s just where I am.

There may be internet cafes throughout Mansa, but it is nothing like sitting at a coffee shop, connecting to the free wifi and curling your lips around the bittery smooth warmth of a Colombian Dark Roast. So, I mostly opt out of that option, and instead continue to press the refresh button and wait. Always waiting.

If I do find a place with a connection that promises the possibility of an upload, I post as quickly as my pointer finger can click. Inevitably, I then have one of my loving friends text me and inform me of the blaring typo I have just made public to the world. I take a deep breath in and make my way to my yoga mat or my coloring book, because I already know fixing that typo will certainly not be a task I can accomplish today.

Yes, launching a blog in Zambia is proving a little more challenging than I originally anticipated, but maybe that’s exactly what it is supposed to be. Maybe I was self-congratulating a little too early concerning my abundant patience and how I am not addicted to a perfect self-image. Surprise! I am not as patient as I previously thought and I will secretly admit that I still am attached to presenting a self-image that has a filter or two on it. Luckily, life is sending me coded messages, and I think they have something to do with growth and letting go. I’ll just have to keep writing in order to find out.