Street Cred
More and more, Zambia feels just like home. In Baltimore you can hail a hack cab by gesturing down at the street rather than up in the air. Here, you just nod your head or wave at passing cars that issue an inquisitive toot-toot. While getting in, say where you're headed and add "ndzidigati," which is Nyanja for "how much," to get a little street cred. That's right, much like in Baltimore, I blend in really well here.
This morning's ride from the lodge cost us 50 pin, shorthand for 50,000 kwacha, or K50,000. Why pin? As inflation was rocketing, the paper currency hadn't kept up, so people would pin together smaller bills into 1,000 kwacha sets.
This morning's ride from the lodge cost us 50 pin, shorthand for 50,000 kwacha, or K50,000. Why pin? As inflation was rocketing, the paper currency hadn't kept up, so people would pin together smaller bills into 1,000 kwacha sets.
posted by Andreas Kollegger at 1:45 PM
2 Comments:
Where are your Zambian adventures taking you now? Don't you know I am living each day vicariously through your trip, as I sit and stare out the window of my office.
Jessica
I've been spending way, way too much time inside of an office in Lusaka, seeing daylight only during the early morning and at lunchtime.
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