The rest of the week went very well - videoing people using our proposed system. My role was to be the person who talked to each subject about their experience. This was excellent for me the subjects were a real mixture, non-literate, non-English speaking, fearful of why they were there ... I worked with the 3 languages and from a linguistic perspective it was one of the most satisfying yet exhausting jobs I have done.
We are now down in Livingstone at The Waterfront Hotel. We had a 5 hour car journey to get here which was great as it showed us the countryside and a more African picture (one that we weren't getting in Lusaka). When we got to the hotel we sat on the riverside terrace drinking a coca cola and guess what... About 2 miles down the river was a herd of elephants!!!!!!
We went to look at the Victoria Falls but unfortunately it is the end of the dry season and there is no water coming over the Zambian side. We could have paid to go over into Zimbabwe but I am reluctant to give any of my money to their government so have decided I will come back to Zambia instead.
In the evening we did a sunset cruise which was awe-inspiring. The river seemed to be full of hippos just watching us, on the land we saw crocodiles, birds, and just as the sun set we saw 2 elephants strolling along the river bank. Truly amazing.
I was supposed to be doing a half day canoe trip this morning but as I was the only one in the whole of Livingstone who was interested they have cancelled the trip. SO instead Andy (a colleague) and I are doing a lunchtime river trip. Then this afternoon we are doing a game drive to see some more wildlife. Then hopefully tomorrow morning we will do an elephant safari (riding on elephants!!!!) before flying back to Lusaka in the afternoon.
Then one more night in Lusaka before catching 9am flight back to Blighty.
Hope you are all well and having a lovely weekend
Cxxx
Sunday, 11 November 2007
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Nature
I spent Saturday holed up in my room not daring to move more than 5 feet from the toilet. Pretty bad waste of a day but Sunday made up for it.
At 9am I joined 9 other 'tourists' and head to Chaminuka Lodge - the largest nature reserve in Zambia. The others I was with were all BA crew who were on a layover in Lusaka. Initially I was not very warm towards then as they were all hungover and rather whiny, but then they sobered up and I had a really lovely day with them. It took 1.5 hours to get to the park and 1 hour of that was on truly atrocious roads which made everybody feel very sick. Then we arrived and almost immediately we clambered onto a game drive vehicle - landrover front, then 3 rows of 3 seats each row slghtly higher than the next. We then spent 2 hours being driven around the park and seeing:
Antelope
Gazelles (many varieties)
Warthogs
Zebra
Lions
Hyena
Giraffes (mother, father, baby)
Elephants (mother, father, baby)
It was amazing!!!! and I am very proud of myself as I spotted the giraffe and the guide told me that many tourists never see the giraffes and it was a "good spot" as he hadn't seen it.
Then we had a BBQ lunch with tasty beef kebabs, except turns out they weren't beef - they were gazelle! For those who are interested they tested funnily enough like venison.
Then some of us went on a boat trip, well it wasn't really a boat - more like a large dugout canoe. This was a blissful way to spend the afternoon puttering about on the water, getting close to the shore to see the interesting birds and animals at their eye level.
Then I sat by the pool and read "Born Free" - so a pretty amazing Sunday
It is now Tuesday and yesterday was spent working with translators and 'voice talent' to record wav files in Bemba and Nyanja (2 native languages). Today was spend editing the files and then working with my colleagues to be ready for tomorrow as at 9am tomorrow our first subject arrives to be filmed interacting with an IVR (i.e. listen to a computer and then press buttons to do something).
So will try to post something tomorrow if I am not too exhausted, but worked from 8:30am till 9:30 tonight and have a 7:30 start tomorrow. Am really looking forward to coming home but am definitely making the most of being here
xx
At 9am I joined 9 other 'tourists' and head to Chaminuka Lodge - the largest nature reserve in Zambia. The others I was with were all BA crew who were on a layover in Lusaka. Initially I was not very warm towards then as they were all hungover and rather whiny, but then they sobered up and I had a really lovely day with them. It took 1.5 hours to get to the park and 1 hour of that was on truly atrocious roads which made everybody feel very sick. Then we arrived and almost immediately we clambered onto a game drive vehicle - landrover front, then 3 rows of 3 seats each row slghtly higher than the next. We then spent 2 hours being driven around the park and seeing:
Antelope
Gazelles (many varieties)
Warthogs
Zebra
Lions
Hyena
Giraffes (mother, father, baby)
Elephants (mother, father, baby)
It was amazing!!!! and I am very proud of myself as I spotted the giraffe and the guide told me that many tourists never see the giraffes and it was a "good spot" as he hadn't seen it.
Then we had a BBQ lunch with tasty beef kebabs, except turns out they weren't beef - they were gazelle! For those who are interested they tested funnily enough like venison.
Then some of us went on a boat trip, well it wasn't really a boat - more like a large dugout canoe. This was a blissful way to spend the afternoon puttering about on the water, getting close to the shore to see the interesting birds and animals at their eye level.
Then I sat by the pool and read "Born Free" - so a pretty amazing Sunday
It is now Tuesday and yesterday was spent working with translators and 'voice talent' to record wav files in Bemba and Nyanja (2 native languages). Today was spend editing the files and then working with my colleagues to be ready for tomorrow as at 9am tomorrow our first subject arrives to be filmed interacting with an IVR (i.e. listen to a computer and then press buttons to do something).
So will try to post something tomorrow if I am not too exhausted, but worked from 8:30am till 9:30 tonight and have a 7:30 start tomorrow. Am really looking forward to coming home but am definitely making the most of being here
xx
Friday, 2 November 2007
Response to Comment
"Don't spoil our illusions, Caroline, tell us how it really is - streets all jammed, street phones don't work - or is that just London."
The roads are ropey and need repair, traffic is gridlocked and horns are claring whilst drivers shout at each other, people drop litter as they walk and no-one picks it up, people don't smile and are rude to each other, you are constantly seeing beggars or being asked to spare some change.
Yes - that's London. Now let's talk about Lusaka
The roads are in good condition and people are employed to perch at street corners to sweep up dirt from the roads, the pavements are clean, people take pride in their appearance, they smile and wave to each other, we have only been approached by 3 beggars and they were all at the market we went to on Sunday. The only frustrating thing is the difficulty in making international phonecalls!
The roads are ropey and need repair, traffic is gridlocked and horns are claring whilst drivers shout at each other, people drop litter as they walk and no-one picks it up, people don't smile and are rude to each other, you are constantly seeing beggars or being asked to spare some change.
Yes - that's London. Now let's talk about Lusaka
The roads are in good condition and people are employed to perch at street corners to sweep up dirt from the roads, the pavements are clean, people take pride in their appearance, they smile and wave to each other, we have only been approached by 3 beggars and they were all at the market we went to on Sunday. The only frustrating thing is the difficulty in making international phonecalls!
Rest of the week
So - it is the end of the week and I am beat. The training went well and we think we now have several designs that we can test next week. Have had compliments on the work I am doing which is great as it is the first real work I have done for a company other than Fluency and it is reassuring that I can do my job well :)
A lovely thing happened yesterday - we have been invited to a party! The Sales Director is leaving on Monday and there is a 60's fancy dress party. We have not met the Sales Director so it is really lovely to be invited. There is a schedule which I am including as it is so different to an English leaving party which would typically be - see you in the pub after work
18:00 Arrival of guests
18:30 Entertainment - Angela Nyirenda
18:50 Comedy - Bob Nkosha
19:00 Ngoni Dancers
19:30 Dinner
19:40 Speech
19:50 Entertainment - Sakala Brothers
20:00 Speech
20:20 Quiz
20:30 Entertainment - Hamoba
21:10 Opening Dance Floor by Directors and Sales Managers
21:30 Presentation of Gifts
21:45 Cutting of Cake
22:00 Entertainment - Amayenge
Wow! What a packed schedule!!!
Everyone is so lovely here - Zambia is hungry to succeed and I think it will.
Went for a swim in the hotel pool today which is the first chance I have had. We are going out for dinner tonight to a seafood restaurant. Not sure how good it will be as there is no sea close to Zambia and after being in Massachusetts I am rather a seafood snob. Am watching a superb Bollywood film which is over the top drama and dancing. I am hoping to arrange a visit to a Game Park tomorrow where I will see some animals, it won't be like a safari - more like an English safari park but it will mean that I get to see animals in the right environment. Would also really like to just sit out in the sun and read my book by the pool. Am missing everyone at home. Have got used to seeing family at least once a week and it seems strange not to!
Anyway love to everyone
xxx
A lovely thing happened yesterday - we have been invited to a party! The Sales Director is leaving on Monday and there is a 60's fancy dress party. We have not met the Sales Director so it is really lovely to be invited. There is a schedule which I am including as it is so different to an English leaving party which would typically be - see you in the pub after work
18:00 Arrival of guests
18:30 Entertainment - Angela Nyirenda
18:50 Comedy - Bob Nkosha
19:00 Ngoni Dancers
19:30 Dinner
19:40 Speech
19:50 Entertainment - Sakala Brothers
20:00 Speech
20:20 Quiz
20:30 Entertainment - Hamoba
21:10 Opening Dance Floor by Directors and Sales Managers
21:30 Presentation of Gifts
21:45 Cutting of Cake
22:00 Entertainment - Amayenge
Wow! What a packed schedule!!!
Everyone is so lovely here - Zambia is hungry to succeed and I think it will.
Went for a swim in the hotel pool today which is the first chance I have had. We are going out for dinner tonight to a seafood restaurant. Not sure how good it will be as there is no sea close to Zambia and after being in Massachusetts I am rather a seafood snob. Am watching a superb Bollywood film which is over the top drama and dancing. I am hoping to arrange a visit to a Game Park tomorrow where I will see some animals, it won't be like a safari - more like an English safari park but it will mean that I get to see animals in the right environment. Would also really like to just sit out in the sun and read my book by the pool. Am missing everyone at home. Have got used to seeing family at least once a week and it seems strange not to!
Anyway love to everyone
xxx
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
10 chefs to serve my lunch
I am in Lusaka. Strange story about how I got here but as this is my diary I shall put it down in writing. I was at SpeechTek in NYC and met a chap who I knew vaguely from BT. He now works for a consulting company of renown. We were talking about work and he said that I should stay in touch in case they have some work. Jump to October where I go to Call Centre Expo in Birmingham (UK) where I arrange to meet him for a coffee to talk about opportunities. He happens to mention there is the possibility of his company being asked to do some work in Zambia and when I expressed interest he said that he may be able to swing it for me to come, they would pay for travel and hotel but not for my time. I said that I could be interested in this.
Then a week later I get a call saying Zambia is on, we want you to come and we will pay you!!!
So here I am. The project is to build a touchtone system for a Zambian mobile phone supplier, and also to advise on how to handle the 73 languages
Arrived Saturday morning and had to leave all our equipment at the airport as we didn't have the right customs forms. A driver came to pick us up and take us to our hotel. We are staying at the poshest hotel in Lusaka, The Intercontinental, rooms are fine, there is a pool. So arrived at hotel, slept for a few hours, then went for a walk to get bearings. Had coffee at a local cafe which was fine. The weather was so hot that we drank a lot of cocacola. Then had dinner by the pool and crashed.
Sunday - breakfast at 9 then we worked on preparing for Monday, had lunch, then headed to a local craft market where I bought 3 metal birds which a local had welded out of scrap metal or £10. My colleague bought a chess set. Prices were not as cheap as I had expected. Then we came back to hotel to do some more work. Then went to restaurant for dinner. I had Linefish which was very fishy. My colleague (David) had a lovely chicken curry.
Monday - spent the day in a call centre listening to calls to understand how Zambians interact with call centre agents. Was a long day and felt shattered afterwards so had dinner in hotel. Memorable moments from the day were finding out that everyone is given a toilet roll for their own personal use because general public come in and take the toilet rolls. So each time I needed the toilet I had to go and ask for some from the call centre manager!
Tuesday - spent the day assisting with a training course on IVR design at the call centre. We had 17 attendees and it was a very jolly day. Learned how politically significant the 73 languages are and it left us with lots of ideas and questions on how we are going to design something for them. We broke for lunch and were told lunch was outside. Out we go to a small area and there are 10 people in chefs outfits serving up a hot lunch for everyone. It really is so much more advanced here than people might think. Everyone is dressed far smarter than I am (which may not surprise some of you), the city roads are well maintained and clean, everyone speaks English beautifully, the mobile phone technology is more advanced than some of the offers in the UK. At one point in the day we had to stop training to allow a lizard to leave the room! Am now back in the hotel and feel shattered. Something strange is in the air/water as my hair is huge and feels like lanolin has been rubbed into it. Will be off for dinner in a moment.
Then a week later I get a call saying Zambia is on, we want you to come and we will pay you!!!
So here I am. The project is to build a touchtone system for a Zambian mobile phone supplier, and also to advise on how to handle the 73 languages
Arrived Saturday morning and had to leave all our equipment at the airport as we didn't have the right customs forms. A driver came to pick us up and take us to our hotel. We are staying at the poshest hotel in Lusaka, The Intercontinental, rooms are fine, there is a pool. So arrived at hotel, slept for a few hours, then went for a walk to get bearings. Had coffee at a local cafe which was fine. The weather was so hot that we drank a lot of cocacola. Then had dinner by the pool and crashed.
Sunday - breakfast at 9 then we worked on preparing for Monday, had lunch, then headed to a local craft market where I bought 3 metal birds which a local had welded out of scrap metal or £10. My colleague bought a chess set. Prices were not as cheap as I had expected. Then we came back to hotel to do some more work. Then went to restaurant for dinner. I had Linefish which was very fishy. My colleague (David) had a lovely chicken curry.
Monday - spent the day in a call centre listening to calls to understand how Zambians interact with call centre agents. Was a long day and felt shattered afterwards so had dinner in hotel. Memorable moments from the day were finding out that everyone is given a toilet roll for their own personal use because general public come in and take the toilet rolls. So each time I needed the toilet I had to go and ask for some from the call centre manager!
Tuesday - spent the day assisting with a training course on IVR design at the call centre. We had 17 attendees and it was a very jolly day. Learned how politically significant the 73 languages are and it left us with lots of ideas and questions on how we are going to design something for them. We broke for lunch and were told lunch was outside. Out we go to a small area and there are 10 people in chefs outfits serving up a hot lunch for everyone. It really is so much more advanced here than people might think. Everyone is dressed far smarter than I am (which may not surprise some of you), the city roads are well maintained and clean, everyone speaks English beautifully, the mobile phone technology is more advanced than some of the offers in the UK. At one point in the day we had to stop training to allow a lizard to leave the room! Am now back in the hotel and feel shattered. Something strange is in the air/water as my hair is huge and feels like lanolin has been rubbed into it. Will be off for dinner in a moment.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
Start again
It is now 3 months since I came back from Boston and since then ...
I have left work to set up my own company
My cousin got married to the man of her dreams
My sister had a baby
Some days it feels strange to be back in the UK and I get itchy feet to go back to the States, but mainly it is wonderful to be home. I am seeing my family more now than I have for the past 10 years. At the weekend I wasn't feeling too well and on Saturday my uncle came over with dinner for me and on Sunday my dad came over with some dinner. For so long I wanted to live away from my family but now I can't understand why!
Business is hard - Fortunately I have had enough work since I got back to pay the bills but I am going from month to month without knowing what is ocming up next. Hopefully that will change.
I have left work to set up my own company
My cousin got married to the man of her dreams
My sister had a baby
Some days it feels strange to be back in the UK and I get itchy feet to go back to the States, but mainly it is wonderful to be home. I am seeing my family more now than I have for the past 10 years. At the weekend I wasn't feeling too well and on Saturday my uncle came over with dinner for me and on Sunday my dad came over with some dinner. For so long I wanted to live away from my family but now I can't understand why!
Business is hard - Fortunately I have had enough work since I got back to pay the bills but I am going from month to month without knowing what is ocming up next. Hopefully that will change.
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
t-3
whirlwind few days
Pares arrive on the Thursday evening
Friday - day trip up the coast to Newburyport to show them where I used to live, visit a great joke and party store and I laugh more than I have for months, eat lobster rolls, drive back via the coast
Saturday - nightmare driving day trying to find the zoo. Have picnic in carpark of large retail park as we can find nowhere else to park
Sunday - whale watching!!!! Amazing amazing amazing, one swam under the boat and surfaced and blew spouty water which sprayed us all
Monday - I went to work and the pares went to Natural History Museum and mooched
Tuesday - I was at work
Wednesday - Museum of Science to see largest Van Der Graaf generator and superb live butterfly collection, Boston duck tour - travelling through the streets and river on an amphibuous vehicle
Thursday - go to glorious place called Marblehead for lunch looking over a harbour. Then they leave to fly back to UK
Friday - work
Saturday - go to Natural History Museum to witness the thing my parents loved best about their trip, a botanical collection of more than 500 specimens all made out of glass. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone visiting Boston. Then I hop on a Chinatown bus bound for New York
The bus costs $30 for a return ticket, takes around 5 hours and is comfortable and clean. Got into New York and met up with Leah (and briefly Will). Leah and I then proceed to have our own leaving party. We head to a great bar, end up in a pro-skateboarder bar and inbetween crash a broadcast from the East Village Radio.
Sunday - L and I have brunch in my favourite brunch place, Public, then mooch around before remembering it is the Pride Parade in New York so we go ane baske in the happy atmosphere that is the parade. See things that shouldn't be seen in public, laugh, smile and it was the best leaving do I have had. Then catch bus back to Boston
Today is Tuesdday and I spent the day in Long Island at a meeting and for once the plan journey was smooth
It is hot hot hot in Boston, temp around 93 degrees
I leave Fluency and the US in 3 days and feel strangely detached from the whole thing
Pares arrive on the Thursday evening
Friday - day trip up the coast to Newburyport to show them where I used to live, visit a great joke and party store and I laugh more than I have for months, eat lobster rolls, drive back via the coast
Saturday - nightmare driving day trying to find the zoo. Have picnic in carpark of large retail park as we can find nowhere else to park
Sunday - whale watching!!!! Amazing amazing amazing, one swam under the boat and surfaced and blew spouty water which sprayed us all
Monday - I went to work and the pares went to Natural History Museum and mooched
Tuesday - I was at work
Wednesday - Museum of Science to see largest Van Der Graaf generator and superb live butterfly collection, Boston duck tour - travelling through the streets and river on an amphibuous vehicle
Thursday - go to glorious place called Marblehead for lunch looking over a harbour. Then they leave to fly back to UK
Friday - work
Saturday - go to Natural History Museum to witness the thing my parents loved best about their trip, a botanical collection of more than 500 specimens all made out of glass. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone visiting Boston. Then I hop on a Chinatown bus bound for New York
The bus costs $30 for a return ticket, takes around 5 hours and is comfortable and clean. Got into New York and met up with Leah (and briefly Will). Leah and I then proceed to have our own leaving party. We head to a great bar, end up in a pro-skateboarder bar and inbetween crash a broadcast from the East Village Radio.
Sunday - L and I have brunch in my favourite brunch place, Public, then mooch around before remembering it is the Pride Parade in New York so we go ane baske in the happy atmosphere that is the parade. See things that shouldn't be seen in public, laugh, smile and it was the best leaving do I have had. Then catch bus back to Boston
Today is Tuesdday and I spent the day in Long Island at a meeting and for once the plan journey was smooth
It is hot hot hot in Boston, temp around 93 degrees
I leave Fluency and the US in 3 days and feel strangely detached from the whole thing
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