In my English Composition book, lightning flashes lit up the distant sky, a sharp contrast to the surrounding gloom of a dreary winter night. The light drizzle held steadily, almost urging her tears on as they streamed down her cheeks. The atmosphere on the other side of her bedroom window seemed to be the perfect …
This is the second article in my America series. It’s (hopefully) a funny one. Enjoy! Having sung in Chewa at church, spoken Ndebele at home, studied French, learned in British English at school and in American English at university, I have realized how important culture is to understanding a language. For example, when I first …
A certain phenomenon has gripped Zimbabwe recently. Actually, it has always been there, but only in the last few years has it exploded. Many small churches have been springing up everywhere, each usually led by an inspired, charismatic man – a prophet. The prophets bring messages that are very appealing to the people, especially to …
When former Miss Zimbabwe Brita Masalethulini emerged winner of the Miss Malaika beauty pageant, Zimbabweans were elated. She instantly became a household name because she was the winner of Africa’s most prestigious beauty contest. My interest peaked too and I began to follow every Miss Malaika edition. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe never won again. My interest in the competition …
I have always wondered how it would be if I kept my own records about a particular time or period in my own history so I could read all about it at a later date. Wouldn’t it be thrilling to read history from your very own hand? My grandfather comes to mind as I imagine how … Continue reading
I have always struggled with responding to racist people. With the ever-growing use of the internet and the generally unrestrained nature of communication over it, my struggle has only worsened as I have become exposed to even more hate. Having lived in many different places, I have come to appreciate that racism has many facets. … Continue reading
Originally posted on The Scrutiny:
A Canadian student on summer break in Zimbabwe went on a bizarre shooting spree in the country’s Gonarezhou National Park. Trevor Gauthier, a Vancouver native who is also an avid conservationist, shot down 17 adult elephants in the space of nine minutes in a horrific incident that left many shocked.…
At the end of a four-year secondary school programme, every Zimbabwean is required to sit for the Ordinary Level (O Level) Examination. The pass rate in the past few years has hovered around 20%. That number means that, every year, only 20% of candidates who sit for the O Level exam score a grade ‘C’ … Continue reading
I have written many exams in my life, from spelling three-letter words to solving differential equations. And then there was the Zimbabwean provisional (learner) driving license exam – the hardest exam I have ever written in my life. You laugh? Do not. When I took my learner’s driving license in California, it was all a … Continue reading
I have had this list in my mind for a long time, and I am finally publishing it here. The books in this list are not the best I have ever read; instead, they are books that have influenced me the most in one way or another. The fact that it has not been too … Continue reading
Some kids recently came to me requesting help on a school assignment that asked them to describe the time in which we had hyperinflation in our country. Anyway, that period is still fresh in my memory, and it got me reflecting…there are a few days/incidences that stick out, and this is just one of them…. ***** … Continue reading
Originally posted on The Scrutiny:
A researcher at the University of California at Berkeley’s Applied Nuclear Physics Department has made a stunning discovery. Ron Foester says he was sitting in a recreational area inside Stanford University’s famed linear accelerator complex SLAC, now a US Department of Energy lab, when he found his true self. Speaking…
Originally posted on The Scrutiny:
Speaking today in Bujumbura, Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza said that the revelation had come to him while he was taking a shower. “You know all this time I thought I could extend my tenure by just one more term, but now I know I can extend it for life,” he said…
![And We Are Off [ON]!](https://ezimbabwe.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/img_1380.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "And We Are Off [ON]!")
Originally posted on Kindle:
We finally kicked of the computer center this past Friday! Several kids came by and they were excited at the prospects of learning computers. We have three fully functional computers which we installed inside a small church kitchen. It’s a start and the little place actually looks great! While the kids…
Upon catching wind of the recent announcement that Trevor Noah would succeed Jon Stewart at The Daily Show, I was elated. My favourite comedian had just been parachuted into one of the shows I went to for political refuge in the United States. Let me elaborate. Although the primary reason why I fell for Noah’s comedy … Continue reading
Hello! I haven’t written in a looong time and I’ve lost a step or two. Here begins my blogging road to recovery… She’s hurt and she wants to talk about it. He’s angry and he doesn’t want to talk about it. She talks to him, but he remains silent and tries to avoid all conversation … Continue reading
Every “Armed Robbers Strike” headline is almost always immediately followed by another “Armed Robbers Caught” headline in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean police need a pat on the shoulder for their magnificent work. Or do they? If you consider the situation a little more, you will find that the police do not really need to be at … Continue reading
This is the last article in my ‘America’ series. I haven’t written in over a month. I was trying to find words to describe a very special person that I met in the US. Of course there are a million words, but I’ve selected only a thousand of them. ___________________________________________________________________________ Sometimes, we meet some great … Continue reading
This is the 6th article in my America series. The series would probably be incomplete if I didn’t write about race. I should state that I am in no way an expert on race – I didn’t even study anything race-related at school. My only qualification is that I am a human being, albeit one … Continue reading
The one thing I never got used to in the US was the food. Tasteless chicken, tasteless beef, all-fat pork, syrupy pan-cakes, cheese, sweet maize (corn), lobster, raw spinach, rubbery hot-dogs, tofu and broccoli were some of the things I had to deal with. While at Stanford, I developed my own ‘default’ menu. If ever … Continue reading
This is the 4th article in my “America” series. This one has got a pretty serious theme. I hope you make it through it 🙂 We were told everyone at Stanford had had straight A’s in high school. That everyone had been a prominent leader at their school. That everyone had won some science or … Continue reading
Hello. This is the 3rd article in my ‘America’ series. I apologize it’s not a funny one, but I hope you like it as much as the last. “Yes, I am going to the office to enquire.” “To what?” “To enquire.” “No, Lesley. Ask. You say I went to ask. What’s with your English?” And … Continue reading
A good friend celebrates your achievements. A great friend cries your tears. Continue reading
Hello! I haven’t written/read in a while – been very busy. Anyway, I’ve decided to write a little bit about my experiences living in the US. You can imagine the possible experiences when a Zimbabwean public high school student is suddenly catapulted into Stanford University, California…I’m kicking off with an article on kindness. It was … Continue reading
eZimbabwe 