I am looking forward to visiting with my best friend Mpumelelo Sibanda in Gateshead, UK his 6th job. I have promised him that I will always visit him where ever he finds work. I am excited to once again visit him for the fifth time around. My first visit was when attending Parirenyatwa School of Radiology as a student Radiographer in Harare back in 1993, then when he was working for Mutoko Hospital in Mutoko, then back in Harare working for Dr. Ndlovu's Radiology Centre, then in Inyanga Hospital in Inyanga during festival season of 2000(?), one of Zimbabwea's finest Eastern border towns. My next visit was in Gweru, where he had rejoined Dr. Ndlovu and opted to be placed in Gweru, reason? to be closer to family which lives in Bulawayo and Filabusi. From Gweru my dear friend took a leap and landed in Bobonong Hospital, Botswana. Hhmm! talk of closeness to family..... I enjoyed my visit with him here as this was my first experience of travelling outside Zimbabwe. My trip started after I had spent a Christmas family at my rural base in Village 10 of Dombodema, Plumtree, Zimbabwe. The week before New Year, I drove to Plumtree and qued for fuel, managed to get a good supply, 2 jelly can full of gas for my company car I loved dearly. The Mazda Rustler, robust like wild deer. The I then drove to Plumtree border post where I parked the Rustler behind the clearance house. Quite daring, I wonder whether I could do the same thing today. In any case that is where I left it, locked and alarm set. That's all I relied on for its safety, and of course the all watchful and caring eyes of the loving Lord. My visit to Botswana enabled to appreciate life and different cultures, ethnicity and socio-economic environments. This was in the end of 2002, when desperation, shortages of all basic commodities were getting more and more scarce and the majority of people were spending a lot of time in ques for different things sometimes one person can be in two ques if it so happens that a say a filling station situated next to a supermarket like TM Hyper happens to be expecting gas. The person would join the que and if he/she hears that the supermarket's bakery would be putting out bread soon, would leave the car maintaining the fuel que position, and sometimes ask fellow "quemates" to look out for the car. So was life in Zimbabwe at the time. Visiting Botswana, first Bobonong, then Gaborone the country's Capital, was such a refreshing experience. Walking into a shopping mall and find isles decked with not only food itmes of all sorts, but 'cheap', that is priced at less than one pula. I remember house sitting for a family friend who had travelled home during the New year and going to the shops to buya few groceries. I had been paid in advance for house-sitting about 300 pula which I considered quite genorous of my friend. I filled my shopping cart and got the register fearing I might have to spend all my stipend, only to receive a receipt pf less than P50. In a way this somewhat prepared me for the great relocation to the United States of America on the 17th of July, 2003. The great "land of opportunities" as they commonly refer it, and for sure opportunities are limited by one's abilities and dedication. That was a long 'commute', commute I call it as it was to become our second home. Flying from Harare to Johannesburg, South Africa, by British Airways. I remember trying frantically to contact my brother from JHB International Airport's VIP transit lounge. I did not have a transit visa to go through the customs as a visitor visit my brother at his work place, since it was noon at the time, which would have meant hiring a cab to take me there and back. My friend had emigrated earlier to UK on working permit visa. I contacted him as soon as we arrived in the US with so much excitement and right at that time I indicated that once again I will be visiting him as my custom has always been. This December I pray all goes well and I get to visit him in Gatehead, UK. Cold though it will, I still hope to have great fun meeting with his family and circle of friends. This is how dear and important this my friend is to me. We have been friends since high school in Mzingwane, the school of 'red roof'. He is much shorted, slender, and vociferous than I am. Very altruistic, compassionate and a little impetuous, especially manifested during his journey through relationships. Once convinced of something, nothing can stop him from getting/achieving it. Everything and everyone becomes subjected to that goal. I love my friend, he is the one who knows all about me.
A friend indeed is a friend in need. I need him for social support.
May the good Lord bless you and keep you whether near or far away!!!!!!
I am excited to once again visit him for the fifth time around. My first visit was when attending Parirenyatwa School of Radiology as a student Radiographer in Harare back in 1993, then when he was working for Mutoko Hospital in Mutoko, then back in Harare working for Dr. Ndlovu's Radiology Centre, then in Inyanga Hospital in Inyanga during festival season of 2000(?), one of Zimbabwea's finest Eastern border towns. My next visit was in Gweru, where he had rejoined Dr. Ndlovu and opted to be placed in Gweru, reason? to be closer to family which lives in Bulawayo and Filabusi. From Gweru my dear friend took a leap and landed in Bobonong Hospital, Botswana. Hhmm! talk of closeness to family..... I enjoyed my visit with him here as this was my first experience of travelling outside Zimbabwe. My trip started after I had spent a Christmas family at my rural base in Village 10 of Dombodema, Plumtree, Zimbabwe. The week before New Year, I drove to Plumtree and qued for fuel, managed to get a good supply, 2 jelly can full of gas for my company car I loved dearly. The Mazda Rustler, robust like wild deer. The I then drove to Plumtree border post where I parked the Rustler behind the clearance house. Quite daring, I wonder whether I could do the same thing today. In any case that is where I left it, locked and alarm set. That's all I relied on for its safety, and of course the all watchful and caring eyes of the loving Lord.
My visit to Botswana enabled to appreciate life and different cultures, ethnicity and socio-economic environments. This was in the end of 2002, when desperation, shortages of all basic commodities were getting more and more scarce and the majority of people were spending a lot of time in ques for different things sometimes one person can be in two ques if it so happens that a say a filling station situated next to a supermarket like TM Hyper happens to be expecting gas. The person would join the que and if he/she hears that the supermarket's bakery would be putting out bread soon, would leave the car maintaining the fuel que position, and sometimes ask fellow "quemates" to look out for the car. So was life in Zimbabwe at the time.
Visiting Botswana, first Bobonong, then Gaborone the country's Capital, was such a refreshing experience. Walking into a shopping mall and find isles decked with not only food itmes of all sorts, but 'cheap', that is priced at less than one pula. I remember house sitting for a family friend who had travelled home during the New year and going to the shops to buya few groceries. I had been paid in advance for house-sitting about 300 pula which I considered quite genorous of my friend. I filled my shopping cart and got the register fearing I might have to spend all my stipend, only to receive a receipt pf less than P50.
In a way this somewhat prepared me for the great relocation to the United States of America on the 17th of July, 2003. The great "land of opportunities" as they commonly refer it, and for sure opportunities are limited by one's abilities and dedication.
That was a long 'commute', commute I call it as it was to become our second home. Flying from Harare to Johannesburg, South Africa, by British Airways. I remember trying frantically to contact my brother from JHB International Airport's VIP transit lounge. I did not have a transit visa to go through the customs as a visitor visit my brother at his work place, since it was noon at the time, which would have meant hiring a cab to take me there and back.
My friend had emigrated earlier to UK on working permit visa. I contacted him as soon as we arrived in the US with so much excitement and right at that time I indicated that once again I will be visiting him as my custom has always been.
This December I pray all goes well and I get to visit him in Gatehead, UK. Cold though it will, I still hope to have great fun meeting with his family and circle of friends. This is how dear and important this my friend is to me. We have been friends since high school in Mzingwane, the school of 'red roof'. He is much shorted, slender, and vociferous than I am. Very altruistic, compassionate and a little impetuous, especially manifested during his journey through relationships. Once convinced of something, nothing can stop him from getting/achieving it. Everything and everyone becomes subjected to that goal. I love my friend, he is the one who knows all about me.
A friend indeed is a friend in need. I need him for social support.
May the good Lord bless you and keep you whether near or far away!!!!!!
Hope to see you soon!!!!!!
Sengamo Sakana