Update 2 - there's no place like home

I knew I was on my way back to Zim when I got to the boarding gate at Joburg airport: we had been asked to board early since there were only 9 passengers (travelling on a 50+ seater) and we were going to try to leave a little earlier than was scheduled.  But then... we had to wait for the Air Zimbabwe crew to return to the plane from the airport building where they were shopping and loading up on supplies to take back to Zim.

Unlike last year, it is possible to get everything here now, but it is VERY VERY expensive, even by first world standards.  Although the hundred trillion note recently came out, all commerce is now done in Rand or US dollars.  It seems this country is at a point where it is trying to live off of a select few who can afford the various commodities, but things have gotten so expensive that those select few are growing fewer and fewer.  It seems things are starting to catch up.  Air Zimbabwe, for example, has had to lower its exorbitant fares as no one was flying.  Everyone is refusing to pay the electricity and phone companies as the latest bills, charged in US dollars, have been converted using the governmental exchange rate.  I believe that even the companies themselves know just how ludicrous it is, and rumour has it that they are telling people to stand by, hold their payments, and they will try to sort out all the confusion in due course.  In due
course... whenever that will be.

Due course... we have a new(-ish) government.  And yet people are afraid to be too hopeful yet again.  Perhaps this is cynical, perhaps not... our new (MDC) Minister of Agriculture, Roy Bennett, was just today arrested at Harare airport.  We are not yet sure why.

And while we are waiting to see how things unfold, the country continues to crumble.  Schools remain closed, and have not been open since last year October-ish.  Businesses close as workers demand higher salaries, ones that they can actually live off, and yet these are salaries companies simply can't afford.  The government continues to take 30% of all foreign currency profit, and now charges all shops and businesses a $1,000 US fee to remain open.  On a more personal
scale, a friend of ours who was also our travel agent was murdered last night.  I had just been to see him on Tuesday.  Supposedly the police are investigating, who knows.  But it appears that he wasn't murdered by a stranger.  And it seems to me that if the situation wasn't so desperate, he'd still be alive.  I spent most of today in a state of shock.

So we continue in a state of uncertainty, but we continue nonetheless.  As usual, I am happy to be home.  Indeed, there's no place like it. But this is the first time I am back that I really do feel the burden of widespread depression and despondency.  It sits on one's chest like a heavy weight, and even in the precious happy moments, one can't
escape it.  Regardless, there isn't a place I'd rather be right now. So here's to more optimistic updates in the weeks to come.

Lotsa love,
- Gabi xxx