For example as you all know I am visitor to united kingdom, I have bought a visa to work here, the idea is to make money so I can go home and start transport business, hopefully I take driving lessons soon and I can work as cab driver and then earn lots more money because I can earn £600 a week doing that, a friend of mine does the same thing, he started fruit picking when he first come to Britain and now he drives taxi cab.

I have my good friend you know but he always works and I don't speak with him often, I also need to telephone my mother in Africa to make sure she is ok. I really miss my homeland and after I have saved £20,000 I will go back to Africa and start my business but I worry about a lot of things you know.

The main thing is that in Africa I was not a vegetarian and I have got to say that I feel healthier now :bobo: but when I go back eventually I think I will find it hard to stick to vegetarian diet, this is because about the only thing I eat there then will be mealie meal, in Britain the choices for vegetarian is wonderful with always lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, soya and multi vitamins!

In Africa there are shortages of lots of food where I live and even things like cooking oil, salt and things like that are scarce and in high demand, especially in rural areas.

When I come here and look in supermarket I am amazed at what I see! So much of everything and it all easy to get.

My mother does not understand the economy in Britain, she can't believe how much I spend on somewhere to live because we could last for a month and a half in Africa on what I spend on rent in one week here, she tells me many times that I am careless with my money because she does not understand *how* small two bedroom flat cost £75 a week.

She would have tantrums badly if she knows I have bought internet!

Also I miss my friends, I come online and this helps my English and I found this nice forum to help me along.

I worry that I forget my native language (Shona), in Zim, Shona is the official language and only about 5 to 10 out of a hundred in the population can speak reasnoble English. There are also many tribes with different Dialects, I hope people at home will still like me, they look on English speakers as showing off.

I know that all family will come for money when I go home and of course this I expect of them and I will help them.

For me I hope to buy some lorry and take it home with me somehow because in Africa if you have Lorry you can make much money.

Most of all I miss seeing the sun come up in the morning with no artificial lights around and also the sunsets in Africa beautifull.

I love it here and I love you all here my friends but I think I homesick today :)
And I am half day today so I happy because I have bought two cans of beer which I drink this evening and I look forward to them :)

"Most of all I miss seeing the sun come up in the morning with no artificial lights around and also the sunsets in Africa beautifull."

Believe it or not, I "miss" the same things. I don't understand my neigbors' preference for outdoor artificial light at night.

Sorry to hear you don't have as much a choice in fresh fruits and vegetables in Zimbabwe, as you have in Wales (I'm not sure what city or town you are in). Did you say your family was in farming?

Soy is very easy to grow and many soy products don't need advanced technology to make; large scale tofu production can be done with rather simple technology. My particular favorite tho is edamame -- soybeans picked before drying out (while still succulent, juicy) and briefly steamed (just 4 minutes or so) in the pod. High in protein.

Many other legumes are not difficult to grow either. They may not be as high in protein as soy but they have plenty of protein.

I'm not familiar with the present government and economy of Zimbabwe. I know just a tiny bit about its history over the last 50 years or so. From British rule to secession from British rule with Mr. Rhodes (I forget his first name) as head of state who tried to keep apartheid when the British wanted to end it? to Rhode's loss of control and rule with Robert Mugabe as head of state. After that, I lost track.

I took a brief look at Zimbabwe's official web site. Very interesting. They say they are seizing large commercial farms and redistributing land to the landless. Somehow I have trouble feeling that this is a bad thing, but wonder if it really proceeds the way they say it does, or if the land simply goes from one plantation owner to another.

I don't want you to answer me, cucumber nosher, if you feel there is any danger in doing so, or if you simply don't have the time (another reason why you might not answer).

The Zimbabwe gov web site is extremely interesting.

http://www.gta.gov.zw/

If the land reform program operates as fairly and as openly as they say, I find it hard to disagree with.

A major complaint about the rapid land reform program is that it is causing a reduction in food production, and lack of food, perhaps because small farming operations are not as efficient as large (white owned?) plantations? In other words the government is putting rapid fair distribution ahead of efficient production?

It's crazy really Soilman, at home Robert Mugabe (the one man on earth I hate) is telling us to take back our land but black Africans don't know how to farm so it leads to shortages of certain foods.

It was our land in the beginning (although I am 30 so I grow up through it and know no different) and taken from us by White man and now the white man is forced off land.

It starts with few people camping on their land and getting more and more, the people move towards farm house day by day, the white farmers then leave for fear of violence (although this rarely happens).

Africa is beautifull and has lots of potential but also there are lots of problems to sort out first.

My fater for example was shot dead through head as he drove with friends, although officially he died of a car accident, my father was anti Mugabe and spoke out.

I let you read between the lines and see what you can uncover on internet.
I was once interrogated by secret police and had beaten my feet soles until they bled.

There is bad in the world.

There is also good too though and don't forget that. Try to stay positive and happy.

A major complaint about the rapid land reform program is that it is causing a reduction in food production, and lack of food, perhaps because small farming operations are not as efficient as large (white owned?) plantations? In other words the government is putting rapid fair distribution ahead of efficient production?

It's also because Mugabe and his thugs are putting the land into the hand of his cronies and followers.

I think CN pretty much laid it on the line. It's a shame that a great nation like Zimbabwe is being held back by a petty thug.

Tame, that's just what he is and I tell you that if I say that to wrong person at home I would have a car accident.

Also if people back home know my identity and what I say here I would also be in danger when I go home, it really is that serious.

Thanks for throwing some light on the situation for me, cucumber nosher and Tame.

Hey Cucumber nosher- First of all , since you're quite new around here, welcome, not many Africans around here, so you're a nice contribution to this site.

I've been following the political situation in Zimbabwe for some time now, through the papers, and things are really looking quite bleak.

I remember reading about the elections - was it spring 2002 ?- how botched-up the whole thing was, and how international commentators deemed it unjust and totally controlled by Mugabe.

Are you a supporter of Morgan Tsvangirai & MDC ? (I suppose you are since you -quite jutified- seem to feel contempt for Mugabe)

The newspaper I've been reading - The Guardian Weekly- recently had it's reporter, Andrew Meldrum, one of the few international journalists that had stayed in the country for very long, 20 years, I believe, kicked out of what had practically become his homecountry. He now resides in South Africa and reports for the paper from there.

Just yeaterday I read in the very same newspaper that another independent national newspaper (not sure of the name- the Daily News ?) had been shut down by Mugabe, apparently there is only one truly non-governemental newspaper left now.

Often I read about food-shortage, fuel-shortgage, exploding unemployement (can it be 70-80 % - it seems unbelievable). Also, young people being sendt to compulsary one-year millitary camps, where they literally learn brutality.

Still, keeping in mind that Zimbabwe once was called Western Africa's hope, and almost looked like an African country heading towards prosperity, democracy, with an excellent education system, good health care, independend press.... I don't think it can all be lost.

Mugabe and his entourage are aging (one of his closest cronies, I forget the name, died last week) , and are increasingly under pressure from the international community and an increasingly desparate people, internally.
Even neighboring countries , though they have been buying his "African solidarity" BS for quite a while, will hopefully voice their concerns.. (for instance S.Africa's Thabo Mbeki)

Well.. I wish you all luck, also when you do return, hopefully the situation will be better then.

( On a side note :my father's coming home from Pretoria, South Africa (Seismology conference)tomorrow, I'm anxious to hear what he has to say about his stay, and also see the pictures he's taken.)

Cucumber, thanks also for reminding us how lucky we are, who live in prosperous countries. I bemoan that I can't get soymage cheeze, or tofutti products, but at least I have access to fruits and vegetables (and am even growing my own veges). Such a petty thing to want, tofutti.

What is the land like for farming in Zimbabwe? Rainfall? Perhaps you could encourage some of your family to grow some crops if they learnt how? There are quite a few gardeners on here, soilman has one of the most extensive plots that I know of.

Thank you for joining this community cucumber. I think we are richer for your posts...

Cucumber, thanks also for reminding us how lucky we are, who live in prosperous countries. I bemoan that I can't get soymage cheeze, or tofutti products, but at least I have access to fruits and vegetables (and am even growing my own veges). Such a petty thing to want, tofutti.


I second that. I spend way too much time complaining about stupid things like organic fruits and vegetables being overpriced. Right now I feel so lucky to live so comfortably, and so terrible that other people can't.

Cucumber, I was wondering, what does your signature say?

I second that. I spend way too much time complaining about stupid things like organic fruits and vegetables being overpriced. Right now I feel so lucky to live so comfortably, and so terrible that other people can't.

Cucumber, I was wondering, what does your signature say?

I'm guessing the first part its "my name is Nicky". But no idea for the second... and I only guess that because cucumber signed his name at the bottom of one post. :)

Azalea; "Are you a supporter of Morgan Tsvangirai & MDC ? "
Well I am certainly not a follower of Mr.Mugabe.
Unfortunately you are right when you say high unemployment, lots of young men drink chickadayas (large jugs of beer) and get drunk all day, crimes like rape and theft are very high.

Before a white man could shoot you dead just for being on his land without permission and pretty much get away with it, Zimbabwe has a lot of serious problems but most will go when Mr. Mugabe goes.

Lack of education is huge problem and leads to food shortage, many people just join army to make sure they get fed.

My signature means;

My name is Nicky.
Thanks mates!

Shamwari is a good Shona word, it means "Mate" or "Friend".

Thank you to all for welcoming me to your community because I never experience this level of kindness anywhere before!

I'm glad you like it here, Nicky :guitar:

Look what I found googling around for "shona":

ndipei' miriwo :up:

Just like many people from places with poor economies, come to the economically prolific industrialized west to earn some money, and some of them stay and some of them return to their homeland to help their friends and relatives, some of us living in relative poverty by industrial west standards, think of going to places with poorer economies -- where our money will buy us more.

I am wondering if the income I get from social security, will allow me to live a better life in say Mexico, or Zimbabwe, than it will in the US. I cannot afford decent housing in the US, on my income. I cannot afford enough land to grow my own food -- not even a 1/4 acre. Perhaps in Zimbabwe I can afford to buy 4 or 5 productive acres. Would I have this land taken away from me simply because I am white, or would this be too small an amount for my black neigbors to be concerned about?

I miust say, tho I have some "backyard gardening" skills, I don't believe I have the skills to be commercially competitive. Those are 2 different thing. But I often think of spending the rest of my life operating a veganic farm that supports a handful of people, and writing about it.

By veganic I mean avoiding the use of animal products such as excrement, bone meal, and blood meal, and relying on composted plant matter, green manures and cover crops, and possibly supplementing these with industrially-produced (from synthetic ammonia http://www.materials.addr.com/nitrogen.shtml) plant food. I also am not strictly "organic" and will use insecticides if I believe they are necessary in order to make sure I have enough to eat, but I prefer to rely on composted plant matter, and use industrially-produced nitrogen as a supplemntal source, rather than as a main source of nitrogen. The use of industrially-produced nitrogen, even in small amounts, means that I cannot describe my farming methods as "organic" even though I believe they produce much tastier produce than that produced by by other production methods.

Wow, I all of a sudden feel very selfish complaining about not having trivial things too. You seem like such a nice, positive person. Welcome to VB and I hope you find that we are a pretty helpful bunch!

I love it here and I love you all here my friends but I think I homesick today
Hi Nicky!
I'm homesick too. Very homesick.
I can't relate to most issues you face in life, but I know about the homesick stuff.
I'm from Holland, but haven't lived there for 11 years. I lived in France for about 3 years and have been in America for 8 years now. I used to go back once a year, but haven't been back these last 5 1/2 years. I'm very homesick!
My husband is American. Even my kids are American. I don't know any Dutch people in this area. We are raising our kids bilingual, so Dutch is still daily in our lives. I also visit a Dutch vegan site regularly. That's why I'm not here on veggieboards very often. That helps a bit.
But still. I would love to just walk around a bit in Holland. Or better even, cycle around. Hear people speaking my language all around me. Seing people behaving like Dutch people behave. I miss that so much.

Nicky, I really wish you the best of luck. I hope that everything you are trying to accomplish will work out. It would be extremely cool to be able to go back to your family with some money. My husbands family is from India. I have been there once and saw what real poverty is like. It's a weird feeling to know that what I consider to be a small amount of money is the same as what people there make in a year. That really helps to put things in perspective!

Cucumber, it´s good to have you here. I´m not exactly an immigrant, but I am away from my home country. I´m spending a semester in Spain, and I miss some parts of the USA. Being a vegetarian here is actually easier than in the USA because here I have vegetarian host parents, and in the USA I live with six omnivores.

If memory serves me correctly, Zimbabwe is currently what political scientists call a kleptocracy--the society is based on stealing.