Zimbabwe: Where the Sky Greets You at Your Feet

2. THE COMMUNICATION GROUP It is a wonderful feeling when someone says ―Oh, you are from Zimbabwe? What a beautiful country! I was there a little while ago and…‖ It takes me right back to the flamboyant trees and dark red mud. For some slight narcissistic reason, I feel instantly connected to this person just because they‘ve also had an experience with ―my‖ country. Zimbabwe is an interesting place. It‘s roughly the same size as Montana – so it isn‘t tiny – but it also isn‘t massive. What is fascinating is how it is has so many different faces: forests and mountains; lakes and deserts; skyscrapers and mud huts. I‘ve traveled quite a bit and I haven‘t found a place this size, with so much diversity, apart from Cape Town.THE COMMUNICATION GROUP – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2012

3. THE COMMUNICATION GROUPWith only +/- 12 million people theretoday, My first visit after ten years was this pastZimbabwe also isn‘t denselypopulated, December, we landed in Victoria Falls onalthough when I was a child,there was no Christmas Day, (and what a present that was!)more than 9 million. It wasonly 1% white, so I Rushes of familiarity and excitement took over asreally was a minority ifwe base that on we flew over the country nosing our way down tocolor. Today, I live inAmerica and even a dinky landing strip. I was suddenly a child again… mesmerized. The sky greeted us at ourthough I‘m now consideredin the ‗majority,‘ feet and we walked into a rather small, chaoticit still feels out of place. airport where someone was attempting to make us stay in lines of no discernible order. TheThe minute I cross Valencia street in San passport controller‘s pen ran out of ink and theFrancisco, or Mott and Prince St in New other controller‘s stamp utterly broke. We allYork, Ifeel more comfortable immediately. I waited…Happily. Peacefully. We were back onfind awarmth in color and cultures. Zimbabwean time.Zimbabwe was once called the Even after flying for 19 hours, I didn‘t mind waiting nearly as much as I thought I would. Here I―Switzerland‖ ofAfrica, a veritable ―jewel.‖ was, used to New York time (which is anHowever, the countryhas had dreadful oxymoron as there is no time in New York) but… Iproblems over the past twentyyears, didn‘t mind.and particularly over the last twelve.Inflation has been one of the worst the worldover and nationally morals have plummeted.THE COMMUNICATION GROUP – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2012

4. THE COMMUNICATION GROUPI stared outside hungrily as the hotel car Dogs barkedat a lost cow who was wanderingdroveus to the lodge. The trees… Oh the throughsomeones massive garden.trees! Amazing acacias, arms out wide Latest models of cars drove together with ancientofferingshade to street market sellers and relics of vehicles. Old and new. City andthe odd wildwarthog or sheep. Ironically, Country. Sky and Earth. Even then I knew howthe roads stilllooked in perfect shape — lucky I was to be brought up in a space whichstrips of tarmacrunning perfectly across the allowed for such freedom and primal awareness.country side — nolitter to be seen. I was Anyway… this isn‘t about me… it‘s abouthappily shocked. Zimbabwe. I wish for it to be all it deserves to be: a land of natural opportunity; a land ofAs a child my very best friend in the world laughter and generosity; a land willing to share all it has to people who wish to learn and grow.wasmy bicycle. I had it stripped down Please consider visiting it or learning more. Itcompletelyso I couldn‘t hear a clank of needs attention. It needs gratitude. It needs you.mudguard or chairor bell – it was literally achrome frame on wellpumped up worn Thank you Zimbabwe for all you‘ve given me.tires. I would fly over strips ofburnt colored -Be well. Tatendamud… hard as concrete. Throughditchesand up rocks. My bicycle took me to -cstables and compounds where smells offamilyand nature contentedly mingled.THE COMMUNICATION GROUP – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2012

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