Untukmu Para Pengunjung

We had some people over for dinner tonight. I love sharing meals with people in our home, because John's a good cook, and it's also just nice to get to know people. People always want to talk about how we're finding Zimbabwe, and how our culture in Canada is different from Zimbabwean culture. And people are always shocked that John didn't have to pay for me when we got married. Of course, a form of lobola or bride price is still quite common in many areas of the world - including Zimbabwe. We heard about a young Salvation Army officer last night who wants to marry a cadet when she gets commissioned. Her father is charging $5 million and 7 oxen. Thankfully he has a sister in the UK who can help with the funds.

Our friends last night were saying that the price of a bride goes up dramatically when she is educated. I have two university degrees, so that makes me very valuable, and thus our friends were even more shocked that John just "received me" for free. (Do you know how strange it is to think of yourself being sold and purchased?) This is the idea: my father paid to invest in my education with the hopes that I would always take care of my parents. If I get married, then all of a sudden it is my husband who is benefiting from me rather than my parents, so my husband should pay for me. It's an interesting logic (besides the whole I worked to put myself through university thing). And it did make me feel rather proud to know that at least I'd be expensive if someone was going to buy me!!!!

The man was saying that he decided he wanted to be a Salvation Army officer after he had already completed a diploma at college. And his father demanded the money back for his education because now it would be "wasted." This way of viewing kids as vessels for deposits and withdrawals is an interesting way to approach family life!