Zambia World Wide

We can once again start looking to the future, at the moment we are keeping our options open and trying to handle both applications, although the job in Zambia is the one we hope to get. Some time passed before we heard from the company in Zambia, when we did it was good news. They wanted me to attend an interview in London, it was now decision time keeping our options open was getting difficult. We decided to reject the job in South Africa and concentrate on the Zambian one.

The interview in London was the first of many, in the following weeks there were a number of interviews to attend. After the first interview Jan and I would both travel to London, I would discuss the work and Jan would be told about life living in Zambia and given the chance to ask questions. When we returned home after the interviews Jan would have a pile of Zambian newspapers to read so we both understood the way of life in Zambia. Finally before I could be accepted I had to have a medical in Harley Street. The company went to extreme lengths to ensure that I would be happy with the working conditions and that Jan would be comfortable with the lifestyle. It was after all costing them a lot of money and they wanted their staff to stay. Finally all the interviews were over and all we needed was a work permit for me. In all it took six months from the first interview to getting a departure date.

The next few months were a busy time, we had odd jobs to complete and needed to list what we would need to pack. Packing cases had to be made, shipping agents contacted and estate agents to see as we had decided to let the bungalow rather than sell. Our personal belongings which were going by sea had to leave three months in advance, if they were to be there when we arrived. It was quite difficult deciding what we could live without for three months, but by begging and borrowing from relatives and friends we got by. We finally received the departure date for the 11^th November 1972. Time to pack the packing cases and contact the shipping agents, after many months we now felt we were on our way. Up to the time we saw the advert, Zambia was a country we had never heard of, we bought an Atlas from a bookshop to find out where it was.

We went to Yorkshire for a few days to say our goodbyes to relatives and also we needed a break. We also decided to have a small leaving party for our families and friends on November 5^th, which seemed appropriate as it was bonfire night. We had a firework display followed by a buffet and drinks. After the leaving party there was nothing to do but wait until the morning of the 11^th November. We left from Southtown Station for London, arrived at Liverpool Street Station, travelled by taxi to Victoria Station then took a coach to Heathrow Airport which we flew out of on the 22.00 flight for Lusaka. We had burnt our bridges, there could be no turning back. It is going to be a new beginning and a new chapter in our lives.