So what shall I do?

I learned two things from my supervisors shortly before we left to go to Zambia. Both pieces of advice have come in so handy during my short time in Africa.
First, my supervisor's wife told us to always make your luggage appear light, regardless of what it weighs. This is so true. Frequently, we have arrived at the airport knowing that our luggage was a pound or two over the weight limit. If you look as though you are struggling with it, they will make you weigh it. If you look as though you could run a mile with the pack on your back, they will smile and let you pass without weighing the bag. This, of course, would never work in the United States, but in Africa, anything goes.
Secondly, she told us to always remember the phrase, “What shall I do?” This is an incredibly helpful phrase as it gives the African the ability to decide how THEY want to solve the problem…rather than having an American tell them what they want to see happen. It is really quite effective. For instance, the first night that we were at the resort at the end of 40/40, I left my room at about five in the evening and didn’t return until after dinner at about 8. When I came back, I found my room completely flooded with about an inch of standing water flowing from under the door. My toilet was leaking. I immediately went to the manager of the hotel and told him the problem. His response to the situation was, “Well…the man who fixes those kinds of things is gone for the night, so we will fix it in the morning.” And that was all he was going to do about it. After informing him politely but firmly that I would not stay in a room that was flooded that badly, he realized that he was going to have to do something about it. He followed me to the room and was shocked to find the room in the exact state that I had told him he would find it. He then said, “Well, I do not know what to do. We have no rooms available to put you.” At this point, I remembered my supervisor's wife's advice and pulled out the “well, what shall I do?” phrase. It worked like a charm. After I asked him what I should do, he immediately said, “Well, now that I think about it, we may have one room…come with me.” Within five minutes, I had a new room and the water problem was solved. Amazing!