HIFA is here... and so is everyone

This week, the Harare International Festival of Arts (or HIfA in short) is taking place. This is THE main cultural event for all of Harare (and a lot of Zimbabwe), with lots of local and international artists perfroming during 7 days in all corners of the city (and then buggering off, leaving Harare as dead - or maybe I should say comateus - as it was before). 

Everybody's been talking about it for ages. When the programme finally came out, people had lunchons, going over the schedule, deciding what they wanted to see, which show to buy tickets for and all. Many of them have been brought in by embassies, so our diplomatic friends also have their two cents to put in. We've been a bit more laid back about it then most people, haven't even bought any tickets yet and just hoping at our good fortune to be able to get last minute tickets without having to queue for eternities. 

With this festival taking place, our CouchSurfing network has picked up once more. For those who don't know it, Couchsurfing  is a website to hook up travellers and locals, where you host them or meet up for coffee and share what you know of your city. Great system since it allows people to get a bit off the beaten track and interact more with the people living somewhere (as well as being cheaper). Both Thomas and me have benefitted of it numerous times and had great trips through it, so time to give some travel-karma back. So, since last Thursday, we have two Ozzie guys, Gavin and Liam and one American girl, Leslie ("loving America anyway") staying with us. Two Germans are scheduled to arrive this evening (with their tent), adn Thursday, some French chick from the Alliance francaise in Lusaka would be coming with 4 more friends. Others coming is still possible, so our house might get a bit hectic over the next week, but the more, the merrier, right?