Coping with a foreign language in Zambia.

November 30, 2018  •  1 Comment

When I first arrived in 1967 to work on Kenworth Trucks at Smith & Youngson in Lusaka, I was called into the Forman's office on my first day to get my instructions.. His name was Stuart Littlejohn and he came from Aberdeen. I nodded intelligently as he rattled on but I couldn't understand a word he was saying.
As I left the office, a Zambian followed me who had heard the conversation. I asked him if he knew what I had to do and he replied "Yes, Bwana Steve, he wants you to check out a Kenworth' gearbox which is giving a problem"
The Zambian's name was Tambrush and from then on he became my interpreter until I learnt braw Aberdeen. It turned out that he had been the Foreman's spanner boy for many years and now he was a very competent mechanic.

 


Comments

Sally Midgelow(non-registered)
It was very interesting to read about the Kenworth trucks and the Hell Run Steve. My father was Tom Fuller and he joined Smith & Youngson in 1953 in Chipata (Fort Jameson) with only 3 trucks. I remember him talking about the hell run and of.course the Kenworths which he organised to purchase on a trip to Vancouver. We had a great life in Lusaka and many treasured memories! My parents left Zambia in 1970 for the UK and eventually ended up in Canberra in Australia where all the family emigrated to. He sadly passed away in 1981. Thank you for bringing back the memories.
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