Considering a career in Zambia?

I have thought about visiting Zambia in the next coming months and as a result have eagerly started the research process on my favourite aspects of visiting a new country. Based on a collection of material from several websites this is what I would look forward to the most.

A History snapshot
Formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, the Republic of Zambia gained independence from Britain in 1964 with Kenneth Kaunda becoming the country’s first president.  Zambia now has a population of 14.54 million (2013), with a multitude of languages spoken (English being the official linguae).

Languages and Culture
Other than English, most widely spoken across Lusaka and the Copperbelt is Bemba being just two languages in the total of more than 72 local languages /dialects spoken across Zambia. Zambian society is unhurried and a formal greeting always takes place before any conversation

Following the arrival of missionaries in the 1800s, Christianity is widely practised throughout the country, while traditional ceremonies are not forgotten and held annually in various regions.

Some mark when children become adults or commemorate a season, for example Shimuenga gives thanks for the safe delivery of crops and livestock. Others mark a historical event – Umutomboko celebrates the Lunda's conquering of the west.

Probably the most famous traditional ceremony is the Kuomboka, when the Lozi people make their way in boats along the Zambezi for a ceremonial trip away from the annual floods. Kuomboka literally means ‘to get out of the water onto dry ground’. This ceremony dates back more than 300 years when the Lozi people first settled in the upper regions of the Zambezi

Food
Eating (one of my favourite pastimes) in Zambia is a rich and exciting experience, with several different styles from around the world and many fantastic restaurants to choose from.  Its native cuisine is based on nshima, a cooked porridge made from ground maize, and it features heavily in most meals. Fast food chains are also rising in popularity due to convenience and their family oriented style.

There are also some more exotic seasonal dishes in rural areas of Zambia that consist of sautéed insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars and flying ants.

A thought to  remember that in Zambia it is considered rude not to eat everything on your plate, even if you are full.

Wildlife, landscape and photography
The landscape is dominated by miombo – grassland mixed with clumps of woodland and makes up nearly three-quarters of the country’s natural environment. You will find savannah predators like lions, leopards and cheetahs, while protected herds of elephant and buffalo roam the national parks. Zambia also boasts some unusual subspecies of antelope, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra. Zambia is also home to more than 750 different species or birds.

One of Africa’s great wildlife migrations takes place across Liuwa Plain National Park, where wildebeest, zebra, tsessebe (a savannah antelope) and buffalo converge in their thousands.

Due to its vibrant culture, plateau, as well as flora and fauna, Zambia is an extremely photogenic country. On its border with Zimbabwe is the famed Victoria Falls, indigenously called Mosi-oa-Tunya, or "Smoke that Thunders,” plunging a misty 108m into narrow Batoka Gorge.

If you are already living the expatriate life in Zambia or intend on making the move, feel free to add your comments below on your favourite things / experiences about Zambia or even what you are looking forward to the most about living in Zambia.