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Inside/Out with Chipo Chikara, teacher and actress
Kubatana.net
July 17, 2009

Describe yourself in five words?
Loud, dimpled, longing, restless, joyful.

What's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Keep praying.

What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever done?
I don't know . . . oooh, no wait I remember now, WHITE-WATER RAFTING in category 5 waters, circa 2006. Never again!

What is your most treasured possession?
Photos of my Mom, my Bible and Charity (my teddy bear . . . and yes, I am 28!)

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
When I'm not right with the Lord. My spiritual health affects all the other areas of my life.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
My belly and my thighs. I've embraced my hips and booty!

What is your greatest extravagance?
Buying things first-hand. I often purchase second-things. I love thrift stores and Mpedzanhamo. It's a big deal when I get something first-hand. I recently acquired a laptop, digital camera and an MP3 player - all brand-new! Whoa!
-I also LOVE getting my hair shampooed at the hairdresser's. That's my frequent splurge.

What have you got in your fridge?
Yummy leftovers. I made some seriously good dinner tonight- spaghetti and meatballs and a sexy salad with olives and feta cheese. Mmmm.

What is your greatest fear?
Leading a life of mediocrity.

What have you got in your pockets right now?
Chocolate wrappers! I had a Cadbury's ‘snow' Flake and a Cadbury's Tempo. (I needed the sugar to stay awake), hair thingies and a bright pink 4GB iPod (stopped on The Cardigans' Lovefool).

What is your favourite journey?
Any journey that allows me to escape the harsh realities of everyday life. I like taking journeys into my favourite Book, disappearing into a feel-good movie (particularly a feature-length animation!), having solo-dance parties or going to my good friend's lake house at Chivero.

Who are your heroes in real life?
My late Mom - Joyce Fungai Chikara. My love, my heart, my anchor - my everything.

When and where were you happiest?
I am happiest when I'm making people laugh OR when I'm laughing hard that my stomach hurts, tears are running down my face and I'm close to wetting myself! (Of course, if I ACTUALLY wet myself that'd be embarrassing!). I also find that having a solo dance party or having a dance party with the kids I teach brings me great joy.

What's your biggest vice?
Chocolate. I have a deep love for chocolate . . . so much that I find it inappropriate, selfish and appalling when people ask me for chocolate when I'm eating it!

What were you like at school?
I was always pursuing ‘coolness' because I was so uncool at school. I'm only learning now to embrace my ‘dorkiness' (at age 28!) I was loud and unkempt. I was average and very insecure. I do feel, however, that the people with whom I was friends during school would give better answers . . . .

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