The second term of school ended on Wednesday, and all went well. My students did fairly well, but more importantly, Leah rocked my exam. She has been studying very hard, a habit I think she's picking up from my constant reading in the house. She's such a good girl.
Friday, April 15th was my 24th birthday! Happy birthday to me. I'm getting old. It was fairly uneventful. On the eve of my special day Yeager, Margaret, Chris, and Dre came over, and on my birthday morning they all made me pumpkin pie and sang to me. IT was very sweet. That was all that marked my birthday. From there Chris, Dre and I caught a semi hitch to Karonga during which I made several thymine dimers (that's a sunburn for you non-science nerds). It was Dre's first hitch ever. I think she enjoyed seeing the lake as we climbed the escarpment.
That night we stayed at Kaporo Secondary School (Yeager's old school) in Karonga. We stayed in the teacher's lounge, but didn't sleep. We were all so excited to travel to Zanzibar! SATURDAY: The next morning we jumped the border to Tanzania- legally of course. At the border Dre was robbed of about 4000 MK, which is not a huge loss but enough to be annoying and create a sense of violation. What a nice welcome to Tanzania. Because of this, none of us were going to trade money unless it was at a bank.
After going through immigration we took a bus to Mbeya. This was when we still had fairly high hopes for the travel... When we got there, Chris and I found a currency exchange shop to obtain some TSH (Tansanian shillings) while Yeager and Dre got Dre a SIM card for her phone. She wanted to be able to make calls from TZ. After putting about 2000MK of units on her phone she found that it wouldn't work on her phone. They wouldn't give her a refund. That was the second time Dre was robbed that day.
We hurried to the Mbeya train depot, where the departure time was originally scheduled at 2:30pm, to find thatthe time had been changed to 8:00 pm. Alright, that's cool. After staying for a few hours it was changed again to 2:30 am (Saturday morning), with 8:00 am written for the arrival time in Swahili. What?!?! Dre, Yeager and I went out for a beer while Chris watched our luggage. What a trooper. Around 9 or so, as everyone was starting to go to sleep they brought a TV into the depot which they turned on to the annoying commercial channel at a very high volume. [We are expecting a small population of Mbeya to suffer from hearing loss within the next decade.] Later, that channel aired a program showing parliament voting on God knows what new laws to pass. Shoot me in the face. Also, the bathrooms were nightmares - the most disgusting I've ever experienced. Think of the worst portopotty magnified by 10. It felt like I got many communicable diseases every time I entered the forsaken room. Everything was wet, no toilet paper, afraid to touch anything, almost gagged from the smell. During the night there would be wafts of potent bathroom smell permeating the entire depot.
In Mbeya it's cold due to its relatively high elevation, so everyone covered themselves in their chitenjes, looking like mummies. The wrapped bodies on the floor combined with the luggage everywhere gave the impression of a natural disaster victim's ward. All the white people (the four of us plus some Europeans) formed an azunzu [African word for white people] fort with our luggage and cuddled for warmth. This is the first time I've snuggled with complete strangers for comfort.
SUNDAY: At about 4 in the morning, the train still having not come, Dre and Yeager went to the bus depot to buy tickets to Dar es Salaam. We got on the bus around 6 and headed north. It was great to be free of the train depot! The bus stopped at a rest area around 9 and Dre and I visited the little girls room. While others were doing their business I grabbed some crisps to eat and share on the bus. Dre changed and I waited for her. We were the last ones out of the bathrooms and noticed, while on the way back to the bus, that it was no longer there! Luckily, Yeager stopped the bus before it got too far away, and Dre and I ran after it. Soon after, we had to stop to weld the chassis together, or at least that's what they said they were doing. This is Africa.
We finally made it to Dar es Salaam around 9 that night. The day was saved by going to dinner at a wonderful Indian restaurant at some Indian fraternity house. It was also nice to have a beer that wasn't Carlsberg! MONDAY: The next morning we caught the ferry to Zanzibar. From then on the trip was amazing. The ferry was fun and it was exciting to see little islands on the way to Zanzibar which is itself about 12 m wide and 50 m long or so. When we landed and got through immigration we took a taxi to the eastern side where another PCV had already procured a place to stay at a nice village called Jambiani. It was the most beautiful beach I've ever seen! Iv'e only seen pictures of this kind of thing!
Jambiani is the place where dreams are made. The sand is bleach-white. The others said it's even whiter than beaches in Hawaii. I wouldn't know, but it was certainly something to behold. The night we got there, we were joined by 3 other PCVs who had just ascended Kilimanjaro. They said it was a feat, but a wonderful one. I'm jealous! I'd love to do that, but I should probably start with Mulanje and work my way up. I digress... That day I also had my first swim in an ocean. Who knew my first ocean would be the Indian? It's salty! ( I know, duh, but it was surprising despite my knowing the fact) I loved the waves, albeit small ones, crashing over me making me bob like the little Sara-buoey I became. It made me giggle, especially as it washed me ashore. I spent much of my time in Jambiani searching for sea shells to bring back for gifts, as well as having some for myself. They were everywhere! I gave some to my teachers and to Leah upon my return so they could have a little something from Zanzibar. They seemed grateful.
Every day in Jambiani we walked to a nearby tuck shop to buy chocolate. I ate more moo pies during those 3 days than I had in my entire life proceeding. I'm pretty sure they gave me a tummy ache. One night we met a local man to make dinner for us. It was the biggest, best seafood schmorgasboard known to man! To put it this way, I as actually able to say, "Please pass me another lobster." I will probably never again utter that sentence unless referencing this evening.. I ate two lobsters, a few handfulls of prawns, and a black snapper. That is not including the soup, rice, chips, and eggplant on the table. It was a meal I will never forget. My tastebuds can die a happy and fulfilled death. Other than that epic meal, the east coast was enjoyed by relaxation, seashell searches, bananagrams, and good conversation. Oh, and beer. Did I already talk about the beer? It's not Carlsberg! Safari and Kilimanjaro beers were alipo in the house throughout our stay. Whether the bottles were full or empty depended on the time of day. The last night we ate at a nice beachfront restaurant. I had the octopus sandwich. I tried to eat as much octopus and calamari as possible. Oh, I almost forgot, during low tide you could walk for about a kilometer before reaching the water. Near the low-tide water the natives had built seaweed farms that they collected and sent to Japan - it made me miss sushi!
THURSDAY: We left for Stone Town on the west side (where the ferry comes in) in the morning. Four of us (Dre, Chris, Elizabeth, and I) took a hitch while the others got a taxi. We got there for free, but I'm sure there was some sort of drug trafficking going on with our driver. Oh well, we got there. Upon arrival we headed to the hotel, dropped our luggage, and hit the town. It didn't take the boys long to decide sticking around with the girls was a bad idea, especially when the girls are shopping-deprived women just set loose on a sea of beautiful things to buy! They departed soon after the shopping commenced.
The shopping adventure started with scarves. Beautiful ones. Then, after entering about 10 shops on the street we set out to find the old slave market. The slave market was so humbling. One of the buildings is now a hotel, restaurant, and curio shop. In that basement were the rooms where the slaves were kept 2-3 days before being sold. The rooms were maybe about 10x10ft and 15x20 ft and held 35 and 75 slaves respectively. Many died in the rooms. outside was a memorial showing the pit where slaves were shown and sold. There were statues of slaves chained around the neck and wrists in the pit to show what it was like and to pay homage to the past slaves. A church was built on the site after the closing of the market. The main front altar was built upon the spot where the slaves were whipped. The church was beautiful. Livignstone was also involved with the abolition of the slave trade there. That man is associated with every place on the eastern coast of Africa it seems. After the slave market we went to the actual market to buy cloth and spices. I found some nice fabric and bought many spices for Mom, Dad, and Grandmother.
FRIDAY: In the morning Chris and I took the ferry back to catch the train (yes we decided to try again) in Dar. We barely made the train and there were only economy class seats available. This was the only time during the trip where I broke down. All I wanted was a bed. Oh well. I didn't sleep during the whole 27 hour train ride, but it was ok. From Mbeya to Karonga, crossing the boarder, and returning home all went well.
Now it's back to school. The students are getting ready for their exiting exams, and they're really buckling down to study. It's good to see their motivation. Now if I can only get through teaching Reproduction in Form 4 without it getting too awkward...
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Once in a blue African moon
AAHHHHH a new post! Sorry. I've been very busy and every time I sit down for the internet I'm in a hurry to check my email, and I'm paying for internet by the minute with my meager allowance. I would love to say that there's been nothing going on here so I don't have much to say, but unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for me) that is simply not true. I've been having a great time here! I would like to add that I have attempted to blog several times in vain due to running out of internet time. I have written long blog entries only to realize that I am no longer connected to the internet. It's a bit frustrating. So, for anyone who has read this blog, I do apologize but I have some really good excuses.
I've started doing business for Camp SKY - an annual camp held in July or August for students going into their 4th year of secondary school. It's supposed to help them get motivated before their last year, as well as prepare them for their MSCEs (exiting exams taken by the whole country's form 4 students, for which they must pay). This is, in fact, why I am in Lilongwe, and finally able to write on the blog again. Anyway, I'm going to start buckling down and getting things done. We're trying to have the camp in the Central-Southern area of Malawi, so the distance from my site is not beneficial to the logistical planning, but I'll work with it.
A lot has happened since I last wrote. I'm continuing to do well; no new diseases or parasites to speak of since my bout with malaria in November. I do feel that my health is going a bit downhill, though, because I haven't been waking up early to run lately. It's been raining for many of the mornings, and I'd rather not slip in the mud and sprain something (that's totally an excuse). Really I just need to get my butt out of bed in the morning (sometime between 5 and 5:30). I'm sure I'll find motivation soon.
In the 2nd week of December I went to our IST (inservice training), which was nice; I didn't have to cook for a week, I had electricity, I didn't have to start a fire, and I had a toilet! But the best part was that I was with all my friends. It was quite a party - massages, facials, games, beer, chatting, and a lot of love! Soon after, I went to Garrett's site to visit him and check out his school, but also just to love on him as he is one of my besties here. While I was at Garretts we went to a nearby mission to visit some doctor friends of his. Not only do they have a pretty nice hospital (as hospitals go in Malawi), but they also had a grand piano. I spent about an hour playing Christmas songs on the 'ole ivories. It was so amazing to touch the keys again after about 6 months of nothing. It made me want to sit next to Mom and play duets again. I cried.
After visiting Garrett's site we traveled with a larger group of PCVs and other expats to Cape Maclear for Christmas. We arrived on Christmas Eve and set up our tents. Although I was supposed to share a tent with Garrett, I found out that weekend that my tent is not big enough for 2 people. I ended up sleeping on a hammock on the beach for the 3 nights we stayed there. I'm not complaining. It was amazing! On Christmas morning a small group of us went snorkeling. I got to see tropical fish found only in Lake Malawi on Christmas morning. It was a great Christmas present. That night we had a white elephant gift exchange. I got a Malawian license plate. Awesome.
I stayed at home for a few days before traveling to Nkhata Bay for New Years. The group of people were basically the same ones from Christmas. I spent my New Years swimming in the lake daily and relaxing - something I really needed on New Years Day after a night of partying. It was awesome.
I lost a friend in December. While I was in IST, a friend and colleague of mine passed away. Her name was Madam Soko, and she was a teacher of Chichewa at my CDSS. The loss of her was very shocking and really hit close to home. What's worse is that she left behind her daughter. I had been teaching her daughter in school, and knew her from my frequent visits to her house to chat with her mother. Because she is now without a mother I offered for her to live with me, and she accepted. Leah and I have now been living together for about 1.5 months now. It's pronounced "Lay- uh", like the princess from Star Wars. She is a great girl! She's 14 and in my Form 3 class (Junior year). She's very smart. We've been having some interesting cultural exchanges. She has now eaten spaghetti and real chocolate cake, and I now eat nsima every day. She is teaching me Chitumbuka every day and how to build a fire. My attempts to build fires usually end in me yelling, "Leah, novwirani!" ("Leah, help me!"). Then she laughs and makes disappointing sounds. I think I'm getting better. She has learned how to play some card games. Our latest is Phase 10, but she's also a fan of UNO and bacci ball, as well as word finds. She makes me smile every day. She's always singing, and I have taught her some American hymns which we sing together when I'm playing the ukulele. I'm very grateful that I've had this opportunity to help someone in a big way, despite it being a minor financial burden (I pay for the food for both of us as well as her school fees and anything she needs for school). Lets hope it continues to go well.
On Valentine's Day I received a great gift from my valentine: baking materials! I told him stories of how I'd bake cookies or pies and take them to old ladies in the valley, or ride my horse over to Grandmother's house to exchange cookies for a loaf of my favorite bread. Sounds a bit like a fairy tale, doesn't it? Or like I'm from little house on the prairie? Anyway, he got me cake flour, vanilla, powdered sugar, blue band (Malawi equivalent of margarine), and other goods for baking. These items are a bit more costly, so I had not purchased them during my stay in Malawi. It was so sweet - double entiendre? I made banana cream pie, double layer devil's food cake with frosting, and two loaves of bread. They were all delicious. I think I gained a few pounds last week! Leah liked it too.
That's about all that's going on in my world. As for the future, I'm planning on going to Zanzibar during the break between the 2nd and 3rd terms. It just happens to fall during my birthday - best birthday gift ever! We're planning on taking a train from the Malawi-Tanzania border to Dahr before taking the ferry to Zanzibar. I'm so excited! Jealous? You should be! I have no other plans coming up that are unrelated to Camp SKY. I'm hoping to climb Mulanje sometime this year, and I'd really like to get my scuba certification. Ideally, I could get it before Zanzibar, but I don't know if that's feasible with time or money at this point.
This blog was supposed to be fairly chronological, but I have forgotten where the following story fit in, so I'll fit it in here. It's crucial to my Malawian experience. One day on my way back from Rumphi (to access internet and get some groceries) I was caught in a rain storm for over an hour. After holding up in a BP station to avoid the downpour, I finally found transportation back to my village. A car pulled up to the station to let me in. As I got into the front seat I noticed a strange smell and a shrieking sound. In the back of this COMPACT car were 11 goats. A shirtless man was in the back seat trying to control the small herd of goats in the back of this car. I laughed the whole way home as the goats sounded like they were dying. It was an amazing day.
Thanks for reading about my adventures. I'm truly having a great time here. I'm generally very happy anywhere in Malawi (except when I'm in transit), and frequently think about all the people who I love in the States, Malawi, and elsewhere. If anyone has any questions or any suggestions of what I could talk about regarding the culture, people, geography, society, school system, etc. please let me know. It has become a part of life for me now, and I hardly give these things a second thought anymore. It's not going to be 3 months until my next entry. I promise.
Khalani makora! Nkhumutemwani mose chomene!
(Stay well! I love you all very much!)
I've started doing business for Camp SKY - an annual camp held in July or August for students going into their 4th year of secondary school. It's supposed to help them get motivated before their last year, as well as prepare them for their MSCEs (exiting exams taken by the whole country's form 4 students, for which they must pay). This is, in fact, why I am in Lilongwe, and finally able to write on the blog again. Anyway, I'm going to start buckling down and getting things done. We're trying to have the camp in the Central-Southern area of Malawi, so the distance from my site is not beneficial to the logistical planning, but I'll work with it.
A lot has happened since I last wrote. I'm continuing to do well; no new diseases or parasites to speak of since my bout with malaria in November. I do feel that my health is going a bit downhill, though, because I haven't been waking up early to run lately. It's been raining for many of the mornings, and I'd rather not slip in the mud and sprain something (that's totally an excuse). Really I just need to get my butt out of bed in the morning (sometime between 5 and 5:30). I'm sure I'll find motivation soon.
In the 2nd week of December I went to our IST (inservice training), which was nice; I didn't have to cook for a week, I had electricity, I didn't have to start a fire, and I had a toilet! But the best part was that I was with all my friends. It was quite a party - massages, facials, games, beer, chatting, and a lot of love! Soon after, I went to Garrett's site to visit him and check out his school, but also just to love on him as he is one of my besties here. While I was at Garretts we went to a nearby mission to visit some doctor friends of his. Not only do they have a pretty nice hospital (as hospitals go in Malawi), but they also had a grand piano. I spent about an hour playing Christmas songs on the 'ole ivories. It was so amazing to touch the keys again after about 6 months of nothing. It made me want to sit next to Mom and play duets again. I cried.
After visiting Garrett's site we traveled with a larger group of PCVs and other expats to Cape Maclear for Christmas. We arrived on Christmas Eve and set up our tents. Although I was supposed to share a tent with Garrett, I found out that weekend that my tent is not big enough for 2 people. I ended up sleeping on a hammock on the beach for the 3 nights we stayed there. I'm not complaining. It was amazing! On Christmas morning a small group of us went snorkeling. I got to see tropical fish found only in Lake Malawi on Christmas morning. It was a great Christmas present. That night we had a white elephant gift exchange. I got a Malawian license plate. Awesome.
I stayed at home for a few days before traveling to Nkhata Bay for New Years. The group of people were basically the same ones from Christmas. I spent my New Years swimming in the lake daily and relaxing - something I really needed on New Years Day after a night of partying. It was awesome.
I lost a friend in December. While I was in IST, a friend and colleague of mine passed away. Her name was Madam Soko, and she was a teacher of Chichewa at my CDSS. The loss of her was very shocking and really hit close to home. What's worse is that she left behind her daughter. I had been teaching her daughter in school, and knew her from my frequent visits to her house to chat with her mother. Because she is now without a mother I offered for her to live with me, and she accepted. Leah and I have now been living together for about 1.5 months now. It's pronounced "Lay- uh", like the princess from Star Wars. She is a great girl! She's 14 and in my Form 3 class (Junior year). She's very smart. We've been having some interesting cultural exchanges. She has now eaten spaghetti and real chocolate cake, and I now eat nsima every day. She is teaching me Chitumbuka every day and how to build a fire. My attempts to build fires usually end in me yelling, "Leah, novwirani!" ("Leah, help me!"). Then she laughs and makes disappointing sounds. I think I'm getting better. She has learned how to play some card games. Our latest is Phase 10, but she's also a fan of UNO and bacci ball, as well as word finds. She makes me smile every day. She's always singing, and I have taught her some American hymns which we sing together when I'm playing the ukulele. I'm very grateful that I've had this opportunity to help someone in a big way, despite it being a minor financial burden (I pay for the food for both of us as well as her school fees and anything she needs for school). Lets hope it continues to go well.
On Valentine's Day I received a great gift from my valentine: baking materials! I told him stories of how I'd bake cookies or pies and take them to old ladies in the valley, or ride my horse over to Grandmother's house to exchange cookies for a loaf of my favorite bread. Sounds a bit like a fairy tale, doesn't it? Or like I'm from little house on the prairie? Anyway, he got me cake flour, vanilla, powdered sugar, blue band (Malawi equivalent of margarine), and other goods for baking. These items are a bit more costly, so I had not purchased them during my stay in Malawi. It was so sweet - double entiendre? I made banana cream pie, double layer devil's food cake with frosting, and two loaves of bread. They were all delicious. I think I gained a few pounds last week! Leah liked it too.
That's about all that's going on in my world. As for the future, I'm planning on going to Zanzibar during the break between the 2nd and 3rd terms. It just happens to fall during my birthday - best birthday gift ever! We're planning on taking a train from the Malawi-Tanzania border to Dahr before taking the ferry to Zanzibar. I'm so excited! Jealous? You should be! I have no other plans coming up that are unrelated to Camp SKY. I'm hoping to climb Mulanje sometime this year, and I'd really like to get my scuba certification. Ideally, I could get it before Zanzibar, but I don't know if that's feasible with time or money at this point.
This blog was supposed to be fairly chronological, but I have forgotten where the following story fit in, so I'll fit it in here. It's crucial to my Malawian experience. One day on my way back from Rumphi (to access internet and get some groceries) I was caught in a rain storm for over an hour. After holding up in a BP station to avoid the downpour, I finally found transportation back to my village. A car pulled up to the station to let me in. As I got into the front seat I noticed a strange smell and a shrieking sound. In the back of this COMPACT car were 11 goats. A shirtless man was in the back seat trying to control the small herd of goats in the back of this car. I laughed the whole way home as the goats sounded like they were dying. It was an amazing day.
Thanks for reading about my adventures. I'm truly having a great time here. I'm generally very happy anywhere in Malawi (except when I'm in transit), and frequently think about all the people who I love in the States, Malawi, and elsewhere. If anyone has any questions or any suggestions of what I could talk about regarding the culture, people, geography, society, school system, etc. please let me know. It has become a part of life for me now, and I hardly give these things a second thought anymore. It's not going to be 3 months until my next entry. I promise.
Khalani makora! Nkhumutemwani mose chomene!
(Stay well! I love you all very much!)
Friday, November 12, 2010
There's no place like Malawi for the Holidays...
No, I'm not dead... I'm just not yet a faithful blogger. With time I will get better. I have now found a reliable, fast internet source in Mzuzu, so I now have access to the world outside Malawi. Yay! I can't believe how much has happened since August. Where to start?
We swore in on Sept. 1 at the ambassador's house in Lilongwe. Afterwards we had the best meal I'd had since the states (and have had since) at the country director's house. Macaroni and Cheese, pulled pork sandwiches, beer, brownies, it makes my mouth water just to type it. Shortly after, we were kicked out of the nest to become individual volunteers at our new home. My home is awesome! It's fairly close to the main road, so transportation isn't too difficult, and it's near a small mountain range. It's quite beautiful despite the fact that everything is brown and crusty. I can't wait for the rainy season when everything turns green!
I have been teaching now for about 2 1/2 months! How frightening is that? I'm teaching Form 2 (Sophomore) Math, and Form 3&4 (Junior and Senior respectively) Biology. I wish I could tell you which class I enjoyed more, but I love them all. Almost every day at least 2 students come to my house to play Bao (a local game), UNO (which I taught them), or to chat and ask me academic questions. I also taught them how to play bacci ball. They're now addicted to it, which is understandable - throwing colorful balls at other balls is a blasty blast. I have a group of young girls that frequent my house daily and don't speak a smidgeon of english. Because of this language barrier we usually dance or sing songs. Sometimes I get out a magazine and we look at pictures. I also taught them how to play hopscotch. They are wonderful people, and such hard workers even if it's not in the classroom. The people here amaze me!
Other than my headmaster being a difficult person to work with, the teachers at my school are very nice if not completely competent teachers. I have no place to talk; I've never been a teacher, and was thrown into being one here. The beginning of this week marks the end of term exams followed by a nice month long break. I'll havel to find someone to take care of my cat during that time. I have adopted a cute little kitten (white with black spots). Her name is TALULAR - it's an acronym for "teaching and learning using locally available resources". This concept was beaten into our heads during training, so I figure why not? Most of the times I call her Tal (shout out to Tally Ross). I'm trying to fatten her up with local fish and bread, but she still looks like a skinny village cat.
I celebrated the most unconventional Thanksgiving ever by buying my staff Fantas and making banana chocolate chip bread (kudos to Mom for the chocolate chips!). We then went around the staff room and said something we were thankful for. They thought it was a wonderful celebration. I thought, "Wow, I'm in Africa for Thanksgiving drinking Fantas and eating banana bread" This thought was quickly followed by "... and I love it."
The rest of my Thanksgiving shenanigans consisted of traveling to Livingstonia. It was the most beautiful place I've ever been aside from Swan Valley (obviously the most beautiful place in the world). It has a waterfall which unfortunately I couldn't climb, but got to climb into a cave behind it. I am drawn to them like magnets. I then proceeded to Mzuzu where there was a party. I missed most of it, but caught the end to get some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Obviously I was there for the important part. Every time I have access to ice cream, or even ice for that matter - I take advantage of it... I found a soft serve place in Mzuzu with sprinkles. Enough said.
After spending my Friday in a bus to get to Lilongwe, I chatted with the 80 or so volunteers who also came to celebrate. Saturday brought with it a shmorgasboard of food. No turkey or pumpkin pie, but there was a whole roasted pig, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and apple pie. I love American food! I can only take so much nsima. I'm staying at the boss's house on a real couch, and he has satellite tv on a 17'' screen! Doesn't sound like much, but the PCVs are all mesmerized by the awesomeness that is TV, a house with electricity, running water, carpet... I'll be so thankful for simple things when I get back to the states.
As for Christmas, I haven't made any set plans. I have IST (inservice training) coming up in a few weeks, and since I'm already in the south-central part of the country for that, I might go farther down to visit my friend Garrett in Mulanje and Blantyre. While there I may or may not visit the Carlsburg beer factory :) There's just so much to see in Malawi, and I feel like I don't have enough time to do it all!
I should probably mention that I had malaria a few weeks ago (2+). I was admitted to a health clinic in Mzuzu and stayed there for a few days. They had to hook up an IV, and i received 7 litres of fluid during my stay. I received 3 litres before passing urine, which just shows how dehydrated I was. I thought I was going to die. Luckily I have good friends that take good care of me here. Other than the malaria and a few times of possible intestinal bacterial infection or gastritis, I'm doing great. Unfortunately, the malaria attacked just before the 1/2 Marathon I was going to run in Lilongwe. I didn't get to participate, but there's always next year.
I am loving my life right now. There's nothing more I'd rather do with my life. The volunteers are amazing people. The natives are so kind and helpful. They make me laugh. I hope to blog more often, but no promises. I love you and miss you all! Nkhumutemwani chomene!
We swore in on Sept. 1 at the ambassador's house in Lilongwe. Afterwards we had the best meal I'd had since the states (and have had since) at the country director's house. Macaroni and Cheese, pulled pork sandwiches, beer, brownies, it makes my mouth water just to type it. Shortly after, we were kicked out of the nest to become individual volunteers at our new home. My home is awesome! It's fairly close to the main road, so transportation isn't too difficult, and it's near a small mountain range. It's quite beautiful despite the fact that everything is brown and crusty. I can't wait for the rainy season when everything turns green!
I have been teaching now for about 2 1/2 months! How frightening is that? I'm teaching Form 2 (Sophomore) Math, and Form 3&4 (Junior and Senior respectively) Biology. I wish I could tell you which class I enjoyed more, but I love them all. Almost every day at least 2 students come to my house to play Bao (a local game), UNO (which I taught them), or to chat and ask me academic questions. I also taught them how to play bacci ball. They're now addicted to it, which is understandable - throwing colorful balls at other balls is a blasty blast. I have a group of young girls that frequent my house daily and don't speak a smidgeon of english. Because of this language barrier we usually dance or sing songs. Sometimes I get out a magazine and we look at pictures. I also taught them how to play hopscotch. They are wonderful people, and such hard workers even if it's not in the classroom. The people here amaze me!
Other than my headmaster being a difficult person to work with, the teachers at my school are very nice if not completely competent teachers. I have no place to talk; I've never been a teacher, and was thrown into being one here. The beginning of this week marks the end of term exams followed by a nice month long break. I'll havel to find someone to take care of my cat during that time. I have adopted a cute little kitten (white with black spots). Her name is TALULAR - it's an acronym for "teaching and learning using locally available resources". This concept was beaten into our heads during training, so I figure why not? Most of the times I call her Tal (shout out to Tally Ross). I'm trying to fatten her up with local fish and bread, but she still looks like a skinny village cat.
I celebrated the most unconventional Thanksgiving ever by buying my staff Fantas and making banana chocolate chip bread (kudos to Mom for the chocolate chips!). We then went around the staff room and said something we were thankful for. They thought it was a wonderful celebration. I thought, "Wow, I'm in Africa for Thanksgiving drinking Fantas and eating banana bread" This thought was quickly followed by "... and I love it."
The rest of my Thanksgiving shenanigans consisted of traveling to Livingstonia. It was the most beautiful place I've ever been aside from Swan Valley (obviously the most beautiful place in the world). It has a waterfall which unfortunately I couldn't climb, but got to climb into a cave behind it. I am drawn to them like magnets. I then proceeded to Mzuzu where there was a party. I missed most of it, but caught the end to get some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. Obviously I was there for the important part. Every time I have access to ice cream, or even ice for that matter - I take advantage of it... I found a soft serve place in Mzuzu with sprinkles. Enough said.
After spending my Friday in a bus to get to Lilongwe, I chatted with the 80 or so volunteers who also came to celebrate. Saturday brought with it a shmorgasboard of food. No turkey or pumpkin pie, but there was a whole roasted pig, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and apple pie. I love American food! I can only take so much nsima. I'm staying at the boss's house on a real couch, and he has satellite tv on a 17'' screen! Doesn't sound like much, but the PCVs are all mesmerized by the awesomeness that is TV, a house with electricity, running water, carpet... I'll be so thankful for simple things when I get back to the states.
As for Christmas, I haven't made any set plans. I have IST (inservice training) coming up in a few weeks, and since I'm already in the south-central part of the country for that, I might go farther down to visit my friend Garrett in Mulanje and Blantyre. While there I may or may not visit the Carlsburg beer factory :) There's just so much to see in Malawi, and I feel like I don't have enough time to do it all!
I should probably mention that I had malaria a few weeks ago (2+). I was admitted to a health clinic in Mzuzu and stayed there for a few days. They had to hook up an IV, and i received 7 litres of fluid during my stay. I received 3 litres before passing urine, which just shows how dehydrated I was. I thought I was going to die. Luckily I have good friends that take good care of me here. Other than the malaria and a few times of possible intestinal bacterial infection or gastritis, I'm doing great. Unfortunately, the malaria attacked just before the 1/2 Marathon I was going to run in Lilongwe. I didn't get to participate, but there's always next year.
I am loving my life right now. There's nothing more I'd rather do with my life. The volunteers are amazing people. The natives are so kind and helpful. They make me laugh. I hope to blog more often, but no promises. I love you and miss you all! Nkhumutemwani chomene!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I'm in Africa!
I finally have access to the internet! The sensation of typing on a keyboard has become somewhat alien to me. My typing skills are bound to worsen over the next few years of sparse computer (and other technology) access.
Hey everyone- I'm alive! I'm in Africa! Malawi, to be exact. I've been here for about 1 1/2 months now. There is so much to share. Let me start near the beginning, a very good place to start. I arrived here with 34 other trainees in both the health and education sectors. We are an unusually large group of trainees, as the Peace Corps usually trains only one sector at a time. The large group results in much fun, but also some logistical problems with the schedule and transportation. We flew into Lilongwe on the 4th of July and were quickly moved to our training site in Dedza for about 2 weeks. During these two weeks, we learned what local dialect we would be speaking for the next 2 years. I found that I would be learning to speak Chitumbuka, a dialect spoken in the north. I was a little frustrated initially, because I had been studying Chichewa up to that point, but everything's alright now. Then we were sent to home stay.
So there I was, sleeping in a mud hut with a thatched roof, bathing out of a bucket, squatting over a hole in the ground, and all the while I'm learning to speak a dialect that my homestay family doesn't speak (they spoke Chichewa). It was very frustrating to be learning a language that had no practical application at the time, while the Chichewa speakers were practicing their language at home with their mothers and fathers. My family understood, though, and I had a fun time exchanging languages and other cultural differences. My amayi (mother) was a fantastic cook! But, it's easy to be a good cook when you deep fry everything I suppose. Malawi is a country of fried foods! Fried foods, sugar, and corn. Sounds a little like America, doesn't it? Unfortunately, cocoa doesn't grow here, otherwise I would be trying to teach them how to make some nice, sweet chocolate with that sugar! Hint hint - if anyone wants to send me chocolate I just might be willing to accept.
During our homestay we also learned how to teach in a Malawian setting. Basically, we were cramming a two year long masters program into 4 weeks. It was a little intimidating, but we have completed some teaching practice at a native school, and I think I'm ready to start teaching soon. I will be teaching Biology, and probably a little Math. It will be great to teach math in Africa while Mom is teaching on the other side of the world. Between the two of us, we've got two continents covered, Mom! However, I will not be called "Packebush" here, due to the complexity of my last name. I am now known as either "Madam Sara", or "Madam Packy". Some of the adults in my village simply call me "Packy", and it makes me laugh.
I found that my site will be just south of Rumphi (ROOM-pee) in the Mzimba district. It is a little school of about 150 students in a village just off the M1. I am replacing a married couple who really fixed the place up during their tour, so I am inheriting some wonderful amenities like a couch, a guest bed, a bookshelf, and a kitchen, all of which are luxuries in Malawi. Did I mention the bookshelf is filled with books and games? I will probably be playing a lot of solitaire.
There are so many things I want to update everyone on, but I don't have the time to do so right now. For example: I had a luncheon with the President of Malawi, I have ridden several public transport buses with chickens, I have already gotten sick once, the Malawians frequently pronounce their "r"s as "l"s and vice versa, so I am known as "Sala". There is much more I wish I could let everyone in on, but my time with the computer is short. The sun is out, there are frisbees to be thrown and friends with which to chat.
I would love to receive letters from anyone interested in sending me news or pictures, but please remember it takes around 6 weeks to get to me, and another 6 weeks to return one to you. Also, if you're particularly ambitious you could send me a package or call me! Obviously I'm not going to give my number out on the internet, but if you contact my mother or Ian, they could give it to you. My current address is as follows (however, I don't know if I'm going to keep this address or change it to a closer location relative to my site, I'll let you all know): Peace Corps/Malawi, P.O. Box 208, Lilongwe, Malawi, Southern Africa.
Thank you all for your letters, your support, and your love. I will do what I can to keep the blog updated, but please remember that I'm in Africa, and everything takes longer than you think it should.
Hey everyone- I'm alive! I'm in Africa! Malawi, to be exact. I've been here for about 1 1/2 months now. There is so much to share. Let me start near the beginning, a very good place to start. I arrived here with 34 other trainees in both the health and education sectors. We are an unusually large group of trainees, as the Peace Corps usually trains only one sector at a time. The large group results in much fun, but also some logistical problems with the schedule and transportation. We flew into Lilongwe on the 4th of July and were quickly moved to our training site in Dedza for about 2 weeks. During these two weeks, we learned what local dialect we would be speaking for the next 2 years. I found that I would be learning to speak Chitumbuka, a dialect spoken in the north. I was a little frustrated initially, because I had been studying Chichewa up to that point, but everything's alright now. Then we were sent to home stay.
So there I was, sleeping in a mud hut with a thatched roof, bathing out of a bucket, squatting over a hole in the ground, and all the while I'm learning to speak a dialect that my homestay family doesn't speak (they spoke Chichewa). It was very frustrating to be learning a language that had no practical application at the time, while the Chichewa speakers were practicing their language at home with their mothers and fathers. My family understood, though, and I had a fun time exchanging languages and other cultural differences. My amayi (mother) was a fantastic cook! But, it's easy to be a good cook when you deep fry everything I suppose. Malawi is a country of fried foods! Fried foods, sugar, and corn. Sounds a little like America, doesn't it? Unfortunately, cocoa doesn't grow here, otherwise I would be trying to teach them how to make some nice, sweet chocolate with that sugar! Hint hint - if anyone wants to send me chocolate I just might be willing to accept.
During our homestay we also learned how to teach in a Malawian setting. Basically, we were cramming a two year long masters program into 4 weeks. It was a little intimidating, but we have completed some teaching practice at a native school, and I think I'm ready to start teaching soon. I will be teaching Biology, and probably a little Math. It will be great to teach math in Africa while Mom is teaching on the other side of the world. Between the two of us, we've got two continents covered, Mom! However, I will not be called "Packebush" here, due to the complexity of my last name. I am now known as either "Madam Sara", or "Madam Packy". Some of the adults in my village simply call me "Packy", and it makes me laugh.
I found that my site will be just south of Rumphi (ROOM-pee) in the Mzimba district. It is a little school of about 150 students in a village just off the M1. I am replacing a married couple who really fixed the place up during their tour, so I am inheriting some wonderful amenities like a couch, a guest bed, a bookshelf, and a kitchen, all of which are luxuries in Malawi. Did I mention the bookshelf is filled with books and games? I will probably be playing a lot of solitaire.
There are so many things I want to update everyone on, but I don't have the time to do so right now. For example: I had a luncheon with the President of Malawi, I have ridden several public transport buses with chickens, I have already gotten sick once, the Malawians frequently pronounce their "r"s as "l"s and vice versa, so I am known as "Sala". There is much more I wish I could let everyone in on, but my time with the computer is short. The sun is out, there are frisbees to be thrown and friends with which to chat.
I would love to receive letters from anyone interested in sending me news or pictures, but please remember it takes around 6 weeks to get to me, and another 6 weeks to return one to you. Also, if you're particularly ambitious you could send me a package or call me! Obviously I'm not going to give my number out on the internet, but if you contact my mother or Ian, they could give it to you. My current address is as follows (however, I don't know if I'm going to keep this address or change it to a closer location relative to my site, I'll let you all know): Peace Corps/Malawi, P.O. Box 208, Lilongwe, Malawi, Southern Africa.
Thank you all for your letters, your support, and your love. I will do what I can to keep the blog updated, but please remember that I'm in Africa, and everything takes longer than you think it should.
Monday, June 21, 2010
9 days to departure
After telling many friends and family that I have a blog but, “haven't done much with it yet,” I have decided to inform loved ones of my pre-departure experience thus far. First, let me explain why I have named this blog “Defying Gravity”. Setting aside the fact that it's a great, uplifting broadway song, I actually feel as though I am resisting a pull in the opposite direction. I feel that there is and always was an expectation for me to go from undergrad at CofI, straight to veterinary school. This is the “original plan” I had made at age 12. Maybe I have put so much faith in that plan that its mass increased, giving it more gravitational pull on my life and how it would play out. I was so pulled by my plan's mass that the idea of not following it was out of the question. After some soul searching, and asking myself what I really wanted, I came up with the alternate plan to positively affect as many people in this world that I can – as cheesy as that sounds. So, here I am, 9 days away from a plane ride taking me first to Peace Corps orientation, then to Malawi, Africa to teach secondary science.
I have to be honest in saying that before my invitation arrived I didn't know Malawi was even a country, needless to say I couldn't tell you anything about it or even point to it on a map. I started learning Chichewa on the first day, starting with “Moni” (hello). I have been adding to my vocabulary about 1 word or phrase a day. Now I can say a few more things like “I am thirsty” “What's up” and “Where is the bathroom”. Unfortunately, there is no one to converse with me or correct me if I am wrong, so I'm going to bet the natives will totally own me in even the phrases of which I feel most confident. It's going to be very humbling. On a positive note, in a recent dream I replied in Chichewa. I think I told someone that I was sorry.
I have been getting things ready to pack for about a month. Everyone has been so wonderful and supportive, and have been giving me some provisions. I am a little nervous to be wearing a skirt/dress every day. If you have known me before departure you will know that I am not a “girly girl”, and that daily dress wearing will be quite an adjustment to me. Also, what about “that time of the month”? I have been reading some packing lists and suggestions from past and current PCVs, and I've heard there is a reusable tampon out there which is best. All women I mention this to cringe at the thought. Don't worry, I will not blog about the experiences (successes/failures) regarding this subject later, but it's just something to think about. I have bought some really great gear for my trip, like a solar charger, and some great new Chacos (which I love!).
What have I been doing while I'm home waiting to leave? Well, I am taking the advice of many current PCVs - eating a lot of my favorite foods while I can! :) I have heard most volunteers get pretty sick (not used to local foods) and lose 10-20 lbs during the first month or so, so I am banking on that counteracting my overindulgence. Maybe it's just wishful thinking. I have been riding my horses as much as possible. I doubt that I'll have the opportunity to ride anything in Africa, but I guess I could get creative and try to wrangle me a wildebeest. I have been soaking up as much History and Discovery channel as possible. I'm enjoying trying to get through the first 3 seasons of PSYCH, which doesn't help me get over my crush on Gus or Shawn. Hanging out with the parents, teaching mom how to throw a frisbee, and going on hikes/runs are also daily activities.
I am very excited, but starting to get a bit nervous about my 2 year long escapade. A friend once told me that he believed deja vu to be an indicator that you are in the right place at the right time. Essentially, you are doing what you are destined to do. Not that I necessarily believe his idea, but I haven't had deja vu in quite a while. Either way, I'm not going to stray from my plan to depart to and teach in Africa. Every day I grow more excited to meet the people I will be working with, and to be in the “Warm Heart of Africa”. I am going to check off many bucket list items in the next two years. I will probably add some too. I will miss you all very much! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I prepare for my time in Malawi.
I have to be honest in saying that before my invitation arrived I didn't know Malawi was even a country, needless to say I couldn't tell you anything about it or even point to it on a map. I started learning Chichewa on the first day, starting with “Moni” (hello). I have been adding to my vocabulary about 1 word or phrase a day. Now I can say a few more things like “I am thirsty” “What's up” and “Where is the bathroom”. Unfortunately, there is no one to converse with me or correct me if I am wrong, so I'm going to bet the natives will totally own me in even the phrases of which I feel most confident. It's going to be very humbling. On a positive note, in a recent dream I replied in Chichewa. I think I told someone that I was sorry.
I have been getting things ready to pack for about a month. Everyone has been so wonderful and supportive, and have been giving me some provisions. I am a little nervous to be wearing a skirt/dress every day. If you have known me before departure you will know that I am not a “girly girl”, and that daily dress wearing will be quite an adjustment to me. Also, what about “that time of the month”? I have been reading some packing lists and suggestions from past and current PCVs, and I've heard there is a reusable tampon out there which is best. All women I mention this to cringe at the thought. Don't worry, I will not blog about the experiences (successes/failures) regarding this subject later, but it's just something to think about. I have bought some really great gear for my trip, like a solar charger, and some great new Chacos (which I love!).
What have I been doing while I'm home waiting to leave? Well, I am taking the advice of many current PCVs - eating a lot of my favorite foods while I can! :) I have heard most volunteers get pretty sick (not used to local foods) and lose 10-20 lbs during the first month or so, so I am banking on that counteracting my overindulgence. Maybe it's just wishful thinking. I have been riding my horses as much as possible. I doubt that I'll have the opportunity to ride anything in Africa, but I guess I could get creative and try to wrangle me a wildebeest. I have been soaking up as much History and Discovery channel as possible. I'm enjoying trying to get through the first 3 seasons of PSYCH, which doesn't help me get over my crush on Gus or Shawn. Hanging out with the parents, teaching mom how to throw a frisbee, and going on hikes/runs are also daily activities.
I am very excited, but starting to get a bit nervous about my 2 year long escapade. A friend once told me that he believed deja vu to be an indicator that you are in the right place at the right time. Essentially, you are doing what you are destined to do. Not that I necessarily believe his idea, but I haven't had deja vu in quite a while. Either way, I'm not going to stray from my plan to depart to and teach in Africa. Every day I grow more excited to meet the people I will be working with, and to be in the “Warm Heart of Africa”. I am going to check off many bucket list items in the next two years. I will probably add some too. I will miss you all very much! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I prepare for my time in Malawi.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
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