April 1, 2011
The women here have incredible posture from carrying everything on their heads. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. Groups of women carry huge bundles of firewood once a week, sometimes walking 15 kilometers to get it - sometimes further. I saw one woman carrying an umbrella on her head and another one shoe. For the most part, it makes sense - you have both your hands free to do anything else...cook nsima, bathe the kids, play the guitar...
I'm disappointed in myself. My family discovered my bwana lifestyle - Alani even whispered "bwana" under his breath when he found a ziploc bag of batteries in my room. I left them out for my poor family to see. He asked for some for his flashlight and of course I gave them to him. He was so grateful.
I made hemp bracelets for my sisters and a hemp necklace for my amayi. You would have thought I handed them diamonds by the expressions on their faces when I gave them the jewelry.
April 2, 2011
I just ate a fried caterpiller. Not bad.
April 3, 2011
Last night I treated my family to Fantas and cookies. We sat in my house and I set up my computer to flip through a slideshow of photos. They were so excited, their eyes never left the screen. My amayi got the most excited when she saw a photo of me and my mom. "Amayi ku America?" she asked in excitement. She screamed in out in joy when I told her yes.
I can't even imagine saying good-bye to this wonderful, beautiful family. It's so weird, we barely communicate, but I truly love them.
April 4, 2011
I walked by the chief of Mkomeko today. He greeted me enthusiastically, his red and yellow striped beanie bounced on his head. Usually he walks around barefoot, but it must have been a special occasion because he was rocking the Converses today.
I'm really surprised at how little things please me so much (I want to high-five myself daily for the dumbest accomplishments...pooping in a hole, really?? Hey, accomplishments none-the-less) and the things that would normally upset me, don't. I'm lucky to not have a phobia of bugs, also.
April 5, 2011
A day full of great anticipation! Site announcements! I finally know where I will be, although other than that I know nothing. Orange and pink sticky notes bordered a hand-drawn map of Malawi. Beneath the sticky note were our destinies. Drum roll, please.
Dwambazi!
That's where I'm going. It's located in-between Nkhotakota and Nkhata Bay. I will have running water and I'm a bike-ride away from the lake. It's attached to a hospital that focuses a great deal on HIV/AIDS and nutrition. I'm a third generation volunteer.
That's it. That's all I know! I'm dying to get more details, but I guess I will just have to wait for site visit in a few days.
I also received a Peace Corps issued cell phone. I immediately texted the fam and waited eagerly all night, sleeping lightly, just in case I got a phone call or text. Nothing. Slightly bummed.
April 7, 2011
Still no calls from the U.S. Trying not to let it bring me down, but already this morning I find myself in a horrible mood. It's funny - I wasn't bothered by the lack of communication before I got the cell phone and now it's all I think about. I'm desperate from some contact.
--later--
My day did improve immensely. Mary, Ellie and I cooked the infamous bomb-ass stew (with caterpillers) for a nutrition demo at the village farewell.
We danced with our amayis and we got to see the Gule Wamkulu perform (one of my favorite things).
Tonight I danced under the stars with my family. It's hard to believe 5 weeks is already over.
April 8, 2011
My family came into my room to say good-bye. They sat down on my straw mat and tears fell down my face. They carried my luggage on their heads to the Peace Corps vehicle. They waved as the car pulled away. I felt a knot in my stomach the entire way back to the college.
To make a sad day better, I called my dad. We talked for two minutes (as that is how much I could afford to pre-pay on my cell). I was even more distraught when the call disconnected.
Mary, my little ray of sunshine, made everything better with an early birthday present - two pairs of earrings and a home-made card on lined paper...plus some Reese's. It was perfect. I truly have some awesome people in my life.
Dad called back, I was so happy to have real contact this time. I couldn't believe the last time we talked was on the car ride to the airport. That was six weeks ago? I've never gone this long without talking to my dad.
I also spoke to Megan, the girl I'm replacing in Dwambazi, and she is really excited to show me around. I'm excited that she loves her site.
April 13, 2011
The travel to Mzuzu was ridiculous - an 8-hour bus ride - on which I fell sick and had to run off the bus in a panic to find a chim. I skipped over puddles, pushed past people and found two kids. They asked, "Chimbudzi" and I said, "Yes, please, hurry!" and they charged me 20 kwacha to take a squat over a hole. I obliged, happily finding relief.
It might have been the samosas that I was so eager to purchase out the side of a bus window.
I got to meet the northerners and I must say that I really like Mzuzu and the Northern crew.
Megan met me and Clarissa and brought us back to Dwambazi. We hitched in the back of a pickup in the rain, but because of the petrol shortage we didn't get very far and had to wait a while for another ride at the Nkhata Bay roadblock.
The hospital is really nice - everyone is so friendly and it's clean and open to the air. Megan really pumped me up to her community, I hope I don't let them down. She is really close to the women in her village (who are strong and inspiring) and excellent at Chitonga. She's truly inspiring, I hope I can follow in her footsteps.
We even cooked bean burgers, which happens to be not that difficult and I'm so excited to start cooking at site. I wasn't even excited about cooking at home in the States.
We attended an under-five outreach clinic where we weighed babies from a branch of a mango tree. Yes, I'm in Malawi. The HSA gave vaccinations using needles that he had stowed in a cooler beneath the mango tree. He handed the used needles to the mothers to dispose in their chims. I couldn't imagine this being done in the States, but the end result was to prevent these children from getting polio, measles and diptheria. A little dirt never hurt anybody.
April 20, 2011
A week of intensive language was spent swimming in the lake and sipping beer in a hammock (oh, and I learned a few words here and there, too). My birthday was exceptionally good - I feel so lucky to be in Malawi right now. I am, however, disappointed that I was so easily distracted and didn't engross myself in the language. I'll be honest, I told more stories and jokes than actual studying. I do feel close to my Tonga family - we've really bonded in our little cottage by the lake.
What do you call a sleep-walking nun?
A roamin' Catholic.
April 22, 2011
I had the opportunity to check my e-mail for the first time in country yesterday and it was disappointing. It left me feeling empty and stressed. I can't explain it much more beyond that, but really, I'm much happier without the internet.
April 23, 2011
Finished the LPI - don't think I did exceptional, but I don't think I failed miserably. I can survive in Tonga Land.
April 29, 2011
Another whirlwind week with Peace Corps. Last-minute paperwork and good-byes. Not to mention -ahem- I am officially a Peace Corps volunteer! Our swearing-in ceremony was brilliant. I got a bit teary-eyed during the oath and thought to myself, is this really happening? Holy shoot, no turning back now.
Celebratory chocolate cake and mac and cheese were all I needed to make a perfect day even better.
Lilongwe is a dirty city. I no longer have "jiffy feet" but now they are dubbed "Lilongwe feet". I am disgusting.
I'm a tad bummed. Livid, actually. At the markey I paid 2500 kwacha for a charcoal stove that should have cost me 400 kwacha. And I thought I did a good thing by talking him down from 3700 kwacha! Lesson learned. I can only hope he spent my money on educating his kids and not booze.
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