Village Days of Awesome

Day 117

I spent the afternoon doing chatting with the women in my village.  They were meeting at Mrs. Nkhosi’s house for their monthly meeting.  I had not visited with them (not like this) in a long time.  We talked for a while and it was nice.  I feel like I’ve been in my own little world lately and I haven’t taken the proper amount of time to visit with my friends. 

Day 118

My newly-found Dutch friends came to visit!  They were on their way from Nkhata Bay and they said they would stop in for a few hours.  It was really great to show them my house and village.  They loved it and we met with a few favorite neighbors and blew up balloons for the kiddos (which ended up being a disaster as now everyone is asking me for balloons) and it was such an exceptional visit!  I felt proud of my village and work here as it’s rare that anyone other than Peace Corps visits me.  

Day 119

The kiddos came over to play and I took some time out to actually sit and play with them.  Usually I just give them something to do in my front yard while I do chores and I pop my head out every once in a while to break dance.  Today we blew bubbles all afternoon.  Their eyes bugged out at how amazing a bubble is and they ran around popping them until my face turned blue.

Day 120

Christian Surprise!  Christian showed up just after dark after telling me he would be stopping by the next day.  Such a nice treat!

Day 121

In honor of Christian’s visit, I made lemon tarts (which I have never made before) and I was surprised at how amazing they were!  Delicious, we ate most of the treats by the end of the day. 

Day 122

In the middle of the night, I was robbed.  I was angry and upset most of the day, but was supported by Christian (who picked up new locks while I manned the house) and Ian (who stopped by to play frisbee) and all of my neighbors sent out a search party and checked in on me throughout the day.  Although a really unfortunate event, I was extremely lucky to feel so much love during a day where I felt so much loss.

Day 123

Sunday night means pizza night at Mayoka so Christian and I went to the bay and met up with Jay and his friend Sarah who was visiting from Germany.  We went swimming and drank cold beers and it was such a calm day after feeling so broken the day before with my break-in.  We also met an RPCV who stayed in Malawi a few years before.  It was really cool to chat with him about Peace Corps and returning...now that we are almost done, I feel like I can relate to RPCVs and I’m less likely to relate to newer volunteers.

Day 124

I picked up new phones for Christian and me in Mzuzu.  Surprisingly, it was stress-free.  Airtel was quick to respond with customer service and it made my life feel so much calmer.  Afterwards we celebrated with cold beer at Aqua Africa.

Day 125

I met with the ladies of Luso on my way home from Nkhata Bay and it was a busy visit.  A group of eye doctors were visiting Malawi to provide free glasses to adults and children after receiving a free eye exam at the Luso house.  They brought with them a suitcase of eye glasses and I watched them test the eyes of several people and it was amazing to watch them “see” for the first time.  One man jumped up and did a dance and couldn’t stop laughing.  It was so good to watch.

Day 126

Back to teaching Life Skills this week!  I decided to teach a few lessons on puberty and reproduction to all the forms, since it is a topic that many teachers feel uncomfortable teaching.  My favorite question of the day: “Did Jesus go through puberty?  Did Jesus have wet dreams?!”

Day 127

Still teaching the life skills and I was really pleased with the question/answer sessions in class.  Students were asking questions that were too scared to ask teachers or adults about masturbation, menstruation, wet dreams, and feelings.  I was so impressed with how bold they were and they were so attentive I had gone over by at least 10 minutes in every class.

Day 128

One of the last few market days with Ama Chimbutu.  We didn’t score any good clothes this week, but we did drink cold cokes and there’s nothing like sitting next to your best friend with a cold coke.

Day 129

My first day of implementing Youth Friendly Health Services was a hit!  We had 14 students show up (okay, not a fantastic showing, but it’s a start) and they all walked away with condoms and a few received HIV tests.  Not to mention, we played frisbee and football most of the morning, which is always a hit.

Day 130

I am starting to feel a bit overwhelmed.  Googling things in America does seem to calm me.  For instance, I like to google apartments where I might live in Houston or look for cars or jobs.  Today was a job googling day and I was excited to see a few postings of things that I am qualified for and would love to do – a rare thing!  So I spent a lot of the day preparing my resume and writing cover letters.  Even if I don’t get the job, I’m just happy for the practice.  I feel like I’m out of shape when it comes to job hunting!

180 Days: Valentine's Week

Day 107

Robert sponsored an ultimate frisbee game with some of the secondary school kids.  Christian, Ian, Rob and I whomped them hard!  But I was impressed with how well they knew and understood the rules of the game.  They picked it up quickly and they started getting more aggressive by the third game.

108

We woke up early at Rob’s to hike the mountain that is just near his house.  It was like climbing a stair master for 15 kilometers!  Our guide was a man who worked with the forestry office and he was running up the sheer hills.  I couldn’t believe how out of shape I was.  Before we reached the top, it started to storm and lightening crashed right by our heads so we headed down the mountain early.  We ate tuna fish sandwiches and hot cider at Rob’s.  We were cold and wet, but very happy.  I’m going to miss these kids.

109

Christian and I headed up to Nkhata Bay so that we could start our holiday at Lukwe a few days early.  When we got to Christian’s house, we passed out almost immediately from the hike the day before.  We were in bad shape.  Movies and taking it easy were the only things on our agenda.

110

We learned that Christian’s good friend Robert’s wife, Nancy, was in the hospital so we decided to visit her.  She was in bad shape, suffering from Malaria for the 4^th time since we had known her.  We splurged on a cab to take her and her family home from the hospital.  Since I had suffered from malaria once before, I know how painful it can be.  The hospital was 8 kilometers from her house and I didn’t want her to have to walk that whole way, so I was happy to go with her.  Unfortunately she only speaks Chichewa so I tried to tell her to feel better but all I could do was give her a hug.  I think she understood.

111

Christian and I got lucky on our way to Lukwe – generous rides all the way to the top!  When we arrived, we were greeted by the incredibly friendly staff and given a gorgeous room with a view.  Cold beer?  Yes, please. 

112

Christian and I explored Lukwe’s beautiful, lush gardens (where the ingredients for our fresh salads at  every meal were growing) and made our way to the waterfall.  There was a cave behind the waterfall and we climbed behind it and I wished so badly that my camera was not broken.  The view was incredible from the top – you could see all the trees and villages all the way to the lake.  At dinner, another couple was sitting nearby.  They were being attacked by giant bugs, so we invited them to sit at our table, which was not as close to the light.  Turns out, our friendship was meant to be!  They were a really nice Dutch couple our age and we chatted late into the evening.  I walked away with a little bounce.  Our first “couple friends” that we met on vacation – how perfectly cliche!

113

The next morning we met with Arjan and Dominique for a hike to the waterfall.  They brought their camera and we took great shots.  Our friendship was effortless.  We drove up to Livingstonia to see the old mission town and I felt like we were in a twilight zone.  The village felt like a small town in New England.  There was a beautiful church and even a university.  I couldn’t wrap my head around it – this was nothing like the Malawi I knew.  We ate ice cream and scones for lunch in town, but for Valentine’s dinner we devoured steaks and drank wine and played bao until it was late.  I felt like we had known each other forever. 

114

The travel back to Nkhata Bay was easy-going, thanks to Arjan and Dominique taking us most of the way.  We caught a ride to Mzuzu, stocked up on groceries and headed to Christian’s house.  Such a flawless vacation, even though my camera broke we ended up making very good friends.

115

We spent the day in the bay using internet and I was able to get a lot done.  My favorite place is Aqua Africa – free internet and cold beers overlooking one of the most beautiful places in Malawi.

116

We spent another day in the bay getting things done.  I feel so nostalgic now that time is coming to an end here and every time I say good-bye to our friends, it feels harder and harder.  I am so bad at good-byes so I pretend I’m just not leaving. 

Failed Projects

Of course I shared with you my successes, because who wants to read the misadventures of a bitter Betty?  However, I will share with you the real side of Peace Corps – with triumph, there has always been a few failures.  Some successes were not the home runs I was looking for, but I threw up my arms and said “good enough” because there is only so much I can beat myself up for.  Peace Corps and Malawi are challenging in many ways and it is good to note these challenges and to learn from them.  So here is a list of projects that I started, tried to start, or never got off the ground.

Girls’ Empowerment Camp on the Lakeshore

I talked with a girls’ private secondary school in the hopes of starting up a mini-Camp GLOW for girls on the lakeshore.  The facility was perfect – classrooms for sessions, dining hall for meals and dorms for our campers.  Rob and I wrote a proposal and submitted it to the school committee but they shot it down on account of being “too busy this semester and also next year,” so we took a hint and scrapped that idea.

Tin Roof at Machilika Village Nursery School

I worked pretty closely with starting up the nursery school at Machilika Village, mostly with improvements to the building.  The roof was in disarray and we wanted to put up something sturdy and long-lasting, like tin.  However, after a further assessment, we realized we would have to build an entirely new building.  The columns were not built to sustain tin, so we decided to go with a temporary, but working solution: plastic and new thatch. 

Vegetable Garden

I started a vegetable garden in my own yard in hopes of inspiring others to grow a variety of vegetables through demonstrations.  Really, this was a selfish idea in the first place.  I was sick of eating only tomatoes, onions and mustard greens every day.  After hoeing and sowing, my plants started growing!  I fell in love with my garden – it was so stress-relieving to dig in the dirt and I felt motherly toward my seedlings.  And then, one afternoon in the course of a few hours, chickens scratched up my entire yard and I had nothing.  This year, I planted exactly that: nothing.

Tortilla Chip Business

This idea came about during avocado season.  Why not make tortilla chips and guacamole!?  Talk about cross-cultural exchange!  I taught my women’s group to make tortilla chips and they enjoyed the fun, but the chips never caught on and, in my opinion, the guac was rendered useless.

Peer Education Group

This was only an idea.  I wanted it to stem from my Girls’ Club, but it never got to the point where we could start it.  I envisioned a group of secondary school girls using the skills and lessons we learned in Girls’ Club (women’s health, public speaking skills, self-awareness, etc.) to teach girls in primary school.  The idea was to inspire these girls to be role models to younger girls and to instill a sense of female camaraderie.  Anyway, we never got to that level and if I had more time, I would push for it to happen.

Dried Fruit Business

This was only an idea, too.  I read about the successes of a Peace Corps Volunteer using a fruit drying rack to make sun-dried bananas, tomatoes, and mangoes and selling them to lodges and people in the village.  It sounded like a cool idea, but it never caught on.  I have the supplies, I just need the interest.

Paper Charcoal

Similar to Dried Fruit Business – never caught on, even though I pushed for it.  Paper is too valuable to soak in water and roll into balls. 

English Club

I wanted to start this club at the secondary school, but it seemed as though students were really more interested in going home than staying after for an academic club.  I wanted to do dramas and write poetry and play Balderdash, but it never picked up momentum.  Having school from 7am until 2pm is a long time to go without food and offering more academics is hardly incentive to stay after class.

Steven

The man doesn’t have electricity, but he has a kilowatt smile that will blind you.  He’s five foot nothin’...100 pounds soaking wet...and holds the community in the palm of his hand.  He doesn’t ask for anything in return, yet works 25 hours a day, eight days a week.  I’ve never known anyone to be so dedicated, so mind-boggling determined to make the best out of any situation.  Yeah, I’ve learned a thing or two from Steven. 

And so, we make our rounds, visiting HIV patients who are too sick to come to the hospital, but Steven wants to make sure they are taking their ARVs.  He doesn’t get paid for this part of the job, this is just him being the saint that he is.  Biking next to Steven is ferocious.  I don’t know where his short legs got all that energy.  When we ride up to a large puddle, Steven takes off his shoes and dress socks, rolls his pants up and sloshes through the water, still with a smile on his face.  I’ve never met someone so chipper.

He treats every HIV patient with such dignity and kindness, which is a hell of a lot more than how they get treated by members of the community who know they are positive.  They know and love him.  He would give them the shirt of his back if they needed it.  He never says no to helping his friends.

You wouldn’t know it by looking, but Steven has HIV, too.  It’s never brought him down and it’s never something I ever think about unless he brings it up in casual conversation.  He is positive about being HIV Positive.  As he says, “No one but God knows when I am going to go and so I am just going to keep living.”

When the nursery school teacher protested that I didn’t provide an eraser for the chalkboard or enough colored pencils, Steven got angry and said “Anya Chirwa has provided us with these gifts and we should be grateful, not begging for more.”  It was the first and last time I ever saw Steven angry and he was sticking up for me. 

Volunteers Supporting Volunteers

At the beginning of my service, I was selected to be a member for a committee called Volunteers Supporting Volunteers.  VSV is an organization within Peace Corps that offers support to volunteers in many different ways: planning orientations where PCVs can meet each other, providing mental health support, improving trainings, providing a safe space for PCVs to discuss issues, etc.  Members of VSV sign confidentiality waivers and are trained in active listening and sensitive topics, like sexual assault.  We have turned into a peer support group that often gets referrals from the Peace Corps Medical Office and sometimes when we are talking with PCVs, we refer them to the Medical Office. 

Attending a VSV meeting was like going to a super positive support group meeting.  We encouraged each other and took time out for the touchy-feely stuff.  Hey, we needed it.  After many long months of being a support system for numerous volunteers, it was nice to be able to turn to my fellow VSV members and have a heart-to-heart, too.  It can be a draining task – Peace Corps is not easy and living in Malawi can be challenging - physically, mentally and emotionally.  There are daily challenges and long-term challenges that grind on you and it’s nice to know that a member of VSV is there to listen without bias or judgment. 

My last meeting of VSV was last week and it was bittersweet.  I served as the Northern Regional Representative for a year, organizing orientations and providing support to volunteers in my area, as well as being a liaison for members of VSV North and VSV leadership (since we only met twice a year, it was important to communicate often and much).  I am sad to say good-bye, as we have really developed a strong support group and we’re full of new ideas.  I know the new group of VSV members are extremely capable and have a full agenda ahead of them.  I wish them luck!

Awesome Village Days

Day 99

There’s something about taking transport with a buddy.  Even when it’s pouring rain and you’ve been sitting in a puddle for two hours, nothing beats having your best friends by your side to take the stress away.  So grateful for Christian’s company today.

Day 100

In an effort to cure my sweet tooth, I baked a chocolate cake.  It was divine – baked goods can solve boring day woes.

Day 101

I spent another rainy day sipping hot tea on my front porch as rain poured.  A hot bucket bath followed.  I will definitely miss these days.

Day 101

Jembe and I met to discuss the completion of the pit latrines but alas, there was nothing to discuss as they were completed this week!  All 60 latrines have been dug, pitted and slabbed!  Many families are still working on building the superstructures, but at least we have the latrines completed.

Day 102

I spent the afternoon investigating the latrines.  Families came up to me to thank me for their toilets, but I shouldn’t be the one thanked – it was all Jembe.  He worked incredibly hard and he was so dedicated in this project.  I was happy to help in the little way that I did, but truly the community contribution and Jembe’s direction are what made these latrines a reality.

Day 103

I woke up to the news that the Ravens won followed up by a phone call from John back home.  It was great to catch up – we hadn’t spoke in ages.  He has always been a huge advocate for all my endeavors so it was nice to hear a friendly voice.  To finish out the day, Christian came over and I made chili and cornbread and it was fantastic.

Day 104

My yard has been overgrown with weeds and bushes that probably house snakes and other scary creatures.  I talked to the headmaster and was able to put together a team of 15 students to come slash my yard.  They did it in just over an hour and asked me to come back to teach this term.  Since I have finished the latrines, I think I will stop by and teach some life skills.

Day 105

I went to the school today to help start a fruit tree nursery.  We planted a few seedlings and I brought over some leftover avocado seeds.  I introduced moringa and the teachers went nuts for it.  The students took turns hoeing and digging in the dirt and we finished the plot in about an hour.  I’m excited to start seeing these little guys grow!

Day 106

Successful trip to Dwangwa – I was in and out in under an hour with all my groceries and chores completed.  Feels good to get things accomplished with no hassle.

FAQs about my village in Malawi

Are there other Peace Corps Volunteers in your village with you?

No, I am the only PCV in my village.  I do have PCV friends who live fairly close (5-10 miles away) and we visit with each other often.  I like living in the village by myself because it forces me to be involved with my community.  I have made many friends in my village and I’ve learned a lot because I had to step out of my comfort zone.

How do you manage to communicate?

I communicate to friends and family back home with letters and e-mails (I have a modem that I can use anywhere there is phone service).  I have a cell phone which I use to send texts or calls throughout Malawi (calling home is very expensive for me).  All phone calls are pre-paid – there are no service contracts.  Phones have sim cards and you can purchase “units” from any vendor.  Communication is not very different from the communication in the States, but it is slower and less reliable.

Does anybody speak English?

Many people speak English, especially in my area, as more people receive education in the North.  In my village, the hospital workers all speak English, so I never really struggle with a language barrier.

What language do you speak?

In the first two months of Peace Corps we go through extensive language training.  I learned to speak Chitonga, which is the language of the Tonga tribe that is found on the northern lakeshore of Malawi.  It is actually a very rare language; less than 1% of the country speaks it.  When I travel to other parts of the country, I am able to get by because I know a limited amount of Chichewa, which is the national language of Malawi.

Is the language difficult to learn?

I wouldn’t say it is difficult to learn, but it does take practice.  The best thing to do is to learn the basics and then to chat with people in the village to pick up new vocabulary.  Some words come from English words, since a lot of technology came here from the British.

What are the customs?

It depends on where you live, but there are many customs that seem to be universal throughout Malawi.  Some customs are obsolete, as Malawi is trying to be more westernized.  It is customary for women to wear skirts that cover their knees.  You should bow when greeting elders.  When you shake someone’s hand, it is important to use your right hand to shake and your left hand crosses over to your right arm (this shows that you are not trying to hide something in your left hand – like a weapon – a custom from many, many years ago).  It is important to always greet the chief.  If you see tree branches on the road, that means there is a funeral and you should walk your bike (if you are riding one) and take of your hat (if you are wearing one) out of respect for the deceased.  These are just a few that I can think of at the moment.

What type of currency do you use?

We use Malawian Kwacha.  $1 USD = 380 Malawian Kwacha

What sports are popular? Does everyone play soccer there?

Malawians love to play sports.  Where I live, men play soccer and women play netball (which is like basketball, but there’s no dribbling and the rules are similar to Ultimate Frisbee).  I have a youth group that plays soccer and netball on Saturdays and in school the students love to have tournaments between the classes.  Last year the freshmen beat the seniors at football and the seniors never heard the end of it.

Do you have large community parties?

Yes, we do have community parties.  I am a part of a women’s group who takes time to meet and greet new members of the hospital community (there is a large turnover with hospital employees), so we often meet up and dance and sing and bring nsima to new members of the community.  We also have community parties when something important happens, like we get a new chief or group village headman, where people danced and honored the new chief.  I have been to a 6 year old’s birthday party where the entire community came together for cake and celebrations.  When I first came to my village, we have celebrated HIV Awareness Day with a day of music and skits and snacks.  My community comes together quite a lot – they love a good reason to dance.

Are there cars there?

There are cars in Malawi, but very few people own cars in my village.  The best way to get around is taking a big bus (like a greyhound, but not as comfortable…many people stand in the aisle), a mini bus (a large mini van that seats 15, but usually crams at least 20 people), a matola (the bed of a pick-up truck), or hitch-hiking with semi trucks or private vehicles.  In no way do I condone hitching anywhere, but in Malawi it is a matter of necessity.  There are very few cars on the road where I live, so I take whatever I can get.

What do you do for fun?

I enjoy swimming in the lake, which is only a 20 minute walk from my house.  I also like to hike – there is a waterfall about an hour walk away from my house, it’s beautiful!  I enjoy going around to meet people in my village.  I carry my camera with me and chat with them for a while and take some lovely candid photos.  I want to bring these memories home with me.

Do you like it there?

Very much, yes.  I have some bad days where I don’t want to live here anymore (and usually these days involve me sitting on the side of the road for several hours before I get a ride somewhere) but when it comes down to it, I have truly enjoyed my time here in Malawi.

Would you rather live at home in the US?

I think the US is where I belong, but it doesn’t mean I did not enjoy living in Malawi.  They are two completely different places and cultures.  After two years in Malawi, I graciously say good-bye.  I look forward to some of the people and things I’ve missed in the US, but we’ll see how soon I will start to miss Malawi once I leave.

Do you get homesick?

Sometimes, yes, especially around holidays or birthdays.  I have made the most out of the holidays here in Malawi, but there’s nothing like an Ackerman Family Thanksgiving or sitting around a Christmas tree with my siblings or celebrating the 4^th of July with fireworks and a cookout.  I have missed these things and all the people I have celebrated with, but I did create new memories and traditions for these holidays.

Have you been courted by anyone who wanted to give your father 4 goats?

No, I have not, but I can say that this is a true cultural norm in many parts of Malawi.  However, goats are very expensive, so sometimes people use chickens or water buckets to symbolize a relationship.

What is there to do?

Malawi has many great things to do!  The lake has many amenities - I got diving certified here and there are plenty of beaches to visit, not to mention canoeing, kayaking, snorkeling, etc.  There are several national parks where you can go on safari and see lions, elephants, zebras, hippos, and rhinos.  There are many hikes, including Mount Mulanje and Rurawe which take several days to complete. 

How hard was it to make the change from electricity and good food to no electricity and eating the same food everyday?

Well, I did not have electricity for the first four months, but my house was wired and I got electricity very early on.  The first four months were not terribly difficult – I cooked on fire and charged my phone at my neighbor’s house.  When I got electricity, life became much easier.  Making meals no longer took me two hours each meal and I was able to listen to music or watch movies on my computer, which was a nice treat after a long day.  “Good food” is a matter of opinion, but I would have to say that I was able come up with creative meals after eating the same thing over and over.  I learned how to make different types of soups, tacos, Chinese food, bean burgers and finally in my last few months I started splurging on meat – steaks, sausage and minced beef.  Food really improves morale so learning how to make fun or interesting food definitely made me happier.

What is an average day in Malawi?

An average day in Malawi for me is difficult to explain.  I have worked with many projects over the two years, but I will give you the best description I can. 

I wake up early, usually because of roosters crowing at 4 am.  I start my day with yoga (which I never really took seriously in the States, but now I find it to be an incredible stress-reliever) and breakfast.  I like drinking tea in the morning, even when it’s hot outside.  After breakfast, I usually teach three mornings a week.  The school is 3 kilometers away, so I typically ride my bike to school and teach two or three classes and ride home before lunch.  If it is a day that I am not teaching, then I do chores around my house.  I carry about six 20-liter buckets on an average day and the water is kept in larger buckets until I need it to drink or to do dishes or laundry.  I sweep and mop often – I feel like my house is never clean.  In the afternoons, I usually go to a meeting.  I meet with many groups including three women’s groups who are starting businesses, seven HIV support groups, a Girls’ Club, and a Youth Club.  I try to make myself available in the community.  Sometimes groups ask for trainings or assistance with small projects.  Later, I cook dinner and I wind down at the end of the day watching a movie on my computer or reading.

Malawian women typically stay at home and do housework all day.  They are amazing and incredibly strong.  They walk half the day to chop firewood and then carry it back to their home the rest of the afternoon from miles away.  They are usually working in the gardens in the early morning and then set off to carry water, do dishes and laundry, pound maize, and cook.  If there are children at home, they help their mother with some of the chores.  The women who do have jobs are nurses, primary school teachers or they own shops in my area.  When women go to the borehole, they chat with other women and that is their social lives.

Malawian men might have jobs or they might not.  Some men in my community are nurses or teachers or shop owners.   They share in some of the gardening.  Some also fish in my area, since I’m close to the lake.  It is clear that they do not do as many household chores at the house.  Often you see men playing a board game with other men in their free time.

Malawian children can attend primary school for free, but secondary school requires fees.  Many students drop out before secondary school because they are needed to help with chores or gardening.  It is very competitive to get into university in Malawi and there is a lot of political reasons for it, so many students are bitter about going to school and getting decent grades but still not getting accepted into college.   

How do you feel about the equality between men and women in Malawi?

It’s difficult to see the inequalities here in Malawi.  It makes me appreciate the respect women get in the U.S.  I have experienced many sexist remarks from Malawian men who do not think it is my place to be offering advice, especially as a young, unmarried female.  It has put a toll on my working relationships with people and many projects were not completed because of it.  There was an unfortunate incident last year where a gang of men in Lilongwe began undressing women in the middle of the street in the middle of the day if they were wearing trousers, instead of long skirts.  It did not last long, as the government stepped in, but it was a scary couple of weeks.

I can say this: Malawi is starting to close the gap.  Slowly at first, but women are starting to make an impact in the working world.  Currently, Malawi has a female president.  And more recently, the American embassy sponsored a business seminar for 30 female entrepreneurs in Malawi.  Women are getting more opportunities and I think it would make for a happy, healthy Malawi if they had more women invested in their programs, politics and businesses.  It’s good to have diversity and different opinions – it’s how we grow.   

We learned that men buy their wives for 4 goats, does that mean women do not have a choice in who her husband is?

While this is a practice in Malawi, I would not say it is a common one.  For the most part, in my area, women have a choice in who they marry.  In more rural areas I think that marriage is used to gain things rather than true love.  Again, it depends on where you live in Malawi.

Are women looked down upon in your area?

In the north, the tribes are very matriarchal so women are not exactly “looked down upon” but respected.  However, women still do most of the house work, while taking care of the garden and the children while men often have an outside job, or play a marble game called bao.  There is a lot of sitting under mango trees and I would say the housework is uneven.  This is purely my observation.  I am not trying to disrespect anyone and I am not saying that it is every where.  It's just something I've noticed and the girls in my girls' club have mentioned quite often.

 

 How are Malawians different or alike to Americans?

Well…that’s difficult.   How about I just describe Malawians and you can figure that out.

Malawians really enjoy American culture.  They watch American movies (but they really love kung-fu films), dress like Americans (mostly in the cities) and enjoy American pop music, especially Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lady GaGa, and Michael Jackson.

Malawians are more communal than Americans.  Americans like their privacy and hardly know their neighbors, whereas Malawians adopt everyone into their family.  They share food from the same plate and eat with their hands.  They attend funerals of people they have never met. 

Malawians are very dramatic.  They love to act, sing and dance.  They also laugh constantly at everything.  At funerals, they cry loudly for days.  Every experience is shared in a public way. 

Have you seen any cool animals?

Monkeys live in the mango tree behind my house (quite often I fight them for fruit) and last November I went to a Liwonde National Park and saw elephants, zebras, water buffalo, hippos, crocodiles and impala.  One time I saw a black mamba.  Not cool.  Animals don’t really roam around Malawi freely.  They stay in protected game reserves throughout Malawi.

How much has it changed your life?

It’s hard to say.  I’ll let you know when I get back and notice the changes.   I think for one, I have changed my views on aid work in Africa.  Some of it works but a lot of it doesn’t and it’s difficult to pinpoint the real issues behind it.  In any case, I feel more confident in my abilities to do public health work and I know I am a strong, confident woman after I have faced so many challenges.

What is the main form of religion?

I think 95% of Malawians are Christian (Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian, Evangelists).  The other 5% includes a breakdown of Muslims and tribal religions that I do not know much about.

Do you have a lot of spare time?

Some days, yes.  I did a lot of reading in the beginning of my service.  Now I’m trying to find time in my day to do laundry, say good-bye and write reports for Peace Corps.  I think my second year got a lot busier once I found my groove in the village.  I think that is the way for most Peace Corps Volunteers and that is why Peace Corps is a two year commitment – you find your way second year.

Are the schools teaching the basics or do they venture into higher learning?

Typical classes in a public secondary school include: English, Chichewa, Mathematics, Science, Bible Knowledge, Social Studies, Agriculture, and Life Skills.  Some of the expensive private schools offer more classes, such as French and Latin and computer skills. 

At my school, there are four classrooms.  Each classroom has anywhere from 120 students (freshmen, Form 1) to 50 students (seniors, Form 4).  Teachers walk from classroom to classroom depending on the period.  Students sit on benches or share desks.  Since there are so many students, so few teachers and very little resources, it is difficult to venture into other subjects.

180 Days of Awesome: My Last Trip South

Day 92

My first real date in Malawi was classic – dinner and a movie!  Katie, Jake, Christian and I went out on a double date in Blantyre.  We went to a mildly disturbing movie called Ted and followed that up with dinner.  We snuck candy into the theater and bought popcorn with lots of salt and artificial butter.  It was incredibly American and so much fun. 

Day 93

There is a second-hand store, called DAPP, that sells clothing for very cheap – maybe even cheaper than the markets.  Since it was an end-of-the-month sale, Katie, Christian and I had to rummage through piles and racks of clothes.  We each found a few things, but the best was a bright orange dinner jacket that Christian found and will probably wear to football games when his college plays.  It’s completely obnoxious, but for $1.50, why not?

Day 94

After a quick game of Scrabble (...that I won! I never win!), Katie and Jake made a fancy spaghetti dinner that we ate on Katie’s rooftop.  It was complete with wine and candles and the soft sounds of a bagpipe playing in the distance.  After dinner we drank fancy drinks at a nearby bar that serves western drinks with our new friends that work at Plumpy Nut.  Ahhh...mojitos!

Day 95

Christian and I enjoyed our last dinner in Blantyre with the most beautiful sunset over the city.  We drank cold beers, he played pool and I sang along to the Barenaked Ladies they were playing on the speakers.  Blantyre provides an amazing mini-vacation, so we cheers’d to our last night and wished for a good journey back to reality.

Day 96

Hitching in the South is like nothing else.  You stick out your hand and you get a ride in less than 20 minutes.  I am amazed and impressed with the speed and ease that Southern PCVs have with transport.  Once we go to Lilongwe, we enjoyed a home-cooked dinner at Irene’s with Cassie, Katie and Miriam.  Irene is an amazing cook and an incredible hostess.  It’s nice staying with her – it doesn’t feel so much life staying in the city. 

Day 97

I received my Basic Life Skills training from the embassy, which is awesome as I prepare for nursing school and beyond.  Free and fun class, just as my certification was expiring!

Day 98

It was necessary that I go to the bank.  National Bank and I have had very few positive run-ins so I was dreading the task.  I had tried a few times this week, but it was always packed.  In Lilongwe, the bank is so busy that they have a “take a number” machine and people sit in chairs like it’s the DMV.  Today I went to the bank right as it was opening and followed a herd of people in as the doors unlocked.  My number was 27, but there were about 10 tellers, so the line went quickly.  When I went to the teller, I received minimum questioning, only service!  And it was speedy!  Hooray!