Things that make you think...

In honor of my one year mark of having arrived in Malawi on Feburary 28, 2010, I thought it would be fun to give you all an idea of some of the things I have come to appreciate and those that, well, I have yet to get used to.  In no particular order…

….I can’t believe I live here!

• The stunning sunsets full of vibrant oranges, pinks, and purples
• When you’re in a hitch and the driver gives you a cold coke and samosa
• Endless fields full of growing maize
• Sunrises, full with a glowing red sun, completely ready and willing to greet the day
• Babies tied to the backs of mothers with a chitenje (2 meters of fabric), with their feet bouncing around
• Having my four-legged love of my life, Peter, greet me with kisses whenever I arrive home, along with Chule, Jackson and Nico
• Stopping for a heard of cows to cross the road
• Children yelling my name as I bike around Bwanje
• Malawian and how happy they are on a daily basis regardless of how little possessions they have
• Women carrying large amounts of katundu (“stuff”) on their heads, balancing everything with ease
• The rain storms that blow in, dump lots of rain, while leaving birds singing, plants happy,  children playing, and rainbows
• Bike taxi’s, which give you temporary feeling that you’re on a motorcycle...a really slow one
• The quiet village full with endless fresh air
• Waking up to my neighbors singing while they begin their daily chores

….what the h*$% am I doing here?!

• Killing a black mamba
• Killing a puff adder
• Taking a sh*& in a chimbudzi (pit latrine) while trying to balance yourself without touching the walls covered with spiders cockroaches
• Trying to figure out how to roll nsima without letting others know that the substance is burning my hand like hot lava
• Sitting at the table in my house, not moving a muscle, with sweat dripping down my face and pooling in the crevasses of my elbows and backs of knees 
• Sitting in the back of a matola ride for 4 hours, covered in dust, unable to straighten my legs or move so much for readjustment
• Chasing rats around my house at 2am, only later to catch them in a trap feeling extremely satisfied
• Finding a collection of goats hanging out on my porch.
• Seeing slaughtered animals hanging in the market, with the appropriate animal head of the meat sitting next to it (goats, pigs, yum!)
• Seemingly endless marriage proposals
• Transport on minibuses and hitches...it all gets exhausting
• Being stared at ALL the time.

Justine on a bike taxi!

Hot season....yeaaaahh....