This, my friends, is a day in Malawi…

I wrote this in my journal 5 May 2010 and thought I could not do this day justice by paraphrasing my entry.  Therefore I will transcribe it for all of you to marvel in.  Any needed additions will be indicated by [ ] Enjoy :)

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To my fellow readers, you are about to embark on how ridiculously shi**y and awesome a day can be here in Malawi.  Writing by candle light in Bwanje, Malawi, Africa, I will amaze and shock some of you!  Ok, yes, this is some for effect, but it’s getting you excited, no?!  ...sorry for the brief interruption, I had to tuck in my mosquito net...yes, really.

Woke up this morning around 5.30am not yet ready to greet the day.  But, alas, nature calls and I had to crawl off my mattress that rests on a bamboo mat and out from under my mosquito net.  The chimbudzi [toilet, aka. hole in the ground] greeted me with a familiar...nothing.  Crawled back into bed to try and catch a few more minutes of sleep when the rooster thought it was time to be awake.  Okay, okay...I’ll cheat a little and watch two episodes of my current addiction, Battlestar Galactica.

The days’ plan was to head to Balaka to withdraw money in order 1) to live and bye food, 2) to pay the 6500 kwacha owed for my bed frame in order to no longer sleep with the ants and cockroaches.  Ahhh, such simple pleasures!  Figured a good breakfast was needed for the journey.  Eggs, onions, and tomatoes was the choice.  And up until this point in my life I thought it was impossible to mess up eggs: I stand corrected.  Note to self: add tomatoes last.  No biggie though. If I’ve learned anything about food and cooking thus far it is that no matter how bad it looks, tastes, or smells...I’m still eating it!

Tummy full of mush (with the help of a few bananas [they are small here], the good ones!, and a few spoonfuls of peanut butter) newly dubbed “hitching hat” (keeps the hair in place in the back of those pickups), and a chitenje wrapped around my waist, I head off to the tarmac.  “Hey everyone!  I’m not all up for smiles and greetings!”

Temporarily (read: completely) having forgotten about my Wednesday market day, I do my best to filter past people and literally hit the road with my feet.  I’m too stubborn to pay for a minibus so I decide hitching is the way today.  I walk away from Bwanje  some 20+ minutes and am able to pick up my first hitch of the day, a semi-truck.  Better than the back of a truck, I promise mom!  Some 3 men from Kenya try to convince me that my said “husband” will find another woman and that I should just go back with them and marry the one who sat behind me.  Thanks guys, I’m sure I can match myself just fine, thank you!  Alas, however, I am in the Warm Heart of Africa, so I should appreciate the help ;)

They continued on to Blantyre but dropped me off at the Balaka turn off.  Feeling pestered and annoyed by people selling things and minibus conductors trying to get me to join their van, I find a curb to sit on in hopes to find a hitch.  While contemplating my existence in Malawi [yes, seriously...was trying to figure out why I decided to come here], an old man comes up to me with a bucket of something on his head rambling in Chichewa.  Trying to be nice, I greet him despite feeling very annoyed and quite freaked out.  He walks a little more toward me and immediately I go into defense mode, ready to kick and punch if necessary.  I guess all those kung foo movies by the kids in Chikanda [my homestay village] stuck somewhere in my brain!

A pastor from a church in Ntcheu picks me up going Balaka direction.  He tells me something to the effect of “I see my sister on the side of the road and I had to help her out.”  Hey cool, thanks, really :)  But any reason to get me away from bucket man is good for me!

Conveniently I am dropped off next to the bank, my first stop.  Mission: to take out 20,000 kwacha and feel like a rich woman until I realize its only $130.  Gosh, thanks for stealing my thunder.  But I was accomplished, and now time for the long walk to shopping.  Mind you, I’m a white kid in Africa and today was hot!  I’ve heard it’s not hot at my site but when I have sweat running down my face I develop a new definition of “hot.”  Again, completely not in the mood for the “azungu” [= white person, foreigner, anyone not Malawian] and laughter when I cant respond to what they’ve said in Chichewa but there is no choice.  Feet are the mode of transport today.

First I try the internet area, hoping for a cheap price.  I’m told 90 kwacha for a minute...reminds me of Europe but I had more money then.  I laugh, heartbroken actually, and walk away.  If any day I wished to hear from home, anything not having to do with Malawi, today would be it.  Instead I make a b-line for the closest Metro and decide a pineapple Fanta (yeah, don’t ask...I just picked “yellow” because I hadn’t had it before) and a duo package of Mixed Berry cookies will drown my sorrows.  Wrong again...still felt crummy only with a tummy full of sugar.

I return my bottle since I didn’t pay a deposit and decide to give internet one more shot.  No luck in finding a shop...ugh, really?  Ok fine, I’m done with this trip.  Last stop is to get an mboula to cook on using charcoal/wood at home.  I speak with a woman in Chichewa and try my best to explain how I will use whatever I’m asking for and she points me in the right direction.  280 kwacha later I’m the proud owner of my first cook-y thing, ha! 

Still toasty [very understated] in the hot African sun, I make my way back to the road where I hopefully catch a hitch back home…-ish.  Kids receive “zabo!” as best I can and some adults my “zikomo.”  Park myself next to this church that looks extremely out of place [it looks like it was dropped out of the sky!] and crouch down to try and hide my feet from the sun.  I forgot to sunscreen them.  A good looking couple offer a ride to the Blantyre-Balaka split and I gratefully accept.  Mostly they keep to themselves and that pleases me...just not in the mood today.

Again I pass the conductors to my customary position just past the minibus parking lot.  A semi-truck pulls over at my hitch wave and it takes me a minute to convince them to give me a ride to the Salima turn-off.  Going well until a speed trap and we are pulled over.  5000 kwacha is the penalty and the driver didn’t have money to pay.  Yet I don’t find this out until ~45 minutes later along with a marriage proposal. Seriously, you never know here...it’s unreal.

Hop out with my new purchase in hand and start at my routine again.  Wow, you’d think I was a hooker!  Aaaand, I guess I’d lie to say it doesnt sometimes feel like it, now I think about it.  Two men from some NGO pick me up but can only take me as far as the Salima turn-off.  Fine fine, one step close to home.

By now I am way out of water and dehydrated.  Welcome to Africa.  I thank my snack pack friends and assume my position, again, past the minibus arena.  Only a handful of hitches in 20+ minutes [and no one stops].  Gosh, I’m already learning patience!  Anyways, I’m contemplating giving in and doing a minibus yet my pride of “first solo day hitching” would never forgive.  It paid off, as a lovely couple and a young daughter decide the left back seat needed to be warmed by none other than my rear, more substantial than the sun.

That drive is always longer than I ever recall, yet they had me genuinely laughing which, consider my day (read last pages, if you’ve skipped...nuthead) felt wonderful.  Around turns not yet familiar, we finally reach my town.  My town.  Bwanje.  Wow, I live here!

Stopped by Mr. Zulu’s house [former counterpart working with the PCV I replaced] to have him go with me to the carpenter.  As Malawian culture sits, a guest is invited to join in food eating no matter how unexpected.  Mposa, or custard apple, was a due pleasant treat.  Yes yes, this is where the day starts looking up [around 4pm!]!  On the road after the delicious snack, I met a man who has a groundnut [peanut] sheller.  Score!  Peanut butter is on the list [of projects I would like to do here] and you are my man!

I lay my eyes on my *new* bed frame and I’m so excited.  Just varnished and with a headboard.  It’s perfect!  Who would have thought I would ever be so excited for a bed frame?!  Paid in full, 6500 kwacha, and to be delivered by evening. 

Yes yes, market...forgot you again.  But, alas, so happy you’re around today!  Picked up some fabric for curtains to be sewn, can’t wait!  Every little touch to make my house my home.  Shortly following spools of fabric I lay my eyes on a beautiful chitenje; brown with leaves and dots.  Had to have it.  450 kwacha, a nice price for a smile.  Conveniently located just past the train tracks is a sewing shop; perfectly spent 30 kwacha to have the ends finished.  While I waited, my eyes were captured by dozens upon dozens of beautiful fabric cuts hanging from the ceiling and walls.

I felt proud and happy walking home.  It was dawning on me how quickly my day was turning around.  Oh, you, Africa!  I enter my compound and greet my amayi, who is always happy to see me.  She is excited I got my mboula for under 300 kwacha, definitely not the azungu [foreigner] price, and thinks my chitenje is very beautiful.

I open the door to my house via the new locks [by yours truly ;) ] installed on Day 0 with the “Envr10” [wood] key chain presented at Eds [our PCV celebration] exactly a week ago.  [The Switzerland key chain with sparkles looks out of place, but it was given by my brother with the intention to be on the key ring to my mud hut].  I decided some Michael Buble fits my mood at the time and push play on my iPod and tiny speakers.  Not long after I see a snake, yes mom, a snake, slither along the wall into my guest room.  I press pause as my mind goes blank.  Where’s my shovel?  I don’t have one.  What can I use?  Khasu [Malawian hoe]?  Yes, but the blade is, well, a very different angle than a shovel [it is directed toward you instead of away].  Brick?  Yes, good choice.

Now, I wish I could say this snake was anaconda size to beef up my story, but no luck.  Really, it was quite small.  But in Africa, take no chances.  Assume all snakes will kill you.  A brick with a few khasu swipes did the trick, though I don’t think it was fully dead.  But golly, did I feel proud of myself, honestly!  Mom would have screamed...ok, I did too but not in the screaming death way.  Once I felt it was good and dead...ish, I took it to amayi via khasu to show here.  A man worker came out and said it was a black mamba.  I’ll have to look up photos for myself, but I’m quite sure all snakes here are “black mamba’s” ;)  This could have ruined my day yet I was so proud of my handiwork that I was beaming!

Another attempt at eggs on my new “stove”!  Rice first, and I stand partially corrected: I knew it was possible to burn rice, yet was able to salvage most tonight.  It was a delicious meal, welcomed to wash down the 1 liter of electrolyte replacement I chugged upon arriving home. I felt like a million bucks.

A quick bafa [bucket bath] to try rinsing off the dirt and sweat cemented on from the day before the arrival of my bed frame.  New!  I’m the first to sleep in it!  Mine!!  Yeah, I know my excitement written down doesn’t translate, but trust me it was there.  It makes the biggest difference in my house feeling inches more like home.  Plus I don’t have to worry about snakes and cockroaches trying to to penetrate my mosquito net.  I share this evening with myself: journal and pen in hand, dogs barking off in the distance, bats, and falling cockroaches...along with other sounds I’d rather not try to decipher at this time. 

Life truly is great here, if one can push through the shi**y feelings and come out the other side.  More stories to come, I’m sure.  Tune in next time for dinosaur slayings!  Yes, Malawi is where they all ended up.  Big foot too ;)

Mboula, where I cook every day.  Flip up the metal pieces and rest your pot on top.

The snake!  I debated putting this up, but figured ya'll might be wondering :D

Photos!

I hope this gives you guys a little idea of what my place is like now.  More pictures in the future :)

My new house!

My bedroom, mosquito net included

Looking out into my living room

Living room!  Guest room through there, storage room now though

Back door is through the hallway (notice world map?!  Maping my world travels now :))

My washing machine

Aaaand my drying machine

Delicious homemade pasta (I'm becoming quite a chef, I must tell you!  If you visit, I ensure a gourmet meal!)

The south really does know how to do it…

...everything CAN be fried.  This is one thing I've learned during my first 2 weeks at my new site.  Within the last few days I have fried potatoes, potato skins, pumpkin seeds (be careful, those pop like popcorn!), and bananas.  I'm sure there is a lot more I will learn that can be fried here, but I've got to start somewhere.  Mom always hated frying things in the house when I was younger, but this is my house, and it's my turn to shine!  Okay, maybe that's just the popped hot oil on my skin, but here, when the coals are hot you sit and think "what else can I make?" and crazy ideas like fried bananas with dusted sugar and cinnamon crosses your mind.  That tries to satisfy a burning desire for something sweet back home like ice cream, candy bars, grocery store cupcakes, a bowl of cereal, and more...  Whoever figures out how to FedEx ice cream and it arrive in a solid form will win something, my choice!

These last two weeks have been a ride, let me tell you.  On April 28, 2010 the original 21 of us who departed Philadelphia on February 28th officially swore in at the U.S. Ambassadors house as Peace Corps Volunteers.  For me, it felt like graduation!  Another milestone in my life, not customarily on many people’s short list of things.  Heck, as I think of it, two years ago yesterday (May 10th) was the day I graduated college.  Who would have guessed I would be sitting at my house in Bwanje, Malawi two years later?!  That’s right...the doves outside my back door.  They knew.  I can see it in their eye..s, depending on which way they are facing ;)  But really, it was such an awesome experience and I seriously could not quit smiling through it all.  I had completed my first two months of Pre-Service Training and was getting ready to have my leash cut….off I go!

After the ceremony we ate tons of food that made our bellies hurt...and then proceeded to the Country Director’s house for a feast that quite closely made our bellies explode.  I never thought I’d be so excited for macaroni and cheese as I did this day...and then I spent two months in the middle of Malawi.  Not quite sure how it’s going to feel after 2 years though!  Doesn’t hurt that mac and cheese is my all time favorite meal!  Yep, your tummy starts craving foods you never thought you would miss before...like quiche, it was there too.  Thank you, everyone, for the amazing feast!

That night, the (now second year) Environment Volunteers put together a fun gathering for the 21 of us *new* PCVs (that’s right, when you send letters and packages ;), you can now use PCV instead of PCT) when we returned from Lilongwe.  It was such an awesome feeling having the support of the second year volunteers while having an opportunity to share in the excitement and anticipation of the next two years to come.  Wrapped up in the fun, for an evening we forgot that the next morning we would pack up our belongings and be dropped off at our sites.  That entire day, night, celebration, everything will forever be marked as one of the best of my life to date.  

Morning of April 29th, we all somberly rolled out of bed, showered for the last time until who-knows-when, and threw the last remaining odds and ends into whatever space we had left.  PC transport arrived with enough vehicles to take all of us, 2-3 to a car.  Our original bags from the US were thrown into the back or inside of trucks, stacked with our new mattresses and *shiny* new mountain bikes as well as other odds and ends (including the brick bag of PC books we accumulated over the past 2 months as well as 14,000 kwacha worth of goodies to start us off at our new homes).  The man that packed Justine and my stuff was so rushed and high strung that at one point I had to tell him to chill out.  Stressful enough for both of us (all of us new PCVs, really), that the last thing either Justine or I needed was someone telling us how the day was going to roll.  Some tears rolled as people said good-bye and cars drove away.  Near the middle of the pack, Justine and I bounced into the back of our truck and off we went.  

Down windey roads we took the Eastern route to our sites, down towards Salima, which was a new one for both of us.  It still blows my mind how quick the landscape changes here in Malawi.  You can have your view blocked by trees and mountains to one side, and the next moment be able to see miles and miles off into the distance.  It’s unbelievable, and at times it still hits me “holy cow, I live in Africa!”  However I’m partially sad to say that those moments become less and less as this once foreign country is now becoming my home, but more excited that this is my home.  

Justine was dropped off first in Sharpvale, just north of my village.  The three of us (driver included) helped to quickly unload all of her possessions.  I had a brief chance to see her house, meet the dog that she didn’t know she had (that’s what happens when COS (Completion of Service) Volunteers don’t leave detailed notes for the replacing PCV...surprise!,and try to front a rooster that wouldn’t stop roosting.  She has some 10+ roosters in her backyard, and still to this day I’m unsure of how she lives with them.  I’d, for one, go absolutely nuts.  The one at my house is enough in the morning!  I specifically keep rocks on my window sill to throw in his direction when he decides 5.30am is time for me to get up.  Sometimes I want to hit him...buuuut then I’d have to buy my neighbors a new one and that’s just too much hassle

A 5-10 minute drive to Bwanje was much shorter than I had anticipated, but was nice realizing that Justine and I are a shorter distance than I first thought.  About a 30 minute bike ride would get me there and due time!  Now the two of us threw everything quick in my house and on the front porch and the driver was off.  “Yoouuuuuu’ve just won a two year stay in Malawi!!!  What are you going to do now?!”  The reality sets in very quick once you can’t hear the sound of a car anymore, and you look around at faces you hardly know but who have just become your new Malawian family.

Giving a day-to-day play of my life here would, honestly, bore many of you back in the big city.  Things here are not exciting in the same ways they are back in the states.  But with that disclaimer I will give you an idea of how my days play out.  Peace Corps has us all at our sites for the first 3 months simply settling in and not starting any projects.  I hadn’t fully appreciated this (and quite honestly was mentally fighting the first 3 months) until I had an opportunity to really live it here.  It’s challenging trying to get settled in my daily routines, as it takes a while to see what works and what doesn't; what needs to be done with what frequency and also what doesn’t; what I can put off until tomorrow (ha, which wont ever change, I’m sure).  In all seriousness, I’ve simply had to learn how to live again.  Without running water and electricity, things take much much longer.  Yes, dad, I’m beginning to understand “systems” for things!

So here we go….  Typically I wake up around 5.30am, but if I’m lucky I manage to sleep in until 6ish (thank you, rooster!).  I’m too stubborn to get out of bed this early so I usually turn on my iPod and watch an episode and a half of Battlestar Galactica (yes, I’m still geeking out…Season 4 now!).  Around 7am I crawl out from my mosquito net, and begin my first decided chore: to sweep the house out of the dirt from the day before as well as the bugs (and ants devouring them) from the night before.  I’ve actually come to be fascinated watching ants eat bugs...yes, one of the many things I would not have had patience for back in the States but is my new hobby here.  Next I hand wash all my dishes from the day before if I didn’t have time to do them before sleeping.  It’s meditating, really, and so I enjoy the morning dishes while I smile and greet my neighbors.  Around 7.45-8 I go retrieve some water from the well in my back yard (literally I throw a bucket down a brick well and crank it back out full of water), lift the 20 liter full bucket to my head and walk back to my bafa to kusamba (bathe).  With a pail in hand I simply rinse off which is a great start to my day.  The really good days are the ones where I get to wash my hair ;) 

Once I feel presentable for the day, I lift my bike out of my back storage room, wrap a chitenje (“1001 uses for a 1 meter cut of fabric” is what it should be called) around my waist, and ride into town to buy food items for the day (typically: 2 scones (aka. bread rolls), 2 eggs, a pile of tomatoes (about 4-5 in each), some onions, and 6+ bananas (they’re much smaller here!)).  I’ve found that dividing up a scone and spreading peanut butter and slicing bananas to put on top are a delightful way to begin my day, as it’s the closest thing to an “American Breakfast” as I can muster without having to start a fire.  

Up until lunch time I fill my day with anything from laundry (which is an entire day activity), reading, hand sewing new curtains to adorn my window frames, taking a nap, listening to music, finding new places for my belongings (yes, George, every‘thing’ has its place, I know), chatting with my neighbors, and more.  Within the last few days I have found that cooking a meal for lunch (and possibly having leftovers for dinner time) suits me just fine.  So when I feel ready to tackle building a fire, I head out back, pile some charcoal (yes, I know I should know be using this, I am in need of getting some new parafin and a stove that wont blow up in my face; see last blog!) on my mboula, and spend the next 15 minutes lighting paper, blowing, and fanning a plate to try and get the charcoal to catch fire.  I refuse to use plastic bags, and somehow this makes me feel a little bit more proud when I successfully start my fire with just paper.

I cook anything from rice, soya, eggs, nsima (working on the perfection of this...long way to go!), tomatoes, onions, lentils, and add any sort of spices to make it all taste like some great culinary creation.  Gosh, cooking school would have done wonders for me out here!  Alas, I’m here to fend for myself ;)  Back in the states I’m a baker, not a cook, but I suppose there is time for everyone to learn!  The entire process of making a fire and cooking takes me at least 1-2 hours depending on what I’m cooking.  Ha, if I feel like having fun making mashed potatoes, later frying the skins, and making a curry with soya pieces it can easily be a 2 hour task.  But it’s satisfying, especially when I have a delicious meal to enjoy.  As said in my last whitty post, I’m eating it regardless of what it’s like but it sure is a delight when it turns out well :)  If I am in the mood for tea I throw on some water and enjoy it out of a handmade cup that was given as a housewarming gift...elephants and Baobob trees on the sides with an African colored sunset.  I’ve seen Baobobs and sunsets, just need to mark those elephants off my list...

The afternoons are filled with much of the same as the mornings: continuing work on my curtains (it takes a day and a half to hand sew one, I have found), reading my book (currently a switch between The Time Travelers Wife and The Lost: The Search for Six of Six Million, depending on my mood) on my front porch as the sunsets.  My favorite time of day is around 4.30-5, as the sun and the shadows are absolutely stunning.  About this time I take the remaining water in my bucket and do a quick rinse off in my bafa and hang out in my chitenje (aka. towel, purse, skirt, everything you can imagine...but this one is just for the bafa) until I’m dry.  As 6pm comes closer, I break out my headlamp and light a candle for my last minute chores around the house before crawling under my mosquito net, journaling about fun things that I accomplished in my day or new realizations about myself that I have discovered.  

I close my day with an episode of Battlestar Galactica, or if I need a break I watch one of the 6 movies I have on my iPod (said favorite is Lord of the Rings, of course).  Nothing compared to the big screen of movie theaters back home, but it has become comfortable and I enjoy it.  I listen to the dogs outside, the kids playing, and my neighbors eating dinner, and cockroaches bouncing around.  My American eyes have not yet adjusted to the dark like Malawians can, and thus I don’t wander around outside unless its close to a full moon, which then is simply like the Universe’s personal flashlight for the land.  Some PCVs have said that being under a mosquito net makes you feel like you are invincible.  Yes, yes, this is true.  Once I’m under it I am quite confident no cockroaches, mosquitos, scorpions, snakes, or spiders (of considerable size, at least) will be able to penetrate through the net.  It’s nice :) I like it.  And when I’m too tired to keep my eyes open, which comes around 8pm, I power down my iPod and put it on the upper right corner of my bed, waiting there to greet me in the morning when the rooster outside decides its time for me to wake up.

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I’ve come to realize quickly that it can be quite exhausting to simply live.  This is not something I appreciated back in the USA, as I’ll be honest to say I had it quite easy.  Doing laundry was a side task while reading or doing homework: here, it needs my full dedication or it simply does not get done.  Making food in the states could be as simple as pulling out a bowl and a box of cereal, milk from the fridge, sugar from the cabinet: here, I have to begin a fire to make anything, as everything as to be cooked, and I have to plan my meal because leftovers hardly keep a day without a fridge.  There are some days I go to bed and my body simply sighs with relief of not having to use muscles anymore.  And I quite enjoy this way of living, to be honest.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, it can be exhausting and I would love the option of pulling a tub of ice cream out of the freezer, but it’s given me such a great appreciation for how hard people work here, and how hard our ancestors used to work before all the modern technology.  It can be a lot to take in and process at times, but I don’t have another option.  It can be overwhelming, and quite honestly some mornings I groan at the work I know is ahead of me.  Some nights I have been too tired to cook dinner, and those nights I went hungry...no other option.  But I wouldn’t trade it.  I know what it’s like back in the states, but here I have to and get to create mine each day.

I have more I want to write, as usual, but I think this entry is enough at the moment.  It is the time of day where I am getting ready to turn on a head lamp and escape the buzzing mosquitos around my computer.  Next time I’ll tell you more about my village, neighbors, and some people I’ve met thus far.

Also, one last thing.  When the 21 of us were still together during PST, some people said family and friends had found my blog and were reading it.  It thrilled me!  It’s so nice to know I’m not writing for empty space out there.  Some said their parents didn’t want to make me feel weird by having unknown people “following” my blog.  But I would be more than delighted to know all of you out there who are reading.  So please, it would make me happy to have you not follow anonymously :) but rather have joy to know that I have people out there reading.  Thank you!  Comments are welcome from anyone, about anything :)  I’ll be honest to say I journal about just about everything here and my blog is for all of you at home, so that I am able to share my experience from afar.  I would love to know who all is enjoying this cross cultural experience :)  

Until next time, try to fry some things back where you’re from and give me any tips you might find helpful ;)  Especially all of you in the south ;)

Done with homestay...hooray!

Yes yes!  It is time for another unexpected update!  I hope this entry still finds you all well, and you are doing your best to enjoy ice cream and homemade macaroni and cheese for yours truly ;)  Life in Malawi is still awesome, and every day I wake up I can hardly believe I live here!

So I survived Lilongwe and was so thrilled to get back to my homestay village.  I gave my amayi a huge hug upon my return, which I'm sure freaked her out.  I didn't realize I would be so happy to get back out into the country and out of the city...all things considered being a city girl.  In the week I arrived back we learned about bee keeping and tree nurseries.  The tree nurseries got me exceptionally excited and is something I would like to do at my site.  Deforestation is a HUGE huge problem here in Malawi and most of Africa and I would love to do work with building back up the forests.  So that was an exciting lesson!

The rest of homestay was pretty low key.  The last week or two you could hear all of us chatting/complaining/ujeni (Chichewa for whatchamacallit!) about how we were so ready to depart homestay and for learning our new sites, which were announced on April 7th.  Now, I will tell you, this was so nerve wrecking for me!  If you think about it, it's a bit like waiting for a college acceptance letter.  However, in this case we were waiting for someone else to determine our future!  I had a hard time sleeping and eating a few days before (yeah, silly, but couldn't help it!  I had good reason, I assure you!) when all I could do was wait.  So back at the college we all gathered outside the classroom to hear where we were all going, and more importantly the locations that the staff had taken such consideration to place us.  We had a big map of Malawi with sticky notes covering our faces pointing to where were going to go.  One by one, Brian and Lu' (PC staff) read off details about the location and what the site had to offer (which typically matched up with little requests we'd made during out placement interview).  Slowly the sticky notes were pulled off and more of our faces dotted the poster. Okay, okay, I'll get to it...my site placement for the next two years is Bwanje in the Ntcheu district!  I was so thrilled when Brian read off some of the opportunities: mushroom farming, women's groups, tree nurseries!, and more.  Ha, so those butterflies ended, and new ones were born in the anticipation of seeing my site.

A little about my site:  Justine and I are considered site mates, being that we are a short 30 minute minibus ride away from each other (she's in Sharpvale)...which cracks us both up since we clicked well right off the bat.  I'm not sure that anyone else in our crew is as close together as we are.  Bwanje is located about half way between Lilongwe and Blantyre and is considered to be in the south central region.  Look it up on a map ;)  It was such a relief to be able to put a name to the place that I will be calling home, and the name that all of you will be putting on those glorious packages once I get a mailbox!

Our village farewell in Mzengereza was amazing and a bit surreal.  I've never really felt like I'm leaving somewhere until I'm already gone...does that make sense?  Now I sit thinking of all the meals my amayi cooked, playing with my siblings, and watching the sunset on my beloved rock, wishing a little bit I was still there.  But, I'm not....rest assured my current status is much more exciting ;).  The ceremony was a mix of English, Chichewa, and Chitimbuka and felt much like a college graduation!  We welcomed the Gule Wamkulu dancers which was absolutely amazing.  I couldn't believe how creative their costumes were out of some of the most basic materials (left over chitenje fabric, spoons, and more).  Here is an example of the dance, it was awesome!

My last night in homestay was bittersweet, to say the least, and was concluded with sitting up on the rock that I enjoyed so much during my 5 week stay.  You would not believe the sunsets here!  I will try to upload pictures at some point, however they don't do it justice.  The pinks and blues are unbelievable.  I also sat and had a 45+ minute conversation with my abambo in a mix of Chichewa and English and felt so comfortable and welcomed.  I felt a bit sad that I didn't hit that comfort point with my family until about week 3, but all things in due time, I suppose ;)  We sat outside the house under the amazing stars that I am so privileged to see nightly.  Dinner by candle light with my oldest sister, Tandi, as we laughed at each other missing our mouths with spoonfuls of rice.  I do miss homestay, it was a wonderful experience.

We had the 9th to chill out, trade music and movies, do laundry, and relax at the college.  Probably most exciting for me was wearing pants!  Attire here is skirts all the time and it was refreshing to be back in my customary outfit.  What a pleasure to have them not fit like saran wrap!  Early morning April 10th we all departed from the college for our site visits.  Bye buddies :(  We're always giving hugs and saying "see you soon!" to our friends...  Justine and I headed off to our sites together being that we're close in distance.  We flagged down a minibus, bargained our price, and piled in.

Heading to site visit was the first time that it had hit me "holy cow, I'm in Malawi!"  Not sure exactly why that point, but it finally felt like I was on my own and having to find my way somewhere instead of being taken around by PC transport.  The minibus would fill up, let people off, let more people on...for about 2+ hours down south to Ntcheu.  You should have seen the look on both of our faces when a man walked in with a HUGE bag of fish.  Yeah...delicious...the smell is nauseating.  We counted 23 people in the minibus, and I'm sure we'll push that record here in the near future.  Packin 'em in like sardines!

I met my shadow PCV in Bilila, about 20 minute ride from Bwanje.  Dannelle is awesome!  She was a fantastic hostess and we had a great time together.  I got my first taste of having to come up with food ideas with limited resources and ingredients.  It's amazing how creative one can become!  We bounced around the area for this past week, going to the Ntcheu boma (main market of my district) and doing sporadic clothes shopping (HEY!  All you gals with cute clothes! Donate them so they can be shipped to Africa!); visiting Balaka boma (since we have two to choose from this is the other one); and most importantly seeing my site and new house!

So my first impression of the house was "holy cow...this will take some work."  But now I'm really really excited for it and for some new changes.  I live a 15 minute walk off of the main road in a compound setting with a family of 4 (and maybe more?  Not sure who lives there permanently yet...).  They are tobacco farmers and it is harvest season so they are busy busy!  My house is a mud brick with tin roof and has a bedroom, living room, guest room, and kitchen area.  I have a porch out front surrounded by potted plants (i have no identified them all quite yet), which is ideal for hanging the hammock I brought to Malawi! Out back I have my bafa ("shower" = a square of bricks where I bring my bucket of water to dump on me) and chimbudzi (toilet = hole in the ground).  I'm extremely fortunate to have a water well in my backyard where I can get my H2O, opposed to having to go to a water tap that is a long walk from my place.  Spiders, cockroaches, and lizards currently inhabit my house, but I hope in due time I will be able to move in as the primary resident.  The family in my compound, Flag (the father) and Blessings (the mother) both speak English but approach me with Chichewa first.  They have two little girls who are absolutely freaked out of me.  But I'll capture them soon with my "Tiwonana-na-na-na" song (to the tune of "Getting Jiggy with It" haha).  I can foresee picking up Chichewa even faster here in a few weeks!  Last night I slept at my house for the first time (the other nights I was with Dannelle, having fun chats and making delicious food) and was able to begin grasping all the noises.  The bugs do, indeed, come out at night.  I will tell you, sandals make a great bug squasher!  (Along with sports bras being the new purse, great to carry things in, and dirt being natures *free* Brillo pad to scrub pots and pans).  It felt like I was camping, hanging out under my mosquito net watching Battle Star Galactica episodes on my iPod...geeking out and loving every minute of it!  The nights here are relaxed and the mornings are as well.  Malawian time is amazing :)

So this all brings me to Blantyre, where I am currently staying the night at a lodge with Justine.  Blantyre is the city where we will most likely stock up on our food goods and we thought it would be a good fun time to head down here to check it out.  Also, we have to be in Thyolo by tomorrow sometime to begin out Language Intensive week...basically we get slammed with LOADS of languages lessons in hopes to hammer more Chichewa into our brains.  It will take time to absorb it all, but this time will be nice.  In a week we have our final language test (I'm always nervous for tests!) and this week will help us to prepare for it.  Overall Chichewa is coming a long for me, and I know I will pick it up more once I get back to Bwanje after swearing-in.

The next exciting date is April 28th, our Swearing-In ceremony in Lilongwe at the U.S. Ambassadors house.  I'm excited to then become a PCV (volunteer) instead of a PCT (trainee)!  It will be an exciting time for us all!  Then on April 29th we will all be driven to our sites with all the baggage we thought we might want during our 2 year stay in Malawi.  We will stand on our porch (ok, I have a porch, but not sure about anyone else) only to watch as the Peace Corps transport tires roll away.  The dust will  settle and it will inevitably hit me "holy cow, I'm in Africa."

Until then, be well everyone!  And just so you know...I'm having more fun than you ;)  Feel free to visit anytime to see what Malawi is all about!

P.S.
This one is for mama.  So the gal I replaced left a paraffin stove so I tested it out yesterday.   I was making some rice concoction for lunch and BOOM! FIREBALL!  I still have my eyebrows and my house is still intact.  Don't worry, I'll be buying a new one :)