The Jungle!

My holiday vacation was a good break from the village. Minus the malaria (of which I’m pretty well recovered now), it was a great time with friends at the lake. But too much time in the city leaves me yearning to return to my quiet village, my Malawian friends, and of course my boys. Once I felt well enough to travel (trust me, there are circumstances that make an automatic no-travel day), I left Lilongwe with much anticipation of arriving home and seeing 6 foot tall corn stalks, pumpkins as big as my head, and lettuce ready for making delicious salads.  Boy, did nature have a different plan in mind!

Outside of Lilongwe I was picked up by an awesome lady who lives in Blantyre who gave me a lift a few weeks prior. I was able to meet her sister, who was arriving the same day when she picked me up before. It’s fun when those rides come full circle meeting again and you feel you’ve made a friend instead of simply getting a free ride. 

Once to made it to Bwanje I was welcomed home by my friends saying “Ndikusowani!  Munachokera kuti?” After saying they’ve missed me and ask me “where are you coming from?”, I can’t help but smile feeling like I am truly home. Peter, Chule, and Jackson’s greetings standardly consist of jumping all over me and howling. Talk about a homecoming! My house was in one piece which is always a settling relief to find the doors and windows in the same condition in which I left them. The moment of truth and much awaited anticipation….

My kitchen surrounding by jungle

Instead of arriving home to bumper crops I returned to a jungle. Literally. The day I spent at home between Christmas and New Years I did some weeding that hardly put a dent in what sprang forth during my absence. No longer could I see my trenches and sprouting veggies, rather just grasses and plants as tall as me! It reminded me of being younger when our family would go up to Vail for a summer weekend break only to find it over taken by the hibernating roots of weeds. Only there, we had the luxury of using a lawnmower. But here I knew that I would have to do it all by hand.

Rightfully so, I was a bit freaked out with the grasses after having killed my third snake in 8 months just before heading up to Nkhata Bay. So instead of battling the yard on my own I chatted with my neighbor to have someone come by and I would pay them to weed. The following day a man showed up and let’s just say he didn’t do the best job...nor did he finish it. He wanted me to pay him in full, but I’ve learned the hard way here that you pay for jobs upon completion. Needless to say he didn’t return the next day…

My garden was in there...somewhere

A few days passed where I willingly hoped that some magical juju would come my way and weed my garden for me. I was still not feeling back no normal thus I was putting off the daunting task hoping it would take care of it self. But alas, my curiosity got the best of me with the fantastical images of tassels on the corn stalks and delicious carrots waiting to be picked.

So, to put it out there, my gardening skills are, well, not that great. This is the biggest area I’ve ever planted goodies and majority of it all I just had to tell myself “well, we’ll see how it goes!” Therefore, I was completely ignorant on what was a sprout and what was a weed. Let’s just say I’d like to think I’m an expert now, having learned too late that I was pulling up an onion sprout thinking it was grass... Life happens.

Sad looking garden...maybe I should have
left the weeds!

It took me a total of four afternoons to clear out the garden from unwanted foliage. Part of me wished I had left some weeds to help make my garden appear more impressive. My fantasized cornucopia of vegetables was reduced to about seven mini stalks of corn and a handful of carrot sprouts. The pumpkin, on the other hand, had a heyday and overtaken a corner of the garden along with the tomato plants. I had some surprises as three tree seeds I’d planted were doing quite well. Unfortunately I don’t know the name for two of them, but the third being moringa is very exciting :)

I was disappointed, to say the least. With all the back bruising work I’d done to get the garden started, all the digging and sweating to contribute, I was hoping for more evident gratification. The greatest thing that came out of a partial failed crop was an humbling lesson. I realized that the ridges Malawians make for their crops have a purpose. Where my beds were (in theory) supposed to create a better surface area for the crops to grow,  it instead created a perfect situation for soil erosion. Instead of water settling on top, it runs down into the ditches. This is probably what my counterpart was trying to say when he came over one day and said, “You did it wrong.” Thanks….  Although the ridges they use here have the same problem with the soil washing down, I can easily say their crops are more successful (simply upon observation) or else the seeds I bought at the store were not the best. Needless to say I’ll be changing my tactics for next year.

However, I don’t give up that easily… The morning following day four of weeding it was cloudy and cool. I decided it was time to replant my garden. Afterall, what good would the seeds do if they were floating around the house until next year? I transplanted the tomato plants, having three different varieties, replanted some corn, carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, and cauliflower. As I began to clean up the yard  more (as I became more certain that there were no snakes around), I found at least seven more tomato plants. Looks like I know what I’ll be eating here in the coming months!

So I’ve learned that books don’t always know the best way to plant a garden. That, or else I had some crazy idea of how I thought all of this was supposed to go… I also learned it’s important to look to those who do this for their livelihood for tips and strategies on planting. After all, who am I to step in and say they’re doing it wrong? So here’s to hoping these crops come up! At least I’ll have a lot of tomatoes and pumpkin ;) Send any recipe’s you have involving any of these veggies!

Friends in the garden :)

My make-shift drying line for rainy season

Oh, the Joys!

….of living in Africa, of course.  Oh, and the holidays too.  It’s been a crazy few weeks so I’ll do my best to do a somewhat decent recap.  But, as you could probably assume, there is no such thing as a quick recap with my life here.  Too much to write a fun adventure for all of them, but I assure you I will in the future!

December has been an interesting and exciting month, to say the least.  It’s rainy season all over the country which makes multiple things, such as meetings and work outdoors, very difficult and completely dependent on the current weather.  With meetings being canceled or people not showing up to meetings, I began to wonder if it was my work as a volunteer was even worth it...

Following one of my Women’s Sewing Club meetings (which is going extremely well!!  20+ women show up each Sunday afternoon to learn, chat, and sew) I found myself stuck underneath a tomato stand while the rains came barreling down.  Not so bad with the kids, but extremely uncomfortable with a drunkard who wont quit with the marriage proposals and continues trying to grab at you.  I had to really sit hard on my hands while waiting out the rain…...and more….and contain myself and not completely flip out. This was my first major internal freak out (in my village, in relation to another person) and I decided I needed to get out for a few days and went up to Lilongwe.  It was a nice break and it helped speaking to staff and other volunteers to realize that this, indeed, is the time of year where you sit in your house, work on your own projects and regroup yourself for when the rains are finished.  Even though I felt better about my service I still felt a bit unsettled going back to site but kept my spirits high knowing the holidays were just around the corner.

Spending my 26th birthday, and 1st African birthday, was spent in my village, Bwanje, Ntcheu.  It was quite a lot of fun enjoying my home baked coffee cake for breakfast while listening to some newly favored Indie/Folk music while cleaning the house.  I went to my counterpart’s house in the morning to have her show me the proper way to crochet a hat for myself, one that I can tuck all of my ever-growing hair into.  It was quite different (and a lot of fun) not having everyone know it was my birthday.  Justine, my site mate, came over around 11 and then began telling people :) so the secret was out!  Some people were funny upon finding out the news then looked at me asking why I didn’t tell them.  I’ve realized sometimes it’s nice not having everyone know everything :D

Close friends from the group I arrived in Malawi with, Justine (my site mate), Jackie (living in Chikwawa), and Colin (close to Kasungu) traveled to my site for the intimate celebration.  Jackie brought me a lemon tree and we planted it in my front yard (I hope they sprout lemons soon!).  Peter, Chule, and Jackson (my boys) all joined us as well so it was a very fun party!  We had a delightful time while having the pleasure of enjoying Justine’s famous cooking, pork stir fry with rice, followed by cake!  She baked my favorite, yellow cake, and decided on making chocolate butter cream frosting as a bonus.  The only thing wrong with that sentence is that we don’t have the pleasure of indulging in butter very often (read: eeever).  It’s expensive and would most definitely melt into a pool of oil in our hot houses.  Our substitute here is Blue Band, which is margarine...  So, to say the least, we had margarine cream frosting, a good 500g of it between the four of us, and our bellies were aching afterwards.  Peter even managed to get a lick, which obviously became my side of the cake :) We sipped on my home brewed mango wine while sitting under my veranda and chatting until we were all exhausted.  I could not have asked for a more exciting birthday!

New lemon tree!  Thanks Jackie :) 

(December 22, 2010.  Bwanje, Ntcheu, Malawi)

Peter wanting to get a taste of cake

After licking it, I knew what piece was mine!

Chule!!!

Jackie munching on food, Jackson just trying to find extras

For Christmas I enjoyed the southern part of Lake Malawi in Cape Maclear.  It’s funny how I used to wish that I could be on a beach for the holidays and there I was partly wishing I could be home enjoying the snow and the ski slopes.  Zimachitika (it happens)!  We all relaxed with swims in the water and drying off on the beach while cooling off with one of 4 beer choices in Malawi. To save on cash, I camped using the same tent my father and brothers used in Boy Scouts 15+ years ago.  Everyone thinks it looks like a spaceship, but I think they’re just jealous of the spacious interior!

Christmas Day I went to dinner with friends to a super nice restaurant just close to the beach, which morphs into a bar at night called Hiccups.  I wonder why….  Anyways, with a good shower and a borrowed dress from a friend, I felt like a million bucks and was ready for a delicious Christmas dinner.  The food was unbelievable and I couldn’t have asked for anything more.  The ham was so good that I teared up with memories of home.  It was followed with a brief chat with my family on the phone while I sat on the beach, and it made my day.  I missed all of them, of course, but I had the joy of spending it with my new Peace Corps family members which was an insurmountable pleasure.

Me and Mike at Christmas dinner (with hat I crocheted on my birthday)

(December 25, 2010.  Cape Maclear, Malawi)

The Christmas Crew! 

(L-R: Tim, Jackie, Sarah, Ben, Me, and Mike)

Lake Malawi!

In between Christmas and New Years I had to travel back to my house to grab my computer once I realized that the holiday cards I’d made and ordered on line for my mom were nowhere to be accounted for, anywhere in cyberspace.  It was great to see my boys (Peter, Chule, and Jackson) and have a chance to relax at home by myself for a day before heading up to Lilongwe to reorder the cards.  The weeds in the back and the garden had overgrown and I decided some sweat and dirt sounded good for the day.  The garden has had a bit of a tough time getting started starting, with bugs having eaten most of my corn and pumpkin crops (I’ve since replanted) but I’m hoping that once I return they’ll be well on their way.  I don’t always realize how much I like my own time and own space until I’ve been around groups of people for a while.

While inside the kitchen checking leaks I heard a piece of plastic in the corner move and simply thought it was rats (since I’d seen them bouncing around before).  I thought nothing of it as I snatched up the piece of packaging trying to scare whatever was under there.  Only, to my surprise, I didn’t find any rats or lizards.  Instead I found a snake.  Really, Mary?!  What’s with you and snakes?!  With every sense in my body on high alert, I slowly backed out of the kitchen to figure out what to do.

In my new, possibly stupid (ok, very stupid), fascination, I went inside and grabbed my camera to take photos of it.  I was surprised that it did not have the same aggressiveness of the black mamba.  I was so confused at the time while wondering whether or not the snake was still alive.  Same routine as before...I grabbed my khasu (hoe) and bent it out a little bit so that the angle went from about 60 degrees to 90 degrees, better than last time!

We’ll just say it’s much tougher to kill a puff adder than it is to kill a mamba.  Thick skin!  But I managed eventually and left it while I did my other evening chores, including feeding the pups and utilizing my awesome bucket shower :)  On unspoken personal principle I had to skin the snake to add to my other trophy of the mamba skin.  My current idea for using the skins will be to make a photo album cover up on my return to the states.

Puff Adder skin.  Figured this time I would spare the other photos...

(December 28, 2010.  My house, Bwanje)

The following morning I made my way up to Lilongwe to stay at a friends place for a night and try to figure out these New Years cards I ordered for my mom.  After multiple attempts I I still couldn’t get them ordered and then turned things over to my mom to sort out.  Ha, so you’ll see if they ever arrive!  When evening came I began to feel a slight fever coming on and was close to backing out of going up North for New Years. However, I decided if I didn’t go, I would not stop hearing how much fun it was.  So the following day, December 30th, I found myself in a car full of friends on our way to Nkhata Bay.

What a beautiful area!  I prefer the northern part of the lake to the southern, since Mozambique is so far off in the distance that it almost looks like the ocean.  We all stayed at a place called Big Blue, common for PCVs to stay due to the reasonable prices and fun atmosphere.  I felt on and off for the weekend, with some fevers at night and then feeling a bit tired but “with it” during the day.  I couldn’t quite pinpoint anything specific that I thought it could be so I just continued to enjoy time with friends.  New Years Eve was a relaxing day spent with a good friend eating Thai food by the lake and then on to an evening celebration at a local bar.  We rang in the New Year with sparklers and hugs, many of us failing to believe that we’ve been in Malawi for almost a year!  It’s crazy to think back to where I was last year.

The following night I had the highest fever yet, sitting at 103 F, identified when we finally located a thermometer.  I knew something was definitely wrong but I was too far from Lilongwe that there really wasn’t much I could do.  The next day a group of us headed to Mzuzu to stay for the night where I did my best to stay “with it” and drink lots of juice to feel better.  I was so confused by what was going on, because don’t most fevers stick around and not come in a cycle?  It felt great to sleep in a bed that night, since I was camping for most of the holiday, and to feel somewhat rested.

Lake Malawi in Nkhata Bay

Happy New Year!! 

(Amy, Mike, and Sarah)

On Monday, January 3, I headed down to Lilongwe in an awesome hitch, being the back of a trailer with bags of sachets (liquor shooters) that made comfortable seats.  I was looking forward to picking up the AMAZING Christmas package from my brother Stephen and sister-in-law Aki and to get checked out by the doctor.  To skip the boring details and straight to the climax of the story...test results say malaria!!!  Well, as if killing snakes at my house and hitching all across this county isn’t enough to give my parents a heart attack, I’m quite sure this malaria bit has put them over the edge.  I got it by taking Mefloquine (a 21 day half life) to cover me for the holidays incase I missed my Doxycycline dose (22 hour half life).  Well….little did I know, the Mefloquine needs a few days to build up in your system.  So in a period of about 6 days I gave myself malaria and had it for 5 days before it was treated.  How’s that for spending your New Years?!  

Truck hitch with satchets (I'm sitting on them)

(L-R: John (PCV Zambia), Colin, Amy, Dan)

I’m on the up and up right now but it’s a slow process.  Being that malaria goes in cycles...you feel crummy, you feel great, you feel crummy….  At night you cant take it, during the day you feel somewhat functional.  Fortunately I did not have full force malaria since I was covered by at least some medication during it all.  But I think it’ll be a little bit of time until I feel 100% again.

So today I’ll head back to my site and I cannot wait.  I miss my house, my friends, my dogs... When I’m away, I realize how much Peter is a part of my service here.  He drove me nuts as a puppy, but I feel I wouldn’t make it here without him.  And I worry about him when I’m gone, that he’s making trouble around the village eating people’s fish or trying to play with the children (I say trying because they’re most likely just throwing rocks at him).  When you’re a black dog (when most here are tan colored) and twice the size of those around you, you stand out and can be scary!  But he’s a lover, a mama’s boy for sure.  He’ll bounce back to America with me next year when I return so we’ll continue our adventures there

At any rate, I apologize this blog isn’t my typically (preferred) goofy fun story, but I assure more will come.  Just wanted to give an update to all of you that I’m still alive even as this crazy and wild adventure continues and takes me with it.  It all comes with it’s good days and bad days, but I would choose no other place to be right now.  Enjoy the photos!  And Happy New Year to all of you :)