Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The north

Few things I've experienced have been more beautiful than my trip to Northern Malawi. 

Picture vast and sprawling.. greenery, forests, mountains covered in mist, waterfalls cascading off mountainsides, baboons, looking down over the lake, virgin untouched land. 
Think paradise.

Now think 26 people crammed into an 18 person seater minibus for 8 hours. Think peering out of the window from a tiny gap underneath someone's deodrantless arm pit, lack of any personal space whatsoever, and your spine unaligned for hours.

Yeah. Traveling in Malawi sucks. 

Or rather, modes of transportation in Malawi suck. Scouts honor, I will never ever complain about a packed greyhound bus or airplane again.. Even with crying babies, turbulence or traffic jams. Especially when I had two grown men sitting on my lap simultaneously during this trip. There were also chickens. Sometimes there are goats or pigs. 

You just have to laugh. (Because if you don't, you might cry.) At least my bus didn't break down and no one else's bodily fluids touched me. 

Turns out my expectations and standards have lowered significantly since moving here.

Malawian food without diarrhea? Great meal! 
Minibus ride without getting peed on? Success!
Only 2 new unexplained bug bites today? Hell yeah!
Only one mysterious creature making noise in my room/ crawling on my mosquito net at night?
I most likely won't get bitten and die!! Woo!

Okay, I'm exaggerating, but only slightly. I've known a few too many volunteers who've been peed on, on a bus and I'm still relatively new here..

What was I even talking about? Oh the north. It's incredibly beautiful. Really, words can't do it justice.

On my way to Karonga, (one of the northern most districts of Malawi, baaaasically Tanzania) I had nervous excitement growing in the pit of my stomach; I was feeling giddy and loopy, disoriented and so happy, all at the same time. It was just so damn beautiful. The feeling, was exactly the same as when I've fallen in love--aka I feel like a complete and total loon. But, I can't deny, its nice. Everything was right in the world..

Most importantly, I was on a real, bonafide adventure. It my first taste of freedom and independence since coming to Malawi. 

Cha-wemi my friends.

In Karonga, I don't quite live on health center grounds, in a rural village, or on a main road, but those descriptors are all close enough that you could picture any of those scenarios and you'd basically be right. My house is wonderful. 2 bedrooms, a porch, a living room with some furniture, a  store room "kitchen"..and outdoor kitchini, bafa, and chim! While I don't have electricity, my house is wired for it and I have a tap in my yard, so I won't have to walk and carry water on my head, score!

The best part? It's a ten minute walk to the most beautiful place in Malawi, the lake. It is nothing short of breathtakingincredibleoverwheingbeautythatjustwontquit. It's awesome. 

Seriously, there just aren't words to describe how lucky I am or how beautiful the surrounding areas are.

Anywhoo...


Mzuzu is my closest biggest city, and so far I loooove it. Also all the volunteers in the north are incredible, welcoming, and (Chitipa volunteers are some of my favorite people!)

So, I've been procrastinating on this post forever because there is so much to say about that experience, my Sitemate, my house, the village, the landlady, the people, my access to resources, my feeling and emotions, and tons of other things.. But mostly because I've been processing what happened on the way back to homestay.

The long and short of it was a wake up call about: where I am living, gender issues, poverty issues, the upcoming election, the support I can expect to receive from Peace Corps, the way the Malawian government operates, what being a white woman is going to look like in Malawi, and how to deal with major intimidation tactics on my own. I don't want to get into specifics, but basically I and a few other volunteers were detained by Malawian immigration, threatened to be arrested-and were held for hours in hopes we'd pay off the officers. Why? We didn't have the visa and passport page proving that we were here legally for 2 years. Why didn't we have it? It stays in  the Peace Corps safe in Lilongwe. Why?..great question.

 It was a very scary experience and left me aware.

So much more to come! I've started a few posts and am slowly adding to them over time! 

Coming up soon:

Malawi pros and cons
What an awesome care package looks like
The most stressful week ever
And soon, my new life in Karonga!

I know, I know.. You're waiting with breath that is baited.

I love you all.


OH! My new address:

Chilumba rural hospital 
Attn: Amy Burke peace corps 
PO box 131
Chilumba, Karonga




Monday, April 14, 2014

Pros and Cons

Welp, just like in any healthy functioning relationship, I've decided to scrutinize all the flaws and place all the good stuff on a pedestal in order to create the MALAWIAN PRO CON LIST Ame style:

Neutral:

The overwhelming BO. Holy hell, when I first got off the plane and into the village the concentrated smell of body and lack of deodorant made me literally gag. Now, I don't notice it, really. Not even a little. I haven't really seen anywhere you can buy roll on/ stick deodorant in Malawi yet (this doesn't bode well for my 2 year stay,) but I've also not been able to explore or shop much. I also have the makings for a pretty good natural deodrant. Thank you coconut oil!

Living in a fish bowl. Nothing I do or say goes unnoticed. There was a joke in PST (pre-service training) where our staff would refer to knowing crazy details about our lives from "bush radio." Well my friends, it's no joke. I can go to the market and buy tomatoes and two days later someone I've just met for the first time will mention my market trip and ask how those tomatoes were.  Today a neighbor checked on me because she had heard from someone else I might not have bought enough vegetables. While it is sweet, and helpful that people are looking out for me..  Everything I do is HILARIOUS. From speaking the native language, to washing my clothes, planting a garden, interacting with children-Malawians like to laugh at the azungus for trying to live their lifestyle. The constant watching could easily become annoying and even detrimental at some point. If anyone sees men stay over at my house or sees me drinking, my reputation is shot. But, this could also save my ass-if everyone is looking out for me, they might be willing to save me from snakes, thieves, and village boredom. 

Lack of indoor plumbing, electricity, washing machines, wifi...instant gratification. Yeah, I mean it's not convenient, but it forces me to really focus on and live in every single moment. I appreciate the silences and the processes of every day tasks rather than doing them mechanically and without purpose. It helps me live intentionally and well. It also takes away most of the distractions that I'd made such a big part of my life. It's a beautiful way to live, but it's also intimidating. I have to really spend time with my thoughts and my "self". What if I'm uncomfortable with what I find? 


PROS:

The best fruits. Guavas, pineapples, coconuts, papaya mangoes, oranges, bananas, watermelon, massive avacadoes.. Best of all is this alien looking green fruit that I love called ntopia!

Sleeping under a mosquito net. Yeah, I feel like a princess, or a fetus back in the womb and I dig it. I'm not ashamed at all..like, I reallllly like it. Also it keeps out spiders, mice, snakes, scorpions, and malaria.

The stars, they're incredible. You will never experience stars like I get to see every night. They are so beautiful and crystal clear with no light pollution what so ever. I can see the damn Milky Way!

Free range chickens and eggs. Like actually free range. I asked a Malawian once how they know which chickens are theirs, because they roam free everywhere, all the time. The secret is apparently where they come home to roost. If the chicken is roosting with you, it's yours! 

The kids. They are amazing, and funny and incredible, and transcend all of the usual challenges and complications of interacting with me. Honestly, it's rare when I don't have an army of little iwes attached to my hands and arms, fighting to sit next to me or try to sneakily touch my hair or skin without me noticing...I know guys, it's weird, but the white doesn't rub off, neither does the tattoo. It's part of me.

I am stronger than I thought. In PST there were many times when I questioned whether or not I could do what I was committing to, or truly live the lifestyle this requires of me, but almost every day I challenge myself and am happy with the results. I'm an anxious and scared person by nature, but I refuse to let those things hold me back. I feel confident that I'll fully experience my time here and that I will thrive in Malawi. I am more and more proud of myself for handling new and uncomfortable situations and overcoming my fears.

No one is seeing me naked. I have a wicked sweet tan from my hairline to my cleavage, and mid calf to my toes. The rest of me (or most of me) is BLINDINGLYWHITE. It's jarring. 



CONS:

No one is seeing me naked. This is listed twice for what I assume are obvious reasons. Life is intrinsically less fun when you're the only one seeing yourself naked..especially when it only amounts to solo bucket baths in a grass hut.

Racial profiling. I'm sure this will eventually be it's own blog post, but it's so strange to be on the other side of it. I'm stopped by immigration and police, all the time. There are tons of assumptions made about me every day because I'm a white American in rural Malawi. Mostly, that: I have money, I am married with children, I have come to give people things-books, toys, money..etc, I am well educated, I will teach English, and I'm weak by Malawian standards. It's sometimes funny, but often frustrating.

Some crazy high percent of Malawians are stunted. This is bad for development especially cognitively, but it's bad for me because I'm too tall for everything! My homestay bafa, doorways, our kitchini, the chim... I can't tell you how many times I run my head into my family's thatched roof and am walking around with straw poking out of my hair. Actually I can tell you, and it's at least twice a day.

Disposing of trash. Haven't seen a trash can since I've been here. There are no plants or ways to dispose of trash, so people dig pits in the ground, throw garbage in the pits, or light it on fire. Luckily there is about 90% or higher less processed goods here. Packaging is very minimal comparatively to the US.

The creepy crawlies: scorpions, tarantulas, black mambas, spitting cobras, man eating spiders, roaches, tsetse flies, Mosquitos, termites galore... Also the scary animals- aggressive baboons, hyenas, deadly snakes, rabid dogs.. Bats in my chim..There's also this one really aggressive duck that lives near me. He consistently rapes the lady ducks, and is always honking and bellowing and raising and lowering his mohawk. I call him alpha duck (and secretly in my head, gonorrhea face because, well, I'll post a picture sometime.) Pro- I have geckos in my house which eat a lot of bugs!! And I have yet to see a scorpion in my house. (Knocking on wood as I type.)

Access to...anything.

Malawian roads, and driving. It's terrifying. Minibuses suck.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Big week!

Tomorrow we find out where we will be placed for the next two years of our life--and on Friday we will make the trip to see our sites for a few days, meet the villagers, scope out our houses, and meet our new Malawian counterparts.

The excitement and anticipation is seriously palpable. 

Will we have to start a fire every time we cook? Will we have running water or electricity? Will we be in the mountains or lake side? Will we be placed by a rural health center or in a city near a hospital? Will we have easy access to water and transportation? Will we be close to one another? Will we be in a Muslim or Christian community? How hot/ cold is it going to be where we live? Can I integrate or will I just be thought of as some rich privileged azungu?

We know which languages we speak so we know roughly where in the country we will be ( I'm Chitumbuka, so I'll be in there north) but that's literally all we know.

Everything we have been dreaming about  and worrying about throughout our entire application process, acceptance, and PST training period is going to become a reality this week.


Saturday, April 12, 2014

Tarantulas

Okay I officially take back my last post complaining about man eating spiders, especially because a fellow volunteer had a tarantula crawling on her bed net a few nights ago--and another volunteer had one in the bafa with her. The ones I'm taking about are big, but not as scary as a real life tarantula encounter. 

Seriously, I am eternally grateful for my bed net. Not only do I feel like a damn princess every night, but it keeps out the undesirables: mice, roaches, man eating spiders, malaria, scorpions...man. It's a good thing I didn't look up poisonous insects before I came to Malawi or I would be freaking myself out to unhealthy  levels. I almost wish I hadn't looked up all the snakes that could kill me...

Also, life is great and I'm loving it! More details soon to come!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Chimnastics the saga begins.

Why are there man eating spiders in the outdoor chim at night? Can't they be out in nature with the rest of the creepy crawlies?

I'd rather pee the bed than inhabit the same space as a spider the size of my hand, especially because it is a shifty little bastard and way too fast for its size. I can literally see its fangs from a distance. 

Not okay. 




Saturday, April 5, 2014

Bua

Yesterday was hands down my best day in Malawi.

 It started with waking up at 4:45 and my stomach in knots because I was so anxious about Hitchhiking and trying to barter in a language that I'm struggling with (a language that is often understood but not widely spoken in the Kasungu district). I just felt nervous and sick. It turns out our initial sessions were cancelled, so we had 3 hours of free time, something almost unheard of in PST. Tara and I went and talked with one of the resource volunteers (a current volunteer who comes for a week to help teach us about PC issues, help us navigate the process, and answer questions about serving) about life in northern Malawi. I don't know if I mentioned before but I am learning Chitumbuka, so I know I will be placed in the north and most likely in one of these areas: Rumphi, Mzumzu, or Karonga. (Fingers crossed for Karonga! 3 minute walk from the lake and lots of other volunteers nearby!!)

The resource volunteers are awesome and seriously have enhanced this experience tenfold. They are where I get most of my information. It was especially nice because this volunteer speaks the same language, knows the potential sites where we will be placed, and was just a cool person to talk to in general.

After hanging out and talking, we went to met up with the other volunteers and got our Hitchhiking on. A Peace Corps vehicle took us in pairs (with a language instructor) and dropped us all I'm different places on the side of the road. We then had to flag down a vehicle and jump in if it was headed to Bua- an open market about a half hour away. We had to leave our instructor behind. Emma was my Hitchhiking buddy and we jumped into the back of a pickup truck after bartering a price. Ultimately, it was so much FUN!

The wind was rushing by, the weather was amazing, Emma is ridiculously cool, Malawi is just beautiful... We had a blast!

After some confusion about where we were, and how to get there, we arrived at the market with a bunch of objectives: find out prices of so many objects, barter and ask to lower prices, find a traditional healer and herbal medicines, find the local water source, locate the chim, etc. The challenge for most was to do this in Chichewa, and even more so, for me. finding someone who spoke my language.

 It was super fun. Everyone in Malawi is truly so nice, helpful, and most are really receptive to strangers trying to speak their language. We met some awesome people in the market. Then we had to find our way back to the Kasungu boma (market). Emma and I were determined to hitch and get a free ride this time, but circumstantially, we ended up taking a minibus with a bunch of other volunteers. 

I've heard lots of horror stories about minibuses: being squished, being peed on, breaking down for hours, having breast milk leaked on you.. But other than the conductor telling me he was in love with me and wanted me to be his girlfriend, it was a fun and decent ride. And Emma and I talked down the price! (Okay, Mostly Emma, she gets the credit for that one!)

We got to Kasungu and hung out in the market, went to a few shops, bought a few things, then headed back to our villages in a Peace Corps vehicle. 

The volunteers later just spent some good quality time together-listened to music, and just reminisced until we had to leave. (We aren't allowed to be out after dark, which is generally a bummer.) So I got home, did my usual bucket bath, helped with dinner, played with the baby, hung out with the fam, played cards, went to bed- then a group of volunteers who live in my village showed up at my door! 

Led by an incredibly silly Kevin and his abambo, we marched around, woke up all the other volunteers, until we had everyone (an unusually long process). Then we had a strange little pow wow and went back home.

I don't know, it was a bizarre but incredibly fun day. Everything here  just seems so scary in my head until I actually tackle it- then I realize how attainable it all is. Anyway it's almost 7 am and I feel guilty for staying in my bed so long. Time for chores! 

Hope you are having yourself a beautiful little day!