On Thursday 14th October, we left for Lake of Stars in Mangotchi. Feel free to Google it. We got the 6.30 bus from Nsanje which was really rather on time. We reached Limbe after around 4 hours before having to wait for mini buses which would take us to Lake of Stars. We waited for a couple of hours, had lunch, I bought a lollipop which was essentially additives on a stick but I rather enjoyed it. Finally we set of for Lake Malawi, arriving around 8pm we were immediately ambushed by media asking Mike, the leader of Tiphedzane, who everyone was and what it was they had come here for.
I donÆt pretend to have experienced proper reverse culture shock, but it was definitely very strange being amongst so many white people. Nobody was staring or shouting æAzunguÆ at us, we could just blend in. It was all rather surreal, and the luxury of the resort definitely shocked some of the guys from Nsanje, some of whom had never even been to the Lake before.
The Lake feels like the sea, with sandy beaches and almost a little bit of a tide, we went for a swim which was lovely and just lay in the sun, relaxing for a while and enjoying the breeze which we most definitely do not have in Nsanje (while writing this I am in our house, boiling and sweaty). The band from Nsanje were part of the æClay diamondÆ project (which until we saw written down we thought was æGrey diamondÆ û pronunciation varies a lot here!) which focuses on development and helping artists from poorer and more rural backgrounds. However, as well as these artists Lake of Stars contained Tinashe, The Noisettes, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. And a lot of other African artists, some of whom we had heard on the radio back in Nsanje!
The live performances were incredible, the Noisettes in particular were fantastic on stage and on the last night we were told that Tiphedzane would be performing with Get Cape. I was definitely rather skeptical at first because a lot of things are talked about but never really happen, especially when there isnÆt a lot of time. However, around 6.30pm the guys turned up to start rehearsing. It was all pretty surreal but sounded amazing and was quite an experience!
We were supposed to leave on Monday but there was a mega transport fail and we ended up sitting doing nothing from about 6am until 4.30pm when the buses finally arrived and we headed to Blantyre. There was no way we could get our connection bus in the middle of the night so we stopped over in a lodge before starting up again the next morning and eventually getting back to our home in Nsanje around midday on Tuesday. By this point, Nancy was ill and hadnÆt slept and we were both knackered so Wednesday was spent relaxing and doing nothing!
The president comes tomorrow so we are all eagerly awaiting his visit to see the port which is frightfully exciting as hopefully it will make Nsanje more than just the poor, sweltering town in the south of Malawi. Fingers crossed!
OK so the President did come, along with Mugabe which was rather surreal. My shoulders got incredibly sunburnt but i'm fine now! No boats have arrived in the port yet though because apparently Mozambique never agreed to let them through their part of the river so it's all a bit dramatic!
Nancy and I start teaching in the secondary school tomorrow. I am terrified seeingas it's essentially GCSE level and some of the students could easily be my age. Maths and English language though so it should all be fine! Let's hope so.
I shall let you all know how it goes.
Love to you all!
Chloe xxxxxxxx
P.S. It was 39 degrees here on Sunday. And that has been pretty standard for the past week or so! I can't wait for the rain!
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Been here a week!
Tiphedzane (the organization Nancy and I are working with) are currently using our house as their office as our living room, which stands at around 3x6m is so much bigger than their existing one. This means that we have the laptop here almost all the time, without internet of course but it means that we can draft up blog posts here and take our time before taking them to the internet café and hopefully just copy and pasting them! I think the other reason they’re keeping the laptop here is because we have a guard who sits outside all night. It’s quite weird but we definitely feel safer for it. I reckon even I could break down our door without much difficulty!
So anyway, to the blog!
I can’t believe we’ve been here a week. On one hand that has gone so fast but on the other everything here seems like normality already. Our sleep patterns are shifting – we get up around 6am when the cockerels start calling and everyone else gets up to draw water and go to school (which starts ay 6.30!) because it’s so much cooler then.
On Wednesday we went to the market to buy a few bits and pieces, some more storage, some sheets to go over us at night – it gets surprisingly chilly in the early hours of the morning, nothing to warrant a blanket but you need something to put over you. We finished shopping around 11am so the midday heat was practically upon us so we travelled home by what Mike referred to as ‘local transport’. These were push bikes with cushions on the back which you sat on, holding on under the seat of the rider. It was surprisingly stable and was much cooler and quicker than walking!
We did our first load of hand-washing our clothes which was surprisingly fun. It definitely takes a lot of time but is quite therapeutic and we gradually got the technique from Rose after much apparent hilarity as we did it all wrong. That afternoon we went to meet the chiefs which was a very surreal experience. The respect everyone shows them is something we definitely don’t have in the UK. When a chief stands up to talk everyone claps with their hands cupped as a sign of respect whereas normal people are clapped with flat hands. Lingstone translated and they were all incredibly welcoming, constantly referring to how grateful they were to have us and how much they had been praying for our journey. People’s faith here is so much a part of their lives and every meeting opens in prayer. It was an amazing experience to meet the chiefs, if a little strange in how they seemed to see us as somehow we would be of value because of where we were from and the fact that we’re ‘Mzungu’. We had the meeting under a huge tree which must be a hundred years old, it’s branches stretching far over towards the banks of the Shire river which suddenly changes the ground from brown to green, it’s truly beautiful. I will try and post a photo!
Thursday morning was dedicated to writing a proposal for Tiphedzane which went well but took so long. Everything takes longer here but so is the African way of life! We have a task every morning and every afternoon which is supposed to keep us frightfully busy but I’m fine with that! It allows us to spend time with the kids in the village and to chat to more of the locals who are always saying hi as they pass by our little house. Thursday afternoon was spent under the big tree again, this time meeting far more people to be introduced and then for Mike and Tiphedzane to do an activity tackling HIV/AIDS stigma. I thought it was really good, but strange as they used the kind of approach I would imagine to be relevant in a school rather than with a group of adults whose ages ranged from young to old. It seemed to be effective though and I think Tiphedzane are really achieving something in this community.
Friday was a very very exciting day. After two or three nights of Morris scurrying around in our bedroom we were starting to get paranoid before we even turned the light off. On Friday evening Mike arrived carrying a big sack, he said he had a present for us and the bag started squeaking as he handed it to us. Nancy and I are now the proud owners of a little ginger kitten called Geoffrey. I am trying to attach a picture so I hope it works! We thought it was a hilariously English name but today we were introduced to someone called Geoffrey…oh well.
We let Geoffrey out of the house for the first time today but he is rather pathetic and is currently sitting under my chair as I type, the front door is wide open but apparently it’s not the right time! Yesterday afternoon we went to watch a league football match between Nsanje and Zomba. Unfortunately we lost but it was definitely an experience. I personally can’t understand how anyone can exercise that much in the 3 o’clock heat of Nsanje but they played quite well and practically the whole town was crowded around the sidelines to watch. I think it was quite an official game but the pitch isn’t full size and people from the crowd kept running onto the pitch. Football is pretty huge in Malawi but Mike (our host) doesn’t really know much about it – we plan to teach him the offside rule at some point!
Yesterday was also our first experience of Malawian church. It was all very surreal as we were asked to sit up on the stage at the front of the church for the whole service which meant we had to pay full attention, despite not understanding a word of the sermon, other than the Bible verses mentioned – coincidentally those verses were that day’s reading for BIOY which was rather exciting . The service lasted pretty much 2 and a half hours but the majority of that time was worship, all a capella which sounded incredible. I don’t know how they manage the harmonies they do! Then three ‘choirs’ sand a few songs each. It was all gospel music but the ‘Hosea’ choir looked to Nancy and I like some kind of boyband, all between 18 and 25ish they were brilliant! Something I would imagine Simon Cowell would approve of should they wander into an X Factor audition.
Everything is so great here, we now have a bathroom, essentially a cubicle with a drainage hole but it makes washing a lot easier! Missing you all a bit but not much!
Lots of love to you all,
Chloe xxxxxxxxxxxxx
So anyway, to the blog!
I can’t believe we’ve been here a week. On one hand that has gone so fast but on the other everything here seems like normality already. Our sleep patterns are shifting – we get up around 6am when the cockerels start calling and everyone else gets up to draw water and go to school (which starts ay 6.30!) because it’s so much cooler then.
On Wednesday we went to the market to buy a few bits and pieces, some more storage, some sheets to go over us at night – it gets surprisingly chilly in the early hours of the morning, nothing to warrant a blanket but you need something to put over you. We finished shopping around 11am so the midday heat was practically upon us so we travelled home by what Mike referred to as ‘local transport’. These were push bikes with cushions on the back which you sat on, holding on under the seat of the rider. It was surprisingly stable and was much cooler and quicker than walking!
We did our first load of hand-washing our clothes which was surprisingly fun. It definitely takes a lot of time but is quite therapeutic and we gradually got the technique from Rose after much apparent hilarity as we did it all wrong. That afternoon we went to meet the chiefs which was a very surreal experience. The respect everyone shows them is something we definitely don’t have in the UK. When a chief stands up to talk everyone claps with their hands cupped as a sign of respect whereas normal people are clapped with flat hands. Lingstone translated and they were all incredibly welcoming, constantly referring to how grateful they were to have us and how much they had been praying for our journey. People’s faith here is so much a part of their lives and every meeting opens in prayer. It was an amazing experience to meet the chiefs, if a little strange in how they seemed to see us as somehow we would be of value because of where we were from and the fact that we’re ‘Mzungu’. We had the meeting under a huge tree which must be a hundred years old, it’s branches stretching far over towards the banks of the Shire river which suddenly changes the ground from brown to green, it’s truly beautiful. I will try and post a photo!
Thursday morning was dedicated to writing a proposal for Tiphedzane which went well but took so long. Everything takes longer here but so is the African way of life! We have a task every morning and every afternoon which is supposed to keep us frightfully busy but I’m fine with that! It allows us to spend time with the kids in the village and to chat to more of the locals who are always saying hi as they pass by our little house. Thursday afternoon was spent under the big tree again, this time meeting far more people to be introduced and then for Mike and Tiphedzane to do an activity tackling HIV/AIDS stigma. I thought it was really good, but strange as they used the kind of approach I would imagine to be relevant in a school rather than with a group of adults whose ages ranged from young to old. It seemed to be effective though and I think Tiphedzane are really achieving something in this community.
Friday was a very very exciting day. After two or three nights of Morris scurrying around in our bedroom we were starting to get paranoid before we even turned the light off. On Friday evening Mike arrived carrying a big sack, he said he had a present for us and the bag started squeaking as he handed it to us. Nancy and I are now the proud owners of a little ginger kitten called Geoffrey. I am trying to attach a picture so I hope it works! We thought it was a hilariously English name but today we were introduced to someone called Geoffrey…oh well.
We let Geoffrey out of the house for the first time today but he is rather pathetic and is currently sitting under my chair as I type, the front door is wide open but apparently it’s not the right time! Yesterday afternoon we went to watch a league football match between Nsanje and Zomba. Unfortunately we lost but it was definitely an experience. I personally can’t understand how anyone can exercise that much in the 3 o’clock heat of Nsanje but they played quite well and practically the whole town was crowded around the sidelines to watch. I think it was quite an official game but the pitch isn’t full size and people from the crowd kept running onto the pitch. Football is pretty huge in Malawi but Mike (our host) doesn’t really know much about it – we plan to teach him the offside rule at some point!
Yesterday was also our first experience of Malawian church. It was all very surreal as we were asked to sit up on the stage at the front of the church for the whole service which meant we had to pay full attention, despite not understanding a word of the sermon, other than the Bible verses mentioned – coincidentally those verses were that day’s reading for BIOY which was rather exciting . The service lasted pretty much 2 and a half hours but the majority of that time was worship, all a capella which sounded incredible. I don’t know how they manage the harmonies they do! Then three ‘choirs’ sand a few songs each. It was all gospel music but the ‘Hosea’ choir looked to Nancy and I like some kind of boyband, all between 18 and 25ish they were brilliant! Something I would imagine Simon Cowell would approve of should they wander into an X Factor audition.
Everything is so great here, we now have a bathroom, essentially a cubicle with a drainage hole but it makes washing a lot easier! Missing you all a bit but not much!
Lots of love to you all,
Chloe xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
NSANJE
So, a day late we arrived in Nsanje on Sunday (PS I'm in an internet cafe where the space bar is a bit sticky so forgive all my typos!). Over our 4 days in Blantyre we managed to see the Malawian version of Jedward (seriously they were hilarious), a Malawian engagement party and a lot of markets and sun but Blantyre was positively cold compared to the weather down here. It's so so hot, I'm justglad we have electricity so that our fan works although there was a powercut last night. We had candles but it was absolutely sweltering. We're getting used to it though and hopefully soon it will just be normal.
We are in a gorgeous little house,very basic and primitive but it's ours! We had a mouse (whom I named Morris- i know, how African) which Nancy wasn't a massive fan of but I thought it was amusing and he was gone by the morning. We don't have running water but it's not so bad, the electricity is enough and pumping water will mean I plan to actually develop some upper body strength by the time I come back!!!
We started working on our timetable for the next week this morning and it has made me soexcited about what is to come and genuinely how we will be able to make a difference here. All the people here are so hospitable and smiley even if today a baby was scared of us because we're white.
It's strange, it didn't occur to me that it might phase me to stick out like that but it has been very strange to walk everywhere and turn heads no matter what you're wearing or how unobtrusive you're being. I'm just very, very thankful to have such wonderful hosts, and of course Nancy who has been invaluable, especially over the past2 days where I have been rather ill (not fun) but I feel a million times better now so all is well.
Our Chichewa is coming along nicely although it is still a struggle to understand people which can be quite frustrating, especially when it's so obvious that they're discussing you!! Lots of people we're working with speak english if very very quietly! Sometimes I fear I'm being too loud but that's never stopped me in the past!
I don't have much more time online so I'll leave you with that. Look forward to more blogging!
Lots of love to you all,
Tionana
Chloe xxxx
We are in a gorgeous little house,very basic and primitive but it's ours! We had a mouse (whom I named Morris- i know, how African) which Nancy wasn't a massive fan of but I thought it was amusing and he was gone by the morning. We don't have running water but it's not so bad, the electricity is enough and pumping water will mean I plan to actually develop some upper body strength by the time I come back!!!
We started working on our timetable for the next week this morning and it has made me soexcited about what is to come and genuinely how we will be able to make a difference here. All the people here are so hospitable and smiley even if today a baby was scared of us because we're white.
It's strange, it didn't occur to me that it might phase me to stick out like that but it has been very strange to walk everywhere and turn heads no matter what you're wearing or how unobtrusive you're being. I'm just very, very thankful to have such wonderful hosts, and of course Nancy who has been invaluable, especially over the past2 days where I have been rather ill (not fun) but I feel a million times better now so all is well.
Our Chichewa is coming along nicely although it is still a struggle to understand people which can be quite frustrating, especially when it's so obvious that they're discussing you!! Lots of people we're working with speak english if very very quietly! Sometimes I fear I'm being too loud but that's never stopped me in the past!
I don't have much more time online so I'll leave you with that. Look forward to more blogging!
Lots of love to you all,
Tionana
Chloe xxxx
Friday, 1 October 2010
IN MALAWI!
I'm finally here! It feels like forever ago that I left my parents with a teary goodby at the airport. Henry was there too of course but he wasn't so important, his parting words were "I want a sandwich".
Since then I have been having the time of my life, starting with the 8 hour plane journey where I heard the Lidl song whose lyrics include "One day I went to Lidl, I went to shoplift in Lidl. One day I went to Asda, I went to shoplift in Asda." It was truly beautiful. The travelling did take a very very long time, but we ended up in Business class on our half hour flight from Lilongwe (the capital of Malawi) to Blantyre, where I am now but Nancy and I are leaving tomorrow morning to head down to Nsanje where we will be for the next 11 months. Nsanje is right in the south of Malawi and everytime we tell people where we're going they all say "It's hot there"! so I have a feeling we're going to boil, but I'm sure we'll get used to it. It'll be fine as ever!
I'm having the time of my life, learning some Chichewa (mulibwanji!) and just getting to know so many people. Everyone is ridiculously friendly here and loves to stop and chat for a while. I have already fallen in love with Malawi, which I'm sure you will gather over the next few blog updates! I have so many stories that I don't have time to put on here but which I will write about another time or tell you all about when I'm back. You'll be sick of Malawi by the time I'm through talking!
Lots of love to you all,
Chloe xxxx
Since then I have been having the time of my life, starting with the 8 hour plane journey where I heard the Lidl song whose lyrics include "One day I went to Lidl, I went to shoplift in Lidl. One day I went to Asda, I went to shoplift in Asda." It was truly beautiful. The travelling did take a very very long time, but we ended up in Business class on our half hour flight from Lilongwe (the capital of Malawi) to Blantyre, where I am now but Nancy and I are leaving tomorrow morning to head down to Nsanje where we will be for the next 11 months. Nsanje is right in the south of Malawi and everytime we tell people where we're going they all say "It's hot there"! so I have a feeling we're going to boil, but I'm sure we'll get used to it. It'll be fine as ever!
I'm having the time of my life, learning some Chichewa (mulibwanji!) and just getting to know so many people. Everyone is ridiculously friendly here and loves to stop and chat for a while. I have already fallen in love with Malawi, which I'm sure you will gather over the next few blog updates! I have so many stories that I don't have time to put on here but which I will write about another time or tell you all about when I'm back. You'll be sick of Malawi by the time I'm through talking!
Lots of love to you all,
Chloe xxxx
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