HOME!

Well I am now safely back in Malawi after a couple of weeks at home. It was great to catch up with friends and family and even catch Hearts at a match (although getting beat by Dundee United was slightly disappointing!!).

Arriving back in Malawi was strange and the realisation that I won’t see anyone from home until August is quite scary! But still there is lots to do here in Malawi which will keep me busy.

The journey wasn’t as long as the one to get me home and I even bumped into Mairi’s sister who was on her way back to Mozambique after Mairi’s wedding. Arriving at the airport in Lilongwe I didn’t expect my luggage to arrive but much to my surprise I was the first person through. Customs wanted to know what I had in my bag and tried to charge me tax on the 30 odd t-shirts I had acquired from Hearts FC to donate to the local football team, as apparently bringing in gifts requires a tax charge – so basically when you come you are only supposed to bring items for yourself and nothing for the country!! Bizarre logic but there you go. In the end I didn’t have to pay but was told I’d have to fork out next time!! Next the baggage people open your cases and have a nosy about to see if you are bringing anything illegal into the country. Right on the top of my rucksack were 10 mini colouring books that I’ll use as part of a prize for a school competition we are running. The man wanted to know what they were and once I explained he told me that he would like one for his daughter. I tried to explain that I had an exact number and couldn’t spare any. I offered him a mini crunchie bar which he quickly hid in his pocket. Thankfully he seemed happy at that!!

Managed to get a lift back up to Rumphi the next day with Sue but on I have a story to tell about the buses! On the way down 3 weeks ago we got the posh bus called the Axa. It is a nice coach that takes about 6 hours which is quite fast and as a bonus it follows a timetable to no waiting about for 3 hours while it fills up! Half way down the steward announces over the PA system that the Axa company are proud to be the cleanest service provider in Malawi and that they pride themselves on keeping their buses clean and comfortable so bearing this in mind could people please not drop their rubbish on the bus – instead use the windows as that is what they are for!!! Keep the bus clean but not Malawi itself!!

Didn’t quite know what I was expecting to find when I got back to my house as apparently during my absence it was really windy and my watchman’s roof had blown off at his house so he just moved the entire family into my tiny outhouse and had taken over the cramped enclosure with their cooking, washing etc! He had also had an argument with Jonathan about feeding the cat and leaving the house open while he was sleeping. Thankfully when I got back where was no sign of this family but the back door was wide open for the whole world to wander in and no sign of him! At least the cat was still alive and seemed to have food in his bowl!

It’s been a short working week by the time I got back and I have had a leisurely weekend. The hard work (or something like that) starts back on Monday. We will now already have the rain to contend with and although the rains have been light so far, several of our roads are muddy already! Thankfully we have the vehicle to use and not me getting stuck on the motorbike!!

MOTHER'S ENTRY!!!!

After a long journey from Edinburgh to Amsterdam, onto Nairobi and then finally to Lilongwe, it was a real joy to walk through arrivals and find Caroline and her friend Jonathan waiting for us. She was looking fabulous, tanned, relaxed, fit and healthy; seeing her after 8 months was very special, and Brianand I found ourselves enjoying 7 wonderful days with her as our tour guide, travelling through the Northern and Central Regions of Malawi.

The pick –up truck which Caroline managed to hire from a local tradesman provided a great means of transport and it was a real blessing that she felt so confident in driving along dry, dusty roads, filled with large pot holes, no real surface, and constantly filled with the local villagers as they walked for miles carrying their wares. We never tired of gazing at the spectacle around us; small mud hut villages, busy little townships, children everywhere walking to and from school, rickety old buses laden with people, furniture, bags, and belongings. This all added to the flavour we experienced of being in a beautiful country with varied and dramatic scenery, of the friendliest locals you could ever meet, and of a culture poor in money and resources but rich in their contentment and acceptance of their lot.

If anything, we would describe Malawi and its people as a Country still innocent of Western influences with little ambition to develop its own resources and with customs and attitudes that would make you shudder. So often Caroline and I commented on tiny little children, maybe aged three, walking along the roads on their own, carrying huge bundles on their heads or we would spot a little girl about five, with a tiny baby strapped to her back as she carried her sister from village to village. There is simply nothing for the villagers to do, no lighting after 6.00 when it gets dark, no TV or cinema, no libraries or organised activities…….everyone just goes to bed!

Having recovered from our initial flights at the very comfortable Lilongwe Hotel, and after a local meal in town, we set off for the long journey up to Caroline’s home in Rumphi. Our overnight stop was at the Luwawa Forest Lodge, situated in the back of beyond , along hazardous roads, but a joy to experience with all the local children running to wave to us as we passed through their villages. When we stopped for a picnic lunch in the middle of the bush, opposite us in the trees were large eyes peering over, and we soon were surrounded by the local tribe and their Chief. Although they were very friendly, we were nevertheless glad that both Caroline and Jonathan could converse in the local dialect!

The lodge is a residential centre for many school trips and I recognised several Guide like activities and games that were going on with a party of school children….felt like home from home! We enjoyed some lovely walks along the lake and before we departed next morning, Brian and I went on a 2 hour trek on our own along the indigenous forest walk. We were warned that a leopard and her cubs had been spotted up on the hill and at one point Brian nearly jumped out of his skin when a huge animal careered through the bush towards him, only to find that the large friendly dog from the lodge had followed us!

Passing into the Northern Region where Caroline lives was impressive with beautiful rolling hills and magnificent scenery, including a huge mountain, shaped quite naturally like an elephant. Rumphi is a small town ship, nestled at the foot of the mountains and looks so tranquil and peaceful which belies all the hustle and bustle of markets and stalls. Her house in Rumphi is small, basic but very homely. She has covered the concrete walls with beautiful material featuring animals and scenes of Malawi and on one side of her living room wall there are so many photos of the family, while on the other, photos of her friends.

She very kindly gave us her bedroom and also tucked us in at night, ensuring that the cockroaches and rats would not creep under our mosquito nets….delighted to report, we saw neither. The real hazard from wild life comes form her little kitten Jambo, who is very wild and who loves nothing better than leaping onto the mosquito nets where he dangles like a monkey. Her home is stifling as she has a corrugated roof, so we enjoyed the cold showers in the morning. Outside, she has a rather wild piece of land which she and her night watchman, George, have cultivated into a vegetable garden, with tomatoes, carrots, beans and maize. All in all, her home is more than adequate for all that she needs and she has adjusted with great ease to Malawian life.

Our visit to the Education Department and a local school where she often visits was superb. It was exactly what I had experienced in Ghana, but for Brian this was a real novelty. The children ran for photos, sang to us, danced and the teachers were wonderful. Brian entered into the spirit of the whole visit, chatting to teachers and children alike. It was very evident that Caroline is held in high regard by all the staff, both in the Education Department and in the school. She is most respectful of the Malawian culture and encouraged me to wear a chitengi, which is a bright piece of cloth wound around my middle down to my ankles. It caused great hilarity from the female staff that I had tied this so oddly, so they sorted me out, and taught me how this traditional piece of clothing is worn.

Another highlight in Rumphi was our evening spent at “Chefs Restaurant” where we met up with all the other local VSO’s. What an interesting group of devoted and committed people, ranging from educational workers, to doctors, architects and planners. Both Brian and I were so taken by their complete dedication to supporting the Malawian people and it was a truly humbling experience to be surrounded by these individuals, giving up their time and careers, working in such basic conditions with so little resources. Brian’s challenge at the restaurant was to sample the local staple food, called “nsima”, and he had to go through the process of washing his hands first, before he rolled this white dough-like mixture into small balls before then dipping this into his chicken stew. It tasted so bland but in fairness to Brian he finished his meal, much to the surprise of the volunteers. He paid for the bill which included ten beers and ten meals, costing him a total of £10.00.

It was soon time to say farewell to Rhumpi , but not before a ride on Caroline’s motor bike. She zoomed us round the village and along the dusty roads, providing us both with a real white knuckle ride! We also managed a quick visit to the fish market and the local flee market where I bought some lovely cloth. These markets are so busy, lively, colourful and chaotic but it was also good to see a stall distributing all the Charity Aid clothing, which was so reassuring that our Aid can make a difference.

We also had to take our farewell of Jonathan whom we had got to know and whose company we enjoyed. He and Brian enjoyed a beer one night at Chefs where they actually managed to get the Scotland football game on the television……..some things never change! Jonathan is a VSO from Uganda, and having studied in Clinical psychology, is the counsellor, who runs the HIV/Aids clinic in Rumphi. He is a very good looking, very dark, easy going, bright and caring young man who looks after Caroline in more ways than one, and who is looking forward to taking her home to Uganda for a month before she returns to Scotland.

A very special experience for us all, Caroline included, was to then visit the Vwaza Marsh, which is a large game reserve in the north of Malawi. We were the only guests staying in the huts, so we received very individual treatment from the Ranger. After our lunch in an open style hut, overlooking the small lake, we sat looking at the many hippos either resting on the bank or swimming in the water……they were amazing and their sounds carried everywhere. Then our Ranger heard the cry of the elephants and in the distance we watched a large herd emerge from the trees to drink at the lake. Much to our delight and huge excitement, the herd began to travel around the lake towards where we were sitting and from the safety of our enclosure, we experienced what could only be described as “close encounters with elephants”. They are majestic beasts, huge in size and yet so protective towards their babies. Our photos show how close we came to these wild animals and we will never forget these unique moments.

Later that evening we went on a night Safari and saw more elephants, with the huge herd bull charging after our jeep because we had interrupted his mating. His angry screams, rearing of his front legs and flapping of his ears, made us quake in our shoes. The sun set, the stars and catching all the eyes of the animals in our headlights, was quite breathtaking. Among the other animals that we saw were families of baboons and it was fascinating and entertaining to watch how they carried their young and groomed each other. Our early morning walk into the bush with our Ranger was also enlightening and although we didn’t encounter any big game, it was lovely to see so many birds and smaller wildlife. Our accommodation was a small hut covered with bamboo type shoots, open windows, no electricity and our water was heated by a fire outside the hut. I simply loved this experience and during the night spent most of the time sitting up in bed, looking out at the lake, watching all that was going on and listening to the sounds of the wild…….pure and utter magic !

Following this adventure we then travelled along Lake Malawi, which was absolutely beautiful. It was hard to imagine this was a lake, such was its size and when we first stopped over at the Chintechi Inn, we felt we were on the edge of a Caribbean island. The manager of the inn arranged for us to sit outside for dinner, right on the grassy lawns in front of the lake where we enjoyed a beautiful meal, watching the Malawians in their fishing boats. The hospitality, the food, the peace and quiet, and the empty beach which we sat on the next day, are unspoiled and untapped resources that Malawi still seems to keep to itself.

Our next stop at the Livingstonia Beach Hotel in Salima, was luxury to say the least, especially as we had been upgraded to individual chalets. Here we enjoyed more time on the beach and simply chilled out before making the long journey back to the capital. Being in charge of the driving, Caroline was able to deviate whenever she and I wanted to visit the “curios Shops” and we enjoyed the chance on more than one occasion, to haggle with the sellers and purchase some beautiful wooden African carvings. Caroline excelled in this field and being regarded as a local, she made amazing deals, with even her father being impressed.

Our final night was in the Lilongwe Capital Hotel which was the perfect end to our trip. We enjoyed a lovely evening with Caroline in a super restaurant and reminisced about what could only be described as a perfect visit to Malawi, made even more special because it was our opportunity to see for ourselves what Caroline is doing, where she is working and the wonderful people she is meeting. We will cherish for ever, this superb, enlightening and outstanding visit………….we boarded our plane for Nairobi , sad to be leaving, but ready for our next adventure on our Safari in Kenya…… but that’s another story, for another day!

Photos

Hopefully this is a link to see a few more photos from my time in Malawi!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26942&l=a5ae0&id=521356310

and

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26955&l=610a9&id=521356310

Home comforts

Well I have been back in Scotland for a week now and I can now write an entry from home as I was a surprise for Mairi's wedding so was in hiding for a week! Being back is strange - some things feel like I have never been away and that my whole life in Malawi has been a dream. I have visited my school and made a good link with a couple of schools in Rumphi - the kids back here were so excited with their new penpals, especially with their photos of their new friends. I hope school can make a lovely display for the inspectors next month (what a shame I am missing that one!!!)

I also have managed to arrange my extension so I'm not back to school until August 08. Seems like such a long time away but there is still so much to achieve in Malawi, nothing to do with the sunshine etc.

I've been busy catching up with folk and spending my savings while I'm at it - you forget how expensive it is living in their country - getting my teeth cleaned and polished cost a third of my Malawian allowance!!

Thanks for all the messages you are leaving - I do read them and appreciate you all reading about my adventures. I do have to watch what I write about the state of Malawian schools and education in general as I have to be professional about it and I don't want to get VSO into trouble!! Although I do have some schools in my district that have 8 classes of about 100 kids per class and only 2 teachers for the whole school - how they do it I really don't know! (That is if the teachers decide to arrive on time or there is not a funeral on that day!!)

I'm looking into finding a website to upload some of my photos before I head back in less than a week. So for now here are a couple - the first is the folks at a local school and the second is Jonathan with mother and me in our hired truck!

Caroline

PS I realise you are still waiting eagarly for mothers entry about their visit - I'm assured that it is on its way but she is still very busy!!