christmas
Happy Christmas everyone
Well I can’t quite believe that it is almost Christmas – it certainly doesn’t feel like it here! People are really tight for money at the moment because it is the start of the rainy season so they need to buy the maize and fertilizer for planting. This is quite expensive for the average Malawian especially as there is little or no concept of forward planning and saving money. We are all frequently asked for money or for loans from people we know.
However, that said people here do celebrate Christmas – it is a Christian country after all. I think it depends on the level of income that people receive on how much it is celebrated. Certainly the most important aspect for them is to go to church in the morning and then to celebrate in small groups or families. This is done by preparing a special meal (nothing like what we have at home tho!) and drinking and dancing. There doesn’t seem to be any gift exchanging and Santa Claus certainly doesn’t visit this part of Africa!!
There are a few decorations in the main shops in the main towns and the occasional Christmas song can be heard from within these but apart from that life goes on and Christmas is not really that much of an event – it is actually quite nice not to be surrounded by the commercial side of Christmas.
In our car we have been listening to Christmas CDs and I did attempt to create a lovely Christmas tree in the house – bare branches from an old cassava tree decorated in paper chains and a little bit of tinsel. Unfortunately Jambo the cat also enjoys playing with this and more often than not it ends up on the floor covered in dust! My advent calendar is great – it’s made from paper chains with a roses chocolate dangling down for each day – thankfully it is high up away from Jambo’s praying eyes and paws!
The volunteers who are left in Rumphi (most of the African Vols return home for Christmas) are having a Christmas meal on Thursday which will be nice. It is a Mexican meal!!
I leave for the capital at the weekend and will spend Christmas with a few other volunteers from my intake then will head off to Zambia for a 9 day trip. I’ll bring in the bells (2 hours before you lot) at Victoria Falls which will be totally different from standing in the freezing cold in Princess Street.
On another short note, my cat is going to be a right pain bringing in anything and everything. I was sitting on the toilet the other day and he appeared with this huge grey fluffy thing in his mouth. I let out a huge scream and he ran into the spare room. I paniced so closed the door and hoped that my watchman would be here soon! He is always late so I didn’t hold out much hope. I kept hearing bumping and thudding. I left the house to scared to look in the room and went to find a friend who could help! I was already late for the Christmas party in Rumphi and needed to get into the room to get my bike stuff. Noone was about and still no sign of George. Thankfully Jonathans worker can and we opened the door expecting the see a shredded chicken everywhere but no sign – just several feathers from a bird! I’m still not convinced that he ate the whole bird, feathers, bones and all and I’m still expecting a dead bird to make and appearance somewhere! It really wasn’t my night cause after all that the bloody bike wouldn’t start either. I had to walk in the dark with lots of food! The night was nice when I got there and by the time I got back, George had already gone to sleep and Jambo was whining for his dinner!!
Hope you all have a great time and will be back in touch in 2008!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
Caroline
Well I can’t quite believe that it is almost Christmas – it certainly doesn’t feel like it here! People are really tight for money at the moment because it is the start of the rainy season so they need to buy the maize and fertilizer for planting. This is quite expensive for the average Malawian especially as there is little or no concept of forward planning and saving money. We are all frequently asked for money or for loans from people we know.
However, that said people here do celebrate Christmas – it is a Christian country after all. I think it depends on the level of income that people receive on how much it is celebrated. Certainly the most important aspect for them is to go to church in the morning and then to celebrate in small groups or families. This is done by preparing a special meal (nothing like what we have at home tho!) and drinking and dancing. There doesn’t seem to be any gift exchanging and Santa Claus certainly doesn’t visit this part of Africa!!
There are a few decorations in the main shops in the main towns and the occasional Christmas song can be heard from within these but apart from that life goes on and Christmas is not really that much of an event – it is actually quite nice not to be surrounded by the commercial side of Christmas.
In our car we have been listening to Christmas CDs and I did attempt to create a lovely Christmas tree in the house – bare branches from an old cassava tree decorated in paper chains and a little bit of tinsel. Unfortunately Jambo the cat also enjoys playing with this and more often than not it ends up on the floor covered in dust! My advent calendar is great – it’s made from paper chains with a roses chocolate dangling down for each day – thankfully it is high up away from Jambo’s praying eyes and paws!
The volunteers who are left in Rumphi (most of the African Vols return home for Christmas) are having a Christmas meal on Thursday which will be nice. It is a Mexican meal!!
I leave for the capital at the weekend and will spend Christmas with a few other volunteers from my intake then will head off to Zambia for a 9 day trip. I’ll bring in the bells (2 hours before you lot) at Victoria Falls which will be totally different from standing in the freezing cold in Princess Street.
On another short note, my cat is going to be a right pain bringing in anything and everything. I was sitting on the toilet the other day and he appeared with this huge grey fluffy thing in his mouth. I let out a huge scream and he ran into the spare room. I paniced so closed the door and hoped that my watchman would be here soon! He is always late so I didn’t hold out much hope. I kept hearing bumping and thudding. I left the house to scared to look in the room and went to find a friend who could help! I was already late for the Christmas party in Rumphi and needed to get into the room to get my bike stuff. Noone was about and still no sign of George. Thankfully Jonathans worker can and we opened the door expecting the see a shredded chicken everywhere but no sign – just several feathers from a bird! I’m still not convinced that he ate the whole bird, feathers, bones and all and I’m still expecting a dead bird to make and appearance somewhere! It really wasn’t my night cause after all that the bloody bike wouldn’t start either. I had to walk in the dark with lots of food! The night was nice when I got there and by the time I got back, George had already gone to sleep and Jambo was whining for his dinner!!
Hope you all have a great time and will be back in touch in 2008!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
Caroline
posted by Caroline Pitcairn at
9:19 am
3 Comments:
and Season's Greetings to you too Pitcairn!
have a lovely time on your travels! Sounds fab seeing in the new year at Victoria Falls. I am doing as little as poss over the next fortnight, apart from the small matter that is potty training!
Will be thinking of you over Christmas and New Year...much love from all of us to you
suze xxxx
By
Anonymous, at 10:08 pm
have a fantastic Christmas and New Year Caz, missing you over here for the festivities but glad you have lots to keep you going over there, sounds quite exciting. Home to Brora for xmas then back down for new year, be in touch early 2008 will have a drink for you at the bells
loads of love
Elise
XxX
By
Anonymous, at 8:21 pm
have great week-end
By
CHIC-HANDSOME, at 4:03 am
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