Lilongwe, Site, Blantyre and Dedza: June

Sorry it has been a while.

So, for an update. I went home as a surprise to everyone (except my dad) in May. It was great, and I really enjoyed going around confusing people. I even visited WV and NYC while in the states (apart from NC). It was great, and I ate A LOT. I was worried that when I returned to Malawi I wouldn't be able to adjust back, but it turned out that it was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

I flew back into Lilongwe just in time to "rest" in the transit house for a few nights with friends before the new health group arrived. As a PC Malawi tradition (and I read somewhere that other countries actually do this too), PC provides transport from the Lilongwe office to the airport for any volunteer who would like to go. The volunteer group already in country (whether it is Health, Education or Environment) will also make signs. Any trainee can come, and we stand on a balcony at the airport and cheer on the new trainees as they get off their plane. It's a lot of fun. I remember when I came into country it was pretty awesome to have people cheering for us when we got off the plan, and it was cool to meet people at the airport. It was strange to be on the other end, welcoming in the new group of health volunteers. After the new trainees clear customs we get in a big circle in the airport parking lot and say our names, where we are from, and something interesting about ourselves.

I went to Blantyre the next day, and managed to make my way to Nsanje soon after. Site is great right now. It is cool enough that you are comfortable with normal clothes on (not really cool enough for jeans though) and at night I now sleep with a sheet. I arrived back to site, and the next day was asked to go visit the students down in Ngabu and Bangula (the west side of the Shire River)... As if I hadn't done enough traveling, I now had to wake up early and travel down a horrible road 60K (because there isn't a bridge at Bangula, so the only way across is by canoe) and then basically back track another 60K to get to these health centers. At the first health center the students had to be reprimanded for a few different things, but at the second one the students were much better, and even fed us lunch. We arrived back home at about 6pm that night VERY TIRED.

The Friday after I returned to site I was given a chicken from my "Secret Friend". Now, secret friend is kinda like Secret Santa...except for you don't know who your secret friend is. You pick a number out of a hat, and the other person with your number is your secret friend. BUT, you have to buy a gift for your friend, but you don't know who he/she is until the day of the gift exchange. I bought a bunch of plates for my friend. She got me a chicken, a bucket of rice, and 4 meters of chitenje so I can make a national-wear dress. It was cool. But, I didn't kill the chicken the first night, and it laid an egg in my storage room. It tasted good though (the chicken, and the egg)!

I attended a mandatory ARV (Antiretroviral) training for three days while I was back in Nsanje. The whole hospital had to do it. It was good though. It was a good refresher about HIV/AIDs, as well as the WHO staging of HIV/AIDs patients, and the ARVs that are available here in Malawi. I got some great ideas for some secondary projects as well (not to mention a fanta every tea break!).

I also taught A LOT. I ended up with nearly all the hours because many of the tutors where out of Nsanje in trainings for one thing or another. I finished all of the GI disorders, and nearly everything with endocrine except for Goiters. I met with my health club and introduced them to my friend in Blantyre who works with Malawi Blood Transfusion, and still had time to site visit Ross and Tom in Chikwawa and learn how to make charcoal out of corn husks.

Last weekend I hitched a ride to Blantyre with the hospital ambulance (don't worry, we didn't have a patient). There was a trade fair in town that I visited, and I bought another purse...it was nice, and I will attend the next one in Lilongwe in October.

Monday Kelly, Tracey and I got a ride to Dedza where our Mid-Service Training (MST) was held. In total, our group still has 16 people left (out of 22. Just so you know, the other 6 people went home...they didn't die or anything). It was great to see our group, and we also got to hang out with the group about to COS (close of service = go home) and the new trainees. We even threw a big party for everyone on Friday with music, cheese, cake and sausage when the sites for the new group was announced.

My site mate Becky came in with the COS-ing group and spent the night with us (our last night in Dedza) along with Sika. We played a game of mafia, and ate all the leftovers before going to bed (at the late for Peace Corps time of 8:30pm). Yesterday we gotta ride up to Lilongwe.

Cathy, Judy and I will be spending the next 10 days in Jo'Burg, Cape Town and Namibia. (I will make sure I post THOSE pictures soon)

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