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Published: November 17th 2008
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Whew! I have been BUSY.
SO. Basically after Halloween I went and sparred at the Buddhist Temple. That was fun and the students (children!!) there are VERY TALENTED. Like back flips talented.
Katie, Brian, Danny (other PCVs) and I got a great ride up to Dedza Sunday the 2nd. There we met up with the remaining volunteers from our health group. We had lost 3 volunteers (they terminated early...they are still alive! That sounds really harsh) over the last 5 months, and another is going home in the next day or two. Our number is now 18 people. It was nice to meet up with everyone again, especially since I hadn't seen many of them since swearing-in.
Then I found out that Dedza was having a water-shortage and I wasn't so happy.
Anyway, our IST was BORING, but informative I guess. Well, to complain only a little, MY PC service is less traditional than the others since I kinda have a structured job. You know, with going to the school from 7:30-5 everyday...SO, therefore, the sessions were geared more towards the other volunteers living out in the villages that just completed their 3 month community assessment and
getting ready to start projects.
The first week I learned about organizations promoting treating water, home-based care, listening clubs (basically you get a club or a group of kids to sit around a radio and at certain times during the week there are programs on geared towards HIV/AIDS awareness) and blood donations. In the evenings we often went to ED's and hung out, or played Yahtzee or Spades. Exciting.
Saturday was AWESOME, however. As a group we went to Salima to get some culture. There we were invited to Mua Mission, a mission started in 1902 or 03 or 0 something by a bunch of Catholic priests and nuns (I have the book back in Dedza because I knew I would never remember the details). It was neat. LOTS of artwork, and we even had a little history lesson and got to go into a museum (yes, we have established that I really am a DORK). Most of the information was centered around the Ngoni, Chewa and Yao tribes. THIS does not help me too much, however, because I am surrounded by the Sena people.
I still had fun, and it was beautiful.
Sunday was also
Lots of Yahtzee
It got a little outta control sometimes. great. Peace Corps provided transportation to whoever wanted to visit their host-villages. OF COURSE I went. It was a little weird though. I think my Chichewa may be worse than it was 3 months ago, especially since most people talk to me in English, or sometimes Sena, at my site. SO, just as in homestay, I spent the little time I was there kind of staring off in the corner trying to come up with broken Chichewa phrases.
Afterwards we went to Dedza pottery. I bought some Christmas presents, AND I bought my birthday present! It was a yellow quilt, and soo nice. That made me happy 😊 Along with chicken lasagna and a coke. That evening my counterpart Falice came in from Nsanje with 10 other counterparts from all over Malawi. We had dinner and then went to Ed's to hang out and play bao and chess. My counterpart is superwoman and doesn't let guys push her around - and she beat them all in bao. By the end of the week EVERYONE loved her (except for some of the more sexist counterparts) and they all wondered why she was not a doctor instead of just the college
...More Yahtzee...
Cathy was particularly unlucky secretary.
Last week went just as slowly as the first. The first day most of our sessions centered around the objectives for the training, cultural differences and an overview of what Peace Corps is about. Tuesday we went through the 'Hope Kit' which has a lot of activities that can be done in the villages and communities to educate people about HIV/AIDS... including condom demonstrations which my counterpart loved teaching for whatever reason. Wednesday and Thursday was centered around IGAs (Income Generating Activities) and business planning. Mostly we talked about how to start fish ponds, poultry farms, and making peanut butter. It was informative but I probably would only have time to help with some of the smaller IGAs...
Friday I left early and went to a Senga Bay in Salima for a nursing conference. Peace Corps Volunteers who are nurses were invited, but it was a VSO conference. I met up with Elly and Hiram and 2 PCVs Sika and Michelle, and after talking about our sites and some difficulties we have we spent the evening in the Lake. It was my first time at Lake Malawi, and I was surprised how big it is! BEAUTIFUL. I
am going back to the lake this week. But not Senga Bay 😞. Anyway, I camped out because I am a poor PCV, and then met up with my colleagues back in Lilongwe Saturday.
Today I plan to go with one of my friends Cathy back to her site with Kelly. We will spend a few days there, then go to Salima, and then head up to Nkhotakota Pottery to camp on the beach before arriving back in Lilongwe on Saturday FOR MORE TRAINING IN DEDZA. Ugh.
But, at least I will see the lake again...
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Mary Lynn
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BEAUTIFUL
The sunrise over the water is stunning. And why were you up at 4:45 a.m.??? Miss you!