Blogs from Malawi, Africa - page 71

As written in the wee hours of last night/early this morning. It's about 1 a.m., and here I sit at the kitchen table having just put away a block of cheddar and crackers. I heard a rooster crow not long ago. I think his watch is a bit fast. The last 2-3 days have been primarily characterized by rumbly tummies for both Katie and myself. It's nothing serious, just an annoyance that keeps you from feeling 100%. I think it is mostly from the drastic dietary change we have undergone since arriving. I really think Mr. Banda has a 50-gallon drum of rice hidden around here somewhere. Along with small potatoes, rice makes up the base for almost every meal. All bread I have encountered so far is white. Starch abounds, but nothing containing fiber seems ... read more

Nobody showed for "T.O.T.S." auditions this morning. Bleh. Anyhoo, some random funny occurences. - I have been hearing this guy wailing a repeated phrase over and over while walking through the streets each morning. I thought I was hearing the morning call to prayer for the mosque. I found out recently that what I have actually been hearing is "Tomatoes! Cabbage! Onions!" - "Azungu" is the Chichewa word for "white." We're getting really familiar with it. The little kids apparently get a really big kick out of us. When we walk by some of the younger classes at Hillside, we'll get a whole chorus of "AZUNGU!" or "MZUNGU!" (Mzungu is plural). This morning we were passing a big group of kids and they started up a chant of "A-zun-gu, A-zun-gu" like they were at a political ... read more

We had a quick taste of African-Portuguese crossing northern Mozambique for two days en route to Malawi, our proposed chill-out destination. It was a beautiful ride through Tete region in Mozambique, and trying to speak Portuguese (Mozambique's national language) really wetted my appetite for more of this Latin influenced - almost flirty by nature - country. After spending time in Zimbabwe there seemed to be a more vibrant feel in Mozambique (not surprisingly!) with people dressed-up to go out on a Sunday night - I later discovered Sunday to be the biggest day for Mozambicans to party! After four border-crossings in two days with the usual rigmarole of paper-work and being whisked-off to the side-room for "compulsory insurance and taxes" we arrived in Malawi. The focus of 'beach-life' propelled us to travel in the dark until ... read more

So... highlights from the last few days. 7-4-2007 "Forgotten 4th" Embassy row is a lot like fraternity row. We had to go to extend our visas, and I thought about stopping in on the Chinese and British just to say "hello." Anyway, we couldn't figure out why the gate was locked and unmanned. Enter our friendly Malawian worker from a nearby truck: "Ah, no one is working here today. It is a holiday, but only for the Americans." oops. Katie and I get called Africans over here for our tree-climbing ability. Met the 30 students at My Brother's Keeper music & movement school today. The kids at MBK seem to be a lot more open and self-confident than the kids at Hillside. Today made it clear that our experiences at the two schools will be quite ... read more

7-3-2007 Today was a slow, relaxing day that Katie and I both really needed. Jet lag finally caught up with us, so it was great that not too much was scheduled so that we could get some good rest. Spent some time dwelling on how to help Hillside. Soooo many ideas. We got our first look at My Brother's Keeper, the school run by Mission Africa, tonight. Also saw the nearby garden called "Four Seasons." Absolutely beautiful. I'll tape a video tour. Katie taught Jerome, Taritta, and me some ballet in the dance room. I look a bit goofy. Wonderful conversation before bed. Jerome often remarks that the things we say are exactly what he needs to hear. It works both ways, and the exchange is beautiful. How could I have ever known 6 months ago ... read more