Oh wow!!! I've arrived safely and am in Tanzania

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oh where to start..

so it seems most of you heard bout my smooth sailing to the airport 😊

After nursing my hang over back to health on the 10 and 8 hour flights I finally arrived in Malawi last friday and it feels like i've taken a step back in time.

I travelled to where i am located at Mwaya Beach by minibus which crams about 40 people into a twelve seater bus.. cargo and all. I enjoyed a 8 hour journey sitting next to a lady holding a chicken and my bag strapped to a basket of fish. there is zero personal space in this country and its something ive come to get used to. I bought an aussie flag @ melb airport and proudly take it everywhere i go.

After seeing the Malawi President, going to the toilet in a mud brick cubicle with a hole in the concrete floor and walking 3km's in the pitch black down a dirt path with man claiming to be an out of uniform policeman i finally arrived at Mwaya Beach.. my home for the next three months.

Mwaya is beautiful.. something from getaway.. my chalet overlooks the lake which looks like an ocean. On a clear day you can see the Mosambique peaks in the distance. I spend a couple of hours a day just froliking in the water.. although wary of crocodiles especially after hearing stories from the local children.

The Malawi people are really nice and friendly and you can't walk anywhere without hearing hello madame and kids running hundreds of metres to come greet you and walk with you. life is very basic though and realy really poor.

Volunteering at the school has oppened my eyes to how fortunate we are to grow up in aus. the children have barely any writing materials, classes between 70 to 100 students and teachers who dont have a clue what their doing. I jumped in the deep end and was teaching from my first day at school. Chiwawa which means quiet in the local language chitonga has become a very useful tool. but the students are adorable and genuinly happy. I already have my favourites 😊

its now semester break so another volunteer and i have travelled across the border to Tanzania. last night we stayed in a small town just across the border called Keyela, where we stayed in a cheap cheap hotel. it cost 1500shillings for two which is about AU$1.50 or 75 cents each... it even came with an ensuite which is a smelly hole in the ground 😊

we're on our way North to Arusha to watch the 90's Rwanda genocide trials and maybe take a safari to the Serengeti as its just next door and at the base of mt kilamanjaro. from there were going to travell to zanzibar a tropical paradise and dirt cheap. google it for me and i bet you'll get jelous when you see the prestine white sandy beaches and seafood buffet's for 5 bucks. whoooo!

Well we're off to find a cold beer served in a glass (thats rare in Africa) and a shower as a haven't been in one for days.. ewwww.

Have a good weekend everyone and i'll endevour to get to an internet cafe in Zanzibar so i can brag 😊

having an experience of a lifetime and definately won't take anything for granted when i get back to Oz.. especially a flushing toilet!

xoxo

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Photos

Mwaya Beach
My home for the next three months.. not bad

Mwaya beach soccer team
these guys have some talent.. most play without boots

minibus fun
so much room :)

local kids
there so cute.. and follow us everywhere

lovely ensuit..
..maybe we should've paid more than 75cents

kide following me home from school
they love getting their picture taken

local shop
who needs safeway when you have Msiska Minshop

Comments

[Blaise]

hiiiiiii
awesome storys mel looking forward to hearing some more stay safe and HAVE FUN oh and how exciting your going to be an aunty....woohooo xxx

[Garry Detez]

looks great
Wow. Looks amazing over there. Photos are mint. all the best. Garry

[dad]

up date
Mels, Crows lost first game to essendon by 31 pts at home. Port beat Freo at Freo by 15 or so. Australia as not as yet lost in cricket. Still to play England and New Zealand. keep cool. Love you. DAD