1 Month in Malawi

As of yesterday I have officially been here for one month.

Crazy!

I do not feel like it has been that long at all.

I do miss some things about home.

The top two being Rosie and my bed.

But there is no way in hell I would even think about making that journey back.

I have bad dreams that I have to go all the way back home!

Sitting on the plane and in airports for 27 hours was more than I can handle again for awhile. 

To reward myself for making it a month I bought a chintenge. 

A chintenge is the piece of fabric African women use for just about everything.

A skirt, to hold things, and to tie their babies on their backs.

I will be using mine as a cover up.

I bought these awesome travel towels, they pack small, dry fast, and apparently I needed an XL.

I have to get dressed in the shower just so everyone does not see my vagina.

I figure this is not a great first impression to make.

So my chintenge will come in handy!

Maybe a towel or beach towel would be a great birthday or Christmas gift (ahem family). 

This weekend has been very uneventful. 

But I have not minded. 

It has been chilly and rainy here the past few days.

Turns out here when it is fifty degrees the locals think they are going to freeze to death.

I heard, "It is very cold here." no less than 25 times on Thursday and Friday.

My time in the eye ward was extremely boring.

I got left in a room three different times by the nurse in charge, she said, "Just wait."

I am not as patient as the locals and I do not appreciate just waiting.

I have never had time creep by so slowly!

So come Friday I went with the intentions of leaving at lunch so that I could get my visa extended.

Ella, the nurse in charge told me to just go in the morning and then come back.

It was true that I needed to get it done in case they decided to close before three that day, you just never know here.

So I went  back in the cab and headed back toward town.

When I got to the visa office there was a long line.

Of course the immigration officer came right up to me since I was the only Mzungu (white person) in the place.

He took me back to a room, where they just stamped my passport, then sent me to the cashier.

Of course I was shoved right in front of all the other Malawians and they were told to let me go first.

I felt pretty guilty, honestly I wanted to wait in line longer, I did not want to go back!

But I was grateful for the first time in a long time I was not being pushed.

The pushing makes me want to punch somebody in the throat.

I keep my hands to myself though.

So I paid my money and realized it was only eight thirty.

How did it only take thirty minutes to take a cab, walk, and get through the line?!

So I headed to the Coffee Den where I can pay to use Wifi.

Yeah I ran out of things to do on the internet in about thirty minutes.

Well I figured I needed to go to the store and get something for lunch.

Then I thought I should walk home (about a mile away) and make my lunch and drop my laptop off.

Then I walked back to the taxi stand and got a cab and headed back. 

I got back at 10:15 am, how the hell did all of that not last longer?!

So I decided to sit in registration, I think the guy wants a mzungu wife so he at least talks to me non-stop and gave me the very important job of writing what he has already written into a book.

Then we took an hour and a half lunch.

I ate my lunch in about fifteen minutes because I was the only one eating at first.

Then I just sat and waited for lunch to be over.

Finally it was time to go back to writing things in my book. 

We saw only about five patients and the clock was ticking very slowly.

I was smart and had already had Ella sign my paper saying I had completed my days before lunch was over.

So I informed the guy at three that I had to leave. 

He asked why? 

I said I needed to go to town, which I did but just for a bottle of wine (I left that part out).

I left and felt like a kid skipping school.

I avoided running into Ella and got to the cab as fast as I could!

I was free!!!!

I am hoping this week is better than last, I may not make it if it isn't!

Friday night I stayed in and cooked some pasta, drank some wine and watched TV.

Saturday I went to the market, took a nap, used the internet, drank some rum and coke and ate left over pasta, and also had a good talk about culture and life in Pakistan with one of the guys who lives in the house where I am staying.

This morning I washed my clothes, and then came to town.

I am glad for a sunny day!

It was so nice just washing my clothes outside in the sun.

There are several local men hired to help at the house where I am staying.

I used to feel guilty about this, but now I know that we are providing them a job.

90% of Malawians are unemployed.

And the ones that are employed make next to nothing.

I asked the other day what a nurse makes and it is 94,000 kwacha a month.

If you remember the exchange rate is about 350 kwacha per USD.

That makes the yearly salary of a nurse about 3,222 USD.

This is somebody who went to college and got a degree.

I do not know how they even live and support a family off of that.

Many of the people here do not only support their immediate family, they also send money to extended family members.

It is crazy to me.

I still do not like the men to do all of my work for me.

I feel bad because they are not being paid anymore while I am there.

And also I am quite bored and was so happy to just wash my own clothes.

Also by wash I mean with a bucket and some washing powder.

I do not think washing machines exist in this country. 

It got me thinking about all of the things in the US that we think of as being necessary.

Washing machines, dishwashers, and oven, electricity, a car, and many more things.

I am also guilty of thinking that way.

I would have never at home been ok with one uniform top (yeah the other one did not last long, it now only has one button left, I think he was trying to hurry and finish that one! So it stays in my bag.) and one pair of pants.

But it really is not a big deal.

Also I can count on my hands the amount of times I have even washed a single item by hand at home.

I only have one stove top ring to cook on, no microwave or oven.

I do not have a hair dryer or straightener.

I always rely on public transportation to get around, and I am cheap so cramming in with a bunch of locals is always the way I travel. 

But I am not really missing or lacking anything.

Granted I rarely even get the chance to do my own laundry, I have to be sneaky to get it done without it being taken from me!

But it is nice to live a life of simplicity.

I am sorry in advance if I come back a freak and refuse to wash my clothes if I have worn them less than five times.

Also in sad news Jimmy the pre school coordinator drowned in the lake on Friday while trying to help a girl that was struggling.

I have only met Jimmy a few times while being at Ripple.

He is the one who did my orientation.

I knew right away that Jimmy had a passion for life, his community, Ripple, and all of the children that he taught.

I am learning very quickly how very fragile life is.

At home I feel like nothing bad really ever happens.

We somehow always end up ok.

That is not the case here.

In the past two weeks I have already seen two dead bodies, and heard of three other people dying.

I also hear the cries of many families everyday at the hospital.

Even the dogs I pass on the way to town constantly look like they are dying.

I was sure the one had died, it really needs to.

But no of course it has to still be alive and walk next to the road just while I am walking by.

You know those ASPCA commercials that always come on and make you so depressed?

Yeah those are the same commercials I always liked to use as an example for Douglas and Rosie about the great life they had and how they should stop being such assholes and more appreciative. 

Well this dog will make you about ten times more depressed than that commercial.

It is mangy, looks like a skeleton, and I swear it was barely breathing the day I saw it in the ditch.

Mike always asked if I wanted him to put it out of his misery.

Of course I would scream no! 

I do not even know why I gave him the satisfaction of getting me worked up, he would never hurt a fly even if it was dying.

In good news I was able to skype with my dad for the first time yesterday!

We have been emailing and texting some, but it was nice to actually talk to him.

He of course filled me in on how Rosie is doing.

And it seems like she is adjusting just fine.

I guess my sister told my dad that she did not think she could give Rosie back when I do come home.

My dad told me that he knows the moment I came home Rosie would leave her and never look back!

I agree completely.

Before I left she would not even get in the bed with Merik while I showered, she would sit on the mat outside of the bathroom door.

And if Merik thinks I would ever in my life would I part with Rosie she is crazy!

Well that is my non exciting week.

Here is to hoping this week goes by fast!

I am in the five and under clinic tomorrow and Tuesday.

I guess it is not at the hospital.

So let's hope some taxi driver will know where it is!

I will leave you with a picture of the chintenge and the cat Simba who is quite the character!

Oh and a picture of the group I stole from the Ripple blog, I am ready to get back to Mwaya! 

Only four of the volunteers from this group are still at Ripple. I am going to be seeing a lot of different volunteers in my time here!

Yes, he was just staring at me. He is pretty crazy.

My pretty chintenge! I want a lot of them, I want a quilt made and a dress! I also think that I will carry my babies like they do. I'm sure somebody will call CPS when I pick the baby up by one arm and sling it on my back. But hey, it works!