Experiences in Malawi, Africa No. 2

Getting on the internet here is quite a task, so updates will be coming more slowly than before.

To summarize the last few days, I will begin with last Sunday, then work my way up to today. On Sunday, I slept in while everyone else went to a local church. When everyone returned, we left for the owner’s home (Annie) to have a late lunch and visit a village. The lunch was very nice, and very delicious. I sampled the fried chicken, potato salad, quiche, and some of the chocolate cake. There were no complaints from anyone, I assure you. Once lunch was over, we took a short trip to a village. In the village we visited with two dozen or so people, and were shown how the villagers live their day to day life. Life for these people is hard, to say the least. Food is minimal, and there are no amenities that could be considered convenient. A large family shares a home the size of small storage shed, where they sleep on mats of bamboo. Light is provided by filling a small medicine bottle with kerosene, drilling a hole in the top and lighting a wick that has been placed inside. Many injuries, fires, and deaths result from this method of lighting.

Despite these hardships, the people in the village seemed quite happy to have us present. They laughed and smiled nearly the entire time we were there. Two adolescent boys even performed a short skit to help explain village life. Everyone was laughing, and seemingly enjoying the experience. As I stood there, I thought about how often these people get such enjoyment out of a life plagued with misery and desolateness. I imagined it couldn’t be often. It was quite depressing, to be honest.

As we boarded the bus, I knew that the way I viewed the world would no longer be the same. I now had a dual, not mono, perception of human nature to contend with. On the one hand, I saw poverty and despair; and both made me doubt human kind. On the other hand, I truly came to believe that the way life is experienced is a matter of perception. You either wallow in misery, or you make the proverbial lemonade. While there is much more to be said about the trip to the village, it will suffice to say for now, that indeed, there may be a silver lining for people who endure hardships like those in that village and many others like it. That lining is created between their ears, and we have much to learn from them.

Over the next few days after that, I was again in the schools collecting data and teaching. Nothing exciting happened on Monday or Tuesday, though I am happy to report that I am well over 2/3 of the way complete with my data quota. There were, however, some exciting things that happened over the last two days. On Wednesday we ventured about 2 ½ hours south to Muvuu Lodge for an overnight safari getaway. We arrived around noon, and were quickly escorted across the croc-infested Shire River to the lodge and chalets we would be staying in. Soon after getting there, we took a quick tour. We saw vervet monkeys, baboons, warthogs, elephants, many birds, waterbucks, impalas, hippos, and crocs. We came back for an amazing lunch about an hour later. Afterwards we took a nice two hour siesta, and then ventured out again to see if we might see a rhino. No luck, although we did see a few sable and zebras.

We met up at sunset to have a beverage right in the middle of the savanna in which we just viewed all the wildlife. Once it was dark enough, we again ventured out with spotlights to see any nocturnal animals that might come out. We ran into a herd of elephants, which was pretty wild. We didn’t see much else worth noting, except maybe a mongoose. Once we returned to the lodge, we had another amazing meal and chatted for awhile. We were then escorted to our chalets, which were like little huts. They were stone up to about 4 feet, with mesh netting completing the rest of the wall. The ceilings were wood rafters, with a mesh roof. The place had electricity, comfy beds, and a beautiful bathroom made of stone and wood. They were pretty awesome. Even more awesome was the fact that the hippos, elephants, and crocs, could venture right on over to our chalet and hang out if they so desired. That was reason for the escort from the lodge. Pretty neat, eh?

This morning we had a wonderful breakfast, and then took a tour on the Shire (pronounced sheer-e) River. We saw tons of hippos (pun intended), an elephant, several crocodiles, birds, and even a monitor lizard. After about three hours, the tour ended and we left Muvuu to see a nearby primary school (grades 1-8). This wasn’t just any school though. This school was a model for all schools, especially those in Malawi. The school is centered on sustainability. For example, they collect water from the roofs and store them in huge tanks, grow gardens diverse in nutritional offerings, sell honey from bees they tend, and even make necklaces that are sold there at the school, as well as over at the Muvuu lodge. Most everyone in the group bought one to support the cause. All in all, the school is quite a model, and one that could really serve as a means to changing the way Malawians educate the masses. A most welcome change, I can assure you.

From the school, we headed back to Annie’s Lodge. On the way we stopped to shop at a market that sells wood carvings. Man, do those vendors like to wheel and deal. I again scored some pretty sweet carvings, like a table, salt and pepper shakers, chalices, and a bowl-like thing. We left there and stopped by a place where they make some really cool chairs, called chief chairs. They come in all shapes and sizes, and have just about any design carved you could think of. They were marvelous displays of craftsmanship, and cheap to boot. Many in the group bought one or two, but I decided I would refrain for some reason. I’m sort of regretting that, to be honest. Oh well, maybe I’ll snatch one up before I leave.