Updates from Africa

Monire babwezi (hello friends-- in Chitumbuka, of course!). I can't believe that it's Christmas time-- it is so warm here, and we are leaving for the beach later today. I hope all is well in your lives. Things are great here. I am in Lilongwe at the Peace Corps office. It is only 7 am here and I have been up for two hours! Wow, my schedule is sure changing. Just a warning: this entry will be much shorter than my long-winded previous entry! But I will try to fill you in on the new happenings in my life.

Since my last entry, we wrapped up training in Dedza, went to Lilongwe for a few days before Swearing In (which was December 9-- no we're official volunteers!), then moved to our sites (December 10). The last few days of training were rather uneventful, but we did a few fun things. At the beginning of training, the Malawian trainers put on a skit called "Strange Malawians" to attune us to the ways Americans seem weird to Malawians. They joked about our desire to be alone from time to time (in this collective culture you are weird if you just want to read a book alone!); they also laughed at the way we are so fascinated with wildlife and nature (it's no big deal to them that they can see the stars so clearly!). Anyway, so on one of our last days of training, the PCTs got a chance to put on a "Strange Malawians" skit-- a rebuttle of sorts. Two of the guys in our group held hands (here it is acceptable for same-sex friends to display affection, but not opposite sex friends). While they were holding hands and cuddling they were discussing the horrifyingly brazen displays of affection they had seen between an American woman and a man, and how the woman was wearing a skirt that showed her knees (unthinkable!). We also carried many different things on our heads (coins, bags, and one girl actually managed a chair!!), and we had a "wedding" where the bride and groom looked terribly unhappy. In Malawi the bride and groom are not supposed to appear happy on their wedding day; rather, they look miserable to signify their sadness over leaving their families. So that skit was one fun thing we did during the end of training. We also made a mud stove (a wonderfully messy endeavor) and learned how to kill chickens. I did not volunteer to kill one, but I watched! That was enough of an experience for me. We had intense language training during the last week at Dedza and had our Language Proficiency Interviews before heading to Lilongwe. Everyone in our group passed the LPI, which rarely happens! We went to Lilongwe on Sunday (Dec 7). We had a series of final training sessions on Malawi politics, PC financial stuff, and the role of volunteers in development. Then on Tuesday we went to the ambassador's house for Swearing In-- when we transitioned from PCTs to PCVs. Several of us had dresses made for Swearing In, so we were looking very stylish! After Swearing In we had to get all of our shopping done for site (buying stuff like buckets, pans, candles, soap, paraffin stoves <-- I wish I had known there was a country-wide paraffin shortage before this purchase!). Shopping was awfully hectic, but I was glad to get it done. We went to Dale Mosier's house for dinner (he is the PC Country Director). Former PCVs who now live in Malawi were there, and it was very nice talking to them about their PC experiences in various countries. There was red wine there, and hamburgers-- two things I hadn't had in a while!

The following day, we left for site. They drive two or three volunteers per vehicle (Land Cruisers), and I was in a care with Enrique. His site is very close to Mzuzu, so we dropped him off first. It was funny to watch the drivers load up everything we have-- mattresses, bicycles, water filters, boxes, suitcases, and a million buckets-- they're like magicians the way they make it all fit nicely! We departed from Lilongwe early in the morning and arrived at my site around 5 pm. I was a tad disappointed to discover that my house was not yet finished... but my headmaster assured me it would be completed very soon ("tomorrow?" I asked. "yes of course." he replied. But then later one of the chiefs sat me down and said "but if it's not done tomorrow, you won't leave, right?". It wasn't done for five more days.). I think there is a reluctance to put money into volunteer houses before they arrive-- because the locals aren't entirely convinced that we're going to come until we show up with our stuff! So I stayed at my headmaster's until they finished my house. He is my next-door neighbor, so I was able to keep up-to-date on my house's progress! I was happy to spend a little extra time with my headmaster's family, too. His wife, Victoria, is so sweet, and his children are adorable. Victoria has been bringing me eggs and mangoes since I have moved into my house-- I don't think they're positive that I am able to feed myself. They are absolutely appalled by the fact that I have not made nsima for myself since I've been in my house (and yet I continue to live? Puzzling!). My headmaster was also disappointed that I did not choose to farm 20 ridges of maize. I planted a small garden, that was enough for me! There is a huge gardening space in front of my house that I am hoping to use for a school garden, eventually.

My house is delightful. It's a teacher's house very close to the school (I can see the school from my porch). I have a sitting room, a bedroom, a study, and a "food preparation room." Hopefully I can upload some pictures so you can see how cute it is! I have never had my own house before-- even though this house has a few bugs and does not yet have windows (just wooden boards for now), I love it! I am happy to be in a teacher's house. We are up a little hill from the rest of Chakoma village. Chakoma is one of the Senior Group Village Headmen and the village is named after him. He is a very outgoing man who is thrilled that I am here! I have been received so positively by everyone in my community; it is really fantastic. They are thrilled that I am trying to speak Chitumbuka. Between my attemps at speaking their language and my efforts with their daily chorse (namely water-carrying), I am providing my village with loads of entertainment!

Since I've been at site, I also have had a few meetings with the teachers to discuss timetables and course allocations. I will be teaching Form 1 physical science and math, Form 2 social studies, and Form 3 social development. I think it will be very interesting to teach social studies in Africa. I am hoping that my students' English is good enough that we can get into some interesting discussions, but this may be a lot to ask! I will start teaching January 5.

We are leaving shortly for Senga Bay. I can't believe I will be swimming in a lake on Christmas! I hear that Michigan is having one of the coldest winters ever-- it is hard to think about snow here in Africa! I hope you have a nice white Christmas. I will be thinking about you all!

Merry Christmas!

Alyssa