"The Warm Heart of Africa"

Warm, dry air blasted me in the face as I stepped off the airplane and onto the tarmac in Malawi. Such a change from the humid, muggy air of Uganda and the chilled, dry air of South Africa. In three days I had been in three different countries, a non-stop tour of meetings, sightseeing, and hours in the Hilux. Two constant weeks of butchering other people's language, being completely dependent on other people for communication, and knowing what was happening about 15% of the time. Don't be mistaken- these are not complaints, merely my reality.

We flew into Lilongwe, Malawi on Monday morning. (Side note-I don't know why sitting on an airplane or in a car makes my inner narcoleptic come out, but it seriously never fails). Quick meeting with the National Office staff and the next morning we were off to Salima. Luckily for me, Salima happens to be on Lake Malawi so that was my beach/lake moment that I missed out on this summer. Again, not a complaint. We finished up in Salima and headed to Blantyre and Mulanje. Pictures are below, but some stories first. 

There is a little thing in Africa called Peri-Peri sauce. Every country has their own version, but it is basically really hot hot sauce. It is delicious. Everyone I have met (despite being from other African countries) loves HOT peri-peri. I went down to breakfast one morning at our hotel in Blantyre and asked for chili/peri-peri sauce with my eggs. The waiter looked at me like I was crazy, started to say something, then decided not to and went to get it. I noticed he was watching me use the peri-peri and finally came up to me. "May I ask you a question?" Ummm yeah? "Where are you from?" The states. Why? Do you not see very many mzungus eating peri-peri? "No. None." and then he laughs and walks away. Moral of the story: I'm putting this JV notion that the white kids can't hang to bed. You are welcome peri-peri lovers of the world.

Not all of my experience was playing in the lake or taking pictures of random people (see below). This trip also included some powerful, but painful stories about the clients in the area. We were privileged enough to meet Fanny, a 20 year old girl that had been taking care of her brother and sisters for 8 years and working odd jobs to put them through school, giving up her own education. . After talking to her I realized, she is still a twenty year old girl. She still wanted her own life. She worries about boys, wants to get married, and only politely laughed at my attempts at Chichewa. I immediately thought about my own capabilities as an older sister. I adore my siblings, but in no way have I ever had to give up something as precious as my own future to ensure they had opportunities. Would I even be able to do some thing like that? Much less, could I have started doing something like that at 12? My siblings would have been 6 and 4...babies. Heartbreaking, complex, and somehow still hopeful and wonderful all at the same time-Fanny and her country seem to have more similarities than differences.

So Zikomo (Thank you) to the "warm heart of Africa".

Lake Malawi 

Mt. Mulanje and the tea fields

I took a picture at the market and this joker says "Flash Me!" Don't worry, he just wanted his picture made