the cottage girls--me, rhona, isabelle
menu on the wall at our market restaurantnote the sandwitch...we order the nsima for 100 and are very full. i can only imagine what a 400 would be like. mpunga is rice for those who don't like nsima or just prefer the other

rhona's birthday

Wednesday was Rhona’s birthday. French toast for breakfast and presents before work! Because of course we’re all going to work. For lunch we went to the market to eat at one of the restaurants…nsima, greens, beans and an egg. Then isabelle, doug and I did some shopping while rhona went back to work…on our way back up to the house we stopped at the tailor and picked up the Malawian suits we had made…classic! They aren’t the best fit but we’ll try again. my skirt has to start at about my ribs and then is too short but the top is cute. I think rhona’s fits better. The med students and other vols around came for a dinner of pancake stacks with fillings. It was a good day.

Her party we saved for Sunday as we wanted to be sure that Rhona would be there (as the patients keep coming into the hospital her times for getting off work vary). It was very hot but we set up on the porch downstairs as our neighbors got reassigned about a month ago and moved out and no one has moved in since and their porch is much larger than ours. We had made loads of cakes because we didn’t want to run out and then people brought even more. Nice turn out of the community and the ants came to visit. They were all over the porch but they didn’t climb up the table to get on the food so that was nice at least. The shade of the porch was a good place to sit and chat and eat all manner of foods—banana, ginger, carrot and chocolate cakes, m&m cookies, apple crumble and ice cream (of a type), fruit (watermelon and papaya)…lucky us there were leftovers that we continued to enjoy for the week.

today

Happy mother’s day! today, Friday October 15, is mother’s day in Malawi and it is a public holiday. No school! Just want to say thank you so much to all the mothers out there for being you and doing all that you do!

rock wake up

I’ve been waking up at 5:30…no alarm needed. Strange phenomenon as I’m not a morning person but it has been good for me. I take the morning slow, and the day seems calmer…there might be something to that hour of calm before the day starts for real. So on Tuesday I was up and had my ipod on and then I heard a crash. Came out to check the living room and kitchen but everything was ok so I figured I was hearing things or it was on the ipod (possible) and went back into my room. But then I heard isabelle come out of her room so I came back out…a rock had come through her window!! I went in and we looked out the window but couldn’t see anyone on the ground or really how it would have worked…then we saw a monkey running in the trees—back and forth in front of the window. Not sure what we did to provoke the attack as isabelle was in bed under her mosquito net at the time of the assault and there were no bananas or other fruits in her window…guess it was just time to get up—6:10am…

new teacher

Our new first/second grade teacher was supposed to start Oct 1 but we didn’t see him on Friday which wasn’t too surprising. But when called over the weekend he said he was waiting on his last pay check from his job—if he didn’t he probably wouldn’t get it and so that is also understandable. But that meant that Monday I had the two classes and I was not looking forward to that as I had it in my head that I was done with that. But when I arrived at school there was someone coming out of the first grade class and I just knew. Teacher Gift had arrived. I was relieved and yet the day was still chaos as he didn’t know what was going on. I split my time in the first and second grade but was able to leave without the fear that the whole class would be destroyed. Each class did the work that was for Monday so it seemed to be a success even through the chaos. I think I’ll be keeping the second grade while I’m here and definitely until Gift sets up and gets the first grade routine. Then we’ll see what happens.

communion

Sunday was communion at church. This has only happened a handful of times since I’ve been here (and I think it was started in the English service since I’ve been here) and this is the first Sunday that I’ve been in town for it. they change the service time to 7am instead of 8 for the English service…a deterrent on a good day. But of course I’m up as the sun is up much earlier and I’ve een up at 545 everyday for quite a while now…not many people at the service but I did see a familiar face from my Pearlington MS days. Doug Kee is in Malawi working with Marion Mission helping to build wells and is spending about a week in Nkhoma as his church is setting up a partnership with one of the nearby churches. The service is the same as every Sunday and when they get to the end of the regular service there is an announcement that if you are going to take communion you should move forward and everyone else seems to be dismissed as there was a mass exodus at that time. So I moved forward and the service seemed to start again…we said the Apostle’s Creed again and heard the words of institution—then had communion (bread and a pink juice) and then there was a second offering. Final hymn and then the announcements. Someone went around collecting some small piece of paper. I was then informed that there is a communion preparation service on the preceding Saturday that you are expected to attend if you are going to take communion. Oops.

clothing

We’ve had the plan for a while now to get suits (skirts and tops) made of the African material called chitengi in Chichewa. Of course actually following through has taken a while but for the last 2 weeks we’ve taken our chosen fabrics down to the market to leave them with the tailor that has been recommended by many. But his door has always been closed…when we finally asked someone about it they said he was at home. Will he be back tomorrow or another day. He was here last week. (that didn’t give us any helpful information) so we decided to find another tailor. We’ve been getting bags from Franco but we’re not so sure about the clothing and it wouldn’t be bad to give someone else some business. we noticed a new tailor at a relatively new store and so decided to give it a try.

On the porch of the building they have set up outside (better light and cooler with a breeze). On the wall behind him are some samples of what he has made and also a poster with about 25 styles of suits. So we stand in front of that and try to pick…of course we want to mix and match bottoms and tops and still aren’t sure if what we’ve picked is going to look good or silly or fit right or ….but now we’ve ordered and we’ll have to see what happens. He measured us…4 or 5 measurements written after each person (not each measurement) and then we were dismissed to return on Tuesday for the finished product.

out on the town

Being in nkhoma is a peaceful existence. Nowhere to go, enough to do, and you can get anything that you need…granted it is at least an hour drive but it is there. Friday evening we went to Lilongwe for a night out. There have been times when I’ve missed the various pubs and bars that I used to visit…depending on where I’ve lived—Turtle Landing (pearlington, ms), Town Pump (black mountain, nc) but I also know that it is the company I keep that makes the places what they are. And so I realized that I miss people more than the place and here I’ve been surrounded by great people and so haven’t missed going out as much as I could have.

Getting ready to go was funny. I don’t have anything that feels like going out clothes. I didn’t even bring a pair of jeans with me…and that is what everyone else was wearing. Once there it was strange how “normal” or easy it was to fall back into that setting. Pool, some drinks, easy banter and relaxed atmosphere. Not a late night for a “night out” but it was late for nkhoma life. Stayed at a hostel and shopped on Saturday before heading back home. Our last stop was to buy tickets for the Lake of Stars festival in Monkey Bay…very exciting—3 days of music at the lake…

afternoon escapades

I don’t seem to have much to do in the afternoons. Not to say I don’t keep busy and have no idea where the time goes but nothing really planned or needing to really get done deadlines. Which after being at school all morning I don’t mind at all—I’m wiped out when I get home. Though it has been getting better all year…I’m getting into my stride or semi-knowing what I’m doing (that’s probably just in my mind). Then last week I got a text on Tuesday asking if I would consider driving to dedza the next afternoon. Of course, for many reasons
1. I love to drive here—such an adventure being on the wrong side of the road.
2. Dedza is about an hour away and has a pottery place that serves good desserts and has a pretty good market.
3. I don’t have anything else planned and would love to help someone (assuming that’s why I’m being asked.
Turns out a special ordered platter from the pottery place needed to be picked up before the weekend. It was Jan and Trudi’s 40th anniversary gift. Then at school on Wednesday Willeke asked me if I could go to Lilongwe that afternoon to drop of a car for a couple coming back on Thursday. So I checked to see that the Dedza errand could wait for Thursday afternoon and agreed. So Wednesday into Lilongwe where I got to run to the market for some fresh vegetables and to pick up one of the Ter Haar children from a friends house before catching a ride back with Reynier on his way back from a clinic in town…not a leisurely trip but it was nice and not rushed with many many errands.
Thursday rhona and I went to dedza. The platter was very pretty and then we enjoyed cheesecake and the market…fresh vegetables and different chitengi (cloth wraps) patterns to look at and of course purchase. There was lots of road construction going on and it always surprises me as to how long it takes to get to dedza. One of the construction workers flagged me to stop but then lowered his hand so I thought that meant I could go…until I started and he got upset. I backed up and waited my turn (good thing as there were quite a few semis coming).

all 2nd grade

For the past two weeks I’ve had to only do the second grade class. amazing…and a little less stressful and chaotic than having both classes. (little would be the wrong word for that). First off the Ter Haar’s bus (family vehicle) broke down and so they couldn’t drive the kids to school…sad for the other family who then had to drive each day, but it meant that Willeke was at school with the first grade on that Monday! And we had 3 volunteers from Canada who came to help and were able to do lots of individual work with the kids who need that attention and English intensive learning. Then Friday the 3 women took the first grade class—they even did our combined bible story! I think the spelling tests went much better this time around. And I had more time to read with the kids. But at least when I had both classes I was ready for the chaos and extra energy. With only 5 I thought it would be easier and calmer but it was still a Friday. The next week was good. Found that I was a bit less short with them. I don’t know if they really notice it but I did and always really appreciate any help I can get. And feel much better about what I’m doing when I feel that I work with them instead of at them.

village visit

Last Sunday (well probably a couple of Sundays ago now) rhona and I went with Beria, the housekeeper at Barbara’s house, to her village. She stays in Nkhoma but her home village is just around the other side of the mountain. We’d talked about going since probably February and now being September we finally got it scheduled and went. We took the back paths and when we hit the “main” road again, rhona and I realized we’d walked this way once when we thought we might go all the way around the mountain (didn’t quite make it but had some nice exercise). Beria told us that there were some Yao (native belief/culture from before the Christian movement) traditional dancers or spirits in the area, so we didn’t stay on the main paths for long. We arrived at the village and there were only women and children around. We were introduced to beria’s mother and aunt who were sitting under the eaves of the house. We sat next to them and greeted everyone else who came up—sisters, cousins, children…and we shook hands with everyone at the insistence of the agogos (grandmas) as a sign of respect. the children were fascinated by us and also a little scared of us which surprised me as I’m sure they have quite a bit of interaction with azungu as the family is pretty well off and employed in nkhoma. I listened to Henderson, Beria’s son, sound out and read some Chichewa from a church pamphlet/bible study that happened to be covered (for safe keeping) in a French newspaper so I read a little of that. Same effect of not understanding.

After being introduced to one of the many women, I listened to her greeting to Beria and it was very similar to the one that I know but not quite the same—a few extra syllables added so I asked about it and was met with gales of laughter. I’ve known that we azungu are an endless source of entertainment for Malawians but I had no idea what I’d said that was quite that funny. I repeated what she’d said (more laughter) and then they said that it was the same and that I’d said it correctly. So I still don’t know what was so funny.

Our crowd was also told of our preparation of telele…very funny and strange evidently. Then we were told that we would have it correctly prepared today for our lunch. The correct preparation has in oil, groundnut (peanut) flour, onion in a very gooey paste served with nsima. Not bad but definitely not my favorite relish for nsima and I think I’ll stick with our preparation of the leaves. Beria has told us that she’ll teach us the correct way to do it so that we can do it ourselves…after lunch we sat under the eaves of a different house and the kids got a bit bolder and wanted their pictures taken. Not the most flattering but they love them either way especially when they get to see them right after they are taken.

It seems that the village life is peaceful and quiet…granted we visited on a Sunday afternoon but it made me think that I should try to spend some time (maybe a week) in a village to see what the “real” life is like here.

spring is here

random market foods

Another source of entertainment is our trips to the market where we buy anything new and different especially if and when we don’t know what it is. So far I think I’ve come home with at least 5 different things I’d never seen before.

1. spiky cucumber—I’d never seen a cucumber with spikes but there it was…still tasted like a cucumber…then they got really tough and then they started to taste more sour and fruity…strange evolution…

2. squash/pumpkin/cucumber thing—looked like a cucumber with warts and fuzz. When we brought it home beria told us the name (but I couldn’t remember it for the life of me) and then she cooked it for our lunch the next day. Boil it to death and then serve. Tasted like a squash and I think is classified as a pumpkin. Also found out that it was good grated in a salad (preferable to boiled).

3. sour stringy thing—some sort of snack that people will buy. Horrendous to the uninitiated. Very hard exterior that looks like something that you wouldn’t really eat but since they sold it in the market I thought we could buy it. you have to crack the outer shell (easiest with machete or ponga knife or throw it against the ground) and the inside there are lots of strings and pieces of spongy stuff that kind of looks like soft cheese that are really sour. And that’s all I can say about it…not my idea of a nice snack. We sent the rest of it home with beria because she said her son loves them. (sararh 1917)

4. Zambian eggplant- well, I’m just guessing it is a type of eggplant since beria had never seen them before. And when we cooked them they were a little bitter like eggplant can be. The outside was whitish yellow and they were small…maybe the size of large eggs. The insides did look like eggplant. I wasn’t crazy about the way I prepared them (just stir-fried) but I really wanted another chance…sadly a trip to zambia wasn’t in the cards that quickly.

5. About a month ago we bought some dried leaves. They are called telele…I’ve since found out that telele is the Chichewa word for okra, so we were eating okra leaves…but there is a special and specific way to prepare them (which of course we don’t know). We’d told/asked Beria about them (even though we don’t live there anymore) and she told us we wouldn’t be able to do it, but that she would prepare them for us or help us or something. But of course we never really got that planned and these leaves just sat in our kitchen. As they were dried they lasted a long time and one night we were preparing rice and beans and the beans were cooking away for the hours that it takes and we threw in onion, tomato and the telele. We thought it was good, but Malawians are not convinced.