It’s Some Kind of World Out Here

Coasting down the bumpy road at a speedy 90mph, dodging potholes and pedestrians and bikers alike, we set out from the Chileka, Blantyre airport into our hometown for the month.

The very first thing Helen (our host for the month, although she is off to Canada with her husband starting today!) points out, is the amount of charcoal traderson the road. Pushing their overflowing bicycles topped with burlaps sacks (yes, SACKS of this stuff!), we see maybe over a dozen of these bikes on our hour long drive, pushing and dragging and shoving their teetering bikes on the rocky dirt roads of Chileka.

Charcoal trader on the road from Blantyre to Zomba

And this is why Kyson and I are here for the month, to conduct research on Malawi’s communities, the environment and economy surrounding energy. Already we have realized that this is a grandiose task.

Although it is the first day, we are seeing Malawians everywhere! And by everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE, visibly. There they are, always in groups, talking and smiling and laughing together, catching glimpses at us while we try to soak in everything about their culture, while they do likewise. On the streets, there are people dressed in traditional garb, women in long dresses and hair tied up in cloth, balancing wrapped vegetables and sticks for stoves, sitting out in old gas stations, minding their “Bend-over Boutiques” (donated clothes from first-world countries sprawled out on blankets to sell) or vegetable stands, sitting in front of hand-painted “Salon” signs. Men are walking around with friends, chit-chatting. And children are all over the streets, helping mothers or walking with friends. Even at 10AM, many children are not in school so we asked Helen about the state of education. There are some private primary schools, and a high school, but not necessarily everyone can afford to go.

We spend about 5 hours at the Chileka Shopping Centre (or “mall” as they call it). Yes, a SHOPPING CENTRE, while Helen runs some errands and we find lunch. We wandered for days in a pink version of a Wal-Mart (really, there are pink smiley faces and a “Everyday Low Prices” sign), then a Safeway-like store.

game Supermarket

Albeit, we are totally seeing the “upper east side” version of Malawi, I’m sure, what with the shopping mall being the first we see, then living in this phat (yes, phat.) sprawled out house on a mountainside in Zomba, Malawi.

In a way, I think I’m totally fortunatethrough my experiences and living in California— duh, you say— but I’ve been involved in poverty-stricken areas, aka Tijuana, and some slummy looking places, as well as growing up in a ridiculously diverse and accepting area such as the Bay. As well as traveling and getting shitted on by locals (re: Kenya experience.) I mean fortunate as in I think that sometimes I am desensitized to what should be a huge stimulant experience. Maybe it’s good? So I can see the root problems? Or maybe it’s bad— I think that it’s only temporary, for me, and there is too much that I cannot, as one person, can fix. I don’t know. I see shopping malls and this house, and I appreciate what I have, but I also want to camp out with the wild dogs and mosquitos in the Zomba plateau without internet or food for a month. Sort of. Kyson and I definitely packed for a whole other experience, but what we do have will definitely come in handy (ie, 20% DEET mosquito repellant).

Other yummy food I’ve discovered (and probably won’t ever eat): fried mice on a stick. They sell them on the side of the road, little kids running around with mice on a skewer. Mmm!!!

Introductions to the people we have met so far:

Helen & Paul: Our courteous hosts for the month. Unfortunately, they are back to Canada for reasons

Stephanie, Paul, Helen, & Kyson

Helaine: My roommate for a night! Brazilian Helaine is a bubbly, humble and friendly woman out in Malawi to “do God’s work.” She is veryyy sweet, and I’m hoping to learn some Portuguese with her! She works with orphans and other kids and teaches them English. Or, a lot of them teach HER English and Chichewa, and she teaches it to children who only speak Chichewa. She didn’t know English a year and a half ago when she got here, and has picked up quite a bit since then (but accented by Chichewans). Helaine tried to go to Madagascar (because she only spoke Portuguese) and Angola, but she says God directed her to Malawi, and now she is very happy here!

Stephanie & Helaine

Dr Lunogelo: Our new Tanzanian friend whom we met in line at the airport (a 45-minute wait that was, sadly, not the worst part of our experience at the Nairobi airport). He is the Executive Director of the Economic and Social Research Foundation in Tanzania, and came to Nairobi for the IDRC’s 40th Birthday. That is, the International Development Research Centre, which is a public corporation to bring environmental, economical and social benefits to the developing world.

Marla: Our new Peace Corps friend, hopefully we will meet up with her again! While at the shopping mall, she stopped by to say hello to Helen, and we inputted her number into our new (ah, aka ghetto) cell phone.

Grace (Mama Zidana): The fashion designer I met before boarding our plane in Nairobi. She has come out to Blantyre and Lilongwe to visit her family, where she is from. She has started her own micro-franchise, called Angel Fashion Accessories, (hasn’t set up her website yet), in Nairobi. I will be keeping in contact with her hopefully, and I want to swing by her house (where her business is run out of) when we go back to Nairobi! She was wearing one of her own creations— a beautiful skirt and top and scarf, made from her own textile designs as well!

Buti & Molly: Our Great Dane and Mastiff dogs, very friendly, enormous and old. I watched Marmaduke on the Emirates flight, so I was SUPER excited to come home to my new biiiiig dogs! Kyson feels at home and misses Yohji (his massive dog in the States).

Peti (I think): Our black cat. My nose/allergies are not that big of a fan of her, but she keeps out of my way and my allergies are a great deal better than in the States. We had a staring contest while I was brushing my teeth this morning— I lost, but saw her smirk at me.

We also have two African women (Roda and Grace) in the house, and are about to meet tons more friends! We’re headed out to the Zomba plateau and hills for some hiking and to gain familiarity in the town centre. See you soon!

-Stephanie via http://www.stephaniewu.tumblr.com/

September 17, 2010 | Categories: Charcoal, General, Malawi Trip, Poverty, Stephanie | Leave a comment