Monday 30 March 2009
The first week was....
...uppy downy.
This country is beautiful and, now that I've cleaned the gecko poo off the walls & windows and the mould off the shower, I'm feeling more at home in the 'dude hut'. Still struggling to relax for fear of spiders but love feeling very safe under the mosquito net.
Prudence demands that I don't use this blog to comment on: the traffic cops; road blocks, immigration department; customs officials; elections or our work. However, I will allow myself the following: when leaving the airport an on the spot fine is a happy alternative to a trip to the police station; people are not just waving when you're driving the wrong way up a one way street; 7.30am is the best time to do business with immigration HQ; we now have our boxes; the rallies, though raucous, appear peaceful; A is working very hard and I've already met the young lawyer who acts for the Malawian Competition Commission (wrote his thesis on essential facilities!). Its been straight in at the deep end but so far we're swimming. There, enough.
On safer ground: 3 days of no power cuts and my repertoire has extended to chicken with olives and beef curry (we've tracked down 'Mr. Gujarat' who sells spices and lentils by the sack load!). I've found a cheese that's like a bland mozzarella. The tomatoes, watermelon and avocados are fantastic, the apples are crud. The harvest is starting and lady with baby at the end of the street now appears to be selling limes and aubergine as well as the usual manky bananas. It also turns out that a young woman with a baby (Joseph) strapped to her back carries a huge sac of fresh veg on her head directly to the house each Saturday!
We've sussed out the beer bottle recycling system but remain at a loss re: empty water bottles. We've nearly spent all our money & eagerly await pay-day but still ditched the high school production of the Tempest in favour of a fantastic meal out on the terrace at Chez Macky on Friday night.
I'm enjoying blogging (future themes likely to include: 'The idiosyncrasies of African English'; 'Why its good to be British'; and 'The cult of Shoprite') but I don't like the one-way nature of it. Thanks for your e-mails but please send more news of home.
Take care,
F x
This country is beautiful and, now that I've cleaned the gecko poo off the walls & windows and the mould off the shower, I'm feeling more at home in the 'dude hut'. Still struggling to relax for fear of spiders but love feeling very safe under the mosquito net.
Prudence demands that I don't use this blog to comment on: the traffic cops; road blocks, immigration department; customs officials; elections or our work. However, I will allow myself the following: when leaving the airport an on the spot fine is a happy alternative to a trip to the police station; people are not just waving when you're driving the wrong way up a one way street; 7.30am is the best time to do business with immigration HQ; we now have our boxes; the rallies, though raucous, appear peaceful; A is working very hard and I've already met the young lawyer who acts for the Malawian Competition Commission (wrote his thesis on essential facilities!). Its been straight in at the deep end but so far we're swimming. There, enough.
On safer ground: 3 days of no power cuts and my repertoire has extended to chicken with olives and beef curry (we've tracked down 'Mr. Gujarat' who sells spices and lentils by the sack load!). I've found a cheese that's like a bland mozzarella. The tomatoes, watermelon and avocados are fantastic, the apples are crud. The harvest is starting and lady with baby at the end of the street now appears to be selling limes and aubergine as well as the usual manky bananas. It also turns out that a young woman with a baby (Joseph) strapped to her back carries a huge sac of fresh veg on her head directly to the house each Saturday!
We've sussed out the beer bottle recycling system but remain at a loss re: empty water bottles. We've nearly spent all our money & eagerly await pay-day but still ditched the high school production of the Tempest in favour of a fantastic meal out on the terrace at Chez Macky on Friday night.
I'm enjoying blogging (future themes likely to include: 'The idiosyncrasies of African English'; 'Why its good to be British'; and 'The cult of Shoprite') but I don't like the one-way nature of it. Thanks for your e-mails but please send more news of home.
Take care,
F x
Wednesday 25 March 2009
Killing Kangaoodee
(or rather asking Piri, the guy who helps at the house to). Not sure if that is how you spell it but that is what Piri said when I pointed out this really evil looking spider sitting in its web just outside its front door. I was happy for it to stay in its web but didn't get a chance to establish whether 'good spider or bad spider' before it was 'dead spider'...
Things are starting to feel more normal already - its busy here, beautiful but really densely populated. I can hear children and dogs and cockerels all day in the house (from about 5.30 in the morning!) I can hear crickets and music at night. The place smells like burning wood and is about 25C during the day. Cool at night. need a jumper. Quite a few cars but the streets are full of people walking everywhere. A lot of them very smartly suited and booted, a lot not. Everyone (inc us!) goes to work about 7 and home about 4 / 5pm. Apparently I'm looking at the equivalent of the city of London, the real poverty is in the sticks, but there is a lot of business being done here, which helps make it feel normal (if very foreign at the same time).
Adurey Brown on BBC Radio Network Africa isn't a patch on John Humpreys but I am learning a lot from her about African politics - apparently Zimbabwe is on the bounce back up - investors starting to pile in again. The flight to Harare from Narobi last Friday was certainly quite busy (though I was being careful not to get on the wrong one!)
Still not got our boxes out of customs....power cut every day, getting sick of cheese sandwiches. Gin is excellent. Not been bitten yet (result!)
F x
Things are starting to feel more normal already - its busy here, beautiful but really densely populated. I can hear children and dogs and cockerels all day in the house (from about 5.30 in the morning!) I can hear crickets and music at night. The place smells like burning wood and is about 25C during the day. Cool at night. need a jumper. Quite a few cars but the streets are full of people walking everywhere. A lot of them very smartly suited and booted, a lot not. Everyone (inc us!) goes to work about 7 and home about 4 / 5pm. Apparently I'm looking at the equivalent of the city of London, the real poverty is in the sticks, but there is a lot of business being done here, which helps make it feel normal (if very foreign at the same time).
Adurey Brown on BBC Radio Network Africa isn't a patch on John Humpreys but I am learning a lot from her about African politics - apparently Zimbabwe is on the bounce back up - investors starting to pile in again. The flight to Harare from Narobi last Friday was certainly quite busy (though I was being careful not to get on the wrong one!)
Still not got our boxes out of customs....power cut every day, getting sick of cheese sandwiches. Gin is excellent. Not been bitten yet (result!)
F x
Sunday 22 March 2009
There is choclate in Malawi!
Hurray! You can get everything here (at a price!). All is well. Done nothing but rain very heavily since I arrived on Friday afternoon but it has stopped now, the sun is coming out and I can see how beautiful this country is. Very different, feel very foreign and a little unsure of what on earth is going on but think it will be good. I've totally underestimated how hard I'm going to have to work to get over simple things like being understood and being comfortable at home (power cuts when it rains, it rains a lot at the moment) - let alone make a living and do business here! But excited to be here (and relieved about the chocolate!).
F x
F x
Thursday 19 March 2009
Adios Amigos
Lovely meal with A&F and A&L (and Bramley!) - stiff G&T fixed me after saying goodbye to G&G (v sad but they've promised to take good care of the MG until its granny comes to get it). Great sleep last night, malaria tabs make me feel a bit sick though (but that could just be nerves!). Will miss everyone loads but I'm going to be in contact more than is really healthy so it wont be too bad. Next time I'm online it will be via Zain - the Malawi telecoms co, so cheerio. Here goes...
F x
PS - If I can re-arrange my 34 kgs of luggage into a 23kg hold bag and a 10kg handbag then I can do anything!
(The answer is coat pockets!)
F x
F x
PS - If I can re-arrange my 34 kgs of luggage into a 23kg hold bag and a 10kg handbag then I can do anything!
(The answer is coat pockets!)
F x
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Semi goodbyes
Last day in 'my UK office' today - very odd feeling (fabbie pressies though!). Excited, tired, bit scared. Hope we're going to be OK. Off to finish watching No 1 Ladies Detective Agency as part of my acclimatisation programme!
(PS - Chichewa knowledge doubled today - now know 'Nabpita' (I'm leaving now))
(PS - Chichewa knowledge doubled today - now know 'Nabpita' (I'm leaving now))
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