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

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