25.10.11

Me and my amazing chocolate cake.

I’m used to a birthday where I wake up and have to put on some warm clothes and get out the umbrella. I’m used to a birthday where I’m surrounded by people I know and love.

I had mixed feelings about turning 22 this year. Quite honestly, as the day approached, I kind of ignored the fact that it was my birthday and a big part of me wanted to discreetly go unseen during the day without people really knowing it was my “special day”. With a lot of encouragement from my closest buddies here in Blantyre, I ended up having a dinner at home which even included ‘bacalhau’ and ‘rabanadas’. People here genuinely enjoy being with their friends (although I’ve only known them for a month they are inevitably a great support to me), and they will make an effort to be with you. When I invited people I thought half of the list wouldn't turn up, especially being a weekday. Hell no. Everyone made it, no lame excuses. It was beautiful to realize how much I enjoyed spending my birthday day with people who I didn’t even know 40 days ago, and how grateful I am to have met a great group of people who I will be spending the next 5 months with. This year I even wore a skirt, t-shirt and flip-flops on the day- definitely the first year I celebrated with 36°. I was even surprised in the morning with the entire hospital singing Happy Birthday to me- when will that ever happen again?

Thank you all for the Birthday wishes, I wish you had been here to celebrate it with me as well.

Into the Wild

Last Friday I travelled next door to South Luangwa, Zambia. Did I have a good time? It is now one of my favourite places in the entire world, so yes.

South Luangwa is widely known for it's beautiful landscapes and abundance of wildlife. I was there for 4 days and I couldn't help notice how happy I was. Whether I was waking up to the sound of hippos, listening to the chirping birds, looking at elephants in their habitat for hours, feeling the adrenalin of being 3m away from a lion or crossing a crocodile infested river in a jeep, I was constantly appreciating the opportunity of being able to be in such an incredible place.

I apologise if this post is a bit too corny, but I'm still overwhelmed by this experience. I am now almost broke, but it was worth it. I got offered a job over dinner with the manager of the lodge where I stayed at- I didn't accept it but I didn't refuse it either. It's been over a month that I have been in Africa, and if my family and friends were right about "the first month will always be the hardest", I cannot wait for the next 5 months.

Why I will never be a true Malawian

- I flinch whenever anything moves. Even my hair

- I put on mosquito repellent every day

- I don't go to church on Sunday

- I only drink bottled water

- I can't walk around comfortably without holding onto my bag

- I'm too scared to cycle around

- I always try to be on time. When I commit to something, I try my best to accomplish it

- I still hate spiders (last week I was strongly advised to check for spiders before putting on my shoes. Since that day I've only worn flip flops)

- I'm a bit of an organised freak

- I love fish (it's rare to have it here)

- I check the bath over and over again before actually getting in it

- I can't eat nsima on a regular basis

- I don't believe in witchcraft

- I believe in gay rights

- I try to complete tasks at an average speed. Sometimes even faster than normal

- I respect pedestrians when driving. I try to avoid injuring them

- I still find it weird when I walk in the streets and people shout out "Nzungo! Nzungo!" That means "white person"
- I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't have electricity from 6m-5am. Not even a light to read a book

- I don't hold hands with my friends when talking to them

The list is probably endless, these are just some of the things I thought of.

What's cooking?

A friend of mine who reads my blog made a very good point the other day. Although I have made reference to other cultural aspects of Malawi, I have not really spoken about the food that is eaten here.

Although it's a very good question, the answer is not half as exciting as you wish it was. In my head, the reason for that is fairly simple: 'Malawian food' is theoretically what the locals would typically eat. Unfortunately the locals don't have the finances to make delightful dishes like 'Portuguese Bacalhau', 'Spanish Paella' or 'English Fish and Chips' (did I really just describe fish n' chips as something delightful??) Therefore, all they eat is nsima.

Nsima is a pretty flavourless blob made out of corn flour. It looks like mashed potatoes but is less nutritional, cheaper, and very easy to make, and because of it's "neutral" flavour, it can be eaten with everything and anything. The other day I tried it with a bit of beef and it wasn't too bad, but then again I'm a good eater and enjoy everything that is fed to me (still haven't found the courage to eat the fried mice they sell in the streets though). Nevertheless, I wouldn't be able to eat it like a local- for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner, as a snack.. i.e. ONLY eat nsima for the rest of my life.

That's not my name.

Interestingly enough, here in Malawi the "r's" and the "l's" are switched whenever people feel like it. I found out because I am now called Laura, Laula, Raura and Raula. There is no pattern or correlation for when people decide to change the letters which means I have to be prepared to answer to all of those names.

There's no actual harm in changing the letters. In fact it can be quite entertaining. The other day the local newspaper published an article about the President visiting a school and titled it "School of crapping children greet the President."It makes you wonder if the journalists were just having a fun day at the office.

Hashing

No Mum and Dad, I'm not on drugs. I am, however, midly tipsy. Why? Because I just got back from my first jog in Malawi and was then kindly forced to down 3 beers.

The HASH club is a group of people who get together and jog in the city of Blantyre. A different person organises it every week, marking a flour/chalk trail which we then follow. When you reach a crossing, the group divides and tries to find the path with 3 white marks. Once these have been found you shout "On and On!" so that the people who have jogged onto the wrong path turn round and follow you. Does that make sense? I hope it does, because it was great fun.

Great fun but extremely tiring. I was not used to jogging in this altitude and under this sun. Not to mention that the last time I found the energy to exercise was about 2 months ago. But I survived, and we then gathered round in the hosts house and socialised a bit. I was offered a first beer, forced to drink the second one because I was new to the group and had the pleasure to chug down a third one because I was lame enough to stretch after the jog. Silly me. They were quite surprised at how well I handled those beers, so I explained "It's ok, the English taught me how to drink".

Lake of Stars

Those who know me are fully aware that I am very organised. I make lists, I plan my days and I like stuff to go as scheduled. That's exactly what didn't happen this weekend.

I woke up at 7am on Saturday and decided that it would be a good idea to go and visit Lake Malawi (about a 3 hour drive up North). It was one of my best ideas ever. Lake Malawi is like a secret little gem in Africa, one of the most beautiful things that I have ever experienced in my (short-lived) life. Peaceful, calm, stunning. Believe it or not, it made me think "regardless of how the next 6 months go, this makes it all worth it."

As the evening approached I had my second spontaneous moment: I went to the Lake of Stars. You don't know what that is? WHAT?! Over on this side of Africa, you would be a weirdo and an outcast to society. Lake of Stars is THE Musical Festival of the year- Sudoeste, Reading, Super Bock Super Rock and Glastonbury all put together in one. People actually fly into Malawi to come to see this, and that's a big deal, because that never happens here. Two of the big bands this year included The Foals (English band), and Freshlygrounded (South African band, played Waka Waka with Shakira). The stages were set up on the 'beach' next to the lake, you get to mingle with foreigners and locals, you dance to anything and everything that is playing, you meet more people than you can possibly remember, you feel privileged to be there. My night ended when the following day started, with the company of the Malawian sunrise.