Travel Home

          I woke up early this morning to call my girlfriend and wish her a happy birthday.  Because we are seven hours ahead here in Malawi, I had to call at seven this morning to talk to here at midnight to be the first one to talk to her on her birthday.  Then I quickly went back to bed to get some more sleep before a long day.  Before I knew it, it was time to leave.  We loaded up the bus and headed to the airport.  It kind of seemed surreal that we were going home, but I was kind of ready for it.  Driving to the airport was kind of weird.  Africa has been the most challenging international place that I have been too.  I had mixed feelings.  I really loved the entire trip, but at the same time, I was glad to be going home.  I had gotten to know this country and now I was leaving it.  The bus rides had become a fun time to hang out and talk about deep things with new friends, but that was the last bus ride in Malawi.

Airport in Washington, DC waiting to board the plane.

            

Last Full Day

           Today, we were supposed to go on a hike for the first part of the day and then have time to pack in order to go home tomorrow.  The rain has been a really hindrance to our plans for the past couple of days, and today was exactly the same.  There was a really good chance that it was going to rain, which would make the trail very dangerous to hike on, so we didn’t get to go.  Instead, we got to go to the Lilongwe Wildlife Reserve.  We really were just looking for something to do, since the hike fell through.  The animals were cool to see, but after we had already been on safari, they couldn’t really compare at all. 

Please supervise your children at all times.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            After getting back from the wildlife reserve, we got to pack up and hang out for the rest of the day.  I played a game of spades and then we went to dinner at a really nice Indian restaurant.  Again, the rain was hindering what we were trying to do, so as we were walking to the restaurant, we all got completely soaked which made things interesting for dinner. 

            It was a hard day for me, because since we were not doing anything I was ready to be home.  It was as if we were simply playing a waiting game to be home.  Also, as long as we have been busy, I haven’t really had a lot of time to think about my family and girlfriend.  So, with not much to do, I began to miss them.  Also, tomorrow is my girlfriend’s birthday, so I wish that I could be home already to be there with her during her birthday.  

Home Stay: Day Two

            Today I woke up really early because I couldn’t sleep very well.  I was sleeping in a mud house in the mchezi village of Malawi outside of Lilongwe.  I was sleeping on a raised platform of plywood, so it wasn’t very comfortable for me.  I woke up to Austin knocking on the door to tell us that they had boiled some water for us to bath with.  He showed me outside where they had built a mud hut and there was a blue bucket of warm water to take a bath with.  I ended up washing my face and getting my hair wet, but that is about it.  We ate some rice porridge for breakfast and then we headed to the fields.  Austin only has about one acre of land because he is retired, but that still requires plenty of work.  Zion and I wanted to try out the work in the fields to see what it was like, so he showed us. 

Zion and I with our tools!

            On our way out there, we began to get a following of kids on their way to school and other village members who wanted to see the white boys work the fields.  Also, there was a road that ran right next to the field that we were going to work in, so there were plenty more villagers who stopped to watch.  Austin showed us how to use the makeshift hoes to turn the dirt that had been settled by the rain and we got to work.  It did not take very long at all for me to recognize how back breaking and difficult this work is.  After working in the field for about thirty minutes, I already had a blister and we were running out of time before we had to be back at the CBO. 

            We went back to the CBO to work on the SWOT analysis and to present our analysis to Chris.  My group worked hard to take the information that we learned yesterday from talking to the boys in the youth group and organizing it in a way that will help them move forward successfully.  We came up with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and then wrote them down on a lard piece of paper to help us present it.  We then presented our findings to Chris and he agreed with everything that we said and didn’t have much to add to it. 

Finishing up our SWOT analysis before our presentation.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            After our presentations, it was time to head back to the world camp house for lunch.  Zion and I decided that we wanted some pizza instead of any leftovers, so we headed to the pizza place nearby.  After that we had some time to hang out and then a guy came by and played the drums for us and taught us a couple of dances.  For the rest of the night, we just got to hang out.  

Home Stay: Day One

Today we were supposed to go the Mchezi village for our home stay.  The bus that came to take us there would not start, so we hung out at the house for a couple of hours as they tried to fix the bus and get things ready for us to go.  They finally fixed it and we were on our way.  By the time that we got there, it was already noon. 

            On the way there, I asked the students who were sitting next to me what their greatest fear in life is.  This question sparked some really good conversation, which was really cool and I was able to gain greater insight into their life and where they come from.  This was a really cool conversation for me, because I appreciate having a real conversation instead of a bunch of small talk that doesn’t allow anyone to really get to know each other. 

            Once we got there, we were introduced to the head of the CBO named Chris.  Chris showed us around the CBO and then we sat in one of the offices of the CBO to begin introducing ourselves to him.  He then began sharing about the purpose of the CBO as well as some of the programs that they currently have going on.  Chris was a great guy, but it was kind of hard to understand everything that he was saying, so I quickly got distracted.  Also, the rain was coming, so we were kind of sitting out in some of the drizzling rain. 

Listening to Chris explain the structure and mission of the CBO.
Photo by Marie Freeman

Getting inside before the rain.
Photo by Marie Freeman

Poultry farm.
Photo by Marie Freeman 

Lunch!
Photo by Marie Freeman

Lunch of Nsima, eggs and greens.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            Before we knew it, the skies opened up and it was pouring down rain and we were soaking wet.  So we quickly ran inside and worked hard to entertain ourselves while the rain continued.  We played a bunch of different games that some of the girls knew.  Most of the games were old camp games, so they were kind of corny, but we all had a good time and it was fun to see everyone kind of come out of their shell a little bit. 

            Finally, the rain subsided, so we were able to break into our groups and talk with the different IGA’s that we were going to be assessing.  The IGA that my group was assessing was a youth group.  We were tasked with conducting a SWOT analysis for the group, but first we had to gather some information about them.  We started by asking them some key questions, such as where they got the inspiration to form the youth group.  We exchanged questions and answers in broken and hard to understand English for about one hour and then we had to get ready for our home stay. 

Interacting with prominent members of the youth group.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            Zion and I were together with Austin’s family for the home stay.  He was a middle-aged man who was married and had two children, a boy and a girl.  He walked us back to his house from the CBO and then he quickly showed us around before it got dark.  He showed us the room that we were going to sleep in and then we sat in the living room for a couple of minutes.  Zion asked if he would show us around, so we left the house and he took us around the village a little bit.  We went to the church and got to see the boys choir perform a couple of songs for us and then on the way home, we passed by their school.  By the time that we were headed back to the house, it was pitch black.  Since we were in the village, there was no electricity, to it really was pitch black and there was not an easy way to see.  However, since Austin is used to this, he paid it no mind and we walked home with no help from a light or anything.  Since it had been raining, it was really muddy and I almost slipped and fell on my butt a couple of times. 

            When we made it back to the house, dinner was ready.  We sat down in the living room and washed our hands as Austin poured hot water over them.  Dinner was very traditional nsigma with some veggies.  I have had that before, so although I didn’t love it, I didn’t mind it either.  After dinner, we chatted a little bit and read the Bible and sang a hymn before we went to bed.  The bed was simply a plywood platform with a blanket on it, so it was pretty uncomfortable, but at least we were off of the floor. 

            From my experience of the home stay so far, I have gained a new appreciation for the way that these people live.  We ate dinner in their living room, but the living room has a mud floor with mud walls and only three chairs and a small table in it.  It does not have a light and is only about ten feet square.  Also, dinner was cooked over a fire on the front porch and the bathroom is a hole in the ground.  This was a very eye opening and humbling experience for me, because Austin’s family is one of the families that has more than most.  

Foiled Plans

          Today we were supposed to go and visit the tobacco auction floor in the morning, but it had to be arranged once the floor opened for the day.  The people at the auction floor who were going to get everything set up for us were in a meeting when our leaders tried to figure everything out with them, so we were unable to get permission from anyone to go and visit.  That meant that we got the chance to go back to the fabric market that we went to last week to get more fabric if we wanted it.  After we got back from getting fabric last time, I realized that it would be really cool to have a tie made out of the fabric that we were buying.  However, I didn’t buy any fabric that would look good when made into a tie.  So this time, I connected with someone else who wanted to have a tie made and we bought some fabric together so that we didn’t waste a lot of fabric. 

            The funny part about us going to the fabric market is that we were supposed to only have an hour, but it took almost 45 minutes for us to get there.  It has seemed that no matter what we do to plan for delays throughout the day, we still get very backed up with our schedule.  This has been really good for me to work on my patience and dealing with things that are different than I would want them to be.  I am typically very uptight about being on time and making sure that all my appointments last only the amount of time that I have allotted for them.  So being here has really worked to stretch me as a person and help me to let go of being perfectly on time all the time and worrying about whether we will have enough time for each thing that we have planned. 

            Coming back from the market, we were scheduled to have a quick lesson on the culture of Malawi in preparation for our home stay tomorrow.  The lesson of culture was really great, because it gave us the opportunity to hear from the World Camp staff as well as preparing us for the situations that we are going to encounter when in the village.  They taught us about things such as the music, dress, gender roles, and greetings.  I definitely feel like this time of learning will help me a lot when it comes to acting in the correct way while in the village. 

            We then went to lunch and I met a guy who is here for a year to produce a documentary about the non-profit that his friend has and a lodge that he owns as well.  It was cool to here his passion for video and the power that video can have. 

            After getting back from lunch, a guy named Alex came to talk to us about the non-profit that he is a part of called Innovation Africa.  They focus on providing systems of solar energy to clinics and schools to provide lights, which will help with live births and test scores.  It was really awesome to hear him talk about the strategy that they use when they go to the villages and begin working on providing a new solar system for a clinic or school.  They focus on making sure that when they donate a new solar system, the community will be able to sustain the system with bulbs and batteries.  I really enjoyed the insight that he was able to provide into how a non-profit should go into a community and interact with them in order to figure out what it is that they need and how they can help them get that.  I also appreciated that he has not even graduated from university, but yet he is already having an incredible impact himself. 

Alex from Innovation Africa.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            What is something positive that you bring to the group here in Malawi?

I bring an easy going personality to the group that manifests itself through patience, initiating with everyone in the group and helping out when needed. 

In your own behaviors and attitudes and such, what is something that you personally can change in the time that is left for this trip?

I have found that ever since I realized that I don’t necessarily want to do social entrepreneurship once I graduate, I have had a very lethargic attitude towards the work that we are doing here.  Therefore, as I look to the rest of the week, I would like to change that attitude and be more intentional with the things that we are working and learning.  

Safari: Coming to an End

            Today we got to sleep in and then we left to come back to Lilongwe.  Our driver decided that he wanted to drive extra fast on the way home, which would normally be a good thing, but today it was kind of scary.  Also, going faster over all of the bumps was not very pleasant.  We were all confused as to why he was driving the way that he was, but there was nothing that we could do about it. 

            On our way back, we stopped at a place called Tribal Textiles.  This place sells all kinds of textiles that are handmade by local Zambians.  They are foreigners who have come in and opened up this place along the path that tourists will drive past on their way to go on safari.  Then, they employed the locals to begin making the textiles.  This provides the locals with a steady job, while also providing a great shop full of genuine souvenirs for the tourists. 

            I think that the Tribal Textiles place could be seen as a social venture because it is providing greater stability for the community through providing good paying jobs for the locals.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get to hear anything about whether the owners are large participants in the community or not, but by bringing in the tourists, there is a greater likelihood for more infrastructure to come. 

            As we continued down the road in our bus, I thought about something that was a little bit heavier.  There we were, driving along, listening to our music and I am sure that we were passing countless villages, families, people who are starving and simply struggling to survive.  I am so blessed and there are so many who are less fortunate than me, but yet I live like everyone is as well off as me.  When I am back in America, I hear about people who are starving and it moves me to act, but I do not know what to do.  Now, I am here in the heart of Africa and I am still caught up with my own life and my own comfort.  It kind of disgusts me, but I don’t know what to do to change it.  I want to literally sacrifice everything that I have to bring glory to God and hopefully help others in the process, but yet I am unsure what it takes to truly act on that desire. 

What is a question that you have that you are curious about or are interested in that has not yet been answered?

I have been here at world camp for a week now, but I have yet to really see what exactly world camp does.  What is the main focus of World Camp and can you give examples to explain how that focus manifests itself through what you do?

What is something that is a concern or fear about being in Malawi or about the home stay or anything else that is pressing on your mind?

I have a fear that this trip to Malawi will be a great experience and I will look back on it and think of the different ways that it has shaped me, but that I will make it back to America and I will remember it mainly by the stamp in my passport.  I fear that I will leave and not continue in serving Malawi.

In terms of this group as a whole, what is something that you appreciate about the group? 

I appreciate the diversity of the group’s personalities, talents, and interests.  

Safari: Saturday

           In a nutshell, today included two safaris, some time to relax, and hanging out with everyone.  We were up at 5:15 to be ready for breakfast at 5:30 and the first safari at 6.  That safari lasted until 10 and then we had brunch at 11:30 and then I took a nap before afternoon tea at 3:30.  Then we had our final safari at 4 until 8 and dinner after that.  When dinner was done, we all hung out by the bar before bed. 

            During the first safari of the day, we started the day off right with a group of 5 giraffes and countless zebras.  They were a decent distance away from us, but we were still able to see them really well and were even able to take some great pictures of them.  Then we saw a warthog family, which was pretty cool, because they were pretty shy last night when we saw one.  Then we boxed in a giraffe between two cars and it had a minor freak out and ran off into the woods as quick as it could.  The giraffe looked really awkward when we saw it up close, but it was still pretty cool.  Then we got the incredible opportunity to see a leopard.  They sleep during the day, so you have to get really lucky to find them.  They even sleep in trees, which makes them even harder to find.   This one was sleeping in a tree that was right off the path that we were driving on and it was about 20 feet in the air.  It shifted around as we were sitting there watching it, but it was not threatening at all. 

Baboon BandAnother grab shot. 

The vehicles that we rode around in.

The sausage fruit.

Chasing and pining the giraffe between two safari vehicles.

            After we got back, I was really tired, but I didn’t want to take a nap yet, because I didn’t want to miss out on brunch.  I sat down with some of the girls on the trip and we began chatting about a bunch of random things that ended up on what we believe in.  It was a really good opportunity to talk about Christianity and how it impacts my life.  They told me that they are believers as well and we continued to get to know each other through that. 

            After brunch was over, I was exhausted from getting up so early, so I went and took a nap.  It was nice to sleep for a little while, but I woke up in a sweat because of how hot it was outside.  I went over to afternoon tea and the owner of Croc Valley Camp was there to tell us a little bit about how it came to be.  It was cool to hear about the progression of the camp from a commercial crocodile business.  It was a classic case of adapting to the market that you are in.  Not to mention dealing with the government regulations for your industry as well.  It was very interesting to hear about the inter workings of the camp as well. 

            The night safari began and I went into it without any expectations.  I got to sit in the front of the bus this time which made it much more enjoyable.  I got to sit forward and hang one of my legs off the edge, which made it more relaxed and fun.  Also, it was much easier for me to take photos out of the front of the bus because there was nothing in front of me.  The lighting tonight was awesome, because the clouds parted and the sun shined through.  Then, when it got dark, we came up on another leopard, just like earlier.  The leopard was walking towards us and it came within about 20 feet of the bus.  I was on the side that it was walking towards, so it kind of freaked me out and made me begin to think about what I would do if the cat decided to charge at us.  We ended up moving out of its way and it went on its way.  Seeing the leopard was definitely the best part of the entire trip to Zambia.

Photo by Marie Freeman

Photo by Marie Freeman

Photo by Marie Freeman

Photo by Marie Freeman

Photo by Marie Freeman

Safari: Friday

Today, we left to go on Safari in Zambia.  The drive was pretty fun, however, it was crazy to see how poor the infrastructure of this part of Africa is.  We were on a paved road for about half of the time that we were traveling, but once we got to the unpaved portion, it was kind of rough.  There were so many bumps and it was amazing they put the bus through all of that.  We knew that it couldn’t be good for the bus and it definitely was not the most fun part of the trip for us as well.

Photo by Marie Freeman

Photo by Marie Freeman

The highway on the way to Zambia.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            Once we got there, Zion and I were roomed together.  We checked out our accommodations and we thought that someone had made some sort of mistake.  The place that we are staying at is called Croc Valley Camp.  Zion and I are bunked up in something that looks like a honeymoon suit.  It is a little cabin that includes three beds, a kitchen and bar, shower and bathroom.  It is really nice.  After seeing where we were going to be spending the weekend, we decided to go around check out where everyone else was staying.  By far, we had the nicest accommodations, but everyone was still well taken care of. 

The bathroom on safari.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            The main thing that stood out to me from the day is the difference between Malawi and Zambia.  When we crossed the border, we were immediately greeted by a more mountainous and wooded terrain.  It has been explained to us that Malawi has over forested their landscape and therefore do not have many forests left.  I also noticed that the city that we passed through at the border, Chipika, had a much denser population than any place that I had seen in Malawi. 

This picture was taken in Chipata, a city that is about 20 miles away from the Malawi border.  

            It is very interesting to see the difference in beauty from Malawi to Zambia as well.  I feel like it was more lush and green than Malawi and when coupled with the mountains that made it very pretty to look at.  From all that I could gather from the quick trip from Malawi to Zambia, Zambia has more opportunity and is more likely to have a better economy in the long run. 

            Before the night was over, we also went on our first safari.  After being in a bus for about 6 hours we then got to spend 4 more hours in the back of a safari bus, which was very bumpy as well.  Honestly though, that was really a good adventure and the bumps weren’t too bad.  We got to see everything from some impalas all the way to lions.

On the short road from the highway to Croc Valley Camp.

Hippos on the bridge going into South Luangwa National Park.

An example of how close we were able to get to the animals.

The Thinker'Luck favors the prepared' 

Wimbe Village

Today we got up early and went to Wimbe village, where “The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind” was set.  When we got there, we went straight to William’s house and he was actually there!  He was getting ready to leave in a taxi to go to the airport and leave to go back to school in America.  We were so lucky to catch up with him quickly before he left. 

On our way to the Wimbe Village.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            Today was pretty crazy, because we actually got to see what everything in the book looked like.  We got to meet William’s family, see the library that he checked books out of, and even went to the trading center.

Us with William Kamkwamba.
Photo by Marie Freeman

William talking with us.
Photo by Marie Freeman

Exploring the village.
Photo by Marie Freeman

Blessings looking at the arrows that Williams grandfather used to hunt with. 
Photo by Marie Freeman

William's first windmill.
Photo by Marie Freeman.

Touring the primary school in the Wimbe Village.
Photo by Marie Freeman

Posing in front of the library that William checked books out from.
Photo by Marie Freeman

            Overall, the day was pretty good, but it was kind of overshadowed by the fact that I was still dealing with the sunburn that I got at the lake.  I got burned really bad, so the entire day, my back was stinging as if I was getting bit by mosquitoes.  This didn’t stop the entire time that we were gone, so it was really hard for me to enjoy everything. 

            Nevertheless, I realized how cool of an opportunity it was to be in Wimbe village seeing the things that we got to see and made the best of it. 

            Looking back on the day, I have come to realize how blessed I am.  I am pretty sure that this is a typical takeaway from a day visiting Africa, however, it keeps hitting me everyday and I believe that this realization will permeate the way that I live for the rest of my life.  William made a huge breakthrough in his village with the use of wind energy to create electricity and he continues to innovate ways to use everyday waste for energy.  The thing that I noticed today was that his family was still living in the same place and in the same traditional manner as the rest of the village.  They definitely had more luxuries and amenities than the rest of the village, but I had this picture in my mind that they would have a nice house and be living a luxurious life instead of still growing maize behind their house. 

            In reflection on my time here so far, I consider whether or not I could see myself living here and working here.  I have only been here for a short time, but I have a hard time seeing myself coming back to a place like Malawi.  I have definitely learned a lot so far and will take back what I have learned and apply it to my life, but for some reason, I think that I would really struggle in this environment.  The weather is hot and the days are long.  This response could be due to how packed our schedule is, however, I think that it might be the same regardless.