Home Again

Hey everyone!

I am officially back in Malawi! *cheering & clapping*

My flights weren't so bad, and though I wasn't able to drag myself out of the Amsterdam airport to walk around the city- I did have a hell of a nap in their aptly named 'cozy lounge'. I know that my trip back to Chintheche is going to be hot and uncomfortable, but at least the end is in sight- tomorrow evening, I will (hopefully) be reunited with my beloved Hector, and I'll be able to start getting back to a normal type life... kind of.

Thank You so much to everyone who visited me while I was in the US- and triple that if you fed me. I'm going to miss you all, but my trip was good I think, because it helped me remember what I'm doing here in Malawi.

As for tonight, New Years Eve, I am in the city of Lilongwe, but I think I'm going to end up crashing. I see a pillow in my immediate future.

Alright, love to all :)
Melissa

A Conversation

Ok, so, backstory.

Both of my brothers, Matt and Chris, live in China now, teaching. About 2 months ago, my big brother Matt got married to a Chinese woman who, according to him, is too good to him. They like to talk on Skype with my dad. Alright, so now, here is a conversation they had the other day:

[9:05:11 AM] Matthew Small: dad
[9:05:14 AM] Matthew Small: can you read this
[9:05:50 AM] Christopher Michael Small: Hey Dad
[9:05:58 AM] Matthew Small: lol
[9:06:10 AM] Mike Small: Hello Chris.
[9:06:25 AM] Matthew Small: chris, your situation is comical to me.
[9:06:31 AM] Matthew Small: should I tell dad
[9:07:59 AM] Christopher Michael Small: Hello Dad
[9:08:02 AM] Christopher Michael Small: probably not
[9:08:41 AM] Mike Small: Do you still have a job?
[9:09:02 AM] Christopher Michael Small: Yeah
[9:09:11 AM] Christopher Michael Small: it's nothing like that
[9:09:29 AM] Mike Small: Do you still have a place to live?
[9:09:41 AM] Christopher Michael Small: yeah
[9:09:58 AM] Matthew Small: I suspect that there is somewhere he could crash if he wanted too
[9:10:44 AM] Christopher Michael Small: So pretty much your first impulse was to phone Dad on this Matt?
[9:11:13 AM] Mike Small: Does this involve the police?
[9:11:20 AM] Christopher Michael Small: no
[9:11:25 AM] Christopher Michael Small: some dude is hitting on me
[9:11:46 AM] Matthew Small: you little tease
[9:11:52 AM] Matthew Small: I ment my house
[9:12:09 AM] Matthew Small: but yea,
[9:12:12 AM] Matthew Small: there's that
[9:12:22 AM] Mike Small: Is he Chinese?
[9:12:29 AM] Christopher Michael Small: yeah
[9:12:59 AM] Matthew Small: dad wanted to come by the way
[9:14:22 AM] Mike Small: Did we need to warn you about Chinese men- if so here it is, "please do not get married to a chinese man."
[9:15:21 AM] Matthew Small: Donna says they're good providers
[9:15:38 AM] Matthew Small: although they don't make much
[9:15:58 AM] Matthew Small: but he would you like a queen, kid-o
[9:16:11 AM] Christopher Michael Small: treat me like a queen
[9:16:20 AM] Christopher Michael Small: Bah, I make more money than him
[9:16:35 AM] Matthew Small: yea, probably
[9:16:44 AM] Matthew Small: lol
[9:16:56 AM] Mike Small: Can he cook?
[9:17:26 AM] Matthew Small: true enough
[9:17:35 AM] Matthew Small: he might expect you to do that
[9:17:37 AM] Christopher Michael Small: I don't know, maybe
[9:18:00 AM] Christopher Michael Small: Why, are you writing up a list of pros and cons now?
[9:18:43 AM] Matthew Small: So wait, you have know dad and I for like over two decades
[9:18:55 AM] Matthew Small: and you're still gunna ask that question
[9:19:09 AM] Mike Small: No I am sticking with my original warnings.
[9:19:26 AM] Christopher Michael Small: ok
[9:20:02 AM] Matthew Small: I dunno. I'm pretty hjappy with my chinese spouse
[9:20:35 AM] Matthew Small: you know, I haven't had to do my own laundry since I got here.
[9:21:46 AM] Mike Small: It is hard to believe that she has seen your underwear and is still with you.
[9:24:24 AM] Christopher Michael Small: ok, I think i'm going to sleep soon
[9:24:30 AM] Matthew Small: and yet..here we are. Also, standards in developing countries are different
[9:24:53 AM] Christopher Michael Small: indeed
[9:26:10 AM] Mike Small: Ok. Chris go to sleep. Maybe the three os us can talk tomorrow.
[9:26:25 AM] Christopher Michael Small: ok, cool
[9:26:28 AM] Christopher Michael Small: cya
[9:27:06 AM] Matthew Small: yea, see ya, bro
[9:27:08 AM] Mike Small: Good night Chriss- Goodnight Matt.
[9:27:34 AM] Matthew Small: wait, I'm not leaving
[9:29:29 AM] Matthew Small: so how are things at home
[9:32:04 AM] Matthew Small: alright. talk if your still there. if not, cya later I guess

Proof

The Blue Line is 'Klingon'- the Red Line is 'Chitonga'

Let it snow, let it snow, let it... ok, now, that's enough... ah, oh well... let it snow!

I have been in Michigan for a few days now, and there are a few things I've noticed. The first thing I realized is that I'm normal- yup, that's right, I am absolutely normal. That is to say, in Michigan I'm normal. It is normal to wear shirts about the mitten state, be rowdy on the weekends, and tell impossibly long stories, you just have to be in Michigan.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday, I made the trek to East Lansing with Carrie and Zach to see some friends. When we arrived at Carrie's house, the dogs attacked us (of course), and Carrie's mom fed us breakfast- as each of her family members walked downstairs, I noticed that every single one of them was wearing a Michigan State University shirt or sweat shirt. Even Carrie's brother's girlfriend was wearing an MSU shirt- so there we were, 7 adults with spartan pride. Earlier in the week I went to the mall and saw more than one store selling novelty T-shirts about the mitten state- so there! It isn't just me!

Then we went to East Lansing where we were rowdy. Carrie's little brother- alias 'army of one Bob' showed up at Woody's pretty inappropriate. First he offered to taze us, because apparently it is the secret of the energizer bunny's power- who knew? Next, he pulled out his own bottle of whiskey and a bottle of soda and made his own drink, sometime later, he asked me how it felt to lose both of my brothers to the communists. It was pretty amazing, apparently when I went to the bathroom, he tried to get my friends to help him 'take melissa and her brothers down', because I guess we don't love 'mericuh enough.

The weather here has been dangerous, Carrie and I spun out on the highway on our way home, so we got a ride from one of Carrie's brother's girlfriends, who had a car with newer tires. Because of the weather, I'm staying at Carrie's tonight and going home tomorrow. We just had some turkey with her two brothers, both of their girlfriends and her parents, it is nice to be able to borrow someone elses' brothers for a while since mine are in China.

So I'm happy to be home for a bit, but don't worry about me, I'm definately missing Africa too.

beeb

What do I want for Christmas?

Answer: this is what I want for Christmas.

http://michiganawesome.myshopify.com/collections/t-shirts

I'll be home WEDNESDAY!

Thanksgiving #2!

I can't believe I've been in Malawi long enough to have had two Thanksgivings here, but there you are!

On the actual day of Thanksgiving, I was in Mzuzu, aka, the greatest place in Malawi (or maybe second only to Nkhata Bay), we killed a turkey- Gerard from the zoo wanted to do it by an injection of vodka. That is exactly something he would do.

The next day, Friday, I headed down to Lilongwe, beer, dancing, food, a good time was had by all- then of course, the actual celebration at the Ambassador's house was even more fun- and then that night when we went dancing was a fun EXPLOSION! Ugh, seriously, friends in 'Merica, you'll have to show me an extra good time if you want to try to compete.

So yup, that's that, I'm super excited to go home and see everyone, but I do have a good life here too.

Love love

beeb

Oh beautiful...

Hey guys!

So yes, I'm excited to go to narnia, I mean America, but I can't help but be a little nervous about traveling alone- I'm sure things will be fine, as one of my friends pointed out, I've been living in Africa for more than a year. Still.

I'm also a little sad that I won't be able to show any pictures of Malawi, since my camera charger and computer were both stolen- my camera is about 5 years old, but hopefully I can get a new camera charger when I'm home (or maybe a new camera...?)

That's about it, I'm getting excited to see you all, and the Umoza group is currently at work sewing napkins and place mats for me to sell when I get home- the fabrics here are really something, so hopefully we'll have buyers. I also hope to bring some carvings and stuff home, fingers crossed.

See you in a few weeks!