I have an ant problem. There is really not much to be done about it, I keep all of my food in ant-proof containers, and the dogs make sure that there isn't a bit of food on the floor, but the ants seem to be ok with eating anything- dead insects, book glue, my backpack (why, I don't know, but they always seem to be on it). Sigh. Some day, I'll have nice things, and a house that isn't infested with things I only used to see on the discovery channel... someday.
Things here are good, as you know, the rainy season is my favorite, so I am generally happy. I also have a pretty exciting stack of books sitting in my bedroom waiting for me to take them to the beach down the road. Yup, its a good life alright.
In my most recent packages, I received some science type kits and a bunch of science books, which has inspired the staff to start a science and technology club. Now, I am no science teacher, but I think I'll manage. I think it would be cool to get the kids to make contraptions, sort of like what we used to do with tinker toys when I was growing up, and hopefully I can give small lectures about physics and simple tools. I have an idea in mind that we'll all make crazy contraptions a la Rube Goldberg that will solve all of our problems. This is, of course, not going to happen, but a girl can dream, right? Hopefully my local carpenter can help us by providing scraps of wood and things for a low cost, anyone who would like to send tinker toys or gears and stuff in their next packages will be very popular with the kiddies, I'm sure.
Before I start in on my planned blog entry that I penned in my off period while I was sitting in the library, let me just thank Kitty R., who is a rockstar, and sent me 4 packages which all arrived today- my postmaster pretended at first that only one was coming, that joker. They are now strapped to my bike- I am waiting to open them until I get home :D
We are in the middle of the rainy season here, so the entire countryside is green. This is my favorite time of year here, I have decided. There is a pass North of Mzuzu along the M1 which goes up the mountains and along an escarpment. The last time I traveled North to visit my friend who lives on the other side of the mountains, it was dry and yellow, and you could see scorch marks on the hills from brush fires, and the trees were sad low twisted things. Now though, when you travel through the mountains, everything is misty and green, it is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time.
This time last year, I remember being in the back of a pickup truck with some friends on our way to some training or another, and we went through the mountains from Salima to Lilongwe. I think what I liked most about that trip was the way the clouds touched their surrounding hills, because we don't have anything like that where I'm from.
My goal this term is to stay in the North and avoid the capitol as much as possible, unless Peace Corps demands that I go, or if, no sorry, WHEN Esther comes back. Last term I went six times: once in September for a rabies shot, then in October for the GRE (and an unfortunate bout of Malaria at the same time, in case you were wondering, even though I was on an IV drip 12 hours before I sat for the test, my scores weren't too shabby)- then I went again for Thanksgiving and to fly out to America, then of course I was there again when I returned from America, and finally I had MST in January, which meant that I was through Lilongwe both on my way to and from Dedza. I. Hate. Lilongwe. I have been away from the stupid place for about a month now, and I'm still annoyed by it- I can never meet with anyone from the office unless I am missing school, since office hours are only on the weekdays, and in order to get home in one day, I have to leave at 5:30. No thank you. So I'm boycotting the city- a bridge went out to the South of me, barring my way to the capitol, good riddance.
I'd rather stay here along the lake shore up in the North, and when I do travel, I'll try to stay as close to home as possible. I think that in the future, I'll remember my time in the Peace Corps as me sitting in the back of a truck going along the lakeshort, or though the mountains to Mzuzu, my hair tucked into a hat to save it from the wind as I pass by terraced fields on steep hillsides, then past banana trees, and finally through the rubber tree plantation, where the rows of trees all seem to lean to the South. It is a good life here in Northern Malawi, I promise.
When I was in America, I sometimes felt like when I was talking to people, it was difficult to explain what my life is like here in Malawi- I think the term ‘ships passing in the night’ applies here- no matter how hard I tried, I don’t think I was able to get my point across, and it isn’t that my friends and family didn’t try to understand my stories, it’s just that the way people live here is so different, that without any point of reference it is impossible for us to understand each other. I guess the thing that bugged me the most about it was that I seem to get credit for living in a place for 2 years where people live their entire lives. People live here, raise their children here, fall in love, have dreams, tell jokes and have spats with neighbors. It isn’t always a happy sunshine type life, but what is?
A lot of people have the idea that Peace Corps volunteers are brave, but really, that’s not bravery, it’s something else maybe, but whatever it was that compelled me to choose to come here needs another name. Bravery is when you face something that is bigger than yourself, and you know that you can lose, but you do it anyway.
Right now, my Uncle Kenny is very sick. I found out about this when he wrote me a letter about his golf game, which has been slipping. Two and a half typed pages later, he nonchalantly mentioned that perhaps the reason behind this is because of his Chemo treatments. Here’s the thing about Uncle Kenny, he doesn’t let himself get depressed, or maybe it isn’t even something he has to block out- maybe that’s just how he’s wired. I can just imagine him talking to the doctor about his treatment plan, and mentally taking notes about how he’ll have to change his tee time. That’s just the kind of guy he is. In his own words:
“But hey, this is the Dude. I have been knocked down. Used to get knocked down playing football in high school all the time. So what do you do when you get knocked down? What do you mean what do you do? You get up off your butt and get back after it. That’s what I am doing… My handicap has gone up from a 6 to a 9 but what the heck. The upside is that I don’t have to give Uncle Tommy as many strokes as last year. See, look for the upside.”
I often get homesick, but this is different, in a time like this, single days mean more, and I wish I could be home so that I could be with my family, but I know that if I could talk on the phone right now with Uncle Kenny, he’d tell me to stay here in Malawi, and make good on my promise to my community, and that he’ll be up and golfing in no time. I hope so.
Maybe someday I’ll have to find out if I’m brave, but not if I’m lucky. I love you Uncle Kenny. Get better.
Beeb.
sidenote: Uncle Kenny totally looks like Colonel Alistair MacDonell of Glengarry
Those of you who know me know that I worry- I worry a lot. Well, I'm happy to say that all of my worried about coming home were baseless. My student took great care of my house *AND* kept a detailed record of all the household expenses so there would be no problems when it came to paying him- I'm proud of the kid. My house is still standing (albeit crawling with ants- oh rainy season, how I missed you).
My dog is still alive, though a bit worse for wear, she had her pups when I was gone and is skinny as a rail at the moment because all of her energy is going towards making milk for her babies- also, apparently she was bit by a snake on her leg one day after they were born while she was going out to feed them at whatever strange place she gave birth to them. The wound is not infected or anything, but it is pretty gnarly- I don't want to gross anyone out *cough cough, Mom, cough* but she was bit on the part of her leg below what I learned in Coach T's class was her heel, and I can see her tendons. She has let me clean it and bandage it though, so hopefully it will heal. You know, I'm actually pretty happy my student was watching my house while she had her pups, because he knew what to do- he followed her out to the hidey hole she gave birth in, brought the pups back to my house, and then he even put ant poison outside of the storage room they are in, because I guess ants can swarm newborn puppies and kill them. Hector, for her part, seems to have grown up a lot- I'm a little sad my bouncy dog is gone, but I guess she's just concerned with eating and nursing, I think she's a good mom, as far as dogs are concerned. Her puppies are nice and fat, there are four boys and one girl, which in Malawi, is ideal, since people prefer male dogs. My head teacher already asked for one (he recently had a break in too).
Otherwise things are getting back to normal. I had a huge pile of exams to grade when I got to work today, but the grading is going quickly, I think that the change in weather is making it easier since it is much cooler now. One of my kids defined the word 'library' as 'the place where books are stolen'- I think he meant to say 'stored', but it made me laugh all the same.
Shout out to Megan & Thom, who sent me a package ages ago that I didn't get until just now, the summer sausage inside was an amazing choice. Also, I got an outstanding package from Alice who blew me away by sending an entire bag of Oreos. I cried a little. Berrios, I used the book you got me today in my Form 1 class, so Yewu, and last but not least- I finally, after many trials and tribulations, received my package from Gracie. I haven't opened it yet since I still have to bike back home after this, but I will proudly wear the world map coat to my training next week, and all of my Peace Corps friends will be jealous.
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.
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
