Chifundo

These are the same girls as on the picture last time, school was out and they were all going nuts, in their blue little dresses

Jep. Friends, and other guys who we know, or who know us (happens annoyingly often; people knowing me, without me ever meeting them), are complaining that ‘we’ve changed our lives’ and that ‘we have been missing’. It’s true. For the last two and a half weeks we have been ‘beuking’, to finish the work; our reports.
Since the report is getting close to being finished now, we are preparing a goodbye-party for all our Malawian friends, for this coming Friday. Of course everybody is invited, also if you’re living on another continent...
Somewhere I would like to leave quietly, without saying goodbye to all our new friends. Because, the idea that I’ll have to leave this part of Malawi in less than a week, makes me feel sad and all mixed up. Of course I like, no, I love to start travelling, but I had such a great time here. So good, it’s not understandable. Or never completely.
Even if I would have the chance come back, it would never ever be the same again. Just wishing this part of my life would never end. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I found my third home country here. After falling in love with Canada, even before I had ever set a foot there, Malawi is another place in this world where I feel at home. From now on, three continents will be tearing my heart apart. I’m in trouble. Because, where do I want to go, to live my life? Maybe, just to make things easier, I should pick a new continent. South-America or New-Zealand, something like that... Good idea?

I’ve been watching some football games here at the Likuni grounds lately. How you’re able to see the difference between the two teams? Simple. One of the teams takes of his T-shirt and the other ones keep it on. Easy as that.
Just when you think you couldn’t possibly get any dirtier, the dry season kicks in. The dustier, the dirtier… Bushes close to the road are covered with dust till a height of around 2 meters. And you know what, they like to call dry season winter here; its sometimes down to 16 degrees early morning… Reason enough for local people to walk around with winter coats, sweaters and tooks during the morning. Still wondering who they’re trying to fool.

Luther, Lotta, Ruth, Rhotta, Loto, Lottie, Chifundo (messy), Lota, Rotte etc.

P.S. Maybe my Chichewa-name Chifundo is the best one right now, because my thoughts are such a mess.

I'll miss Africa. So bad.

Project

The project.
Some people told me that whenever they were checking out my blog, it looked as if I’m not doing anything useful here. Tssss. What are you people thinking?!? ;)
As you (might) know, the subject of our research is ‘General inventory of the agricultural situation of Malawi’, with a focus on subjects like diseases, breeding, housing and feeding. Next to this inventory we’re trying to get the major problems on each of these subjects clear, so we will be able to create a plan for future agricultural teams. Here in Malawi our project is being supervised by A.C.E.M. (Association of Christian Educators in Malawi), who contacted us to the National Resources College close by. After some meetings there, the most important decisions and agreements about the project were made. We were able to start writing our questionnaire. After completing the final version, we were ready to jump on our bikes and cycle to local villages, together with a student from the NRC, to translate our questions into Chichewa. We completed a total of 100 interviews with smallholder farmers.
At the moment, all data are entered into the computer and we are writing our reports. Literature research, analyzing, diagrams, conclusions etc. Because of a lack of computers, and often enough because of a power knock-out, we can’t work as fast as we want to. But with two computers (most of the time), enough non-computer work and seven full days a week, we’ll get there.
In the future, they’re supposed to come three or four agricultural teams a year to Malawi. If everything works out as planned, they will follow up each other’s project, trying to solve some problems and improve the agricultural situation. Today we visited feeding factory and a chicken farm with 130.000 laying hens. Tonight some more computer work!

P.S. Pictures can't be uploaded today, have to wait till next time...

Mulanje Mountain

Yes, I did climb the highest peak of Malawi’s highest mountain. We, the three girls and Joeri (a Dutch guy who also stays/stayed at Likuni Parish), decided to climb Mulanje Mountain (3001 meters) around twelve hours before we left. So, of course, we forgot sunscreen and some stuff to treat blisters. Eh, we’re always só incredibly well prepared whenever we’re undertaking something… Our faces and necks are turned from dark brown to pink again.
But. We got there. All the way to the top. And we had a super, great time. Travelled from Lilongwe to Mulanje in several minibuses the whole Saturday. While the sun was setting we arranged a guide (Peter), a porter (Juma) and food for the coming days. We left Sunday morning early and were back down on Thursday. Home last Friday. Bij de weg, the picture with the water drops (in case you can’t see); it’s me. We found a natural water slide on the mountain, ending in a basin with clear, COLD water. But it was loads of fun. Torn another trouser…
O. I almost forget to tell you, but before and after the trip to the mountain, we were actually doing some work for our project; we biked to different villages to interview smallholder farmers. The first pictures in this post are from a village I visited. At the time I’m typing this, we’ve collected enough data to start analysing and write the report. And as soon as it’s finished, we’re free to leave this place, to start to travel up North, to visit the Northern part of Malawi and Tanzania and Kenya for about seven weeks.

Thinking about my life, as it is right now and will be in the coming months, is enough to keep on smiling non-stop for a whole week.