One year in country (almost)

My time here in Malawi is sometimes quite bittersweet...

Some of my projects are actually starting a bit. The hygiene and sanitation club I'm starting at a primary school will soon be underway. I have a business training lined up for a neighboring village, and I'm working on a proposal with a colleague for a girls empowerment program. I've done 3 or 4 jam making demonstrations around my area and may do a few more. So far, no one seem interested in making it to sell, which is okay. A group wanted to learn to bake using cassava flour. Of course initially they thought I was going to be teaching them to learn from each other and try several things. I can offer suggestions and feedback...but really all I am is the push for them to teach themselves. So, once we were all on the same page, they tried baking with the cassava flour and one batch wasn't so hot. However, the second batch was quite good. It was like a cassava biscuit (cookie). I think they may be able to sell them if they'd want to try...but it's up to them. I gave them a few suggestions like putting jam in the dough, honey, sprinkling more sugar on top before baking. I hope they try them.

I've had the opportunity to be a part of some camps I feel were great.

First was a girls empowerment workshop/camp called Women 2 Women. It was spearheaded by two powerhouse female volunteers in my area. Total there were 7 female volunteers and one male volunteer working at the camp. The overall goal of W2W was to empower the girls involved (all Secondary school girls) on three broad topics: their bodies, their minds, and their futures. I believe it was a great experience for the participants. It was good for them to see women (particularly black women) who are educated and doing positive things with their lives.

The second camp was called "The Malawi Music Project." It was held in Liwande National Park (which is very beautiful). The participants were two village bands comprised of mostly primary school level children. The focus of the camp was to encourage creativity in their music making. We also sprinkled in a little environmental education (making musical instruments using seed pods from flame trees).

On the other hand there are some less than sweet times...

The times when I'm walking around outside my village and people give me weirded out looks...the times when I'm traveling with my Caucasian friends somewhere fun and a mini-bus driver tells me (in a language I don't understand...usually Chichewa) "thank you for bringing these white people to me" like I'm their Malawian tour guide or something...or times when again I'm with my friends and a "bus to bus" merchandise seller comes up to the bus telling my friends I can give them a good price on his goods, you know, because I'm Malawian right?...many other instances happen to me day to day here in Malawi. All in all they make me feel sometimes like my experience here will never be as much fun as any of my friends' experiences. I am always judged by Malawians...I'm always a tour guide or some other form of escort in their eyes when I'm with them.

However, there are sometimes nice times within my village. I have a few favorite ladies in my village these days (like 2-3) and it tickles my heart pink to spend time with them. One good example is my friend Clara. She's a married woman with like 7 or 8 kids. One day I wanted to help her farm in her field. We started off at 6am. I think we were there until 9 or 10am. The entire time her and her her husband were saying "oh, Kyndal's tired...she should go home." I told them I wasn't tired and kept on working. Eventually we did leave and I told Clara I'd need to get water. The place we'd get the water was ages away because the water closer to our houses was closed (for beautification/re-cementing). So we grabbed some buckets from her house and walked for at least 1k to the other bore hole and carried the water back to her house. Once there her husband told me I must wait there. In the background I see them killing a chicken and such. There was an older lady there as well. I think she was the husband's mother or something. Anywho, eventually I realized I was waiting for lunch to be ready. In the mean time Clara offered for me to take a bath in their bafa. I thought this was cool because I've never bathed at another Malawian home besides at my homestay family's house. They even brought me a towel, soap, lotion, and a rock to scrub my feet with. It was a cool experience. So after lunch was eaten Clara was tired, and I was tired so she offered for me to take a nap at her house. After some objection I agreed and lay on the couch to sleep. Clara took a nap too with me. We awoke about an hour later and I left around 2:30 after realizing I hadn't fed my dog all day! Anywho, that was a pretty cool, great day! If I could have more days like those I'd have waaaay more fun in my village I think.

I wanted to add pictures to keep you entertained, however it hasn't worked out that way...maybe next time.

Well that's all for now, check ya later!

Oh yeah...Happy New Years! I forget about that one.