Living, Learning, and Growing

Hello All

Okay so the last two times I posted on here I did not attach a link on Facebook my mom was saying that she liked that so she knew when I posted. My mom told me that Aunt Patti was saying she didn't know when I was posting so she didn't know when to check. So I guess I will continue to post a link on facebook when I post on here. If it is too much just let me know. I don't want to be consuming all of your virtual time :)

Anyways things are going well I have been keeping busy. I have been going to meetings and figuring out that I should plan nothing because things can change in a minute. Which is okay because it means that I am staying busy. Though when I am planning on going to the market to buy fruits and vegetables that I needed I got a little frustrated. But it’s a learning experience I just know if I want to make sure I go to the market I should go before I go into work and things change. I talked to my mom that day on skype and then headed to the little area to get some tomatoes, eggs, and bread to hold me over till I could get into town to get some more vegetables. On my way I saw a few people that I know and chatted which was nice then I was cleaning up my yard a papaya tree rotted out and fell over in my yard so the monkeys were flocking to my house not what I want. One was sitting on my window sill and just watching me until i noticed and scared him away. They were also on my back brick fence eating and watching me until I sacred them away. Anyway needless to say I found out that they are harmless to people from the locals they just want food for the most part. I also saw two having sex in the tree in front of my house haha. Later that day my neighbor gave me this outdoor broom that I could have and then I chased the kids around with it they thought it was so much fun. So needless to say I was quickly reminded that though I may have frustrations along the way there are great people here that are worth it.

I have a tutor that is helping me learn Chichewa which is going slowly but that is to be expected. So many people speak english here it is not a problem but to really help the poorest people I will need to learn it because they are the ones that have not had the opportunity to go to school and learn English. But when I go to the bank and the post office they all speak english to me which is nice kind of but also not helping me learn I try to great them in Chichewa but they often just start talking to me in English because they know that is easier for me. So it is just a matter of me forcing myself to chat to more people in Chichewa. It will come eventually.

Last week I did some local traveling with TRF(Tea Research Foundation) to meet with smallholder tea farmers. It was nice to see other villages and all the people dedicated to growing tea. I of course got introduced I am struggling with being the "center of attention" at times. I try to just blend in but well that just doesn't work :) I am sure people will in a sense get used to seeing me around and know who I am but until then. Some guy asked if I worked for BBC news I thought that was funny I think he was trying to make a joke with getting to know what I was doing at the meeting.

Oh I figured out that I need to close my bathroom door at night otherwise a bat likes to make it's home in there. I went in at night didn't really look up even though I had suspected a bat or some odd rodent to be going in there. Then i was sitting on the toilet felt something hit me and looked up and saw that a bat had just pooped on me. I will be honest I did freak out and ran out and finished peeing outside. I think because I was so surprised. But since then I have been closing the door and no bat poop and no sightings. So learning some basic life skills along the way :)

Things are going well and just trying to figure out some of the things that will make my house more like a home for the next two years. I have been reading a lot so that has been nice. I have already finished 6 books since being here.

Well I hope all are doing well and Everyone has a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Money Issues In Malawi

Okay this was an email from the Director of Mangement and Operations for Peace Corps Malawi in case anyone is intrested in whay is going on with the issues here. This affects me but it will all be okay as he says. Just thought I would share read if you want or don't :)
This is a quick note on the decision of the Malawi government to permit the Kwacha value to “float”.  The immediate impact has been a new Rate of Exchange closer to that offered by the informal markets.

Why a currency devaluation?
            Devaluation is usually undertaken to correct a deficit in the balance of payments. In the case of Malawi this is more imports then exports.  The theory is that weakening the value of a currency would be good for the economy-since a weaker currency will boost production, which in turn will lift employment and all this will set in motion economic growth and keep the economy going.
            The Kwacha is now a floating currency.   Its rate of exchange will be set by the market, and not as previously, set by the government.  This had the effect of causing the black market to flourish and grow and have undue influence on the economy.  The black market will not go away (there is always a black market – it’s one of the things that makes life interesting) but the official market should be more current and reflect reality causing the black market to diminish.

What are the implications?
            Devaluation makes a country's exports relatively less expensive for foreigners and it makes foreign products relatively more expensive for domestic consumers, discouraging imports. As a result, this may help to reduce a country's trade deficit.  Also, increase revenue collection and savings, and bring illegal foreign exchange (black) markets into official channels.

For you as a volunteer
            You may experience large price fluctuations, especially for imported goods.  This may vary depending on your location.  In the short term, you will see price gouging and speculation.  Over time this will settle down and prices will find their natural level.  If you have dollars you can get more kwacha for them in the banking system(~250 per USD today).  Prices may vary. 

Some suggestions:
·        Make only necessary purchases.
·        Be patient, if you don’t need it wait until things settle down.
·        Sellers will capitalize on fear and uncertainty.
·        Avoid imported goods, if possible
·        Do the opposite of the crowd.  If everyone is buying – sell; if everyone is panicking – be calm.
                For any economist, financiers, or development majors out there, this is a great learning opportunity.  You are experiencing on the ground the impact of an internationally imposed get well plan.  This could become quite useful for you when you become the decision-makers.  For the rest of us, it’s an education in group psychology, sound money management, and the impact of economic policy.  No more theory, just reality.

                Tough times are here.  I trust your resiliency, flexibility, and inventiveness to cope.  I also have confidence in your determination to stay focused on why we all came here.

Wish list of items to be sent

Okay so people have been asking me what they can send me so here is a list of random stuff that would make my day. By no means feel that you have to send all of these items or anything at all but people have been asking so I want to answer them.

Tolietries and such

-hand sanitizer

-individual wet wipes

-face lotion with spf 30 in it

-any lotion with aloe in in it( yes I have gotten sunburned already)

-Shampoo and Condtioner( expensive and not really any choices)

-Body soap or Body wash (a girl has to stay clean, even me)

-Face Soap something gentel like cetiphal

-face wipes
-hair ties
-Contact lens solution

Food/Snacks

-Jerky of any kind
-Canned Meat or the like

-anything with dark chocolate or really any candy you think I would like.

-energy/granola bars I am not picky

-Any sauce or seasoning packet ie. taco seasoning, gravy mixes, pesto mix etc.

-individual packets of things like ketchup, mustard, soysauce, hot sauce whatever sounds good.

-any cheese item the does not need refidgeration ie velveta or kraft parmasan.
-any spices or spice mixes

-Basically use your imagination anything that you think I would like I probably will.

-sugar free gum any flavor but cinnamon
-Coffee already ground

-Drink mixes anything from gatorade to hot chocolate.

Random Stuff

-Any books, not crazy about sifi but if its good I will check it out.

- I would like to learn to knit so a book and the tools needed I know very little about it. Or any other hobby you think I should learn while here.

-any music on cd or flash drive. or itunes credit I think i can download stuff from itunes it just takes awhile.

-Magazines/Newspapers anything that seems intresting

-notebooks/journals
-crossword puzzle books

-letters of course love to hear about what you all are doing :)

-Seeds of any kind that you think will do well here I am going to be starting a garden soon.

So the cheapest/best way I have heard about sending is a flat rate box or padded envelop from the post office. Any other carrier I will have to pay a duty tax on so not that great. Also put things that may leak or spill out in a zip lock back the boxes tend to be beat up upon arrival. Feel free to add anything you want that you think I may enjoy. Having the great support of family and friends means a lot to me so thank you.

At my home for the next 2 years!

Hello all I am now at my site for good. I have my house and all seems to be in order a few things that were wrong at first have since been worked out. So it is true it"Everything will be all right!" our language facilitator often quoted that from Bob Marley so funny that he transcends so many cultures. Anyways I have posted some pictures on Facebook for some reason they were taking forever to download on to my blog then when they finally did they were either huge or small. So needles to say facebook worked better even on the second try after the power went out. With Malawi luxuries come frustration. But at least I have amenities like electricity available when it is working.

My site mate who lives 5 min from me left to go to Lilongwe the day after I got here so I am really on my own but that is good for me since he is leaving in Sept. So I got here on Friday late in the evening and he had dinner made for me at his house so I just stayed there. On the way to his house we stopped by this South African guys who is doing contract work here and had a Carlsburg (Malawi Beer) the slogan they have is comical "Probably the best beer in the World" not sure that is true but hey its beer. Beggars can't be choosers. So I have been living pretty well to say the least in case anyone was worried :)
Over the weekend I just tried to get my house cleaned and organized still have some work to do. I did some much needed laundry and relaxed and read some. The market is not till Wednesday so I don't have many vegetables but I have a huge bag of potatoes that my host family gave me. So I have been eating those with some avocados. I also have bread peanut butter honey and banana sandwiches often which are very tasty. I have some passion fruit and tangerines that people have given me which is a nice treat.

Today I was chatting with the technical guy at Tea Research and he asked me how old I was I said 28 he seemed surprised I then asked him why was he so surprised he said he thought I was older because I was fat. In the states that would offended me but here I just laugh it off because here they consider it a compliment to be fat it means you are rich. I am not rich but comparatively I have been given more opportunities then most of the people here. Anyways thought I would share that funny encounter. I just set up to have a language tutor 3 days a week to help me get better with my Chechewa. Hopefully she is patient with me I am not very good but slowly but surely it will come along but many people speak english so I can get by for awhile though it makes me have to force myself to really use my Chechewa.

Well I will now have internet when we have electricity and when I get into the office here so I will try to update more but over all things are going well. Our swearing in ceremony was nice we had it at the ambassadors house she is a women which was nice to see. She is also very nice. As my mom said there were the senators there but they left in the middle they had a busy schedule. They chatted with us briefly before the ceremony with their wives. We had a nice lunch and cake and all the soda you could drink I had 2 cokes and was on a sugar/caffeine high.

Okay so to get in contact with me you can phone at 888662326 or 991095154 you type 265 before the 888 number has better coverage near me but the 991 has better rates for me to text in case you were curious why I had two. My address is as my mom put previously. Of course email and facebook work too.
Anyways love you all
Take Care Essie/Esther