Training and a visit to the lake

I have been away from home for a little over 3 weeks and wow did I miss it. I knew I would but not this much. I came back and everyone was so happy to see me even the things that would usually get to me made me smile. When I returned home a fence was being built around my house and it is still in the process of getting done. Once it is complete I will be able to start my garden and lay around in my yard and not be stared at. So I am pretty excited about that.

At last I got to see the lake that most people talk about when discussing Malawi. It was very pretty and really hot. I stayed with my friend who lives by the lake it was really nice. We went swimming and laid out by the lake away from the village so we wouldn't be bothered. We kayaked to lizard island and saw cichild fish which was really cool. I have to say thank you to Genna for being patient with me because I was fearful of tipping my kayak. We made it back with no tips, mostly dry, and some awesome sunburn lines. It was also great to see what kind of work she was doing. She is health volunteer so her work is much different then mine plus she loves kids also much different then me. As volunteers we are often told how different everyone service is going to be but I don't think I really realized that until I saw a volunteer's site and day to day life that started the same time as I did. The experience was eye opening and a lot of fun it was good to bounce ideas and problems off another volunteer.

After the lake I went to In service Training also known as IST. The first day we went to the Nordin's former Peace Corps volunteers who have been living in Malawi for 15 years. We went to check out their permagardening that they have going on at their house. The whole set up they have is really cool. Then we headed to Dedza where our counterparts met us there. The college of Forestry in Dedza was our first taste of Malawi so it has this comfort factor to a lot of volunteers. We had a lot of good technical training and some fun exercises in trusting our counterparts and them trusting us. On Saturday our counterparts left and we went to a cultural center. It had some really interesting stuff in the center and a really cool and reasonable gift shop. Then on Sunday we went back to see our home stay families. Mine was really excited to see me and I got nervous and couldn't speak much Chichewa plus I am not that good. So it was still kind of awkward. I gave them some gifts and they gave me a bag of potatoes. They now have a pig and a TV that they run off a car battery so doing well I guess. The kids had gotten bigger and had new clothes so that was nice to see. In the afternoon on Sunday all the Health volunteers came so it was great to see them all. We had a week of training together on administrative stuff so not super interesting.

The following Saturday all the Env. volunteers left most of us went up to Lilongwe to hangout for a day to get some stuff done at the office. I stayed around to go to the dentist and do somethings at the office. We went one night and saw The Black Missionaries a Malawian Reggae band, it was a good time. On Monday I went to the dentist and my long term plan is to get two root canals in my front two teeth so that should be interesting. I will most likely have to go to South Africa to get that done. My Ipod is MIA I am hoping it is at the office otherwise I think I have insurance on it and can get another one I hope. An Ipod makes traveling here so much more relaxing so it is a must have.

All in all a good trip but glad to be back home and hit the ground running on projects. I am going next week to liwonde national park to help out with a game count so hoping to see some animals then.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Essie

A cat who thinks we are friends and a friend who is really a friend

Okay so I have a cat friend well it thinks we are friends but I have different thoughts on that. This grey cat sneaks into my backyard area threw the drain area where I dump my water a pretty small hole that this cat manages to enter. It eats from my compost pile and has now decided it wants to be in my house. I leave my back door open when I am home and it has just started walking in like no big deal I chase it out but it always seems to come back. I guess because I don't hit it or throw things at like most Malawian would do it seems to take that as oh I like it. Well it is a nice looking cat but I am just not a cat person or looking for a pet while in Malawi. So hopefully we can come to an understanding at some point.

My friend and village counterpart Andrew has been helping me out a lot as of lately. So my well project got prefunded so I got the money even though not enough has been donated yet. So check it out if you haven't yet. Andrew and I went to get the supplies on Wednesday and early Thursday morning I get a knock on my door. It is Andrew and the builder they want to get supplies so he can get to work. The builder also came by today for more supplies so he is working fast I am very happy and surprised. Last week I went to meeting with this group called BRIDGE they work with communities on HIV/Aids testing and getting out information about the issues. It was good I think I probably only understood a third of it. On the way home Andrew and I took a shortcut home that I have never taken and probably wouldn't have had I known that there were not 1 but 2 ridiculous bridges to cross. If you don't know already I have a fear of sketchy looking bridges completely rational I might add. So the first one I am pretty nervous that it can even hold my weight so I keep asking Andrew if he thinks it will hold me and I guess he thinks I say hold me because he holds my hand while we cross. All the while the women washing their clothes and getting water in the stream laughed and talked about me. The second one not as bad plus I saw a man with a bike and heavy load cross before us. I made it home eventually and I am completely grateful for Andrew in so many ways from helping be get stuff done to holding my had to cross a bridge.

Did I mention I met Hilary Clinton? Okay so when I say met she came to the ambassador’s house gave a short speech on how she is hopeful about the future of Malawi and she sees it going good places. As well as proud of the work that is occurring now. Then she shook a bunch of people’s hands mine being one of them. That is me meeting Hilary Clinton.

My electricity has been out for the last few days a transformer blew is what is said the problem. Luckily they run a generator so the office can still run but not to the houses. So I have been cooking on a charcoal stove called a mbaula not too bad I am pretty good at lighting it and I prepare the food I am going to cook while it gets going.

Things are going well I have talked to friends and family on skype a few times. I have also received letters and packages so feeling loved and not missing home. Have had a cold and bit of a stomach problem this last week but I seem to be feeling better. So my health is good.

Well until next time.

Wells

Hey all I am working on a project repairing wells in the village. The explanation of the project and if you would like to donate is located here: http://appropriateprojects.com/node/1257 Thanks for all the love and support. I am doing well and trying to stay busy.

Post Malawi Birthday, Age: 29

Okay so I didn't post as soon as I promised but well I have been busy I guess well busy in Malawi standards. My birthday was nice nothing too crazy just the way I like it. There was a race up the Mountain that weekend so was able to visit with a few volunteers so that was nice. My one friend said she wasn't coming then surprised me so that was nice to see her.  I made myself a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting and yes I ate the whole thing over a course of a few days and was glad when it was finished. I got an awesome drunk call from Michigan so it was 9 am here so it was 1am there so that was entertaining and fun to hear every one's voice so thanks to all I talked to it made me smile and laugh some.

I have applied to a appropriate projects to help get some funding to repair some of the wells in the village. I have to wait 3 weeks to hear back they are back logged but when I find out what is going on people will be able to donate money to help complete the project. I will let you all know when that occurs. I have taken some pictures and talked to Andrew about what needs to be done to make these wells more functional. We will see what happens.

I went hiking on Mt. Mulanje this weekend I crossed some shady looking bridges and pipes that carry water which make me super anxious ( I am afraid of heights and shady bridges. Completely logical but the fear overcomes me and I often can't breath or cross the bridge without freaking out.) but I did it and only needed a little help. I also hung out with some other Americans so that was nice but I am glad to have a pretty low key week. Friday is World Environment Day so events are occurring here at TRF which should be fun and interesting. It has been cool and overcast the last few days I am going to try to enjoy the cool weather because in few months when it is hot season I will be wishing for 70 degree days.

My bananas finally ripened so I have been eating a lot of bananas for free I have been enjoying them with peanut butter and honey and just by themselves as well. I am eating what I think will be the last avocados of the season so I  am enjoying those. The monkeys have been leaving me alone guess I showed them whose boss :) I better be careful what I say they could be reading this or maybe karma will bite me in the ass.

I will try to post pictures sometime soon but does take some time. I am getting ready for training in the early part of Sept. I am excited to see all the other volunteers who I started with and see how they are doing. As well as obtain some more knowledge and skills. I am really trying to learn the language but I am struggling with it but it will come in due time. All I can do is keep trying to learn something new everyday. Other than that things are going well I am enjoying myself and learning some new things along the way. Hope this finds all well.

This one is for you Colin!

Okay so I talked to Vince on Skype the other day it was nice to chat with him haven't talked to him since being here in Malawi. He informs me that Colin doesn’t think I post enough on my blog and he often checks it daily to see if I post something and then is disappointed that I didn't post something new and exciting. Well this post is for you! I guess I just think that a lot of what I say is kind of boring so I don't want people to get bored so I post less and hopefully more interesting things well maybe not I guess you will have to judge.

This weekend was pretty relaxing I cleaned up my house and tried to do some work in my backyard area. Weeding it and digging up some bricks to make a pathway to the toilet so I don't trip or stub my toes on the bricks that are in the way to the toilet.

I went to a meeting on Friday about climate change (people here believe it is real why can't Americans). The meeting was supposed to start at 9 I showed up right at 9 and wonder around and then decide to call Andrew and ask him if I am in the right place. He informs me I should go to the agriculture office so not far from where I was so I head over. I say hello to the group sitting outside and a young women invites me to sit down inside. It is a group of young adults sitting inside listening to American pop music on one of their phones and they all sing along. It was entertaining. Then Andrew shows up around 9:30 so we go outside and look at some composting and garden projects/examples they are doing at the agriculture office. We wait till about 10:15 and then are informed the people that were going to lead the meeting are not coming and it is rescheduled. Okay so now I have a little more time in town. But I won't get the free ride I was hoping for. I get some shopping done, head to the bank and the post office and get some lunch. While eating lunch alone a large group of people come in with name tags on. I continue to eat and watch this group file in. Then a woman comes and sits with me I think oh she must want the chair to move to another table. No she sits in, I think oh must not be any other tables open, I look around there are. She says hi I am Christi and you look lonely can I sit with you and keep you company. I said yes and we had a nice lunch and chatted. I have been told several times that I am lonely because I live alone or go a lot of places alone. It is funny that in America that is just life but here it is so uncommon to do so much alone. Just to let you know I am not lonely. I enjoy alone time but I also enjoy the company of others as well and I am getting both here.

My neighbor's birthday was on Saturday she told me she was going to have a party but I didn't see anyone go over there or hear a lot of noise coming from their house so I went over in the early evening to say happy birthday and give her a card I wrote some stuff in Chichewa which I was pretty proud of but may have not made any sense. She was very happy I came over and said her pocket book was empty so they would have to wait on the party. I felt bad I would have made her a cake or something had I known that but she seemed pretty happy with the card so maybe next year I will make her a cake.

So American Independence day is July 4th and Malawi's Republic day is July 6th crazy that they are so close. July must be the month to be free! I am meeting up with some other volunteers for America's 4th but I have no plans for Malawi's Republic day. I asked my tutor what she does and she said thanks god she is alive and that is it. While American's just like the excuse to party and be off work.

I have picked bananas off one of my many banana trees. You pick them in a bunch I probably have about 30 or 40 bananas waiting to get ripe at my house. I put one bunch in a bag to hopefully quicken the process. Though bananas are cheap and I can buy pretty much where ever. I want to try the bananas from the trees at my house.

Last week I went to a meeting Os and I were showing women how to use an oil press. (Well mostly Os) So they can make peanut oil and sell and use. Peanuts are pretty reasonable while oil in general is pretty expensive. The women were very excited about the oil they quickly wanted to try to cook something with it so the cooked an egg quickly and let everyone try, it was good. They also all started singing out of excitement that they indeed did make oil.

I now have a radio that BBC worldview now comes in on. I had to look up the exact station and go around my house and find out where it works best. In my kitchen window on an angle with the antenna touching the metal frame. The radio is not powered by electricity it is powered by solar and a hand crank so I am working on a system that allows me to listen to it longer then an hour. But I do feel informed on world news.

Well I think that is all I have to say that is somewhat interesting. I will try to post more often I don't want to disappoint anyone especially you Colin! haha!

I have a new address if you haven't seen on facebook or in the margine on the blog it is as follows:
Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa
C/O: Esther Baumann
P.O. Box 51
Mulanje Malawi

A few things I have done

Okay so I will keep it short I think most of my post have been incredibly long and I am sure those of you with ADD don't even get to the end :)

So this past week I cooked lunch for my group village headman (basically the chief of the area he has other chiefs under him, so a pretty big deal)and Andrew. I made beans, rice, tortillas, and guacamole well actually Os made the guac. They both said they liked it. It is a pretty big deal not to serve nsima here but I did it!

I hiked up on Mt. Mulanje it was so amazing and beautiful I wish the pictures I put up did it justice.

Bought some beer for my house, now its a home :)

Went to the market in the rain even though the Malawians said I shouldn't go and even offered to have people go for me. I was very cold after the fact because i kept my wet clothes on so that they would dry. Had some soup and changed clothes and warmed right up. Who would have thought I would be cold in Africa, not me that's for sure!

Well my Peace Corps boss is coming tomorrow and another volunteer is coming to visit on Saturday so that will be nice to have some visitors.

All is well and I am enjoying life here.
Lots of Love
Essie/Esther