Home » Malawi » October 16, Nkhata Bay, Malawi --- Laura

Cannot express how frustrating and yet how awesome Malawi truly is..... it is a complete paradox. Thanks for all your emails and I am hopeful that I don't smash this computer to bits if it does not send this email. I have seen the outside of a Malawian jail and I can just imagine how large the rats are in there.

October 16, Nkhata Bay, Malawi --- Laura

Lasulo
2006-01-06 17:51:53

Displayed times (last time: )

Cannot express how frustrating and yet how awesome Malawi truly is..... it is a complete paradox. Thanks for all your emails and I am hopeful that I don't smash this computer to bits if it does not send this email. I have seen the outside of a Malawian jail and I can just imagine how large the rats are in there.

Top Ten Things I Have Learned in Malawi

1. When taking public transportation, there is ALWAYS room for one more person no matter how many bags they may have with them.

2. The people with the best and brand new cars (Landrovers and Toyota pickups) are the aid agencies that are supposed to be helping people. (United Nations, Africare, Feed the Children, Unicef, etc...)

3. All other forms of public (and private) transportation look like they were put together by McGyver with a bit of dental floss, some plywood, a bit of magic and maybe some glue. I have not been on one minibus that has had an uncracked windscreen or a door that actually works or a full set of windows or seat cushions or less than 26 people.

4. Kayaks sink. The German couple we went kayaking with capsized their kayak and then tried to flip it back over because they paniced; it filled with water and promptly sank to the bottom of Lake Malawi forcing the Malawian guys who own the company to hire professional divers to retrieve it - at their own expense of course.

5. Lake Malawi is absolutely gorgeous and blue and sparkly, is filled with beautiful, tropical fish (90 percent of all tropical fish that live in fishtanks come from Lake Malawi), and is used by all the locals to bathe and wash clothes. Also, I love swimming in fresh water.

6. The average Malawian earns 170.00 a year. I changed 650.00 dollars spending money for the month and got back Malawian kwachas in what amounted to five dollar notes. It was a brick of money that I had to split up in various parts of my backpack.

7. The Catholic Church does not condone the use of condoms to stop the spread of Aids in any African countries even though the Aids rate is through the roof. In some cities, it is 2 to 1. Scary, scary stuff and is on my mind every second I am here. I look around and just see people disappearing.

8. Malawian women buy fantastically colored cloth called chitenjes that they make into all different styles of clothing (shoulder pads are very in style here!)

9. The average life expectancy is 39!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. Walking is the favored mode of transport. Women carry the most unbelievably heavy, unstable items on their heads (like ten gallon drums of water) with ease and uncomplaining grace.