Three months on and I’ve got me an early close of service date (Sept 14, 2010!) so I’m not going to linger on hopelessly in a dark tunnel (which is to say, under the dominating thumb of my counterpart). Now, I am feeling a little insecure that my experience has been somehow lacking – I didn’t connect with people in the right way! There are not enough pictures of me with grinning children! I didn’t teach my neighbors to make chipatis! I gave up on compost and my composting toilet! I don’t know how to make ufa (maize flour)! I didn’t get enough people trained to use the computer! My counterpart abandoned me! I don’t sit on the front porch enough! People still think I’m a whore! Yadda yadda.
But now that I’m coming to the end, there is a greater need to remember the happy times and small victories. I want very much to have a realistic view and memory of Malawi but also to take away some of the bitter edge. I would like to preserve and present positive memories more than others. So here’s some COOL STUFF!!
Sister Chimpango’s continued interest in learning to use the computer
Typing exams and formatting them
Creating a program for Form 4 graduation ceremony
The school guard kept my plants in great conditions – I paid him before AND added a bonus after!
Meeting with Chikulamayembe (King of the Tumbuka tribe) at Devin’s site – we exchanged ideas on polygamy, cultural preservation, AIDS propagation within polygamist society (PICTURE!)
Involvement at Devin’s school – the dedication of Kalakalaka Primary school to a relative who died of AIDS, and writing a glowing recommendation letter to the contractor, Mkandawire, who did a bang-up job
Invitation to a party in honor of Peace Corps at Bingu’s State House in Lilongwe – July 21 2010. Gift we gave him: a giant, framed pic of PCVs and new trainees in front of our office
Building mud stoves at home (with a chimney) and at Eliza’s house
Eliza’s inspiring ingenuity – starting a compost under my tutelage, getting a plot for crop rotation, starting her business-cum-play with kids time nursery school. It’s fun to help her out with teaching resources and methods
Securing grant money for a ground nuts income generation project with the SharpeValle youth Organization (SHAYO) for 36,000 kwacha. They want to better fund their projects to assist youths, elderly and anyone suffering from HIV/AIDs or caring for the affected.
Birthday party in June at Justine’s house! The neighbors came to sing me birthday songs especially invented for me, J made me a little pillow she sewed and stuffed herself from locally farmed cotton. We had mac and cheese and I gave them both haircuts, which looked great
1 comment:
This is so positive! It makes me so happy to see you write down some of the positive experiences you had in malawi. I am glad that so many of them were with me. Don't worry, you will look back on your service in a better light. I am already starting to do that. hahaha, miss you cake!
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