There is another white girl in my village, and she's not an azungu. She's an albino Malawian, maybe 6 years old. The first time I saw her, I was on my usual path to the market and a group of little girls ran up through a gap between two houses, pushing their albino friend out in front of them, as if presenting her to me. Their actions said, "Look! You're the same!" At the time I was a bit annoyed (although 'annoyed' isn't quite the right word; I was thrown off), so I just greeted the kids and kept walking, like I do with the other 50 kids that point out the fact that I'm white on my short walk to the market. "Yes, I get it," I thought, "I'm white, she's white, whatever."
I had completely forgotten about this girl until I passed by her house today on an experimental route home from the store. She was in a large group of people, that I greeted as a whole, and the women in the group nudged her out towards me. "Say hi," they whispered. I said 'bo' and kept going, but this time the girl's expression stayed with me. She looked nervous to be pushed out in front of me, but hopeful, like I could save her from something--isolation? It made me wonder what kind of discrimination she faces. Maybe instead of, "give me my money," the kids shout equally alienating things at her. Or maybe she is also just tired of being stared at.
I think I'll have to make a new friend.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
Overdue update. Sorry.
I've been living at site for almost a week and still have a week to go before school starts. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate having ample time to get settled, and having been sick most of the week I'm very glad school did not start right away...but the idleness is letting homesickness creep in. So it's time for a blog post to let those people at home that I've been thinking about so much know what I've been up to!
After my last post, which was during site visit, I returned to home-stay for a few more weeks. I think it was a little weird for all of us to go back to being kids when we were all so ready to start the real work and live as independent adults, but aside from that, the last few weeks were great. We spent a lot of time with friends, and felt less obligated to spend time at home with our families. In my case, my family was reduced to my abambo and his brain-damaged brother-from-another-mother, seeing as how my amayi walked out on him and took her kids while I was gone. (Abambo was really not too torn up about it. I think some Malawians marry for love, but this was definitely just a marriage of convenience; something like a business agreement.) So while I love my abambo, I was not too keen on spending unnecessary time at home with two older men...I don't think the chief even knew about my situation, or I for sure would have been forced to move.
Then last week, after passing all our end-of-training assessments and bidding farewell to the families and the villages, we packed up everything we had and went to Lilongwe for swearing in and the all volunteer conference. Most swearing-in ceremonies are done in the home-stay villages, so being sworn in in the capital, with all the current volunteers watching, was really special. Plus, the global director of the Peace Corps personally swore us in. Earlier that day, at one of the conference sessions, she gave a little speech about what it means to be a volunteer, and it was really nice to hear right before taking the oath (which by the way, is the same oath the President takes). Then after the ceremony she personally stood there and handed out cake. I'm definitely a fan of hers; super nice lady.
The next day was the celebration for the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps' service in Malawi. It was held at the state house (aka Joyce Banda's palace) in a tent that could hold two circuses. Her Excellency, the President Dr. Joyce Banda was the guest of honor, while the global PC director, the US ambassador, Vanessa Kerry, and others also spoke.
That night there was a 'no-talent' show at an amphitheater by the hotel bar. It was a great way to be sent off into the world of volunteerhood. My site-mate did a fire dance without catching his dreds on fire, there were guitars and singing, some juggling--exactly the kinds of thing you would expect from Peace Corps Volunteers. Then we partied.
The next morning we were shipped off in groups of 3 to our sites all over the country. The first night, I sat alone in the dark with my headlamp eating carrots and bananas for dinner (which actually I really enjoyed since my diet was like 80% starches/carbs for the last couple months). Since then I've been practicing cooking on my baula (it's like a metal bowl with ventilation that you put charcoal in and rest your pot on top), and it's definitely easier than the three-stone fire I was using at home stay, but I'd still rather use a stove.
Hopefully I will be getting electricity soon, though! The PTA seems very proactive about getting it for the school. They say ESCOM (Malawi's PG&E) keeps giving them lame excuses, so they are going to bring it up to the president when she comes to town.
Today a couple volunteers are going to visit me on their way through town, so that should be nice. And tomorrow I have a wedding to go to! No idea whose, but that doesn't seem to matter...
So that's what's up! Peace!
After my last post, which was during site visit, I returned to home-stay for a few more weeks. I think it was a little weird for all of us to go back to being kids when we were all so ready to start the real work and live as independent adults, but aside from that, the last few weeks were great. We spent a lot of time with friends, and felt less obligated to spend time at home with our families. In my case, my family was reduced to my abambo and his brain-damaged brother-from-another-mother, seeing as how my amayi walked out on him and took her kids while I was gone. (Abambo was really not too torn up about it. I think some Malawians marry for love, but this was definitely just a marriage of convenience; something like a business agreement.) So while I love my abambo, I was not too keen on spending unnecessary time at home with two older men...I don't think the chief even knew about my situation, or I for sure would have been forced to move.
Then last week, after passing all our end-of-training assessments and bidding farewell to the families and the villages, we packed up everything we had and went to Lilongwe for swearing in and the all volunteer conference. Most swearing-in ceremonies are done in the home-stay villages, so being sworn in in the capital, with all the current volunteers watching, was really special. Plus, the global director of the Peace Corps personally swore us in. Earlier that day, at one of the conference sessions, she gave a little speech about what it means to be a volunteer, and it was really nice to hear right before taking the oath (which by the way, is the same oath the President takes). Then after the ceremony she personally stood there and handed out cake. I'm definitely a fan of hers; super nice lady.
The next day was the celebration for the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps' service in Malawi. It was held at the state house (aka Joyce Banda's palace) in a tent that could hold two circuses. Her Excellency, the President Dr. Joyce Banda was the guest of honor, while the global PC director, the US ambassador, Vanessa Kerry, and others also spoke.
That night there was a 'no-talent' show at an amphitheater by the hotel bar. It was a great way to be sent off into the world of volunteerhood. My site-mate did a fire dance without catching his dreds on fire, there were guitars and singing, some juggling--exactly the kinds of thing you would expect from Peace Corps Volunteers. Then we partied.
The next morning we were shipped off in groups of 3 to our sites all over the country. The first night, I sat alone in the dark with my headlamp eating carrots and bananas for dinner (which actually I really enjoyed since my diet was like 80% starches/carbs for the last couple months). Since then I've been practicing cooking on my baula (it's like a metal bowl with ventilation that you put charcoal in and rest your pot on top), and it's definitely easier than the three-stone fire I was using at home stay, but I'd still rather use a stove.
Hopefully I will be getting electricity soon, though! The PTA seems very proactive about getting it for the school. They say ESCOM (Malawi's PG&E) keeps giving them lame excuses, so they are going to bring it up to the president when she comes to town.
Today a couple volunteers are going to visit me on their way through town, so that should be nice. And tomorrow I have a wedding to go to! No idea whose, but that doesn't seem to matter...
So that's what's up! Peace!
Friday, August 2, 2013
A few pics
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Home Stay
For the past 5 weeks I have been living in a Malawian village called Kapaizi in Kasungu district. I stay with a man named Manfred Banda, his wife, and her children. I am studying Chichewa and go to other classes for technical training on topics ranging from TEFL to tropical diseases. At home I live as a Malawian, which involves lots of new chores, like sweeping the dirt yard and carrying water on my head, as well as other lifestyle changes, like living without electricity, running water, furniture, or utensils.
The Malawian people have definitely lived up to their reputation of being kind and welcoming. That said, there have been some interesting cultural differences to adapt to. For one, knees are scandalous, but breast feeding in church or during conversation is perfectly normal. Another is the issue of eye contact. Fortunately in the school system eye contact is encouraged, but I sometimes worry that I am going to offend older men around the village or give younger men an indecent impression of me. Probably the hardest thing to deal with for the first month was laughter. They laugh at us ALL the time; I can't do anything without being someone's joke. Like, "Oh look! The azungu just got burned by boiling nsima! That's hilarious!" (Azungu or mzungu is their word for white person, which is not really derogatory and has a connotation of power and wealth, but is still racist by American standards. Kids and merchants yell it at us all the time to get our attention.) I don't think the laughter always means that I'm doing something funny, it often is just due to their astonishment that a white person is speaking their language or participating in their way of life, but constantly being laughed will make anyone feel inept at life. Even though one is never to question the authority of their elders, I have taken to telling people that try to tell me how to do things that I have my own methods that are perfectly effective and there's more than one way to do something.
A couple weeks ago was model school, where the trainees all taught for 7 days in an actual Malawian school. I think this was a turning point in training for me, because I was reminded that I am capable and I'm here to do a job that few Malawians are qualified to do. It is certainly a challenge to teach science to kids who barely understand English, but in a way, it is an opportunity for me, as a native speaker, to be an even better resource for the students.
I am currently visiting my site, which is in a town called Ulongwe in Balaka district. I am very happy with my placement! Both my headmaster and department head are women, which is rare, and means I won't have to face as many issues with sexism as some of the other volunteers. (Not that Malawians are particularly sexist, but they have much more traditional gender roles, not unlike the US in the 50's except that the women are super buff, because tending to the home includes things like carrying water and splitting wood.) The area is also prettier than Kasungu district and culturally has a strong Islamic influence, which makes it less homogeneous and more interesting. Everyone is really welcoming and so happy to have another teacher!
I will try to post again soon, so ask me questions! Anything you want to know! Also, sorry if there are any weird typos; I always have issues typing on my phone, and being here definitely hasn't made my grammar better...
Anyways, the take away from this blog post is that I am challenged and happy. Much love!
Laura
The Malawian people have definitely lived up to their reputation of being kind and welcoming. That said, there have been some interesting cultural differences to adapt to. For one, knees are scandalous, but breast feeding in church or during conversation is perfectly normal. Another is the issue of eye contact. Fortunately in the school system eye contact is encouraged, but I sometimes worry that I am going to offend older men around the village or give younger men an indecent impression of me. Probably the hardest thing to deal with for the first month was laughter. They laugh at us ALL the time; I can't do anything without being someone's joke. Like, "Oh look! The azungu just got burned by boiling nsima! That's hilarious!" (Azungu or mzungu is their word for white person, which is not really derogatory and has a connotation of power and wealth, but is still racist by American standards. Kids and merchants yell it at us all the time to get our attention.) I don't think the laughter always means that I'm doing something funny, it often is just due to their astonishment that a white person is speaking their language or participating in their way of life, but constantly being laughed will make anyone feel inept at life. Even though one is never to question the authority of their elders, I have taken to telling people that try to tell me how to do things that I have my own methods that are perfectly effective and there's more than one way to do something.
A couple weeks ago was model school, where the trainees all taught for 7 days in an actual Malawian school. I think this was a turning point in training for me, because I was reminded that I am capable and I'm here to do a job that few Malawians are qualified to do. It is certainly a challenge to teach science to kids who barely understand English, but in a way, it is an opportunity for me, as a native speaker, to be an even better resource for the students.
I am currently visiting my site, which is in a town called Ulongwe in Balaka district. I am very happy with my placement! Both my headmaster and department head are women, which is rare, and means I won't have to face as many issues with sexism as some of the other volunteers. (Not that Malawians are particularly sexist, but they have much more traditional gender roles, not unlike the US in the 50's except that the women are super buff, because tending to the home includes things like carrying water and splitting wood.) The area is also prettier than Kasungu district and culturally has a strong Islamic influence, which makes it less homogeneous and more interesting. Everyone is really welcoming and so happy to have another teacher!
I will try to post again soon, so ask me questions! Anything you want to know! Also, sorry if there are any weird typos; I always have issues typing on my phone, and being here definitely hasn't made my grammar better...
Anyways, the take away from this blog post is that I am challenged and happy. Much love!
Laura
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