I have dreaded the process of traveling to Blantyre Malawi.
Long flights and cramped spaces on planes are generally an exercise in
endurance. Maybe I had such low expectations that anything seemed good, I am
not sure but I found the travel easier than I expected. I did not have much
stiffness in my knees and virtually no pain and I was able to sleep a couple of
pretty good chunks of time.
The airport in Johannesburg is large and very modern and has
some really nice shops. I didn’t shop but they looked to be filled with some
pretty lovely eye candy. Bright printed cloth, bowl, carvings etc. If time were
of no import I could easily spend an afternoon browsing and shopping there. Well
maybe just browsing as most places airport prices are pretty high. We had some
small mix-ups with directions and our hotel. I can say they were small after
three days. To my exhausted traveler self, they seemed nearly insurmountable at
the moment.
The parts of Blantyre I saw my first 2 days here seemed
pretty rural. Narrow rutted dirt roads and lot of people walking but not a
large amount of traffic. We have now been into the main town which is much more
urban and visited the two big supermarkets.
The house we are living in is a pleasant surprise. It is
very spacious and pretty much fully furnished. That really means there is more
than enough here to meet our needs but I will add some things to make it seem
homier. The floors are all tile and the curtains are mostly dark African
prints.
The kitchen has lots of cupboards and counter space. I have
much as I expected a small gas stove and an electric fridge. The stove seems to
have an above the stove broiler area. Something I will have to experiment with
and the fridge is a bit larger than I expected. I also have a laundry area with
a washer and dryer, I consider the dryer a huge bonus. The bedrooms have what
to me are built in wardrobes rather than closets. They are roomy and easy to
organize. The thing that has surprised me most about the house is the windows.
The screens are on the inside and they pull open like a little door and then
you push the window open and close the screen. They have built in decorative
metal that is for security. The doors have similar gates of metal as well as
the wooden doors. We also have a security guard. When I asked about why we need
this level of security the response was to deter robberies and vandalism and
that the area here is actually pretty safe.
We have fruit trees and some blooming trees in the yard,
including mango trees. I am eager for the start of mango season. I am making an
assumption that the fruit trees are the reason I have at least one monkey
hanging around. I am too new to the country to find them a nuisance and am
fascinated. That might change if they decide to eat all the fruit. It would
seem most people find them more of a nuisance than a benefit.
The house we are living in was the house of some
missionaries who are on extended leave for family health reasons and we seem to
have become part owners of their dog. Her name is Sweepy and she appears to be
an aging border collie. I brushed her a bit today and took her for a walk.
Having a dog around on a walk adds an element of safety as most Malawians are
somewhat afraid of them esp. a fairly large one like Sweepy. I have seen her to
be somewhat listless but after playing with her a bit she definitely was moving
faster and showing more interest in life. I think I have a new friend.
We met most of the
missionaries here in Blantyre Thursday morning. Names are coming, though not
completely set in my mind. They are all from places other than the US, which
made me feel a little tentative prior to arrival. They have been kind, warm and
gracious toward us new comers. I am optimistic that it will be easy to build
good working relationships with these people.
Our first months here will be intensive language learning.
Malawi has two official languages, Eng
lish and Chichewa. One can get around
with English but it is helpful to learn some Chichewa. It also shows respect to
the citizens to learn “their” language. We were advised as to the importance of
greeting here before we came. I have already seen that it is important to exchange
more extended greetings than in the US. How are you? How did you wake up? How
are your husband or wife, children, how did they wake? Relationships are held
as more important than time. Maybe the west could learn something from this.
At this point the language and accents sound thick and
foreign to me. I know from experience my ears will get used to this. I love the
richness of the sights and sounds around me. I am hoping and praying that my
brain and tongue can start wrapping themselves around making Chichewa words and
making sense of hearing it spoken quickly.
Zikomo, that means thank you in Chichewa. I am so glad you took time to read my blog.
The following pictures show how the windows look and the blooming frangipani tree out side my window.
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