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First Week in Usisya: August 11, 2009
My first week at site was slow, but true to how the rest of my time in Malawi will probably be like. This time I traveled into site when I could see the gorgeous mountains that make me so isolated. I suppose if this is the view I must travel through, then I will accept the vast distance. The drop offs along the road are something else, however, which I will choose to ignore as I trust in the ambulance driver (Elliot) and his skill with the land rover. In the day you can also see more how Usisya is more of a cove and while I believe you can walk out from either side, I know that the little dirt road is truly the only way people from my village can ever make it to civilization by land.
In the day I spend my time walking around exploring mountainsides and the lakeshore. People are overly interested in the "mzungu" walking about and tend to come and introduce themselves as best they know how…" what is my name" … "well I don't know your name, but my name is Bonnie" I explain the last part in Chitumbuka and hope that this brief English lesson will stop repeated offenses, but it seems that English is not their best subject here. In fact, education in general as left Usisya in the dark and the teachers have been after me more than once to come and teach after break ends on the 17th… I have promised Life skills… and maybe one other course if I have time with projects.
I have also met the only NGO in the area "Temwa" meaning "to love one another". It is a European funded, little nook in the community that has a staff of all Malawian guys who I have instantly befriended and began planning projects with. Oddly enough, the man I made homeless was the first to offer is permaculture knowledge to help plant my own dimba (kitchen garden) and then teach the rest of the community to do the same as they only eat cassava nsima and occasional fish. They have also told stories of weekend braais at the lakeshore lodge (aka a little bungalow owned by a guy named tiger and occasionally inhabited by a wondering backpacker or Temwa visitor). We have exchanged numbers and they will call me next weekend to say "the chicken is marinated" as we will spend the day living a Caribbean lifestyle.
There have also been less positive interactions… while not awful they stand as a bit frustrating. First, people have been officially taught here that when white people come into the community they bring money… so I have been asked for everything from ndalama (money), to "you buy me sobo" (a local soft drink), to "you give me your bike"…. I then explain in Tumbuka that I don't have money… and when it's a child I tell them to give me money and they run off laughing. Women also seem to think that I cannot cook, and come to sit on my porch and offer their skills to me. To this I explain that I have learned to cook very well from my mother, but that we can be friends. They accept this and move on. The last interaction was a 21-year-old guy who sat on my porch and decided that we should date. I explained that I didn't want to date anyone here, and that there was no way he could know me from our 30 mins. of conversation. He didn't accept this, so I told him I have a Chibewzi (boyfriend) in America who would not like me to be unfaithful. He then took this as a challenge and said that he would return once I have broken up with this person. I have thus grown hesitant with making friends with young guys even through they seem to be the ones who know nay English.
Anywho… I am settling in well and have been making my house into a home (so to speak). I have hung cards from home and tried to bring like to the cement walls as best possible. A PCV, Jeremy, from my group came to spend the weekend as he waits for his house to get ready. It was nice having a guest and someone to cook with (as that is the biggest part of the day here). We then left just briefly by ilala (steam boat) to do some final shopping for my house and have a bit of that American touch at the rest house in Mzuzu. The next day will consist of market visits and hopefully a hamburger from the local restaurant. Then I will return for probably about a month at site before another adventure out. Food is difficult to find in Usisy, however, so I may need a bi-weekly run to the market in Mzuzu is the ambulance driver brings a patient to the local hospital here.
Well… peace and love to all … miss you bunches and do send letters or give me a call when you can
Care of: Bonnie Harvey
Mzuzu House
Private Box 126
Mzuzu, Malawi
Southern Africa
+phone (011 or 265) 888333387
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