Home, but not as I know it

My unexpected little house is somewhere I’m beginning to understand I will see a lot of when I’m in Lilongwe.  Night falls very quickly around here, almost at 6pm on the dot and clearly there are no streetlights.  Unless you are in a taxi the advice is very much to be home before dark – so the aim is to be back by 5.30 pm.  Before I came, the recommendation was very definitely not to use the minibuses, here that’s exactly what you have to do – there is no other affordable option.  So at the weekends it appears we walk pretty much everywhere in daylight hours, but the journey home from work involves the minibus experience.  I was very grateful to be following other volunteers who’ve done it all before on my way home from work tonight.  It didn’t stop me losing a shoe, a fingernail and almost my dignity trying to get off tonight!  Can’t quite believe how many people they pack in them!

Once it’s dark outside, my curtains (!) are drawn, the evenings feel very long.  I will have to get used to living at this pace and with this level of solitude.

That said, the girls in the compound have been absolutely great.  With their help I’m slowly getting my head round the nameless streets of Lilongwe, I’m also learning the best places to go for all the essentials to make that allowance go a little further!  I’m yet to explore the Chinese supermarket but that and the flea market are next on the list.  I need to make my place feel a little less bare and unloved! 

So far, so good.  My fellow VSO volunteers are all lovely.  I can’t wait to see that lake I keep hearing so much about.  Started work the actual placement today – no-one told me I had to curtsey when I met the Minister.  Oops!  I’m also the only women in there who is not wearing 4 inch heels and a suit jacket – maybe I didn’t quite bring the right wardrobe.  I have to say I didn’t do a lot – hopefully it won’t always be like that or 4 months will never be enough – which is exactly what the Minister said to me (that 4 months is too short, not that I’m not doing enough work!)

And finally, a photo or two of home sweet home – it was a great sunset tonight – or the bit I could see over the wall looked pretty good!

Photo 1 - my huge room called the West Wing in the guest house

Photo 2 - Genki, the intrepid Japanese assistant teacher and I outside the guest house

Photo 3, 4 and 5 - home sweet home

Photo 6 - the little bit of sunset I could see!

Missing everyone at home – Dog and Puppy (yes they really are called that) who live on our compound are no substitute for Herbie!