Malawians really love to greet people. everyone. all the time. They often follow up the greeting with the question, "how is your life?" That seems like a pretty loaded question, but I feel like I can honestly answer "my life is good." We just finished our Interim Service Training (IST) in Dedza and now I am hanging out in Lilongwe to do some work and then heading north on Tuesday with Will, Jesi, and Alexis to visit Will's site and hike around Livingstonia. I'm pretty jazzed.
IST was awesome. Once again I am so thankful for the amazing people in our group. We have people starting women's groups, planting tree nurseries, and turning into amazing teachers. Plus, they are just generally really cool. We bonded over mattress diving (yes, as it sounds. we took the extra mattresses and piled them into our living room area. we proceeded to run and jump onto the mattresses for a good 4 hours. yes, we are all over 22) , students names (McVicious, Mavoto Madzi (problem water)), and the general awkward, random, and ridiculous things that happen when you put an American in a Malawian village. Of course, we had legitimate sessions on medical stuff, security stuff, grant writing, permaculture, and technical sessions. We also started our planning for Camp Sky which is a education sector tradition. This year yours truly is the director which is a totally overwhelming and exciting. It is a 10 day camp for the top students in the volunteers schools. It is primarily an academic camp for the students to prepare for the MSCE (the big test when they finish secondary school) but we are also going to do cool workshops about composting, sustainable agriculture, writer's workshops, knitting and sewing, and other IGAs. Camp isn't camp without capture the flag so we will definitely have other fun games, dances, talent shows, and silly camp activities. It is going to be a big task, but I can't wait.
The new environment volunteers arrived today which means we are no longer the newest volunteers in country. It is a good feeling. As much as I as I am enjoying my life it is comforting to know that Peace Corps is a revolving of people coming and going.
If you or anyone you know has a contact with Madonna please let me know, maybe she wants to sponsor our camp! She has a thing for Malawi...it's worth a try. : )
loads of love,
elisabeth
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
IST, Already?
**Note: I wrote this before IST but wasn't able to update...better late than never!
Next week we are traveling back to Dedza for IST, our training that comes after three months at site. I am SO excited to see everyone, to not think about what to cook, to climb the mountain, and generally have more social contact than I have had in a while. (unless hanging out with 6 boys under 12 including one who has peed on me twice counts) In so many ways this has been the longest 2.5months of my life, but the learning curve is sharp and I was forced to figure out how to live with some sense of normalcy very quickly or turn into a crazy person. Some days are hard and long and lonely and isolating. Some days are inspiring and encouraging and wonderful. Such is life, I guess.
Pre IST Highlights
1) Crazy Christmas
2) Swimming in Lake Malawi
3) Being Elisa and not Azungu
4) Doing an hour run with 2 little boys (who were barefoot) and them never giving up. Their little feet just kept running and they were smiling and laughing the entire time. I felt like I was in a cheesy Nike commercial.
5) Watching Derrick take his first steps (Dennis still hasn't figured out how to walk)
6) My watermelons and sunflowers are actually growing!
7) Realizing I do enjoy cooking
8) Reading more books than I have in the last 2 years
9) Being excited to come to my home in Malawi after traveling or even being gone for a day
10) running with 25 kids on their way to school
11) Hanging out with Gertrude on her poultry farm for the Positive Living (people living with HIV/AIDS) groups. She is one of the most amazing women I have ever met.
12) Charity trying to teach me how to scale and clean a fish-well, I think it was a highlight for her...
13) Totally wiping out in front of the entire school whilst trying to show off my cool soccer moves...not really a highlight but a memorable moment nonetheless
14) Realizing that being here is enough, things always happen for a reason
After IST a small group of us are going hiking in Livingstonia and then it is back home and back to school. After IST means I can also have visitors...if you have ever been considering a trip to Africa you have a host in Malawi. And if you haven't considered a trip to Africa, you should. I'll make you banana pancakes. : )
loads of love,
elisabeth
Next week we are traveling back to Dedza for IST, our training that comes after three months at site. I am SO excited to see everyone, to not think about what to cook, to climb the mountain, and generally have more social contact than I have had in a while. (unless hanging out with 6 boys under 12 including one who has peed on me twice counts) In so many ways this has been the longest 2.5months of my life, but the learning curve is sharp and I was forced to figure out how to live with some sense of normalcy very quickly or turn into a crazy person. Some days are hard and long and lonely and isolating. Some days are inspiring and encouraging and wonderful. Such is life, I guess.
Pre IST Highlights
1) Crazy Christmas
2) Swimming in Lake Malawi
3) Being Elisa and not Azungu
4) Doing an hour run with 2 little boys (who were barefoot) and them never giving up. Their little feet just kept running and they were smiling and laughing the entire time. I felt like I was in a cheesy Nike commercial.
5) Watching Derrick take his first steps (Dennis still hasn't figured out how to walk)
6) My watermelons and sunflowers are actually growing!
7) Realizing I do enjoy cooking
8) Reading more books than I have in the last 2 years
9) Being excited to come to my home in Malawi after traveling or even being gone for a day
10) running with 25 kids on their way to school
11) Hanging out with Gertrude on her poultry farm for the Positive Living (people living with HIV/AIDS) groups. She is one of the most amazing women I have ever met.
12) Charity trying to teach me how to scale and clean a fish-well, I think it was a highlight for her...
13) Totally wiping out in front of the entire school whilst trying to show off my cool soccer moves...not really a highlight but a memorable moment nonetheless
14) Realizing that being here is enough, things always happen for a reason
After IST a small group of us are going hiking in Livingstonia and then it is back home and back to school. After IST means I can also have visitors...if you have ever been considering a trip to Africa you have a host in Malawi. And if you haven't considered a trip to Africa, you should. I'll make you banana pancakes. : )
loads of love,
elisabeth
Monday, February 8, 2010
Workshop #1 and Other Misc. Activities
Lesson Planning Workshop
My primary job is to offer workshops for the 6 secondary schools in my cluster. I held the first one last Friday on lesson planning. Overall, I think it went pretty well. To be sure, I have listed the positives and negatives as follows:
Positives:
1) One representative came from each school! (though one was 2.5 hours late but who is counting?)
2) I have never seen Malawian men so giddy as when they were matching up math facts as a race-hilarious!
3) They asked legitimate questions (and some ridiculous ones) but they were genuinely interested!
4) At the end they actually went to the teachers room to get books to write a five-step lesson plan! They were using active strategies, using resource books, and wrote REAL lesson plans!
Negatives:
1) We held the workshop at the head cluster school--the headteacher was supposed to reserve the teacher development center but as I was setting up 15 guys came in for a red cross meeting. whoops, guess he forgot.
2) I have visited all but one of my schools because it is SO far away (I am actually not really sure where it is...) anyway, their representative walks in and says "you are just a stranger to me." yikes, nice to meet you too.
3) I am not sure these lessons will be implemented into the classroom....baby steps.
I am Teaching!
Wahoo! I have been wanting to teach but it is difficult with traveling for school visits so my headteacher is letting me teach 2 days a week. I am teaching English to form 3 and Life Skills to form 1. I really love teaching the form 3 class, but form 1 can barely speak basic conversational English (secondary school in Malawi is supposed to be taught entirely in English). The first lesson was on self esteem. Imagine trying to learn about why self esteem is important in Greek--yeah, it was like that for the students.
A.Y.I.D.
Active Youth In Development--This is is a youth group I have been working with in a small village about 20 minute bike ride away. They named me their "patron" (technicalities) and I am really excited about working with them because they are super enthusiastic and ambitious. Last week we had a composting workshop (thanks to Sarah and Austin my environment volunteer neighbors!) The fields in Malawi are totally depleted of nutrients because they constantly grow maize and burn the fields, then they have to spend tons of money on expensive fertilizer with lots of nitrogen which runs off into the lake, etc etc...Now, they are planning on doing more workshops with the farmers to teach them the stuff they learned! This week we are having a speaker come from the local health center. They have some big goals and I am trying to keep mine realistic but it is so refreshing to work with an enthusiastic group.
I think that is all for now...I love hearing from you! Please keep the letters/emails coming! I miss and love you all!
loads of love,
elisabeth
My primary job is to offer workshops for the 6 secondary schools in my cluster. I held the first one last Friday on lesson planning. Overall, I think it went pretty well. To be sure, I have listed the positives and negatives as follows:
Positives:
1) One representative came from each school! (though one was 2.5 hours late but who is counting?)
2) I have never seen Malawian men so giddy as when they were matching up math facts as a race-hilarious!
3) They asked legitimate questions (and some ridiculous ones) but they were genuinely interested!
4) At the end they actually went to the teachers room to get books to write a five-step lesson plan! They were using active strategies, using resource books, and wrote REAL lesson plans!
Negatives:
1) We held the workshop at the head cluster school--the headteacher was supposed to reserve the teacher development center but as I was setting up 15 guys came in for a red cross meeting. whoops, guess he forgot.
2) I have visited all but one of my schools because it is SO far away (I am actually not really sure where it is...) anyway, their representative walks in and says "you are just a stranger to me." yikes, nice to meet you too.
3) I am not sure these lessons will be implemented into the classroom....baby steps.
I am Teaching!
Wahoo! I have been wanting to teach but it is difficult with traveling for school visits so my headteacher is letting me teach 2 days a week. I am teaching English to form 3 and Life Skills to form 1. I really love teaching the form 3 class, but form 1 can barely speak basic conversational English (secondary school in Malawi is supposed to be taught entirely in English). The first lesson was on self esteem. Imagine trying to learn about why self esteem is important in Greek--yeah, it was like that for the students.
A.Y.I.D.
Active Youth In Development--This is is a youth group I have been working with in a small village about 20 minute bike ride away. They named me their "patron" (technicalities) and I am really excited about working with them because they are super enthusiastic and ambitious. Last week we had a composting workshop (thanks to Sarah and Austin my environment volunteer neighbors!) The fields in Malawi are totally depleted of nutrients because they constantly grow maize and burn the fields, then they have to spend tons of money on expensive fertilizer with lots of nitrogen which runs off into the lake, etc etc...Now, they are planning on doing more workshops with the farmers to teach them the stuff they learned! This week we are having a speaker come from the local health center. They have some big goals and I am trying to keep mine realistic but it is so refreshing to work with an enthusiastic group.
I think that is all for now...I love hearing from you! Please keep the letters/emails coming! I miss and love you all!
loads of love,
elisabeth
Monday, February 1, 2010
Pictures!
Just a note to say I have uploaded some photos on facebook. If we are facebook friends you probably already know that and if we aren't facebook friends I think you can still look at my pictures. : )
loads of love,
elisabeth
loads of love,
elisabeth
Friday, January 29, 2010
Everything is Relative
Recently, I have been struggling with the idea that I am not being effective, that I am just killing time and hanging out. I attend meetings and visit schools, but I haven't done anything substantial or tangible. Of course, things in Africa take time and this is perfectly normal but it was still starting to bother me. Patience is a funny thing and just as these thoughts were starting to bum me out a little a little boy reminded me everything is relative.
So, for background, Malawi is a very male dominated society. Women are supposed to be at home cooking and taking care of the family. I am the only female at my school and one of three females in all of my cluster schools. (there are 6 schools).
Last Friday I had a meeting with all of the headteachers in a building next to the primary school. School is a very loose term in this case-there are hundreds of kids running around, few teachers, and even fewer resources. As I was waiting for the Heads to arrive I started doing an impromptu lesson on numbers and letters with the 50+ children who decided watching the white lady was more important than sitting in a classroom. (also, I am not sure where the teachers were, in any case lots of kids running around at "school") One of my schools just received a female headteacher (included in the 3 females)-she was the first to arrive and asked if I knew what this young boy in the front was saying to the little girl next to him. I said no so she explained, he was saying if you stay in school and work hard you can be like Madam Elisa. So I haven't built anything or saved the world and the majority of my time is spent reading and playing with my neighbors. But, maybe one day there will be more madams in Malawi and that is a good thing.
So, for background, Malawi is a very male dominated society. Women are supposed to be at home cooking and taking care of the family. I am the only female at my school and one of three females in all of my cluster schools. (there are 6 schools).
Last Friday I had a meeting with all of the headteachers in a building next to the primary school. School is a very loose term in this case-there are hundreds of kids running around, few teachers, and even fewer resources. As I was waiting for the Heads to arrive I started doing an impromptu lesson on numbers and letters with the 50+ children who decided watching the white lady was more important than sitting in a classroom. (also, I am not sure where the teachers were, in any case lots of kids running around at "school") One of my schools just received a female headteacher (included in the 3 females)-she was the first to arrive and asked if I knew what this young boy in the front was saying to the little girl next to him. I said no so she explained, he was saying if you stay in school and work hard you can be like Madam Elisa. So I haven't built anything or saved the world and the majority of my time is spent reading and playing with my neighbors. But, maybe one day there will be more madams in Malawi and that is a good thing.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
This is Africa
I always imagine what my life MIGHT look like in the Peace Corps. I didn't have any concrete facts, just a wild imagination that made the extensive application process seem normal and the long wait just a simple test of patience. Throughout training the other volunteers and I would laugh about ridiculous and awkward moments remembering T.I.A. (this is Africa). We were still fresh in country and not used to being put in a minibus with 20 of our closest friends, or standing next to a seizing chicken on a four hour bus trip, etc. Recently, I have had more T.I.A. moments that remind me I am not imagining my life in the Peace Corps anymore. This is my life.
T.I.A. Moment 1
One of my cluster schools (about an hour bike ride away in the rainy season) is a very small school with only two forms. The school is new and growing and hoping for school blocks to accommodate forms 3 & 4. They just received a third teacher from the ministry of education and the Form 1 classroom doesn't have benches or desks so the students work on the floor. So, this little school with about 120 students and 3 teachers sits about an hour away from the road, from electricity, from bread, and cold drinks! I taught a lesson there the other day and looked at the classroom of students ranging in age from 14-25 and thought yes, this is Africa.
T.I.A. Moment 2
After visiting another one of my cluster schools (about an hour in the back of a truck down a crazy dirt road that would give Disney Land a run for its money) I decided I would start walking back home and stop at another school along the way. Two and a half hours later I made it to the school without seeing another vehicle along the way. Yes, T.I.A. For those concerned I did manage to find transportation home via a bicycle taxi and sanitation truck. It was a very long day.
T.I.A. Moment 3
If you need a self confidence booster you should come to Malawi. I walk down the road and the children start jumping up and down, chanting my name. Charity, the girl from school who helps get my water and clean my home (in exchange for her school fees) told me it was because I "have a cheap name," hmm I thought it was because I am a rockstar. : )
** I feel as though I should include another Charity-ism in this category- I hadn't swept in a couple of days and she was over sweeping my house when she asked me "why am I such a dirty being?" I didn't really have a response for that except the thought that my mom would be so embarrassed.
T.I.A. Moment 4 (slightly more frustrating)
Being the only female attending an Area Executive Committee meeting and for 3 hours being asked/told when I am going to leave to cook them nsima. I told them they were probably going to be very hungry because I am never going to cook them nsima. I realize this was not the culturally sensitive thing to do, but I too was hungry and tired.
I know this is just the beginning and there will be plenty more T.I.A. moments. I am trying to take each day as it comes and am doing my best to not take any day for granted remembering that my time here is limited.
But, in the future I will never take a couch for granted or water with lemon or busy Saturday afternoons or jamba juice after a tough workout or being able to visit friends whenever I want....Of course, those are all things that will be there when I get back so until then this is Africa.
loads of love,
elisabeth
T.I.A. Moment 1
One of my cluster schools (about an hour bike ride away in the rainy season) is a very small school with only two forms. The school is new and growing and hoping for school blocks to accommodate forms 3 & 4. They just received a third teacher from the ministry of education and the Form 1 classroom doesn't have benches or desks so the students work on the floor. So, this little school with about 120 students and 3 teachers sits about an hour away from the road, from electricity, from bread, and cold drinks! I taught a lesson there the other day and looked at the classroom of students ranging in age from 14-25 and thought yes, this is Africa.
T.I.A. Moment 2
After visiting another one of my cluster schools (about an hour in the back of a truck down a crazy dirt road that would give Disney Land a run for its money) I decided I would start walking back home and stop at another school along the way. Two and a half hours later I made it to the school without seeing another vehicle along the way. Yes, T.I.A. For those concerned I did manage to find transportation home via a bicycle taxi and sanitation truck. It was a very long day.
T.I.A. Moment 3
If you need a self confidence booster you should come to Malawi. I walk down the road and the children start jumping up and down, chanting my name. Charity, the girl from school who helps get my water and clean my home (in exchange for her school fees) told me it was because I "have a cheap name," hmm I thought it was because I am a rockstar. : )
** I feel as though I should include another Charity-ism in this category- I hadn't swept in a couple of days and she was over sweeping my house when she asked me "why am I such a dirty being?" I didn't really have a response for that except the thought that my mom would be so embarrassed.
T.I.A. Moment 4 (slightly more frustrating)
Being the only female attending an Area Executive Committee meeting and for 3 hours being asked/told when I am going to leave to cook them nsima. I told them they were probably going to be very hungry because I am never going to cook them nsima. I realize this was not the culturally sensitive thing to do, but I too was hungry and tired.
I know this is just the beginning and there will be plenty more T.I.A. moments. I am trying to take each day as it comes and am doing my best to not take any day for granted remembering that my time here is limited.
But, in the future I will never take a couch for granted or water with lemon or busy Saturday afternoons or jamba juice after a tough workout or being able to visit friends whenever I want....Of course, those are all things that will be there when I get back so until then this is Africa.
loads of love,
elisabeth
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What I have learned so far...
I have been living at site for about a month now. I have compiled a list of observations thus far:
* Riding a bike in a skirt stinks.
*I should start dinner a good hour before I am hungry....still working on the whole fire thing. I can start a fire no problem, keeping it going well...
*I really can't live on peanut butter sandwiches
*If I were a sports recruiter I would come to Malawi. There is nothing a Malawian women can't do and it seems as if they feel no pain. ever. for example,
-Removing pots directly from the fire without an oven mitt
- Learning how to jump rope with a baby on their back
-Breast feeding while walking carrying about 20 pounds of rice on their head
- I could go on, but they are pretty incredible
*I kind of like not having electricity, well except for the whole cooking thing
*Pasta sides, mac n'cheese, oatmeal, and chocolate is the stuff dreams are made of : )
* You should label what you plant in your garden-or at least remember what you plant. I had zero faith in my gardening skills but now I have a bunch of stuff growing and I don't know what it is! Whoops.
*I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up
*Malawians really feel that if you don't eat nsima daily you must not be healthy
*I don't know how I will ever function not getting 8/9 hours of sleep every night
*Nothing I do in my village goes unnoticed. Everyone knows how many tomatoes I buy, that I prefer Fanta to Coke, and that I don't cook nsima. Seriously, you could drive down the M5 and between Benga and Mkaika just ask for Elisa, someone knows where I am.
*Every last extravagant ice cream trip before I left was worth it.
*I have amazing friends and the best family in the whole world
*I am incredibly lucky and blessed!
* Riding a bike in a skirt stinks.
*I should start dinner a good hour before I am hungry....still working on the whole fire thing. I can start a fire no problem, keeping it going well...
*I really can't live on peanut butter sandwiches
*If I were a sports recruiter I would come to Malawi. There is nothing a Malawian women can't do and it seems as if they feel no pain. ever. for example,
-Removing pots directly from the fire without an oven mitt
- Learning how to jump rope with a baby on their back
-Breast feeding while walking carrying about 20 pounds of rice on their head
- I could go on, but they are pretty incredible
*I kind of like not having electricity, well except for the whole cooking thing
*Pasta sides, mac n'cheese, oatmeal, and chocolate is the stuff dreams are made of : )
* You should label what you plant in your garden-or at least remember what you plant. I had zero faith in my gardening skills but now I have a bunch of stuff growing and I don't know what it is! Whoops.
*I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up
*Malawians really feel that if you don't eat nsima daily you must not be healthy
*I don't know how I will ever function not getting 8/9 hours of sleep every night
*Nothing I do in my village goes unnoticed. Everyone knows how many tomatoes I buy, that I prefer Fanta to Coke, and that I don't cook nsima. Seriously, you could drive down the M5 and between Benga and Mkaika just ask for Elisa, someone knows where I am.
*Every last extravagant ice cream trip before I left was worth it.
*I have amazing friends and the best family in the whole world
*I am incredibly lucky and blessed!
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