tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51618015308946203092024-03-05T06:08:54.987-06:00linusinmalawiMy trip to MalawiLinushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-65750692931112347992010-01-12T01:29:00.000-06:002010-01-12T01:29:20.736-06:00Zecomo con bede (Thank you very much in Chechewa)As i get ready to leave, the temptation is to share some special insights or thoughts about the trip. But, at least right now i don't really have any big revelations. I had an incredible time meeting new people, seeing incredible sights, and getting back into touch with an old friend. But while i certainly learned a lot, i didn't have a big revelation or insight. <br />
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So instead i'll leave off by just sharing some observations. <br />
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1) women in malawi can carry the most amazing and heavy things on their heads. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPmljIMfgGXigYGRJLwumzt32cUNOZyORmFvWSsVgHeCoeX8jJLTjFpGRX-6OjU99XQeQRUfMaVznBYsZ-d0OEf1HDge-qJqNoxyd8zDi2KT63WOUKoP3wkTQ1Gnh_MXQgqUyQTPYSad7/s1600/IMG_1679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPmljIMfgGXigYGRJLwumzt32cUNOZyORmFvWSsVgHeCoeX8jJLTjFpGRX-6OjU99XQeQRUfMaVznBYsZ-d0OEf1HDge-qJqNoxyd8zDi2KT63WOUKoP3wkTQ1Gnh_MXQgqUyQTPYSad7/s200/IMG_1679.JPG" width="0" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEa_EOvKVhtsKTDgb8NO4kjspejSRBZomagfGFub4eElpvi8yDH6a4mC3aZeDKBl6IMuEnMjYpDwpUynX6KdNcheKQgXOFLnqlB-GXVwJcnxi3nGZbU8JjziOfEH6eTlZNr0jINbjinT/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEa_EOvKVhtsKTDgb8NO4kjspejSRBZomagfGFub4eElpvi8yDH6a4mC3aZeDKBl6IMuEnMjYpDwpUynX6KdNcheKQgXOFLnqlB-GXVwJcnxi3nGZbU8JjziOfEH6eTlZNr0jINbjinT/s200/IMG_2480.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRkUBbBf9D1iEG7nHZtCnrsy6dqdkn0HTcBc085sz5oX7GnzgtXtrZzdLHo-QTe2DVeMnEGvzQowoFcGxFQPgmQK0r-qtGoiJhfRiUhgiLWXas0r97D-brvcxquqSw_GOtqOiSLoiWYr7/s1600/IMG_1711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRkUBbBf9D1iEG7nHZtCnrsy6dqdkn0HTcBc085sz5oX7GnzgtXtrZzdLHo-QTe2DVeMnEGvzQowoFcGxFQPgmQK0r-qtGoiJhfRiUhgiLWXas0r97D-brvcxquqSw_GOtqOiSLoiWYr7/s200/IMG_1711.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEa_EOvKVhtsKTDgb8NO4kjspejSRBZomagfGFub4eElpvi8yDH6a4mC3aZeDKBl6IMuEnMjYpDwpUynX6KdNcheKQgXOFLnqlB-GXVwJcnxi3nGZbU8JjziOfEH6eTlZNr0jINbjinT/s1600/IMG_2480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprEa_EOvKVhtsKTDgb8NO4kjspejSRBZomagfGFub4eElpvi8yDH6a4mC3aZeDKBl6IMuEnMjYpDwpUynX6KdNcheKQgXOFLnqlB-GXVwJcnxi3nGZbU8JjziOfEH6eTlZNr0jINbjinT/s200/IMG_2480.JPG" width="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPmljIMfgGXigYGRJLwumzt32cUNOZyORmFvWSsVgHeCoeX8jJLTjFpGRX-6OjU99XQeQRUfMaVznBYsZ-d0OEf1HDge-qJqNoxyd8zDi2KT63WOUKoP3wkTQ1Gnh_MXQgqUyQTPYSad7/s1600/IMG_1679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPmljIMfgGXigYGRJLwumzt32cUNOZyORmFvWSsVgHeCoeX8jJLTjFpGRX-6OjU99XQeQRUfMaVznBYsZ-d0OEf1HDge-qJqNoxyd8zDi2KT63WOUKoP3wkTQ1Gnh_MXQgqUyQTPYSad7/s200/IMG_1679.JPG" /></a><br />
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2) Orange fanta is a hugely unappreciated drink. I think i must have drank a case of the stuff already while here.. delicious. <br />
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3) Go Malawi Flames in the Africa Cup! (they just beat Algeria)<br />
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4) And lawyers? They aren't so bad if they can get this type of criticism...<br />
<a href="http://www.bnltimes.com//content/view/1609/30/">http://www.bnltimes.com//content/view/1609/30/</a><br />
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That is it for now...... i know, nothing earth shattering or even that interesting, though i can assure you the trip itself is something i won't ever forget.Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-80382692054750157292010-01-11T16:22:00.000-06:002010-01-11T16:22:39.511-06:00Lilongwe!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWzWpurlAyw6RltNl6Ix5YqdX30QmrzPHgVPSvSjLJ4uOLa8c3IDMjBBLS4o7OPkJCw-IU2QhJ5je8s08M7-k1wH3QoZhptamtZqyZY_5yiBtnAKKY3MJkTjZPnpJbMz9eZqOW0qocGxn/s1600/IMG_2483.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOWzWpurlAyw6RltNl6Ix5YqdX30QmrzPHgVPSvSjLJ4uOLa8c3IDMjBBLS4o7OPkJCw-IU2QhJ5je8s08M7-k1wH3QoZhptamtZqyZY_5yiBtnAKKY3MJkTjZPnpJbMz9eZqOW0qocGxn/s200/IMG_2483.JPG" width="150" /></a><br />
</div>I got to explore Lilongwe yesterday a bit. I hadn't started really travelling overseas until the last couple of years, but i notice that i really enjoy walking around a city and getting lost. It seems like a strange thing to say, but you really can get a sense of a city's "soul" or spirit after walking around a bit. It would be a lie to say that lilongwe is a beautiful city. The architecture is very bland, and the city that i got to explore is resembles a long line of mini-malls. Such as :<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO6jxIlL02xr53JWcT0yWZ-kDTltn17c6EAFzSzmXvSetC3TiLGIHVZogl6OV9lT1dJtuDXSSIedJBw-4QHavOlwnEeicUMNahauNR3DDnLzHj1UKAviIDqGSXXu6lt1l3Z2udRRR7SAi/s1600/IMG_2474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglO6jxIlL02xr53JWcT0yWZ-kDTltn17c6EAFzSzmXvSetC3TiLGIHVZogl6OV9lT1dJtuDXSSIedJBw-4QHavOlwnEeicUMNahauNR3DDnLzHj1UKAviIDqGSXXu6lt1l3Z2udRRR7SAi/s200/IMG_2474.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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But the character of Lilongwe isn't found in the permanent buildings, but much more in the marketplaces that dominate the city. There is one huge marketplace, that used to be broken up into lots of smaller ones, but the government got tired of complaints of street harassment and forced everyone into a large marketplace area.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgu9bHgfin0_U14dwAVU5Tx4fKUxvQWnvcn5D1CWMx0pD1b4y0sNbX08PYlWk25Y8ydg-1Nwd1tHfXXF_KicOCzYPVj176gbTgyWk-TSj_r1FHDPsPacjouMnXvN-LyU6OrOaMM0_VKRF_/s1600/IMG_2467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgu9bHgfin0_U14dwAVU5Tx4fKUxvQWnvcn5D1CWMx0pD1b4y0sNbX08PYlWk25Y8ydg-1Nwd1tHfXXF_KicOCzYPVj176gbTgyWk-TSj_r1FHDPsPacjouMnXvN-LyU6OrOaMM0_VKRF_/s200/IMG_2467.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRthyphenhyphenuMIRFvWTr21v_Recsss8I72ed7eUVlbb_7aUafzn2rh04dLWUOOuQVQMx2vMCaAvBV7SOpR66Ds6_SRqWgTHvsGfWdyH0BftDGaquFAEYaPKNOPiMa5pQckzTR6xTDOrutY7uTeW/s1600/IMG_2461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFRthyphenhyphenuMIRFvWTr21v_Recsss8I72ed7eUVlbb_7aUafzn2rh04dLWUOOuQVQMx2vMCaAvBV7SOpR66Ds6_SRqWgTHvsGfWdyH0BftDGaquFAEYaPKNOPiMa5pQckzTR6xTDOrutY7uTeW/s200/IMG_2461.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
</div>i couldn't quite a good picture of the entire market, but to give you a sense, there are bridges such as this one:. The marketplace is huge, and i think it is the size that sort of got to me. One area was dominated by produce, another area by clothes, and so on. The problem was that most of what people were selling was indistinguishable from each other. This made hawking wares one of the most prominent features of the market. It didn't help to be one of the few foriegners at the market since it meant that i was constantly being yelled at. Now most of the people at the market would just yell out things as simple as, "come here and look", "Hey boss, you want these tomatoes, i give you a good price". OF course, not everyone was trying to sell something at the market, or if they were, they might have marked me as not a potential customer, since i got quite a few, "You china?", "Ching chong ching" thrown my way. I find it ironic, that traveling 1/2 way across the world, and i felt like i was back in elementary school .<br />
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Here is a recording of the marketplace.<br />
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<div><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" width="210"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/5ar85y/marketplace.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed src="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/5ar85y/marketplace.mp3&autoStart=no" quality="high" width="210" height="25" name="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed> </object><br />
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<a href="http://www.podbean.com/" style="border-bottom: none; color: #2da274; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; padding-left: 41px; text-decoration: none;">Powered by Podbean.com</a><br />
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I do want to point out something i found really neat, at the marketplace they had one area where people played pool outside... <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSCvZ20foR1xkMqgv8viujeRHcWYZU5kJ2oZx20uaMpizSwrH-0UO7A-ZJO7Uvi_Eh-U3S7pfws0ZZaffbqXXw7fIlXgk5cESKs3NhL7JsnHMbjHHJkOcpGuA79UbhhvwiPG3awUQKVsj/s1600/IMG_2470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkSCvZ20foR1xkMqgv8viujeRHcWYZU5kJ2oZx20uaMpizSwrH-0UO7A-ZJO7Uvi_Eh-U3S7pfws0ZZaffbqXXw7fIlXgk5cESKs3NhL7JsnHMbjHHJkOcpGuA79UbhhvwiPG3awUQKVsj/s200/IMG_2470.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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The other prominent feature of Lilongwe that i found was the mini buses. It shouldn't be a surprise to most that cars are a luxury that ordinary malawans don't have access to. And while i saw a ton of bicycles on the rural area roads, the roads in Lilongwe had far fewer bicycles. (still prominent, but nothing like China in the 80s.). Instead the city is dominated by private buses, and they were univerally these volkswagen white "mini-busses." They were everywhere and they charge a small fee. There are no "bus stops", but there are prominent stops that you can find 2-3 mini buses waiting to pick up enough passengers to go to a destination.<br />
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There were however, bus depots, or areas where these buses gather to take people outside of lilongwe. And in many ways these bus areas were even more loud and raucous than the marketplace. People came up constantly to ask if you wanted a cab to go somewhere.Here is a recording done at the depot.<br />
<div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="25" id="mp3playerdarksmallv3" width="210"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerdarksmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/5ar85y/marketplace.mp3&autoStart=no" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <embed src="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerdarksmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/5ar85y/marketplace.mp3&autoStart=no" quality="high" width="210" height="25" name="mp3playerdarksmallv3" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed> </object><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.podbean.com/" style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; color: #2da274; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; padding-left: 41px; text-decoration: none;">Powered by Podbean.com</a><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZ52YxuxYWNYjOblCa0cJRxyY4X9P1SxqFH60gHxreFmZyF-pZSxTPHfLOaQ8sBsXoSv9mRlljV-JoO-b6pjBanZc8c0daOJdFPWoSp9tBkP199rN8w1aqU-jI_YFsVTszze-naX7Lns/s1600/IMG_2476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZ52YxuxYWNYjOblCa0cJRxyY4X9P1SxqFH60gHxreFmZyF-pZSxTPHfLOaQ8sBsXoSv9mRlljV-JoO-b6pjBanZc8c0daOJdFPWoSp9tBkP199rN8w1aqU-jI_YFsVTszze-naX7Lns/s200/IMG_2476.JPG" /></a>I am not sure there is anything to this, but i find it interesting that in nearly every single city, there are people who like to play games outside. Whether it be chess or something like this African game, which has many names, but here in Malawi it is just called Bao.<br />
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Here are some vendors playing,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIitQjAUOfi8NqMJZ5GYpUGB2BWFbLkn6irPmZmMY-4Kvi9PSaacd9GnbKJ8FkgviMqM4Ks94waLKG5q0zcoqA4cSiGXw-m6xGPKoW9mmMqVTMiI39HdhZJA2HqLh8Ex1Bjid0QnBEO7l/s1600/IMG_2479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNIitQjAUOfi8NqMJZ5GYpUGB2BWFbLkn6irPmZmMY-4Kvi9PSaacd9GnbKJ8FkgviMqM4Ks94waLKG5q0zcoqA4cSiGXw-m6xGPKoW9mmMqVTMiI39HdhZJA2HqLh8Ex1Bjid0QnBEO7l/s200/IMG_2479.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
</div>And here, these men have made their board out of dirt..<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UnKw-xu7uqDcZZnj21s6Kse4_TB30YioXmCajkjT5g208MJnax6LcCw2qmMJ_9_c2lJuj8UZ-HRIogtBpHChyphenhyphen-IS1x9grqA-VrIvKEXgdgkcCe-9aHGwRZABGT-IjHDLBC93iYXhuDMD/s1600/IMG_2486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UnKw-xu7uqDcZZnj21s6Kse4_TB30YioXmCajkjT5g208MJnax6LcCw2qmMJ_9_c2lJuj8UZ-HRIogtBpHChyphenhyphen-IS1x9grqA-VrIvKEXgdgkcCe-9aHGwRZABGT-IjHDLBC93iYXhuDMD/s200/IMG_2486.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>I bought a board, and am trying to learn the game as much as i can before i return to the states!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZ52YxuxYWNYjOblCa0cJRxyY4X9P1SxqFH60gHxreFmZyF-pZSxTPHfLOaQ8sBsXoSv9mRlljV-JoO-b6pjBanZc8c0daOJdFPWoSp9tBkP199rN8w1aqU-jI_YFsVTszze-naX7Lns/s1600/IMG_2476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvSZ52YxuxYWNYjOblCa0cJRxyY4X9P1SxqFH60gHxreFmZyF-pZSxTPHfLOaQ8sBsXoSv9mRlljV-JoO-b6pjBanZc8c0daOJdFPWoSp9tBkP199rN8w1aqU-jI_YFsVTszze-naX7Lns/s200/IMG_2476.JPG" width="0" /></a><br />
</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-5712979599152728142010-01-10T00:25:00.000-06:002010-01-10T00:25:33.625-06:00My Safari!<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMGEvbIzSiGCilncF-kSTu34-KZbuwv1vBrmQe6_hfpdtwVB6yqmjaryLFf3QknhUWNyswiONszNmveTgSUvaxinYKg-qFwYTGVAwvAtJU7bnrLcSI53_oKluFNW7XDpMw3_i8t208sxC/s1600/IMG_2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBMGEvbIzSiGCilncF-kSTu34-KZbuwv1vBrmQe6_hfpdtwVB6yqmjaryLFf3QknhUWNyswiONszNmveTgSUvaxinYKg-qFwYTGVAwvAtJU7bnrLcSI53_oKluFNW7XDpMw3_i8t208sxC/s200/IMG_2208.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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(top is bird sounds, left is a leopard and one of her cubs)<br />
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I won't clutter this post up too much with musings, thoughts or words... I went on safari during the rainy season, which is the "cheap" season since the animals are able to scatter about a lot more and aren't confined to drinking holes, and the roads in the park can be flooded and unsafe to travel through, which restricts access. However, i really lucked out and got to see just about everything (the only animals i didn't see were the wild dogs, which are in the park, but hadn't been sighted for a while). <br />
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Anyway.. without further ado... on the very first drive, we found a leopard.. and 2 cubs! This completely shocked me as I was just hoping for a fleeting glimpse of a leopard..<br />
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Babies were a prevailing theme, and this baby elephant was absolutely adorable.<br />
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The first 2 days of rides we didn't see any lions, and it was looking like that may have been the one animal we would end up missing.. but on the very last ride of the last day, we got wind of some lions and Lion Hunt 2010 was successful, almost too much so! <br />
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I also got to witness some pretty cool behavior, such as impalas dueling it out..<br />
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I am not going to post too many more pictures of animals, (i ended up taking nearly 500 animal photos) but feel free to look over my picasa web album, i've got hyenas (cute) lots of hippos, elephants, Zebras, some awesome birds and some other incredibly cool animals. <br />
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The park itself was absolutely gorgeous and the views were spectacular. Here are a couple of examples. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_RUeK2kz2OFMscvnTVdwhdg0OXiEPKKHZqTQMi2ynlEhZ2xsXC-rTngkL6oflC0iRIISjLxJGGUrgEDIkuILAdy-xJIorH9Tg01SIecGvT3JcUXKdtAZDJGapfXLk5KoblYxAlYQa6lJ/s1600/IMG_2164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_RUeK2kz2OFMscvnTVdwhdg0OXiEPKKHZqTQMi2ynlEhZ2xsXC-rTngkL6oflC0iRIISjLxJGGUrgEDIkuILAdy-xJIorH9Tg01SIecGvT3JcUXKdtAZDJGapfXLk5KoblYxAlYQa6lJ/s200/IMG_2164.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Here is our guide Fred.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7TzFGrOhoeU3xvA7d4Shbm5ZV1q5a6ZK_l82gobkzc7oO4_va8qIW3sYTIP-eVblOghvw1ddCZizjr5oFq67-oz8NpMfLgIkkBTydQ8PdqhFYY4leafawmQww1-Wyfl-u99CEvYPhZKe/s1600/IMG_2375-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn7TzFGrOhoeU3xvA7d4Shbm5ZV1q5a6ZK_l82gobkzc7oO4_va8qIW3sYTIP-eVblOghvw1ddCZizjr5oFq67-oz8NpMfLgIkkBTydQ8PdqhFYY4leafawmQww1-Wyfl-u99CEvYPhZKe/s200/IMG_2375-1.JPG" width="0" /></a><br />
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One more thing.. Hippos make the WEIRDEST noises... it is sort of a snort laugh here is my recording of them.<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-80672912591615283762010-01-03T13:19:00.000-06:002010-01-03T13:19:08.868-06:00The Children of Malawi<div><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="25" id="mp3playerdarksmallv3" width="210"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerdarksmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/jyi34w/Childrensinging.mp3&autoStart=no" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerdarksmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/jyi34w/Childrensinging.mp3&autoStart=no" quality="high" width="210" height="25" name="mp3playerdarksmallv3" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed> </object><br />
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</div>After a week in Malawi, I can start to understand why Madonna chose to adopt a child from here. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Madonna had absolutely no inclination whatsoever about raising children, was on vacation in Malawi, and after a few days couldn't help but decide to adopt some Malawi children. Don't worry, I won't fall prey to that impulse myself, but there are definite times where i feel like i am in the middle of the Simpsons episode where all the adults where nowhere to be found (because of a Simpsons and Sons aphrodisiac) and the children take over Springfield. There are children EVERYWHERE. <br />
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A few salient facts before i go on about what i have observed. 1) Malawi is the most densely populated country in Africa. It doesn't have the largest population, just the most people in a small amount of space. 2) The average family size is about 8 or 9, which includes 6-7 children. In fact, more than 50% of the population here are under the age of 18.<br />
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The children, as children are designed to be, are absolutely adorable. They run after cars, wave at strangers, smile constantly, and pretend to know kung-fu. (Apparently, Malawans are under the impression that if you are Asian, you are a kung fu master, which may explain why i haven't been mugged yet, despite some obviously stupidity on my part.). It is not unusual to see a train of children walking along the side of the road, completely unsupervised, and with ages ranging from 3years old to what must be 12-13. <br />
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Earlier today, i got the opportunity to take a walking tour through one of the local villages that was near the resort we were staying at. One of the resort workers, who live there, was willing to walk me around and show me her village and, with trepidation, i went.<br />
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I was prepared to see small houses, huts even, and was worried about being mobbed for money, or having people try and sell me "handicrafts." I was only right about the small houses and even then, i was a bit surprised at how cool, and well made they were. I got to see small plots of land used for subsistence farming, livestock such as chickens, goats and ducks. I saw the local water pump which was established in 2001 and played such an important role in improving quality of life. But most of all i got to see children. The boys who were making a soccer ball out of rope and plastic bags, the girls who were playing "net ball" (and ferociously and well). And i was definitely, a source of entertainment for these kids. It didn't take long for the children to just start following me wherever we went. I turned around and there were at least 20 kids behind me. And as we walked through the village, more and more kids followed. The kids would all smile, laugh and some would copy what i say, such as "hello". I didn't want to disappoint the children by being boring, so eventually i asked them all to sing a song for me. That is what i recorded at the beginning of this post. <br />
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It is surprising how quickly you forget that these kids live with poor health care, with a secondary school that is literally 10km away and only accessible to them by foot, and with clothes that in the US only the homeless would wear. I guess big smiles, laughter and singing can do that.<br />
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I tried thinking about what happens to a poor country with so many of its citizens being so young. I can't think of much that is good about that combination, my only hope is that out of these shining, eager and happy faces a great leader will emerge, and hopefully with more help than harm from us.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp8MqzITYYuNl40fPeHyk2zrmUJE2yyQ7VmF3-doKYXy_rgd5s7KYokt_-WIwbT-nFtniQ_Duyloeyn_HT-04vJmDOU8w9z510XtYRnWk6W14wkipYW6X8QZtYm70haf4mYcYiFXct715/s1600/IMG_1933.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKp8MqzITYYuNl40fPeHyk2zrmUJE2yyQ7VmF3-doKYXy_rgd5s7KYokt_-WIwbT-nFtniQ_Duyloeyn_HT-04vJmDOU8w9z510XtYRnWk6W14wkipYW6X8QZtYm70haf4mYcYiFXct715/s200/IMG_1933.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NYYIvMuYiwYN-dkzp0HeksVvZO2m-aya8foScrZHiOaFak5PjnMqZdH5WoGqf5IvsrjsTlfED1h7BT59oGZf2ABr8pKTwlqvGOQkur1_2FDGVU3KSffzC4M_eyD_81gyA63yyCzY8wzP/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-NYYIvMuYiwYN-dkzp0HeksVvZO2m-aya8foScrZHiOaFak5PjnMqZdH5WoGqf5IvsrjsTlfED1h7BT59oGZf2ABr8pKTwlqvGOQkur1_2FDGVU3KSffzC4M_eyD_81gyA63yyCzY8wzP/s200/IMG_1551.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-77867069547110127232010-01-03T13:17:00.002-06:002010-01-03T14:54:04.615-06:00Nature So Far<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ehUgc1iyn_o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ehUgc1iyn_o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
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(my video of an eagle snatching a fish)<br />
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</div>What is one of the first things that pop into your head when you think of Africa? And no, don't count Sally Struthers or images of malnourished children. I bet it has something to do with an animal or nature at some point. I am no different, in fact, i am a bit of a nature nut, so i was looking forward to finding out exactly what Africa had in store.<br />
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Now, I am writing this before i actually go on Safari, a safari that will take me to Zambia and one of the mos famous national parks (Luangwe). And i trust that after i go on that safari, my views will be very different.<br />
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So far, Africa is not much different from the US, once it is developed, much of the same sort of wilderness fills its place. Let me explain, because i wasn't on safari, i would pay special attention to birds, fish and lizards. And as i did, i reflected about what it would be like in the state parks back in Illinois, Wisconsin or Indiana. The birds here are gorgeous as well as the lizards, but they aren't all that different than what is back home, only if you pay attention.<br />
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Now there are some obvious exceptions to all of this.<br />
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There just aren't that many baboons running around Illinois, and the while the fish eagle does resemble the bald eagle, seeing bald eagles swoop down to catch a fish usually requires a trip to Alaska and lots of patience.<br />
And obviously there was the unbelievably cool cichlids of Lake Malawi. I won't go too crazy talking about fish, especially some fish that i used to keep in my aquariums at home, but i do want to point out that, Lake Malawi became not just a National Park, but a World Heritage Site, based solely on these fish. Snorkeling and getting to see these bright blue, orange and yellow fish was a real treat.<br />
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I wish i could show you pictures of the baboons that liked to congregate outside my room, or the numerous monitor lizards, or even better yet, underwater photos of the cichlids, sadly my little Canon Elph has let me down, and i will not likely give up my career as a lawyer to be a wildlife photographer... but only barely.<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-13852174460097266442010-01-03T05:18:00.000-06:002010-01-03T05:18:00.927-06:00The Roads of Malawi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SOoP6IRS3UNJ5Ek7efVbDtPsibKvxSdybW4gAJh3wKCvaeuaOKQTKO5eeZespyMCd5roceBj3nXOrVO2s2U3LviNMdHhkTlOMhQRIyxVmdpZWkuvKDA2cO-lw6YtrmEgr9cVXip3qJlI/s1600/IMG_1650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5SOoP6IRS3UNJ5Ek7efVbDtPsibKvxSdybW4gAJh3wKCvaeuaOKQTKO5eeZespyMCd5roceBj3nXOrVO2s2U3LviNMdHhkTlOMhQRIyxVmdpZWkuvKDA2cO-lw6YtrmEgr9cVXip3qJlI/s200/IMG_1650.JPG" /></a><br />
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During this trip I have been lucky enough to travel along the roads of Malawi, especially as i don't have to do any of the driving. (Thanks Saeed!). The roads here are unlike anything i have ever experienced, well to be more accurate, what is alongside the roads are unlike anything i have experienced. I think i mentioned already how people use the roads to travel to and fro by either biking or walking, but the more i travel down them, i realize that so much of Malawan life seems to be conducted on the sides of the roads. <div><br />
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</div><div>The homes are usually not more than 10-15 feet from the roads, the fields are right alongside the road, and on more than several occasions we have had to avoid livestock (goats and chickens) as they graze and forage along the roads. Groups of children walk along to roads, presumably to go to school, and large marketplaces where they sell anything from dried fish, to flip flops (i bought a pair for less than $1) are right alongside the roads. Children will sometimes hold out branches of a variety of dead animals to sell as snacks, and women are often seen sitting along the side of the road with a couple of bunches of tomatoes or mangoes. I can't help but feel as if i am witnessing cross section of life in Malawi. </div><div><br />
</div><div>You may be tempted to think that i am mainly referring to sections of the road, that there maybe a bustle of activity for a few hundred feet, and then empty spaces along the road, sort of like the U.S. highway system, only broken up by rest stops or occasional small towns. But that isn't what i mean. We have driven several hundred kilometers, spending something like nearly 12 hours of just driving, and driving at 80-100km/hr, and there isn't a clear stretch of road without human activity during ANY part of our drive. IF there weren't children walking, there would be people hauling firewood, or small stands of vegetables, or small farms with goats foraging. Pretty remarkable. <br />
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</div></div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-45792218153896118242010-01-01T00:58:00.003-06:002010-01-01T11:28:11.349-06:00Happy New Year from the Shores of Lake Malawi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Pop6PMxvHlmJnSQ7ST2mj07imEjA0vmYGOBu2fhtizxDAOE5EWLoNQHuq6OD_3cnbDlypmAWPxzKUUb1gAbwDdCmwVZ82b-UMMb3gjM5SfVT67q7xCvRTPo67jykiCOjfBxQCNkK-h1/s1600/IMG_1798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju9Pop6PMxvHlmJnSQ7ST2mj07imEjA0vmYGOBu2fhtizxDAOE5EWLoNQHuq6OD_3cnbDlypmAWPxzKUUb1gAbwDdCmwVZ82b-UMMb3gjM5SfVT67q7xCvRTPo67jykiCOjfBxQCNkK-h1/s200/IMG_1798.JPG" /></a><br />
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We drove from Setemwa, the tea estate to a resort called Pumulani, which is on the shores of Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is one of the "Rift Valley" lakes and like the Great Lakes in the U.S. serves as an extremely important source of freshwater. Malawi is essentially a landlocked country, but the Lake provides access to fishing and large source of commercial activities, nevermind the tourism.<br />
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</div><div>IT is amazingly gorgeous here, and I will just try and leave you with some beautiful photos... and our celebrating the new year in a pool by the lake.<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-5571685123945741552009-12-31T04:17:00.006-06:002010-01-01T11:34:59.198-06:00Colonial Tourism<div><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" width="210"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/78utty/frogs.mp3&autoStart=no" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/78utty/frogs.mp3&autoStart=no" quality="high" width="210" height="25" name="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed> </object><br />
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(The sounds of frogs i think, in a pond outside of our lodging)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iSlhAwAzrm1Q6WhSVPnP-51UAuW_0y_njfsok4eKCaIhxG20DYA3o_z5bxzj69LCXgBcgND0_D8Nnys0SKEjRgW3xAK7OowH9vNmpG6bfL2Q8LlQx3kerqPht6cylRQp8d_P4MIrWWJ7/s1600/IMG_1612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2iSlhAwAzrm1Q6WhSVPnP-51UAuW_0y_njfsok4eKCaIhxG20DYA3o_z5bxzj69LCXgBcgND0_D8Nnys0SKEjRgW3xAK7OowH9vNmpG6bfL2Q8LlQx3kerqPht6cylRQp8d_P4MIrWWJ7/s200/IMG_1612.JPG" width="200" /></a>CRASH! A wayward frisbee thrown by me lands on the table set out for us on the deck and knocks over a glass which shatters. Sadly, this is the 3rd piece of dishware that we have managed to break. Maria unintentionally placed a platter over hot stove top causing it crack, Saeed dropped a bowl, and now i shattered a glass with a frisbee. Not long after the glass shatters, one of our Malawian stewards comes out and and with a big smile on his face helps cleans up the glass shards. Earlier, the other Malawian steward prepared tea for us, and had cooked us a breakfast of sausages, fried eggs and toast.<br />
Earlier today, the three of us took a horseback ride through the estate. It was a gorgeous ride and we were led by a white woman (from Mozambique). Now Maria and I were not comfortable riders, so we had two Malawans help us by leading our horses for us. To be clear, without Jeremiah's help, i would not have been able to ride at all, as my horse was far more interested in eating the grasses along the way then paying attention to his asian rider. Jeremiah was friendly, and the ride was at a slow pace, in the shade and didn't take more than 45 minutes. Nevertheless, i couldn't help but feel guilty, and i must have thanked Jeremiah at least 20 times through the ride. If he had asked i would have gladly traded places and let him ride the horse while i walked beside him. <br />
It is certainly not lost on me that we are staying in a lodge built for the British Colonials, and that we have, not one, but two Malawan stewards attending to our various needs. Aside from my middle class uneasiness of having any sort of servant, I do wonder what Jeremiah, Enock and Mavuto think of this entire arrangement. They all are unfailing welcoming and are always smiling. Naturally this makes me worry that they must think i am some asshole westerner. <br />
But i am not sure whether this colonial guilt--a guilt that i am pretty far removed, is even proper. I wonder whether i would feel bad at all if Enock and Mavuto were white. Would i feel bad at all if Jeremiah was leading the ride, and it was a white man who was leading my horse during the ride? I doubt it, and herein lies the tricky part. If my guilt comes from the simple fact that they are natives, and more specifically because they are black, than how can it be justified? No doubt, the historical context is important, but the actual economic reality is more relevant here. There is a huge difference between actual colonialism and having people eager to tend to our needs because they are paid to do exactly that. Enock, Mavuto, and Jeremiah take pride in what they do, and it would be a different form of arrogance to assume otherwise. As i mentioned earlier, from what little i can tell, the workers here are treated well, are not exploited and seem sincere. Tourism can be an important economic resource for Malawi, and while i may not care about whether i wake up to the smell of fried eggs, fresh juice and sausage, plenty of people do. (Not that i object to those smells in the morning...) Now if this all sounds like rationalization, well, then i'll make sure to get Enock to write you a letter explaining otherwise.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQXQT4rBaRsQTGjluiCYYh8kwmcW-Iwy3Mdo3HplRz7w1omVgHfGxtgpS-2Ow5JnhGRD-F6RpryZZJcxyg3Ljzevg6Xlv6W0DncR8xleJfaKAuXzUnepPHJ51rdC8be-b_iSXmxbjRmoD/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQXQT4rBaRsQTGjluiCYYh8kwmcW-Iwy3Mdo3HplRz7w1omVgHfGxtgpS-2Ow5JnhGRD-F6RpryZZJcxyg3Ljzevg6Xlv6W0DncR8xleJfaKAuXzUnepPHJ51rdC8be-b_iSXmxbjRmoD/s200/IMG_1643.JPG" width="0" /></a><br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWy5-fC6pC_LZoXM7icvusvhDT5Vj4m22xSyN-KbbZb8U61ATQ75jRHwO7wuXgGHP6VKism_fw89kYgGUgrQlm9MMUwKixaw3ye6ELe2Pf4Ig_KIgqAK5PVSqfWdzjMi8QRhnMldfar8EW/s1600/IMG_1617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWy5-fC6pC_LZoXM7icvusvhDT5Vj4m22xSyN-KbbZb8U61ATQ75jRHwO7wuXgGHP6VKism_fw89kYgGUgrQlm9MMUwKixaw3ye6ELe2Pf4Ig_KIgqAK5PVSqfWdzjMi8QRhnMldfar8EW/s200/IMG_1617.JPG" width="200" /></a>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-12512744116904774682009-12-31T04:15:00.002-06:002010-01-03T13:20:41.071-06:00Satemwa and travelling Malawi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dE7Fqk7qLCKJcnbjrRp_moLTg9DkAMoU3J09MxiH09-FkbnsHPRDmIjHb1srsfne6c7uMXBMGdZjCJIyRyqmO3pkjCZ1eTt5vVaNBZRNHpZHX6JSw4KI_TwhhZToyZYVcMrQqb97Qmk1/s1600/IMG_1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1dE7Fqk7qLCKJcnbjrRp_moLTg9DkAMoU3J09MxiH09-FkbnsHPRDmIjHb1srsfne6c7uMXBMGdZjCJIyRyqmO3pkjCZ1eTt5vVaNBZRNHpZHX6JSw4KI_TwhhZToyZYVcMrQqb97Qmk1/s200/IMG_1537.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
</div>With the rain pouring down in sheets, I am sitting comfortably under a covered deck sipping some delicious red tea. I am currently staying at the Chawani Bungalow at the Satemwa tea estates, and the beauty here is hard to describe. Satemwa is a fair trade tea estate that welcomes visitors to stay at the old colonial houses that the British built here in the 1920s before they left Malawi after independence was declared in the 1960s. The green tea bushes mixed with the white skies and red earth makes this place seem like a paradise. <br />
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I can't help but notice how the people inside the estate all seem happier, healthy and extremely warm. As we drive through the estate to our lodgings, just about everyone waves and smile at us, whether they were picking tea, or just walking down the road. Maria explains that the owners of the estates take care of their workers and often provide free health care. The workers here also seem to live on the grounds, and as you can see, they are able to grow their own crops. (Sweet potatos). The housing looks small and rudimentary, but compared to what i saw on the road, they seem to be much better off.<br />
We left Lilongwe on Monday and drove to Blantrye, which is the largest city in Malawi. There is only one main road, but it is reasonably well maintained, (Lake Shore Drive has been worse), but that isn't what struck me about the road. All along the road, were people. I don't mean people in cars. but rather, nearly the entire drive there would always be people walking along the road, children in pairs, women carrying loads, groups of laborers. And all along the roads were small huts, sometimes the huts would congregate enough to maybe call it a small village, but they were essentially huts. The huts seemed like a bad stereotype of Africa, straw and red earth mud would be shaped into small rooms enough to hold maybe 2-3 people. <br />
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On our way out of Blantyre, as we drove down a road, we came to a much larger congregation of people, and this was the market. I hope these pictures do it justice, but this market was huge. The produce being sold was fresh and extremely cheap. It was pointed out to me, that the shaded parts of the market were reserved for the men, while the women were forced to out into the sun. Despite the laziness of men being an international phenomenon, the market itself was special, we were the only non-Malawians there, and it made little difference. <br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-53056457629394807042009-12-28T16:32:00.001-06:002009-12-28T17:30:29.577-06:00The Children's Wards<div><object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0" height="25" id="mp3playerlightsmallv3" width="210"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/56z3sr/ChildrensWard.mp3&autoStart=no" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><embed src="http://www.podbean.com/podcast-audio-video-blog-player/mp3playerlightsmallv3.swf?audioPath=http://linusinmalawi.podbean.com/mf/play/56z3sr/ChildrensWard.mp3&autoStart=no" quality="high" width="210" height="25" name="mp3playerlightsmallv3" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" /></embed> </object><br />
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I woke up this morning to the sound of a rooster crowing and it was a lovely way to wake up. I was going to accompany Saeed to the hospital where he works. i didn't know how much I was going to see, but i really looked forward to seeing whatever i could. The hospital itself was composed of essentially two separate parts. The main building was the hospital and where they saw outpatients, and where outpatient care happened. I got a very nice tour, and it was a modern building (built in 2006) and the facilities were very modern, so much so that i wondered whether my preconcieved notions about health care and Africa were a liberal middle class creation. But, sadly, it was not the case as Saeed took me with him as he did his rounds in the Wards, which is where the in-patient care took place. <br />
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I linked a sound file to give you all a sense of what it sounded like, and post these pictures to give a sense of what it looks like. But I wish i could also link the smells in the wards. Don't worry, it isn't a terrible smell, but there is a smell that is both very human and very sick. Saeed told me that the wards were very empty today as the it was a holiday schedule, but i can only imagine what it would be like normally. <br />
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So, here are some simple facts. First, many of the children in the ward all have HIV, and as such have HIV related illnesses such as K-S, (a malignancy) or PCP, But that isn't the truly tragic aspect. It is the fact that many of these children are treated for simple malnutrition. I am not sure if the pictures get across how malnourished and small some of these children are. Saeed explained to me that one of the most revolutionary changes in medicine was this substance that is essentially vitamin enriched peanut butter. Prior to using this peanut butter the mortality rate for malnourishment was quite high (i think 50% or so), but after it started to get used, the mortality rate dropped to single digits. A simple change from using a milk to peanut butter meant more ability to discharge children, less risk of contamination and poof, a great increase in the number of lives saved. <br />
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Maria asked me what i thought after seeing the wards, and i don't really have any words. In a way, we in the States are bombarded with images of what i saw, children who are malnourished, crowded, and just plain sick. So in that sense, i saw what i expected to see, and sadly it reinforced some stereotypes of Africa. But, despite seeing images i expected to see, i don't think there is anything that can convey the sense of absolute waste and senselessness. It is one thing to have children and people die to wars, famine and pestilence, but it is something else to know that so many children are also dying to dehydration, poor hygiene, and simple malnutrition. <br />
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So before this devolves into a mush of pessimism and tragedy, I did want to point out a few things. What i found remarkable was the community that was created in the wards. Women with sick children on their backs were in the middle of caring for their children, also talking with their friends, sitting and eating. This one child, who was 5 years old and suffering from K-S, was the most stoic and brave boy i have ever seen. His name translates to "Happiness" and I hope he gets a chance to live up to his name. The doctors i saw working there were amazing, Saeed included. Remember when i said it seeing Saeed seemed like glancing into high school, well, watching him treat these children certainly reminded me how far we are from high school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_Lrbq1xV1lC8MW1-Bw5a146suPUsmBZmwO_5Cvxllko3v-kvjjDGHtd1pUmspUOTPyOWTLayLshGG5byBx_tYqIEUhze6SDEW7R7D9iC9PL6YzZCp1WUrU0hHU5jnmzLto07s0qv1S1i/s1600/106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5_Lrbq1xV1lC8MW1-Bw5a146suPUsmBZmwO_5Cvxllko3v-kvjjDGHtd1pUmspUOTPyOWTLayLshGG5byBx_tYqIEUhze6SDEW7R7D9iC9PL6YzZCp1WUrU0hHU5jnmzLto07s0qv1S1i/s200/106.JPG" width="200" /></a>We drive off to Balyntre, the biggest city in Malawi and off to the tea estates soon. Needless to say, i don't think i could forget the hospital and the children's wards.<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-44667566246347162912009-12-28T15:53:00.001-06:002009-12-28T17:13:46.369-06:00Arrival!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEOcE8XjdAUKM18gs4bsc0z6DejnY2q-qsdV9oIdhSwBMvBlXsX7GYE4p3HaaJIwjYhPnnXkAaVyA1DqmAVox79LASG1bzyDdZoeJI-nIjLqACQKGOYC3tSXleuONa5gmU8zbZHAu31jM/s1600/095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEOcE8XjdAUKM18gs4bsc0z6DejnY2q-qsdV9oIdhSwBMvBlXsX7GYE4p3HaaJIwjYhPnnXkAaVyA1DqmAVox79LASG1bzyDdZoeJI-nIjLqACQKGOYC3tSXleuONa5gmU8zbZHAu31jM/s320/095.JPG" /></a><br />
</div>The rest of the trip was relatively uneventful. My flight from Johannesburg to Lilongwe was slightly delayed but not for any appreciable amount of time. I landed at Lilongwe (the capital of Malawi, but not the biggest city) at around 1:30 in the afternoon. My first impression as i stepped off the plane, was hot moist air, something lacking in Chicago these days), warm sunlight, and lush greenery. The earth here is a very deep dark red and it is gorgeous. <br />
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I got off the plane, went through customs, grabbed my bag and was greeted by a face i haven't seen in just about 17 years. Saeed Ahmed looked nearly the exactly same as i remembered him. He was wearing a nice "unshaven, i am a doctor working in africa" look that i couldn't pull off without a "beard in a can" but otherwise, it was like looking back into high school. Our first stop after the airport was to grab some lunch, so we headed over to this place called Steers, an african version of McDonalds. (though in town there is an actual McDowells, which if anyone ever saw Coming to America, it was exactly as you would think.. same colors, same golden "half-circles"). I thought this was hilarious since the day i left, i looked really hard for a decent burger place thinking that my chances of a burger was low in Africa... <br />
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We drove to his place, which was a huge, beautiful place and was immediately greeted by Moose their giant dog who is a mix of a Great Dane and South African Mastiff. Moose is a very sweet and affectionate dog, who loved the attention, and i was happy to provide it.<br />
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I also got to meet Saeed's lovely wife Maria. I would say they are an adorable couple, but i don't think that is accurate. They are more like the rockstars of public service, both young, accomplished, generous, and stunning. <br />
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Despite being absolutely exhausted, Saeed was eager to try out the new frisbees i brought for him from the US and we met up with some people to play Ultimate out at this field at an international high school. <br />
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Let's just say that despite my team outnumbering the opposition 4-3, my presence was an obvious handicap as we got destroyed. Despite a thorough beating, and the ironic unsportmanlike conduct of a german baptist missionary, I had a blast, and it was definitely a nice way to spend a few hours after having been stuck on a plane for more than 20 hours. I was quickly incomprehensible and crashed quite soundly after dinner. BTW, I think Mosquito netting is awesome, and I may install one in my own bedroom soon.<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161801530894620309.post-5799307883801454552009-12-28T07:25:00.003-06:002009-12-28T17:07:14.841-06:00On My WayMy watch tells me it is 2:30 am (Munich time) while my computer clock apparently has it as 7:30pm in Chicago. But the time is completely academic at this point. I am in the air over Africa, it is at night, since the sun hasn't risen in this part of the world yet, and i have about 5 more hours to fly. This has been a grueling trip travel wise, and i am just not sure how i am going to be on the other side. My usual strategy for plane rides is to make sure i am so sleep deprived that i simply sleep through most of my flight. Unfortunately, this trip had 2 red eye flights, both starting at 8:50pm, this meant i couldn't quite sleep deprive myself. Without the crutch of not sleeping for 24 hours to help me face the discomfort of an 9-10 hour flight i have predictably been unable to sleep at all inside the plane. I am a bit concerned that after i do finally finish flying, i will not have slept for like 2 straight days by calendar time. Oh well, hopefully, it'll help me get over jet lag. <br />
Of course, this is no plea for sympathy. I am right now, listening to Mile Davis (So What), after having watched 2 movies of my choice on my personal screen (GI Joe, Garden State, i will watch Iron Giant before we land) typing on my computer. I know my complaints about my neighbors stretching themselves onto me, knocking me awake, or putting thier heads on my shoulder, would be exactly what Louis C.K. mocked about flying these days. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezVab3myO4Uzo4MiLXMvVDH1zkP70H3W2Ez_WRSTK8bEg0mzcBWsELwg5IkH_rEfZlIqp5C_FZz313g6qr67MrEjincABdKr7VVxrVUKdmklnKkRvmfXsRe5q_TI7bwFAv3NpbCgk8pAv/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezVab3myO4Uzo4MiLXMvVDH1zkP70H3W2Ez_WRSTK8bEg0mzcBWsELwg5IkH_rEfZlIqp5C_FZz313g6qr67MrEjincABdKr7VVxrVUKdmklnKkRvmfXsRe5q_TI7bwFAv3NpbCgk8pAv/s200/067.JPG" width="200" /></a>I already did a bit of tourism already. I had a longish layover at the Munich airport (about 7 hours); which according to the airport officials was not quite long enough to take the train into the city safely. But i lucked out and found a Christmasmarket outside the airport. The resemblance to our own christmasmarket in chicago was striking.. though when i tried to order hot cider, i got hot wine instead. Beer was plentiful (as expected), the sausage delicious, and the people exceedingly kind. I know i must have reinforced the asian tourist stereotype as i took pictures of everything including my food (sausages, bratwurst, and a pretzel), a BMW sign, and of course beer being sold with soda... Enjoy!<br />
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</div>Linushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09080277130019273033noreply@blogger.com0