My friend Lise Pretorious (Writer for the Financial Mail) spoke at the TEDx event about her experience in Malawi from earlier this year. She spoke about learning the value of family, of water and of life. Her talk was truly inspired and reminded me about my own trip to Malawi in 2008.
It seems like almost a lifetime ago, that I packed my bags and stubbornly left for rural Africa completely alone In June 2008. It was the most incredible life-awakening journey in the final year of my undergraduate degree and was exactly the motivation I needed to finish well. I can’t wait to go back.
- I learnt that education is a privilege, to be appreciated and respected.
- I learnt that there are thousands of people in Malawi who cannot read, but want to.
- I learnt that older Malawian men speak better English than I do.
- I also leant that they never use it.
- I learnt that if you travel along the Lake you will get to a place more beautiful than Mauritius. (Chitimba Beach)
- I learnt that the lake is warm and the waves are few.
- I learnt at the lake, that everyone writes love letters.
- I learnt that you can walk up a mountain, but if your bag is heavy, it’s better to ask for a ride.
- I learnt that there aren’t many people driving up the mountain to Livingstonia from Chitimba beach.
- I learnt that when you get to the top of the mountain, you will find a friendly mushroom farmer who runs a Guest House, aptly called Mushroom Farm.
- I leant that if you walk a little further you will find the most sustainable permaculture garden in Malawi.
- I learnt at that garden that you can truly live off the land.
- I learnt that there is a lady name Lieza who lives out the radicalness she preaches and loves with her life.
- I learnt, while out exploring, that there is a cave in Livingstonia that looks out through the waterfall beyond the valley, over lake Malawi and onto the Tanzanian mountains.
- I also learnt that discovering a cave like this one, is better done with friends than alone.
- I learnt that new friends can take you on amazing adventures if you trust them.
- I learnt that if you go with your new friends intending to be gone only a short while, it might be much nicer where they take you, and you may never return.
- I learnt that even if you leave a place intending to return, you should always tell people you love them. Because, next time’s are luxuries.
- I learnt that next time’s were luxuries the hard way.
- I learnt that you can plan a funeral in 4 days.
- I learnt that African people morn loudly.
- I learnt that if you live in a place and love the people they will love you back.
- I learnt that you CAN be buried on the land you own, right by the sea if your family insists they will leave if the chief doesn’t allow it.
- I also learnt that dead people in low lighting really do look like they are just sleeping.
- I learnt that children are resilient and easily distracted from pain with fun.
- I learnt that the children you meet and the friends you make in one week are images of God you will remember forever.
- I learnt that leaving is easier if you think you are going back.
- I learnt that public transport is cheap, and that it is cheap for a reason.
- I learnt that if the man next to you buys fresh fish at the first bus stop, it would be best to trade seats with someone.
- I also learn that if you are kind to the man, he will move his fish so that its tail is no longer leaking fishy juice onto your toes.
- I learnt that if the bus stops and everyone gets out, that is probably your stop too.
- I learnt that shopping in Malawi is a lot like shopping in Malan.
- I learnt that you can buy a genuine (and probably donated) leather Prada handbag at a second hand market for almost nothing.
- I learnt that the blue sweater story was true long before I read the book.
- I learnt that if you don’t have money for crafts, your shoes are an accepted currency.
- I learnt that if your bag is over packed when you leave for Malawi; you will probably forget it somewhere on purpose.
- I also learnt that you can survive 2 weeks with a two sets of knickers, one sarong, two bikinis and a bar of soap.
- I also learnt that you can always get your bag back later.
- I learnt that you can buy anything from Chinese radios to fresh fish at a street market.
- I also learnt that ‘QUAMBIRI’ directly translates to: “I may be white, but that’s overpriced, give me a discount dude.”
- I also leant that being white can send children into hysterical fits of laughter, or more likely make them chase you while chanting MLUNGU-MLUNGU while one of them persistently tugs’ at your about-to-unravel-sarong shouting “Give me MY money”, which would lead to an interesting debate if that wasn’t the only English he knew.
- I learnt that boats float.
- I learnt that if the captain pays little attention to how people overload the boat the boat will float skew.
- I learnt that if you want to sleep on the ferry, you are being ambitious.
- I learnt that if you take a tour of the boat you will gain an overwhelming appreciation of first class.
- I learnt that to get to Lokoma Island you have to risk swimming ashore as you fight to get onto the rowboat.
- I leant that all locals on board the rowboat will collude with the captain to make sure you over pay.
- I also learnt that if you take the rowboat, you will get wet, your shoes will get wet, your bags will get wet and your camera is only safe when tucked neatly in your bosom, in a tightly sealed zip-lock packet.
- I learn that African woman keep their money in the bra’s.
- I learnt that in that sacred place, money is safe from theft, dry and easily accessible.
- I learnt that the only backpackers on the island will far exceed your expectations and be pleasantly like a small piece of heaven.
- I learnt that if you go to a small island with new friends you no longer like, you will find it difficult to escape them.
- I learnt that if you wake up early and walk arround the whole Island, it would be impossible for anyone to find you.
- I learnt that all good backpackers have small dogs.
- I learnt that if you borrow the small dog, whose name is obviously Tank and just happens to be a well natured Jack Russel, you will befriend every child that you meet.
- I learnt that I was right for all those years when I believe black children were cuter than white children. They just are.
- I learnt that every beach is also a bath and that every bath is also a kitchen.
- I learnt that people on small islands eat goats.
- I learnt, a little too late, that goats on small islands eat trash.
- I learnt that witch doctors are friendly if you look ill.
- I also learnt that you should never take their photo if you like your camera.
- I learnt that even on islands, where everything gets there by the big skew ferry, there will be few trees, and amazingly big churches.
- I learnt that during colonialism, white people built many churches and very few houses.
- I also learnt that the schools they built are smaller than the churches.
- I learnt that all schools need more money.
- I learnt later that if you give a school your postal address, they will use all the money they have to send you a letter asking for more money.
- I learnt that school feeding programs often don’t work.
- I learnt that permaculture gardens in schools, are an amazing alternative.
- I learnt that people are good and kind and honest, more often than they are bad.
- I learnt that food is the currency of kindness, and if you are kind to people; they will feed you.
- I learnt that small fish should be eaten in one bite, and chewed at your own peril.
- I learnt that Cassava Root grows in anything, resembles chalk, tastes terrible and yet is the staple diet of Malawians.
- I learnt that Cellular Network and Cheese On Toast are real names, and not to be scoffed at.
- I learnt that no matter how nice the local Rasta is, you should probably not accept his offer for “Malawi Gold”.
- I learnt that “Malawi Gold” is potent marijuana.
- I also learnt that if you don’t smoke it, people will find you mysterious and interestingly ironic but true.
- I learnt that you can post hand-made-travel-chessboards to Norway.
- I also learnt that you can also ask for the chessboard to be filled with “Malawi Gold” before it is sent.
- I leant that if you leave your bag and your money far away, you can work as a chef at a backpackers for food and accommodation.
- I learnt that if you work somewhere, you are instantly local.
- I learnt that I really enjoy cooking.
- I learnt that if you have faith, you can cook anything.
- I learnt that there will never be a better smell in the morning than freshly baked bread from the small bakery in Inkata Bay.
- I learnt that butter is a luxury.
- I learnt that chocolate is meant to be covered in white mould.
- I learn that milk is supposed to come from cows, but milk powder is less like orange juice.
- I learnt that a bottle of Fanta Orange is as good as an apple in Malawi.
- I learnt that if you want to, you can drink a-Fanta-a-day and never tire of the taste.
- I learnt that if you stay long enough in a place you can find your way to the loo in your sleep.
- I learnt that if you change rooms towards the end of your stay, it will be at your own midnight expense. I lost a shin to the stairs while I slept.
- I learnt that if you scream in the night, people will always come running.
- I learnt that if you laugh, you don’t have to cry.
- I learnt that if you laugh often, and hug generously you can transcend language and befriend the old Malawian guard who knows no english.
But most importantly,
- I learnt that people you live, work, eat, drink and talk with will become your family.
- And, I learnt for the second time in my life, that family is hard to leave.
*Please forgive the length of this blog, I was there 6 weeks and I learnt a lot.
*Please feel free to email me if you are going to Malawi and in need of Advice.
*All of the photo’s in this blog are mine and were taken on a crappy point and shoot.
If you want to use them, you can- free of charge with pleasure, just put my name somewhere.
