So long, Malawi!

I am sitting at my hotel in Lilongwe anxiously awaiting my flight for Edinburgh tomorrow. I do wish the flight was headed for St. Louis but this still marks one step closer to September, the end of my dissertation work, and becoming an American again!

Malawi has been an experience of a lifetime and I know that once it is over I will be able to look back and be glad that I was here. At the moment I am so happy to be leaving though. Part of it is missing the comforts of home and part of it is missing the normal life that one can lead in their home. So I am looking forward to take away coffee, hot showers, internet, the comfort of feeling safe at night, independence and freedom, not having the color of my skin draw unwanted attention… I will miss the sun and warmth of Malawi though – both in the temperature sense and that of many of the people. I learned a little bit more about what I do and don't want from a career or a job. I think I also realized that I don't want to live in a place like Malawi for good but do hope to be able to visit once again!  

I have not succeeded in writing as much of my dissertation here as I had hoped or planned to but I also did not expect that just living here would be such a challenge for me. The essentials of life take up so much time here, such as transportation, buying food, cooking meals, laundry, etc. leaving little time for much else I found. Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me when I return and get settled down back in Edinburgh!

Lake Malawi.

I almost did not think this trip would happen but after five reschedules due to hospital visits (my roommate, but she is alright now!), last minute work meetings, and failing to make accommodation reservations, I finally managed to make it up to Lake Malawi. Before coming here, and since arriving, all everyone talks about is Lake Malawi and its must-see beauty so I was glad to be able to fit it in at the last minute. It also made for a nice and quick way to pass my final days here in Malawi.

People were definitely right, Lake Malawi is absolutely beautiful. I went to a spot at the southern tip of the lake, called Cape Maclear. It was pretty much just a local fisherman’s village with a few small guesthouses and lodges. It was very quiet with only a few tourists. There wasn't a whole lot to do there as it really isn't your typical tourist beach destination. It is more of a place to relax with a good book I think. I spent my time lounging around, playing games of the popular local gamed called bao, and shopping at the wood carvings stalls. I attempted a bit of kayaking but it was much too windy so I merely ended up floating in circles rather than reaching the small island I had set out for. There are supposedly beautiful fish at the island – guess I will just have to come back another time to see them! 

Zomba.

Over the weekend I made the two-hour TIA (This Is Africa) bumpy, dusty trek by minibus north to the city of Zomba, a sleepy town known for its colonial grandeur. Today the place could be more adequately described as ‘faded glory’ with eerily rundown estates and country clubs merely telling stories of the white wealth that used to reside there. Still, it was a beautiful town located on the slopes of the Zomba plateau. As such, the weather was cooler and the environment less ‘African’ or tropical. I climbed some distance up the plateau and it resembled what I picture Canada or parts of Colorado look like complete with pine trees.

I went to Zomba to meet my University of Edinburgh Program Director/Dissertation Supervisor, Gerhard. He teaches law and was in Malawi to conduct a few seminars and strengthen the partnership between Zomba’s university and The University of Edinburgh. However, the university students here have been on strike since about the time I arrived so there was not much for him to do. Strikes are quite common in the universities apparently, so much so that my landlord’s daughter was supposed to graduate with her law degree back in 2011 but is still trying to finish up due to the constant interruptions. I was able to discuss my dreaded dissertation with Gerhard and left feeling slightly better about my prospects of being able to write 100 pages or so. I also met two Edinburgh friends in Zomba who are doing their internship in Lilongwe, Malawi. It was great to see some familiar faces and get away from Blantyre for a bit! 

I stayed in a really cute guest house call Casa Rossa and ate the best meal available in Malawi I would guess. The owners of the place are Italian so of course the food was amazing! Anyone going to Zomba should definitely stay there!