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!