Category Archives: Malawi

The End and the Beginning

Posted on 25 June 2010 by Sika

And, that’s it for Peace Corps. I’m still going to be writing at this address, but when I get back from Costa Rica, I’m going to archive all my Peace Corps related stuff at a different address, redesign and re-title … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Peace Corps, Philosophy, Plugging | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment  

Changes Peace Corps Hath Wrought

Posted on 25 June 2010 by Sika

Malawi has made me . . .. indecisive. I mean, I had occasional (frequent) problems making a decision before, but in Malawi you can make as many decisions as you want, and they rarely have any effect on the end … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Peace Corps, Philosophy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment  

15-20 September 2009: Last Days in Malawi, part III

Posted on 9 June 2010 by Sika

In the afternoon, we visited my school. It was anticlimactic, as most everybody was on holiday. I felt sorry for the incoming class of first years, meant to be a class of 90 and, since they wouldn’t fit in any … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

15-20 September 2009: Last Days in Malawi, part II

Posted on 8 June 2010 by Sika

The next day, a Wednesday, we met Kris and Marla and Kristen from Nsanje for lunch at the evil christian coffee shop, a place that is owned by Irish missionary types who have books for sale that talk about how … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

15-20 September 2009: Last Days in Malawi, part I

Posted on 8 June 2010 by Sika

Kris pointed out, on our way down from Nyika, that we weren’t going to be able to push through to Lilongwe in any kind of time to make it worthwhile. I was supposed to have dinner with Agatha, and Kris … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

11-14 September 2010: Nyika Plateau

Posted on 8 June 2010 by Sika

At about this time, my journal writing became even more sporadic than usual. And, no, all these nine-month late posts did not come straight out of my pristine memory, but out of my journal, so you can see the problem. … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

Traveling with mom to Nyika

Posted on 8 June 2010 by Sika

In mom’s and my whirlwind tour of Malawi, I tried to balance seeing things that I hadn’t been able to see, and showing mom what my life was like in Malawi—well, at least as close as I could given that … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment  

5-11 September 2009

Posted on 7 June 2010 by Sika

When I got back, we finally had my leaving party from work. There’s a whole ritual that happens when someone gets a gift. The gift-giver or representative of the group who is giving the gift holds the gift up high … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

Mozambique, day 1, redux; part 2

Posted on 13 September 2009 by Sika

But first I had to clear Malawi immigration. The immigration guy called me in front of 4 or so other people, I think because I am white and looked confused and stupid white people are dangerous to leave wandering around … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Mozambique, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

Mozambique, day 1, redux; part 1

Posted on 12 September 2009 by Sika

I called Debbie from the train back to Liwonde. She very graciously said I could stay and sent a co-worker just leaving work to come and pick me at the station. I was very happy that the return trip from … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Mozambique, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

13 August: Mozambique, Day 1

Posted on 11 September 2009 by Sika

What was that I said about having enough time and just letting the trip unfold, and not stressing? Yeah, well, even though I know that to be best, after today I’m tempted to give up the whole trip. I got … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Mozambique, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment  

13 July: Kate and Wanangwa’s Wedding Reception

Posted on 10 September 2009 by Sika

Wanangwa and Kate, two Zomba friends of mine, got married. It almost didn’t happen because their ankhoswe* was late and the law books say you can only get married between certain hours, and the only reason the guy marrying them … Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Malawi | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment  

27 June: Site Announcement

Posted on 9 September 2009 by Sika

We weren’t there for Health ‘08’s site announcements. Health ’06 did a great event for ours, but due to scheduling problems we didn’t get to stay in Dedza long enough for the ’08 site announcements. This year, site announcement was … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Peace Corps | Tagged , , | Leave a comment  

A note on minibuses:

Posted on 8 September 2009 by Sika

If there are people waiting with you on a minibus, and they seem too happy—dancing and singing enthusiastically to Lucky Dube blaring on the radio instead of looking like they’re tired of waiting but have nowhere else to go—and overly … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi | Tagged , | Leave a comment  

Leaving Malawi, Part II

Posted on 7 September 2009 by Sika

If I said there aren’t some things I’ll be happy to leave, I’d be lying. Mostly things like stone babies and the way many men feel they own my body because I’m a woman, and being called azungu azungu all … Continue reading →

Posted in Malawi, Peace Corps, Philosophy | Tagged , , | Leave a comment