Ten things that no longer surprise me about Malawi

Last weekend was the southern Africa JF retreat. It was a pretty fantastic experience, full of reflection, discussion, and bonding. There were a few inappropriate drinking games thrown in for good measure (the water and sanitation team was not impressed with tongue Jenga), making the weekend an amazing opportunity to recharge for the next eight weeks of my placement.

I’m feeling the need to break away from the overview style of most of my posts, so think that I will break up my reflections on the JF retreat into a few posts, and dig a little deeper than normal. Also, I’m still sorting out all of the thoughts in my head and figuring out how to fit them into my placement, so think I’ll start with something a little bit fun.

One of the most interesting discussions I had was regarding how to communicate exactly what I am experiencing here in Malawi. I feel like I would have to write an entire novel every day to communicate everything, so trying to figure out exactly how to package my experience is tough. For me, especially, trying to add a bit of soul and emotion to my posts is always a challenge. Something suggested to me by another JF was to mix a bit of fun with a bit of daily life, and that brings me to the topic of this post – an introduction to my cultural integration experience in ten things that no longer surprise me about Malawi:

10. Fires. Everywhere.
When I got to Malawi, I was pretty amazed that the main method of garbage disposal is burning. In retrospect, it seems silly to think that Malawi would have any kind of organized garbage collection, but it was shocking at the time. Now, however, I rarely remark at all when I walk past a flaming field or heap on my way home. In fact, since Malawi also has no street lights, I rely on the fires to guide me home after dark.

9. Constant power outages.
Power outages happen throughout the day, and make it tough to get things done. If your family has an oven, you need to time dinner around the most likely time of a power outage. If you are at work, chances are you’ll spend a sizable portion of your day playing board games and chatting due to power outages.

A situation this past week highlighted the degree to which I’ve been accustomed to this. While at a grocery store picking up food for the JF retreat, another JF and myself were strolling down an aisle when the lights suddenly turned off. Instead of reacting at all, we continued walking and putting things into our cart. About halfway down the aisle we realized how crazy that seemed, and had a good laugh about it.

8. Eating the same things everyday.
When I first moved in with my Malawian family, eating nsima (boiled lumps of maize flower), was exhausting. My family, being a little more well off than most, can mix things up with a palette of about four different relishes to eat the nsima with. And, if you are a Malawian, that is pretty much what your diet consists of. It’s still exhausting, but hardly surprising when a big pot of nsima is cooking when I get home.

7. Malawian road blocks.
Apart from the actual road blocks here, which are pretty frequent, there are a tonne of unplanned ones. If you’re on the tarmac, chances are you’ll have to stop for goats or cows about every kilometer. If you are off the tarmac, expect to find the road washed out, necessitating a detour or a very wet ride home.

6. Waking up to the sounds of Malawi.
When I first got here, it blew me away that I woke up every morning to the sound of roosters outside my window, and the screams of goats (really, they sound like screaming children).A few nights ago I stayed in Lilongwe, the capital city, and couldn’t understand why it was so tough to wake up. And then it hit me: things were loud, but without the sound of livestock, they were way too easy to ignore.

5. Constantly seeing babies.
Malawi has an incredibly young population – according to the most recent census, over half are teenagers or younger. I’m not used to seeing babies and children everywhere, in part because I live on campus during the school year, but in Malawi there are babies everywhere. If a woman is at work, there is a good chance she has a baby strapped to her back. If she’s cooking or working around the home, there is an even better chance she has a baby on her back. An interesting side note, I’m also pretty used to making all of the babies that see me cry (there is some debate over whether it’s the glasses or the skin).

4. Listening to African gospel music.
This one is less about Malawi, and more about my family. They have the craziest obsession with South African and Nigerian gospel music. When I first moved in with them it drove me insane, but now I am not only not surprised by it, I barely even notice it. Falling asleep to “Radical Boy for Jesus” by the Destiny Kids is now a nightly occurrence, while only a month ago it drove me up the walls.

I’ve included “Radical Boy for Jesus”, and it’s definitely worth a watch. Destiny Kids are a group of South African children who can neither speak English or sing, but somehow attempt to do both.

3. Everyone I talk to having a cell phone.
When I first arrived in Malawi I was living in a small village with no electricity, yet everyone I talked to immediately asked for my cell phone number. Not only was I surprised that everyone had a cell phone, but the logistics behind charging a phone in a place with no electricity was mind boggling. As it turns out, anywhere that does have electricity (rest houses, barber shops, grocery stores) will also charge your phone for about twenty-five cents. Five weeks into my placement, I’m not surprised at all when the farmer I am talking to whips out his Nokia to respond to a text, or when I pass “Descent Look Hair Saloon and Phone Charging” on my way to work.

2. Creative problem solving.
Malawian problem solving is tough to get used to, especially coming from an engineering background. The most impressive part is that everyone uses materials they can find easily and get for free. For example, my friend Ian from University of Alberta is living with a Health Surveillance Assistant. When he was bothered by the wind blowing through his room at night, they used a piece of flip-chart paper from a community facilitation to cover the window. My host father, who works part time at a hospital, hangs everything in our house – blinds, bed nets, etc. - with gauze.

The second thing about Malawian problem solving is that despite a good effort, the definition of “solving” is loosely related to the Canadian one. Ian’s flip chart paper blind was held by a single nail, so just flapped in the wind, and my gauze tied blinds only cover about half the window. But, I’ve come to respect the effort, if not the outcome, and am getting used to this style of problem solving.

1. Extreme poverty.
Not all of the things I’ve gotten used to are humorous. Being in Malawi for over a month, I’ve gotten used to seeing poverty wherever I go. Urban poverty, rural poverty, young children in rags, disabled people crawling around their village, whole families crowded around a fire waiting for a small meal. For a long time, I couldn’t deal with these things, and filed them away in my head for reflection at a later date. I’ve seen all of these things so often, though, that the filing system has become a little overloaded, and I’ve stopped remarking at all on the things I see. Now that I’m more comfortable with my surroundings, however, I’m unpacking the filing cabinet and trying to deal with the poverty around me.

So, I hope that this post gives you a feel for some of the things I’ve been experiencing, and some of the things I’ve had to grow used to in the name of cultural integration. Drop some comments, feedback, and all that jazz. I’ve got a few ideas for where my posts will go from here (food and cooking is definitely one of them), but let me know if anything sparks your interest!