Here are the three girls (I have been 1 of 3 girls for a long time)

breaking news

Malawi has made international news for something other than farting & gay rights. There were demonstrations planned in Lilongwe today but they have been broken up by police, who arrested protesters and have fired shots. Please pray.

http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/malawi-demo-to-go-ahead-despite-police-refusal.html

I’m sure that my mum is relieved that we’re not in Lilongwe but it’s a tricky one, if we were would I be there? I believe that we should support the people who live here but by doing so we could jeopardise the reason that we’re here. I always thought that if I had lived in the early 1900s I would have been campaigning with the suffragettes for the right to vote. Here the issue is about the use of forex (foreign currency) and transparency.

drifting

We often feel like we’re drifting, not really sure where home is. For the kids life is here in Malawi and the doc’s work is here but for me I couldn’t say. We’re discussing our annual visit back to the UK due July & Aug but which could include all of June too (for me and the kids). It feels like I have to choose, but on what basis? What’s best for me or the kids or the family or financially? Too many choices and like most decisions we’ll muddle through.

 

I am particularly tired this week after a busy time working with a colleague from the UK on a small exhibition project, which is very exciting and been great fun but I will be looking forward to a quiet week where I can do some editing and lots of household stuff and cutting/sticking with the kids.

stork

This is a Malibu Stork, he was very splendid and one of favourite spots on this safari trip, he’s also known as the Undertaker Bird and I can understand why. Our eldest remembers that his legs are not really white, but they go that colour because he poos on his legs, we can’t remember why he does this and google cannot give us the answer! Any suggestions on the comments box, thanks.

obstruction

On our way to Liwonde National Park for a bit of safari (we’ve not been for a few weeks!) with our current visitor I managed to acquire an unusual fine. We had pulled off the main road onto a side road for a bit of a leg stretch and a ginger biscuit, when we were approached by a police lady who explained that although this was a wide one way road I was causing an obstruction and would have to pay a fine. I did try to persuade her otherwise but she was adamant. Not only was there a fine but we had to go to the police station to sort out the paperwork, I’m not sure what would have happened if I had just driven off. The proximity of the police station explains why I was cautioned for an offence I see flouted all the time, it was just around the corner! Once we got to the office she agreed to reduce the fine but explained that as it was Sun there was no cash office at the station so I would have to go back to the road block that we had passed sometime before. I offered to go the next day as we would be returning but that would mean that the receipt had the wrong date so we had to make a detour and then continue our journey. Those who have driven with me in Malawi will feel sorry for my passenger who put up with my frustration!

bring & buy

Tomorrow is my baby & children sale – goods & clothes, no live specimens! I advertised it through the ex-pat network and have had the most bizarre requests and a lot of interest – just shows how little there is to do here in Blantyre!

 

My staff all seem to be falling sick, so it could be an interesting afternoon with the household running below capacity. It will be quite chaotic as there are about 10 of us selling stuff – equipment, clothes & tat with a wide range of prices and refreshments and we have been warned (by those experienced at this sort of thing that security is very important). I will report back ...

remembering

I find that I can go along for a few weeks at a time tied up in my nice ex-pat life, worrying about the kids and not taking much notice of what’s going on around me. Then I have a week like last week, nothing big but some small reminders that this a poor country with some major problems.

 

I went to a talk about the current political situation, which was very interesting and I have also been editing some reports about local government and the state of water and sanitation in particular districts. One statistic that I had forgotten: Malawi has the 3^rd worst record of child mortality in the world, the two countries that are worse are both war-torn. So many good things are happening, that make a difference but there seems to be an enormous effort to get them to happen. Local government is a bit of a mess but elections are due to take place next month, let’s pray that they actually go ahead.

 

I have begun to realise the role the English language plays here. Pupils do not learn English at school until the latter years of primary education, by which point many children have dropped out of school. Many are reluctant to speak English, understandably as it is not their language but it is the official language of the country and all government documents, newspapers, information from the banks and most signs are in English. I found out recently that all job interviews for government employees are in English so without this language people are at a huge disadvantage.