No Straight Road to Malawi

I left Orlando on Tuesday morning, February 19, 2013.  I flew to Detroit and waited 3 1/2 hours.  Then I flew 8 hours to Paris.  The plane was 3/4 empty so I got 4 seats to myself.  It was lovely.

I waited 4 hours then got aboard a Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi.  I'd have a 9 hour layover there before heading on to Malawi, via Zambia.

In Nairobi, I immediately headed to the transfer desk to get my boarding pass for the flight to Lilongwe. No problem.  Luckily, I looked it over carefully rather than stuffing it in my purse, which is what I usually do. I noticed the date was for Feb. 22 rather than Feb. 21.  No problem, they'd reprint it for the following morning.  But it wouldn't print.

That's when the guys at Kenya Airways realized their airline had cancelled all flights into Malawi because the airport were closed due to a government workers strike.  THE DAY BEFORE!

After two hours in the airport, trying to sort things out, I got a Kenyan transit visa and headed to a taxi for a hotel and a much needed shower and sleep.

But the driver couldn't find the hotel I'd booked (recommended by Challenges Worldwide, the org I'm working with).  We drove around for an hour and finally found it.  There was no check in process since it was now 1:00 a.m. and everyone but the guard was a sleep.  He just showed me the room and handed me the key.

Sadly, there was no bottled water available.  My fault for not bringing one.  There also wasn't a towel.  Or screens on the windows or a mosquito net for the bed but the bedding was clean and I crashed about 2:00 a.m.

The next morning I walked ten minutes to a small nearby plaza to get Kenyan cash and use the internet.  But the internet was closed.  I did get shampoo and deoderant, since mine were in the "big bag" which is being held at the airport.  Luckily, I brought extra clothes and stuff in my carry on.

I walked back to the hotel and made arrangements for a car/driver for four hours.  We went to the elephant sanctuary where they rescue baby elephants and rhinos.   No rhinos, but 20 young elephants, the youngest being 2 months.  So cute.  On the way, I took photos of monkees hanging around.

On to the the national park where I discovered that yes, we could drive through, but I would have to pay for myself, the car and the driver and to actually see any animals we'd have to get out and walk around the park, hoping to spot one of the big five.  Between the high price and thought of wandering around calling "Here, kittie" in the hopes of seeing a lion, I passed.

Instead we went to the giraffe sanctuary.  It cost about $15 to get in but I really wanted to see giraffes, since they don't have any in Malawi - they do have "the big five" there, so I'll see them near Blantryre.

A bit disappointing that the giraffe place consisted of a tower you climbed so you could be eye to eye with a giraffe.  I was given a handful of pellets and told to place them one at a time on the giraffe's tongue.  There was one giraffe being fed by about two dozen humans.  I fed him all mine then washed the giraffe spit off my hands.  It only took 15 minutes but was fun.  Plus, I got some photos of giraffes standing off in the distance and plan to pass them off as being in the wild.

On our way to lunch we stopped at a crafts place.  I am proud to say I just looked.  There were so many things there I wanted but prices here are not cheap and I have limited luggage space.  Plus, this was day one in Africa and I'll be here for 3 months.

I'd asked the driver about Kenyan food and asked if he could take me someplace for the real deal.  He so outdid himself.  He took me to a place where I saw no other tourists but a lot of happy locals.  There were about 8 grills set up cooking beef and goat.  I got a goat leg, which I split with Joseph, my driver. At his suggestion I also got one of the staples here, which is ground maize mixed with boiling water than pressed into a thick slab.  I also got another common side dish which was chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro and some kick ass chiles.  The food was delicious.  I couldn't eat it all so gave what was left (about half) to the nice desk clerk at the hostel where I'm staying.

Later, I spent way too much money to take a taxi to use the internet which was frustrating.  I couldn't get any information on the airport situation in Malawi and didn't know if I should head to the airport Friday morning or not.  Luckily, the staff at Challenges Worldwide were on top of things.  I asked them to continue checking and call the hotel to give me an update.

While all this was going on at the cyber cafe, I struck up a conversation with the guy next to me.  He's from India, here on business. He let me use his phone to contact Kenya Airways (no answer) and gave me his card and promised to help in any way he could.

Since they were also unable to reach Kenya Airways from Scotland, I headed back to the hostel, hoping to get a phone call.  Shortly after I arrived, I got the call but the connection was terrible.  I just heard "airport still closed...maybe Monday...check email."

This morning I used local transport through VERY crowded roads to get to a Kenya Airways office.  They checked and the airport is reopening in Malawi and I have a boarding pass for Saturday, Feb. 23, which is a good thing, since that's the day my transit visa expires in Kenya.

The plan is that I'll spend tomorrow in Lilongwe and then travel by bus to Blantyre early Sunday morning.  Assuming the buses run on Sundays.

The trip didn't go as planned, exactly, but I did get a chance to see a bit of Nairobi and I'm safe and sound.  All is well.

What Would You Choose?

If you were going to Africa, where access to favorite foods is either limited or very expensive, what would you choose for your last U.S. meal?

I've always been a food freak.  I remember when I was a little girl and my mom told me that I could be the President of the United States one day, if I chose and worked hard.  She was trying to give me a self-esteem building pep talk.  I immediately went to food and blurted out the first thing that came to mind when she said I could be POTUS "I'd love to be president!  I bet the President could eat strawberries every day, all year!"

I've considered which foods I'll miss for the next 3 months and what I wanted my last meal to be.  For those who know me, it will be no surprise that for breakfast this morning I'll be dining on cheese enchiladas before leaving for the airport.

What would you choose?

All My Bags Are Packed

Sorry for the prolonged silence, but it's been a busy time.  Since Nov. 17, 2012, when I arrived back home in Florida, I've visited friends in Tucson and Boston and attended a beautiful (and fun!) wedding in the Detroit area.

I also moved back into my house, unpacking and getting everything settled where it belongs.  That was the normal pain that moving is but it felt good to have everything in its place again.  It also helped me confirm how much I love my home.

I've applied for dozens of jobs and have had a couple of potentially promising conversations.  I've also reconnected with local friends and enjoyed just chilling, cooking and being home.

I've eaten Mexican food by the plateful along with more cheese than I care to admit.  Given less "mandatory" exercise that living in Samoa required and more fattening food, it has not been a diet friendly time.

I've also used the excuse of the stress that comes with readjustment, as well as the excitement/stress of preparing to head to Malawi for three months of work.

Today, I'm ready to leave for Malawi.  I just have to finish cleaning out the fridge, grab a shower and toss my toiletry items in my carry on.  Because of my elite status (their term not mine) on Sky Team, I'm allowed to check three bags. I don't want to schlep that much junk around though so am taking one checked bag (large enough to haul a body in) and a roll aboard with a few changes of clothes and all the stuff I need for comfort on the plane.

I've flown well over a million miles and think I've got the flight prep thing pretty much down.  Here's what I'm taking on the plane:

• Down throw - it was a gift years ago from Greg and Vicki and it is perfect.  It folds away to nothing and is awesomely warm.  I have a window exit row on the Detroit to Paris leg and this will keep the chill off.
• Noise cancelling headphones.  They really do make a difference, plus make listening to the plane movies/music much more pleasant than their $2 earbuds.
• Saline nasal spray - to keep nasal passages moist in the dry plane air.
• Eyemask - to keep out the light when I'm trying to catch some zzz's.
• Inflatable neck pillow.  It completes the geek look and prevents a stiff neck.
• Hand lotion to try to keep skin moist.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste because when I wake up after a restless sleep, it helps wake me up and feel fresher.
• Snacks - hard candies and trail mix.

Now, I have to get moving.  I'll be traveling from 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 19 to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 21, if all goes well.  I'll spend Thursday night in Lilongwe (capital of Malawi) and then will take a 4 1/2 hour bus ride to my new home in Blantyre.

I'll have wifi and hope to post photos and updates soon.  I hope you'll follow along in my new adventure.  If you have any questions or things you'd like to hear about, please let me know.

Learning a New Language

I'm only going to be in Malawi for a few months.  Well, maybe more, since they've asked if I'd be open to extending after the first three months.  That decision will come after I've been there for six weeks.

In any case, I plan to learn to say "hello", "please", "thank you" and a few other basics.  But I may need more.

Tonight I was perusing sites to check out restaurants and shopping in Blantyre (pronounced Blahntire). I was excited to discover that there's a grocery store in the city.  It's called Shoprite and is based in South Africa.  I'd read that most of the "western" imports are from South Africa so that wasn't surprising.

I was checking out their site and found this in their description of their butchery department:  " Smart shoppers can enjoy a wide range of fresh portions, whole chickens, marinated delights and famously South African products like Karoo lamb, boerewors, sosaties, oepsies, and more."

I get "whole chicken".  But boerewors?  Sosaties?  Oepsies?  What the heck are those?

I'll be leaving for Africa in about 2 1/2 weeks.  I'm about equal parts over the moon excited and terrified.  But I can't wait to find out if I like sosaties.  I'll let you know.

A New Adventure

Tired of reading my whining about heat, humidity and other stuff from the South Pacific?  Great news! I'm starting a new adventure in February that will enable you to read my whining about my new adventure in Malawi, Africa.

Seriously, I'm tremendously excited about this new opportunity.  I'll be a volunteer for a non-profit based in Scotland for a 2 1/2 to 3 month assignment.  Aside from the geographical and cultural differences, I anticipate a number of other contrasts.

First, my stint will take roughly the time it took it took for Peace Corps training.  Second, I'll be living and working as an expat in the second largest city in the country, rather than trying to integrate in a rural village.  Third, I'll be working with adults, using my business consulting and training skills, rather than teaching English to children.

The time from application to acceptance took less than a week.  I had a great Skype interview this morning, during which I felt like I really "clicked" with the interviewer.  We have similar professional backgrounds and it was fun to talk about approaches to a variety of training and consulting situations.

My work will be to assist in training, mentoring and supporting local trainees who are being trained and certified to consult with small and mid-sized companies.  My part in this effort is just one piece of a three year long project to enable locals to help develop businesses and improve the economy in one of the poorest countries in the world.

Part of me is excited about the opportunity to volunteer in helping others to improve their lives and the lives of others in their country.

Part of me is excited about learning about another culture and meeting new people.  I'm hoping that since Peace Corps has volunteers in Malawi, I'll be able to meet some of them and experience their lives in a rural village.  And I really, really want to go on a safari, which has been on my top five list for a very long time.

Part of me is excited about using my experience and skills to help others while adding to my resume.

I wish I could say my motives are totally altruistically, but they're not.  I want to help.  I want to learn. I want to have fun.

I can't wait for the trip, which will likely involve four layovers, to start.  I hope you'll come along.

Love These "New" Definitions

Once again The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its annual neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.

The winners are:

1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle (n), olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.), emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

Missing Samoa

I'm settled back into my home in Florida and it feels great.  I'm reconnecting with friends and starting to look forward to the next adventure.  It seems that I should stop spending money and start earning some.

While I'm excited about the future, I'm nostalgic about the past and my time in Samoa.  I DVR'd Bizarre Foods the other day and started to watch it last night.  What a surprise - it was about Samoa.  I didn't watch but instead saved it so I can watch it with friends this weekend.

Instead, I looked at some photos I took before I left the village last November.  It seems so long ago in many ways.

One thing I DON'T miss is the almost always packed bus to the wharf.  

There's no "p" in the Samoan alphabet, so they have trouble discerning the difference between a "p" and a "b".

I brought some candy back from Apia for the teachers.  As with all food, it was carefully divided.  

Tulouna and Tivoli - two of my favorite Year 8 boys.  They made me smile every day and were always willing to help.

The view from where I usually sat during interval.  

I introduced the kids to the idea of Halloween and trick or treating. They had fun with it and wore the masks for weeks after.

Two of my friend Mafa's granddaughters.  The older girl is smart, cheeky and has such potential. She has an irrepressible spirit and was my faithful companion.

One of Mafa's only grandsons, Lua.  He's a master tree climber and frequently climbed the tree next to the school to fetch me tipolo (lemons).

This is Mafa and the beautiful mat she made for me as a going away gift.