We are ready for school to start!!

Thank you, Friends of "Auntie Jan!"

New Clothes Arrive!

FINAL FINAL!!

New donors to bring the total to $2,650 for the Kenyan Kids are:

Linda Cable Kakela from Steamboat Springs, CO
Dan Keedy from Haslett
Alison Taggart from Mason

The next posting will be late in the summer with pictures of the children!!

Thank you for support!!

More donations welcomed after the "final!"

Anne Mungai, co-founder and director of the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation, and my friend said, "Jan, your friends are really making a difference for the children. Please thank them on behalf of my kids."

Thanks to the new donors listed below! Together, we have raised $2,540! I am purchasing socks and underwear now to send to Anne to take with her to the home and school at the beginning of August, along with a check to help her purchase new school uniforms. Each child needs two school uniforms at the beginning of the school year. These funds will buy many!

Mike Canteberry from Mason
Barbara Bernath Clark from Van Wert, Ohio
Joey Hanover from Mason
Barbara Roxas from Laramie, Wyoming
Joanne Ladio from Chelsea
Suzy Morse from Chelsea
Jan Sevde from Chelsea
Sharon and Mel Myers from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

16 New Contributors Yield an Incredible Total!!

The response to the appeal for the Kenyan Kids I met earlier this year has been fabulous! To date, $2,315. has come my way for the children. Below is a list of this week's contributors. Please know that these children will benefit directly from the money donated during this six week appeal. I never expected to be able to help them so much when the picture below was taken with them in April on the school steps. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening your hearts and wallets to help these children. (Please scroll down earlier postings to see all the contributors.)

Anonymous from East Lansing
Mary Ann Berthiaume from Jackson
Bob Brown from Gregory
Gordon and Rosemary Cooper from Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia
Bob Dahlem from Chelsea
Margaret Doolittle from Mason
Pat Kaminsky from Chelsea
Kevin Keeler from Diamondale
Nancy Lubeski from Lansing
Karen Oswald from Mason
Shawn Personke from Chelsea
Barbara Williams Randall from Fairfield Bay,Arkansas
Nelva Sherman from Grand Ledge
Sue Seyfarth from East Lansing
Amanda Tarasow from Chelsea
Chris Worland from East Lansing

Week Five Update--one more week to "check in"

A special thanks for this week's contributors to the Kenyan Kids Sox Appeal! These kindred spirits are:

Rita Dunlop from Chelsea
Jerome Forner from Springboro, OH
Cynthia Guthkelch from Saline
Marti Wenk Hause from Way Vista, CA
Mike Klepinger from Portland, OR
Lois Schiller Mitchell from Ann Arbor

Thanks in advance to those of you who have been intending to contribute....the window to "check in" is closing. If you remember this week, please send your contribution to me at 238 Harrison, Chelsea, MI 48118

Week Four--Kenyan Kid Thank You Update

Thanks to the following people who opened their hearts and wallets this week to put socks with these shoes!
Elizabeth Hammer--Chelsea
Barb Kammeraad--Nunica
Madeline Masterson--Okemos
Trisha Robinson--St. Louis, MO
Janice Webster--Chelsea
Charlotte Wyche--Chelsea

Week Three--Twelve more donations for Kenyan Kids

Thank you to the twelve people who "checked in" this week with the Kenyan Kid fund. Thanks in advance for those of you who will remember to send a contribution of any size soon! (Please see posting from May 14 for the details.)

This week's kind contributors:

Doug Collyer from Killeen, Texas
Eileen Droscha from Mason
Jim Grau from Chelsea
Sharri Greenway from Port Hope
Kay Kuhl Johanson from Ypsilanti
Joyce Johnson from Chelsea
Bill Lake from Jackson
Pam Moore from East Lansing
Cathy Muha from Chelsea
Ellie Nicol from Petoskey
Sandy Peterson from Chelsea
Sandy Weber from Chelsea

Week Two of the direct help to the Kenyan Kids

Many thanks to those generous individuals who contributed this week!

Kathy Dewsbury White of Haslett
Judy Huynh of Portland
Tam Krueger of Owosso

For those of you looking for how to contribute, please check two "postings" ago. Also, look at the pictures of the faces of the children who will benefit from your help!

Week One of "socks and underwear campaign" for Kenyan Kids

If you're reading this, it means I probably sent you an invitation and appeal to donate whatever you can to a personal campaign of mine: buying socks and underwear for 43 orphaned children who live in a home and attend a school begun by Anne and George Mungai outside Nairobi. (I'm sorry if I missed you the first time, so please consider that an oversight!)

Please read or re-read the post below to find out more about my goal. If you scroll down and open the pictures I took when volunteering at the home/school, you'll appreciate the work underway to nurture and educate these children that no one else could care for. I invite you to support this effort. Again, you can find the details in last week's post. Meanwhile...

Thanks to friends who made contributions this week!

1. Don and Nancy Bracke from Lainsburg
2. Barbara and Gabe Cherem from Ann Arbor
3. Ron Clark from Grass Lake
4. Renan and Cindy Fontus from Lansing
5. Jackie Hughes from East Lansing
6. Amy Kilbridge from East Lansing
7. Marilyn Lukas from Baltimore, MD
8. Sally McClintock from East Lansing
9. Kathleen Murphy Keedy from Haslett
10. Neil Stoloff from Bloomfield
11. Elsie Swanberg from Chelsea
12. Megan and Andy Thompson from Midland
13. Nancy Wilson from Mason
14. Andrea Yokich and Dave Grebner from Mason

I hope others will join this list of people who support the vision of simply helping in small ways that make a huge difference.

Socks and underwear drive for Kenyan kids

If you're accessing this blogspot, you know I've traveled a lot and generally worked wherever I travel. This March I traveled to both Malawi for an educational project and Kenya to help out at a home and school for 43 lucky Kenyan kids. Lucky in that they are orphans of AIDS and have been lovingly rescued off the streets. The home and school is located right outside Nairobi and was begun in 2004 by Anne and George Mungai after the loss of their daughter.

Anne and George were born in Kenya and still have strong family ties there. Anne now teaches at Aldephi University in New York and George teaches high school there. I connected with Anne through at marvelous professional development group in East Lansing: LATTICE.

Thanks to my daughter's technical expertise, you can click on CWMF at the side of this blogspot to see the offical site. However, I'm using this blogspot to urge you to help me collect donations to buy sock and underwear for Anne to take in a large suitcase when she returns to school this summer. If you'd like to help me, please send a check to me, Jan Bernath at 238 Harrison Street, Chelsea, MI 48118. With your contact details, we'll get a tax receipt to you.

I'll need your contribution by July 15! In any case, please enjoy the touching pictures of the children below. Thanks for your consideration.

A new gate to my heart: Caroline Wambui Mungai home & school outside Nairobi, Kenya

Mama America (Anne Mungai) and her five wonderful teachers

A classroom in the original building

Music together!

Door to the preschool

Laundy hangs in front of the school everyday!

Where meals are prepared

Hungry kids eat lunch

Me and the kids in front of the original part of the school

Working on the next floor...

The new building continues going up!

Washing every day!

Head Teacher Joyce in the new classroom

writing on what's available!

I gave them a VCR...one of the most touching days of my life

watching a video on the VCR in the family room

making music on the "drum"

children say hello to "Auntie Jan"

boys play soccer and call it "football"

Having a "heart to heart" talk with Mama America! (Anne Mungai)

beans are the staple for these kids

beds

Happily home with more to come...

Friends,
I have some wonderful pictures and lots of laundry! Please check back in awhile as I will be putting some of the pictures up that I think are special. Meanwhile, thanks for checking in as I've been sharing my unique journey.

Travelin' Nana

Wednesday, April 8, 7 pm

Here I am at the Nairobi airport and find a computer section! As planned, I was "picked" early since gridlock can happen, but I'm here are ready in time.

I thought I might add a few things about the home in which I stayed....Although it is a 12 bedroom home and huge by any standards (for me), it had an institutional feel. I think dorm life probably prepared me for the experience! I wouldn't say it's in the "rich" area, but it certainly was "middle class." It was built by the owners about 16 years ago, "when cement and plaster was reasonable." It's referred to as a "compound" as there is a high wall all around the large piece of property and a gate. Twelve dogs reside someplace on the property and are let out at night. I'm glad I didn't meet one. I only made friends with an old dashhound that was rarely acknowledged.

When I asked why they had such a big house, they said, "So everyone can have a room when they visit." I guess if you both come from families of 8 - 10 kids, that makes sense!

There were two full-time employees: one female for inside the house named "Angela"....she did the cooking, cleaning, and washing...continually! Then there was a male for the outside of the house named "Ben." Ben took care of opening and closing the large metal gate, watering the garden, plants, washing the cars, and feeding the dogs before they came out of the cage at night. Ben decided he couldn't do the work any more, so he quit the other day--which made getting in and out of the compound difficult!

On my way out to the airport, I asked the driver who has driven me before about the "compound/wall/gate" issue. He said that it's not just the well-off people who live this way. He has a small place out in the country and still has a fence and gate. The slums, however, do not have gates or fences!

I've really enjoyed the various facets of my time here--working in Malawi; safari and luxury; home stay with a family and volunteering at the home. But, I'll definitely be happy to get back home to Chelsea where I can walk about the door and forgot to lock it---and walk practically anywhere I need to (except to Midland.

Monday, April 6, 5 p.m. ish

This probably will be my last entry from Kenya. Yesterday, Sunday, I became a tourist again for a day. I had a wonderful time seeing some "local sites." Elephant Orphanage....I can't believe the way they raise these orphaned elephants....they are mostly found having fallen into the water holes around the country. Sometimes when their mothers know they are dying, they will go near a ranger's station so their baby will be found. Elephants are very human in their need to be in a family, and they truly never forget! If they are two year old and under, they have a caregiver who stays with them constantly. They sleep with them, feed them a special infant forumla, etc. This is at the Sheldrige (sp?) orphanage for rhinos and elephants. Elephants develop about the same as human in terms of life stages....When one gets to be 5 -6 y/o, it's considered a teenager....The same caregiver stays with it and begins to take the elephant out into some wilderness area so they can get to know life outside the orphanage. The caregiver walks with it, etc. Some of the mature elephants they encounter stay away from the teenager, since they don't like the smell of humans.... Poaching is outlawed in Africa, but it's on the rise again since the Chinese value ivoery it for items and they have a large presence in Africa. Some countries, like South Africa, (LJ-SK: Can you find South Africa in Africa?) allow for thining the "herd", but it is thought to be unnecessary by most countries.

I also went to the giraffe center and fed them! Karen Blixson, who wrote "Out of Africa" (later made into a movie with Meryl Streep and R. Redford) lived there. The guide was very knowledgeable, and I think he might have been old enough to know her!

When I ate lunch, I sat next to two women who I could tell were from the US....language, you know. Anyway, they were a little younger than me, so I asked where they were from. They said, "We live in Nairobi." So I clarfied and said, "No, I mean your country of origin." They were born in South Bend, Indiana. Both Southern Baptist ministers. So, I said, "Well, Kenya is quite a Christian country, so your work must be very appreicated." To which they replied that, while it is a Christian country, some of the interpretations of the Bible "We a little bit off." I thought I'd laugh out loud, but restrained myself!

Kenya is a very Christian country. Each night I sit with the family with whom I'm staying and there is Christian radio or TV (NOT like Rush L!) playing....Cell phones ring with "Praise God" as the ring, etc. Although there is a considerable number of Muslims in Kenya, they are largely on the coast and they live together quite well in Nairobi....

Today was my last day at the home. I'm the school photographer, so I set up a little "studio" with a lilac (Ann's deceased daughter's favorite color) chair, table with a globe on it. I took each child's picture individually, then a home/school picture. Unfortunately, it's difficult to organize 40+ children into a group when you don't speak their language. What a hoot!

Ann is staying until the opening of school (she's on sabatical) in a few weeks, and she'll come back for the opening of school in August. I'm going to send her things to bring over in August. She's requesting socks (grey, navy, red (NOT white), and underwear. Honestly, they clean every day, and in two minutes, everything is either covered with red dust or red mud!

It's raining now, so I'm glad....the rainy season gets shorter and shorter.

Kenyan phrase: When will you be picked? The word "up" never seems to follow it!

BTW--Obama's step-grandmother is from west Kenya, Kogelo. The govt here paved a road to this rural place, and she has to have security provided by the govt. I was happy to read in a headline of an article in the paper that said, "Tame graft or forget my help, Obama tells Kenya."

Just because this is my last blog doesn't mean I won't check email....most likely in Amsterdam on my way home!

Saturday, April 4th, 3 p.m.+

Goodness, it's difficult to get to an internet cafe, even though Nairobi is a lot more "cosmopolitan" than Blantyre or Lilongwe....Mostly, I'm spending time at the home/school with Ann everyday, and we want to get back to the house and shower! The home/school is on a plot of land outside Nairobi that was owned by her mother-in-law...now deceased. In fact, she buried on the property, as is custom in Kenya.

The earth is so red and dry that I look like I've been working in a iron mine in MN after two hours there! Apparently, my skin is still of interest to the kids there. I've come to understand that it's not because of the color, but because of the wrinkles! My hair, the softness (read that--no body) continues to attract them....

Yesterday was a very emotional day for Ann, and me by empathy...First thing in the morning was the closing cermony (for the term) to which the neighbor parents were invited and attended. I think I told you that community children come to the school started by Ann for the home. They have been coming free, but she has to start charging some as she was also feeding them lunch as well as morning and afternoon snack. I found it an irony that the children for whom the school was started had no parents in the audience. The children sang songs, recited poems, etc....Children were awarded for achievement and good behavior...small things....a packet of cookies, pens, etc. One of the things that amazed me was the chair persom of the school committee who announced/explained the need to charge a small fee for the community children. His face was so expressive, and although I didn't understand a word he said, I could tell he was connecting with the parents.

Afterwards, I went up to him and commented on how well he spoke to the group and complimented him on his expressive manner. He said, "Well, I know how important that is since I'm an actor and director! Actually, I've just produced a documentary on the lives of orphans." (He has his own child standing by him, so it was the experience from the school that sparked his interest.) Of course, I think everyone knows about Jeff Daniels....hee, hee, so I said, "Are you familiar with the actor, director/producer Jeff Daniels?" "Yes, I've studied international a/d/p...." Of course, I'll try to get him connected to my best friend, Jeff!

At the end of the day, 13 children from the home arrived back after being at another school for standard four. Since the school building is expanding (NOW), there wasn't room to teach them at the home. They looked quite shocked when they got of the "matatu" (mini-van) from the other school, since they had been gone since January. They will be there for two weeks, I believe, then go back. The behavior of four of them has not been good, so Ann is thinking of keeping them back. This is their first exposure to being in an environment where they aren't in a setting where everyone else was orphaned, so I'm sure the emotional toll of their background is beginning to show itself. Ann really wants "her kids" to succeed, so she is going to talk to each one individually to find out why they misbehaved. (Megan, you'll be glad to know that she was talking with her on-site teachers and mothers of the importance of having behavior plans with rewards and consequences.)

There's one little girl, Ann, who is about 8 y/o who I find to be particularly talented, in that she constantly find the old tin bucket on the playground and beats it with a stick and her hand. She really has a marvelous sense of music. Ann told me that she comes from a tribe (one of 42 tribes) that is particularly gifted in art and music.

The car that Ann has borrowed for going back and forth to the school began to sound like the brakes were worn. So, the machanic "made a house call" today! All this sounds strangly convenient, but it turns out not to be the case. He had to come out to the house, determine the source of the problem (worn brake pads), then take public transportation into town to find some, and come back out to put them on!!

Ann brought over a suitcase full of vcr tapes that her colleagues in New York had donated to the school. They only have a DVD player in the small sitting room with a couch, few plank benches, and a TV. So, on Monday, I'm giving the kids a combo DVD/VCR player as a gift from "Auntie Jan." Of course, per usual, this come out Jane.

Fortunately, my new camera is performing well. Ann's baggage went to west Africa first and a few things were missing when she finally received it. So, her camera doesn't have the charged. I'm the school photographer, and on Monday, I'm taking pictures of all the kids (including ones who came back) individually, and also class and home pictures. Monday p.m., I'm coming here to the internet place to have them downloaded and I'll give Ann a copy. She's thinking of starting a magazine (Dan, Again, here's another opportunity in Africa, but it would have to be volunteer!)

Apparently, I omitted an important word in my last posting. There are 2.5 MILLION orphaned children in Kenya alone.

I will be glad to get home, but this is far off, and now I'm feeling like I want to contribute. This is a huge undertaking for one family....and affects so few children. It brings tears to my eyes as the challenge is so daunting and they are so young. One thing for sure, these kids are lucky, and they know they are loved. I hope that's enough to overcome the obstacles ahead.

April 1, Wed 5 p.m.ish

Today was no April Fool's Day for me. I'm here in Nairobi, staying in a huge house with lots of security....12 bedrooms in all. It's the home of my travel agent, so I'm doing a "home stay" while I'm here.

I'm volunteering at the Caroline Wambui Mungai Foundation home. It's a home and school for chldren who have lost both parents to AIDS. They've been cleared through "the system" and permanently live at the home. There are 43 children with ages ranging from 3 - 9 years old. There are also some (around 30) community children who attend the school only , so their single mothers can work in the fields...earning approximately $2. day. Please go to the website: www.cwmf.org
(Megan, perhaps you could put a link on the blogspot when you have time.)

The home was started in 2004 after Ann and George Mungai lost their daughter unexpectedly. Ann and George work in New York, and Caroline had lupus. It seems she went in for a biopsy...an easy procedure....and didn't come out alive. As a parent who has lost a child, I understand the need to do something positive with the loss.

So, except for Sunday, I'm going out to the home and help in whatever way I can. There are 2.5 orphans in Kenya alone from AIDS. Even though this organization is a drop in the bucket, it somehow feels right to volunteer here. BTW--When I drove in with Ann, none of the children said "Look at the white person"...as they had in Malawi. Ann encourages people to spend time volunteering here....from all over the world.

What did I do today? Helped pass out lunch...they eat a lot because they used to have to search for food on the street....I sat and let them touch my arms, hands, follow the bulging veins in my old hands with their fingers, pat my hair, sit on my lap....the basics of caring. I sorted beans (they are absolutely gorgeous with manyh varieties) and picked the small stones and bugs out. It costs $30. month to keep a child here, and it is making such a difference in their lives.

The people in LATTICE in East Lansing know about the home, as Ann presented to them. She is an alumnus of MSU (having earned her PhD there) and was in one of the years of LATTICE.

This is a bitter sweet experience, seeing Caroline's picture around the home....what a beautiful young woman she was. The children are well-cared for, and I know where I'll be making some contributions....

Happy unbirthday and interesting comment..

I met an interesting couple last night. The woman, Latisha, is from Kansas City, and her husband, Caleb, is from Kenya. It seems that they met on "My space" and began discussing their hopes, dreams, etc. So, Latisha came to Kenya to visit Caleb...she said, "I'd never been out of Kansas City....not even Disney World!" They married, have a 3 year old daughter, and live in KC. Their dream was to help people of Africa....specifically, Kenya. Although there's a lot of donor money here, much of it doesn't get to the people who need it...according to Caleb.

So, they saved their money and came here to look for an area of need that isn't getting what it needs. They found a small village at the foot of Mt Kenya. Although there's free primary education, there is a PTO-like organization that collects a "school development fee" to enhance the building and grounds. Because not all families can pay this fee, this particular head teacher has kept children out of school because their parents couldn't pay. So, Caleb....a smart guy, is going to help the families take this to court for prosecution. It is against the law of "Education for All" the law of the land now.

They are going to back to Kansas City....having helped provide building materials from their own funds, shoes and school uniforms for children who do go to school. They are not organized in anyway, but they plan to continue working, saving money, coming back and forth as they can. I said, "Oh well, you're doing it and you can figure it out later!" They said, "That will be our motto!"

What an inspiration they are. Happy Birthday, again....

March 30, Monday evening

So, in the middle of a 90 acre game sanctuary, I find the second access to the internet! Mt Kenya should be visible from here, but it's raining (thank goodness for the animals) The rain is a month late, so all the animals (as well as people) are under stress. I've met Jimmy who is a guide for climbers on Mt Kenya....

On March 31, 1970, Megan checked into this world.....just in time for the census, because she wanted to be counted! Happy Birthday, Megan! I'll celebrate with you when you declare your new birthday!

I am not following Kenyan politics, as I was in Malawi. I'm living VERY upscale, but I've overcome the guilt....People do say there is corruption at all levels of government...but the Chinese are investing heavily in Africa. I've come over the side of a road created while the new road is being put down. The engineers are Chinese, but they are training and employing Kenyans. (LJ/SK--Where is China?)

Staying in the hotel in Samburu were about 10 Australian young people...that's what many do with the "gap" year....travel the world. Let's see how far did they come to get here??

A South Korean owner came to check out HER investment...

A French couple was in the hotel as well, but they didn't speak English so they had an interpreter. Other than that, people are saying that tourism is down, but donors are up!

There is a bird standing outside this room that is bigger than me! Tomorrow is back to Nairobi for me....I'll miss the views, learning about the animals, falling in love with the differences....but I won't miss the dust, heat, and bumpy road!

The picture

FYI--The picture is of "standard one" (grade one) teacher and some of her students. See what I mean--the teachers really dress up. It was taken in Mt Zomba's teacher development center....which is located in the school district on Zomba. So, these kids are LJ's age!

Friday evening, March 27

This is the first internet spot in a hotel since I've been on the safari beginning Tuesday. I'm in Lake Nakuru national park. I've seen so many animals! lions, elephants, giraffe, water buffalo, water bucks, baboons, monkeys, zebras, flamingos, wart hogs, hippos, gazelles (there's even a gazelle named the Thomson (no p)--it has a black stripe horizontally along it's side, etc. etc. Although I love the elephant, my new favorite animal (except Max) is the giraffe.

Here's what I've observed about being in these national parks:
-it's impossible to hurry; all the animals move gracefully, most animals get along with each other a graze side by side--except, I'm sorry to say--the cats; there is great beauty in the starkness of the parks.

The weather is changing here, and the rains are coming later and less. It is so hot and dry, that I'm covered with dust at the end of the day.

Here are some intersting people I'm met:

David, retired guy, whose wife doesn't travel with him....he's from London, and has traveled everywhere!

Joseph, works on the chunnel, lives outside London but previously from Scotland (LJ/SK--Can you find Scotland and London, England)

The head of the huge USAID medical project in Kenya...she's an American living in Nairobi for four years--she see great hope for HIV/AIDs in Kenya.

David, an American from California who has been teaching English in Japan for 13 years! He missed Mexican food, so he started a restaurant there...His mother won't fly, and his dad won't visit him without his mother, so his parents have never visited him where he lives! (LJ/SK--Is Japan near Africa? Did David have to come a short or long way to visit Kenya?)

Finally, Elizabeth, the young woman working in the business center has the same birthday as Megan, March 31st! Happy Birthday, Megan (and Elizabeth)!

My safari is over on Tuesday (Megan's birthday), I'm still enjoying it....bumpy roads, dust, heat, and all! Bye for now!

a few things

For some reason, I'm having trouble posting....

Also, please view the maps Megan included at the bottom of the blogspot.

Third, and last: I have resigned from rice cripies and corn flakes. In this 4.5 hotel, I had a lot of choices this morning....I went for the fruits, veggies, boiled egg, brewed coffee. Of course, this hotel is part of the safari "package" and costs more than three times what the Canadian donor was paying in Malawi!

Conversation with pediatrician

Sitting in the airport at Lilongwe yesterday, I talked with a pediatrician from the UK who has been training in Malawi hospitals. She said, "We train nurses and doctors to wash their hands, but we forget to ask whether or not they have clean water."

Answers to LJ and SK questions

LJ and SK asked some questions a few days ago, so I'll try to answer them now.

I don't know how hot it was in Blantyre, but I think it was in the high 70s. It was in the mid-80s when I arrived in Kenya yesterday. It was too hot for me to wear the amount of clothing I saw people wearing! Many were wearing regular shoes and socks, and some were wearing sandles as I have been since I've been here. I noticed that I was the only one with painted toe nails!

When I say the roads are red with yellow streaks in them, I'm talking about the unpaved roads. Many of them that I traveled were unpaved with ruts, and rocks to fill in the ruts, and small streams coming down them (rain, rain!)...Since the earth is red, I assume there's iron in the soil...like near the iron mines in Minnesota. I think the yellow is just where other types of soil have mixed in...

I haven't been in any homes, but I know that some children of poor families have to help their family earn money by selling things on the street. I don't know if they have toys or not...maybe in families in Malawi that have more money. The boys love to play soccer (football) but I didn't see any girls play it.

Thanks for the questions!

Monday in Nairobi

Here I am tying to save my posting from Saturday's trip from Blantyre to Lilongwe. thanks to my tech support, last night's post was retrieved.

Here's what I saw on my four hour coach ride out my dripping window:

roosters, goats, cattle grazing periously close to the highway;
small plots of maize planted;
people selling tires, charcoal, piles of wood,dried fish, tamatoes, squash, etc.;
muddy paths along the highway and some leading back into the countryside;
small brick houses, some of which had a plaster over the outside of the brick;
thatched roofs on these houses, and some with metal roofs;
people standing in groups on the porches under cover from the rain;
long open-sided shed with tobacco hanging to dry;
thatched round sheds used for storing the maize/corn;
thatched round "out houses"....

Sunday evening in Nairobi

I notice that my "IT" support was not able to "find" the wonderful description I tried to post from Lilongwe yesterday. I wonder if it truly is lost!

Now I'm here in the green zone of Nairobi with wireless internet connection in my room!! However, the signal is low in my room, so I'm here in the business center using my laptop....On my way down here, I walked by a room that said, "Executive Housekeeper." Goodness, what a leap I've made.

"Anthony" picked me up at the airport in Nairobi. Not the one that picked me up in Lilongwe, but he was equally pleasant....It's just so easy to become immediate friends when you talk about Obama.

I almost became the "ugly American" on my flight here on Kenya Airways. I confirmed my flight in Blantyre, and they assigned me seat 22A. When I checked in at the airport in Lilongwe this morning, they said the seat was taken and assigned me seat 18A. Boarding the plane (you take a bus out to the airplane and board by climbing the steps...), the head guy said, "free seating!" What that meant was that a pleasant looking nun was sitting in 18A. There were only interior seats left, the nun wouldn't budge, and I couldn't put my carry on up to stow. So, I went back to the head guy who brought out the head gal to explain that they had to change planes here.

Thursday in Blantyre--1p.m.ish

Do you realize that I will only have the town "Blantyre" in one more posting! Friday I write my report for CODE, and then I pack to leave Sat a.m. It has been a very busy two weeks, and I think I'm leaving this office in better shape than I found it. (Although Moses might not be...)

Last night I met an American from The Nature Conservancy. He's a lawyer looking at the Malawi laws for beginning a presence in AFrica. I guess the main office will be in Tanzania (Where's THAT on the globe? Hint to LJ and SK-- very near Malawi!) The production of charcoal is an issue here since it brings lots of trees down. At the same time, the Nature Conservancy is aware that people need fuel and ways of making money. It's a hard job to balance the needs of the environment with the needs of the people....I think that is not a new problem!

Today Cosmas and I went out to a rural school district now at all far from Blantyre. It's a district that has not had any teachers trained. The district has 1,700 students and 30 teachers. Yes, you read that correctly. It's the end of their term, so most classes were not in session except for one. There were 120 students in the class (grade 4) and they were all sitting on a cement floor. The teacher had only a blackboard to use. Not all of the students had textbooks. I asked Cosmas if he sat on the cement floor when he was a child (he's now 34 y/o), and he said yes. Where he went to school, students sat on the floor from grades 1 - 5, then grades 6 - 8, they sat on benches together with and shared desks. One has to pass a grade 8 "primary school leaving" exam in order to go on to secondary. Cosmas said once in secondary school, he was able to sit at his own desk.

BTW--I ate at an Ethopian (where's that?--hint: still on the continent of Africa). I had a chick pea dish with some kind of flat fermented wrap. Really good!

Any questions before I leave Malawi?

Wednesday noonish in Blantyre

Today I've been working on the information that came out of yesterday's standards setting meeting. Moses is really going to look good when he goes to Ottawa to make his report.

Also, I'm starting to confirm and reconfirm arrangements for leaving Blantyre early in the morning for the coach for Lilongwe (four hour ride). Fortunately, the coach will drop me at the hotel at which I'm staying overnight. Then, I fly out of Lilongwe for Nairobi on Sunday. I'll be staying there on Monday with NO PLANNED activities, but I'm staying in at least a 4 star hotel, so I'm sure there will be lots to do within the immediate distance. On Tuesday, I'll be starting the safari, and it's then that I hope to see some wild animals (from a distance). As I'll be moving around from place to place, I'm not sure about email connection, so if you don't hear from me for the 8 day safari, don't assume I've been eaten by a lion! Plus, remember that I have a special fondness for cats and they know that!

I'm glad to hear that both LJ and SK have people in their classes, etc. who have skin darker than their's. That one of the beautiful things about the US, the melting pot has the potential for making interesting looking people! So far here, I've seen only black or white....no multicultural people. But, perhaps it just the places I've been.

I was asking Cosmas yesterday what percentage of people are living in poverty. He figures about 1 person out of 5. I'll have to check that, but I think it's higher. There definitely is an emerging middle class with new cars, nice clothes (the teachers, for instance). At breakfast in the morning, youngish professional people come in...nicely pressed shirts, suits, etc. It was noted in yesterday's workshop, that out of 18 participants, only 3 were female (plus me, made 4). Gender equity is taught in schools, and I guess it will take a long time before females have access to occpations.

I really don't having any exciting observation to make, except that I'm aware of my need since I've been to watch closely where I'm stepping....one foot in front of the other. The holes, rocks, missing steps, etc., could really cause a bad injury. The Canadian journalist told me she sprained her ankle badly in Tanzania. So, even though my arms are getting flabbier because I'm not in the water at the wellness center, my legs are getting lots of walking exercise. And, I have to say, I've proven to myself that I can STILL take this on! It's rather affirming to Mother, the White Saint!

Hey, any more questions?

Tuesday about 5p.m.ish on St. Patrick's Day

I had St. Patrick's Day a day early....I've just arrived back from a "standards setting" whatever with six teachers, six head teachers, and six primary education advisors. As before, I was the most underdressed person in the room. I won their hearts and minds with a Michigan Mint each (made right outside of Mason)following their lunch. We had a group picture taken at the end of the workshop, and I was the only white person in it. LJ & SK--Do you have any black children in your classes or at church or at ballet or soccer?

To answer BB's question about encountering any anti-US sentiment....I have to admit to hiding behind the cover of representing a Canadian NGO. But, today it was out in the open: I used to live in Canada but now I'm living in Michigan. You see, I had to make the tie to the mint. Anyway, no one threw a shoe at me, and remember, they love Obama! For the morning break, I had a new roll named, "Obama." Yes, I did have someone take a picture of me and the roll. Then, someone point to a crumbling muffin and said, "That one is called 'Bush.'" I would say having Obama as president of the US means much to the whole continent.

The buildings here are short and good for short people. I would say five stories would qualify as a skyscraper.

In terms of wearing a hat, I haven't yet taken it out of the bag. But, I am putting on sunscreen every day. Note: it's the rainy season, so there are terrific thunder storms almost daily. They are short and intense, and so I always carry an umbrella in my bag. I also have NOT had anything on except the "dressy" T-shirts I packed. I don't know how these women and men stand wearing suits and stuff around there arms. I'm also wearing sandals due to the weather. That's right, friends in Michigan, it's warm here.

Yesterday, I met a woman from the Netherlands (LJ, SK--Can you find it on the globe? Can mommy and daddy find it with you?" Hint: It's a very small country in Europe. Can you find Europe?

Anyway, the woman's name was "Joke" Von Something pronounced "Yo ku." She has been in Malawi working for three years for a company called, "Storybook Workshop" that takes information for children out into the countryside on videos, books, photo galleries. Because she's from another company, the Malawi government requires her to have a work visa (permit). Joke's visa has expired, so she can't work for the company until she gets a new one. That is good for the project, since the training manual needs to be put together. Moses has been trying to work on the manual now for two years. Smile. Anyway, it's underway and will take her only about five days. (Dan--There is a market niche here for someone with your skills.)

Yesterday (that I thought was St. Patrick's Day) I to a small restaurant about 4:30 p.m. because I hadn't eaten since 7 a.m. I asked for a menu, and the man told me that the chefs were "on break." (Is that why I keep running into unemployed chefs?)
So, I went to Kips again, since I could not face another curry of something at the hotel restaurant. I order a small pizza--vegetarian--and was it ever good! It even had corn on it! The owners of Kips are from south Asia. I noticed that the two owner brothers went to a room named "Namaaz" at 5 p.m. I thought....hmmmm..., I wonder if they are going to 5 p.m. prayer, since I think they are of the Islamic tradition. Sure enough, they came out of the room about 7-8 minutes later putting their prayer beads in their pockets.

That's it for now, I'm going to walk down the street to face the curry of something.

Monday still in Blantyre

Well, did I ever have an adventure after I posted my message yesterday. I went to Mt.Soche Hotel,recommended by my Canadian colleague. It was quite different in quality compared to the hotels in which I've been staying. Not to say that I'm staying in dumps...When working on projects, I typically stay in 1.5 hotels. Mt. Soche had wonderful ambience, well-dressed black and white people....For BB's information: I had a wonderful vegetarian pasta dish and a kuche kuche, plus a whole wheat roll! (Again, I was the most underdressed person in the place...including employees.)

I walked around the gardens and took pictures of the flowers....Then, I started to walk back to my 1.5 hotel. Keep in mind that on weekends, there are no business people downtown, so one is exposed to people selling stuff on the streets....

I met Emmanual--appropriate for Sunday, as I had only WATCHED church, not attended. Anyway, he wasn't trying to sell me anything (or so I thought)...I wanted to book my coach back to Lilongwe for next Sat morning, and we walk by a bus station. So, WE went in there, and I was told that I had to go to Blantyre House to book that particular coach. So, Emmanuel told me he knew where that was....just a few steps away. He told me I reminded him of his mother who died in 1994, and that he was an unemployed chef with a four year old boy and a wife. We walked past many people on the street, and I realized that I was enjoying his company and noticed that people didn't come up to me and ask me to buy things. We walked further and further.....my feet were beginning to ache, and I was looking frumpier and frumpier (but no well-dressed folks were around to notice).

After awhile, a white couple slowed down and asked if I needed help. They were in one of those big double-cabbed trucks--Anyway, at that point, I felt I could use a ride. So, I perched happily in the back seat and we drove to Blantyre Lodge. Which, as it turns out wasn't that far from where we were. The driver and passenger work for a "petrol" company out of South Africa working in Malawi for 16 months now, and they had been at a fundraiser rally with other people from the company driving big trucks. Anyway, when we went into Blantyre Lodge the office had just closed....A man named "Rodin" took my name and Moses's cell number and will confirm a seat on the 7 a.m. coach back to Lilongwe on Saturday....it takes about four hours.

After I'd made the arrangements, Emmanual showed up at the truck door. The driver gave him the equivalent of 50 cents, and said Emmanual had only walked me across town and that was enough. I loked into Emmanual's eyes, and gave him more money so that it equaled about $2. The South Africans drove me to my 1.5 hotel, and I was glad to get there. Man, I really am developing an appetite for soccer (football, here). England knocked France out of the running.

Today is St. Patrick's Day, and Kathleen has requested that I have a Carlsberg instead of kuche kuche. So, I will. I wonder if those standing in the Peace Vigil in Belfast will have any.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT--Megan: Will you please put a map of Kenya on the side bar, since I'm flying there on Sunday? Also, a counter would be really swell. I know some people are following this but not commenting.

Sunday 1 p.m.after church, so to speak

Thank you, LJ, SK, and Megan for the great pictures! I wasn't able to make the video go, it would say "buffering" and never kick in. I'm missing you, too!

This morning while I was eating breakfast in the hotel dining room (broadly defined as a restaurant), there were two church services being televised: One sort of looking like a protestant church service anywhere, except that the women in the congregation had special uniform-like outfits on--the men had suits--the minister had a regular minister outfit on and preaching in English, then next to him was standing a fellow in a more traditional African outfit, and he was interpreting what the minister was saying into another language. The second church I saw was far more lively! A woman minister dressed the fancy clothes was singing and dancing, and so were all the people in the congregation. If I chose to go to one of those services, it would have been the second one!

Because I know BB wants to know, here's what I have had for breakfast every day since coming to Malawi:
some kind of juice--very good; bad instant coffee; rice crispies or corn flakes; egg fixed some way--generally scrambled; I don't eat the sausage or sliced tomatoes served with the eggs; plain white toast. So far, I think rice crispies is winning the contest.

I'm sorry I didn't answer LJ & SK's ice cream question. Ice cream for most people here is VERY special. I've now stayed in three hotels in Malawi and, although they have it listed on the menu, they never have it. That's why I went up to Kips last Sunday and bought a STRAWBERRY cone. Yesterday, I went up there again and got a VANILLA AND STRAWBERRY TWIST. I needed to get back to my hotel before it began to rain, so I ate it while walking. I have to say, that I felt guilty walking past people with it. It's not that EVERYBODY in Malawi can't afford ice cream, it's just that most people can't. Certainly people who are on the street selling bananas, peanuts, sourvenirs, etc. can't afford it. When I was buying bottled water in a store the other day, I saw a well-dressed dad and his daughter buying frozen ice cream cones out of the freezer. But, I could tell that they had more money, because the dad had glasses on.

I'll try to answer the questions asked by the girls.

The only wild animal I've seen so far was when I went to the hotel at the top of Mt. Zomba. It was a monkey, but since he was inside the hotel garden, I don't think he's so wild. I do NOT see dogs as pets. Some guards standing outside places that might get robbed have dogs beside them, but they have muzzles on. I guess if someone started to rob the place, they would take the muzzles off to protect the store and run after the robbers.

All the people who work in the schools and the children are black. LJ & SK--Do you have any black children in your schools?

When I've gone into classrooms, I do see big letters that the teachers made and hung them up. Most of the materials used in the classrooms are made by teachers. The reason there are so many children (60 as an average) is because the government pays for the schools, and they can't afford new buildings and lots of teachers and extra helpers. Also, in the past, girls were not encouraged to go all the way through school so they could go to college and become teachers. There is a big effort by the government to have parents encourage girls to go to school. Many of the children in the schools wear uniforms, but not all. Because some children might not come to school if they think they don't have clothes good enough, uniforms in schools are good. LJ & SK-- Would you like to wear uniforms to school? Do you think the other students in your schools would like to wear them?

There is wonderful music here and I've heard some coming out of buildings. Unfortunately, from my point of view, many of the young people like "rap"...much as in the US. But, it's African rap.

I have not been to Minnesota on this trip, SK, because I'm not on the North American continent. I flew across the ocean to Europe (a differnet continent) and then to Africa--yet another continent. Can you and LJ find those three continents on the globe? I bet mommy and daddy can help you! When I get back to Chelsea, I will visit you in Minnesota but not right away, because you won't be there yet! I will visit you in Minnesota when you are there in the summer!!

Remember when I told you that someone stole the engine and the battery out of Cosmas's car? Well, yesterday he had his car at the office where we work together. So, he bought a new motor and battery already. He had pulled his car up the drive to the back of the building, and we got into it to go someplace together. Well, the car wouldn't start. The battery was dead. So, Cosmas he let it roll backwards since it was on a hill. He thought it would start, but it didn't. It rolled so closed to the brick wall, that the mirror on the passenger's side of the car (where I was seated) had to be moved almost into the door. Cosmas got about six BIG kids to help him try to get it away from the wall. When I saw all those kids trying to LIFT the CAR, I couldn't watch any more. I was afraid someone was going to get hurt. Somehow, they managed to get it away from the wall, down the driveway, and then they pushed it so it would start. Whew!

In Blantyre, when you park on the street to go into a shop, parking police come up to the driver to collect about 10 cents as they pull away. So, yesterday, I got the money out when Cosmas and I were pulling out of the parking space. The parking police didn't come, so I handed it to a girl running along side the car. She was about SK's age.

Keep those questions coming! And, thanks for the signs and long-distance hugs. I miss the real ones!

We Miss You!

We miss you Nana! We decided to take over a post to let you know we are thinking of you and missing you! Click on the video and hear your grandgirls singing while making you a sign. We are having a lazy morning. Your favorite! We have nothing on our calendar for today. We think we will head to "Snakes Alive" at the Center for the Arts. But first, some jammie time and a late breakfast!

Lindsay and Sydney would like to point out you have not yet answered their question from 3/9 -- about ice cream.

Here are a few other questions on their minds...
L - Did you see any wild animals?
L - What do the African students look like? What do they wear to school? Do they have uniforms?
S - Did you go to Minnesota?
L - Do they have dogs there? If so, what do they look like?
S - Did you see big letters?
L - Why are there 60 students in a class?
L - Do they have any music? If so, what does it sound like?

Saturday noonish in Blantyre

I had a question (thank you, BB)about what I am wearing and eating. Because I wanted to be 'appropriately dressed' for the context I consulted my Canadian contact who has worked here before. She told me to wear nice T-shirts and long skirts or dressy slacks. So, that's what I've been wearing. The women in the workshop, however, we dressed to the 9s! Some men wore suits or slacks, dress shirt, and ties. Needless to say, I was the most underdressed person in the room. Except when the Canadian journalist came (probably size 4)in just below the knee pants and a skimpy T-shirt. I think I looked rather dowdy, which perhaps is a contributing factor to my esteemed title of "Mother."

As to what I'm eating---curry vegetables on rice, curry chicken on rice, vegetables with a nice red sauce (not curry), Chambo (local fish)fillet...Although Anthony (remember him from Lilongwe?) recommended I order the whole fish, I just couldn't --knowing that the eyes would be staring at me. Nimse (made from maize/corn) is very popular, but it's really like eating very dry cream of wheat, so I put butter on it. I'm still startled that I'm drinking instant coffee everywhere! I wonder if they'll have any real stuff in Kenya. Perhaps there will be a Starbucks there....

Now about the beer/ale. Obviously, someone made a very good, long-term deal. Carlsberg (or is it Carlsburg?) is everywhere. It's locally brewed, but that's about all one can buy. I did see an Amstel someplace, but that's never appealed to me so I passed it up. I've settled on "Kueche Kueche"...which is a Malawi product, and I wouldn't really drink it except I like the fact that it's local, and it's cheaper that Carlsberg. I remember singing a song as a kid, "You do the kueche kueche, and you shake it all about...." I wonder if they were talking about the beer/ale. What do you think?

I'm having a break from being a task master with Moses. Let's say, I'm making him look good for the presentation in Ottowa in June. The calendar for next week is pack. (It's a long a boring story, but I was trained early in life how to help males think and get themselves out of a paper bag.)

Cosmas, the new project coordinator, is sharp, knows what to do, how to do it, and is relieved I'm here, given the lack of leadership at the top. Remember Cosmas? He played soccer. He also showed me a picture of his new baby....I wish I could see him, since I miss my grandgirls' hugs. Anyway, the motor and battery were stollen out of Cosmas's family car while we were in Zomba. I guess having a garage would be a necessary thing here.

BB--Did I answer your question? Does anyone else have a question?

Back to work to be the task master!

Friday (the 13th) back in Blantyre

To my surprise, the workshop closed a day early. It seems that the national campaigning is underway, so a candidate up for re-election called a meeting for "all civil servants." Anyway, since teachers are civil servants, they had to leave to go to the meeting. As we were leaving, Cosmas, the project coordinator who is a very fine young man, started playing soccer (they call it "football" here) with some of the older students after school. Cosmas was a very good player, an "elite" player as we would say, but he sustained an injury and had to drop out. Because of his experience in playing soccer all over, he would see soccer friends in Zomba on the street and greet them. By the way, the World Cup for soccer will be played in South Africa in 2010. (LJ & SK--Can you find South Africa on the map/globe?)

My two colleagues, Moses and Cosmas, and I worked on creating the standards for the schools late last night. I hate to say this, but if I hadn't come to assist, Moses would have shown up in Ottowa, Canada, in June with two sentences on a piece of paper. I'm tiring these guys out!

Since the CODE (Canadian organization I'm representing)van was in two accidents and is in the shop, we have been using Moses's car. It is very funny how many times the battery has had to be jumped. We had to drive from gas station to station to look for air to pump in the tires. The roads are full of holes and rocks, so it's rough on the tires. Moses's wife, Joyce is now buying a new battery for the car, and I think she might consider buying new tires! On the way back to Blantyre, we stopped a Moses' rented house. It's a small house with two bedrooms. Although Moses purchased land a long time ago to build a house, he hasn't started. He says that building materials cost a lot, so he is waiting to get more money. Meanwhile, he will be moving to another rented house, because he has three children--a 7 y/o,11 y/o, and 15 y/o. They have bunk beds and have to sleep in one room together.

As we were waiting for him in the car, Moses's neighbor came over to tell him that the motor and battery had been stolen from her car. There aren't garages or any place to put cars, so someone came during the night and robbed the car of essential parts.

The Canadian journalist is going to send me the article she is writing about the project. It will be published in the Malawi paper and probably a Canadian paper as well. As I said, she is traveling the world writing about development projects in economically developing countries. This is her second month of an eight month tour.

I hope LJ and SK are able to share some of the information with their friends and classmates. I hope everyone reading this is getting something more personal than watching a travelogue about Malawi!

By the way, since I left earlier than I planned, I wasn't able to get Master's contact information and qualifications to take with me to Kenya. Perhaps he'll find another way to get a job outside of Malawi.

I do appreciate your comments. Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I'll try to research the answer!

Thursday afternoon in Zomba

Last night I made a new friend. His name is "Master" and he works at the hotel in the restaurant. He has a chef's diploma but can't find a job in northern Malawi in Lilongwe, so he came down to Zomba. (LJ and SK--can you find Lilongwe on the map I gave your mom?) Anyway, Master said you can't get jobs unless you know somebody who owns a restaurant, so he is thinking of leaving Malawi and possibly going to Kenya or South Africa where there are more tourists. He's going to give me his name and information, and I'll give it to people in Kenya!

Master also told me about the election for president that is coming soon. He told me that the old president before this one sent all the corn out of the country, so the people in the country side didn't have anything to eat. Corn (they call it maize) is their main dish. So the people in the country went out into the fields and dug roots to eat. The new president is trying hard to get the country straightened out...sort of like Obama is trying for the US.

Today I went to the teacher development center for awhile, but then we went to a school where teachers have already been trained. The school is where the army houses the soldiers. We saw a lesson on ears and music. The teacher used drums and other instruments and the children enjoyed it. However, there were 70 students in one room, so they could only stand up and sit down....not move around.

When we were driving into the school, many chldren were following the car and running after us. They were pointing at me and saying (in their own language), "There is a white person!" I guess I'm pretty interesting!

A young journalist from Canada (where is that on the map? Not far!) has come to do a story about the project I'm helping with. She won an award from the Canadian government to do stories about projects that are helping people in Africa. Although she was born in Canada, she looks like she's from Asia, so no one points at her!

mid-afternoon in Zomba

Moses, Cosmas, and I are on our way to the open space in the hotel at which I'm staying to work further on the standards we're creating. Moses went to a workshop in summer 2007 in Ethiopia but has made very little progress on creating them. He's going to Ottowa in June and needs a ton of work done to present, since the Canadian donor requires accountability. Essentially, I'm the task master in the mix, so needless to say, I'm a blessing and a curse for him!

I wanted to tell you that each agenda for the workshop has timelines, then at 3:30 p.m. it says, "Knocking off." I met a woman named "Ula" last night at the hotel eating dinner who has worked in Africa off and on for "Doctors without Borders." She's from Denmark (LJ/SK--can you find Denmark on the world map?) and going home one day after I leave Malawi. She is a clinical lab tehnician and travels all over the world on short term contracts. She's going to retire soon, and I asked her what she's going to do when she retires to Denmark. Guess what her answer was? Travel! Anyway, Ula said people say, "I'll meet you after I knock off from church."
Another thing Ula told me is that in another country in AFrica (I can't remember which one), they say, "isn't?" at the end of the sentence. Sort of like "not so."

Today when I went into a class of 6 - 8 year olds, there were 75 children sitting around six large tables. The teacher was wonderful, and all the kids were having a great time. LJ, wouldn't that be crowded? Can you imagine 74 classmates in your room?

Then, I went into a room of 10-11 year olds. There were 65 in that classroom and they were sitting in three rows sharing desks. Some children didn't have shoes on.
Again, all the children are very polite and so are the adults.

I also wanted to tell you what I saw yesterday:
There are no screens on the windows, so when they are open, animals can come in. I noticed a cat went on the window ledge in the kitchen and ate something from the plate. I think Max would like it here.

When I went to the hotel at the top of Mt Zomba, I saw a monkey in the inside garden on the hotel. My, I got a good picture of him! I also saw people walking bicycles down the hill with wood piled high on the bikes. Since the mountain rood is steep, it was really hard for them to hold them back from rolling down the hill and spilling the wood all over. They sell the wood in town.

Make sure you find where Denmark is, okay?

Tuesday in Training

It was the second day of training at the teacher development center. One very funny thing happened at the end of the day. Moses wanted to go to the top of Mt Zomba, so I decided I needed to use the toilet before we went. A woman teacher led me to a separate place where the toilets are....I closed the door, but I could not get out. So, I ended up yelling "hello" through the broken window to some kids playing ball in the field. I tried to get the door open with my pen, but it didn't work. The kids went to tell them, and of course, everyone apologized.

Every one is so polite in the workshop. They refer to each other as "our friend"...they say "thank you" after a contribution. The chairs are incredibly hard, so I sit on my folders to soften the seat. People are dressed up in suits and clean shirts. When I as introduced in the classroom of 3 graders, all 60+ of them stood up and said, "Good afternoon, Madam."

People are starting to call me "mother." I'm the only white person around, and since I'm older than anyone I see, I think they consider me to be a saint. I rather like the position!

Love to everyone have way around the world--which except for the time it takes to get there, doesn't seem that far away.

Monday in Zomba

I have a very short time to post today...Moses didn't show yesterday....Blantyre has been out of water for four days in certain sections. I walked uptown and bought a small painting from Mark who looks so impoverished. Then I went to "Kips" which is a kind of burger/ice cream place. There were about 6 - 7 Indians kids there...they noticeably have more money. Several had braces....glasses....cell phones receiving and making calls. Then they order a huge smoking thing filled with something that looked like cream de menthe. Everyone was puffing on it, so I asked them what is was: shay shuy, they replied. I asked if it made them dizzy, and they said yes.

Moses said that the Asians own a great deal of the businesses in Blantyre, so that's why the kids looked a world away from Mark with his paintings. Also, the Malawis who have cell phones sometimes only buy time when they have to make calls....it's called "I have to top up my time." The guys at the ice cream shop didn't have to do that.

Today we got to the training late, but it didn't matter becasue the trainers were with us. It was interesting to me that there was a prayer at the end of the training, and everyone said "Amen." One trainer has the habit of saying "not so?" at the end of a sentence when he's asking if it's "right?"

The roads from Blantyre to Zomba were some of the worst I've ever seen....It reminded me of going from Tbilisi to Bantumi. The earth is red and washes out leaving rocks and ruts.

But, hey! We arrived.

Sunday morning in Blantyre

I'm glad my technical support named Megan was able to post what I thought I had lost.
There is a real difference for me with this effort thusfar....for instance, I have previously been a part of a partnership or larger team. That meant when the group with which we were working were otherwise occupied, my partner/teammates and I socialized together. Early last evening before it was dark, I walked back to my hotel past the "New Casa Blanca" bar. It was really rocking, but I decided not to explore further. So, I found myself watching the BBC news with an African slant followed by a film with DeNiro and Pacino. They're two of my favorite guys, so I felt like I had good company.

One of my tasks here is to review the trainers' manual that is in process, so breakfast found me with that. Let me say that, as in Georgia, instant coffee seems to be the rage. Can you believe that? Here I am in Africa with powdered coffee!

Moses is picking me up this afternoon to show me some sights. I've just walked uptown to buy a large bottle of water. It is always the case that one needs to get liters of water, since the smaller ones just don't do! I've decided it's really an advantage to be an obviously older white woman walking around. People make eye contact, say, "Good morning, Madam. How are you?" I've read that it's considered polite to reply, "I'm fine. And how are you?, so I do that. The reply is: Thank you. I'm fine.

For the most part, stores are closed on Sunday. Since Blantyre is the financial center, there is a bank on practically every corner. I heard wonderful singing coming out of a building....not appearing to be a church. But, it's the kind of African singing one would hear at the Wharton Center or at Hill Auditorium. Then, there was the preacher standing on the corner enthused about something in front of the Praise God Shopping Store.

Some of you are replying. Thanks! Strangely enough, although I'd rather be working with another consultant from the other side of the pond, I don't feel alone. But, I still do appreciate your comments!

I'm resigned to not being able to post pictures--which is a pity.

On the road to Blantyre by coach

This is the second post I've tried today....I wrote a long, brilliant description and tried to add some pictures, but nothing worked. So, suffice it to say that I went past small villages with people occasionally lining the road selling such things as used tires, peanuts, okra, dried fish. I made no puchases but took some pictures that I'm not able to upload!

I'll be here in the commercial center of Malawi for two days, then on to Zomba for a five day training. I wish I could share a picture of the "office" of the NGO for which I'm working. It truly gives a new meaning to the word.

Tomorrow is Sunday, so Moses is coming to get me after church. BTW: ratio of teacher to pupils is 1:60. But, because of the shortage of classrooms, sometimes 200 students are in with three teachers.

Saturday on the road

Today I started off at 6:15 a.m. to catch the coach to travel from Lilognwe to Blantyre. A friendly fellow, Mark, share the taxi with me to the other hotel to catch the coach. He happened to know the new employee at the second hotel who had lost his job at the first hotel. Mark and I determined that the second hotel was much nice, newer and only 70% of the price of where we were staying. So.........I guess I'll stay there when I return to Lilongwe just before leaving Malawi.

The four hour coach ride was very interesting and comfortable. We drove through small villages, and ventors of all kinds were lining the road to sell their products. Perhaps vendor implies something I don't mean...these folks had a small pile of wood, some peanuts, orka, etc. Goats were very near the road, along with some cattle. Everyone walks on a path or rides a bike. The ground has a reddish cast to it that probably leaves your feet red at the end of the day.

Remember Mark? It's a good thing we had become fast friends, since there were three stops in Blantyre and I didn't know which one to use. I got off with Mark, used his cell phone to call my contact here, Moses, and chatted with Mark's wife Stella. Stella is a retired educator and told me about the schools here. Some rural schools have grades 1 - 8 with almost students. Since they teach all subjects, they have two teachers, but Stella doesn't think it's possible for students to learn. The average ratio of teacher per students is 1 to 60. However, there is a shortage of classrooms, so it's normal to have 200 students in a room with 2 - 3 students.

When I arrived in Blantyre, I learned about the NGO for which I'll be working. On Monday, I'm going to Zombo where there is a five day teacher training course. I'm glad that's set, because Moses has been very busy with a crisis at his office due to an accountant leaving.

The end of my first day learning about Malawi

I certainly learned some interesting things by talking with Anthony, the driver for the National Library Center, and the director of the NL, Grey. Anthony is a trained chef and worked for a bank doing catering for their business for six years. After his six year job was over, he became a driver for the ML. Anthony has three children, two of them about the same age as LJ and SK. He and his wife have a baby, but they are not going to have any more children. Anthony says he wants his children to be able to go to college and that it is expensive. Anthony drove me around Lilongwe and we changed my US to "kwacha"...the money in Malawi. When I changed my money so I can pay for the hotel and tomorrow's coach ride to Blantyre (four hour drive), he told me that was as much money as he earns in three months. While we were in the grocery store getting some bottled water, the lights came on. Apparently, the lines get wet this time of year and the electricity goes off and on.

When I visited the NL to meet the director,Grey, I found that he is a very interesting! He was trained in agriculture and taught at the agriculture school, then took a job at the US Embassy as an information specialist (get that BB?)....When both the director and the assistant director of the National Library died almost at the same time, he was asked to interview for the job. Grey has been working at the national library for six years. I think it's really something that the library internet connection is very slow....slower than the one here at the hotel. Also, the telephone wasn't working. Most people use cell phones because the underground wires are too expensive to replace. I found the same thing here that I found in Georgia.

Corruption is a big problem here. Anthony showed me the main hospital in town. People were lined everywhere to try to get in. He told me that many of the workers in the hospital take the medicines and sell them on the streets. So, when people go to the hospital, they can only get aspirin. There are many billboards around saying "Let's fight corruption!"

Morning in Malawi

Hello! It is morning in Malawi...Did you find it on the map yet? Here's what is really interesting to me:

When I boarded the airplane in Detroit, there were very few people of color on the plane. Probably one or two out of ten people were people of color. The rest of them were "white" like me. And, the number of females and males was about equal. One boy for every girl!

When I boarded the plane in Amsterdam, there were about four people of color for every ten people on the plane going to Kenya. But, when I got off the plane in Nairobi, Kenya, it was totally different! I went to the hotel for a very short rest and most people there were people of color.

I took the plane from Nairobi, Kenya, to Lilongwe, Malawi, this morning. Well, on the airplane were mostly males and only a few women. Of the 100 people on the plane, they were mostly people of color.

The first thing said to me in Kenya was, "How is Obama?" You know, Obama's father was from a small village in Kenya.

Across the Atlantic

It is morning in Amsterdam, and people from all over the world are here at the airport to connect to other flights to the rest of the global. It is a very clean airport and people are very friendly. Amsterdam is in the Netherlands. Can you find on the globe (hint: it is Europe!)

Can you find Malawi on your map of Africa?

March Forth (get it?)

I'm leaving today for a 20 hour flight (actually on the plane) to Lelongwe Malawi. As my pal, Betty Bruce, noted, leaving on March 4 was an appropriate date to leave. Only she would notice that! I view this as a grand adventure, and I'll try to keep you posted--technology permitting!