Sunday 6th June 2004

You Are Fat Teli

“You are fat Teli” said Ruth when greeting me at the Lilongwe Airport. “Yes I know” I replied, conscience of the few pounds I would like to  shed. But seeing her surprised expression I soon realised that I was still thinking in European way. It is a complement, which has little or nothing to do with weight.  Confirmation for that came when I tried another type of reply to Catherine who really is a big lady.  “No no, I am not fat now” claimed Catherine. 

So, fat or not, here I am in Malawi. In many ways a familiar ground but still of course new and  different. Not much seem to have changed since last year; new buildings are popping up and coffin makers are getting more competitive: ‘ Energy coffins, 24 hours tel…..’ or ‘Heaven Bound Funeral Parlow’ as well as the ‘Last Mile Gaskets’ are all trying to tempt customers. Unfortunately that is not too difficult in these days. 

The country has a new president: Dr. Bingu Wa Mutharika and one can but hope that as an economist he would bring employment and wealth to the country. Opposition parties were not happy with the result (Wa Mutharika is from United Democratic Front as was his predecessor) and caused trouble. Apparently even in Manja people were not going out of their houses for 3 days. Several BP petrol stations with accompanying shops & post offices have been vandalised –among them my post office. Letters can still be sent to the same address though, I just have to collect them from Blantyre. The riots have calmed down now and the fighting goes on only in print.

The coach ride from Lilongwe to Blantyre is a treat. Very comfortable seats, free drinks &a snack and even a tv and a toilet. But the best of all is the landscape outside. Rolling green hills, dotted with trees and groups of straw roofed mud huts. Dry maize stalks sticking from the ground; harvest was good this year and many a room is now filled with sacks of maize. So was also ‘my promised bedroom’ in Lilongwe and I ended up shearing a living room floor for 2 nights. That needed some adjusting, but maybe it is good to be dropped to the deep end in the beginning: My home in Manja feels luxurious now. Absolute luxury despite water and electricity cuts, lack of fridges, washing machines, vacuum cleaners. Who needs those when there is space and solitude? Actually I have almost fully furnished house this time as the previous tenant didn’t pay rent but left some of his furniture behind instead.

The visit to the Action Aid office last week was interesting and Mr. Musopole most welcoming, but the water irrigation project is still at the planning stages.  They have ordered the kits from Zimbabwe and are looking for organisations around the country to do 8 months trials.  We might be trying to take part in the trials and if successful my villages might get some help after all.   I also have still some learning to do: nothing, oh’ nothing happens quickly here.

Blazing red sun is just dropping behind the horizon, time for an avocado sandwich and a cup of coffee.

…And tomorrow morning the work will start in earnest.

Good night,

Teli