March 2010
1 post
Transition
I am watching Grey’s Anatomy. My dog is hanging off the side of the couch. We have a new friend joining us this afternoon, Molly, a 2 month old Sheperd mix. I am excited. I am meeting Joanna today, some time soon, to get pictures from her. We shared and have a total of, well who knows, thousands or so. I have not kicked my jet lag, every evening at 10pm I get exhausted, I am starting to...
February 2010
13 posts
developing country
Leaving behind a developing Country
We handed the waiter our credit cards and he looked at us with disappointment. “Our credit card machine is down. Credit card machines have not worked in Lilongwe for 2 weeks.”
The restaurant, Buchanan’s, located just in the heart of City Center was set outside, candle lit, a lagoon surrounding the outdoor seating area. The menu was set with more options than...
So...
Jumbled up photos and an unfinished blog entry! Enjoy! More to come Saturday. Then, I think, that will be all from me for a while! Love.
Goodbye, Malawi. For now.
February 15th – February 24th
I am writing to you on February 25th, 2010. Tomorrow, I will board a plane and after 6 short weeks, that according to Mr. Benesi, felt like 6 short hours, I will leave this beautiful, warm country behind, stopping first in Johannesburg and then JFK. I will be returning to my dog Charley, to my parents, to my friends, to my high heels, my make up, my eye phone, my...
Short 4th week, but still amazing!
Week 4- Blog Entry
Thursday 2/11/10
Sitting in the house at Area 49 on this glorious Thursday afternoon, I have been granted a little extra time to reflect on the week past. Joanna and I left the village abruptly yesterday afternoon when Joanna came down with a stomach bug. Wednesday afternoon is actually usually the hardest time for me in the village, the “hump” day, so to speak....
Downpour!
Picture this: open market, straw roof stalls, tables of the freshest vegetables I have ever seen, 20 teenage boys cornering you from every angle, screaming in your face, a torrential downpour. Just finished purchasing vegetables for the week in the village coming up. I am sitting in the office and typing away, dripping wet with muddy feet. It is now perfectly sunny outside. You would be right if...
January 2010
14 posts
Week 2 in the Village!
1-25-10 to 1-29-10
I won’t write about this week in days, it happened differently. I mean, clearly, there were days, but they ran together like one, as I can see is probably the case for many of the villagers. The village activities, each with its own ceremonious action, repeat themselves daily, from preparing food, cooking, eating, farming, feeding the animals, fertilizing the...
Quick Update
Hi Friends!
Back from another week in Tiyambe Nawo. Have not had the chance yet to spend the weekend writing something special for you all, but just wanted to check in. I am still fascinated by this country, the people, the warmth, the joy through the madness. This week we bonded even more with our family. I made peanut butter from scratch, learned to cook Nsima, played cards with Mama, Patzo...
One week in the village!
1-19-10
We left Consol Homes at 11:30 am and headed towards the Goods For Goods office, comprised of 2 desks, one round table and two laptop computers. I ran for the available computer, Joanna gladly abided, she is well aware of my e mail addiction and she was smart enough to enable her blackberry internationally, so when we have service, she has e mail. I checked for any sign of life from home,...
Free Hand....
From last night…..
I wrote too quickly today. What I meant to say was that I was astounded. I was astounded by the people that I met and the children that I saw, the ride to and from, the people of the city walking to and from their jobs or farms or trading posts, barefoot, through fields and on busy roads. Person after person. Women with babies hanging off of their backs, slung by only...
Console Homes
We have arrived. Last night we were picked up from the small Lilongwe airport at 12 pm by two of the loveliest men, Blessings and Raphael. Raphael will be driving us around while we are here and Blessings runs the G4G office here in Malawi. We went to have lunch and shop for food, then settled into our little cabin in area 49, where will stay on the weekends, this cabin is attached to a small...
99 bottles of beer on the wall....
And other such travel songs come to mind as I start my journey. Car, to foot, to plane, to foot, to plane, to car, to orphanage. Joanna and I carry more than our weight in supplies and clothing. We are on our way.
Who knows!
The truth is when I think about what motivated me to take this trip I realize it is as much a selfish adventure as it is a journey to help the children and the people of Malawi. I am not sure of just how much help they actually need from little old me. A culture rich in its own simplicity, I worry, what can I teach them? I would be lying if I said that this was an entirely selfless act, and I...
Packing!
I hate it! It’s true. I just think of all the things I will be leaving behind, all the things I might miss and all the things I just absolutely NEED. Well, let me say, we have 4 bags each weighing 50 pounds that we can bring with us, plus two carry ons. I am not kidding when I say that we will likely have to pay for a 5th bag. It is not the clothes, oh no, that part was easy, just wait for...
4 Days and Counting
Joanna and I went shopping yesterday for all things Malawi, from school supplies to hand sanitizing wipes and power bars, we are prepared. We spent the day with our moms, which felt like a whole journey in itself, but we survived and I think inevitably truly appreciated their assistance, or at least the use of their big, luxurious cars. I am starting to take note of every single small thing in my...
December 2009
4 posts
1 tag
B-Romantz
It is December 13th, and I am sitting in my Upper West Side apartment with my friend Ben Romans. He plays piano in a band called the Click Five. They are rad. He is telling me now that he has been a musician from age one. Seriously. My dog, charley is fast asleep on Ben’s left leg. Clearly, she is not interested. Ben has been keeping me company this month while he is getting some business...
“Life isn’t about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.”
1 tag
