Malawi & More

  As I finished typing last week our power had been off for 24 hours and as a chiperoni passed we didn't even have enough sun to b get the solar going. But the trusty camping kettle and long life milk meant I still got a cup of tea and a day of sorting continued. A and three friends had stayed over after her grad with a controlled amount of alcohol, they had had a good night. I smiled as I tided up, throwing out more bottles than they had had real access to. It looked like a serious party but I know really they just had the dregs of some things I am glad are now finished.  We decided to take the girls who had stayed over to breakfast - where we could at least ignore the fact we didn't have power for a bit and enjoy someone else cooking for us. Perfect plan, all wrapped up because the Malawi winter has hit.  Because A has finished her exams, the table was once again free, I cracked open my last jigsaw to calm me and take my mind off the various bits and pieces we have left...

  As you know A was very poorly, so my weekend was that of mum/nurse mode. She's been a good patient. It meant I missed a couple of things but nothing too big. One I wasn't even too fussed about going to in the first place. On Monday it was apparent that she wouldn't be up to sitting her exam, although she did seem to be getting better. We set off for the local hospital to get confirmation and have the necessary evidence for the exam board. As you know that led to her being admitted. She isn't good with needles and they had to try 3 times to get the cannula in. Once that was done we were moved to a ward. Basic but clean.  The similarities of all my UK experiences were contrasted by the Malawi context. The first vitals taken, written on a bit of paper and no arm band to check the patient ID. I was allowed to stay as the patient's guardian which seems to mean I'm the emergency button and checker of times etc. I slept most of the night on the floor by her bed. Happ...

  Saturday was a day of leaving parties. The first was at Chileweni. As you know I was reluctant to go, and add we got in the car I said that I felt like a fraud. What do I do? But it was a lovely event, small and well organised. The children were lovely and with playing with our donated frisbees and a fair amount of dancing it was full of smiles and laughter. The children were treated to chicken and chips from Kips and a fizzy drink too. They all sat in quiet and polite anticipation. They got more comfortable with us the longer we stayed and were keen to dance with us and hold hands. With speeches that highlighted how much they rightly value  BigA  and what he had done it was so much better than I had anticipated. A clear theme was 'don't forget us' and that means please keep giving us money. Which we will. I know that my reluctance to go was so much about feeling the hopelessness such poverty evokes in me. The privilege guilt that we haven't done more and those childr...

  I had a strange miscommunication with Lawrence yesterday  morning and rather than watering the pots he was washing them. I didn't have the heart to stop him. He's found an old hose from somewhere, after the other one was stolen and is doing his best. He always does his best.  This week BigA and I celebrated our anniversary, 12 years married, and although we had both talked about it the day before, it wasn't until my sister sent a message to wish us a happy anniversary that we remembered. We went out for a posh meal, a place that we don't go to very often so it felt different and a bit special. We talked about what's happening next and how we need to learn from our Malawian life.  The work week was a short one, we had Thursday and Friday as a short half term break. I taught my 2 year 9 classes for the last time and enjoyed watching how well they had developed over the time and felt that small pang of something, knowing that I won't see anymore of that...