I just wanted to inform those of you who have not lost faith in my blogging abilities (those of you who are reading this), that I will be MIA for the next little while. I am going to spend the next week in one of the peri-urban villages where TSP is working to try to better understand the project, the “beneficiaries” (development speak for “people”) and life in Malawi. It is pretty easy for azungus to maintain a comfortable buffer zone between themselves and the reality of life in a developing country, accessing comforts that the majority of the locals cannot. Actually, it’s more difficult to do the opposite since it’s necessary to venture off the beaten path and into the unfamiliar and unknown. As you know this can be a bit scary. But it’s exciting as well and I am looking forward to my village stay. Interacting with the locals has so far been the most rewarding part of my experience in Malawi. By peeling away some pride and protective armor you soon realize that people are not so different and being in a place that is different is not so scary. Of course this is not groundbreaking but it has been a process for me to internalize. For example, in walking down the street the attention I receive as an azungu can be a bit disconcerting. Often people stare unabashedly at me with very serious looks on their faces. This can be a bit of a challenge but generally simply saying “hello” (or “Muli bwanji”) is enough to remove any discomfort. Most often people’s faces light up, they break into a huge grin and carry on. To me, this is a profound but small example of the difference it can make to push yourself a bit further and to question your initial reactions that might stem from pride or fear. The rewards are tangible and gratifying.
And that’s why my updates have been rather infrequent. It is such a challenge to distill my experience and explain it to you that I have simply been avoiding it. But it’s a new year so here’s to a new and improved (and updated) blog!
And if you’re wondering about the ear plugs, I simply thought the title might capture your attention. Also, Africa is a noisy, rambunctious place and I am constantly waking up in the middle of the night searching for my earplugs which have migrated from their rightful places and disappeared like socks in the dryer. Just a bit of a mystery I thought I would share with you.
So stay posted. I promise to tell you all about my village stay in a timely fashion.
Best,
Alynne
Celebrating Obama's Day
There was cake
