I HAVE FOUND A NEW HOME
But today, 26th February, 2016 I have found a new home, a new people a new tribe and a new family. CorpsAfrica has led me to this village in Neno in the Southern Region of Malawi; a place I gladly call home from this moment on. I am now at Zalewa II in Patason village, popularly known as Chitete Village, very few kilometres from Zalewa turn off.
The most exciting thing is that my journey to this place was no ordinary, I was driven here by Liz Fanning, the Founder and Executive Director of CorpsAfrica (http://www.corpsafrica.org). Can it get any better than this? It is the very first time for Liz to do this and I guess am the only volunteer to enjoy this homage! hahaha! Can’t contain the excitement! Anyway, about the road trip, we were together with Abdullaziz also known as a Gama (his Chichewa nickname) who happened to have been busy taking some pictures and videos, I took some few too, c'mon! Who wouldn't? It’s the most exciting day of my life.
At 2:10pm, there we were at my new home, my site. Before meeting anybody else, we were welcomed by the Chief’s representative, who was accompanied by the Head-teacher for Chitete Primary School and the chairperson of the Village Development Committee (VDC). Well, it was a great honor. I am humbled. To be honest with you, these people are so warm and amazing! First impression am already in love with my work site. Isn’t this awesome? And I think these people are development hungry too, just like me.
My host family is the Nyakwawa (Chief) and his family, of course I am from a royal family myself but wait a minute, did they consider that when they were placing me here? What a coincidence. Am humbled once again, lol. Not to blow my own horn but probably it's just in my blood (. Well want to know about my host family? These guys are simply wonderful people and very warm. Oh! Check this out; the Nyakwawa's wife prepared me some warm water telling me while kneeling down "bambo kasambeni" (Sir, go take a bath), lol. The chief wasn’t home by that time ofcourse, and once he is back from his errands, you don’t have to tell him that the moment I was out of the bathroom, I was welcomed by a really nice plate of Nsima and eggs prepared by his wife.
Not that am here to snatch the Nyakwawa's wife, but hey she's dope and kind. Wait a minute, did I mention the bathroom is a pigs' khola in the night? So cool!
More interesting is the fact that I have a mesho (Room mate). I am never going to be lonely at all. I have the company of a black chicken at the far corner of my room.
I bet we’re gonna have lovely nights and atleast mosquitoes will be dealing with us both and in the middle of the night when everybody else is fast asleep in the tranquility of such quietness, I have a mesho to whisper to, I will probably have to share with him why I am here and how excited I am to be working with the people here. I hope he doesn't get slaughtered tomorrow.
Oops! I wish I could continue but the chief is here, I gotta go and greet him; Time for some family bonding.
Much appreciations to Liz, the big fish herself for driving me here and for this platform, to Garret for the Human Centred Design training which is going to help me to adapt with ease, to our Dad, Adam Gaskins; get well soon man, to all the CorpsAfrica family for the support and to my ever-smiling woman Winnie; I love you and will miss you.
Later!
Hahahaha wow so amazing. I will help you blow your horn here since you've been blowing it for the word, 'go!!' As your friend I should admit am jealous that much of the stories you will have to tell in the warm comfort of your cozy room will be told to the chicken which you will soon enjoy when the chiefs wife cooks it anyway. I am proud of you because you have happily embraced that opportunity to blend in and experience the life of the rural Malawian as a participant in it and not an observer. Thumbs up to CorpsAfrica.
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best as you enjoy Neno. I will miss your noise this side but my.comfort will come from knowing that atleast you're making important noise there. I hope the Nyakwawa doesn't make you one of his Ndunas (elders/ ministers) so you spend your time at his Bwalo (chiefs square). You will grow old too early.
Have a great time with that chicken while it lives my friend. I wish you all the best as you help facilitate development in Neno. I wish I was there to say welcome to Neno. But I am in Blantyre.
Hahaha thank you so much Tito, we've come along way. Time for real action, by the way there's a session tomorrow and I have been invited to be there by the chief,, I hope to see you soon my friend :-)
DeleteMy Cousy is better that yours. Proud of you cousy
ReplyDeleteYou know what we do couzy, thanks man
DeleteHahaha mbuyache this is very nice, komano nsalu ya PP yo muchotse tibweretsa ya chipani cholamula kkk. I wish you well in your new area of service
ReplyDeleteMr. Yakobe, see I'm very non partisan kkkkkkkk , actually took that shot because of the chicken hahaha. Ndathokoza mbuyache
ReplyDeleteI guess u have already told the chief that he is hosting another chief...kip up the good work as u settle in yo new home. All the best Chief!!! God bless u.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, thanks Kachengwa
DeleteEmas, we have just read your blog post. Thank you for sharing it with us. Claire wants to know how your black chicken is doing. Andrew would like to know how the bathroom changes to a place for the pigs at night. Colleen wants to know if your room is comfortable.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary Lee for your comments and especially the questions from thee children from your class. I'll be tackling the questions one by one.
DeleteFirst, lemme respond to Claire's interesting inquiry about the black chicken. :-)
The chicken is still alive and doing very well, actually it has hatched two chicks and I will share you the picture next week.
My friend Andrew, I had the same question the first day I arrived at my Host' place about the bathroom/pigs kraal.
DeleteBut here's what happens, in the night the pigs sleep in the bathroom and during the day we use it as a bathroom, but then we remove the dung first although you can notice and smell the dung when you're taking a bath. Sounds disgusting right? Lol but I've actually gotten used tonit fornnow as i try to gather materials so we can construct a real bathroom. I think I'll also share some pictures next week. Lol
Coleen, yes my room is alright, am comfortable in it, no complaints at all. I like it when the kids co!e early in the morning to wake me up
Delete