Can you believe that tomorrow marks the half-way point of my placement? It boggles my mind… it’s amazing to think that I’ve been in this beautiful country for 56 days! People have been asking me how I feel about it? Let’s just say it’s not a countdown until the day I get to go home – there’s still so much to do, and I’m ready.
Last weekend was spent in Senga Bay where I put on my tourist shoes for a few days of reflecting on my placement with the other JFs, and a bit swimming in Lake Malawi on the side. I won’t bore you with details of the trip, but two significant things are worth mentioning:
1) My passport and money were stolen. The passport turned up, but the money is long gone. People have been asking me if I’m upset, and of course the answer is no. There’s no time to be upset. I also acknowledge that my neglect was the root cause of this event – I was the one that made that opportunity for theft available very appealing and very available. Finally, I acknowledge that this was the action of one person, in one district, in this whole country. Outside of this, my experience has told me that Malawi is very safe and extremely welcoming. Gotta keep feeling the love.
2) During a really intense personal feedback session, my fellow JFs gave me feedback that I’ve been hearing for years and years. Why did this happen? What is preventing me from changing? Are these actually positive qualities that shouldn’t be changed?
One piece of feedback was that I’m too much of a mediator – someone afraid to tip the scales of my emotions and responses too far from ‘cool’. They’re right. During my journey here, I’ve found myself getting better with this, and I’m prepared to approach life with more assertiveness and more aggression. My analogy is tough hands from a life spent in the village – you have to put your paws on the nsima pot if you want calloused hands.
Last week I reported that I’ll be doing a field visit to one of the most remote Traditional Authorities in my district. Still true! Malawi is currently experiencing a fuel crisis, so I’ve had to postpone my trip until next week. When the consultant heard about my trip, he offered to pay for the motorcycle fuel and oil that I need. “Don’t even mention it. It’s the least I can do for everything you’ve done around here.” This one action has really boosted my confidence, and is going to take me forward (both physically and mentally) in the weeks to come.
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Here are some important dates for me in the coming weeks:
July 1st – July 3rd: Helping a Water Monitoring Assistant with his field work. Fun fact: he lives beside the former President.
July 5th – Malawi Independence Day!
July 7th – July 10th: Trip to Mwanza district to meet my neighbors parents.
July 14th – July 16th: Sad day. Madalitso goes home.. I’ll be visiting him in Mulanje this weekend.
And beyond…
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That’s all for now. Don’t be afraid to tip the scales, touch the fire, but be gentle in the process.
I’ll leave you with a quote from my friend Scott whose a JF in Zambia. “Opportunity is never delayed.. it is only lost.”
Live, love, life,
Kevin
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