Sunday 12 October 2014

Rural Life - Afternoon



The continuous workload on site made lunch very relaxing. I used to have to cook and help out all the time, really because I felt like I had to help. This all worked well until I realized my whole life was working and cooking. This is probably the life of any other lady I worked with but I wasn’t a born and bred Malawian lady and people finally realized when I snapped one evening from tiredness. The routine and restriction of free time had frustrated me. Now lunch was for relaxing, one of the ladies on site cooked for all Landirani staff. I often wrote some lessons learned from the construction site or an account in my diary. We sat outside of the smoky storage room, all of the Landirani job specific workers and I rested. I would come with my Chichewa book to repeat and learn different phrases. The local language was getting there (in bits) after my year and 2 month stay! We sat in a line shaded by the hanging trees that blossomed natural pesticide flowers. 



Work is work which should be another separate blog page! We always finished the working day at 4. My village life was slightly more regimented. I used to be open and free but I soon got given a set of rules as I was too much of a free spirit. People liked to talk and often spread rumours that caused trouble. I am not allowed to go to the one local bar like all of the women in the village (I used to go!). I often walked into the beautiful surroundings and headed far off the main road, meandering with the ridges and trampled plant paths. As I got back to the construction site people had spoken that had seen me and I would be advised not to go to these places as there may be bad people there. I have found other activities for my evening entertainment: reading, writing and playing guitar. My adventurous self enjoyed wondering and settling into the life in rural Malawi and it was a shame people talk made everything change. Everyone I had met welcomed me into their homes and I hope I will find time to go back there again, perhaps in the weekends when the light doesn’t set so quickly, so people don’t worry about me!
Now a usual activity after 4 was to pump water from the borehole and fill my house water buckets up. My house mate, Shelby and I often learned Chichewa with the Librarian, Chikondi or chatted. The school children opposite often entertained me and even taught me how to hand wash my clothes properly one evening! Watching the sun go down was always a blessing. The orange ball would creep below the trees and fill the sky with soft purples. The sun and colours of light were incredible. This was the time I would reminisce about everything and be grateful for the strength to take me this far from home and feel so at home.

Of course I miss family and friends but life is good here.



Now we have solar panels, we have electricty. Having a light switch really makes life easier, I feel like I live a very good life in the village. We can chop vegetables and wash all of the dishes after dinner, instead of waiting until the morning for light. Unlike town we never have power cuts or water shortages as the borehole is our continuous water supply. It has lasted 2 rainy seasons so not yet dried out so the level of the water table must be able to cope with the needs for now. We will also be getting a solar pump so the 10 acre site is irrigated. We will be living the high life.



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