Fall and winter are a great time to brew up some stew.......so that was last weekend's adventure.
Three letters from Bryan in Malawi, he is settling into the routine, getting adjusted to his host family and teaching. The family of six, all children between 15 and 5, does not speak English but their native Chichewa so it is a challenge to communicate about the most basic things, but he is adapting and learning quickly, hey it's either that or starve. He is getting comfortable in his 10' X 10' mud walled, grass roofed hut that he stays in, in his host family's back yard. complete with sleeping pad and mosquito netting, all the comforts of home ! No inside toilet and cooking is done over an open fire. He is getting runs in and reading much, easing into a very slow pace of life.
The initial teaching is getting easier, he will be in this village of Mpalale, near Lilongwe in southern Malawi, for 3 months and then be re-assigned to his own class in a new village. He is now filling in teaching biology to secondary students while in training. The training staff are all natives and he is very pleased with his language trainer. In this same village are five other Peace Corps trainees who he is bonding with well.
This is one of the poorest countries in the world, de-forestation, overpopulation and health problems are some of the country's primary issues. Due to HIV-AIDs their life expectancy is half of that in the US, their's is age 37. 13 million people live within the country, which is the size of Indiana. The gross national income percapita is $160 and their main commercial production is tobacco, tea, cotton, coffee and sugar.
I send care packages filled with newspapers, magazines, powered drink mixes and photos. He may eventually have computer access during trips to local larger towns, and a cell phone, also usable once in larger towns, I have no clue how cells work from Africa, when I can get moderate reception living 30 miles from Minneapolis, but know they can work overseas.
Workouts have tapered a bit with a strained hip muscle, still getting all workouts in but have back off.
Reading an interesting book this week, Wilderness Journey, The Life of William Clark, of Lewis and Clark, written by a Central Missouri State Univ prof William Foley. A good history lesson !
And that's as exciting as the week has been in the swimbikerun4fun household.
Hope everyone is having a great week !
Stay warm !
1 comment:
That stew looks awesome...Bryan is a son to be PROUD OF...I really think a lot of people that can do that...also...I am impressed with you, as a parent, to be able to have him over there for so long a time. Found a new trail today to bike...beautful day...enjoyed the time outside...hope the strained hip gets better. Have a great week Jim!
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