Seven months. Doesn't even seem possible. I can still remember crying at the airport and the anxiety I had on the plane wondering if this was the right choice. All though Malawi has brought many ups and many downs (sometimes all in the same day) I can honestly say that I'm happy I'm here.
Last night I got home from a two week training in Dedza and I came home to the best welcome. My neighbors had known I was coming and drew me water and as soon as I opened the door swept all the dust that had accumulated in two weeks from out of my house. They told me all about what I has missed in Kasinje, which didn't turn out to be too much and they were so excited. I really realized how blessed I am to have such a good support system here in my village, throughout Malawi with all the other pcvs and overseas with the best friends and family a girl could ask for
The last two weeks I learned a lot about technical skills and had the opportunity to bring along my Malawian counterpart. Also if you follow me on Facebook you probably noticed I had a good time with my American friends. We learned how to make jams, peanut butter, and healthy foods to implement good nutrition in our villages. We learned how to deal with borehole water spills, by adding community gardens where the water leaks out. We learned how to write grants, how to run businesses and my favorite we learned about pads. Yes pads. Most villagers in Malawi during their periods use a chitenge (a long price of fabric) and tie it around their waist like a giant diaper. This system as you can imagine has room for a lot of error. The chitenge can move or fall, causing leakage, messes and a wide array of smells.Not only does this discourage the girls from going to school while they are on their periods, they also are the sole responsibility of keeping the house running so periods cause great chaos throughout the village. These pads are made from old chitenges and only require a few simple stitches. I'm really excited to teach Malawian women about this simple trick and empower them to be confident while on their periods.
Other great women's empowerment news: I'm now the camper coordinator for camp GLOW (girls leading our world) I will be in charge of choosing the campers, helping run and plan the week and also counseling the girls throughout the week. I'm super excited to be part of this camp and work to make it the best camp ever. Last year Hillary Clinton came so there's big shoes to fill but I have faith in the team that was chosen to run camp glow this year!
This weekend I'm going to Lilondwe national park to count the animals. Yes mom I will finally see an elephant- it's about time. Haha. Until then, hope 'merica is awesome, miss and love you goons who follow me on here.
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