Memories of Mice on a Stick

I spent a day interviewing several people at the Malawi Red Cross Society national headquarters. I spoke with the communications manager and several program managers. I also had a chance to interview a few Red Cross staff in the camp to learn more specifics about the programs they provide for refugees. Although this was not related to my internship, it relates to the work I do at the Red Cross, and it was great for me to see how the same program is run in a totally different context.

Although this month has flown by, I feel like I have made the most of the experience. I had the chance to talk to so many different people and learn a lot.  One of my final days, I had the opportunity to meet and talk to the camp administrator. It was helpful to get different perspectives from the various key people/organizations that are instrumental in running the operations in the camp.

                                           A few photos from my last week in the camp:

The entrance to the market in the camp

I attended a graduation for 26 students that will be resettling to Canada soon to attend college and start a new life. The ceremony was full of dancing, skits, a poem reading from one of the students, and some great speeches. It was quite amazing thinking about the journey that the students had been through to get to that moment, and the journey they were about to embark on. The program does a great job setting them up with language and culture courses (shout out to Katie!) 

Dance performed by a group of students

On my last day in the camp, I had a meeting with all 57 women in the craft group. I gave an overview of the research that done the last month and my intentions for moving forward with all that rich data. The women expressed a strong interest in saving some money from the income they generate through the cooperative. I did research about various options and presented findings to the group. I had printed out savings account application forms ready to be filled out. A group of us sat with each woman and an interpreter to complete the forms.

Last meeting with the women's group

I took advantage of my last week in Lilongwe by getting to know the nightlife and meeting up with new friends for several dinners. I was really feeling comfortable with getting around on public transport or by foot. I even managed to take a few bike taxis and got a lot of strange looks from locals.

Afterwork gathering with some of the great people from JRS

A bridge built by locals to cross from one side of the market to the other (Lilongwe)

Another view of the market in Lilongwe to the right

Shoes anyone?

My busy week made my departure feel very abrupt. I don’t want to sound too cliché, but this month has been such an amazing experience. I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity….meeting great people, making lasting friendships and memories, and constantly learning. 

This pic is a bit blurry because we were driving by. They sell mice on a stick on the side of the road. They kill the mice, boil them in salt water, dry them in the sun, and the put them on a stick and eat them whole. Mmm!

Off to Kenya! 

Traded a Seattle Summer for a Malawian Winter

It’s getting really chilly here. I have been sleeping in multiple layers, and sometimes a jacket. It’s probably not said too often, but I’m slightly jealous of the weather in Seattle. Here is the summary of the last few days:

I had a meeting with the operations manager of the local branch of Malawi Savings Bank to inquire about opening 57 savings accounts for the women in the cooperative.  The nearest bank is located in a town is called Dowa, which is about a 10 minute drive from the refugee camp. Refugees often go there to shop but it takes about an hour and a half each way to walk.  We determined the process for all the women to open their own accounts and I am going to meet with all the women next week to let them know their options, explain the process, and help them fill out the paperwork.

I led a discussion group with a group of students enrolled in a psychology course for the diploma program. We went over independent and dependent variables and Milgram’s famous study on obedience.

I managed to make it to a tailor in the camp. I bought some fabric at the market so I am getting a few things made. I am excited to see how they turn out!

Fabric stand at the Tuesday market in the camp

On Thursday’s drive to the camp, we had a very exciting sighting of the president of Malawi, Joyce Banda. Every car had to pull over and the police cleared the road for several miles, from the airport to the city.  We got out and waited on the side of the road for the full motorcade to go by. It was quite impressive. And I got it on video.

I spent some time stalking the Red Cross at the food distribution station. It was really interesting to see how the process works, the role of the Red Cross, and the amount and type of food that the refugees get every month. 

 

 

I interviewed 6 more women. Each interview averages about an hour. I feel very fortunate and have loved the opportunity to sit in a confortable space with these women, explore some challenging issues, and learn more about their lives. My main hope is that something good can come of it.

I also got the chance to meet with a representative from UNHCR. She learned about the research I am doing in the camp and she was interested in learning more. She is writing a proposal that will be sent to international donors to try and get increased food rations in the camp (they were recently cut in half). She asked me if she could use information that I have gathered and quotes from my interviews to include in her proposal, so I am hoping to provide her with a summary report in the next few weeks. Although I won't be able to transcribe or analyze all the data until after I leave, it's great to know that the work that I have done may have some impact.

Safari in Zambia!

I left for Zambia on Friday. After about 9 hours in the car, a chaotic border crossing, and 4 hours on a dirt road headed to the middle of nowhere, I made it to a beautiful lodge, which overlooks the Luangwa river.

Sunrise over Luangwa river. Imagine the sounds of hippos to go along with the view. 

The first night I was there, an elephant showed up as I was eating dinner with some people I met along the way. I have to admit, I was pretty freaked out. This elephant was no more than 10 ft away from us. I quickly learned that there was nothing keeping game from the lodge property and by the end of  my 4 days, I had been surrounded by elephants, lions, and baboons at various point. 

The dark line is the water line as this guy just crossed the river before getting to our lodge.

Peek-a-boo

I slept alone in a beautiful cabin (the farthest one from the lodge with a beautiful view overlooking the river). Every night and morning, I had to be escorted by a guard from my cabin to the main lodge and back. I was actually really scared the first night as I was lying in bed, in the dark, hearing the sounds of several (up to 10) elephants surrounding my cabin. Apparently they were big fans of the trees because elephants came back to that spot every evening (They were literally a few feet from my head, with a soft window and mosquito net in between). Although I knew I was safe, my instinct was to keep the lights off, not move or make any noise. I woke up many times to the sounds of stomping, chomping, grunting, trees breaking, and the constant sound of hippos in the river. I learned that the lions came to visit at one point and I actually saw footprints right outside my cabin one morning. The morning before I left, we had about 15 baboon visitors running all over the property.  All of that wasn’t even on the safari….

Baboons playing near the lodge as I was eating breakfast

I had heard there were amazing parks in Malawi where you could see some game, but none compared to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. This park, which is over 9000 square km, is home to a large population of wildlife. I have never been on a safari before, so I have nothing to compare it to….but this was one of the most amazing adventures I have ever been on.  Both Saturday and Sunday, I woke up at 5 am and went on a game drive from 6-10am. We came back to the lodge for a nice brunch, had an afternoon rest, and went back out for a drive from 4-8pm. The sun sets at 6 pm so we got in about 2 hours of the drive at night. Over the 2 days, we got in 16 hours of driving throughout the park.

I was nervous in the beginning because there is literally nothing in between you and the wildlife, and you get really close at times. We were a couple feet from lions, elephants, giraffes, and hyenas….so I wondered what kept them from jumping into the truck and having me for a snack? The guide just said that they think the truck is a rolling stone and our smell is masked by the diesel….okay, sure.

As you can imagine, I took so many photos and I want to share so many! I will give a few highlights and photos of what I saw but I am happy to share the whole album to anyone who wants to see when I get home.   

This guy was so close that I didn't zoom in at all.

Not sure what's going on in the back...but the family photo in front is so cute. 

Got a little carried away with the baboons...they were my fav.

I love the bird perched on the hippo in the back. 

That bird kept hopping from hippo to hippo. 

These three lions were bothers and clearly knew they 

were top of the food chain. They slept all day and went 

out hunting around 6 pm.

My perceptions of the animals were definitely shaped 

by the lion king as I was not a fan of the hyenas.

Highlight of the whole trip: comedy show put on by these two giraffes. They were playing around and started intertwining their long necks. Then, one stuck their neck under the other's leg, and lifted the neck up, taking the leg up so it was on it's back. They kept doing it to each other for several minutes. Everything about it was so awkward and hilarious....I laughed so hard that I could barely get a focused shot because I was shaking the camera so much. (I have a short video that I will try to upload...the photos don't do it justice)

Crocodile!

Drinking beers and watching the sunset next to our vehicle.

This leopard killed an impala, and carried it up a huge tree. 

The dead impala is laying on the left of the photo.

We went back the next day and she had killed another impala, 

put it in another tree and was surrounded by hyenas at the bottom. 

Sunset over the valley...cheers!