An African Update

Sorry it's been so long, each time I've tried to blog the wireless here has decided it's tired and doesn't want to play. Saturday was spent going to the market in the morning, we bartered and traded (including a pair of full length, red, long underwear) for our souviners. In the afternoon we went for a hike up Mount Mulanje to a water fall. It was stunningly beautiful, but holy crow, it was the toughest hike I have ever gone on. Ironically, earlier in the day there was a porter's race up, over and down the side of Mount Mulanje, we watched the winner cross the finish line - in bare feet! And, as we were dying, hiking up the mountain all of these Malawian women (and lots of girls) were walking down the mountain, carrying trees on their heads. That's right, trees! And they weren't even breaking a sweat.

On Sunday we ended up spending a leisurely morning at the lodge and then we went to a secondary school to play a game of football with a group of girls. They tromped us, and we even had two goalies in net, at the same time! (I don't know if we actually call it "in net" in soccer?).

Monday, we were back at work at the jobsite. The house walls are so tall now that we need scaffolding to place our bricks. The scaffolding, for those who were wondering, is made out of tree limbs jammed into holes in the wall. Super safe!

Unfortunately, I've had to stay back at the lodge yesterday and today because of my stomach. But tomorrow is our last day here. We're going to a primary school and then we're having a celebration in the village so I'm so doing that. I don't care what my tummy has to say about it!

Love, from Africa!

TGIF - but no hot water!

Well, we've survived our first week of house building, brick laying and mortar slapping here in Malawi. It was actually great fun and what was a foundation when we arrived is actually looking like a house now, there are two door frames and three window frames already installed. Today we started to build the inside walls and they are all about waist high now (the outside walls are actually too tall for us to reach now). It was a bit of a slow day on the job (typical Friday, right?)...our usual Master Mason, Robin was away sick and so we had a much more difficult time communicating with his replacements. There was some frustration on both sides but eventually we got things figured out. I took a turn making the lunch today, I said it was funny I came all the way to Africa to cook! We played with the kids like crazy, jumping rope, playing with the soccer balls and taking pictures. They are all really coming out of their shells now and seem a lot more comfortable with us.

We're taking the weekend off. Tomorrow we will be going to the market, (maybe getting our hair braided) and going for a hike up Mount Mulanje to the waterfall. Sunday will be a day of rest, spent (I believe) in Juma Village. We plan to go to church with the villagers and then have some play time.

Anyway, more details later. I don't think I'll be able to post any pictures until I get home.  Love from Africa!

Mulibwanji from Likhubula House!

We made it! It took us five days to get to Africa but we are finally here in Malawi, we actually arrived on Monday in the afternoon. We spent the night in the city of Blantyre at the Gold Card hotel. And then we drove out to our village, Juma, on Tuesday afternoon. We built the beginning of a wall that afternoon and then packed up around 4:30pm and headed to Likhubula house at the base of Mount Mulanje. The next morning we were up and off and able to get in a full day of brick laying in the village, it's amazing how tall the walls are getting already! When we arrived there was just a foundation laid, and one corner built up to about 4 feet. Monday evening they built the other three corners after we left and so when we arrived on Tuesday we were able to work on all four walls. By the time we left yesterday the walls were anywhere from waist high to almost shoulder high. 

I stayed back today thanks to a lovely case of 'something' that can strike travellers. ;) And I'm excited to see how much higher the walls are going to be tomorrow. I will attempt to post some pictures later today...I'm not even sure if it's actually a possibility. It is so beautiful here! We wake up in the morning and when we walk out of our room the first thing you see is Mount Mulanje, shrouded in fog and clouds. 

Hopefully I'll have a chance to post again later! If not, see you in Winnipeg!

Hello from TO