Hello,
It was a lengthy week. After returning from Blantyre last week, it was a week of work and engagements in the sunny-80-degree-all-the-time and less-malaria-stricken city of Lilongwe. The early part of the week was dominated by meetings and logistical business operations. On Wednesday, however, I enjoyed a trip out to the potential (and now probable) site of our giving-back project as we look to plant endangered trees to be distributed around Malawi. Our partner in this process, Dr David Mkwambisi, (check out his awesomeness) toured us around his new botanical garden and learning center just outside of town which has been put up at a tremendous pace: three years and it's probably 75% done, which here is equivalent to constructing the Golden Gate Bridge in two days. It is complete with a huge conference center, lots of land being planted with indigenous plants, a restaurant, bar and volleyball court, offices and a site in the back where we will construct nurseries for trees. I'll get you pictures next time.
Thursday was a long day. We were thrilled to attend the graduation of our friends from their NGO helping to empower HIV+ widows as seamstresses. The Minister of Gender (who I guess determines what gender you are) even showed up-four hours late; turning what should have been a two hour affair into a 7 hour marathon-we took a donut and samosa break for lunch. The MoG, as I will call her, was also probably only in her late twenties and drop-dead gorgeous. The jury is out on how she got this job.
Afterwards we had decided to throw our first party at our house, as a goodbye for our dear friend Briony who has returned to greener pastures and pursuing a degree in art therapy back in London. The bbq was a great success as we finished off a barrell of meat, a pile of salad and five cases of sodas, beers and liquors. The whole situation was added to when a SUV rolled into our compound and we looked to see four men get out of the cab and then the trunk open and eight more american girls pile out like clowns at the circus. Delightful.
Finally, stories from the weekend: Friday, Noah experienced for his first time the all-out glory of the American Pirates Casino, Lilongwe's gambling hub and home to between 20 and 200 chain-smoking, chattering Chinese expats at any particular hour. My wallet and free drinks for everyone both won, while Noah and our lungs both lost.
And Saturday we enjoyed a "full moon party" (it was a waxing gibbous, not a full moon) at Kumbali Village outside of town. Imagine a stereotyped African village by night, complete with fires, a sandpit to dance and little thatched buildings to take respite from the constant African pop and dance music. For seven hours of partying with staggering endurance. And imagine it with only white people there-TIA Sam Foster.
Glad to have you back Kevin,
Steven
It was a lengthy week. After returning from Blantyre last week, it was a week of work and engagements in the sunny-80-degree-all-the-time and less-malaria-stricken city of Lilongwe. The early part of the week was dominated by meetings and logistical business operations. On Wednesday, however, I enjoyed a trip out to the potential (and now probable) site of our giving-back project as we look to plant endangered trees to be distributed around Malawi. Our partner in this process, Dr David Mkwambisi, (check out his awesomeness) toured us around his new botanical garden and learning center just outside of town which has been put up at a tremendous pace: three years and it's probably 75% done, which here is equivalent to constructing the Golden Gate Bridge in two days. It is complete with a huge conference center, lots of land being planted with indigenous plants, a restaurant, bar and volleyball court, offices and a site in the back where we will construct nurseries for trees. I'll get you pictures next time.
Thursday was a long day. We were thrilled to attend the graduation of our friends from their NGO helping to empower HIV+ widows as seamstresses. The Minister of Gender (who I guess determines what gender you are) even showed up-four hours late; turning what should have been a two hour affair into a 7 hour marathon-we took a donut and samosa break for lunch. The MoG, as I will call her, was also probably only in her late twenties and drop-dead gorgeous. The jury is out on how she got this job.
Afterwards we had decided to throw our first party at our house, as a goodbye for our dear friend Briony who has returned to greener pastures and pursuing a degree in art therapy back in London. The bbq was a great success as we finished off a barrell of meat, a pile of salad and five cases of sodas, beers and liquors. The whole situation was added to when a SUV rolled into our compound and we looked to see four men get out of the cab and then the trunk open and eight more american girls pile out like clowns at the circus. Delightful.
Finally, stories from the weekend: Friday, Noah experienced for his first time the all-out glory of the American Pirates Casino, Lilongwe's gambling hub and home to between 20 and 200 chain-smoking, chattering Chinese expats at any particular hour. My wallet and free drinks for everyone both won, while Noah and our lungs both lost.
And Saturday we enjoyed a "full moon party" (it was a waxing gibbous, not a full moon) at Kumbali Village outside of town. Imagine a stereotyped African village by night, complete with fires, a sandpit to dance and little thatched buildings to take respite from the constant African pop and dance music. For seven hours of partying with staggering endurance. And imagine it with only white people there-TIA Sam Foster.
Glad to have you back Kevin,
Steven
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