Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Switzerland vs. Malawi: A completely objective and non cynical appraisal

10 things I love about Switzerland:
  1. You can drink the water anywhere – in the train car, from fountains on the street, in a glass straight from the tap!

2. You can see snow-capped mountains from every angle around Bern – Just the appearance of changing seasons and boundless hiking opportunities is energizing.


3. There are 7 kinds of available lettuce, all available in pretty bowls surrounded by arugula, red peppers, spinach, baby corns, snap peas, cucumbers, heirloom tomatoes and other fresh, organic, farmer’s market goodness at any restaurant. And, the grocery chain here, Migros, sells a huge salad for $5. I think that I have had 6 in 3 days (my stomach does hurt a tad, but happy mind over digestive matter...).


4. You can walk on the sidewalks – in fact there are sidewalks – without getting covered in dust, gassed by exhaust fumes, or fearing for your life alongside often drunk or barely-licensed drivers of many kids of non road worthy vehicles. And, get this: pedestrians have the right of way everywhere, then bicycles, then buses, then cars – just as it should be. People actually stop at the pedestrian crossings! Oh, and there are trash cans, and people use them too. It’s like a miracle.


5. It’s safe! You can walk alone and you can walk alone at night anywhere and everywhere you want. I even passed a junkie on the street who said, “Good evening” in English to me!


6. No one cares what you look like (and not just if you are white). You can wear shorts, tank tops, swimsuits, mini skirts or whatever. No one stares. I almost feel invisible, and for this week, I am very grateful.


7. Diet coke, you ask? It’s everywhere! Cold, with ice, and in a clean glass. Jon just wrote me to note that there is no diet coke, nor any bottled soda in Malawi these days due to the shortage of foreign currency. I am guzzling up a storm, eschewing beer for this caffeinated chemical goodness (thinking of you, Carmen).

8. Outdoor exercise!!! You can run in shorts and a tank top, and you will be in good company. This morning, I ran (ok: walked fast) from the gorgeous parliament building down to the river, over to the bears, and back up through the Unesco World Heritage area back to the hotel. I honestly thought it felt like heaven.


9. I actually save lives! Yesterday we went for a swim in the freezing, turquoise and extremely swift Aare river with about 500 other Bern summer fanatics. The current is so strong that a few poor (or drunk) swimmers actually die in there every year. One of them was almost my counterpart who I actually had to tow to the shore when he tired (lifeguard training still intact!). Now, he owes me. Scary, but not boring. [He’s fine and the other woman and I still continued our swim once he was safely out]


10. The dogs are friendly and they are everywhere. Dogs on the train, dogs in the cable car, dogs in the restaurants. Nice ones. Ones you can pet. Ones who wag their tails, look well fed, and are well behaved. Say what you will, but this makes me an extremely happy camper. It also makes me miss my Red Dog. She, too, would like summer in Switzerland (and freeze her hairless tail off for 9 other months).


10 things I miss about Malawi? Ummm....

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

What's in the yard? Me!


Jon and I fell in love with these awesome swings last year on the beach. So, we got the guy who made them to make us 2 as well. They were actually delivered in December, but it took us 7 months to paint and hang them up... Grrrr. Maybe if we had really thought about how much fun we would have, we would have been a little more proactive? Anyway, they are up and fantastic! Here I am swinging away and drinking wine with our friend Lisa. That makes for a pretty perfect end of day activity! Now, who wants to come swing? Anyone? Anyone?

Just kidding: Demonstrations OFF for August 17th

Ah, Malawi. You are an odd bird. The demonstrations planned for tomorrow are off.

The organizers of the "vigil" noted that they did not postpone the even because of strong(armed) condemnations and threats from the government. No. They said that they are postponing them this time because of the court injunctions filed against them and because the UN is going to mediate between them and the government entities. I think that they are also afraid of more bloodshed and mayhem. I don't know how to decipher it all, but I do know this: if I were Malawian, I think that I would still be in the streets tomorrow.

And, just in case others feel the same, I am still packing my bag tonight and staying home tomorrow. Call it my own peaceful protest.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Think Malawi is conservative? This video proves otherwise!

Our head facilitator is adored by everyone, and I am not exaggerating when I note that people LOVE her trainings! This is an ice breaker song she used as a participatory energizer during her most recent training on the new HIV treatment guidelines here in Malawi. Keep in mind that Malawi is generally a very conservative society. But, you can tell she really knows how to get people to relax and stop feeling embarrassed about sexuality!

If you want to sing along, she using the tune of Frere Jadques to sing, "water-melon, water-melon, pa-pa-ya, pa-pa-ya, this is the banana, this is the banana, fruit-salad, fruit-salad."

I have no idea what she yelled at the end. Thanks to our friend, Shannon, for recording and sharing. Enjoy!


Nails in the coffin or progress?



Today, the Reserve Bank of Malawi devalued the Malawi currency, the Kwatcha, from 150MKA/1 $US to 165 MKA/1 $US. The black market price might also rise from the current 185MKA/1$US, but we would not know much about that...

Although it does not seem like much, it will likely have a measurable impact here. Our dollars will go further in the country, which is sort of good for us. It also might help exports of things like tobacco and our beloved hot sauce, Nali, as those prices decrease for foreign buyers. But the prices of imported goods will soar further -- affecting the prices of things I love like fuel, cereal, and yogurt. Can I go 9 months without yogurt if it costs $9 per tub???

The economists have been begging for this type of devaluation for months, if not years. This is a small victory for them. Hopefully, the shortage of foreign exchange (forex) will ease slightly as a result. After more than 8 weeks of crisis level fuel shortages, I would like to fill my tank. I might even be willing to pay $200 to do it! Maybe.