I´ve been out on beach walks, at pup gigs, had tv-pizza-nights and long breakfasts and seen eat-pray-love in cinema. But also a lot of more packing and buying the rest of stuff for Malawi. I still think I´ve forgotten something. Anyway it was a beautiful time and I enjoyed every day! I will miss you guys!
The last big event: London! I had a fantastic time with Nora and Andrea. I think I´ve never got that soaked in a riksha before but in London nothing is impossible so maybe it wasnt the best idea to take that kind of vehicle in the middle of english monsoon, especially not when the driver doesnt know the way. But it was
defenitely the most fun I ever had in a riksha.. @Christina and Paul: the ride in Bangkok doesnt count that was a tuk tuk and absolutely hilarious!
Well we did arrive in Soho and had a great night out! Finding a good place to dance wasnt easy, we even tried caraoke for a bit, but We ended up in this gay and lesbian party and danced till 4 a.m. Always good partys these ones. So saying good bye to Europe and all my friends wasnt easy, besides the almost constant
rain.
Now I am finally in Malawi, what a journey. I arrived here very tired on Sunday afternoon, that was a nearly 20hour journey over Johannesburgh with a bit of hassle at the airports. In Heathrow I arrived a bit short of time. Thank God Nora and Andrea were there to help me carrying my stuff and also for mental support,
otherwise I dont know what I would´ve done. They overbooked the BA flight to Jo´burgh so I didnt get a seat until 30min before the plane was supposed to leave.
That caused a lot of hassle when finally checking in and going through security because everyone said something else. I thought I´d miss the plane because when I got through X-Ray they told me I had to run - it felt like 5 km - to the gate because the plane was leaving. But surprise at the gate: the flight was delayed. So I had much time chatting to Anna, another VSO volunteer from Scotland who I met in one of my preperation courses. I knew she would be on the same flight so it was good to see a familiar face but of course we had different seat numbers. Surprisingly I got upgrated to buisiness class, propably by accident because the woman at the check in desk really didnt seem to have a clue what she was doing. So that was great having a quite comfi seat on my own. The 11hrs flight - I tried to sleep but couldnt - I spent watching movies and talking to Anna for a bit. I can recommend mother and daughter, great movie!!
Arriving in Jo´burg about 1 1/2hrs to late again I had to stress myself for connection flight. Other then Anna the stupid lady back in Heathrow didnt arrange for my bags to be sent straight through to the next flight. So I had to collect them and then wait like for ever in the Q for checking back in bags. I had to run AGAIN to
to arrive at the gate in time. This time no delay so I just made it to climb the plane off to Lilongwe.
I was so tired but so excited to be in AFRIKA! The first time in my life :) I was dreaming of coming to this continent since I was little. In the plane I was sticking to the window to watch the countryside below me moving by. So beautiful, endless, wide and so much nature! Once we left Jo´burgh you hardly saw a village or streets or cars. Mostly red-yellow fileds of grass and some trees, dried out river banks and here and there little assamblings of fields, mostly round, where they grow crops. Beautiful pictures from the bird perspective! I took a few while coming down for landing, I tried to spot some wildlife but no chance haha. Anyway I saw
little villages with houses made of wood and leaves. Amazing! You can hardly see them because they are so organic that they seem to melt into the rest of the landscape- The same red and brown and yellow. Beautiful!
We´ve got picked up by VSo staff from the airport and I met the rest of the volunteers starting with me in Malawi. They´re 3 more people I know from the training camp but they were in another course then me. 2 of them going to Blantyre as well but they are end 40ies so I think I have to also find some younger folks down
there. Also a german guy coming with his girlfriend as a so called acompanying partner (I dont think I spelled that right) he´s from Bavaria I think going by his accent and she from Italy. They´re both early 30ies but staying in Lilongwe. But I will get to know the people around me better during this week of in country training and once I´m in Blantyre I hope I will meet some more.
There might be a good possibility to meet other people and locals the following weekend as there is a big festival at the lake which is called "lake of stars". Its a reggae festival, I have to go! @Tania: you know what I´m talking about Jay!!! haha
Right now I am in a nice little hotel, sharing my room with a half Malaysian half English girl named Ling. I really like her but she´s going to be placed far up northso propably wont see her a lot after leaving this training. I thought the in country training will be for 6 weeks but its only one so saturday I will be sent off to my placement. Today I found out that I´m going to have a house for my own, well well didnt expect that! Cant wait to finally arrive in the place I´m going to spend the next year. I´ve already checked about visits. There´s no problem to get as much visit as I want and whenever I want but I dont know yet how much time I get off and when I can be off yet. @Andrea: I let you know as soon as I know but I can tell you already you will love it here!
So for now this is it. I am so happy to be here and get to know the people, learn some Chichewa (the local language) and hopefully I get internet working a bit more often so I can update this frequently. I miss you all!!! Oh my new mobile number is: 00265-99-1713921
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