For Ex Banking

I am very grateful that my new school is sending me to the AISA (Association of International Schools of Africa) annual conference in Nairobi, Kenya.  And, since the Malawi Kwacha doesn’t have any value outside of Malawi, getting forex is a priority.  The school ordered USD for me at the bank, and when they were ready to be picked up, I was sent to the main branch, passport in hand.  Not sure if you are aware of how bad the Foreign Exchange, or lack of for ex situation is right now in the country.  We don’t have enough forex to purchase diesel, petrol, even the gaz to put in cokes and beers….  So, you MUST order your forex well ahead of time and hope that you can get it before leaving the country. 

Anyways, I left school a little early yesterday to go to the bank, for what I think will be a quick transaction, since they have the USD ready for me and they know exactly the time I will show up!  I should have known better…  Let me start at the beginning.

The main branch of our bank is a huge building, smack in the center of town.  In front of it, you have merchants selling all kinds, going from recharge cards for your mobile to fruits and veggies and used clothing!  Almost a market without stalls!  You enter the building into a huge low ceilinged room, with lines upon lines of people waiting to be helped and the tellers behind bullet proof windows in the back of the room.  So, after spotting the forex window, I get in line and wait a few minutes.  The teller on the other side of the window is nice enough, takes my passport, finds the USD order from the school, already approved with a bunch of official stamps.  She hands me a paper to fill in, with destination, flight confirmation number, my address here and while in Kenya…  I basically sign my life away!  She takes the passport, the order letter and the form I just filled in and disappear for about 10 minutes to make copies of all documents.  She comes back..I’m thinking; OK, we’re done with the paperwork, hand over the money so I can go back to school and life in general….Not so fast!  She opens the forex drawer, which looks empty, looks like there is about 30 GBP and about 400 USD…nohting else!  She pulls the USD, start counting, counts again, a third time, gets up and goes over to her supervisor’s desk…  It looks like there is a problem as they both go talk to a second supervisor.  Meanwhile, I’m standing on the other side of the bulletproof window, watching this as it unfolds.

She comes back and asks me to step to the side and wait, as they don’t have the exact change!  They have 3 100USD bills, and 2 50 USD bills and one 5 and one 10… since I’m supposed to pick up 325 USD, they can’t give me the exact change.  After me waiting on the side, the supervisor’s supervisor comes to the window and explains what I had already figured out..that they couldn’t give me the exact change!  So, their solution to the problem is first to ask me if I have change….What a joke!  I’m there to collect USD as I have none!!  Then, the second solution they have come up with, since I cannot give them the change they need is to send the supervisor on foot around town to check at the other forex offices to see if they have change..  It’s already been an hour that I’ve been inside the bank, and still no money! 

So, I arm myself with patience, stand and lean back and do what I love to do…people watching!  Since they still have my passport, I’m NOT leaving the teller’s window, just lean on the wall right there and observe people as they take care of their bank transactions.  Since this whole ordeal took almost 2 hours, I had PLENTY of time to do my people watching and here are some of my observations about the banking habits of the Malawians!

1. When they do a deposit, the cash can be stored in their pockets, in a plastic bag or in a huge sports bag!  Mind you, 500 MK is less than 3 USD…so a business making a Friday deposits has millions…  in bricks, bound together with rubber bands.  A guy made a deposit of bricks that could have built a fort in a preschool classroom.
2. When they make a withdrawal, it’s usually a smaller amount, ranging from a couple of hundreds of MK (and I felt bad for those guys, who waited an hour in line to withdraw 300 MK or about 2 USD – as this was all they could afford!).  My favorite was that older man who withdrew probably about 500, 000 MK…small packs of Kwachas.  He stuffed his pockets and when he ran out of room, he opened his dress shirt and stuffed it as well.  He truly looked like a bad stuffed costume!!!  The ladies use similar tactics but instead of stuffing their dress shirts, they stuff the front of their bras…  Yickes!  I really will wash my hands every time I handle money from now on!
3. A guy could stand in line for over an hour before reaching the teller.  So, what they do is go in pairs.  One worker and one employer.  The worker stands in line while the employer sits on the side.  When the worker is at the front, then the other guy, who is actually doing the transaction, goes to the front of the line and takes care of his business.  Couples use the same strategy, with the husband in line and the wife waiting on the side.
4. Smart dress doesn’t mean clean…au contraire, mon cher!  Some guys wearing suits may have looked smart, but the BO was overpowering!
5. My least favorite smell right now, when stuck in a low ceilinged room for 2 hours, is the “Parfum D’Afrique”…  that BO that doesn’t leave your nostrils…  I know it may sound harsh, but when such a concentration of people is together in a non-ventilated area, it’s just too bad and overpowering!

After almost another hour, the supervisor came back, gave the change to the teller and I finally received the cash I had come for!  It was a relief to finally walk out of there…with enough money to take a taxi and eat for 5 days while in Nairobi!

Fruits and veggies Galore!

Everywhere you go around Lilongwe, you can see guys selling fresh fruits and veggies.  I guess they buy them from the market and sell them for a small profit.  Anyways, it's quite convenient, avoids a trip to the grocery store and allows you to get fresh fruits and veggies anytime you need them.

This afternoon, upon leaving school after a long day of teaching, working and parent teacher conferences, we all loaded the Tank and headed back home.  We usually don't drive to school, as the walk is only about 5 minutes...but the rain and the threat of more rain made a vehicle more convenient.

So, we are pulling out of the school gate and I see the merchants peddling their goods... I wave at them as we needed bananas, lean forward to grab some money from my purse and raise back up and look at the window!  At that time, I fell out laughing... I had 5 guys who had RUSHED to the car to sell their goods, their arms loaded with their goods RIGHT under my nose on the other side of the window...the choices tday were tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, bananas, strawberries, potatoes and garlic. 
After some haggling over the prices (it's expected and necessary, as they always start real high), I decided on a large bunch of bananas and some cucumbers.  The strawberries looked yummy too...tempting and after haggling, he still wasn't meeting my target price...so, we were driving off when he said "OK! "  No regrets on that impulse buy...yummy delicious and sweet berries for dessert tonight!
Got to love the convenience and the prices... 800 MK or about 5 USD for a HUGE bunch of bananas, over 1.5 kgs of stawberries and 3 huge cucumbers!  No wonder we eat so much more fruits and veggies here...

Trees around

The Baobab, the most magnificent tree, standing all alone, towering over its surrounding, the true King of Africa!

The Plumeria, the funny looking tree, with no leaves except at the end of its branches

The Jacaranda , with its gorgeous little purple flowers that last for a very short time, unfortunately…

The Bougainvillia, a classic tree covered in magnificent pink flowers…

The Codiaeum, with his green and red leaves…kind of reminds me of a giant Chritsmas pointsetta..

The papaw tree, bearing its large fruits at the end of stick like branches…can’t wait to get my teeth into one of its fruits

And there are other tress whose names I don’t know…  I guess it’s time to start looking them up!  Might as well learn something while I’m here!

One yard on the way to school

On the Khonde

When we moved into our house, we received a bunch of keys, literally a bunch that fits nicely in the palm of your hand.  Thankfully most of the keys were on smaller key rings labeled with various areas of the house…  There was a set labeled Khonde and from the looks of it, it was a well used set as the paper is all browned up and used.  Now, what exactly is a Khonde?  In other parts of the world you would probably call that area a Porch, a terrace or a veranda. 

Actually, my house has 3 Khondes, one off the bedrooms, one off the kitchen, and the main one, furnished with wicker furniture, is off the living room and is the one we use the most.  I have to admit it is probably the prettiest spot of the house, overlooking the park like setting that is my yard.  I just love to sit there and just chill, read a book, have a drink, or type this blog entry! 

Sunset seen from the Khonde

With the Malawi climate, it is an extra room that we will be able to use all year long…even in the rainy season as it is covered.  And when we have parties, it is a great spot to hang…Soon we will have a braai/barbecue pit right off the Khonde which will enable us to finally have a party worthy of that name!  More on that in a later entry…  Meanwhile, I’m chillaxing on my khonde, enjoying the wind we’ve been experiencing the past few days and listening to the numerous birds around…

Beware of advertising!

I got played!  This past week I saw an ad for a market at one of the lodges in town…  It featured artifacts, handmade furniture, bootsale, and many more items….  With the kids in tow, we set out early Saturday morning to find the lodge where this great market was taking place…  We arrived, were let through the gate and discovered a beautiful lodge, very zen and relaxing…  The market part of the deal, however, was a real bust!!!  Very little artifacts and handmade furniture, while the majority of the sellers were individuals trying to unload their used clothing, toys, videotapes, books…  It was more flea market or garage sale than anything else.  The kids and I were crushed, having expected some true African artisans!  Oh well, next time, we will hopefully be more successful!  My little finger tells me that there is a Fair next weekend at the school… Can’t wait!

Deforestation

A picture is worth a thousand words.  This past weekend, Ben, one of the teachers, was hiking in the rainforest of Malawi when he came across a horrible of deforestation with the illegal cutting down of major trees.  After the initial shock of what he was seeing, he snapped a bunch of photographs.

He immediately took action, by sending an email to all the staff the photos and what he had observed.  He also posted those on the Lilongwe Chat Google Group...

Fellow Teachers,

This weekend Benny, Laurie and I visited Ntichsi Forest Reserve for the first time this year.  During our hike we discovered two large areas where loggers were actively cutting down massive hardwood primary trees.  (Please see pictures in this email.)

We stopped in at Ntchisi Lodge to find out if the managers had any information on this matter. To our horror,  the managers said they had recently found 12 logging sites! They have spoken to the village chief, but thus far nothing has been done to halt the illegal logging.

Does anyone have any information on who to contact to file a report?

Time is running out on Malawi's last sliver of rain forest!

Many thanks!

Ben

It didn’t take a day for him to see his mailbox inundated with messages, from private people as well as NGOs and local wildlife groups.  It even went as far as having a reporter contact him and saying he would write a story about this deforestation case.  Now, it appears that the government is getting involved, with talks of a meeting scheduled to happen to see how those cases of illegal deforestation can be stopped and those perpetrating them can be punished. 

The hope is that the momentum remains and that real action takes place with a stop on illegal tree cutting.  Malawi is a beautiful country that should remain in its state.

Briquettes

Deforestation in Malawi is an issue, as people tend to cut down branches and/or trees to make fire to cook their food on.  It’s part of their daily life!  Sometimes, small efforts can multiply and really make a difference.  For example, Ben, one of the teachers has started the Green Team at school and their sole goal is to recycle paper by making paper briquettes out of it.  In turn, those can be used as alternative to firewood to cook food.  It’s a simple enough process that he’s teaching to his “Greenies” – and that he hopes they will repeat once at home, taking action and giving a true sense to “Pay it Forward”

Step 1: tear paper in small pieces

Step 2: Mix water to the paper and let soak for 1 to 2 days

Step 3: Mix, tear and smush the paper and water until it makes a mush

Step 4: Using a cut PVA pipe, place the soaked paper and pack it full

Step 5: After making sure your mold is full of paper and pushing some of the water out, push the briquette slowly out of the mold.

Step 6: Place the newly formed briquette out of the way to dry

Step 7: Let it dry for 2 weeks.  It is now ready to be used!

Feast for the eyes

Malawi has some gorgeous areas, breathtaking landscapes, hilly and wooded in some areas, almost desert-like in others.

 Right now, it’s the dry season, so a lot of yellows, browns and light dirty greens.  In the past month, we haven’t seen the wet stuff and won’t for about another two months, until November when the rainy season starts. At that time, we will see the Green side of G Malawi.   Landscapes don’t need much explanation…so ENJOY!

  

Roadside Markets

Anytime you drive around the countryside, it’s easy to spot stalls and wooden huts selling whatever you may need.   I love the fresh fruits and vegetables, displayed artistically and color-coded, all waiting for a good kitchen table.  The less appealing to me are the meat vendors, with their carcass hanging from a rope, under a thin leaf roof, no refrigeration and swarms of flies.  Not being a keen meat-eater, it doesn’t take much to completely turn off my appetite for meat!  Those truly do the trick!

Some of my favorites are the homemade furniture makers, ranging from wooden beds and cupboards to woven reed outdoor patio furniture.  For some, those are truly masterpieces, a tribute to the craftsmen of Malawi, who for the most part work with a VERY limited toolbox and no electric powered tools.  Oftentimes, you will find the coffin makers in that area as well…

Yes, death is a very lucrative business here, as the mortality rate is high, due to poverty induced malnutrition, malaria and AIDS.

You also have the local souvenir shops, where again, amazing woodwork are on display…  chairs, bowls, masks, toys, drums, knick-knacks of all sorts…  But it can also be a pain, almost as bad as the Luxor Souk!  The vendors are quite aggressive, wanting you to visit their stall and to purchase their goods.  Being obviously not from Malawi, the prices are up, way up and sometimes come down, but sometimes not.  Those souvenir huts are grouped and it’s almost like a mini-souvenir mall.  You can walk from one to the next, the vendors opening their plastic and reed doors so you can go in, although you won’t find cash registers nor prices on any of the goods.  I will go again, but with plenty of time and loads of cash in my pockets…

Home Away From Home

HOME AWAY FROM HOME- Saturday, September 3^rd, 2011

We have found a home away from home, a refuge, a place we can relax and forget all our worries – and all that within a two-hour drive from our Lilongwe home.  Where is this magical place, the country of plenty? 

One Word: the LAKE! When you look at a map of Malawi, most of its Eastern border is made of a huge lake, some 50 kilometers wide and 350 kilometers long, truly an inland sea for this landlocked country.  And what a breath of fresh air it offers!  We honestly could not distinguish the other side and felt like we were back in Jamaica or in Sri Lanka, at the beach bordered with palm trees..

Along with 2 other families, we drove to the lake, on a nice road, going through villages and little towns, passing markets and artifact vendors.  As you can imagine, the Lake is a pretty touristy destination, for expats as well as locals. We arrived before 11:00 am, picked the most perfect spot on the beach, under a straw umbrella, our feet in the sand and our head in the palm trees.  The kids were fast at changing into their swimsuits and within 2 minutes of dropping our stuff, they were IN the lake...   Water games, snorkeling and sandcastle were on the activity card for the day. 

Since we were using the beach (for no fee) of a nice hotel, we also had access to their pool (for a little fee) and their restaurant…so after basking in the sun and playing in the water, we ordered a nice lunch that we all enjoyed pool side. 

In the late afternoon, we set back on our drive back to Lilongwe, faces happy and tired from smiling, already looking forward to the next trip to the lake!