It seems like every time we left the house, we needed Google to get there and back. Monday and Tuesday, we stayed in. We were given the impression that the streets would be full of protests over the release of the judgement over last year’s election. In fact, the judgement was not released until Tuesday afternoon, so the protests would have been premature. And then, the judgements were received with a shrug. It does mean that there should be another election some time this year, which could very well be upset by violence. It looks like not before October, so we might be gone by election time.
But, back to Google. Blair took us to the immigration office on Thursday to get our passports stamped with our official Temporary Employment Permits (TEP) and then to a bank to open an account. Some funds will be transferred soon and then we’ll have easier access to local currency. We had to cough up US$1000 for the TEPs, so we might need some ready cash soon. I was glad to be able to trace our way around downtown Blantyre on my phone, so I should be able to get back when I need to. The bank said they will phone us this coming week when our cheques are printed and ready to pick up. In another week or two our debit cards should be ready, too.
We keep on making comparisons to our time in Bangladesh, 30 years ago. Blantyre has less than 1,000,000 souls and it’s less than 200 years old, while Dhaka was at least 10 times as large and 10 times as old. I never had a good map of Dhaka to help me get around and I was always a little uncertain about where I was and how to get anywhere. With the help of my smartphone, I think I can figure out where I want to go in Blantyre city.
Speaking of which, Nora and I badly needed hair cuts, so we got some detailed instructions to a barber shop and hailed a minibus. The bus is made for probably 12 people and we had little problem fitting 16 in. (In Bangladesh, they used 40-person buses and filled them with 80 and added more on top.) For one Canadian dollar, we were dropped off at the Blantyre market and made our way on foot to the barber shop at “the mall”. You really need to know where it is, or you’ll miss it. $15 later and we were both trimmed up nicely. Pulling out the phone, we found our way back to the “bus station” and hopped on the return bus. Coincidentally, as we left the station, I noted that we passed our new bank, and so discovered inadvertently how to get back to it! Another $1 and 15 minutes later we were home.
Also on Thursday, our friend Hamilton took us to look at where the Ndirende club is planning to build its community centre. You may want to check the blog from Nov 30 where I mentioned the club. It currently is a nice field of maize, with a few banana plants along one edge. The location is beyond where Google shows roads, so I might not be able to find my way back without help. Since I will probably be taken there again by Hamilton, palibe vuto, or not a problem. I do think I could make my way back there if I had to, but in no time, I will forget.
On Friday, the school headmaster asked us to come at 7:40 instead of the 8 am that we had been trying for. Rammy, bless his heart, was late (almost 9 am) on both Wednesday and Friday due to car troubles. Our shortened day meant that we didn’t have time to teach all three of our classes each. This week will have this and other new adventures, no doubt. Time for another phrase: Tionana pepani, which means see you again soon, or sorry, I’m late – not sure which.
If you want to check on Google Maps, you should be able to find St Michaels and all the Angels church in Blantyre, which is near where we live. Between there and the Phoenix International Primary School to the northeast. Blantyre Market should be another searchable location, near the Bus Station. The bank is not shown, but it’s near La Caverna, the oldest 2-storey building in Blantyre. The Ndirende club meets at the Holy Ghost Catholic Church and its new digs will be further north, on a road that is not shown on Google Maps.
In the Warm Heart of Africa 
Thanks for sharing your adventures! Great to hear how things are going and hear how you are figuring out how to live life there!
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I’m glad you are enjoying our reports. We come up against something new every day, it seems.
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Just wondering – who wrote the top several lines on the chalkboard? Out of reach for Nora, I think!
Yes, it’s good that you have access to Google maps, blogging, email -and all via your phone. Something we could not have envisioned 30 years ago.
Elma
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Hi Steve, (and Nora too), Thanks for your latest blog update. Always interesting. Yes, I am SO glad you have access to Google maps. It’s also nice that we in Canada can take a look and get a sense of where you are living in relation to the places you mention in your blogs. I was intrigued to see that quite close to All Saints church and therefore close to your home, is Nora’s Secret Lodge. Is this where Nora goes when she needs a little getaway?? By the way, I’m coming to the realization (sigh) that I will NEED a smart phone one of these days. Yesterday had plans to meet Jill, one of my library friends, downtown and then attend a function with her at Museum London. Decided to take the bus, just to see how that goes. Recently the routes have changed and it’s more awkward to get downtown, since there is no stop near here that goes downtown, everything gets routed through Masonville and then transferred (or White Oaks at the opposite end of the city). One exception is the Adelaide Street route. If I walk the 20 minutes to Adelaide and Fanshawe Park Rd, take the bus down Adelaide to Dundas St., then walk west for 20 minutes to downtown (or 30 to Museum London) I figured that’s my most efficient option. I’d rather be walking than waiting for a transfer at a bus stop on a cold day. What I am coming to realize is that the newer system probably works quite efficiently for those who use smart phones with up-to-the-minute information including which stops are Express bus only and those only stop at select sites, which is the most efficient route, etc. So you finally got haircuts. Please suggest to Nora that if ever she has to wait too long, and her hair gets unmanageable, she might consider braiding it. (Full disclosure: when I finally got rid of braids at the age of 14, I vowed I would NEVER again have braids, having wished them away years before I had my first haircut.) Sorry I don’t have a good solution for your hair when it gets too long! I’m not fond of either a pony tail or a bun on a man and I really don’t think braids would suit you. A question about the Ndirende club. Will the current farmers of the bananas and maize on that land be compensated when they have to leave, or is that still to be decided? One of the interesting features of our current “non-winter” is that in spite of many, many unusually warm days, we have enough cold days and enough snowfalls to keep things looking clean and fresh. Even days like today, when the street and sidewalk are bare, there’s a fresh white layer of snow. Tonight it will get more seasonably cold, near 0 degrees F, but the forecast is to warm up again in a day or so. This morning I made orange cranberry scones, one of the recipes from my British scones cookbook. I thought of you as I was baking, imagining what it would be like to do this at your home in Blantyre. How are you getting along with your cooking/baking? The sunshine is calling me so I will sign off and enjoy a tramp through our local woods. Love,Elma
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Dear Nora and Steve, I am so glad that you are well. Thank you so very much for the card you sent me. It was a joy to hear from you. When I see Mom this Family Day weekend, I will share the note with her. She asked me how you both were. We think that you are both amazingly adventurous to be in “the warm heart of Africa.” I can’t imagine doing what you are doing. That is a blessing that you have access to Google Maps. Technology can be of use at times, yes? I love the photo of Nora at the blackboard!
I wasn’t sure if Nora and you are aware of the sporadic “strikes” by teachers here in Ontario, Steve. Today is one of the strike days. Plus there are indigenous protesters blocking the highways and byways. I just learned via text and email that Via Rail cancelled the trains due to the protesters. My brother is picking me up tomorrow morning to bring me to see Mom for Family Day weekend. I wasn’t even going to try getting a bus because the stranded travellers will be looking to Greyhound to help them revise their travel plans.
Happy Valentine’s Day, by the way! What do you have in the way of shops in Blantyre? Any chance that Nora will receive a box of chocolate? Yesterday I attended a Will Graham “Celebration” breakfast event. Will is the grandson of Billy Graham. Will’s ministry team is getting the churches in London to pray for the city of London, sponsoring various prayer meetings over the next several months, culminating in a weekend of prayer from November 7 to 9. I was invited to attend the breakfast and I am so glad that I went! It presented an opportunity to network with church leaders.
Please know that you are always in my heart, thoughts and prayers every day. I promise I shall try to comment more often on the blog so that we can keep in touch. It has been busy at work, preparing for our upcoming newsletter and then the Gala. Of course, that is not an excuse. You have endured so much yet manage to write. Mea culpa!
Love and prayers, Bonnie
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Hi Bonnie. No, I didnt’ get her a box of chocolates. I did try to bake her a treat, but it didn’t work. The oven is a little strange and the ingredients aren’t quite matching the recipes. I did make some yeast bread that worked out and several times the banana bread is good. We buy bananas here in big bunches and often they get pretty dark before we eat them all fresh.
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This is really good work. You description of events is really good.
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Thank you for your kind words.
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Would you please comment on my work on https://mingichavula.wordpress.com/
And where possible please give me some tips. It would really brighten up my day
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