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We are both back in our house in Malawi. Nora came on the 10th and I arrived on the 21st. We are settling in again, pretty well. Yesterday I did some baking and cooking with the propane stove. It took a while to get the oven going. I borrowed the neighbour’s cook and he figuredContinue reading “Back home in Malawi.”

On Friday 17th, I had my followup meeting with the doctor and he said he was happy with my progress. Before the operation he said my chances of recovery were 90% and a week after the operation, my chances have improved to 98%. I think he was quoting real statistics, not expecting me to doContinue reading “Joined the 98%”

Nora has returned to Malawi and this morning has started “our” teaching assignment. And I am meanwhile settling in to life in a luxury hotel in Johannesburg. After the quick but necessary retina operation on Jan 2, I am forced to refrain from flying for a few weeks. My next doctor appointment is Jan 17thContinue reading “Lounging in Johannesburg”

I was planning an interesting blog about rhinos and poaching. But that will have to wait. Meanwhile, in the morning and in the evening, and all parts in between, I’ll be lying on my side at the park inn in Sandton, Johannesburg. Earlier in the week, I had my right retina detach and Nora andContinue reading “Ain’t we got fun?”

Nora and I have been traveling in Namibia for the last couple of weeks. No great I sight to share, but who knew Namibia was so delightful? We also met a bus load of people taking the same g adventures tour from Australia, Germany, Austria, England, and Canada. All great people I wish we knewContinue reading “Namibia”

Beginning with our fortunate end, we met some good news Friday morning, namely that the Immigration Office accepted our application for a work visa (Temporary Employment Permit). This is an achievement unequalled for such a short period of time. We only visited the office twice on two mornings, Thursday and Friday to prepare our paperworkContinue reading “Week 2 in Malawi”

We visited prisons for the first time this week. On Thursday morning, we drove to Zomba, 90 minutes from Blantyre, to visit the prison system head office. Our guides were Hastings Phale and Abusa Stanley Chimesya, who work for the Blantyre Synod of CCAP (Church of Central Africa – Presbyterian). I should get a photographContinue reading “Hard Times”

Malawi Proverb: One day of rain far surpasses a whole year of drought. As I reread some of my previous musings, I realise it’s high time to show Malawi in a more positive light. Here, for example is a story about a young boy in the capital city who invented an agricultural implement to harvestContinue reading “Thinking Positive”

This really is a thing, and observed on November 17th every year. This past week, there was a conference in Oman to study the issue. Malawi was placed at the ignoble top of the list, experiencing 18 preterm births per hundred, more than any other country studied. Malawi is also among the most deadly whenContinue reading “World Prematurity Day”

I read some of the online newspapers from Malawi to see what is happening there. I am keen to go, as you can imagine and this gives me a window to peer through to heighten my expectations. Nine more days… Last week, a girls’ secondary school about 2 hours north of Blantyre, was closed becauseContinue reading “Protests”