Ten Things I've Learned in Malawi

So living in Africa does make you learn a few things: some big and some small. Here is a small sampling of what I learned.

1. Lizard poop is black with a white tip. Who knew. 

2. How to make banana bread.

3. Everything can be reused - absolutely everything. 

4. It is not the end of the world when the power goes out. 

5. Shoes that are described as quality made will not last 2 weeks in Africa.

6. Nothing is more important than family and community. 

7. Ants are evil. They will find you no matter where you are and they will hide out in unlikely spots just to be evil! For example, they will band together and invade your bedroom and your bed or they will just hang out in the handle of the kettle so when you pick it up they climb over your hand (true story). They are evil. Period. 

8. Cheese is a precious commodity. I really love cheese.

9. I am good at what I do - program evaluation and policy analysis. It's most of what I've done here both with the Department of Land Management and the Children's Library. I love my field.

10. Malawi is not a developing country - it is a growing society. A village that is only connected to the outside world by a foot path is not an isolated bubble breeding poverty and disease. It is a community that is living, breathing and working to support family and friends. Malawi has a sense of community and family that is so far beyond the developed world, it can make you doubt the very foundation of your own society. There is a simplicity and strong foundation in Malawi that can be hard to find at home. The community is the glue that holds the country together despite disease and sickness. Poverty is relative - and it's easy to see that many of the "poor" in Malawi are much richer in life than the developed world assumes.