Blantyre is very much the pedestrian’s city. Many times throughout the day there are far more people walking on the streets than cars driving up and down them. With so much emphasis on walking around, I’ve found that the things I carry with me take on greater value. In these past three weeks, I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of streamlining my backpack inventory. Here are a few of the essentials:
Camera – I’ve been averaging about ten pictures a day. The last ten or so pictures I’ve taken include snapshots from our walks to work, medical equipment from PAM and QECH, my lunch, people we’ve met, and some huge wasps that have been getting into our house the past couple of days.
Notebook and Pen – After just a couple of days, I realized I needed to buy a small notebook to write down all the Chichewa words and phrases I was learning. My Chichewa is still very rudimentary at best, but hey, ndikuphunzira!
Planner – With limited time here this summer and lots of things to do and people to meet, time management is a big challenge. My planner has been very useful in keeping up with all the meetings we schedule and for more long-term planning as we move into starting a few different projects.
Trusty Blue Jean Jacket – I came to Malawi straight from the steamy grip of Houston summer, so I foolishly thought that one blue jean jacket would suffice for the trip. To my surprise, it can actually get quite chilly here, and so my last-minute-luggage-addition has proven to be a daily and invaluable traveling companion.
Wristwatch – As far as I’ve seen, there are not very many clocks in Blantyre, and especially since the sun sets so much earlier than I’m used to in Texas, it’s very easy to lose track of time.
Emily’s Universal Power Strip – This is one I don’t actually carry, (Emily does,) but it has been an absolute lifesaver for our team. It’s a surge protector with a Malawian plug, but six universal outlets. That way, we can plug in all our American devices and any Malawian devices from one outlet and not have to worry about differences in voltages across devices or power surges from the wall.
And finally….
My Water Bottle – All the walking makes me thirsty!
