6/2/2012
Muli bwanji! (Greetings!)
After 44 hours of traveling, Bridget and I have arrived safely in Blantyre, Malawi! We are staying at the Kabula Lodge, which is a motel-style complex located just a 10 minute walk from the heart of downtown Blantyre. The Lodge seems like it will be a comfortable place to stay. I have my own bedroom and there is a bathroom, shower, and sink located outside on the porch. There are two community kitchens, an outdoor breakfast area, and even an outdoor lounge area with a TV! 🙂
After we arrived and unpacked, Jocelyn (a BTB employee who has been working in Blantyre for the past 5 months) took us into town to see the area, buy cell phones, and get groceries. Downtown Blantyre was BUSY. The streets were crowded with people, cars, and minibuses, and lined with shops and restaurants. Everything we needed seemed to be within walking distance, which is very convenient. My favorite part of town is the market, which consists of stands selling second-hand goods and produce. Most stands have a theme (i.e. computer goods, cell phone accessories, books, shoes, etc). The market seems to go on forever, with outdoor hallways twisting and turning within the center of the area. Bridget and I tried our hand at bargaining for used cell phones, fruits, and vegetables – and walked back to the lodge with our arms overflowing with grocery bags. We are very excited to cook our own meals with fresh veggies! 🙂
Overall, I am starting to settle into my life in Blantyre. The view outside the lodge is beautiful, with flowering trees and a mountainous landscape. The sights in town are not as pleasant, as there are signs of poverty everywhere. But looking past the poverty, Blantyre is quite similar to most of the other cities I’ve been to. People are hurrying to work, shopping, using ATMs, taking public transportation, and just going about their daily lives. The city has lots to offer and should be fun to explore. I am excited to call Bantyre my home for the next 8 weeks!
Tomorrow we plan to continue exploring downtown and to prepare for our first day at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital! I’ll write about the engineering projects we have brought with us in a separate entry sometime soon.
Tionana! (See you later!)
Kathleen