Well, I'm sad to report that my placement came to an unexpected and early end. After learning that the work I had come to do in Malawi had already been completed (the books are published!), staff at both MIE and VSO Malawi worked hard to find an alternative, but an appropriate role for me couldn't be identified. So back to the drawing board. I'm hoping that VSO Canada will be able to find a new placement for me soon.I'm thankful for the experiences I've had in Malawi and am grateful for having met so many wonderful volunteers who are committed to contributing their skills and knowledge in the hopes that this country will prosper.
For those friends who donated to VSO on my behalf, I want you to rest assured that your donations have been put to good use! You donations will continue to support the amazing work of many VSO volunteers -
Dharini who has braved a rabies scare and is volunteering in the remote, far north of Malawi with the Chitipa District AIDS Coordinating Committee; Ling, a wonderful doctor at Rumphi District Hospital; Hanna, an amazing German midwife, who is volunteering in Blantyre; my Scottish pal, Anna, who is volunteering with Zomba Mental Hospital; and Chris and Jennifer Edwards, both doctors from the UK, who are stationed in the 'armpit' of Malawi at Trinity Hospital in Nsanje...and other friends like Rod and Carol who are volunteering to improve school life and access to education in northern Uganda; Jessica in beautiful, northern Thailand; China and Ale, two talented industrial designers helping disabled furniture makers in Kenya....and hundreds of other VSO volunteers around the globe! (click on the volunteer names I've listed above if you'd like to visit their blogs and read about their inspiring work!)
I sincerely want to thank everyone that has been part of this volunteer journey - those of you who financially contributed, friends and family at home and abroad that sent me encouraging messages to keep the homesickness at bay (especially you, Kristin & Tamara!), local volunteers that shared their tips and tricks to help ease the transition into a new country and new culture, the volunteers in my intake group that were able to commiserate and laugh through it all (especially you, Anna!), and VSO Malawi staff for their support. There are so many things that I am grateful to have experienced and so many things that I miss about Malawi such as...
the kindness, patience and humour of my colleagues at the Malawi Institute of Education....
the quirky signs of businesses dotting the landscape that always made me smile no matter how rough my day was...(my favourite was the 'God Willing Beauty Salon')...
the beauty of the landscape around my home...
the smiling faces of the children I'd see each day on campus and how this would put everything into perspective...
the amazing wildlife that left me with wide eyes and open mouth...
the human strength and perseverance I witnessed that humbled me...
the innocence, imagination and innovation of children...
the excitement of exploring new places with new friends...
getting filthy and being okay with it...
and especially the wonderful friends I made...like Caleb, a VSO volunteer from Kenya, who worked with me and helped me in countless ways every day...
Issa, my neighbour, who helped me settle into the community and fed me local Malawian food like nsima...
Grace, who would visit me at my home just to chat...she has three siblings named Ephless, Promise and Bright...she aspires to be a journalist one day...
Vella, a strong and soft-spoken young woman who comes from a family of nine...she volunteers with the Domasi Youth Alive group...
Chimwemwe, a beautiful, painfully shy girl who would visit me and bring mangoes from her family's farm...
and Malawi itself.
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