Monile Mose:

Almost in country for two months and it's hard to believe it's been that long already. Training has been a whirlwind through villages, languages (yes that is plural in my case), and various regions of the country. It's hard to sum up the last two months, and I am sorry to those who I have not gotten the chance to write. But my meager allowance has found it difficult to make it to post offices and even through the purchasing of stamps which have been raised 30 Kwacha since we arrived. So, for those who have heard nothing from me, know that you will get a letter (if I have your address) as a moment strikes me which brings you to mind and requires it… till then take this as the best life update that I can thus produce.

It took two days and a stop in Dakar as well as an overnight stay in South Africa before we arrived in Malawi on the 31st of May. In my group there are 20 health trainees from mainly the western part of America. The first week (week zero) we lived at the Malawian College of Forestry outside of the Dedza boma (trading center). We spent this time learning culture and Chichewa language in preparation for the rest of training. Then, in Week 1 we moved out to Chapatali and Sila villages where we would be living with host families for five weeks. I thus moved into a small hut (big enough for a twin bed and an equal amount of space for one bag of things) in the Mofati compound. My family consisted of my host mother "Amayi" Ivy and her two children Andrew (5) and Lone (7). In the villages there was no running water or electricity so it was roughing it with lanterns to see by night and bucket baths every morning (6am). We thus learned to live by the sun which was great for all the sleep I have lost over the years.

While in the villages we spent our time learning language (which changed to Chitumbuka for me since I would be moving to the North), and technical in culture and health issues. I have already taken in a lot of information about everything from HIV to maternal and child health. Each lesson made us all more eager to put our skills into practice at our sites. I will be working with a village health center in an advisory role doing whatever it is that I find the community needs. Sorry to be a bit vague- but the idea is to evaluate our areas and then help them to implement whatever change projects they wish to have- and it will have something to do with health.

Food in the village is generally a variety of vegetables (mphangwe), fruits (chipaso), and food that fills you (kukuthika) - nsima (pap), rice, or potatoes (sweet potatoes and irish). Needless to say, there has not be a lot of diversity and we tend to find ourselves overly happy when there is anything new added. Recently I had French toast with syrup with a side of cornflakes--- never thought I would be so happy for the Kellogg's.

Highlights in training:

°Hiking the mountain at the college and seeing the sunrise from the top!

°Playing local games- netball, soccer, and teaching the Amayi's ultimate frisbee which was all the more interesting due to the chitenji (traditional fabric worn to the ankle as a skirt) and their inability to understand that a dropped Frisbee should then not be fought over in rugby fashion. I never thought village women could be so competitive.

°Getting food poisoning and not being able to eat for about a week (not a positive but definitely an experience).

°having a rat live in the thatch of my hut- naming him Fred- and then having a cat delivered to me in a sack to get rid of said rat (the cat was not large enough and quickly fled the scene).

°Two big events: "all health day" and the fourth of July. Both were full of American foods and music which was enough to give a little relief from the village life. On All Health Day we met with current health volunteers and got our site announcements. I will be living in Usisla, Nkhata Bay which is just as I hoped- lake shore! I will be visiting site soon and let you all know details later. On the Fourth of July we all went into Lilongwe to the American Ambassador's house for a cook out and gathering of all American's in country. Here I got the chance to meet many more PCVs as well as some very impressive people from various NGOs in country. I can already see my connections going through the roof and have found coming here to be one of the best things I have ever done for my future career. At the picnic I also got the chance to speak to the country director who has lived my dream life and been more than helpful in encouraging my ability to do the same.

Currently I am in Mzuzu at the Peace Corps transit house. I have spent the last week in the North doing language intensive training in Eva Demaya just outside of Rhompi. It was great and while I am sure I ate entirely too much as we had the largest smorgasbord of food that I have seen in two months- I loved the chill atmosphere. I along with two trainers (Fannie and Cornelius) and three other trainees (Julia, Raymond, and Chad) basically spent a week living between meals and language/ technical sessions.

Now I will be traveling for site visit to Nkhata Bay and Usisla Village. It will be my first solo moment since I met the group in Washington and I am very much looking forward to the challenge of navigating alone. I am told that my site is quite literally in the middle of nowhere, but is so beautiful that current volunteers have gone there for vacation. So, I don't know that I will complain about the isolation.

Well, I send my love to everyone in the states. And just know that internet is very scarce for me and slower than the ancient dial system. You can contact me best through snail mail (P.O. Box 208, Peace Corps, Lilongwe, Malawi, Southern Africa). or even call my cell phone (00 [or 011] 265 99 355 9961) which the Peace Corps has issued. However, note that these both may change as I find a mail service closer to site (Lilongwe is about 5 hours from me) and I could change service providers as I don't think the company I have will work at site… but for now they will work.

Much Love from the Warm Heart of Africa