Malawi

A few general notes on Malawi.
I was surprised by how green and lush Malawi is and the people are just tremendous, if you catch anyones eye they smile and everyone is ready to say hello,with a sincere handshake and muli bwangi.
Working in the schools I saw rural and urban all under resourced and all staffed by amasing people doing their best for their students. Teacher training has had a lot of Scottish input and you see similarities in teaching. The students are so intense about their secondary certificate and take their learning so seriously. Many walk up tp 6miles to reach school they start at school 7.30am. Many have no breakfast and schools do not always have food provision at lunch time. Mary's meals a Scottish charity feed 1000s of primary pupils each day, this and free primary education has led to an explosion of those accessing education.

I thouroughly recommend Mvuu wildlife reserve excellent staff and accomodation we saw lots animals.
As a group we had a driver and excellent guide from Wilderness Safaris, they were friendly and so helpful.

All in all a wonderful country I intend to return one day, we are setting up a link with a school for the mutual friendship and benefit of all our students. Thanks for reading.

Logged on in Joburg airport to pass the time.
I have had a fabulous experience in school, observing and teaching, I took assemble yesterday presenting what they call the sketch which is the educational presentation as opposed to warnings about wearing correct uniform and staying out of drinking dens!!
I arranged it with one of the teachers and helped the forth form S6 present, It was out side as they have no hall, I was bowled. It was very emotional when they presented us I was there with one colleague with a chetenge a traditional length of material worn as a wrap round skirt, the head teacher dressed us, I was nearly melting, when I had to speak it was emotional because the students work so hard, the teachers are totally committed and they have so few resourse.I saw amasing peer education and students taking reponsibility for tasks in school and running lunchtimeclubs I saw debating teachers do not usually attend it is run by the older pupils, they discussed so maturally things like HIV AIDS I was blown away by the young people and the Malawians are SO friendly you wouldn't beleive you smile all the time. Yes to adult learning and special needs.I will tell more when I return, running out of time. love to all Jules x

First of all thanks everyone for your comments it makes me feel not so far away. I have had the most amazing time the malawian people are the most friendliest people in the world every conversation begins with how are you I'm fine how are you I'm fine thank you, of course in chechewa !! Our guide and fixer Mike has helped me with my efforts also everyone shakes your hand with an African handshake I'll show you when I gat home. Today was my first day in school we visited them yesterday..1 primary has 5000 pupils. I was lucky I was allowed to choose a small 350 secondary school with a really get up and go attitude, to tour they look as if they have virtually nothing but today I saw the school in action, the children are so motivated to learn, the teaching was punchy and to the point 30 min period the children so attentive, rivision of existing knowledge learning out come by another name.. fantastic and all with a black board and chalk, I now know all about soil errosion. We were invited to take the next lesson, I did a Q&A with 6th years form 4 on Scotland using my photos to tell them about snow.
Then my fellow traveller did a lesson using work her kids in edinburgh had done, the children listened and got stuck in producing great written work with drawings for her to take back, I was her beautiful assistant. The children are quiet and shy with us and when we walk out they errupt the teachers say they are so excited to see, us. IOn Friday we have been asked to give a presentation at assembly on health. There are so many similarities and they have so few resources. They children come in 2 shifts to school because they do not have enough classrooms, form 2 and 4 7.30-12.00 and 1 and 3 12.00. 3.30 2 and 4 are exam years. They gdo not teach PE and do not stop for lunch. everyone walks to school upto 10km 6 mile each way, many have no breakfast.I have run out of time I must go Tomorrow we visit a hospital and an orphanage then back to school. Every morning 6am start and fall into bed 10pm, hotel ok for traveller but pretty basic. take care I will try to post again this week , love to all Juliex

We drove in a minibus to a river, it let me see the landscape malawi is very green and sometimes very mountainous, peopel live in small villages with houses built of dry mud with thatched roofs. markets were bust dirty loud, people sell goat, chickens, mats, fruit, veg, charcoal and clothes.
We went on the river to Mvuu and soon saw Hippos and elephants by the river because it was evening, I saw lots of animals on a game drive .
now I am in Blantyre we saw 4 schools today all very differnet, pupils lovely some v poor. must go hope to post again.

I am in Blantyre after a packed 5 days. The journey was long but it all went well. We stayed in Lilongwe the capital for 2 nights our hotel was in the form of chalets I shared a 2 bed chalet with David and Maureen, the chef brought your food to the room , the manager asked you first what do you want to eat, no menu you tell her what you like but they really only have rice chips chicken stewed or fried and veg. We chose Chicken stew rice and veg and he also brought apple pie and custard, you do your own washing up in the mirning they bring breakfast, fried everything and fruit salad, I am the only person to come back from Africa fat> In Lilongwe we visited a market the traders were very persistant but friendly I enjoyed it, When we had to visit education officails the meeting was arranged in one of the chalets so that was easy, we had great discussions with the Teachers Union Gen Sec , 2a HT PE teacher and the head of an enormous school with 1000 pupils who attend in the morning and another 1000 in the afternoon.
Lilongwe is very spread out every one walks every where, hardly anyone smokes,most people grow maize to eat. There is a market and 1 supermarket but not much else.