MalawiMap
March Malawi has incredibly kind people and incredibly beautiful nature. What’s more, the kind people don’t crap all over the beautiful nature. It’s safe to say that Malawi is a total African anomaly.  This isn’t Switzerland, this is one of the poorest countries in the world.  Everything is green, tidy, neatly trimmed and clean-swept.  It’s as though every second person here is a gardener.  A tire shop.  A trash can.  No left turn.  Children.  A pedestrian.  A bus stop.  The traffic signs outside the city have holes drilled through them so that they don’t get stolen for domestic needs.  Billboards also have a bunch of holes drilled through them—that way, they can’t be used for roofing.  A license plate.  A traffic light.  A payphone.  The only mailbox I encountered was the one in the lobby of my hotel.  Gorgeous PO boxes outside the post office.  The market.  A piece of British heritage: police bowler hats.  The intersections are filled with signs and advertisements.  “How about some fish, mate?”  Don’t drink and drive.  Don’t hit any cows with your car.  Wear reflective patches at night.  Help combat cholera.  “Chicken, come get your chicken!”  A kilometer marker.  Let’s visit a typical village. It sits in the shade of baobab trees surrounded by a sea of flowers.  The homes consist of clay structures with thatched roofs.  Those who are a bit wealthier place a plastic sheet under the straw.  Personal possessions consist of a straw mat, a mug, and a piece of mirror. Children usually get their first pair of shoes around the age of twelve. What’s the point in giving them shoes any earlier?  The kitchen is simply a fire in the corner.  Toy balls consist of clumps of leaves tied together with string.  And everyone is happy!  And the entire country is beaming with joy and filled with blossoming trees.  A total African anomaly.  |
