Third Goal

health care clinic in Malawi

This is what local health care costs at the clinic. Ntchifu means cough. Tibi means TB. Mzima is a stomach ache. Poliyo is a polio vaccine. Mutu wamkulu is a headache.   And 1usd equaled about 30 kwacha back in 1992.

guliwamkulu

Guliwamkulu are masked dancers from the community. They make their own masks. The identity of the individual should never be known. If in the act of dancing, a guliwamkulu lets his mask fall off and his identity becomes known; the mask is sent to a musuem (Mua Mission) for preservation in Malawi. Guliwamkulu often made red masks to mimic the face of 'the white men'. Their plays and their dances would reflect their feelings toward our race and our western culture. The closest thing I can think...

Merry Christmas!

About a week after my swearing-in ceremony, fellow PCV Susan Gibson and I traveled to my site.  It was nearing Christmas, but, being on the equator, it was very hot.   We dumped all of my belongings in the house, took stock of what was there from the PCV I replaced, then went to the village to get essentials.  We began soaking beans upon our return and began to get the house in order. We started up the charcoal jiko and put the beans on to cook, outside, of course, as it was so nice (except f...

Boat to Nan Madol

I remember this moment so well. It was so beautiful the boat ride to this island with ancient ruins.  I couldn't believe I was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean--what a paradise.

Pohnpei Training Group

June 1995 Training   What a blast we had.  I'll never forget the month we spent here.

Anne Frank: Jewish by Tribe

Nativity Scene at Chikangawa

Years later, no participant will claim this to be their idea.  We wrote the character names on little pieces of paper (Jesus, Mary, wise man #1, angel #1, etc) placed the papers in a hat and drew rolls.  Each of us was allotted 15 minutes or so to put together a costume before making this photo.

Shooting the Moon

Staff members: playing cards amid afternoon prep.  For having grown up on a steady diet of knock-knock (aka Uno) my colleagues showed great enthusiasm for hearts and the dreaded queen of spades.

World Holiday Traditions Warm an American Heart

http://thirdcoastdigest.com/2010/12/world-holiday-traditions-warm-an-american-heart

Washing machine

Each evening in Niger I had dinner with Chatou, the wife of the schoolteacher.  One night, her eyes grew very big as she asked me: "Maimouna, I heard... that in America, you have a machine that washes clothes!"  I confirmed this for her, and she asked me how it worked.  In my best Zarma, I described a large metal box, with a tube to connect to the water pump outside, and with basket with holes in it on the inside.  The basket fills up with water ("How does it fill up, if there ...