Third Goal

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.

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.

hippos

These are hippos seen from the local Hippo Bar; a place where we could have soft drinks and watch Hippos. Never get between hippos and the water.

sunset over Lake Malawi

This is a sunset scene over Lake Malawi from Cape MacClear.

bicycles in Malawi

These big black bicycles were the standard means of transportation in Malawi circa 1990. Sometimes there would be many people on one bike; sometimes goats and chickens were transported this way also. This man made my day with his indominatable spirit.

learning to read in the bush

I am truly amazed at how some people are born 'wherever they are' and where they learn to read. This child was out in the middle of the road, where there was rarely ever a vehicle to be seen, reading leisurely. Everyone is born somewhere and must make their way in the world. His journey started here.

favorite tailor

This was my favorite tailor shop in Malawi. There was a man here who would put my foot on a piece of paper and draw the outline. With the outline he would make me the greatest pair of leather sandals. I think I bought three pairs while in Malawi over the course of two years. Greatest leather sandals were made here.

carlsberg brewery

This was the beginning of advertisement for Carlsberg brewery in Malawi. The local beer was called Chimbuku. Locals drank it in the courtyard behind the bar if the Carlsberg truck had not made it to town yet.

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...

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.

african plains

This is a picture from on top of Nyika Plateau in Northern Malawi. It is the site that David Livingston set up a mission hospital during WW2. Women from the local villages would hike up to the top of this plateau 4 months before giving birth and then hike back down afterwards. From the top of the plateau one can see the Shire River (Lake Tanginyika drain off) and 4 countries; zambia, tanzania, malawi, and mozambique; and on a really good day..all the way to the Indian Ocean. On the grounds of...

bush taxi 1990

This is a bush taxi in Malawi circa 1990. Before the canopied trucks I see in some other pictures and videos. I hitchiked all around my country by standing on the side of the road, sticking out my hand, and waving it up and down to get attention. I waited as long as two days to get a ride out of my town. It was always safe. I never had a problem as a single 20 something yr old woman travelling around Malawi this way. Of course at times, there would be chickens squaking in the truck with me be...

zebras in natural habitat

This was atop Nyika Plateau in Northern Malawi. Zebras in their natural habitat.

wikipolo

This child's name was Winkipolo. I cannot remember what it means in Chichewa. He is being cared for by his grandmother in this picture.

Victoria Falls

This is Victoria Falls seen from the Zambian side. I was on a bridge bewteen Zambia and Zimbabwe when I took this picture.

Monkey see monkey do

This picture was taken at a place in Malawi called Monkey Bay. At this special site on the Shire River, monkeys would play and steal food from people. They constantly stole bananas from travelers.

learning to build a fire in the bush

This woman was my Peace Corps trainer. We are on a village visit. She is teaching me how to build a fire from scratch in the bush to cook.

peace corps training

This is the coed cheerleading squad we assembled at training.

Mt Mulanje Malawi

A friend came to visit me at my site. I thought I was brave going in the Peace Corps; my friend visited me by travelling all across Africa by herself. We climbed Mt Mulanje in southern Malawi with the help of porters. Lumber is often carried down this mountain by men hoisting slabs on their heads. At the base of the mountain were many landmines, as the Mozambican civil war was just coming to an end in 1992. The locals think that when we climb mountains we are doing it to go speak with the God...

wildebeest

These are wildebeest atop Nyika Plateau in Northern Malawi.

kudu

These are African kudu, the closest thing to American deer. They are the feast of choice for lions.

wikipolo

This child's name is Wikipolo. He is being cared for by a very young mother.

Everyone Loves to Dance in the Rain!

One day during rainy season, we had a particularly heavy down pour so I was just sitting in my house, reading and enjoying the thundering cacophony emanating from my tin roof. I was laying on my sofa when I thought I heard laughter and singing drifting in my open front window. When I sat up to investigate, I discovered a few neighbor children dancing and singing outside my house, half-naked in the pouring rain. Needless to say, it brought a huge smile to my face and was a great photo op!

Even Chickens Ride the Bus

These are just a couple of young girls I sat next to on a mini bus who had a live chicken with them.

The Lions of the Gule Wankulu

The Gule Wankulu, means "Big Dance" in Chichewa, the main language in Malawi. It is a dance performed by men who dress up in eleaborate costumes to conceal their identities. Legend says they are possessed by spirits so women and children run away from them. The members of the Gule Wankulu usually perform for ceremonies like funerals, weddings, pillar ceremonies, etc. Towards the end of the dance there are large "animal" costumes that come out as a finale of sorts. These ar...

The Road Home

Some ladies strolling down a beautiful tree lined road with their market goods on their heads.

Sunrise over Lake Malawi

Travelling to Livingstonia, we were hiking down the mountain and had a beautiful view of the escarpment, and lake Malawi.

Protest

A Peaceful protest in my boma with women of all ages, some men and a procession of cars, paraded around the boma prtesting the abuse of women and female child.

Backyard Sunrise

Here you wake up with the sun. Stepping out my back door in being greeted by the sun in a burst of color.

Waiting for Water

During the dry season I would get up at 4am and wait 2 hours in order to get one bucket of water.

Game Day

Football uniforms drying on my fence. Game days were the entertainment highlight of the week and sometimes month.

Water is Life

My main water source during the wet season. It was semi close to my house and fast to fill the hole. We cherished this time of year when water was abundant.

The Rains

The rains were welcomed by all after months of hot, dry, and dusty days. The children loved hanging out in my house and making popcorn while it poured or standing on my porch to play games during the light rains.

Light after the Storm

This beautiful rainbow came out after a heavy rain in Dedza.

Making moonshine

My mom made the local brew called Chachasu. It was a potent malt lbeverage that sold for 50MK (or about 30 cents) per COKE bottle. The price has now raised but is still less than $1. Many women count on this as their only source of income.

Peace Corps Feet

I sent this home and my family was mortified, not because of the dirty feet, but the unshaved legs!

Ladies in Red

Independence Day Celebration, Lilongwe 

Impatiently Waiting

Mangoes in the tree behind my house. They take forever to ripen and I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into them. I had to keep a vigilant eye on the children who liked to eat them green!

Tiny Baby

Malnourished child and mom at under five clinic, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe

Collaring Eles

Peace Parks came to Vwaza to collar elephants. It was amazing to sit next to this sleeping giant!

Making galimotos

The boys in my backyard molding mud into toy cars and trucks after a rain. My yard was a playground and I loved the laughter that was ever present.

Damali

A neighbor girl age 3. She was terrified by every other mzungu except me. It took her quite a while to warm up to me though.

Hauling Firewood

These hardworking men would ride their bikes out of Mzuzu and towards Chikangawa to get firewood. They would push the bikes up and down huge hills back into the city to see this firewood for pennies.

Contemplation

I saw Alex sitting on a rock at sunset on Lake Malawi. I couldn't resist this shot. He looked so peaceful.

Traditional Beekeeping

A group of local bee keepers harvest honey from a log hive - no suit and no smoker. They were seeking help from me to help source funds for equipment and more sustainable hives.

wildebeest

Wildebeest on top of nyika plateau in malawi. circa 1992.

kudu

Kudu on top of nyika plateau. Malawi 1992.

child reading

This is a picture of a young child reading in my village in Malawi. circa 1992. We are all born somewhere and must find a way to learn wherever we are.

Malawi host family

This is my Malawian host family. circa 1992.

gotta be happy with a bike!

Bicycling in Malawi is the main mode of transportation. This fellow was having a jolly good time.

the lorry transport

This was standard transportation in Malawi circa 1992. Hard to fathom when coming from a land of one car per person in the USA.

my host family in Malawi

This was my host family in Malawi circa 1992.

favorite tailor

This was my favorite tailor in Malawi 1992.

carlsberg beer in malawi

circa 1992. carlsberg beer distribution center Malawi.

wikipolo

This childs name was wikipolo. The grandmother is shown here caring for wikipolo. I thought the name was great; though I do not know what it means in Chichewa.

wikipolo with mother

This child's name is wikipolo. He is here with his mother; a very young girl just out of her teen years.

monkey see monkey do

On Lake Malawi, there was a place called Cape McClear. On this Cape, there is a place called Monkey Bay. I would escape from work and go stay in a hut to watch the beautiful sunsets. The locals would make me pancakes and bananas for breakfast. The monkeys would come and grab the banana peels, grab the fruit out of the tourists hands. and play on the steps. They saw no evil, heard no evil, and spoke no evil.

training like cheerleaders

PCV training in Malawi 1991.

Chapati Camaraderie

Clothes cram up against clothes, up against walls, and people cram up against walls, and stalls, with stalls cramming up against stalls, and baskets, bags, and babies fill in the spaces between. After a venture past baskets, bags, and babies, and a careful avoidance of mysterious most likely toxic puddles, one may happen upon the Chapati Lady in the Mzuzu market. This morning for breakfast I had two chapati, two eggs, shredded cabbage salad with tomato, and chips all pleasantly coated in grea...

Tiwonge

Tiwonge used to wash my floors and clothes and sometimes water my garden before it disappeared into shriveled brownness. For these tasks I paid for her school fees so that she could attend secondary school. I like Tiwonge, she’s feisty and smart though sometimes careless and uncaring but she pulls it off with also being sort of sassy. Her sassiness makes her carelessness seem purposeful as if she does it perhaps to back up being sassy or maybe to protect herself. Either way Tiwonge and I got...

kawaza

Outside my door a collection of children harshly rap at a mango tree with a long pole. The tree whackers have to shield their heads as they go in to retrieve the green rounds out of the dust. I love how things so gently collide around my house. Mango trees to me are exotic, a tree that grows far away from New England apple trees that don’t take up near the amount of sky and air space that the wide mango limbs do. But to see the exotic I have to duck my head, peeking under my laundry which is ...

Why I never went to Law School After Peace Corps

One day toward the end of my service in 1992, I heard a knock on my door. I opened it and saw the chief of the village summoning me to court under the local BAOBAB tree in the scorching hot African sun. He had his offical headdress on with hundreds of HUGE FEATHERS sticking out of it. And he was speaking Chichewa in a harsh tone. He took me down the road about 3km from my home and summoned me to sit under the tree, where I was interrogated for over 14 hrs. My dog had been eating local chicken...

profound moment

I was at the local post office in my town in Balaka, Malawi. I was accustomed to speaking Chichewa, the local language, every time I went there. One day I was waiting in line and I heard a distinctive American voice; I looked around to find the white person - the other 'azungu' in the area. I looked and looked and went around the building and back and there was no white person to be seen. Finally I let my ears do the walking; I saw a telephone booth and in that booth was a young woman about m...

Third World Super Women

You haven’t seen a silent strength like this beforeThe long hours of physical labor“women’s work”I wonder if their necks aren’t made of steel orTheir hands of thick, soft kevlar.I’ve seen these women accomplish impossible featscarrying so much water atop their heads, a friend must help to hoist it up there.I’ve seen them grab angry, red coals with bare handsand hold the edges of cooking pots with no complaintsThese women come complete with night-visionas they walk calmly with ease besidemy st...

Africa's Fallen Angels

Their crumpled, lifeless bodieslitter the cold cement floorAn unlikely graveyardRemnants of a long, overnight battle,a struggle to survivea fight for fooda buzzing debacle of sorts.Fallen soldiers,ripped limb from limbSilent, sleeping amputees,With no more song left to sing.The casualties were highon every side.Each army’s dismembered comradescreating a eery obstaclefor their gods to tip-toe by.No one gives a second glanceto their twitching,spazzing appendages.We cannot entertain the thoughto...

Eweyes (kids)

How do you describe the experience of children living in a developing county? It's hard. Do you describe them physically? The fungal sores on their heads and bulging bellies with stick-like arms due to malnutrition? Do you describe their clothes? Often dirty, torn, ill-fitting or useless? How can you fit in the hardships, lost opportunites, hope, joy, their sense of family, the fact that children no more than babies themselves carry around baby siblings on their backs? I think the best w...

Matola Adventure Pt. 1

Ndolo dance

Anne Frank: Jewish by Tribe