Now been in our house one week and lots of things need doing to it. It was like a run down student accommodation.
The kitchen had been neglected by previous volunteers a simple bit of diy has transformed it plus the big thing yesterday we acquired a real cooker out of the VSO wearhouse. Like all other volunteers we had been given a standard worktop two hot plates.
The cooker was full of dust and grime it has cleaned up really well. This is a real luxury and it works..
Also stripped off the sealant around the sink and worktop which was black with grime and mould and re sealed. What a difference.
Next was the curtains, which were all dangling down, all that was needed was to rehang them. Reggie came in and said core new curtains. Just simple things make a difference.
Most of the electrics are in a real state so off to buy some new fitting and replace the dangerous ones and some pans so we can cook.
The last two evenings we have been invited next door to Reggie and Dens house for a meal. Arthur is down from the north and Mike a new volunteer are staying with them, both Phillippino's. Their cooking is incredible. Egg fried rice, Soups, Beef in rice noodles, Pork stewed in soy sauce. Then they also produce puddings, apple crumble, rice pudding with fruit, strawberry something. Then this morning we were given some bread with pawpaw fruit in it. ( we have our own supply in the garden and banana's). Herman is loving this he has a huge appetite especially when it's oriental.
The city of Lilongwe is mostly modern but unmaintained with travel by the mini buses packed to the brim..
Our house is close to the New city centre where most of the commerce is i.e. Banks, Insurance are based not many shops here and very dead once the offices close. We then have the old town which is about 3 miles away though a nature sanctuary. Not very nice to travel at night so you need a car or taxi. Taxi's are expensive unless you get 4 or 5 to share.
I have found a car a Mitsubishi Colt 2005 for £3k it's a japanese import, now just waiting for money to be transferred from my UK bank account takes 12 days! Had fancied a Rav4 but very expensive for £4k you get an 18 year old with around 200k kils on it. whilst good for the tracks which there will be many of, at that age and milage they break down a lot.
Work is what I expected it to be. Basically zero, nobody knows what your supposed to do and very cold to us.
Everybody say it takes 2-3 weeks for the locals to accept you before they start opening up and telling you what they want.
I am based in the old town but on day one they had no idea why I was there. So we got transferred to the head office 15 mins from where we live. This is called Capital hill and is where all the government offices are, set of new building, build by the Chinese.
Everybody is cramped into small offices, so we have a chair to sit on but no desks. Well we don't need one as we have no work to do.
Worst is that nobody appears to drink tea or coffee and no where to get one!.
At 12 everybody has an hours lunch, there is a lunch hall 10 mins walk away. Selling Chicken or Beef with Rice or nsima for £1.50 , but no coffee. Most days we have finished in the office and gone to the VSO office in the centre where there are some basic shops.
On Wednesday night went to a place called 'The Shack' it is literally and the in place ( only) in the week to go. It has two Beach volleyball courts and a well organised league which VSO have a team. The place is full of volunteers from the many difference organisations around the world based here. People say the atmosphere is just like being on a beach in Thailand but without the sea.
Well that's it for this week, hopefully next weekend we will get out of Lilongwe and visit elsewhere.
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