A few things. Sorry, I haven't updated much. I had no idea that it would be a challenge to send out photos and accurately describe life here. So much is lost in translation and my photos may tell more about life here than my words. I don't have much left in the tank after a long week at the hospital and I have to really push myself to update this blog and return emails. It's not that I don't care and don't want everyone to be in the loop - but the culture is so completely foreign, that I myself still do not know what's going on around me some of the time. I have struggled to forget everything I know about what I expected the job to look like. Nothing is straight-forward, even the simplest of tasks takes hours or days to complete. There is nothing wrong with the work flow at the hospital, I am very quick to judge and feel that something isn't right. As an american, I have this prideful idea that different is wrong and anything but our way isn't best. If I keep this mentality, I won't last here. I will suffer and I will not accomplish much.
I am a tourist surrounded by natives. I try to put myself in the same situation if a Malawian visited a hospital in South Carolina. How strange and different it would be. And it wouldn't be up to the Malawian to change anything, just to adapt. Christ is really working on my temper and lack of patience. Relationships are key here - more than anything else. At the end of the day, that's all we have...including our relationship with God. If I neglect talking and mingling with people here, I'm setting up my own roadblock. I don't want to live in a bubble, eating American meals and just hanging out with american and british friends. I want to be part of Blantyre, I want to see what life really looks like. I want to truly LIVE, that's why I came.
Packages - here's the deal.
Please don't send anything that you would freak out if it was lost. Packages take 6-8 weeks to arrive and shipping is expensive. Letters are great and I would cherish anything handwritten. Please know that I am not in need of anything here - there are shops and grocery stores here. I love trying new stuff and I really have no choice with most foods. If you want to send something - duct tape the box. Put items in a ziploc bag. Place anything valuable in the center of the box. The reason for these precautions s that the locals will cut packages and pull things out. It's a running joke here, it's so common. The post office clerks laughingly say "Mice got a hold of this one, haha." They laugh and you cry. Fair trade for being an an azunga with more money than lots of villages.
Love you all, you don't know how much I look forward to texts, calls and any communication with friends and family. It's like coming home every time I hear from people. Distance keeps us apart but we remain close. I think that's a beautiful thing.
Love you all.
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