Zithunzi (pictures!)

I recently changed phones, so here's a photo dump of all the pictures I hadn't posted yet! 

^ cleaning my water filter after 6 months 

^ made my own sauerkraut! Turned out delicious. 

Okra has been a current favorite lately 

^ killed a camel spider next to my bed the other night.. They're quick!

^ making banana chips

^ this is Blessings, my neighbor. He kept asking to take a picture of him with my glasses haha

^ girls at the teen club playing with my kendama

^ scorpion I killed in my house

Some of year neighbor girls that used to bother me have become good friends. We chat and play cards now 

^ radish harvest round one 

^ the best papaya

^ digging a Permagarden at rachel's site with her mom who was visiting

^ my pet turtle, he ran away shortly after I got him home..

^ beautiful amethyst crystal I got in Zomba 

^ my new and improved garden, ready for round two of planting

Zoyenda~ ("it's going")

So much has happened since my last blog post - sorry if this is a little all over the place (it's just like my adventures here).

Early in September I was able to lead a session for the Teen Group that meets monthly at my health center. The children (age 10 - 20) are all living with HIV, and to suppress the virus they are to take antiretroviral medicine daily (ARVs). To help them remember I designed a lesson where everyone could draw a reminder picture to hang in their house. The picture had to have 3 parts: a written reminder, the time of day they take it, and a picture of something they like to do (because the ARVs will help give their bodies the strength to do it. As an example I drew a picture of myself playing banjo (most of my village knows I play banjo). About halfway through the session I walked around to see what people where drawing for themselves, but to my surprise I found most of the kids drawing themselves playing banjo. Its likely that the directions were a bit lost in translation, but I like to think maybe there are a few aspiring musicians in the teen group. In either case, the session was a success (I think) and I'm excited to see if the pictures actually made it home when I see them all next weekend!

I just got back from 2 and a half weeks away from site and have been readjusting to village life. I was away for In-Service Training in Lilongwe with my counterpart, Romeo, where we began planning the projects I will be undertaking in the coming months. I knew I was lucky to have such a great counterpart and friend before IST, but after going through a training together I'm even more excited to work with him in our village.

At IST we learned a lot of practical skills that I hope to apply in my area. The most inspirational session we had was actually an after-hours session we special requested. It was about permagardening and how to design a garden that will feed a family year round. I never thought I would be so inspired by a gardening talk, but wow! It seems so strange that I never learned about this in the states - the results from the method we learned about are incredible, and by using this technique we should only have to water TWICE a WEEK (which is crazy for Africa!).

While at IST I also was able to lead a session for the other health volunteers and counterparts about nutrition. My friend did a quick lecture about nutrients, a healthy meal, and treating deficiencies with food as medicine. After she finished I shared a project I have been working on at site - a collection of locally available foods complete with the nutritional value found in each. The response from other volunteers and their counterparts was fantastic, and I hope to complete the document soon to send across Malawi! To wrap up the session I lead a cooking demo where I taught how to prepare mexican style refried beans, lime rice, and okra. Sharing delicious food with PCVs, counterparts, and staff from the office was a great way to end a great day of training.

One final bit of news from IST - I am officially a committee member of VDAS (Volunteer Diversity and Support)! This is pretty big deal for me - only 4 out of 41 people from our group were accepted, and I am the only health volunteer focusing on peer support in VDAS. This means that I will be working with a small group of committee members to help improve the overall mental health of volunteers in Malawi! This is the first time I've held a position somewhat relevant to my college degree (psychology), and I'm excited to see where it takes me!

After IST over 90 PCVs from Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, and other african countries all met up on the shore of Lake Malawi to go to Lake of Stars. Words can't describe how baddly I was missing concerts back in America, but this last weekend was just what I needed. We stayed in a beautiful house right on the lake only a short drive from the venue. The days were filled with swimming, good food, good drinks, dancing, and great friends. Its an incredible feeling being surrounded by like-minded people all living so far from home. The music was a blast, and I left the show with new friends and even closer old friends. In America people say "work hard and play hard", and after working hard for 6 months in Malawi this was a great reward for us all.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things, but this will have to do for now! It's been 209 days in Malawi now - hot season is here and projects are beginning. Stay in touch! 

Love from Malawi~

((prepare for a mass photo dump, enjoy!))

^ Obre and his younger brother Osama are two of my best friends in the village, and they make me look like a giant haha

^ Hebra, Mphasto ("Faith"), Prince, and Fred. For the short time they were on break from school they would come over almost every afternoon to play with the toys at my house and ask "what is this" about most everything I owned. Miss seeing them everyday, but I will see them again when they return from school!

^ Liwonde National Park is only an hour bike ride from my house, and home to over 600 elephants. On my friend's last night in Malawi we went to the park and got to watch nearly 100 elephants cross the Shire River as the sun set (they were only about 50 feet away so we had to be cautious!)

All the volunteers (Peace Corps and others) near Liwonde National Park getting ready to catch the boat back to town. Many of them have since gone home, but we had so many great adventures while they were here

^ Romeo and I working in our health center's garden. After IST I've learned there is a much better way of doing this, so we will have to re-dig it all... 

^ Random art project from the other day - made a paintbrush from some rope, duct tape, and bamboo. The bucket is now a planter painted to look like the Malawi flag.

^ The Teen Group's finished ARV reminder pictures! (look for all the banjo's haha)

^ My example picture for the ARV reminder project.

^ Decided to try making a soda can stove - worked out super well! It's going to help me make coffee in the morning with all the increasingly frequent blackouts

^ Harvesting honey from Liwonde National Park. Usually beehives are kept on the ground, but because of the elephants we need to elevate them so they arn't crushed

^ Helping to build a beehive; I believe this is the 6th hive we will be hanging in the park!

^ I had to post this picture - this is my friend Obre. One of the most genuinely kind people I have ever met, and has helped me out countless times in the village. The day we took this he had just gotten a new hat and glasses and demanded a picture haha

^ I was sad to see my Chichewa language tutor move to Lilongwe, but when I was traveling to IST I got to stop and get lunch with him. 

^ Thought this may be cool for people in America to see; if you want to make a long-lasting poster in Malawi we use maize sacks to draw on because they are more durable than paper. This was a poster my friend and I presented for our nutrition talk at IST.

^ Bringing mexican to food to Malawi! Honestly wasn't expecting it to go over so well, but everyone really loved it!

^ One of the coolest classes I've taken - we learned about permagardening and how to design a garden intelligently. Seriously, I'm never having a lawn again - this is so easy and you can have free food year-round!

^ For Lake of Stars we had a house (not shown) and a massive lawn to cover in tents. Behind the tents is Lake Malawi.

^ Friends and music

Zikhala Bwino ("staying well")

Well my last major life update was at 100 days in Malawi, and today (August 12th) marks 160 days! Sorry these posts are so sporadic, but due to poor internet and increasingly frequent blackout it makes using my computer difficult! 

Since my last post I've been working daily at the local health center doing small tasks to help out whenever possible (mostly paperwork and talking with staff/patients). Some people from America keep asking me what I am doing here in hopes of hearing some inspiration story or exciting adventure. To be honest, I only have one especially exciting day a week and it's usually just a meeting or meaningful conversation I happen to have with someone. Day to day I'm not living this incredible adventure many friends in America seem to think I'm having - I'm living just like the people around me; chatting, pumping water, cleaning, cooking, helping others when the opportunity arises, etc. 

I've been reading a book recently ("The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying") and came across one extremely powerful passage that may help my friends and family in America - both in understanding my life here, and hopefully in improving your own:

"There are different species of laziness: Eastern and Western. The Eastern style consists of hanging out all day in the sun, doing nothing, avoiding any kid of useful activity, drinking cups of tea, listening to music on the radio, and gossiping about friends. Western laziness is quite different. It consists of cramming our lives with compulsive activity, so that there is no time at all to confront the real issues."

To me this is a great comparison of the two cultures - in America if you are walking down the street and see someone whom you want to chat with there are usually 101 reasons why there simply isn't time. In Malawi, however, a passing conversation on the road or at the water pump is common - and many times it ends with a new friend.

This is how one of my first projects began actually! I met my friend Clara who works for Moyo ndi Pamba ("life is capitol") which is a branch of USAID that goes into local villages doing similar work that Peace Corps volunteers do. After a chance meeting one day we decided to work with a community 15 min down the road to construct a community garden. The community worked extremely hard clearing the land, building a fence, and preparing the soil. I was there with them helping to dig the beds, and together we planted 6 beds of tomatoes, beans, leafy greens, cucumber, and even cantaloupe (trying to explain a cantaloupe to someone who has never seen one sure was entertaining). I donated some of my seeds I have brought from America, and after a bit of hard work we finished the garden!

We are planning to start a new garden soon, and after an empowering meeting with Feed the Future (another branch of USAID) last week I think my fellow hospital workers and I are going to plan some cooking demo's and other nutrition related events. I've also been going to "teen club" which is a monthly meeting for children (many under 13) that are living with HIV/AIDS, and in July I will be leading an activity where we will draw pictures to be used as daily reminders to take HIV suppression meds. 

Outside of work I've been having plenty of adventures round Malawi also! I've hiked around Zomba Plateau (my favorite place in Malawi, so far) and seen a lot of the major lookouts. Along the trails in Zomba you find many people selling quartz, tourmaline, feldspar, and other gems that they collect from a nearby mountain (Mt. Malosa). Later this month I'm planning to venture up this mountain and see some of the mines they are finding these gems in - I'm really excited about this! I also made a trip up to Cape McClear, one of the most popular tourist locations. Although the water was beautiful, the atmosphere had a very "westerner's vacation" vibe that I wasn't as much a fan of. My favorite moments at the Cape were snorkeling with cichlids and cliff jumping after taking the "Rasta Boat" to otter point.

It's just a few weeks until my next Peace Corps training, and I couldn't be more ready. After this training we will finally be allowed to start our own projects and apply for grant funding. I will be bringing my counterpart and friend Romeo with me to Lilongwe for our training, and after I'm headed to Malawi's biggest music festival Lake of Stars! Big things coming up!

I've included a few pictures below (per usual), hope you enjoy these small windows into my life here in Malawi! Don't be afraid to write me a letter or send me a butterfinger (hint hint), I'm sure we will all be in touch soon one way or another. 

-Trevor

^ A few of the gems I've boughten from the people selling up on Zomba (it's an ongoing joke that I spend all my stipend on rocks rather than food, and sometimes its true haha)

^ Clara, Nsulu village, and myself working to create there community garden. The food will go to local families, and the idea is that this garden will inspire other families to plant their own gardens at home!

^ Hiking in Zomba

^ On of the most beautiful views on Zomba

^ Zomba

^ My favorite meal for lunch - Mustard Greens, Tomato, Onion, Spices on Rice (living local)

^ Me and two of my best village friends. These are the two younger brothers (the oldest was working, and the second oldest took the picture). They would come and sit with me on my porch even when we couldn't hold an actual conversation (they only know Chichewa), but after months of being together we laugh and share stories everyday

^ The PCV closest to me recently finished her service (she was a teacher at the secondary school near me), and for her going away party the local church choir sand a few beautiful songs. On the far right (black and checkered shirt) is my language tutor Stuart, and in the red is my counterpart Romeo.

^ To visit my friends staying in Liwonde National Park I take a small boat across the Shire River. On on trip we saw a massive heard of elephants and hippos (both common in my area)

^ This little guy may look cute, but he's a banana theft (he sat next to me eyeing my food for nearly an hour)  

^ This gives you an idea of how close these elephants are 

^ Only a month or two more till I'm eating the fruits (and vegetables) from my garden!

^ My favorite snack, papaya! Costs about $1, and is almost as big as my head! 

^ Another favorite meal: Okra, tomatoes, onion, cumin, garlic, soya pieces, with the Malawian staple nsima

DIY Bucket Wine / Beer / Champaign / Mead

Before leaving to Malawi I began researching how people can make their own wine at home - and I realized the process is extremely easy. In Malawi if you are seen at a bar or buying alcohol people are likely to assume you are indulging far more than you may actually be. This is because people who "take alcohol" here do so with the intention of getting completely drunk. In America its common to have a glass of wine or beer with dinner or even a couple drinks on a Friday night - all taken in moderation - but thats not the case in Malawi. Because of this social opinion surrounding alcohol (and the small wallets us PCV's have) some of us have taken up brewing in our homes as an experiment. It's a very easy process thats safe to try even if you haven't done anything like this before.

Many volunteers here are interested in learning how to make "bucket wine" and have asked me for advice. This post is for you!

^ The pictures in this post are from when I made ginger beer, but the technique can be used for wine, champaign, or mead. The essential ingredients to any brew are water, yeast, and sugar (or honey) - everything else will just make it look/taste better. I'm using red wine yeast I brought from home, but any type of yeast will do. The only difference is how high of an alcohol percent your final product will have; baking yeast cannot survive highly alcoholic environments so your final product will have a much lower alcohol percent (compared to wine yeast which can survive in much more alcoholic environments leaving you with a much stronger drink). Experiments with your own ratios, but a general rule of thumb might be something like 1kg sugar :: 2.5g yeast :: 10L water (for my ginger beer I used 3kg :: 5g :: 15L and it came out very sweet like soda)

^After you have ingredients start to prepare them for boiling - the more surface area your ingredients have the stronger the flavor will be. For the ginger beer I mashed up the fresh ginger into a pulp so that the flavor would be strong, but for softer fruits mashing isn't necessary (but you can do it if you want, it won't hurt anything).

^ In a large pot combine all your ingredients EXCEPT YEAST and boil together for 30 minutes to an hour. I was using charcoal so I couldn't get it to a rolling boil, but if you are able to it's highly recommended because a rolling boil will kill unwanted bacteria that could grow in your wine (I haven't had this problem, but others have). After boiling leave your newly created juice to cool with a cloth placed over the top to prevent insects. For my ginger beer I let it cool for an hour, but since then I have learned it's best to let it sit overnight.

^ Add your juice to the brewing container of your choice; I used a chigubu (plastic jug used for oil). Add your yeast, give it a little shake to wake it up, and apply your seal. A great seal will allow air to escape the jug, but not allow outside air to enter. You can do this by running a hose from the lid into a bottle of water (bubbles will come from the hose, but because it is submerged in water no air can flow back in). If you can't find materials (or just want to find a use for all those Peace Corps condoms) you can just use a condom secured with a hair tie! As the yeast eats the sugar, both alcohol and co2 are released and the condom will inflate! Using a knife poke a very small hole in the end of condom to slowly let air out (as it deflates the plastic will contract and seal the hole, preventing air from entering).

^ From there just sit back at let the yeast eat! After it has finished use a cloth/screen to filter and pour into bottles. If you want a carbonated drink, bottle your brew after 10 days and allow it to continue fermenting in an airtight environment for another week or two (co2 will still be released, but because it can't escape it will mix with the liquid). If you want a flat drink, leave it in the brewing jug until no more co2 is being released (you can tell when the condom doesn't inflate/ bubbles don't come from the tube; depending on which method you used).

All brews (carbonated or flat) should be stored in air-tight containers. An easy DIY sealing method is to put a plastic bag around the opening and screw the cap on over it (be careful not to rip the plastic!). If your wine isn't sealed and becomes exposed to air it will begin the process of turning into vinegar (takes 2 - 4 weeks, and can be a good thing if you want vinegar!). If you made a carbonated drink BE CAREFUL, sometimes the yeast can continue to ferment for longer than you anticipated resulting in the bottle exploding! Throughout the whole process of making wine taste it and see how its doing. It's okay to open your brew bottle once a week and drink a cup (OR ferment a small amount in a smaller jug to sample from).

Fermenting is kind scary for people, but when it comes to making bucket wine don't be afraid! The "worst case scenario" is an upset stomach - you won't die or become seriously ill. If something goes wrong you will see it or smell it before you ingest anything anyway (it will be obvious - a bottle of mine had a hole and I could tell the second I looked at it that mold was growing on top). This can be a fun first lesson in fermentation, and can help you with possible future projects (cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, etc.)

I hope this helps all you future-brewers! I just finished drinking my ginger beer and it turned out delicious! My next batch (raspberry and rosemary with coconut wine) is brewing as I write this - I can't wait to see how it turns out! If you have questions send me a message or leave a comment and I can try to help the best I can!

For your health!