Ok so I went down to Dedza, which is about an hour and a half south of the Capital city of Malawi, Lilongwe. I was going to go down and do what is called, "The training of the trainers". Sounds fancy right? Not so much, basically this is the Pre Training of all of the In-country (Malawian) Peace Corps staff before a new group of volunteers arrived. The end of February a new group of both health and environment volunteers would arrive. It was my job to give advice to the staff of what to teach, how to teach, goals, what works, what doesn't and so on.
This trip defiantly started out on the wrong foot. First of all I live in Chitipa, the most Northern and Remote area of Malawi. It takes me three days to get to Lillongwe. (Biking to my boma, then a night in Mzuzu, then finally Lilongwe.) My boss calls me about four days before she wants me to come down.
Ok, you know, I'm not that picky so I could do it no problem, throw some stuff in a bag, go to the boma. It would be fine...if only I was at my site. I was still in my district, Chitipa, but I was site visiting a friend, Briana who lives in Misuku. I was doing mud stove building and compost making for her career week. The thing is, Misuku is far. It takes like 3-5 hours to get their depending on transport. The really only way to get in and out is by Ambulance.
But rewind. I packed to go ON A WEEK LONG TRIP TO MISUKU...Not a few WEEK trip to LILONGWE.
I had no razor, my shamppo ran out, no conditioner, no laundry or body soap, I had three shirts (One which ripped on this trip so was useless cause i had no SEWING KIT)I brought a sport and regualr bra but the sports bra ripped...I had limited underwear AND I only had a skirt (Not a good travel Skirt) and a pair of Capris... Those were basically all I had cause I had not intended to be going anywhere after a week at a firends house.
No problem right? I had 4 days right? Well we told the ambulance to wake us up and get me to take me to the boma so I could go to my hous eand repack and ge the recipts and forms I was supposed to be taking to my boss down south when I got the chance. Bri assured me the ambulance never left without her...They left without us. A midnight malaria call had the ambulance leaving around 11 pm. And they left us.
Now im starting to sweat. Because travel in Misuku is sketchy at best. I have no choice but to wait for another ambulance. The worst part, we don't find out till EVENING the next day that they left without us. We were waiting all day for the ambulance instead of trying to find another ride. Luckily the hospital coordinator felt bad so he arranged for another ambulance to pick us up that night. They were in the village over dropping off a dead body (Yes a dead body, in the back of the truck, where they also carry passengers and no, there is no sterilization...this is Africa) Yuck. Anyway, the Misuku ambulance had gotten called tot he other side of Chitipa since the driver is also a mechanic. So they "traded" drivers. I still dont have time to go to my house but maybe I will make it to Lilongwe in time to catch my connecting ride to Dedza.
Bri has decided to come with me for the weekend cause their is stuff she needs to do in the boma. Cool. I hop in the front at around 7 pm and Bri hops in the back with some other passengers. We head down the road for half an hour and find the road blocked by construction. So we have to go back half and hour. Its now 8 pm. Unfortunately the people in the back are sick. Literally. Went we get back to Misuku Center Bri hops out telling me she can't handle it. People were throwing up out the window and one man threw up into a bag that Bri gave him. After throwing up he rested the puke filled bag on her leg. Some leaked and crusty onto her jeans. Needless to say I would have had issues too.
After a few hours in the Ambulance I get to Yotham fairly late. I was so tired I just set up my things and passed out. Around 4:30 the next morning I got up to start Hitching down to Mzuzu. I did what I tell myself every time not to do. Dont get into the first car. Needless to say I got suckered in (They always say they are leaving JUST NOW) and then I waited 2 hours. They offered me the front seat which is awesome but I eventually got so tired that I just got out and started walking. About 5 Kilometres down the road the same matola picked me up. I insisted on getting the front seat back.
When we get to Karonga there are no buses so I have to sit in a crammed minibus full of sweaty people. Finally I get to Mzuzu, then Lilongwe the next day. I go to the Training of the trainers and have a decent time. However I had horrible bouts of runny nose, coughing, sneezing, the top of my mouth/back of my throat would itch. My eyes itched and burned. I got in contact with my Peace Corps Doc, Doctor Max. He is a bubbly Malawian, and very funny. He makes you feel very comfortable coming to him with your issues. Anyway, He saw me and put me under observation. He put me on Med hold two more times diagnosing me with an upper respiratory infection. He said I would get better with rest. Unfortunatly more and more volunteers kept pouring into Mufasa's Lodge, Making rest impossible. I was embarrassed to keep asking to borrow peoples clothes or razors or shampoo or conditioner. I was sick of washing my clothes in the sink, getting crappy sleep from drunken room-mates. Finally I just decided to go home.
That trip really really sucked. To top it off when I finally got back to my site my dog was missing. Still is. I cant even think about getting another dog. Howie was just too great.
Even now, over a month later I still have those bouts. I think they are allergy and rain related. In the mountains (When I visited Adam) they were horrible. When I was at my site, it was more mild, more on and off. Im just waiting for the rains to end to end my allergy misery now.
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