32 days and a wake-up!!!

This string is how the builders keep the bricks even... Crazy...

The original builder... The new main builder is the guy in the blue shirt...

 And... here are some more pictures!!!  I'm absolutely amazed at the building process in this country.  Its fascinating to watch construction.  When my neighbor was building his house, I'd literally sit there and stare at him... taking pictures.  They couldn't figure out what was wrong with me... Anyways... We've had a few setbacks in construction.  First, we lost our original builder to tuberculosis.  He had been sick for quite awhile and relapsed about 2 weeks ago.  He was transferred to the main district hospital, but unfortunately, the intervention was too late.  Myself, my counterpart Alex, and some members of the school staff, management committee, and library committee attended his funeral.  It was far more difficult for me emotionally to attend since he had a daughter in Standard (Grade) 6 that was very emotional, plus I recognized her as one of the girls who attended the field trip to Mulanje, so I knew her.  Thankfully, his partner is also a very good builder, so he agreed to continue the project. 

Another setback has been costs of materials.  Prices have gone up quite significantly in the last few months.  Also, additional items/cost keep getting added unexpectedly from the original budget.  That's been pretty frustrating.  But, because of a donation from a 3rd party (huge thanks to Hayon and her class at Deira International), we managed to cover all the cost increases.  Additionally, we've been able to use some of the additional money to cover a training for all 10 library committee members at Muloza instead of either not having the training at all or sending only 1 person to Blantyre to get training.  Pretty exciting!

Otherwise... things are moving along fast!  The walls are constructed, roof is on, and as of today, walls should be all plastered!  Tomorrow starts the floor leveling and cementing.  If things go as scheduled, the wall should be limed by the end of the week!!  I'm hoping by the end of the training on Friday, we can start moving the library from the classroom into the new building!!! 

In other news... we welcomed 39 new trainees that will be replacing my group and then the COS-ing health in August.  Its awesome to see some new faces and I hope that they will love being here.  Attended my last Volunteers supporting volunteers (VSV) meeting last week as well.  It's nice to see the group moving into a positive direction.  I think that this committee has a ton of potential and definitely think its on the roll to achieving it. 

Anyways... here's a few more pictures from the library... they are about 1.5 weeks old, so its much farther along than this... And also the trainees as they got to the airport! Sorry folks, the picture isn't zoomed in... and we didn't get time for more due to rainy season drizzle... :(  Pepani!

Halfway thru constructing the walls.. with home-made scaffolding!

A view from the inside!  Sort of...

Trainees!!!  Wahoo!!!  We welcome you with two hands! (Takulandilani ndi manja awiri!)

Tikumangira!!!!

Hey all!!  As promised, here is an update of the building progress!  The grant money was deposited early last week, and since then, Alex (my counterpart with forestry) and I have been running around like CRAZY!!!  Cement, lime, and roofing wire have been recently purchased and transported to the school to be stored with the iron roof sheets and nails that the school had previously purchased!  The builder started working on Friday, and I'm amazed at how fast he's working!  Don't worry, he knows what he's doing; he's also built the storage room for the World Food Program at the school and the building is really nice.  Friday he finished digging the trench for the foundation and by tuesday, he had completely finished the foundation bricks and started on the walls.  You can see from the pictures posted the progress he's made up until last night (Wednesday).  It hasn't even been a week, and he's so far along!  Alex and I have been busy this week buying 20,000 bricks and making transport arrangements for it, as well as for the dambo sand to be used as mortar.  Additionally, we've gotten a new library committee together and are working on revising the old library's guidelines and by-laws.  Anyways... I've been fighting with federal job websites and have developed quite the headache... so off I go!  Thanks guys for the continuing support!

Fully funded!!! Wahoo!!!

So... I just got confirmation today that the PCPP grant to build a school library for the Muloza L. E. A. Primary School has been FULLY FUNDED!!!

A huge, heartfelt thank you to EVERYONE who helped by getting the word out, donating to the project, or who helped with both!!!!  I will keep everyone updated on the project, hopefully with pictures if the internet cooperates.  Thanks again!

Those who pray for rain shouldn't curse the mud...

A very lovely Malawian proverb... And let me tell you... we've finally gotten the rain we've all been praying for, and with it has come A LOT of mud.  So trying really hard not to complain.  But its everywhere.  We had a late start to the rainy season... There was this weird 2.5 weeks in October, usually one of the hottest and driest months of the year, when we had really cool temperatures and a ton of rain.  Then nothing... until the beginning of January.  And now... 3 days this past week I was basically trapped in my very small house because of torrential downpours.  I haven't seen the sun for more than 30 minutes in over a week (SAD in the tropics anyone?).  I've been the cause of much amusement with neighbors and friends; I had several severe cases of cabin fever and started wandering around in the late afternoon when the rain became a drizzle.  "Mutowe mvula" or "You should run from the rain" they all yelled at me... Either way.  Its nice to not worry about crops failing because of too little or too late rain.

So... Merry late Christmas and a Happy New Years to everyone who reads this!  I hope the holidays were family and fun filled.  A bunch of us went north to the lake and then to the tropical island paradises of Likoma and Chizumulu Islands.  We relaxed, ate delicious food, were visited by Santa (actually the amazing and thoughtful Miss Sara Lane... thanks again!), hung out at one of the coolest bars I've ever seen (a series of decks and patios placed among boulders right by the lake... the owner claims that decks disappear and appear as the water level changes over the years... crazy!)...  New Years was also at the lake... dance party funness.  While I was up in my second favorite region of Malawi (sorry... the South still rocks), I got to hang out at some other volunteers sites as well... Which is always a great way to see other parts of the country.

Our COS (Close of Service) conference was a blast as well... I have an official date: April 13th is my last "official" day as a PCV.  From there, I'll be heading on a "COS trip" which will include Vic falls, Zanzibar, and hopefully a climb up Kilamanjaro.  Then flying home!!!!

In village life.... I'm super glad to be back.  I really missed my house... my friends... my neighbors... my work... my routine...  everything.  First couple days back got to hang out with my awesome site mates.  We had a sushi themed dinner that was absolutely amazing.  Discovered that when you haven't ridden your bike more than 10k in over 6 months, going longer distances and then climbing up half a mountain will take more out of you than expected.  Also, attended my first funeral in Malawi of an older gentleman who lives next to my borehole. The man, Mr. Mbisa, was super friendly, and never failed to say hello when I passed every day.  He was a Jehovah's witness, and somehow managed to procure English (as opposed to Chichewa) versions of the Watchtower magazine most months to give me.  Since cell network at my site sucks, I usually sat at this tea shed in the same area as the borehole and his house to check messages and have family phone call day on Sundays.  He always sent one of the neighborhood kids over with the magazine, and while I wasn't necessarily interested in reading them, the fact that he thought of me really touched me.  He passed away this past Tuesday; he had been sick with malaria and when treatment at our health center wasn't working, they transferred him to the boma, but he didn't respond to the treatment there either.  The funeral was a very moving experience.  In some ways, it was very similar to ones I've attended in the US, but in other ways, very different.  For instance, women sit inside with the deceased one throughout the morning while the men sit outside.  Often close family members are crying or wailing, but people don't physically comfort them.  Instead they simply sit close by and silently offer their support.  When you come to pay your respects, it is customary to show your respect by contributing money to assist with the funeral expenses (they actually record who and how much was contributed and then read it later as a sign of gratitude).  Around noon, the service starts.; people are still segregated by gender.  Then things begin to be more similar to American funeral- people sing hymns, read eulogies, read bible passages, etc.  Suffice to say, it was a very moving experience...

Finally, a huge thank you to all of you that have helped my library projected by contributing money, getting the word out or both!!!  THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!  As of today, the project has "disappeared" from the Peace Corps website... that hopefully means its fully funded (I'm being cautiously optimistic) and we can get started on it.  I'll know for sure on Monday (the Program assistant in charge of the grant is in the field today so won't know till then).  Please keep your fingers crossed that this is the case (and not that something weird has happened)!  If so, I have just enough time to complete this project before I leave... so Yippie!!  Until next time... lots of love and hugs to everyone out there!!