Lots Happening

Keep the comments coming its great to hear from everyone. Too bad about Tootsies, I suppose it was predictable. It sounds like you had a great holiday Karen let me know more as you remember more about it.! Thanks for all the goat recipes, I've not got round to them yet but will.

I've had my first mail from home. I was so excited opening it. I know other things were sent earlier but haven't arrived. The post is very erratic here. Jane sent wonderful earl gray tea and wee face creams. I was like a kid at Christmas opening it. I am assured that it can take anything up to 3 months for mail to arrive. The odd thing is I get my weekly news paper from London and it only takes a few days to get here. I keep it for Sundays and read the local papers during the week. They can be quite entertaining.

I've finished my orientation so I should get my registration through before I leave the country. I can now work in the college and hospital. I'm in Lilongwe just now for 2 weeks training with VSO. So I'm looking forward to catching up with all my VSO colleagues and having a few sundowners in the hotel next to ours. The hotel we are staying in is run by Muslims and is dry, no luck there.

I'm in the process of moving house. I've packed everything and should move into my new house when I get back to St Luke's. Its a 3 bedroomed house with a large garden and is only 5 minutes walk from the college and the main road. I'll be able to get the garden going and plant my veg. I'll also be able to get a couple of chickens and hope they don't eat all the veg. I found an amazing amount of mouse shit on the shelves and in the drawers in my house when I was packing and I did have something black scurrying round my feet one night when I got up to the loo. I had thought most of the noises during the night were from the animals outside including my night guard.

I'm getting a kitten when I go back. He/she is called Mati (short for Matawali a village close to Zomba). He/she is the scruffiest kitten I've ever seen but as long as he/she kills the vermin we'll get on just fine. I'll miss my wee house up the hill with the goats, monkeys and hyenas but it will be much better living beside other people and being closer to work and the road.

I was eventually abducted from the road leading to my house and dragged into the church by one of the choir ladies. There was a choir practice and they wanted to sing for me. It was absolutely beautiful, no organ or piano just wonderful singing. I was terrified in case they asked me to sing! The priest has continued to stalk me and I eventually came clean and told him that his understanding and my interpretation of non-denominational were different things and that I really was not about to join the church.

Because of the transport problems and always having to be home before its dark I have decided to buy a car. One of the other volunteers is leaving at the end of August and I'm buying her car from her. So there will be no stopping me then. Petrol is very expensive but it will be good to get out more and see more of the country and catch up with some other people here. The swimming pool should open next month and I'm looking forward to that. Its getting hotter again but the locals still think its cold.

I know some Brownies wanted to keep in touch and become involved in supporting people here. I've asked in the hospital and it would be great if they could knit squares and sew them into blankets about 1 meter square for the nursery.

So all is well here and its great hearing from everyone. I don't know if I'll get back to the Internet before I leave in 2 weeks but I'll keep you posted when I can. Enjoy the summer rain and keep in touch.