Achimwene, achimwali, ciao for now

Yesterday, the 15th of August I migrated through the Northern most border post of Malawi (name forgotten, actually, name not known)and entered Tanzania.

Malawi has been a intense, growthful and fun almost-2 months. I learnt that I really do know what is good for me, and that I really (we all do) have a strong intuition. I also learnt that you should not have space cake on your 3rd or 4th try of weed ;)

I met some pretty extraordinary people.

Carol, in Lilongwe, who taught me how to cook, and be confident in meeting people.

The Pickering family in Lilongwe, who looked out for me (and the other people on Nature's gift farm) - who took me to the lake with them, who made me feel welcome always in their home, and being all of us South African, we just got each other.

Agu, in Nkhota kota who, on my second night there, when I had a stomach bug and there was a gale force wind blowing off the lake, told me that I was not going to sleep alone in my tent and took me to her house and I slept wonderfully.

Nick, from Joburg, who works at a backpackers in Nkhata Bay. Us South Africans, I have learnt, have each others backs. Remember Paul on the chappa to the border in Mozambique? Who carried my bag and helped me with some tricky Portuguese situations? Then the Pickerings, and then Nick. When I had my bad space cake trip, he totally sh** the guy out who gave me some, and hated on him with me. Ah, home away from home.

Sari, Emily, Amy, Mike, Cat, Dan, Diana, Jerome, Viola, the Irish people (Sarah and Liam) - the volunteer team at Butterfly space. They will always be a very special part of my life. My time in Butterfly was too beautiful and for now it is a secret story to reply in my mind and heart. People will hear my stories eventually. For now I am jealously guarding Butterfly as my own ;)

Kwame, my best Malawian friend. We hit it off, him and I. We like the same music and we like to dance and he is silly and everyone at Butterfly just loves him. He is also a do everything kinda 23 year old. He helps with the special needs children care group, he is a great Tonga- English or Tonga - chiTumbuka or chiTumbuka - English (I am sure you get my drift) translator. He sends news reports to a community radio station in Mzimba. And runs the bar at Butterfly. If we are not married in the next 12 years, Kwame and I are going to get married.

Fanny is one of the chefs at Butterfly. She is loud and cras and Cat thinks that we have a crush on each other. She swears at me in Tonga, I shout at her is isiXhosa. We laugh, carry on our days and repeat this again and again. It was so great to meet someone who is just as loud as me. Many people I have met so far are soft spoken and angelic. I sometimes feel as if I am deafening them. I definitely do not deafen Fanny. She ululates in my ear.

These are the people that JUMP to my mind, but there have been many more.

Malawi, I have decided (but plans change) will be revisited on my way home.

And by the way, I have dreads.

Mwende bwino