I've Dropped the Ball
Forgive me! I've been incredibly remiss in my posting of late, having missed an entire month! Although not too much has happened, I had such high hopes for my consistency. Let's see what I can update you with this time.
FINALLY, the rains have come. That sounds so beautiful, doesn't it? And when they're African rains, why it's positively poetic! I am currently sitting on my famous veranda, with a glass of wine, typing away, and listening to the rain on the large green leaves. Still working on my tree identification. I feel like I have to have a thing. Everyone has a thing these days. And, since I absolutely refuse to be interested in birds, I thought trees would be a cool, yet youthful thing to get interested in. But, I have yet to begin my tree studies.
Therefore, I call them large green leaves, but they could actually be banana leaves. Isn't this description of my garden fascinating? Either way, the rains have come and cut that horrible heat intensely, so now we can breathe. Before I would be sitting in my house, which is cooler due to its tile floors, simply uttering out various sounds such as "ugh". It was so oppressive! I learned how to say in Chichewa, "When it is too hot, I cannot think." It's so true! I couldn't go anywhere because a lot of places like coffee shops are outside, and inside has no AC! The heat, my God, the heat! It was soul-sucking. And, I've lived in hot places. Sharjah was a desert. Literally. And Taiwan was basically underwater with all of the humidity it had. But, this is different.
It's annoying how your body doesn't quite get used to different heats. It's humid, yet dry, and fully draining. You feel exhausted and can't string a pair of words together. But, the rain is here to cool us off and make us pensive. Yay! Writers like to be pensive.
It has been a lovely few months here in Malawi. Is it bad that I still feel like I'm adjusting? I don't always know when it's time to stop making excuses like "But it's a new place" and "I'm still figuring out my schedule", but I will continue to make them. My day to day is wonderful. Waking up early is a breeze here for some odd reason. It's so calm and peaceful in the morning, and then I can read with my lovely pot of tea until it's time to start working.
My days are wonderful. I read in the morning, then begin with whatever writing project I would like. Then, I move on to the next, have lunch, maybe have a Chichewa lesson, and then finish up any other tidbits. The evening comes, and there's so much to do! I might go with my walking group, play volleyball, head to a friend's to watch a TV show, go to exercise class, or hang out with James. Don't worry, these activities are not listed in order of preference.
I have found so much to fill my time with, and it's surprising since there really is a huge reduction in what there is to do compared to the bustling metropolis of Taipei. This past weekend, we just had a rugby tournament, where I got to shudder in my boots as people came barreling towards me. But, I survived, even though I was whispering under my breath for the time to be up. The weekend before, we took a short drive to the beautiful mountainous area of Dedza, right on the border of Mozambique, where we perused the well-known pottery shop and restaurant and looked at the mountains while we drank our Malawi tea and listened to the rain fall.
I get to exercise daily, I read a book a week, and I've just finished up writing my third novel since April. There are so many Sundays where James and I get to have a drink together and sit on the porc reading and just being silent. I don't know how you would feel about this, but it's heavenly. There is so much peace and quiet that surrounds you, and it's like you can't get enough of it. I find myself craving it more and more.
I keep experiencing something new here that I want to share with someone, so I hope many of you can come and visit! I want to show Bruce all the birds (he's welcome to them). I want to take Becky on a tuk-tuk taxi ride, where it's basically a motorbike with a wagon in the back. I want to show Katie and Kristi the market places where you can get amazing fruits and vegetables, honey, spices, etc. And I want to show my friends all the funny things I've seen: being pulled over 100 times and having to transport a police officer in my car; the cringey school play where, because it's Malawi, the sound goes in and out, and all the kids act awkward about it; seeing someone in a grocery line wearing a Hershey basketball shirt, and the towel bar that was installed over our bathroom sink instead of on the wall where there would be room to, you know, hang a towel.
So, I can't wait to see you all in the coming year. Some at Christmas, some in Spring, and some in Summer. Love you and miss you always! We're here, having a great time. Too gloatey?
FINALLY, the rains have come. That sounds so beautiful, doesn't it? And when they're African rains, why it's positively poetic! I am currently sitting on my famous veranda, with a glass of wine, typing away, and listening to the rain on the large green leaves. Still working on my tree identification. I feel like I have to have a thing. Everyone has a thing these days. And, since I absolutely refuse to be interested in birds, I thought trees would be a cool, yet youthful thing to get interested in. But, I have yet to begin my tree studies.
Therefore, I call them large green leaves, but they could actually be banana leaves. Isn't this description of my garden fascinating? Either way, the rains have come and cut that horrible heat intensely, so now we can breathe. Before I would be sitting in my house, which is cooler due to its tile floors, simply uttering out various sounds such as "ugh". It was so oppressive! I learned how to say in Chichewa, "When it is too hot, I cannot think." It's so true! I couldn't go anywhere because a lot of places like coffee shops are outside, and inside has no AC! The heat, my God, the heat! It was soul-sucking. And, I've lived in hot places. Sharjah was a desert. Literally. And Taiwan was basically underwater with all of the humidity it had. But, this is different.
It's annoying how your body doesn't quite get used to different heats. It's humid, yet dry, and fully draining. You feel exhausted and can't string a pair of words together. But, the rain is here to cool us off and make us pensive. Yay! Writers like to be pensive.
It has been a lovely few months here in Malawi. Is it bad that I still feel like I'm adjusting? I don't always know when it's time to stop making excuses like "But it's a new place" and "I'm still figuring out my schedule", but I will continue to make them. My day to day is wonderful. Waking up early is a breeze here for some odd reason. It's so calm and peaceful in the morning, and then I can read with my lovely pot of tea until it's time to start working.
My days are wonderful. I read in the morning, then begin with whatever writing project I would like. Then, I move on to the next, have lunch, maybe have a Chichewa lesson, and then finish up any other tidbits. The evening comes, and there's so much to do! I might go with my walking group, play volleyball, head to a friend's to watch a TV show, go to exercise class, or hang out with James. Don't worry, these activities are not listed in order of preference.
I have found so much to fill my time with, and it's surprising since there really is a huge reduction in what there is to do compared to the bustling metropolis of Taipei. This past weekend, we just had a rugby tournament, where I got to shudder in my boots as people came barreling towards me. But, I survived, even though I was whispering under my breath for the time to be up. The weekend before, we took a short drive to the beautiful mountainous area of Dedza, right on the border of Mozambique, where we perused the well-known pottery shop and restaurant and looked at the mountains while we drank our Malawi tea and listened to the rain fall.
I get to exercise daily, I read a book a week, and I've just finished up writing my third novel since April. There are so many Sundays where James and I get to have a drink together and sit on the porc reading and just being silent. I don't know how you would feel about this, but it's heavenly. There is so much peace and quiet that surrounds you, and it's like you can't get enough of it. I find myself craving it more and more.
I keep experiencing something new here that I want to share with someone, so I hope many of you can come and visit! I want to show Bruce all the birds (he's welcome to them). I want to take Becky on a tuk-tuk taxi ride, where it's basically a motorbike with a wagon in the back. I want to show Katie and Kristi the market places where you can get amazing fruits and vegetables, honey, spices, etc. And I want to show my friends all the funny things I've seen: being pulled over 100 times and having to transport a police officer in my car; the cringey school play where, because it's Malawi, the sound goes in and out, and all the kids act awkward about it; seeing someone in a grocery line wearing a Hershey basketball shirt, and the towel bar that was installed over our bathroom sink instead of on the wall where there would be room to, you know, hang a towel.
So, I can't wait to see you all in the coming year. Some at Christmas, some in Spring, and some in Summer. Love you and miss you always! We're here, having a great time. Too gloatey?
Thanks for sharing! :)
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