The University of British Columbia

I’ve spent the last week on a mad dash to learn more about Malawi and the city of Blantyre where I will be working.  I had the privilege of spending Friday with Jane who is from Blantyre, Malawi, and she taught me so much in the few hours that I spent with her, such as:

• HIV/AIDS stigma is an interesting thing. It seems very similar to how it would be in Canada, such as young people having the disease and not wanting others to know, yet when I asked Jane if people were treated badly  in society because of HIV or AIDS, she was very firm in saying no.  I feel that this is similar in Canada- if we are asked if we would treat someone badly if we knew they had HIV or AIDS, we would firmly say no.  But then if you had HIV or AIDS, would you want your boss to know? Your neighbours? Your co-workers? I know I certainly wouldn’t.  Stigma is the same across continents it seems, but I’m certain I will learn more when I’m in Malawi.
• Electricity is a privilege. I am used to having it all of the time.  Jane told me, however, that I should be sure to bring a flashlight and lantern for my room because electricity is completely unreliable. I will have to learn to charge my laptop whenever the power is working! My laptop is the only technology I’m bringing with me other than my camera.
• Rain does not require umbrellas or rainboots.  I thought this might be the case, but Jane confirmed this. I’m arriving in Malawi in the rainy season, which unlike Vancouver, means that it will rain a lot in a short period of time, then dry up very quickly.  So she told me that I will see people huddle for cover when it rains, to wait until it stops. I dare all of you to try that in Vancouver and see if you ever get to move!

The time with Jane was a part of the Leave for Change training, which was really helpful in reminding me of all the things I have yet to do and yet to learn.  It also gave me some further insight into intercultural communication, an understanding of how values are very different (like following the rules! imagine that!).

A population map of Malawi. I'm going to the commercial capital: Blantyre. Thanks to Worldmapper.org for this map (it's hard to find ones to share!)

I received my first email from my host organization’s director, Mr. George Nedi, and much to my surprise, I have discovered that one of their programs includes an orphanage. I assume it was just lost in translation on their website- that the “childcare centres” that they reference as one of their programs is actually the orphanage.  The fact that I will be working for an organization with an orphanage puts a different spin on things for me, that I didn’t expect.  I think it’s just an emotional situation that will be a bit more intimidating: facing the fact that these young people have no families, and only the organization to support them.  It makes my work there all the more important.

In Mr. Nedi’s email, he answered my question about a dress code for the office: “There is no strict dress code, although people will expect you to dress respectable at all time. For women, this means wearing over-knee skirts or trousers. You don’t have to cover your shoulders.”

I have decided I will have to scour my mother’s closets next weekend when I visit her.  I need some skirts that cover my knees!

In particular though, I wanted to share with you the signature on Mr. Nedi’s email to me. I think it speaks volumes:

“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

And I in turn, feel as though my work will be just a molecule within that drop, within that huge ocean of change that needs to happen.