Tag: Comfort Zone

Some weekends have a lifetime’s effect

It’s been over a year since I last wrote a blog.. In fact my last one was about running 2 back to back marathons in a week.  If you missed it please don’t worry as I only wrote the title, “Brighton to Paris, Friendship and a small wooden train” promised myself I’d go back to it and well, ,,,,,,, what with one thing and another thats as far as I got ! Me and Schubert have a lot in common ! So at least with this one I’ve written two sentences; (well three if you include this one !) so that’s progress as they say !  And that’s as far as I got hahah.  So on to the next one ….

I have just come back to this blog as wanted to tell you about my latest ‘event’ and guess what ……….I found another blog which was unfinished and well as I’ve had another weekend that was life changing !!!!   How many times can you change your life ?? Socks I understand, and that’s speaking as someone who used to recycle/reuse his socks every month or so from underneath the bedroom chair.     Before marriage I hasten to add !  But the more I do this running “thing” the more events happen which just make me stop ! ( generally when Im too tired to run !) and think – “Wow, what a privilege it is to run with some of the most kind and supportive people you could ever wish to meet ! ”

Anyway Im going to skip over the first weekend, which happened to be up a mountain in the Lake District, otherwise this would be even longer and you would definitely fall asleep and its got nothing at all to do with my inability to remember the facts !!!  The second ‘life changing event’ happened just a week ago on the Isle of Tiree.  For those of you who don’t know Tiree is the most westerly island in the Inner Hebrides.  Or if your geography is as good as mine it’s up there somewhere to the left ! Apparently it is one of the sunniest places in the UK.  It is known as ‘The Hawaii of the North’, The Land below the Waves’ and ‘The Sunshine Island’.  All I can say is not when I was there !

Anyway we will come to that part a bit later.  …….. Why Tiree ? ………and even more to the point …… Why an Ultra Marathon on Tiree ……….. and even more ……. Why an Ultra Marathon on Tiree during some of the most difficult conditions that this event has ever seen ?

Well a little while ago I agreed, last Christmas to be exact; I must stop agreeing to things at Christmas ! ( for the uninitiated it was Christmas 2021 that I agreed to do my first ever run – the London Marathon for Bowel Cancer UK !)   Anyway a few of my ‘running’ friends suggested that it would be a great idea to run an Ultra Marathon up on the beautiful Island of Tiree.  So naturally I said – “Yeah! Incidentally the friends who persuaded me to run, ended up not running ! Hmmmmmm !  Anyway

Great Idea I mean what could possibly go wrong ??” And then I went to look at where Tiree was ! And what an Ultra Marathon actually meant ! Well the definition of an Ultra is any distance over 26.2 miles or 42 Km Well, I thought, Ive run a few 42 kms so what’s a few more between friends !   Apparently this one happened to be 55ish Km. I should have been a little suspicious about the “ish” but heigh ho; what I didn’t read within the definition was “Despite being longer than a marathon,, distance is not always the key challenge with ultra runs”   What do they say in answering  exam questions – always read to the end!

I persuaded Julia and two other friends to accompany me on this trip.  After a really lovely four hour ferry journey, courtesy of Cal – Mac we arrived on the beautiful Island of Tiree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tiree boasts 3 hotels , one Co-op shop, and 16 beaches.  Without this sounding like a ‘travelog’ the beaches are absolutely stunning; long; wide and nobody on them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now the sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed an arrow on one of these beach photos.  These are the navigational systems around the island for the forthcoming Ultra Marathon.  Follow the arrows and always keep the sea on your right ! The first instruction was clear although there were many times you were running and wondered, hoped against hope, that an arrow would appear somewhere.  The second instructions was a little more worrying as if ‘the sea wasn’t on your right you were actually swimming or going in the complete opposite direction ! My absolute hats off to the folk who put these arrows out; I tended to trust those more than the sea !  And I actually was commended by one of the Marshalls who said ” well done ! You’re the first one to go the right way !” – so technically speaking I was the winner !!

So, the day before I collected my little bag of goodies, number, garland, shirt and map.  The map , was important, apparently,( Grade 8 in Geography at GCE  for the uninitiated that was a fail and a very long time ago, didn’t equip me with map reading !)  as it obviously detailed where you were going and there weren’t always going to be runners in front of you to follow – not that Im at the front haha.

However on inspection of my goodie bag back at my hotel, there was the shirt (tick), the garland (Hawaii of the North!)  (tick) a few goodies to keep me going (tick), the map (untick) Out of 270 runners mine was probably the only bag without a map ! To me it didn’t matter, its an island, I won’t get lost ! But apparently I would !!  So back to the venue, where I met a lovely lady who gave me her map as she was running in a team ! ( Clearly had better friends than I had ! – only kidding. They did come and give brilliant support )

So back I go ; kit ready and raring to go!  When I say raring what I mean is its an inevitability actually so raring or not its going to come !!

In the morning, breakfasted, chatting with other runners who all looked like runners, whereas I looked like someone who had got up too early and just wanted to go back to bed !  Off we go to the start :-

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone kitted out for the weather, hats, coats, sweaters etc .  While me ……..

Ive got my ‘thingy’ round my neck ! that should do it !!!  Lead off with the ‘piper’ and off we go ! Little did I know what was facing me – Force 9 gales, horizontal rain and 16 beaches, not to mention the inclines off the beaches, the sand dunes, the cliffs and the cows !!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Some amazing scenery, which if I could have looked up I would have seen.

Three checkpoints, to make sure I hadn’t got lost – must have heard about my map reading skills.  At each check point your bdrop bags were laid on the ground in numerical order.  I was number 14 !  So naturally I went to the space between 13 and 15.  Maths A level comes in useful ( even though I didn’t get it !) but no bag .  And after running 10 miles, 20 miles, 30 miles the last thing you want to do is go searching along the line for your bag !

Cursing , under my breath the folk who laid the bags out who clearly hadn’t done A Level maths, I realised that when I had written my labels on my bag ie 14 I had also written check point 1, 2 and 3 just in front of the number 14.  What I realised was that 14 looked like 114, and 214 and 314 !  which must have been very confusing for the Marshalls as there were only 275 runners !!! My apologies Marshalls – my fault !!!

Carrying on beach after beach ( in fact it got to the stage where you thought “Not another **** beach!” but no choice but to c carry on and in some places have fun and chats with fellow runners, who just give amazing support

The support from on-lookers was also amazing and huge thanks to Julia, Paul, Carolyn, Stuart and Shelby who quite honestly were the best supporters on the island that day.

The last 6 miles was tough, gale force 9 winds and horizontal rain. When suddenly I heard a car behind and the shout of do you want to get in …………..

“No thanks Ive only got 6 miles to go !!! ”   !!!!!!!!

I think the statement – ‘At this point I considered my life choices’ comes to mind.

But finish I did and after 7 hours and 59 minutes – sub 8 haha, I completed the Tiree Ultra marathon.Would I do it again ???                                          What do you think ?

                                                            Already booked !

https://www.justgiving.com/page/teambarnes3?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

 

 

 

 

 

Marathon Journey Chapter 3

Well talk about putting something off – this must stand out as a record ! I started this on October 9th – where does the time go ?  So my apologies but its really going to be a mash up of London Marathon, and next challenge/s .

On Sunday October 2nd 2022 at 16:47 I passed the finish line in what was probably one of the most exhilarating 5 hrs and 50 minutes of my life.  The strangest feelings take over your legs; although they are tired and physically you are quite shattered, your legs just seem to want to keep running – slowly I must admit, but they just want to keep moving.  There must actually be a ‘stopping distance’ for runners dependent upon the distance they have covered.  You can’t just stop dead.   But let’s not start at the finish, ‘cos that would be just too weird and a very short blog ! – lets go to the beginning.

A close friend said, “Why run when you can catch a bus ??”  To answer that I just simply have to refer to Laura’s saying, ”

For most of us with Cancer all we want is someone to fight with us and tell us that’s what they are doing !”

Laura, of course passed away in December 2019. She possessed the courage, faith, hope, and positivity that you can just stand back and admire.  She has 3 totally awesome daughters who are totally growing up in her image. When the going gets tough, or I don’t want to run, or I want to walk, or I want to stop ; she is there saying “You can do this!”  I run to celebrate your life and amazing courage.

I guess my running is my way of saying I am fighting with all those folk who are facing the most difficult times of their lives, either personally, family or friends. When I run I do definitely feel like giving up many times, but always in my head is “Dont be a ‘wuss’ you can do this.  All you’re doing is putting one foot in front of another – what can be tough about that compared to what some folk are going through – so I run !  I don’t particularly think, “Oh goody I’m going for a run!” but I guess there is something inside me that just drives me to go and run ! and believe me there are times when I REALLY don’t want to  !

 

So back to the London Marathon 2022.  Lots of people ask me “What was it like?” and my answer is always the same

“Probably one of the most exhilarating, exciting, challenging events that I have ever taken part in.!”

I apologise to those of you that i have totally bored with the story of the day but if I don’t write it down by tomorrow I’ll forget all about it ( it’s an age thing!) and I really don’t want to forget the day.

To start at the start – a very good place to start as someone once said …….I was fortunate that the son of some great friends of ours, Col and Steph, had a place in London in Finsbury Park so I could stay at his the night before.  This was partly through  making it easy to get to the start on the Sunday but also because of my previous history ( see previous blog ) that my friend said,

“I am  personally, going to put you on the train to make sure you get there on time, and I might even put a sign round your neck to make sure you get there.” 

Think he’s been reading too much Paddington Bear ! I mean as if I wouldn’t get there in time!!!!  So early doors, up and placed on the train. Caught the tube and then the connecting train to Blackheath Common.  They were four or five deep standing on the platform, all with their drop-off bag and most of them looking as nervous as I was. We packed onto the train.  It was like rush hour on a bad day – but with one big difference – everyone was talking with each other, polite, and not worrying if you were standing on somebody’s foot. Crammed in, literally standing face to face, stories flowed about why we were all running, and it was sort of then that I realised why I was attempting to run 26.2 miles. I met some amazing people just within the 2 or 3 stops to Blackheath Common. Meeting people like Rachel – who gave a donation to my Justgiving page –

“I met you on the underground on the way to the London Marathon ………. I have no doubt your daughter would be so proud of you – thinking of her little girls !”

Even walking from the start, chatting to another runner, who looked as though he’d lifted weights for years and run since he was six months old compared to the very old, skinny guy who just happened to rock up to the event; and hearing his excitement in undertaking his first London Marathon – similar minds if not bodies !   Standing in the middle of the common and looking around at all the people  getting ready with their outfits, drop-off bags, plastic bin liners , pre running exercises etc; each one with an incredible story to tell, I felt somewhat overwhelmed.

This time I just stood there and looked around; chatted with a group of first time runners. The sense of camaraderie was amazing.  Again a donation appears on my Justgiving page from Gillian and Kath,

It was so lovely to meet you at the start on Sunday.  Thank you for calming our nerves and helping with our ‘bin bag ponchos’  Massive congrats, an amazing achievement for an incredible cause!”

Just to explain, they had brought black bin liners as advised in order to keep warm while they waited, but as they slipped them over their heads realised that they hadn’t cut any holes in them for their head or arms. Should have taken a photo !!!

No sooner are you called to your “Wave and colour” and you are off on an incredible journey of 26.2 miles

Catch a bus ? – no thanks I’ll run !

Talking, gasping for breath, aching legs, aching body, – and that’s just within the first mile !!! Going past the man carrying a washing line, the Rhino and the Teddy Bear, the Penguin, the T”ree – well ok maybe they went past me but who’s counting!  Not only are the runners encouraging each other but the crowd are shouting your name and encouraging you as you run past

‘Go on Mike, you’ve got this ! Keep going” 

Who knew over three quarters of a million people would turn out to watch just me run !!!!  but that is honestly what it feels like.  And then of course you do have family and friends who also turn out to watch you – I do have to thank them all for their amazing support, generosity and just for being fantastic people who without them I definitely wouldn’t have been able to successfully complete the run.  Their support was just amazing ! Even friends who you didn’t know were going to be there and suddenly you hear your name shouted and you look;

“Whoa what you doing here – amazing – Hiya !”

 

and then you carry on to the next mile, and the next mile, and the next ……. all the sights of London zooming past you – well when I say zooming maybe just slowly going past but you get the idea

 

 

Jelly beans eaten, water stations gratefully accepted, sweets accepted, pieces of orange accepted, toilet stops declined – who knew I could go for 6 hours without going to the loo?   After 26 miles of just the most amazing time ever you approach Buckingham Palace and you think this is it, round the bend and run down the Mall.  In my mind I thought the run down the mall was the length of the Mall, but actually the finish comes much quicker than I thought.  I can honestly say that as I crossed the finish line I was looking around to see if I had actually finished – I thought I can’t turn to someone and say “Is that it?  Have I finished?” “No go on Do it again !” Sounds like a hob nob being dunked in your tea !  – (echoes of Peter Kay – if you know you know !) Very strange; my brain was just addled !

After that very bizarre moment you really want to shout out- “Yeeeeeeeee I’ve done it!” or grab someone to hug ; but that would have just been too weird. So you walk up through the other runners, accept your medal, take a shiny blanket and wrap it round yourself – even though you don’t really need it but Ive seen them do it on the tele !   And then I just stood and looked around. Feeling quite emotional I guess.  Feeling what have I just done? Feeling tired – no not really; I think the emotion takes over I guess.  When you finish, above the timing clock friends and family can put words up and through some clever technology they appear on the bridge over the timing clock.  If you’re running so fast as you go over the finish line (haha ) you don’t get to read them all but these were there for me as I crossed the line.  Again the old eyes start to blur, probably due to the sweat  and nothing at all to do with tears !!!!

I was met by Colin at the end and we walked to the rooms in the hotel that Bowelcanceruk had made available for the runners and their families.  At this point I do have to mention Bowelcanceruk, and just what an amazing organisation they are.  The support that I had was just brilliant.

Back at the hotel i met my family, friends and fellow runners who had now become close friends; absolutely the icing on the cake.

My family have been and continue to be my inspiration. There are just so many other people who had a hand in my running the marathon that it really was a team effort; the encouragement from my family; my friends; Bowelcanceruk; the people who donated in excess of £7,600 towards saving lives and improving the quality of life of everyone affected by bowel cancer.

       

 

 

THANK YOU  TO EVERYONE

 

Would I do it again ? 

 

ABSOLUTELY – APRIL 2024 HERE I COME

What’s next, I hear you say – thanks for that !!!!!!!    well funny you should ask………

The plan is from January 2023 leading up to April 2024, to run in organised events, each month, 10km, Half Marathon or Marathon, a total of 300 miles overall.  Raising funds for Bowelcanceruk please. One run already completed at Tatton Park in January, next one is next week  The Winter Run in London.   As an amazing online friend of mine said recently,

“Want to know the biggest risk for Bowel Cancer ?

Age ? …………….. No

Diet? …………………No

Lifestyle ? ……………….No

 

It’s ……………

      Having a Bowel !!! 

           So I make no apologies ………. Donations page is open.

What happened to your face, nose and ribs – Don’t ask !!!!!!!!!   That’s in the next blog …..……..

 

 

Chance of a Lifetime -Last Chapter of Mikes Mad Malawian Idea

Twelve months of living in a totally different environment, culture, existence – you name it, it’s very different.  Those twelve months have come to an end. Just far far too many things to remember and experiences that have happened. But of course although the country may be beautiful it’s the people that make it.  And I have met some amazing people over the last twelve months.

Most of them belong to the “school environment” but there have been other chance encounters with others as I sit drinking in a bar or on a beach or even just walking down the road – the plumber, the builder, the mechanic, the fisherman.

 

 

 

All wanting to talk and make friends, – “Will you be my uncle?” “Can I be your friend” and of course the classic “Give me money”  But even this is not done in any aggressive way but more with a smile on the face and a cheeky grin.

 

I don’t believe they actually think you will give them money but its more a greeting than anything else. I often suggested that just this once…….  maybe ……… possibly ……… the Malawian could give the Mzungu some money for a change.  This generally brought great guffaws of laughter and a high five – which invariably I missed! and felt rather silly trying to do it 5 seconds after their hand had gone down !

Looking back through my blogs many of them centre around my journeys to and from places; to the schools of course; to trainings of teachers and Head Teachers, to beaches at the side of the lake, down paths that you really don’t think a motor bike should go let alone a car; up hills that are incredibly steep yet unbelievably people are pushing bikes that are over ladened with enormous bags of charcoal or wood; ladies walking absolutely upright carrying enormous loads of wood or straw on their heads, well over their actually height in length. ( Does that make sense – just very very long pieces of wood !)

Sweat pouring down their faces in the heat of the day.  They do this journey every day, either to sell at the local trading centre, or to their village, or just to sell anywhere!  And every single one of them has a smile on their face.  As you go past either on the bike or the car a raised hand to say hello and a smile always gets a hugely positive reply.

Occasionally and very occasionally you can be going along a path or track and there is no one around…… or so it seems!   But come off your bike ( accidentally) or have a puncture or get stuck in the mud with the car wheels spinning and suddenly when you look up there is a sea of faces!  Where they come from I have no idea. They just appear as if they have been waiting every day for me to come off !!!

 

They just appear from nowhere, and rather than stand and just look, they desperately want to help, to get you sorted in whatever way they can.  They appear magically with the right size spanner to take a wheel off to mend a puncture or straighten a stand.  I did say to one –

 

“Where did that spanner just come from?”  and they just laugh and wink And again always with a huge smile and a tremendous willingness to help.

For the last few days of course I have been visiting the schools, both to say goodbye as well as to check that they are all up and running with the technology and the software.

 

Just 3 of my schools

 

 

 

Despite going to these schools over and over again I always just stand in amazement at just how many Learners are at the schools,literally thousands ………. both inside the classrooms and outside. How few physical classrooms there are. How open the spaces are all around the school. How magnificent the scenery is. How welcoming everyone is to see you.

As you arrive at the school, if you are lucky its directly off “the tarmac”, but many of my schools are along very dusty/muddy (depending on season – wet or dry!) tracks.

Many of these paths go through small trading centres or villages, where everyone stops and watches as you go past.

 

Every time I went through here I just thought it was the set for a “Western” !  Sorry it’s just my strange thought processes

 

The ladies sit on the ground with their tomatoes neatly piled in pyramid shapes on a maize bag, potatoes neatly stacked in small metal buckets that are over flowing with a pyramid shape of potatoes, maize laid neatly like a white carpet drying off in the sun, wooden stalls where vegetables are on display. Women at the water pump which clearly is the meeting place to chat and talk about the recent happenings.  And the ever present shelter made from sticks and straw where the local males congregate to sit and chat, mending bicycles and playing Bao ( a great game played on a wooden board with large hard seeds amazing for maths which probably accounts for why Im rubbish at it ! ) . Everyone watches as you go past, many wave and smile. ……..  Id love to know if they are the same people I pass every time and they recognise me, saying – “Hello here he comes again! ”  ………..I kind of hope they do

You drive/ride into the school and never quite sure where to go as obviously there is no car park ! You just drive literally between the learners who again just stand very still and watch.  You drive close to one of the classrooms or the Learning Centre, hoping that the door and burglar bars that protect the centre are open.  Usually a good sign is if there is a chair outside with a bucket of water outside.
This is for the learners to wash their hands before entering the centre and using the iPads. As you walk into the centre the Learners are in rows sat on wicker mats.  Each one with their iPad and headphones, working through the Masamu (Maths) App or the Chichewa (Language) App.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The teacher walks around the Learners just observing, occasionally talking to a Learner what to do or what not to do.  When I say ‘talk’ thats really a euphemism for  “shout”.  Now thats in the nicest possible way. I’ve told all the teachers this and so its nothing they don’t know.  Malawian teachers are really good at shouting. Thats not shouting because they are cross or angry ( as in a UK teacher shouting at a child within 30 cms of their face, which would produce a crying child in no time at all) but in Malawi they do that to explain what the learner should be doing.  And amazingly the Learner sits …… listens …. and does exactly what they should do………. without batting an eyelid or showing any emotion at all ! I have a theory that they do this because of the class sizes of 200+ and this is really the only way to communicate.  I have tried to get them to just go up and explain in a quiet way what the learner should be doing, but it may last for 2 minutes and then reverts again to “the shout” However, both parties seem perfectly content with this arrangements and the Learners are queuing up at the door to have their go !

 

The Learners iPads are effectively controlled by the teachers iPad The Learners sit with a screen that displays a lock.  The teacher starts the session and the lock disappears and the Learners can begin the session. Usually after 20  minutes ( however long the teacher has set the session for ) the Learners iPad will again display a lock and their session is over.

 

 

 

 

 

Now for the majority of the Unlocking Talent project schools throughout Malawi, (some 130 at present)  the iPads are locked down to just Masamu and Chichewa, but not Mangochi District ………. mine !

 

 

Why because I like to make things difficult for myself as always !!!! Why I have no idea  I think its a self-destruct button The iPads being open also at the request of the Donor – Unicef – but nobody else did it ! See I just like to make things difficult  I must learn the words “No …… It’s too difficult”!

The reason for having an “open” iPad  is it gives the Learners( and Teachers)  the ability to use other Apps. ………provided they don’t need connectivity ! With the iPad being locked to just 1 App, however good the 1 App is and it is excellent for Maths and Language, we are only using a small fraction of the power of the iPad. My schools have used an English Grammar App that exactly mirrors the final exams that Standard 8 Learners have to take………  to great effect with some amazing results.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve also added some Role Model Videos of Malawian Women who are working in important jobs despite many problems whilst growing up.  These videos can be watched by older girls to try to show them that Girls/Women can actually achieve great things through staying on at school.

The use of the Notes for Learners to use the keyboard …… something which they don’t encounter – punctuation, space bar, delete buttons all things they haven’t seen before. Insert images, video, text to be shared amongst the iPads

The Coordinators of each of the schools have learned the technicalities of the iPad and can transfer files, images and documents amongst the iPads to be viewed by the Learners. In this way not only are we giving Learners knowledge but also giving Teachers technological knowledge of the use of mobile devices.  Something which gives them huge enthusiasm and great excitement  …….. it does me as well They love learning how to use the technology. Ive trained, Teachers, Head Teachers, Inspectors, Advisers …… all of whom have shown a real enthusiasm for the tool and can see the huge potential – tip of the iceberg comes to mind.

The potential of the project Unlocking Talent is enormous.  Sadly sometimes the organisation and project management can hinder rather than advance the project.  But I guess that’s true of many projects.  Education Specialist Volunteers, like myself,  carry out many activities and supported by good organisational management the results are indeed amazing.  Of course there are frustrations, but then you have to continually remind yourself that you are working in an African Country that is one of the poorest in the world. And the vast majority of Malawians really want their country to achieve and improve ……… this is particularly true of the dedicated group of teachers and Head Teachers with whom I have been working.

I could go on and on about the special moments that I have enjoyed during the last 12 months  ……….. “No please don’t !” i hear you say and for those of you who have already stopped reading  ……… well you haven’t got this far anyway !   Amongst many of the images that I have in my head of my experiences, there are 2 that stand out.  One i have a photo of and the other I follow the advice of many people who say – put the mobile/camera away and just enjoy the experience …………

Ive mentioned about when you go into the Learning centres all the Learners are sat on mats with their iPads  If all is good the teacher is walking around checking that the iPads are working and the Learners aren’t stuck on something.  Sometimes because the App is an individualised program the Learners just work their way through the program with no need for help from the teacher (or at least that’s the perception of the teacher).  As a result the teacher sits down somewhere and has a rest or secretly goes on their mobile and sends texts ( shhhhhhhhhhh don’t tell anyone !)

But occasionally you witness something very special.  

I recently saw this teacher in the photograph get down to the Learner, who had special needs and spend at least 15 minutes on supporting him.  This would be impossible within the teachers classroom setting of 200+ learners in a pretty small classroom with very limited resources – certainly no time for 1:1

 

 

But here was the teacher spending time with an individual guiding them through the knowledge needed ………… nothing to do with technology but about advancing the Learners understanding of very simple basics of number.  In the classroom this Learner would have struggled.  The technology supported the learning of the child.  To those who say why use technology when the country needs so much else …………… this is why technology is so important …….. it literally empowers the learner – not technological empowerment but Knowledge and skills empowerment so important for individuals growing up as well as the future of Malawi.

The other image of course is related to a journey.  You wouldn’t expect anything else ! It was a Friday and the area I work in is mainly Muslim.  This particular Friday was Eid al-Fitr  All schools and public offices were closed.  It was a National Holiday.  But of course there were things I needed to do in a school so I arranged with the school, Mdinde school, to meet a teacher and adapt some iPads that weren’t particularly behaving. I visited the school, sorted out the iPads and commenced my return journey.  This journey took me on one of the most difficult tracks that i journey along – in the rainy season its just mud and extremely slippy and in the Dry season its just pure sand and extremely slippy.

 

Fortunately i was in my car as this is the track where on several occasions on my bike the ground has come up to meet me, and Malawians appear to assist.  As Im driving along the track taking care as even in a car the sand doesn’t make it easy to drive, I see ahead a large group of women coming towards me.  Effectively blocking the road, dancing and singing at the tops of their voices.  I slowed down and hadn’t got a clue what to do.  As they got to the car ……..  to use a biblical expression they parted like the waters of the Red Sea and just continued around the car.  I was surrounded by approximately 500 women just singing, dancing, smiling, waving, laughing …………. I just sat in the car inanely smiling back at them and returning their waves.  By this time I had completely stopped.  After what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes, the whole entourage carried on its way down the track, singing, dancing, smiling, waving high fiving, waving flags whilst I sat now on my own in the car and just went

” Wow!” This was their way of celebrating Eid.  An amazing event.

I carried on along the track only to see in the distance another group of women from the next village.  This group seemed slightly larger than the last one.  Forewarned about what was to happen I pulled the car over to the side of the track and waited for the swarm to approach.  On they came all wearing amazingly bright coloured Chitenjes (rectangular cloth wrapped around their body ) singing, dancing, waving flags, laughing, smiling, waving flags.  As they surrounded the car yet again many clearly wanted to high five me as they went past.  I started to move a bit like “dad dancing” as I sat in the car.  Many of the women noticed and applauded – Im sure not for my dad dancing but for sort of joining in with their celebration.  At this point I think I must have been caught up in the moment and throwing all caution to the wind – as you do when faced with a situation such as this !  I opened my car door and joined them in their procession, singing, dancing smiling, and laughing.  There was I surrounded by more than 500 women in one of the most rural parts of Malawi, dancing ( well just jigging a bit if i was honest)  ……… well known for my previous dancing exploits and severely embarrassing my off spring on many occasions, “Dad,  just stop !”….

I put all they had taught me and “Dad danced” all the way down the track with more than 500 women. Huge howls of laughter went up, cheering and just sheer pleasure, from both 500 women and myself ………… is this a Guinness book of records – hahahah.

It was a moment that just didn’t warrant taking out my mobile to record ……. it was indeed a “just live for the moment” experience.  After a while they continued on their way and I had a long but fantastic walk back to my car. …….. still ‘Dad dancing’ !

As some would say “A Chance of a Lifetime”

Why did I get out of the car and join in …………  ” Carpe Diem ”

 

And while Ive been out here i have had so many “Chances of a Lifetime” Every moment, every chance  has been amazing.   ……………. But I couldn’t have done it and remained sane without my truly amazing family and friends who have kept in touch and given me so much encouragement over the last 12 months.  To all of you I say a huge

THANK YOU – THANK YOU SO SO MUCH

Zikomo kwambiri

Will this be the last blog ?

I’m back – but not for long ! Whats been happening ?

To be absolutely honest Im not sure how to start this blog and definitely don’t know how to end it !  The middle is looking a bit doubtful as well.  You’ve had a gap of almost 2 and a half months without having to put yourself through this drivel ( is that right or is it “drivle” or “dribble” or “dibble” – no definitely not that ‘cos he was an officer of the law – Officer Charlie Dibble, Top Cat, Spook, Benny the Ball, Choo Choo, The Brain, Spook, Fancy-Fancy – how sad am I   and I can picture them as well !!!!! !) Anyway I digress. Parts of this Im going to only touch on briefly and parts Im going to expand upon – I’ll probably get it the wrong way round but hey story of my life!

Some of you may wonder why I haven’t written this driv……. rubbish for such a while.  Well back in April I had to unexpectedly fly back home due to a health issue to Laura,  eldest daughter  or as they would say out here in Malawi – my first born !  This is the bit that Im going to briefly mention.  Suffice it to say that she is an amazing person and someone that I know all of us are truly truly proud of.  She is currently undergoing treatment and has such a positive spirit that it just blows us all away!

 

 

Love her  My first born with her third born – I think or it could be the second born by a couple of minutes !  Ill get it right which is which one day !

 

 

Anyway moving on swiftly ………… after lots of discussions I returned a couple of weeks ago to Malawi to see the rest of my time out and to complete all the necessary tasks that one has to do before leaving a country that they’ve lived in for 12 months -like selling a car ( now that really is a whole blog in itself and even I would fall asleep if I went through that one !; getting police clearance to leave; packing all the things that you left behind previously;  doing all the things that you had 12 months to do them in but for some reason you leave it till the last 2 weeks and then you can’t fit them all in; ( or is that just me and my procrastination – world champion at that for the last 20 years running !); and of course seeing all the people that have been so much a part of a very strange life for the last 12 months.

 

And return I did to complete my final 4 weeks in Malawi. I arrived to a much colder than I remembered Malawi and of course didn’t pack any jumpers as such – strange how you remember it being hot as its Africa when in reality its flipping cold in their winter – like now – particularly in the evenings.  But never mind Id soon be away from the coldness of the capital, Lilongwe to the warmer climes of Mangochi and the Lake.

Well I needn’t have worried about not packing a jumper as my bag didn’t arrive at the same time as I did. Readers of previous blogs know that this is becoming a habit of watching lots of brightly coloured bags going round and round until you’re just  left standing just watching a moving belt with just one pink bag that just keeps going round and round.  It’s not yours but you’re the only person standing watching it.  

Strangely I even took a photograph of my bag before I left the Uk – weird thing to do have a bag selfie ! but it came in very useful when trying to describe my bag to a Malawian official who was clearly at the end of his shift – I mean it wasn’t his fault ! and he didn’t speak much english – I mean why should he !  So with very small rucksack and just the clothes I travelled in I spend the next few days waiting patiently for the phone call – “Your bag has arrived” ! yeeeee ………….

On the getting to the warmer climate in Mangochi that didn’t go so well either as the powers that be found it difficult to arrange transport for me so that I could actually start doing what i was supposed to do ( my car having practically blown up on my journey to the airport in April – well nobody told me you had to put water in it ! )

Well after kicking my heels for a week in the capital, taking in a few “greens” and listening to some pretty cool jazz in a very un-Malawian bar , transport was finally arranged and I arrived to do what I had come to do but now all I had left was just under 3 weeks. So off I set ………

Up bright and early to get an early start.    Sit on the bike first thing in the morning (about 6:30) probably not quite awake and attempt to kick start it. Nothing happens. No life at all.  After many attempts still no life.  Then my friendly guard says,

” Petrol ?”

“Of course I’ve got p…….”  mmmm maybe not.  Shake the tank and not a lot of sloshing about of petrol !!!  Why dont Bikes have petrol gauges ???  Right so off I go with my empty plastic 2 litre Ginger beer bottle and start to walk to the garage but they call it a filling station which is probably more accurate description………’cos thats what they do ….. fill……. that is when they have petrol which isn’t always certain by any means. And to b e fair they always clean your windscreen as well.  Starting to walk to the filling station I spy a passing “Njinga” thats a bicycle taxi to you and me. ( I think thats how you spell it ) N is silent as the p in swimming – ( the old ones are the best !)

“Eeeway” I shout   ( and thats definitely not how you spell it but it could be sounded out properly by an average Yr1 pupil ready to do his/her Phonics test of made up words !)  Actually it’s “Ewa” A quick translation from the Chichewa is  “Oi You”  Often used to young Learners when they are maybe doing something they shouldn’t !   He stops of course and waits for me to catch him up.  “Filling station” I say He looks at me like Ive just asked him to be my get away driver from a bank robbery !   “Its that direction” I say  He replies with a nod.  On the back I get clutching my plastic 2Litre Ginger beer bottle.

 

Well its no longer rainy season but the dry season and what Ive noticed is that they attempt to fill all the ruts that have been made in the rainy season with sand so that it sort of smooths out the road

Which is all well and good if you’re walking, and even if you’re good bicycle rider on your own.  But given a novice rider with a passenger on the back ( clutching his 2Litre Plastic Ginger Beer bottle ) and it makes things very difficult. The first hint of this was when I sat on the back and the front wheel reared up like it was saying ” right lets go”  This brought wry smiles from other passing Jingas, and I wasn’t sure if it was my fault for sitting too far back or the novice Jinga cyclist for not putting down pressure on the handle bars.  Well off we set.   We made about 10 yards I would say before the bike sort of skids from side to side in the sand coming to a grinding halt. We both kept our footing but as my Jinga turned around  the look on his face sort of said ” well you get off and walk and I’ll push the bike”.  I dutifully did so. We walked about 50 yards together like this.  The thought did cross my mind that I was actually paying for walking alongside a bicycle that was meant to be giving me a lift – clever !

dav

After the 50 yards I mounted again and with a certain uncertainty we started off again , only to come to a halt some 50 yards further down the road.  The process repeated itself several times until we crossed the tarmac.  This was also done with a certain amount of trepidation as you can imagine.  Picture the scene over 100 bicycles coming along the road, both ways,  and you have to cross this road to get to the path on the other side.  In a car its difficult, on a motor bike its difficult, on a bicycle on your own its pretty difficult to judge it, but on a bicycle with a passenger on the back it take s a while to get up a head of steam, and by the time you start moving the gap you were aiming for has gone.   I was going to suggest that I got off and crossed the road on foot and met him on the other side, but as I had already walked half the distance I thought Id get my moneys worth. A couple of times his front wheel clipped passing Jingas who gave him looks which suggested ” Amateur or Novice” But eventually as we got to the other side my Jinga was heard to say in a very Malawian accent, ” Don’t worry about a thing”.  I did think he was going to burst into a Bob Marley number  but I merely responded with – “Me worried ; Nooooo” At this point he stopped, turned to me and said that we had run out of road.  What he meant was that he didn’t know the way.  So not only was I walking half the way I now how to direct him to the filling station.  Mission accomplished and now a full 2Litre plastic Ginger Beer bottle filled with petrol …… what do you mean unsafe ……… noooooo 😉

Hurriedly putting the petrol into the bike as by this time I WAS LATE  – I know thats difficult to uinderstand of me but occasionally it happens !  Bike starts beautifully once it has petrol.

Now the sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed that on my motor bike there are two stands for two wing mirrors but only one wing mirror.  This is because when the dirt tracks and myself meet, the wing mirror is one of the first things to get damaged.  And to only have one wing mirror is a disadvantage to say the least, particularly when passing goats and cows who suddenlt decide to change direction.  The cost of a wing mirror in Malawi is 30,000 Kwacha ( or so my guard told me – hmmmmm)  which is approximately £30, thats because you cant buy one.  Well not wishing to spend that I sourced some Malawian Super Glue which is said would hold 3 ton !  Should do the trick nicely, spending all evening gluing the mirror back on.  Success, in the morning I checked and it seemed to have done the trick. So Bike full of petrol, two wing mirrors  – sorted

After about 10 minutes the wing mirror falls off ! Clearly Malawian Super glue is not that super and may not even be glue ! The rest of the day is mono-mirror and to be honest the rest of my time in Malawi ! But it does make a great Helmet stand though

Then after a few minutes came across this scene which I have now learned to my cost that you take seriously.  What has happened is a bag of grain has fallen off either a wagon or a Njinga ( and you now know how to say it ) and spilt across the road.  The first time I saw it, I wasn’t sure what to do so just drove careful through it – followed by a crowd of irate Malawians chasing after me !   I thought that they would just dispose of it but of course they don’t  All the traffic stops and everyone lends a hand to sweep up the grain and re bag it – Nothing is ever thrown away in Malawi – the ultimate recycling – use and re-use and re-use and re-use.  What you dont do is drive through it   You just wait until every grain is swept up and I mean every grain !

So not the best start to my return, with baggage, no car, delay in arriving in Mangochi, no petrol,  no wing mirror and late ! but undeterred I carry on to visit my first school.  And that is actually, as the say,  where the day turns around.  I walk in though the door of the Learning Centre and see 30 Learners so intent on their work on their iPads that they dont look up, ( well a few might !) they just carry on with what they are doing.

 

The teacher just quietly walking amongst them, supporting here and there. A scene of absolute focussed on-task learning. Ofsted “Outstanding” !  Ouch did I really say that word!  You may ask what are the curtains for – i’s a school initiative and I’ll let you guess – tell you in the next blog – hehe

 

You may say well thats exactly how it should be, but this is a million miles away from a typical Malawian classroom of 250 Standard 2 Learners ( 7 year olds in general but some or even many are not !) with a teacher teaching at the front or even sitting at the front. And in many circumstances in their classroom which is a tree

 

 

 

And to cap the day off as I drive into my compound these three cheeky girls say the usual Malawian expression -“Hi How are you/ Very Well thank you ! ”  and

I nearly fall off my bike laughing

I have briefly mentioned in a previous blog the sort of things that I’m involved in while in Malawi, but I feel its worth a separate blog, Head Teacher training, Teacher training, setting up Learning Centres, Supporting the use of Learning Centres,  Inspector training and PEA training – what’s a PEA I hear you ask, well it doesn’t come in a pod ! .  And with less than 2 weeks before departing back to the UK and boring everyone with my exploits ( free bookings taken for schools of course ! – seriously) thats I challenge that I will accept

Driving, Drinking and Bollards

I’m still here !!!

How time flies !  Every morning when I get up I say I’m really going to write something, and every evening when I get home I think – definitely tomorrow – Procrastination love it !   Done it all my life why should I stop now ! The only trouble is it doesnt get things done ! So it was a toss up – should i stay in and write a blog piece or just go to the local bar and have a drink.  Well as you can see the blog won.  Now if the bar had have won let me try to explain what its like. Im not sure I have any photographs of it, so here goes.

First of all its on the main tarmac road of Mangochi. In the picture its just behind the tree, which I agree is a bit rubbish but its the only one I have, so hopefully you get the picture – (no pun intended but if you want it you can have it !)

It is just by 2 excessive speed bumps.  And when I say excessive I mean huge !

On all the roads there are speed bumps which are preceded by rumble strips, generally 3 sets  but occasionally 4 sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The picture is a typical Trading Centre.  If you look carefully you can see the rumble strips. Trying to negotiate the “Rumbles’ at the same time as the people is not an easy task – and try doing it at night when there is no light whatsoever !

The cars, and they are mainly public transport mini buses or trucks laden with bags, sacks and people, slow down at these rubble strips at a quite ridiculous pace. They almost come to a halt, as you go over each rumble at slower than walking pace.  This results in you feeling every rumble as you go over each one.  Now my philosophy is if you go over them a little faster you could get the bump all at once. But I guess the Malawian mini buses know what they are doing as they look at me aghast as I take the whole set of strips at running pace !   These strips are before every town and trading centre, after every town and training centre , and in every town and trading centre – Get the gist – there are a lot of them, and when you go over them on the motor bike thats another story.

Then of course there are the Speed humps which really are vicious, and the good old Mini-bus drivers slow down even more, almost where the passengers have to get out and push the minibus over the hump.  But having said that I have met a few too many humps at probably a greater speed than I should and thought …….. Oh No ……… but its too late now as my front wheels take off and the contents of the car end up on the floor and again when on the motor bike its generally a shout of  “Geronimo !”

 

I digress ……….. as ever …….The bar  as I said is situated on the main tarmac road    Its called Sun City ‘ with Peace and Love Bottle store next door ……… 

Its a room that you never really go into. Well I have seen one or two disappear into there but you never see them come out again !   You sit outside on plastic chairs that have a tendency to have a broken leg so that when you sit on it the fourth leg tends to spray out and it feels like you are like a baby giraffe with its legs sprayed out .  To over come this the bar staff, who wait on outside and give you one of these seats to sit on, generally as soon as you sit down give you a second chair to place over the first chair to sit on which if you’re lucky has a different leg that is broken so that you can manage to sit without sloping too much.  In front of you is a bare wooden table that looks a bit like a trestle table from the local church.

The clientele is predominately male; sat around the tables in groups of 3 or 4 .  Now in between the bar and the Tarmac is what I would loosely call a car park, but there is no order to it at all, and the cars just park and in some cases drive in between the tables!   And no one bats an eyelid.

Normally when I go, which is usually about twice a month, when I’ve plucked up the courage to walk into this group of people on my own.  I get the usual inquisitive looks as I am the only ‘masungu’ there.  A member of the bar staff comes up gives me the obligatory 2 chairs next to a table which probably  has people already sitting there.  I order the customary “Green” which is a bottle of Carlsberg lager.  This is the main drink for everyone, or if you really want to live dangerously you have a “Special” which actually to me tastes exactly the same just costs 400 Kwacha more !

Most of the time the people on the table will engage you in conversation, curious about where you are from , what you are doing, where you live etc.  You can pretty much guarantee that you will get a conversation of sorts every time. However, I do on occasions seem to get targetted by two groups of people, and as long as you know that its fine.  The response to both these groups is pretty much the same.  There’s the gentleman who Im sure just waits for me to sit down before he pulls up his two chairs and says in a slightly slurred but extremely loud voice (which reminds me of the “Nutter on the bus” sketch where every looks and thinks Please dont let him sit next to me, Please dont and then thank goodness he’s not sat next to me ! ) ” Welcome to Kenya, Im from Nairobi !”  …….. well he sits next to me !

This is kind of strange as I’m in Mangochi in Malawi, but  if he thinks he’s in Kenya, who I am to worry.  He has now started to welcome me by shouting “Hello Scotty” because he thinks Im from Scotland.  I just merely agree with him and try to look away as he just talks non-stop telling me about Kenya slurring his words on a regular basis.   The other group are the ones who come up and because you stand out from everyone else come up and tell you their life history, quite soberly, but they do so just to practice their English.

And talking about practicing their English – there is another group that is really keen to do this but it’s not in the bars its out on the roads……… ….. and thats the Malawian Traffic Police.  Now I definitely don’t have a photo of this after my last little escapade with them but on all roads there are Police road blocks.

Actually I risked life and limb to day and sneaked one as the usual transportion laden with bags and people went through.

Sometimes there is a barrier which can be lifted or more commonly it consists of three oil drums, one  in the middle of the road, and another at either side of the road.  Across the two of the oil drums is a bar that pretty much remains static.  The bar just stretches across one side of the road.  On the other side is a traffic cone. By the side of the road are generally four or five Traffic police.  Some are in Uniform, others just dressed casually, not sure who they are but they all do a similar job.  One at least carries a gun. As you approach this road block, you come to a halt.  Very often you cant even see the police.  Sometimes they are in a small hut or generally just sitting on the ground.

At this point, they exert their authority !  They never ever rush. After what can seem like hours, they walk very very slowly towards the barrier.  At this point you are thinking, please, please……… go on walk to the cone and kick it to the side!.  If this happens they kick it 2 or 3 times to the side of the road and you are free to drive/ride on through, generally giving what is probably quite close to a salute as you go through.  However if you are unlucky, as I was last week the following happens ………….

 

Im happily going through a trading centre called Masuku,….. a route I take almost daily, but this time  there was a temporary Road Block.. True to form I stop and wait for the “kick”   I get the slow walk, but this time he walks to the car, ………  thoughts ” Really?     Just kick the cone twice !” but no he comes up to the window.  I wind it down.  First words after exchanging the only greeting I know – Muli bwanji  ( How are you – sort of !! ) Ndili bwino, Kai enu ?zikomo ( I am well, How are you?  thank you ) and then after that Im lost.  As in all foreign languages after the first few phrases Im generally lost, and just keep repeating yes in what ever country Im in – Oui, oui has got me through a lot of really complicated discussions in France – havent understood a word but Im the only one that knows that !  So in Malawi I’ve been saying “Ai”  which sounds similar to the Scottish Aye meaning yes.

Until only very recently I’ve discovered I’ve been saying ‘No” to everyone as “Ai” actually means “No” !   I mean who’d have thought it ! No wonder they look at me strangely !

Anyway, after exchanging the customary greetings, out come those famous Traffic Policeman’s words …………  “We’re thirsty”

Kind of stumps you – so you respond with – Oh dear or words to that effect. Then he repeats it several times.  I respond with “That’s a shame” Oh dear”  “So am I ”  “I havent got any drinks!” and so the conversation goes round in a circle, until eventually he gives up and kicks the cone not in frustration but thats what his left foot is for .

I carry on with my journey to the school.  On my return I stop at a Trading Centre and think Im sure they will still be there, so i buy 2 bottles of Fanta.  Now in Malawi you have to understand that Fanta is a generic term for any fizzy drink If it’s Sprite or Sobo or Coca cola – its all Fanta ! So I buy my 2 bottles of Fanta and set off.  And sure enough the temporary road block is still there.

I stop.  Wait the customary 3 minutes and along he walks a bit like an umpire when he goes to consult the other umpire in a game of cricket ( no idea where that simile  came from  …..must be my English heritage ) and up he comes to the window.  I wind it down feeling particularly pleased with myself and before he can Mulli my Bwanji I say Ive bought you 2 drinks !!! His immediate response ………………….   “There’s four of us !” ……… Damn I never thought to look !   Anyway I say something like I’ll remember next time and drive on. However, only yesterdayI was told that when they say they are thirsty, it actually means they would like some money !   No wonder he looked disappointed with 2 bottles of ‘Fanta”

I carry on my journey back home, only to be stopped again some 20 km further down the road ……. a police block with oil drums and cone!   And over walks a rather portly gentleman who I recognise from previous encounters, dressed in Traffic Policeman’s uniform. “Muli ……….” and “Indili …….” given.  He greeted me like a long lost friend.

“Where are you going?   I saw you going out this morning”

“Yes I saw you too.  Im going home to Mangochi” I replied

“Will you give me a lift to Idrusi as I’m in need of some chips?   I am hungry !”

Now did that mean he really was hungry or does he just need money for chips ? I decide on the latter, and reply in a most positive way …… “Of course I can give you a lift.”

“Thats great,. Can you give me a lift back as well?”

Well when a portly Malawian Officer of the Law asks a question its normally best to answer  “Of course I can …….No problem !” …. as he tucks his rifle under the car seat and off we go …..

It’s all in a days work !

And talking of a journey home just had to take these photos as an example of a journey home from work – beats the M6 at rush hour !

 

 

Next blog and definitely no procrastination  more about working with  and training Head Teachers and Teachers as part of the Project – fun times !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weaving with magic and through loam

Some days are good and some days are ………….. even betterer ! There you go you weren’t expecting that were you but its true  Despite what is thrown at you and Im not talking  literally although on occasions that does happen, there is always the bright side by thinking it just has to get better ! !

Two things happened recently that are poles apart but just struck me as amazing events.  Although one of them at the time didn’t seem amazing !

Apologies if Ive mentioned it before but its the Rainy season –

“Mention it before ??? You never flippin’ stop talking about it !!!!” I hear you say.

But honestly it is a really important part of life and the calendar out here. It is as they say “No Rain; No Life” Well despite it being the rainy season, it is still very sunny and hot on many days. Very few days are overcast all day. But as Ive said before when it rains, it rains ! You already know that I have two modes of transport, well three really if you count walking, but that aside, I ride a Trials motorbike as well as driving a car. Most people say now that the rainy season has come just use the car! It’s what it’s for ! Those of you who know me well enough –  ………”It’ll be fine”  ………..”No problem” ……….”If its sunny in the morning it’ll be fine” If it’s raining I’ll use the car.”

I never thought Id say this but actually I prefer riding the motorbike.  The scenery somehow is enhanced, the tracks, bumps, ridges, boulders are certainly easier to negotiate and there is something really pleasing at riding through the amazing African countryside, waving at the locals while they smile back at you or even just stare in absolute wonderment as this crazy guy goes through their village

 

 

“Didnt he come through here yesterday?”  “I think he did!”  “I wonder where he’s going ?”    ” I dont know but it’s a dead end so he’ll be back soon !” ( roughly translated from the Chichewa )  – anyway I like it !

 

 

So on this lovely sunny morning i flung open my bedroom windows and the sun is blazing down, not a cloud in the sky I could almost hear them singing “Who will buy this wonderful morning? ………etc” So I gather my jacket, helmet and gloves. Pack my little ‘over the shoulder bag’ with my laptop, camera, phone and ipads and off I set. I tend to always take my laptop with me wherever I go as its the one thing that if I lost it, I would literally cry ! So I always think best to take it with me and then I’ll not lose it ………………. except for the time when I left my ‘over the shoulder bag’ with all its belongings at the place where I eat, and only realised 2 hours later when I got home – but thats another story ! Opened the gate, kick started the bike and away i went  “… on this wonderful morning, and tying it up in a ribbon, knives grinding, selling milk…… the whole song ! ” … singing away to myself ! ” I was off to visit not exactly my furthest school away from where I live, but its about 50 km on the tarmac and another 35 km on the dirt-track. And there is some absolutely stunning scenery and everything looks so rich and fertile. The Maize is growing much taller, and the tobacco leaves are enormous, potatoes, beans and many I just don’t know the names of. Although there is quite a worry at the moment in Malawi that there just hasn’t been enough rain and it looks like it will be a bad year, which literally will mean a very tough time ahead for many Malawians, so fingers crossed the rains return ………. but not today thanks. 😉

I arrive at the school just as the Learners were entering the Learning Centre ( which is what we call the room where they use the iPads)  Their first job is to wash their hands. The bucket is filled of course from the local water pump.  Note one of the classrooms in the background. When they have washed their hands they enter the resource room generally taking any footwear off – if they have any on – place their plastic bags which contain their small exercise books just inside the entrance. They collect their headphones and sit down on the mats waiting extremely patiently for the teacher to give the next set of instructions.

And this is the point that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, or how many children/learners are in your class, or even how old the learners are, a great teacher is a great teacher.  And it’s always a really pleasure to see someone who works their craft to great advantage. With very little instruction and a gentle voice he tells the learners to pass the iPads to their partners  and get ready to work on the iPads. Like anyone who is skilled within their area of expertise, it looks so easy, and very soon within a space of a few seconds, all the learners are intent on focussing on their own ipad. The logon for each of them is via selecting a photo of their face.  This isn’t always as easy as it would appear, as many of them don’t see their image very often, no mirrors or cameras.  I then of course try to assist by saying in a typically English slow way  “Is …. that ….. you ?” which only confuses them even more –

“Not only am I working on something which is not part of my normal life or schooling but this very strange person comes up to me speaking a language which I really dont understand and he’s pointing to a picture and then to my face – well what would you do ????

They just look at me in total bewilderment!   At the start it’s often their partner who says – ” Yes that’s him/her !” but they do slowly begin to recognise themselves the more they do it.

And there they sit in absolute silence working their way through their individualised App, while the teacher walks amongst them checking that they can all understand what they are doing. I just sit and watch and like watching a football match want to jump up and shout ……. “Thats brilliant !” ….. “Thats exactly what all teachers should be doing” …….  “Great support !” ……”Go on do it again ! …….. But I don’t!  …….I just sit there in awe,  watching a true artist practicing their craft and in the words of a good friend of mine “watching him weave his magic !”

 

The magic spell suddenly broken by the sound that I’ve come to recognise instantly of very heavy rain on a tin roof ! …………. ……. bike !   It’ll pass ! ……..It doesnt ! ………For the rest of the lesson I’m observing but not watching, all I’m doing is listening to the pitter patter or should i say drumming on the roof of what can only be described as extremely heavy rainfall !

At the end of the lesson, it’s time for me to make the trek home. Remembering my last experience of soaked mobile phones I ask the teacher if she has a plastic bag that I can put my mobile in to keep it dry – she hasnt but she ‘borrows’ one of one of the learners plastic bags and promises to pay them back ! I wrap my mobile carefully into my bag and then realise in my haste to get out this morning forgot to put my heavy jeans on which is recommended when travelling on a bike ! I had my light trousers on !

“I’ll be fine!” It’ll be ok !” My mobiles in a plastic bag what could possibly go wrong ?”

 

So off i set on my bike in what can only be described as one of the heaviest downpours known this Rainy season ! As I was riding along I was thinking of all the most difficult parts of the ride, the worse rocks part,the very steep hill going uphill, the very steep hill going downhill, the extremely muddy part,  so much so that I wasnt even thinking of getting wet.  I was mentally ticking off in my head each one of the tricky parts like playing a game (Photo not taken during the rain – Im not stupid !) ……..but this was the route I was riding

 

 

I was so pleased with my self for manoeuvring my way past all the obstacles.  Most of the track is loam soil which is composed mostly of sand , silt , and a smaller amount of clay, (I looked that up !) which when dry is great…………… but when mixed with water and the wheels of a motorbike become like a skating rink as the tyres try and get a grip.  So Im managing to counter manoeuvre every slide and slip, not only avoiding rocks but also extremely high density loam parts. My back wheel doing amazingly well as I zig zag my way along the track.  My mind starts to say you’ve done all the difficult bits only a few kilometres to the tarmac. ……………….. and then i sort of hit the highest density of loam that I had ever seen. I can only describe it as if it was in slow motion! It must have been over inseconds but it seemed like minutes ……..Literally with every slide of the back wheel I thought to myself Ive got this, and it slid to the right ……..I’ve got this,,, to the left……I have Ive managed it   left …. right …….bang ! and i hadnt got it.   Looking back now I have no idea why I just didnt ease off the throttle and come to a halt, but I didn’t Im pretty sure I was still pushing the throttle and like an ice skater going from side to side, increasing in speed.   The ground very quickly came up to meet me.  …….. And there I was lying on the ground, absolutely caked in a light brown soil all over me, my jacket, my shirt , my bag, my helmet, my bike, my light trousers even ! I landed on my bag …….. First thought of course wasnt have I broken any bones but ……. LAPTOP !.   But its pouring with rain so i just got up and trusted all was well with both body and technology !!! not necessarily in that order !

I managed to get my bike up again and started, which is always a main dread that it wont start. I got back on feeling a few bumps and bruises, which I wont go into but it still aches now !! I was due to go to another school but as I looked like the Incredible Hulk ( although he was green wasnt he ? but you get the idea!) caked in a muddy brown soil I decided to go straight back home.  As I rode home, of course to everyone I passed it was obvious I had come off due to the state of my clothing.  Normally you get a lot of stares as you go past anyone and on this occasion these were intensified and generally came with muffled laughter !

No bones broken ( I hope) and despite coming off I will always remember those few split secondsI of absolute fear and the sensation of ‘I can do this, I can,,,,,,, I can,,,,,, I can – oops’ which seemed to last for ages !!!!

I have now said that I wont use my bike again until the Rainy season is over – definitely not ……..I’m not going to ride it ….. although as a fellow Volunteer said to me –     “Yeah Yeah well not until the next time at least !

It’s just weather forecasts aren’t what they used to be ! …… but I guess the next time i hear “Who will buy this wonderful morning? ………. ” .. keep it …..

…….I’ll take the car !

 

and obviously Laptop was fine otherwise you wouldnt be reading this !

It’s spitting – everyone in …….. or out ?

When they describe this as the rainy season they are not joking. As I mentioned in the last blog the rainy season has begun. And when it rains ……… it rains. When I first arrived I was told by those who were far more knowledgeable than myself that some of my schools would be impossible to get to in the rainy season. Having no experience whatsoever of the rainy season in Malawi I could not see how on earth these dirt tracks could be impassable.

 

 

Certainly they were rocky and had loads of holes and ridges, and in places were very narrow but impassable ……. never !

 

 

How wrong was I ?? When it rains it really rains and this is very often in the night, or at least it has been with a few downpours during the day. This is torrential rain, the sort that wakes you up in the middle of the night with a few thoughts of “what on earth is that ?” descriptions such as “it’s coming down like stair rods ” (now they were an interesting piece of equipment that I remember from my Grandmas – do we still use them I ask myself ?),  ” raining cats and dogs!” “it’s p ………….ersistently raining” or expressions from around the world “It’s raining dung head-first.”, “It’s raining old women with clubs.” “It’s throwing cobblers’ knives.” and the good old favourite “Il pleut comme vache qui pisse”  Well all of these cannot describe what its like when it rains. But talk to a Malawian while I’m cowering under a shelter trying not to get wet and say ” The weather is horrible !” and they soon come back with “NO ! Not at all this is lovely weather !” after all its what they’ve been waiting for since last April. You never ever hear a Malawian complain about the rain. To quote “No Rain, No Life.”  To them its their livelihood and indeed the difference between life and death. They just walk out in it like it wasn’t there, through streams and puddles; i use the term puddle loosely because it’s not a ‘Christopher Robin puddle who goes splashing in his red wellies’, these are lakes that a small goat could drown in !

And yet they just go  about their lives as though it was a normal day – which I guess it is. But the effects of these “rains” is enormous and these effects happen literally over night.

The dirt tracks can become just torrents of water.  Add this to the fact that the dirt tracks are narrow anyway and dangerous at the best of times, and literally the car ( have graduated to a car now just for the rain !) just slides from one mud bank to another. The water just doesn’t seem to go into the ground at all. It just sits on the top or rushes down the trenches either side of the track. In fact at this time you see lots of people, can be up to 50 usually women, all out with their hoes clearing the trenches and throwing the soil/mud onto the road. I can only presume this is so the water runs off the track and into the trench. This work is paid for by the local communities.

Driving in these conditions is not the easiest thing to do. Some of you now will be saying – you big wuss – well wuss I am ! There are some bridges that don’t look strong enough in the dry but in the wet …… I rest my case ! 

The usual hazards of poor vision, skidding, getting stuck in the mud, literally no way round a large “lake” and impossible to turn round all apply on the journey and usually all happen at the same time. It’s at this point that I wished Id talked more photographs of my journeys, but at the time when you are trying desperately to keep all your senses active, the camera is the last thing to think of.  So you manage all the hazards and your wheels are still turning and your moving forward when you see ahead the flashing indicators of a truck stuck up a hill ! There are around 30 people all around the truck, many of whom would have been passengers. All of them offering advice, and as my granny used to say – “Giving it a good coat of Looking !”

You have two choices stop and just wait for what could be a considerable time or try to go past the narrowest gap, on an incline into the ditch of about 45 degrees and just hope you don’t get stuck. And remember it is pleurring comme vache qui pisse ! I took the cowards way out and stopped. Behind me another truck stopped and waited. We waited and watched. After a while, the driver of the truck behind came up to me and said with a huge smile on his face – I’m going to try it ! I replied that I would watch him to see what happened ! Well he went and I watched from a distance as he edged very slowly past the stuck truck ! Being Malawian, he of course knew exactly what to do and manoeuvred his vehicle past. To my surprise he went past and then stopped, got out of his cab and beckoned me forward. I had no choice but to try – the worst case scenario would be Id tip my car on to its side the best would be that I’d be so proud of myself for getting past ! Pride here I come ! As I edged past the truck, reving ferociously, playing the clutch, windscreen wipers on maximum speed, tilting at an angle of 45 degrees, and “It’s still  raining chair legs.” I guess at this point I closed my eyes and just drove feeling a bit like a motor cyclist on the wall of death ( do they still have those ?) Well suffice it to say I made it with out putting the car on its side. And as I passed the truck i opened one eye, and as far as I could see he was embedded in the muddy waters, I looked up at the driver, who had a big beaming smile on his face and he raised his thumb to say hi ! He wasn’t flustered at all, looking worried or anything – its just their way of life and they accept it. I have no idea how he got out and there is certainly no tow truck to help him, but he must have got out because on my return journey all that was left were very very large muddy ruts in water.

The photo is of another incident when I had the presence of mind to take a photo. But tis man was just unloading the truck laden with grain He is standing in a torrent of water which is rushing down both sides. He couldn’t understand why I wasn’t passing and of course eventually I just had to as it is an impossibility to turn round.  So every day is a journey where literally you never know what is going to happen

But because of the ‘Rains” other more dramatic things happen I mentioned before that people just came out appeared in the fields to dig with their hoes but the results cf this hoeing and seeding is amazing.  Literally within weeks the fields as far as the eye can see the fields changed from dust bowls to luscious green baize.

 

 

And not just the fields, every spare piece of land, in between huts, in front of huts anywhere have  been cultivated. I was told today that 3/4 of the Malawian population are farmers which is amazing if its true and even if its an exaggeration certainly the majority of Malawians ‘cultivate’ !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know this appears to be a mundane normal view in England but to see the land change in such a short space of time from brown to green without any mechanical means at all just by people using a hoe is amazing

 

 

The other effect is of course a huge drop in the school population.  A number of factors come in to play. Firstly many “Learners” are kept at home to go and work in the fields to sow and hoe the land. The other factor is of course with so many classrooms being ‘outdoors’ the rain of course completely wipes this classrooms out. “Learners’ know that of course so there is no need to go to school at all. Schools do look a sad site when it’s raining and many teachers also know there won’t be any learners there so they don’t go to school. I met one who was working on a stall and when I said why aren’t you in school teaching, he said “It’s raining there won’t be any learners and I wont have a classroom. ! ” Some classrooms may be a building but with only half a roof because of winds, again when it rains it can’t be used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am currently undergoing training the teachers on Life skills and Child Friendly Schools, Id love to talk about their training and the differences on what our main foci is – I hadn’t realised quite how different the  issues were But suffice it to say Im working with Primary school teachers An absolutely fabulous group of people whose challenges we couldn’t even begin to understand I mean start with 150+ in your class and thats just for starters. Ive asked their permission and they said they didn’t mind me reproducing these 2 photos here to give some idea of our training

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And when one of their tasks is to how to work with the “Learners” on Building Self-Esteem – you understand the enormity of their challenges:-

When it rains during the training, the teachers thoughts all go to – how am I going to get home, as their only modes of transport are , walk, push bike or if they are very lucky motor bike and some have distances of 20 – 30 km to travel. One gains extra ‘brownie points’ if you let them go an hour earlier ……… and to be truthful the room is so dark anyway you can’t see any charts or posters, let alone the thought in my head of – ………..”Will I get home ? ”

Class dismissed – whoosh —————

Creative Challenge – No one said it was going to be easy …………..

This is a bit of a strange blog post and one that Im not sure where it’s going – which is always a little dangerous ! Normally to use an old analogy its a bit like a car journey you know ultimately where you are going. You may go a different way or even get lost – it has been known –  but most of the time you end up eventually  where you wanted to be.  Thats a bit like writing a blog – in my day it was Beginning  Middle and End none of this Starter Introductions; Conflict; Resolution etc  stuff ( only joking !) Ive got a start, I meander a bit and then I know where Im finishing. Not this one – its a bit different – may work and then again …………  and possibly not many piccies either

A couple of times recently ( actually several on all sorts of topics) I have asked some questions on Twitter.  At this point I should say that increasingly  I find Twitter an absolutely amazing communication tool. I started off on Twitter as part of a support group discussions when I was endeavouring to develop a school.  I found the advice and support then as it is now absolutely invaluable.  My Twitter being purely educational with a leaning towards developing technology in order to enhance learning and trying to make teaching a little easier.  My followers  and following have increased considerably in the last few months and it really has been a great feeling of support out in here in Malawi where frankly talk of computers and educational technology is probably as rare out here as the good old English phrase “Do you think its going to rain tomorrow?”  (it being the dry season and it hasn’t rained since about April )

People like LoveToTeach @87History      Mark Anderson @ICTEvangelist     Claire Jones @AsstHead_Jones    Gemma Clarke @missglclarke    Beverley Melvin @BeverleyAMelvin  Sarah Bedwell @FlyMyGeekFlag  Daniel Callaghan @Mr_D_Callaghan     Anoara Mughal @anoara_a     Kelly Shaw @KShaw1977     and many many more who Ive not mentioned but should have. They have all been really supportive in helpful comments and general encouragements, particularly when I start to think – “What am I doing? ” haha  Its a superb supportive community.  I love it.

Anyway I digress – although not really……. because a couple of times Ive asked about resources for putting on an iPad, as this is the tool we have and may I say the only technological tool that the Learners have. And there’s another difference they are not referred to as Children or Kids or Youths or Young persons or ‘Oi you where do you think you are going?’   or any thing else……. they are all at, every age  referred to as Learners, which I think is an interesting description and one that maybe should be used more widely.

Anyway after asking for these resources for use on the iPad, the answers I think just show how far we have come on in the Uk on our use of technology in schools.  The answers being given are exactly the answers that I would have posted had I been sitting in the UK accessing my 4G broadband ( alright I know its not always working but in general it’s there.) on a device or devices that I’ve kind got to know intimately ( sadly !)

Certainly in my school we moved quite swiftly from the apps that were just giving knowledge or specifically subject based to Apps that allow the creative side of the “learner” to develop. I  distinctly remember giving talks to quite large groups of teachers and Head Teachers who at the point of saying “These are the Apps we use …….” – notebooks, mobile cameras, iPads  suddenly came out to snap the list of apps.  I also remember saying that its not about the subject specific apps but the Apps that allow creative thoughts and developments , the apps that allow you to be anywhere in the world, taking images and developing them, immediate responses,  imagination, developing thought processes, leading the Learner into a special world of description, poetry, prose, frontal adverbials – oh well maybe not quite that but you get the gist

 

 

 

 

Many of these fantastic Apps rely on connectivity, not all but a number do. Many of these do require a purchase of some sort. I would have recommended  creative Apps like Book Creator, Comic Life, Do ink, Toontastic, Showbie, iMovie, Seesaw, Photofunia, Wordfoto, Chatterpix, Aurasma, Kahoot, Google Expeditions………… all great creative apps that you can just excite the children and produce brilliant creative work. I recently asked for any App or resource that would be Inspirational for Girls. And as usual I had a brilliant response from lots of folk – many mentioning the above Apps …….. and I think yeah I could use any or all of them – Ive used them all before to great effect ……. lets give it a go ……..

Then two things happen …….. I ride on my motorbike some 100 km to my nearest school which is along tracks that can only take a bike.  I arrive into the school area – its not really a playground as its just the land that the buildings are on, and Im totally engulfed

 by a mass of children as the sight of a Motor bike is one that isn’t seen very often and certainly not ridden by someone who looks very different to them.They don’t speak but just smile and giggle and literally follow your every movement as you walk to the Learning Centre.  The Learning Centre houses the 30 iPads which are securely locked inside a fortress looking chest with double and in some cases triple padlocks.

The learners first of all wash their hands outside in a bucket, and those who have shoes on take them off.  They walk into the room, collect their headphones and sit down on the rush matting. iPads in their hands they wait eagerly for the Teachers iPad to unlock all the devices…………. Unlocked they then proceed to sit in absolute silence as they work their way through the Maths App spoken in Chichewa ( national language of Malawi).  After half an hour the App locks and they go out of the room, avoiding those at the door who are so envious of their friends who have just been on these very strange but amazing devices called ‘iPads’. ……….

 

And I think to myself ……. creative apps are going to be a challenge but don’t give up !

 

The other event to happen, was today. I was introduced to a Secondary School Head Teacher who was setting up a Head Teachers Association for Malawi Secondary Schools.  A really enthusiastic gentleman who clearly was devoted to education.  In conversation he said that of course his school had a number of challenges to overcome, class sizes, poverty, lack of motivation amongst the girls, absenteeism etc .  I explained what I was doing in schools.  He was fascinated and said he would love me to come to his school and do similar things He felt it would really encourage the Learners to return to school, and to learn and achieve.  I was quite encouraged by the discussion. Just as I was leaving the room, he just called to me and said “Oh before you go, can you just tell me what an iPad is ? ”

Things that we take for granted as we  travel along the road of technology from the first BBC computers through to laptops to now mobile devices which can take us to far away lands, places we never even dreamed of, allowing us to write some amazingly creative pieces of work, our imagination just stretched to the universe and beyond.

Standing in front of a Malawian classroom of 150 Learners…………. trying to explain to a very educated Head Teacher what an iPad is just makes the ‘creative’ Apps seem so far away. Forgot to mention of course that in my most recent school , there are 17 classrooms and 9 of these are a tree !

No electricity, very little connectivity or signal and creative is what we have to be. It’s not easy but as the saying goes no-one said it was going to be …….. but it is immensely worthwhile.

So back to the ……… anyone any ideas for resources to put on an iPad to inspire girls to stay at school past 12 or 13 and not become pregnant and leave education for good. Technology  I’m sure in the hands of these great teachers, who battle with challenges that just can’t be imagined in the Western World of Education, can help provide the answer but it’s just finding the key !

Any suggestions?

Malawian journey on Tarmac

Well I can’t believe that its been almost 2 weeks since I last wrote on here – ‘Doesn’t time fly when you’re enjoying yourself – as the saying goes. Many reasons I guess – the dog eat it ! –  I was late up because my mum didn’t wake me; – I left my cap at home ( only those who know me really well will know that story !)  but mainly because it’s a bit like walking into a sweet shop.  There are just so many things to choose from that I don’t know which to choose –  do I go for the chocolate bar  that I’ll have to eat all in one go or else it’ll melt -a common problem out here, or do I go for the chewy bar that you actually can’t share with anyone ‘cos you really have to bite into it hard or do I just go for the old standby of Fruit n Nut !  Well it’s just the same here.  There are so many things going on around it’s difficult to pick a focus.  If I were to just say everything you’d be here for ages and get even more bored than usual and Id only skim over all the things I want to say. The roads, the superb Lake, the people you meet, the amazing schools, some incredible work on Solar powered data projectors, the iPad work – all of which I could go on about for ages.  So lets just see where the pen, or should I say 2 fingered typing takes us ……………

Much of my time has been spent travelling along the roads of Malawi. Now I should at this point, make it clear that there are two sorts of roads in Malawi, those that are roads and those that aren’t ! No road signs at all.  The directions that are given are – “When you get to the tarmac ……. ” or “Or turn when the tarmac finishes ….”  But riding on your motor bike along these roads is just one of the most amazing experiences that Ive ever had.  One that I must admit when I was dodging around the cones in England trying to just sit on it and not fall off – is something that I hadn’t even thought about.  Even travelling along the tarmac and I will distinguish the two roads as ‘tarmac’ and dust/sand’ you just get a sense of open space that is populated by people who just move along the road.  Now that sounds weird but let me try to explain ………

People walk everywhere.  Literally they just walk. You think now where have you just come from, because there are no huts or houses to be seen, but very rarely do you ride along a road and not see anyone. Not many cars at all just lots of people – And not only where did they come from but where are they going to ?  Just people walking, on their own , in twos or threes.  Then this strange guy or “Masungu” as we are called rides past on a trials bike!  Inside my head I think i look like ‘Steve Mcqueen’ but realistically probably more like Mr Pastry ( for the younger generation ask someone to explain !)

All heads turn, literally and watch you go by.  It can be out on the open road or going through a trading centre, all heads turn almost as one.  At first it can be a bit off putting especially when you are also trying to manoeuvre your way through the crowds of people. But eventually you feel more confident and can even smile through your visor and wave – though this is not recommended with your right throttle hand as you tend to stall and even more heads turn to look at Mr Pastry who hasn’t yet learned to ride a bike and takes ten kick starts to start again – not that Ive done it of course but I’m just imagining it !!!!

Of course the people that you go past many of them (is that English) carry something on their head.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This can vary between a bundle of clothes, a bucket of water, sticks, logs, an umbrella – literally anything that you could and sometimes with difficulty carry in your hand …. is carried on the head.

I stand to be corrected but the Malawian ladies and children have an amazing up right posture – You never ever see one who is not walking perfectly upright or slouched.  This just has to be because from a very young age they carry things on their head. Many have a baby on their back as well.  Lots of them, and this is a great trick, as they turn their head to look at something the container on their head stays in exactly the same position and doesn’t turn – amazing.  Whenever you go past them you just want to say – thats amazing – How do you do that And can I take a photo ? – but you don’t you walk past and as they turn their head to look at you – you just smile.

Next along the tarmac of course there are the huts that sell things. But you don’t really see the huts !  As you travel there are particular areas for different commodities. Rush mats are hung on specially constructed frames, baskets and hats, made I guess from reeds – not sure what they are made of to be honest but they they are just hung all alongside the road.

Next come the extremely neat piles of wood. Beautifully stacked in a criss cross fashion about one metre high.  Several piles of these logs just line the road.
No-one at all in sight just the piles of logs.  But stop on your bike or in a car and suddenly out of nowhere as if some magic infra red alarm signal has been triggered, people just come running towards you, persuading you to buy their particular bundle of sticks.  Most of these sticks are of course illegally cut down from trees , making the problem of deforestation even worse, but they are desperate to sell them usually at a cost of 10o Kwacha for 3 sticks ( which is about 10p )  Then they smiling load them into the boot of the car

Then the jars and baskets of fruit and sweet potatoes just laid there as though they are just left by someone.

 

 

Piles of stones that are built in pyramid shapes varying from fine grade to large rocks, and very often these stone piles are being worked on by people who just sit all day making the large stones smaller by hitting them with a hammer of sorts.

 

Next come the bricks all neatly laid out drying in the sun….. Made from the ground upon which they stand and put into a pile again like a pyramid where a fire is lit underneath to dry the bricks out

Many of the houses are made from these bricks. Actually its a sign of wealth to have the houses of bricks. A lot of the houses are of a natural construction The villages that you go past on the roads are all mainly of these constructions.

Carrying along the journey along the tarmac of course there are the crowds of people around the water pumps.  These are mainly women and children. Carefully filling their buckets and bowls from the pumps and then even more carefully balancing them on their heads to carry to their houses and villages. Although I have no idea how far they actually carry them, a few yards for me would be more than enough and it would be a little like ‘It’s a Knockout’ and see how much was left in the bucket after running with it over a short distance.  These folk walk two, three four kilometres or more with these buckets balanced on their heads, cross the roads and hardly spill a drop. All the time looking serene and dignified. 

And then of course along the tarmac are probably the biggest difference,  The animals !  But even those seem to be aware of the road.  The cows just wander where ever they want, sometimes in  twos and threes and other times a large group of twenty to thirty generally shepherded ( can cows be shepherded ??? ) by a very small boy with a stick who looks totally amazed at this motor cycle driving past .  

 

 

Goats just run across the road in a very haphazard fashion, although when one gets left behind as you approach, they almost seem to wait until you’ve gone past and then cross. The cows on the other hand own the road. They will only move when they want to  It doesn’t matter if its in town or in  the rural areas they just go wherever they wish.

Thats kind a brief tour along the tarmac roads in the rural areas. I haven’t even mentioned the views which are absolutely stunning, with a flat valley and mountains rising majestically above the landscape. – which as Im riding up into the mountains reminds me of Wednesday afternoon, Form 2B, learning about African Rift Valleys from  Mr Humberstone, my Geography master who would be so pleased with me remembering that particularly after my Classified U in Geography O’ Level ( again apologies to those amongst you who haven’t got a clue what Im talking about !)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And all this happens every day on my motor bike journey to my schools – makes the journey from Goosnargh to Fleetwood seem very uneventful – its just a case of perspective !

And don’t forget the journeys on the roads that aren’t roads ……….. well where do I start with that one  !….. except to say that the saying of “You’re not really a motor cyclist until you’ve fallen off ! ”   Well I can confirm that I am now a fully paid up member of the motor cyclist club who was totally surrounded by 30 children asking if I was ok and did I want a push ?? Thats what you get when you ride a back through sand – Steve McQueen eat your heart out !

Apologies to those who wanted to hear more about the technology side but next time ……………  Schools started back this week as well and I really wanted to tell you how that went, and the iPads and the potential of a solar powered data projector – but as ever – that’s another story …………….. well several really

 

Educational Technology might just be part of the answer

Thought it was about time that I went into a bit more detail ( not too much tho ‘cos I already know that some of you have already dropped off/logged off !!) about what it is that I’m doing out here. Promise it won’t be a long one  ( another sigh of relief!) but just some background and some events.   To be honest there are times when I have said – “What am I doing out here?” Maybe if I read my own blog its might give me the answer – or is that just too weird !   And I’m going to try and not mention any of the Donors ( they’re the international organisations which give money for the projects ) or Organsations/Companies in case I put something that they don’t particularly like.  I haven’t written it yet but just in case !!!  As ever all views expressed here are purely my own views and not those of the organisations that I’m working for.

Before I start as well –  just to say a shout out to all those teachers out there who are just about to start back at school – when you get to the Bank Holiday you always think “that’s it summer hols over for another year – if you are anything like me – thinking,  can I do this for another year or will someone twig on that Ive been fooling people for all these years !!!! Good luck to you all and it’s not long till half-term.  There may be some compensation in the fact that you only have about 30 children in your class – I can hear you shout – “ONLY !!!!!! ” but read on and hopefully by the end you may be thinking well actually I am quite lucky – ( you probably won’t but it’s a thought !)

 

Basically I’m out in Malawi , one of the poorest countries in the world, to work on behalf of VSO (I’m allowed that one ) with primary schools. to try and raise standards in Maths and Literacy. Actually it’s Maths and Chichewa ( the Malawian Language ) but you get the idea .  Not single handily of course but with a number of other volunteers.   Before I go into the how maybe start off by describing a typical Primary classroom in a Malawian school.

 

 

The average primary school can have upwards of 2,000+ children  The classrooms are generally buildings scattered very often in a random order around a bare patch of ground, very dusty/sandy open space with a few trees which give some shade – but not much. The classroom has bare walls and no furniture.  The children sit on the floor.  There are little to no teaching resources in the room with just a very old blackboard at one end.  There is no electricity, no light and no running water.   The openings for the windows in general have no glass, and very often the doorway into the classroom has no door.  The schools often don’t actually have enough rooms for all the children so classes can take place outside in the open, usually in the shade if possible.
Add into this room one teacher and wait for it – to all of you who have 30 in your class —–  an average of 150+ children at least and sometimes as many as 250 and the problems start to develop. The challenges to teach such large class sizes with few resources are enormous. However, the children in these classrooms are amazing considering the cramped conditions and the difficulties of trying to engage in some degree of learning. The children sit beautifully, well behaved and eager to learn.

On arrival at a school you are literally greeted by hundreds of smiling faces who throng around you as you walk up to the buildings. They all want to say hello and just generally be with you as a huge escort.

So what exactly am I and my colleagues doing within this situation, I hear you ask – well you  may not be asking but let’s pretend for the sake of argument that you are …….

 

The aim is to build a room – poshly called a ‘Learning Centre’ with a solar-powered panel on the roof.  Into this ‘Learning Centre’ is placed a large cabinet.  This cabinet holds 2 large batteries, various wires and boxes ( which I won’t go into for the sake of those of you who are still reading) and a server with an SD card and Sim card exactly like a mobile phone. And this is where the interesting bit comes -( mildly!!) there are also 30 iPads with a purpose built Maths and Chichewa ( those of you who have been paying attention will know what that is !) App specifically designed for the Malawian Curriculum.   The solar panel charges the batteries which in turn charge the iPads. No lack of sunshine in Malawi of course means that they are charged all the time.

The children come into the room, sit perfectly on the floor , put their headphones on and work individually at their own pace  for half-an-hour. Each child logs onto the App by recognising their face and name. Every time they go on the iPad it starts off from where they left off, and reinforces or enhances their previous activities. Throughout the day there is a steady stream of children so that by the end of the day, up to 300 children could have had the chance to work on the iPad every day. The teacher of course monitors and supports the activities as the children work.

 

It is my job alongside my fellow volunteers to train the teachers and support them in using these devices.  The children during their sessions are absolutely totally absorbed in their learning and thus it creates the extremely rare opportunity of 1:1 learning for the child. Not only the children and the teachers but whole communities are excited by the Learning Centres and the learning that is taking place.

 

 

 

Alongside this project I am also currently working with a colleague  on developing a solar powered Data Projector which is easily portable, connects to an iPad and could be used to project images and activities.  I think that if it happens it could be a real game-changer ( whatever that means ) But maybe more on that later!

 

At this point I will say that I tweeted a similar picture recently and in the main fellow  ‘tweeters’ were very interested and made very favourable tweets about it indeed, from all over the world I might add.  That’s one of the reasons why I have focussed on it this time in my blog.  However, there were a few from a certain European country  who were appalled by the fact that we would use technology in a classroom and quite openly stated that this was not education at all and hoped that it would never happen – well if they do by chance read this I will repeat it again – Technology in the hands of a good teacher can result in outstanding Learning – let’s hope so anyway  for the sake of the children of Malawi and certainly we need to do something if we are going to tackle these huge class sizes.

 

 

Add into all this, escapades on dirt tracks on my motor bike to visit the schools, visits to idyllic lodges on beaches at the Lake, and getting locked out of your room    ( several times) ( thats another story !) and life out here is never dull.

 

And talking of dull……. apologies for uninspired blog as felt I was writing an educational document ! so kept slipping at times  into an old mode !!