I’ve just realised that its been a while since my last blog ! Could blame the lack of connectivity, lack of electricity. lack of water, loads of events happening or just me not being more efficient with my time ! Â Although all of these have played a contribution I guess its probably the latter being the over-riding factor.
At some point I will blog about my visit to the Liwonde National Park, 
which was amazing in itself, 
or my journeys on the local bus on a 5 hour journey which literally had so many people packed in with bags and baggages ( I was sat in the aisle with someone else’s bag on my lap – haha ) that it took 30 minutes just to let someone off!. Â 
Actually before I forget about it just a quick mention of the bus journey.  I had to visit Liwonde and the only mode of transport was a bus – So I thought to my self well why not ? My only reservation was that someone helped me find the right bus.  How grateful was I that someone did.  Shamaah, who has looked after me ever since I arrived in Malawi, ( and I must say has been brilliant – have to say that as he reads my blog ! – but seriously without him I wouldn’t know what to do in Malawi at all ) took me to the Bus station.  Get rid of any ideas of one of our bus stations.  Imagine a wembley crowd before they enter the stadium and in the middle of these thousands of people place about 50 buses.  Now put a group of these people probably about 40 – 50 right out side the bus door all claiming that they had the most important reason to board the bus. Put about 5 drivers and Bus conductors ( kind of !) at the entrance shouting that there was no space on the bus  Add the sounds of everyone talking at a volume which would have gone down well in a football stadium, add a hot summers day and you kind of get the picture. Eventually someone and I have no idea who or what he was but literally took me by the hand saying I’ll find you a bus.  After several failed attempts I was again literally escorted on to a bus.  A quick scan around the bus told me there were no spare seats.  I walked down the bus hand in hand with the guy who said he would find me a place and suddenly he stopped and lowered a seat into the aisle of the bus and told me to sit down.  One by one the aisle seats were lowered down and the bus was full. No room to move but I was on.  Not ready to go of course, we sat there for a further half hour when a lady at the front of the bus got on and started talking.in Chichewa ( Malawian language) I felt a little nudge from a young girl next to me.  I turned to her and very quietly she said –
“We’re praying ! ”
“Oh sorry ! ”
and then for half an hour we had prayers, hymns and sermons before money was passed throughout the bus up to the front and our “Bus Service” was over and we eventually set off. To cut a 5 hour journey 
short the little girl talked to me throughout the journey. Â Every so often we stopped to let people off and suddenly we were surrounded by faces at the windows of people selling anything from crisps, fruit, sweets, toys, onions, vegetables. and somethings that I didn’t even recognise but was set straight by my information partner next to me. Â At the stop before I got off, I lost my little Malawian guide as she got off. She insisted that I took a selfie of us and she disappeared off the bus.. Â Just as we were about to set off suddenly she appeared back on the bus at the front gave the biggest smile in the world ever and waved. Â It was just like an image from the closing shots of a movie and actually an image that I will always remember
Or tI could talk about the schools that I have visited which is probably deserving of 2 or 3 blogs. 
The sheer size of classes, upwards from 100 to 250 children in a room with literally a blackboard and no other resources. The expanse of ground that each classroom sits on with no real boundaries for the children to play in, just an open very sandy ground. Or I could talk about an amazing school and an Irish guy who is really trying to change the way children are taught by creating and building classrooms and working with teachers in order to bring the best out of the children. Â I have got all those ideas stored in my head, but the trouble is each day brings a new situation and experience. There must be a book in this somewhere ( if only I could write !!! )
Over the last couple of days I have arrived in the area that I’m going to be living in for the next year. The town is Mangochi, a fairly large town by Malawian standards. One main road that runs through it with a few roads that lead off the main road. Â And off each of these roads are roads which are not tarmaced just sand and dust. As you go along these paths and roads the overwhelming sight is one of people walking, bicycles, and animals, generally goats and cows of all shapes and sizes.
People walking probably equal the number of bicycles being ridden. If you’ve ever been to Cambridge or Oxford, you’ll know that there are bicycles everywhere. Â Compared to Mangochi the number of bicycles in these two University towns are minimal. Â There are bicycles everywhere. Â Many of them are taxi bicycles, with a 
padded seat on the back of the saddle. Â When I say padded, slight exaggeration as its more like a very thin seat covered in leather. You can either sit sidesaddle or just go for it and sit with your legs either side. Walking down the roads every 50 metres there are ‘taxi bicycles’ strapping enormous loads on to the back of the bikes, people climbing on to the back of the bike with all kinds of articles and bags just balanced on their heads, boxes, plates of fruit, clothes wrapped in a large sheet you name it they balance it on their head. Â When you initially see the goods balanced on the head you think that its amazing how they do it, but to then get on the back of a bicycle and still balance it, is just awesome. Whilst walking along the street today, I was continually asked if I wanted a ride. Â I declined adding Id rather walk. Â With every request to ride you get a very cheery smile, and a laugh and a joke about why not ride instead of walk.
The main streets as I said are mainly tarmac but the side roads are very much dirt tracks. deciding to go and explore, particularly on the motor bike can be an experience as the back wheel slides from side to side as you go over the sand.  I guess its a bit like riding on a beach.  Which is very similar to the paths that people walk along when they aren’t walking along the road! It’s exactly like a path that leads down to a beach, reasonably hard but covered in sand and dust.  In many places there are small blue plastic bags which have been discarded. Being one of very few none Malawians, if not the only one ! I walk down the street and I am  fairly conspicuous. Most people look at you and a great many say hello in all different sorts of ways but the main greeting is – “Hello, How are you, Very well thank you” This is usually said with a smile and in one continuous breath even before I can say “Hello” and “How are you?” The warmth of people is amazing.  If you smile even just slightly the greeting always always comes straight back “Hello, How are you, Very well thank you”
Today I went to a TNM shop ( which is one of the main mobile phone distributors in Malawi) to ask how I put additional air time on a wifi device that I have purchased as it is difficult sometimes to get wifi. Â There was a very long queue as usual – they say the British are a nation of ‘queuers’ but compared to Malawians – wow – just try and go to an ATM machine or the bank at the end of the month i.e. payday – you can be there for hours ! I complain when I have to wait 5 minutes in Nat West in England !!! but here they wait extremely patiently and don’t complain at all. Any way I was in TNM, waiting I guess behind at least 8 other people and you moved along a seat when the person had finished at the counter. When, a lovely old man ( actually he was probably younger than me ! ) just said ” You go next !” I declined the offer but he insisted again and again. Â The rest of the queue agreed with him and despite my protestations I was literally forced to go next and sit at the counter and feeling very uncomfortable as my query took ages, but when I had finished, the queue which had now doubled in size, just smiled at me and said ” No problem !” Can you imagine that happening in England ??? Â Throughout my time here I have only met with a great sense of warmth and helpfulness – they say Malawi is the Warm Heart of Africa – so far it certainly is !
 of the road and every so often there is a police road block and or a speed camera !  Well we stopped at a road block and speed camera and I thought it was a very interesting thing as it was the first time that I had encountered it and in hind sight, well ………. probably not a good idea …… but …….. thought to record events that happened I lifted my camera up to take a photo …………………WRONG decision.  It was not warmly received.  In no uncertain terms I was told to get out of the car, and suddenly was taken back to my school days when standing in front of the head teacher for not wearing my cap to school………….Sorry sir, I didn’t know, Im sorry, It wont happen again, so sorry, I’m new here, I didn’t understand,  etc etc.. That made no difference in my school days and I received the obligatory slipper ! but I thought Id give it a go and fortunately it worked this time.  I was severely told off.  He demanded to see all the photographs and fortunately I hadn’t actually clicked the button so there wasn’t a photo  … It was very much a one way conversation and series of questions which didn’t really expect an answer  except for repetitive “sorry, sorry” Told in no uncertain terms to get back into the car and we were on our way ! Lesson learned !
A really beautiful lake, that early in the morning had the fishermen collecting their nets and placing their fish in containers ready to sell them  As well as the washing of clothes by the ladies at the waters edge.  The beach at the lake was just a hive of activity.  A fantastic scene to witness and one which I guess I will become used to but seeing it for the first time it just made you stand and take it all in .
                  And then of course the ladies carry their washing home – just amazing
additional passengers, a lady and her nephew, who are our guides to find this house. We arrive outside a house that is surrounded by the wall and security gate.  Looking around the house it looks good and very spacious but sadly it isn’t finished yet, and the builders are still inside it. Interestingly they live inside the house while they build it, their personal mosquito nets are carefully positioned in some of the rooms.  They say it will be finished in 2 weeks.  The plastering needed doing, utilities had to be put in and windows.  
It would be very handy if I want to hone up my soccer skills as the football pitch is right in front of the gates. Â We wait outside while we try to contact the owner to discuss the cost but sadly she wasn’t availableIt – Â definitely looked a good prospect 
but whether it would be ready for me is another question  We will have to wait and see.   Whilst waiting we buy some small orange fruit ‘things’ for which there isnt an equivalent in English.
minutes later. This apparently looked a really good house, which unfortunately they couldn’t go inside as the owner was away but from the outside it looked really good. Â So fingers crossed. Â We then drove the long journey back to Lilongwe – quite how Im going to do this journey on my motor bike I’m not quite sure. Â It goes right through the mountains, a very twisty and steep road where there used to be barriers on the side of the most dangerous bits but these have ‘disappeared’! Â But I’m sure after 5 sessions I’ll be raring to go – mmmmmm …do you really think so ? ?
The whole reason why I’m out here – and wow I was just blown away.  The children were so so well behaved.  I just stood and watched as these  6 year olds walked into the Learning centre ( 30 children out of a class of 150) 
They sat on the rush mats and waited beautifully. Â They passed the iPads along the line of 4, received their headphones, logged onto their group and found their names. Â Without any further fuss they proceeded to work their way through the tasks on the iPads. Â Hardly a word 
was spoken and certainly not by the children.
silently out of the class.
