The Last Post

As always after a long journey, I attempt to reflect back on what my time away has meant. Usually this just ends up as a series of unanswerable questions along the lines of “Have I changed as a person?”, “How have I grown?” and in this case “What have I contributed during my time here?”. It is always hard to see the change in oneself and it is only when I look back to August, when I first arrived in Malawi that I can see that I am a little more confident, a little more sure of what I want to do in life and a little more sure of myself.

What has been the biggest influencing factor on my time in Malawi? I would love to say it was the work I did, and although in retrospect I had a great time working at MUSCCO, I don’t feel like I made a huge contribution to Malawi. I was very office-based and although policies are important on order to “steer the ship in the right direction”, I wish I could have seem more of a one-on-one impact of my work on the ground. Maybe in time. Work was a great learning experience, and one that I am so thankful for. Most importantly, I think it has been step one, of a hopefully long, interesting and international career.

For me, my time in Malawi was shaped by friends. When you are overseas and far away from home, your friends become your family. When I look back to August, I remember being in tears because I was so scared that I would be all alone and never meet anyone. Just last night, when I came home from The Shack for the last time, I was in tears again – this time because I had to say good bye to all the amazing people I have met. To my Lilongwe family, if you are reading this, I say Thank-You. You’ve made my experience in Malawi what it was, and you made it home for these short 10 months. It’s a small world that we live in and we will meet again, on one corner of the earth or another.

I’m posting this as I’m sitting in the Nairobi airport - 5 hours into my 32 hour trip. Its been a long journey and a short journey all at once. I’ve been bursting with optimism at some points and frustrated and discouraged at others. I’ve seen that Malawi is more than just the poverty and rural mud huts that so many people think of when they think of Africa – it is fancy hotels, full grocery stores, and Mercedes Benzes, and yet I am still shocked sometimes when a child begs for my leftovers at an outdoor restaurant and wonder how there can be so much disparity between the Haves and the Have Nots. I don’t know all the information, and I don’t even know a fraction of the answers, but I do know that there is potential, motivation and optimism in the individuals of Malawi and that goes a long way.

So, this is it. As I sign off, I want to thank all of you who stuck it out with me and continued to read my blog this whole time. It’s been a great journey for me and I hope you have enjoyed it too.

Zikomo Kwambiri,

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