First Morning of Homestay
I arrived at my host family’s house yesterday afternoon. They are such lovely people and I’m glad to be placed with them!
Here’s how my first morning went today:
Woke up at 5am to the sound of a rooster crowing screeching (nkhuku kulira)
Got out of bed at 6:15.
Started the fires to warm up my bath water and tea water (madzi wa tiyi)
Walked to the local water tap to collect water. Met just about every single resident of the village along the way. (Mwadzuka bwanji? How did you sleep, they ask. Ndadzuka bwino, kaya inu? I woke up well, and you? I answer.)
Collected the water in a bucket and carried it home (on top of my head!!! I only spilled about half of it!)
Cleaned the kitchen with my amayi (mother)
Boiled a bag of milk for our morning tea.
Took my malaria prophylaxis. So it must have been about 7:30am by now.
The water for my bath is ready! Headed to the bafa (bathing room) for my first bucket bath. The air is cold in the morning so the warm water was very nice!
Ate breakfast with my amayi and abambo (father). White bread and coffee with milk and lots of sugar!
Abambo ate quickly and returned to finish sweeping the garden.
As we ate amayi asked me why I don’t go to church. I explained it is not as common in America as it is in Malawi. Church music blared through the window - not the gospel music I’m used to.
Amayi and I washed my laundry. Cleaning clothes is done by hand in a bucket. There are 4 steps: (1) scrubbing the clothes in soapy water; (2) scrubbing the clothes in soapy water again; (3) scrubbing once again but with water that’s slightly less soapy; (4) and once more with clean water. Then we hung the clothes to dry outside. (“Pants” aka underwear must be dried inside.)
We cleaned my house. Sunday is “general cleaning” day. Sweep, mop, then dry the floors. Shake out the bed sheets and make the bed. Then we cleaned the front patio. Sweep, mop, dry.
Amayi and I fixed my water filter so it not longer leaks everywhere. Yay! Clean drinking water!
All done! Time to start studying.
It’s 10:45am now and I am exhausted! I’m writing this as that rooster continues to crow outside. Someone should really tell him that yes we already know, it’s morning.
