18. April 2026

All things bright and beautiful

Well, where did that week go? It's been a glorious mix of weather (thunder, rain, wind and plenty of sunshine) and very, very humid. I'm told that the rains have continued for longer than usual this year, endangering crops and certainly having a negative impact on the already-challenging roads. Apparently, though, a change in the wind signals that we're heading into drier weather. The Mwere wind blows from south to north, and the Mpoto wind blows from north to south. It's interesting to watch how the direction of the waves on the lake has changed and the water seems to be getting clearer by the day.

Being a northerner, I'm quite used to the rain, but the humidity is something to be reckoned with! I think the locals are getting used to seeing the newbie mzungu (white visitor) wandering about, dripping unattractively and mopping her brow...

This week, I've been to help with some extra lessons for the students who have exams looming. Form 2's (junior secondary age) needed some guidance on analysing poetry, so the Head Teacher, who I will affectionately refer to as Miss C in this blog, asked if on Tuesday I could take a poem (of my choice) to look at with them. They really engaged with 'Woman Work' by Maya Angelou and it was a joy to discuss with them. I then sat in on Miss C's Form 4 (senior secondary) lesson on Macbeth. It's amusing to think that classes in the UK grumble about having to learn Shakespeare - these guys are reading, understanding and analysing it in their second language!

On Thursday, after looking at another poem with Form 2, I was tasked with looking at animal imagery in Macbeth with the Form 4 students. That's when I really got to understand how tricky this can be for them - newts, wrens, magpies.....erm..! Luckily, with the power of the internet (and the fantastic portable WiFi box I'm using) I could show them some pictures! The final Form 2 lesson of the week for me was analysing a Malawian poem about AIDS, which continues to be a huge problem in the country. Good to know the curriculum doesn't shy away from the difficult topics.

All in all, it was a gentle, but joyous introduction to the type of lessons I'll be teaching whilst I'm here. The students, particularly the Form 4s, were so responsive and were kind to the hot and dripping mzungu! They say they are all very much looking forward to doing some creative writing with me when the term starts; music to my ears, obviously.

Pronouncing my name is challenging for people here, so I've offered an alternative of 'B' or 'Miss B'. Miss B seems to be sticking with the students and a couple of guys where I'm living have started calling me B, which I find quite endearing!

Summer term starts on Monday, Early start for me - lessons begin at 7.30 am and it's a 20-minute walk to school, so I'll be setting the alarm for sunrise! It's daunting, having been broken in by such small numbers this week, but I have to say I'm raring to go!

All creatures great and small

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to monkeys nonchalantly wandering about the garden, or lining the path I have to walk to school. I've been a big monkey fan since being a little girl (my favourite childhood soft toy was a chimp called Chi Chi) so I'm loving watching their antics! Big lizards are another daily feature (again, I like a lizard, so no problem for me). However, I'm not such a fan of bats, of which there are many in the evenings, seemingly very keen to get as close to my head as possible. Yes, I have screamed a few times. I'd been hearing a lot of banging on my roof at night and had assumed it was bush-babies but I'm now reliably informed that it's bats. Bats with bovver boots, by the sound of it. Cockroaches don't feature highly on my list of likes, either, so again, I did scream when one ran over my hand in the kitchen the other evening.

The birds are incredible: bright yellow weavers, some beautiful blue- and red-headed birds, as yet to be identified (!), and huge brown eagles that make a noise much akin to the monkeys high in the trees. I can often be seen wandering about with my binoculars, a fab early birthday present from one of my best friends.

Absent Friends

On the subject of friends, this week also had its tough moments. Tuesday saw the funeral of a dear friend of mine in the UK and, again thanks to the power of the internet, I was able to stream the service live from over 7000 miles away. Watching her family and friends give beautiful tributes was both upsetting and uplifting; I'm sure all of us who knew her were moved by the depth of love shown for her. She was someone who you could rely on to pour love, comfort, reassurance and laughter into your life when your own well was running dry.

I found comfort on Tuesday in remembering what a great supporter she was of me coming out to Malawi. I'm embracing it all in your honour, A and raised a Malawi G&T to you on Tuesday evening! I knew you'd approve.

On a final bright note

I will never, ever take for granted again the luxury of flicking a light switch and a room being instantly lit, or the joy of being able to switch on the kettle the second you feel like a cuppa! Power cuts have been a daily feature, most often happening at around 6pm, just as it's going dark! I'm told things will improve once the rains have gone and the solar power station nearby gets a full re-charge! In the meantime, I'm very grateful for my own little solar charger, another early birthday present from my brother and sister-in-law! It's been an evening-saver!

Blogging Off

So over and out for another week, but I'll be posting updates about my first days at school on my Instagram page @malawi_enjoying_ourselves.

Thanks for reading.

Clare

PS - sorry to those of you who commented on my post last week that your comments weren't immediately visible - I've got the hang of it now and realise I have to approve them! It's all a learning curve!