Sorry for not posting in a while, folks! I guess I got busy with the end of term exams and galavanting around Malawi on break. Fun fact: break was supposed to be 4 weeks long, but during the last week of school, changed it to 2 weeks because there's so little time before the all important JCE and MSCE exams begin for forms 2 and 4. So unfortunately, the resting and relaxation time got cut short, but I still got to have a couple adventures during break, including climbing the formidable Mt Mulanje. (I'll wait while you google that for pictures and details)
Done googling? Done picturing me climbing that? Laughing at the picture in your head yet? Because what you're picturing is exactly what happened.
Mulanje is a completely beautiful massif (I assume that means collection of peaks) surrounded by tea estates, with tons of pineapples growing on it. I was with a group of 7 troupers and 4 porters for a total of 4 days on the mountain, a full day longer than we were told it would take. It was. . . An experience.
I personally am not the mountain-climbing type by nature, preferring to meander while admiring nature from afar, but I was persuaded by my posse of enthusiastic friends that this was an experience not to be missed. And sure, I'm proud of myself for making it to the peak, and I had tons of fun hanging out with a group I don't see a lot of anymore, but it was a hard road to travel. Let's just say that I literally tore the butt off my pants, have giant bruises and scrapes all over my body, and sprained my knee. And I wasn't even the person who tore the soles off my shoes and had to hike in flip flops.
Still, with some blood, sweat, and tears, we all made it - up and down the mountain. (Is there anything more depressing than scaling up a sheet of rock, knowing that in a few hours you'll have to do it again in reverse? To my knowledge, no.) At least I can now say I got some practical usage out of that rock climbing class I took at school! And we had some bomb pizza as soon as we got to the base.
Also, I have firmly decided that I never want to climb a mountain again, and that all future holidays are to be spent at the lake. I just can't handle anything more strenuous.
As for now - going over my tests and doing a little teaching this week before heading off to Lilongwe with my head teacher for a PC workshop on student-friendly schools, with a focus on gender-based violence! Should be an informative and productive next few weeks.
Tiwo!
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