Christian and Cheese

CHRISTIAN AND CHEESE ARRIVE

We finish our morning classes and almost ran to the airport. We arrive at the scheduled time, then sit inside playing cards. The plane arrives only 40 minutes late. Our last contact with them had been when they had landed in Paris a few days ago. They had spent a day in Lilongwe while they waited for their flight. We stared through the fence, hoping that a pair of particularly pale legs would jump out. And finally. They did!

After a surreal meeting, we carried their bags outside to prepare for the trek home with layers of sunscreen. We shoulder their heavy bags, and are constantly interrupted on the walk home. Apparently, 4 azungu attract far more attention than 2, especially when we are carrying backpacks. We are pulled into a conversation with the Bishops brother, who held firmly onto Ryan’s hand for the duration. Once we finally made it home, we showed them the beds and they fell asleep.

The next day we slept in until 6am, while they somehow slept until 10. With the heat, we find that impossible. So we were able to leave, teach classes, and get back before they awoke. We gave the tour around the cathedral. We wanted to climb up the tower with the clock on the outside, but found it infested with bats- as they said it would be. The usual kids came around, and delighted in meeting new azungu (yes, even the Japanese Cheese is considered a “White foreigner”). They pronounce it like “Trees” which is very cute. When we got on the move, they all followed. Through town, their number doubled. Multiple children tried to grab each hand and we laughed and spread our fingers. When we arrived at Cassidy’s, over 20 swarmed us. She asked a local man to ask them to leave as they will not listen to us. They are of course charming, but after many hours it is good to be free. We swam at Cassidys chalet (pronounced Cha-LET, no silent French letters here) and watched the sun set.

The next day Cassidy had organized a boat to Chizimulu, the other island. After classes we hurried over and set off. Christian and Cheeze wrapped themselves in Chitenjes and sunglasses, and we sped around the side of Likoma looking our for crocodiles. The water level has indeed sunk, and that’s clear as we look at the rocks around the island. Cassidy dared the driver to go over some shallow ricks, and he rose to the occasion. The boat soon ran aground and killed the engine. After a few moments of panic, we simply shoved our way to freedom, bullied the engine back to life, and continued. We arrived at the Tenaya lounge in the bay at Chizimulu. We ordered burgers and explored the rocky lounge. There’s hideaways and narrow stony steps to admire the view from. We jump on the water and bob in the waves. Once we go back to wait for food, Cassidy’s boyfriend Lackson teaches us a likoma card game remarkably similar to Uno, called knock. Christian found the game cupboard and opened it, to find a swarm of wasps. He shrank away and Sasha got up, now numb to the wasps. There was a scrabble game that just contained cards. Upon return she lay down the games and felt a touch on the back of her neck. She calmly asked Cassidy to check for wasps, who shook out her hair and promised there was nothing more. We went back to preparing the game when she felt legs reach out to grab her face. A surprised Cassidy waved away the wasp with no harm done. Our hamburgers came out, and were simply thick well done meat in a bread bun with a tomato. The salsa was deliciously made on site, but the burgers where extremely disappointing. It was as if someone watched a burger being prepared once and then decided they could make it more cheaply.

We went to clean up, and Sasha put the cards back, deft among the wasps again. She returned and reached to repair the loose bun in her hair, when pain ran up her finger. Somehow, a free wasp had stuck itself in her hair in that short period. After slapping it away, her finger began to swell. Lucky shook his head saying those caused fevers. We sailed back along the other side of the island, admiring the beautiful Kaya Mawa, Mango Drift, and Andrews new place. Lackson suggested we stop by and he try to fix the electrical. Andrew came out to meet us and accept compliments of the beautiful place. Upon leaving, Christian remarked on what an unreal character Andrew was, somehow a deep stereotype and rare and interesting person at the same time.

The new Chemistry and Physics teacher came, C. Mofat. He is atleast twice the size of each teacher, and decided he would go by the name Mofat in a classroom of teenagers. As he approached for morning assembly, a few students chanted “Fatty”. The PC culture has not made it to Malawi. We sorted out classes with him (We had been teaching the Physics and Chemistry classes while we waited for a replacement teacher) and then collected Cheeze and Christian for another trip to Kaiko Beach. When we arrived, we were swarmed by children. When we got in, they simply took all their clothes off and followed, bananas swinging. Cheese inflated her giant blow up penguin, and children jumped over each other to climb all over. A young teenager noticed and charged out, chasing the children away and then riding the float at least a quarter mile off the beach. We played games with the children, picking them out and throwing them to deeper water. Sasha and Christian climbed over rocks to grab mangos, which ended with them poking mangos with sticks which were then shaken out by children. Many gave them the best mangos, which they carried to the beach with much struggle, and then handed back to the same waiting children. We attempted to replicate the same photo taken in Cancun, four sandy bums facing a beautiful ocean. Patient girls on the shore took photos, while naked boys ran circles around us. Perhaps not Facebook worthy?

Christian, being a proper ginger, got very sunburnt on his knees and hands. He poked the burn, showing how the color flees. Children excitedly poked it as well, entranced by the color change.

Eventually we did have to leave, and eager children helped squeeze the air out of the blow up penguin. We walked back holding many hands, and passed a few students on the way. It was dusk and everyone notices us easily in the dark, we asked one of the strange familiar voices to tell the students to leave (they only listen to Black Chichewa speakers. We may speak the same words, but they do not expect us to speak their language and so do not hear). Dinner was odd chicken bits and rice. Only Cheese would eat them, telling us what they were and urging Christian to try. We prepared for Cassidy’s going away party and walked down to Lackson’s bar. There, she set up Karaoke on the projector Christan had just carried across the planet, and we sang the American songs that we miss most. 

The next day, Saturday, we eagerly prepare to get to Mango Drift. They sleep in again until 10am, and we set out in the hot sun. It was a long walk but we eventually stagger in. We are greeted as old friends by new strangers, and settle in for lunch. We missed the power for pizza by half an hour and so settle in for sandwiches- another rare food. We were able to get the local rate and treated ourselves to the nicest room on the beach. The bed even came with flower petals on it! The pig that was a gift from Andrew to the son of the owners went for a swim. We sat playing cards speaking with a divorced German Engineer, who had wanted to travel Africa since he was a university student. Once his last kid left, he set out. The first employee who had applied for and received a sabbatical. We chatted with a pilot from the plane we would use later, and a pair of girls also from America. We had dinner together in the moonlight, watched the stars.  The next morning we split French toast and a proper English breakfast, and watched a storm approach. Neither Christian or Cheese had ever been snorkeling before, and we decided this was definitely the best time for it so we set them up and then pumped up our paddleboards. We paddled them out a ways to see the colorful fish lightning struck the other island a few miles away in the background, while we enjoyed the snorkeling in the sun. It did start to rain a little, we could lay down on our paddleboards and feel rain coming from one side while the sun beat down from the other. Chizimulu disappeared, engulfed by the clouds.

When we came back we collected their matching outfits. When we first went to buy the fabric, there were two students waiting as well. “You know how to buy things?!” one of the students asked, shocked we knew how to do anything without proper mastery of the local language. “yes- we just give them money and they give us things”. We had marched over to the tailors, gave measurements, and pointed at pictures on the wall that they liked. “Ahh like Sasha’s!” as Cheese picked a skirt. Then came an awkward moment as Cheese pointed to an area a few inches above the knee, where she wanted the skirt to end. But they made it! Now Christian and Cheese have perfect matching Malawi outfits, and we took photos of them outside. A woman from next door came to fix Christians collar. The tailor laughed the whole time at how excited they were.

We say goodbye and prepare for the trek home and to pack. Danfur, one of our cooks came by and we asked him to take a photo. He laughed and posed next to the 3 of them while Sasha took one of the most awkward photos of the year, then handed the phone to him and he took the last photo of the four of us. They left us some lotions, hand sanitizer (so far we’ve gotten hand sanitizer from each white visitor except one- who instead taught Ryans class), Christians sandals that were cut up leather with boxer lining tied to the back, and a whole lot of bug repellent to burn. They hiked through Jalo one last time, we bought them their last mandazi (the deep fried bread for 6 cents). We sat playing cards in the entryway, waiting for a plane that actually came on time. An Indian family and a woman who is the first truly in a rush person we have seen came out and found their drivers. They told us it was time. We hugged and said goodbyes, tearing up a little bit. The guard came to tell us to hurry which is truly the first time THAT has ever happened, and then they were gone. We walked to the side to watch the pilot give them the safety talk. There were only the two of them on the plane and so they really did have to pay attention. We watched them speed down the runway, and then they were gone.