Cheryl's Story (August 2003)

"The most gorgeous setting. The loveliest kids. No frills. A life that was free of stress; it was a great feeling. I fell in love with the place — the whole works."

After a 10-hour bus ride from Lilongwe (the normal journey time is five hours) — I count the hours we spent waiting for the bus to squeeze in the last passengers and their dozens sacks of cassava plus chickens and a goat — I finally reached Matete. It was getting dark and, fortunately, a couple of young kids (Maganisu and Isaac) offered to walk me to Mwaya Beach Lodge. We got there around six-ish and there were Alie and Feri having a candle-lit dinner, just the two of them. I thought, "Oh, how romantic — oh dear, am I interrupting something here?"... And that’s when I found out that there was no electricity in the village!! Eeeeeekkkkk!!! Thus began my three-month stay at Mwaya, and it was fan-super-tastic.

Mwaya was nothing like I expected — there was no electricity, no running water, no phone, no internet access (how was I supposed to keep in touch with work, huh? Duh!). But it was everything I looked for. The most gorgeous setting. The loveliest kids. No frills. A life that was free of stress; it was a great feeling. I fell in love with the place — the whole works.

Things I will remember most? The early morning swims in the lake. The challenge of keeping 65 pupils quiet whilst you try to teach them Maths or English. The girls knitting or selling bananas in class! The sheer enthusiasm in their faces when asked to try sums on the chalkboard, and for some reason they love tests — very, very strange. The constant yells of “Mzungu!” (foreigner) and “What’s my name?” (when asking for your name), and being followed by inquisitive people, always smiling and waving. Beans, tomatoes, cabbage and rice — four times a week! Dinner under the stars — everyday. Termites! Eliam’s cheeky smile. Maron’s sulky face when he doesn’t get his way. Yalerd’s cheerful optimism in getting into Oxford or Cambridge one day. Playing cards. Teaching the boys how to say “please” when asking for playing cards. Alecky trying to sell pawpaw to us at 5.30 one Saturday morning. Harry’s cooking. Martha’s tough washing – ahhh, clean clothes. Our fabulous kitchen. Starting the fire (and eyes weeping from the smoke) when we want to cook or make tea. Bad matola rides! Weekends at Nkwazi Lodge. So many, many things... It was a place where I lost myself, and I will never forget that.

Cheryl (Volunteer Teaching Assistant, August-October 2003)