Birthday and Lake Malawi

Last week I celebrated my birthday in Malawi. As I’ve always done, I kept that bit of information to myself. I quietly planned to cook Persian food for a group of friends here without telling anyone and just enjoy myself. I went to the market for vegetables, which, although overwhelming at first, grew on me. I enjoy buying food in an open market and negotiating prices but in Malawi, you are followed around by a number of people shoving something in your face. Unfortunately being white, you are also labeled as rich so from the second you enter any area with sellers, you will be rushed and crowded. It was a great day; I cooked a few dishes and had several people over helping to cook. It turned out a little birdie © from America cleverly got in touch with Rachael to let the secret out about my birthday so at the end of dinner I was surprised with a birthday cake! It is quite rare that I am surprised, not so much for lack of effort, but more because I am annoyingly perceptive at times so it’s hard to keep a secret from me. Thanks to everyone who came and plotted for me.

My last getaway here was to Lake Malawi, one of the largest lakes in the world and a popular destination. The lake runs about the length of the entire country and you would think it was the ocean as you approach it. We found a great lodge on the water to stay in and the location was perfect. The Malawi army base was near our location so in the evenings we had several British marines join us for drinks. They were in Malawi for a couple weeks to train the Malawian forces and they had some time off to enjoy the lake. It was great to speak to military from another country and outside America and hear about how different the culture is in some ways. For example, being in the military is not something they speak of publicly in Great Britain. Several had visited the states and commented on how surprised they were by the warm welcome for military there. In Great Britain they said it was something that you were almost supposed to be ashamed of. What contrast to America! There are many undertones here that are ingredients for discussion but I will not comment here. Their ages ranged from 18 to early 30s and several engaged me in discussion and were interested to hear about my Iranian background as well as life in the states. They also told me they were a little intimidated by me since I am in medical school! They referred to me as the doctor, which, as I have a reputation for, I didn’t correct ;) The first night was a long one and I crashed and missed the skinny-dipping and drunk passing out on the beach. I smirked at hearing that several of the marines were awoken the next morning by being prodded with machetes by some Malawians; probably not too happy they were sleeping in their hammocks. All in all, great times at the lakeshore. The lodge served the best burgers I tasted in Malawi and better than just about any I’ve had in the states. Needless to say, we had them for most meals, although we had to branch out for the local fish, Chambo, which was delicious. We took a long walk down the shore and took some more model shots for my portfolio, which has expanded greatly in Malawi, who would have thought?

We used public transport for this trip and standing in the back of a small pickup truck in the middle of 10+ other people with nothing to hold on to is not something I’m keen to do anytime soon. There really is no real public transport in Malawi in that whoever wants to provide transportation services uses their privately owned minibus or pickup truck and just drives whatever route they want. We tied the fish I bought to bring back on the windshield wiper of the minibus we were crammed in like sardines. Ironic that the fish had their space and fresh air while we were tortured by awful odors and no space to even reach for the phone in my pocket. Even the conductor, who can be a random passenger volunteer, didn’t bother asking for money until we got out because you just couldn’t move to get our your wallet. Not a completely unpleasant experience and I honestly didn’t mind the close quarters. When we reached the point we would part, Rachael and I exchanged an awkward handshake and went on our separate ways. Contact between male and female in Malawi is cause for a great deal of attention and snickering. In fact, at one point when I had my arm around Rachael absentmindedly, it was as if the Malawians had a sixth sense. Even though they were all in front of us they seemed to immediately turn around and they all started talking about it and laughing. I couldn’t believe the reaction and how much they enjoy it. It all made sense now when I thought back to the graduation ceremony I attended a few weeks before and how during the dances any gesture from a many toward a woman, such as an air hug, would prompt deafening uproar from the spectators.