Hi from Mayoka Village, in Nkhata Bay, on Lake Malawi! The hostel(?) we're staying in is literally built into the mountain overhanging the lake. Not like I said Ekwendeni (our home base) is built into the mountain-- we are now actually in the mountain as in we reach our personal bungalow via a series of outdoor twisting and sharply-turning stairwells carved and chiseled out of the cliff. The lodge(?) is built on multiple multiple levels, no two segments of it are on the same plane. I'm lying in my four-post bed right now, under a holey yet luxurious looking white mosquito net, but I can hear the beat of the African music drifting up from the bar, multiple levels below.
When you make it to the bottom of the mountain/stairs/levels, you arrive at the Lake, which we've swam and canoed and floated in daily. They should call it a Sea, our taxi driver told us on our way here, also joking --moments prior to when the water eclipsed into view-- you can't see the Lake yet? Someone must have stolen it.
And then, just like that, in a second split open like a cracked egg, Lake Malawi was everywhere.
We've had fun here at Nkhata; two medical students from Northern Ireland (they always specify the Northern) came along with us and have been great company. We like to talk to them about life in Ireland (Ire-lind), and the foods they eat there. They're pretty low key and go with the flow, which, by the way, I'm learning how to be as well*. We basically spent the the weekend eating chips (thick French fries), drinking smoothies (banana peanut butter, with chocolate syrup added please), and reading and chatting, all in exceedingly close proximity to the water. Emily and I also spent a fair amount of time today preparing for various upcoming getting to know you games-- you just try me, Two-Truths-And-A-Lie.
One snap shot from yesterday and one from today, perhaps, before I sail to bed?
Yesterday: A European man hobbled into the bar as we sat waiting for lunch, stating he had just been bitten by a snake and revealing a bloody pinky toe (not hemorrhaging, just bleeding). (Relatively) quickly, a car was called and arrangements were made to bring Pinky to the market I mean private hospital. While waiting for the car...
We're medical students, Emily told the hobbler, how long ago did this happen?
Five minutes ago, he stammered, I feel alright so far.
After I encountered a snake last week I did some serious reading about snake bites, Emily could have told him.
I think you'll be alright, Emily actually said. Adding, in my direction, the first thing to do is to keep the patient calm.
After Bloody Toe had left, Emily divulged the real deal:
I don't actually think it matters if the snake was small, she said, but he'll get his anti-venom and probably be alright. Now, let me tell you how they make anti-venom...
The patient was spotted Saturday night watching football. He was not paralyzed or bleeding out. He had apparently been given a tetanus shot and an antibiotic prescription, so that all seems about right. Don't freak out, Mom, maybe it was just a scrape.
Today: Emily and I took part in the Mayoka Boat Challenge, which obviously involved navigating a scooped out wooden boat around a docked raft some 100 meters out from shore without tipping over. The reward: one free night accommodation. Emily had prepared me, mentally, for this challenge, having apparently failed rather miserably last time she was here (sorry, Matt- I'm being a little dramatic to build up to the next paragraph).
When you make it to the bottom of the mountain/stairs/levels, you arrive at the Lake, which we've swam and canoed and floated in daily. They should call it a Sea, our taxi driver told us on our way here, also joking --moments prior to when the water eclipsed into view-- you can't see the Lake yet? Someone must have stolen it.
And then, just like that, in a second split open like a cracked egg, Lake Malawi was everywhere.
We've had fun here at Nkhata; two medical students from Northern Ireland (they always specify the Northern) came along with us and have been great company. We like to talk to them about life in Ireland (Ire-lind), and the foods they eat there. They're pretty low key and go with the flow, which, by the way, I'm learning how to be as well*. We basically spent the the weekend eating chips (thick French fries), drinking smoothies (banana peanut butter, with chocolate syrup added please), and reading and chatting, all in exceedingly close proximity to the water. Emily and I also spent a fair amount of time today preparing for various upcoming getting to know you games-- you just try me, Two-Truths-And-A-Lie.
One snap shot from yesterday and one from today, perhaps, before I sail to bed?
Yesterday: A European man hobbled into the bar as we sat waiting for lunch, stating he had just been bitten by a snake and revealing a bloody pinky toe (not hemorrhaging, just bleeding). (Relatively) quickly, a car was called and arrangements were made to bring Pinky to the market I mean private hospital. While waiting for the car...
We're medical students, Emily told the hobbler, how long ago did this happen?
Five minutes ago, he stammered, I feel alright so far.
After I encountered a snake last week I did some serious reading about snake bites, Emily could have told him.
I think you'll be alright, Emily actually said. Adding, in my direction, the first thing to do is to keep the patient calm.
After Bloody Toe had left, Emily divulged the real deal:
I don't actually think it matters if the snake was small, she said, but he'll get his anti-venom and probably be alright. Now, let me tell you how they make anti-venom...
The patient was spotted Saturday night watching football. He was not paralyzed or bleeding out. He had apparently been given a tetanus shot and an antibiotic prescription, so that all seems about right. Don't freak out, Mom, maybe it was just a scrape.
Today: Emily and I took part in the Mayoka Boat Challenge, which obviously involved navigating a scooped out wooden boat around a docked raft some 100 meters out from shore without tipping over. The reward: one free night accommodation. Emily had prepared me, mentally, for this challenge, having apparently failed rather miserably last time she was here (sorry, Matt- I'm being a little dramatic to build up to the next paragraph).
It took us a while to get into the boat, not to mention the struggle we faced discerning the front of the boat from the back, but then... get this: We did it!! Like, seriously, to the cheers of the drinking Peace Corps volunteers on the docked raft, to the encouragement of the old women on their adorable girls trip on the shore, and to our gigantic surprise, we made it around the raft and back again!
Unfortunately, upon completion it became apparent that we had not used the official Challenge Boat, so we may be deprived of the free room. We're rather unfettered though- the whole thing was pretty awesome.
Good night from the Beautiful Lake,
Rebecca
*this is something I will return to. Stay tuned for a post entitled, "Rebecca, 2.0"
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