One thing I knew for sure when we found out we were moving here was that the weekends would be different than the ones at home.. There is not much to do here, so there's alot of together time for the family. This is a great thing , but it can also be tough. I think the weekends are wonderful here, but they can make you homesick.. Our kids were able to speak to friends last night, some were really happy and some were in tears.. These first couple months will be tough until we can establish a pattern and maybe get in a safari.. The kids keep asking about safaris and think we can hop in our car and make a left and we'll be there.. It takes an hour or so to get to a legitimate safari site.
Yesterday everyone was up early.. It was crazy. everyone was up around 7 and up to a variety of things.. Michelle and I exercised and around 11 we headed to a local international school for a dog show... It was hot, dusty and loud.. the kids took some local sights, grabbed lunch and pet a few dogs. We decided that if we get another dog in my lifetime, we ll go with the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
After the dog show, we headed back home. Wiped out by the sun, everyone laid around for an hour.. Jude immersed himself with Legos while the rest of us took it easy.. The sun will totally zap you of all energy here.. The girls and I set up a volley ball/ bad mitten net, then I proceeded to watch them argue over who was winning/ who was playing/ where the boundaries were, etc.. some things never change..
Then we headed to the Sanctuary Lodge (local hotel) to take a dip in their pool. The water was too cold to swim, so the kids lounged around with mom and dad.. It was a beautiful place and sits right next to the Wildlife sanctuary... The guide book for Malawi states to never stay out too late at the Sanctuary lodge because many inebriated locals have been eaten by hyenas that are in and around the area.. We left at sundown.. While at the lodge, the kids managed to chase away a Duiker(look it up, african antelope) , jump on a trampoline and Kate had a following of local Malawian boys interested in her hair(she's going to get that here). Some of the girls in Kate's class told her they loved her hair and asked her to cut it off and make weaves for them.. She could make some serious cash. The evening involved Michelle and I going to an Ethiopian restaurant to celebrate a birthday for one of Michelle's co-workers, and then a movie with the kids.
I learned that Ill need to be patient with my kids as we live here.. they may not find it all that easy to enjoy the lazy days of the weekends here, as it will be tough to keep their minds off of what they are missing at home.. But, we'll need to have a sympathetic ear, and maybe a few soft drinks around the house to lessen the blow.
Today is about the same. We are planning to go to a family's house for a Braai, but Michelle may have caught what I had earlier this week.. We'll see.
The photos.. a small portion of our back yard... the kids eating lunch at the dog show(the beef burgers here are awesome), trampoline time and Cam and Joseph.. Joseph has the bright orange shirt on and Cam is the shorter man.. Ill have to grab a photo with Cosmas and Rabina as well.
All for now.. Missed the annual gold outing and the first night of bowling back home.. Im hoping Lilongwe constructs a bowling alley soon.. Have a good Sunday at home.
Keep your fingers crossed as we try to resolve the van issue.. The mechanic I am working with is shopping around for us for another vehicle, while also possibly finding a replacement part for our van.. Either way, I hope to have wheels in the next week or so. I just hope it all works out and I can salvage some of the money we have sunk into it already.
