I went back to my former home in Malawi over Easter for a short holiday. It's the first time I have been back or seen many people since I left early last June.
When I lived in Malawi and happened to be travelling, I always knew I was going home when I got on the plane at Joburg airport and recognized several faces from the small community in Lilongwe aboard the plane. At first when I got on the plane this time, I looked around with anticipation, seeking out a familiar face which I did not find. But halfway through the flight, on my way to the bathroom, I recognized the face of my friend and former colleagues, Sam Phiri, director of the Lighthouse clinic that I had worked closely with in Malawi. I was going “home.”
Though some of the people and sights have changed somewhat since I left, it was also nice to be in a place so familiar.
My dear loyal dog, Lucy, who now stays with my friends Anne and Andreas, immediately recognized me when we drove in and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. Lucy is now the hardworking and loving mom of 7 puppies, now 2 months old, that she had with Ashanti, the dog of my friends Anne and Andreas. Lucy is still as gentle as ever, with kids, with the puppies, and still loved accompanying me on morning runs through the bush.
I spent a day or so at the Lighthouse clinic with whom I had worked and it was so nice walking into the morning staff meeting and seeing so many familiar faces and seeing the growth that has happened in the organization since I left. Malawi continues to be making positive steps in its response to HIV, with now more than 150,000 patients started on treatment. Many of the key public-health focused technical advisors who have been working with or at the Ministry are starting to transition out of Malawi so we will hopefully see Malawi continue in a similar path once these advisors leave.
I saw Chipi several times who is now nearing his 16th birthday. When he answered the phone, I at first didn't recognize his voice as it has changed considerably in the last year. He is now very much a teenager: during the first half hour I saw him, he answered every one of my questions in a mono syllabic answer, “yeah,” “Man” “Cool.” At dinner at his house one night however, the more familiar , younger theatrical side of Chipi emerged for a short while when he did a short theatrical performance for us. His health appears okay, he is still actively in care but at the same time still does appear quite skinny and continues to struggle with health issues.
I did not do much in Malawi, besides visiting with friends, sleeping, running with Lucy, but was refreshed by the many familiar sights and times: the lush green rolling hills as Malawi quickly approaches harvest time, Anne's homemade yogurt for breakfast, topped with passion fruit picked from the garden, beautiful African sunsets, the warm, gentle soul of Malawians that continues to touch my heart.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Homeless or Homeful?
One of the most difficult questions is where do you live? Or most specifically where is your home address?
Just this last weekend, I have (finally!) moved into the house assigned to me by CDC where I will be living the duration of my time in Mozambique. It's very good to finally be in a place that I can make my own. More on my new house below, back to my different “homes.”
So where is my home now? Or really where are my homes?
If you'd ask me where I've been living more recently, I'd answer that in my first 8 months in Mozambique, I have spent 3 months in 3 different hotels in Maputo and the remaining 5 months subletting a room in an apartment in the center of Maputo.
If you ask me where I'm from, or where my home in the States is, I'd say that my home base in the States continues to be my parents' place (thanks mom and dad) though I know they are happy to see all their garage space open up as I finally move some of my stuff out, some to Mozambique, others to more permanent storage.
If you ask the question from a legal or tax perspective, I'd answer Nevada. Since the length of my time overseas meant that I was no longer a State resident of California, I needed to find/declare a state tax home now that I am directly working for the US Government. So my official state tax home is in Baker Nevada (no state income taxes in Nevada) in care of some old Peace Corps friends.
And to complicate the question yet further, I have also been fortunate enough recently to take advantage of low interest rates and the plunge in the California housing market, and so have just closed on the purchase of my first house, a cute small 2 bed-room house in Rancho Santa Margarita, minutes away from my sister Julie's house. (My parents and sister and fabulous real estate agent, my “village”, deserve lots of credit deserve tremendous thanks for helping me to pull this off from a distant, from the initial screening of houses, the enormous volume of paperwork of offers, counter offers, and closing, the housing inspection, and preparation of the house to rent out.
Homeless or homefull? Yes to both. It's been a bit unsettling to have been “on the road” for the past 10 months since I left Malawi but am grateful for all the many places I can now call home.
P.S. On my new home: the wait for my new home in Maputo appears to have paid off, I'm just moving into a lovely house, just north of Maputo. The US Ggovernment typically finds houses that would be suitable for families, so in my case, I have a much bigger house than I “need” (3 BR, 4.5 bath, an office, lovely living space, a nice garden and even a pool.) I'm still waiting on the crate of my life belongings which will has been in Malawi the last 10 months but will hopefully be making its journey to its new home soon. Lots of work here still to make this “mine” (gardening, painting, etc) and hopefully can then further “fill” the house with guests and visitors to truly make it my home.
Just this last weekend, I have (finally!) moved into the house assigned to me by CDC where I will be living the duration of my time in Mozambique. It's very good to finally be in a place that I can make my own. More on my new house below, back to my different “homes.”
So where is my home now? Or really where are my homes?
If you'd ask me where I've been living more recently, I'd answer that in my first 8 months in Mozambique, I have spent 3 months in 3 different hotels in Maputo and the remaining 5 months subletting a room in an apartment in the center of Maputo.
If you ask me where I'm from, or where my home in the States is, I'd say that my home base in the States continues to be my parents' place (thanks mom and dad) though I know they are happy to see all their garage space open up as I finally move some of my stuff out, some to Mozambique, others to more permanent storage.
If you ask the question from a legal or tax perspective, I'd answer Nevada. Since the length of my time overseas meant that I was no longer a State resident of California, I needed to find/declare a state tax home now that I am directly working for the US Government. So my official state tax home is in Baker Nevada (no state income taxes in Nevada) in care of some old Peace Corps friends.
And to complicate the question yet further, I have also been fortunate enough recently to take advantage of low interest rates and the plunge in the California housing market, and so have just closed on the purchase of my first house, a cute small 2 bed-room house in Rancho Santa Margarita, minutes away from my sister Julie's house. (My parents and sister and fabulous real estate agent, my “village”, deserve lots of credit deserve tremendous thanks for helping me to pull this off from a distant, from the initial screening of houses, the enormous volume of paperwork of offers, counter offers, and closing, the housing inspection, and preparation of the house to rent out.
Homeless or homefull? Yes to both. It's been a bit unsettling to have been “on the road” for the past 10 months since I left Malawi but am grateful for all the many places I can now call home.
P.S. On my new home: the wait for my new home in Maputo appears to have paid off, I'm just moving into a lovely house, just north of Maputo. The US Ggovernment typically finds houses that would be suitable for families, so in my case, I have a much bigger house than I “need” (3 BR, 4.5 bath, an office, lovely living space, a nice garden and even a pool.) I'm still waiting on the crate of my life belongings which will has been in Malawi the last 10 months but will hopefully be making its journey to its new home soon. Lots of work here still to make this “mine” (gardening, painting, etc) and hopefully can then further “fill” the house with guests and visitors to truly make it my home.
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