MALAWITHE WARM HEART OF

AFRICAA Returned Peace Corps

VolunteerKirk Longstein 2008 - 2010

What is Peace Corps?

Learning, sharing and exchanging cultural values of America with Malawians

Exchanging technical knowledge with host country nationals

Learning, Sharing and exchanging cultural values of Malawians with Americans

Why did you join? Be the Change you want to see in the world!

Curiosity of something I had only heard about Adventure!!

Where is Malawi?

“What’s Malawi Like?”

Living in the village….

….We wake up, get water and start cooking tea

Most days are full of chores…

……Pounding maize, cooking Nsima, and always working in the garden

We Always love to play games!

Playing Bao, practicing soccer,Singing and dancing…

…running and jumping

For children, most of the days were spent at school….

…Books, Friends and Sports yet most children do not finish middle school.

…there is always time to chat…

…Anytime of day, we chat about the weather & crops…

politics , religion & life…

Before the day was over…

I always had a new friend.

How did you “Chat?”

Chichewa is a Bantu language spoken in Zambia & Malawi

Muli Bwanji?Nanga Ine, Ndili bwino.

Zikomo

Ndatakoza kubwera kwanu

Kufotazkozera za moyo watu

ku Malawi

What did people do for work?

Along the lake shore people relied on fish for food and for sale.

…But you would have a hard time finding a Malawian that doesn’t farm.

What did you Eat?Twice a day, everyday….

Nsima ndi ndiwo

Cultural DancesThe Gule wan Kulu are Chewa dancers invoked by spirits of the graveyard…

Their dance expresses socially significant people , places and events

The Chitimeka are Tonga woman celebrating the elegance and grace of womanhood.

Public TransportA planed trip to town meant cold drinks and good food

…But was it worth it?

FACT: The most dangerous place in Malawi …the tarmac roads.

My House

What do people ask about America?

What type of food do you eat? What do you do for fun? What do people do for work? How many are in your family? Where do you pray?

What is Community Based Natural Resource Management?

Providing the incentives to conservation by exposing people to creative uses

of resources in their own back yards.

Community Health servicesAs Peace Corps Volunteers we all have a responsibility

to educate towards public Health

FACT: Malaria kills more people in Malawi than HIV/AIDSFACT: A better nutritional diet can prevent most common illness

Zaqwana!My experiences in Malawi

were filled with beautiful places and beautiful people.

27months was not long enough. If I had the opportunity, I would do it

again.