Beauty in Diversity

In my time in Malawi I've seen some interesting things that you probably wouldn't see in Canada. I thought that I'd share some of them...

Street Vendors: I love living in Lilongwe because most of the time when I want something it will come to me. When I first started tutoring one of the kids in the neighbourhood I decided that I wanted a wall chart that showed the ABCs. The next day at lunch I had a quick look for one in the grocery store near my work but I couldn't find one. On my way back from the store I was approached by a man selling ABC wall charts and pens. Random... and fantastic!

Street Vendors Take Two: Household pets are also available as you walk (or drive) the streets and back roads of Lilongwe. Cute puppies, kittens, and bunny rabbits (although I've been told the bunny rabbits are for dinner rather than for pets) sit sadly in the palms of the street vendors. They pretty much beg you to buy them and take them home and give them a good life (the animals that is - not the vendors). Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately because I would have a giant posse of puppies by now) my family already has 4 dogs and isn't looking for anymore.

Weird things on Bicycles: When I first got here, one of the things that immediately struck me were the men riding around with 5 to 10 chickens hanging upside down from their handle bars. Now, it's become almost normal - but I'm still struck by how calm the chickens are about it. Although, someone told me that if you hang a chicken upside down all the blood goes to it's brain and it's pretty much incapable of doing anything so perhaps it's more like incapacitation rather than a state of calm.

Weird things on Bicycles Take Two: Bicycles are an excellent way to transport things when you don't have a car (I love taking bike taxis), but sometimes I think people take things to extremes. When I saw a bath tub attached to the front of a bicycle I thought it was pretty extreme... and a fantastic workout for the rider.

Protected by the Blood of Jesus: The main way to get around here (if you don't have a car - and most people don't) is by minibus. It's actually a pretty fantastic system. It's pretty easy to get everywhere and it's cheap! Minibuses have some pretty fantastic bumper stickers. I always feel better when I'm in a minibus that's 'Protected by the Blood of Jesus'.