Kim sent me some more pictures from Lirangwe! The kitchen has a roof now. It looks really good. I like the corrugated roof. We have the same roof where we keep our logs and its really noisy like a drum when it rains.
I wonder if the grass roofed building on the edge is the kitchen now. I think when it rains the new roof will be better. The rainy season is in November I am told and it will still be very hot when we visit in October. I have started to take some pictures at home so I can take an album to show my new friends when I visit. I have my own camera now. It is like Dad's but newer. I have been lent it by David at Olympus and I will use it on my trip as well. It is very kind of them. I am going to take photos of my friends. my house and my animals. I will also take a picture of my school. What else do you think I should take photos of? I should take photos of my family as well.
Next week our guest bloggers are Girl Scouts from America. They are cooking outside at their Two Sentinels camp. I am a Brownie in Lochgilphead and I have been on Brownie camps to Campbeltown and Dunoon. I would like to meet some Girl Guides in Malawi to swap badges. Brownies is one of my favourite things and I am looking forward to going back soon.
Yesterday we visited Blantyre in Scotland yesterday where David Livingstone was born. He explored Africa and visited where Malawi is now.
That is why there is a Blantyre in Malawi. He was attacked by a lion but survived. I want to see a lion in Malawi but not a wild one!
Veg
Wow, the kitchen is really coming along! I know you are very excited about your upcoming trip--it must feel good to be the catalyst for such a wonderful project.
ReplyDeleteFeels daunting as well! We'll be representing all 7000+ of you that have donated and supported Mary's Meals. It's going to be emotional because there have been hard moments for Veg but also uplifting to share the joy of the kids in Lirangwe.
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Veg's Dad
Look at the bright side. Whenever things seem to get a little too daunting, remember that you've got over 7,000 of us behind you. :)
DeleteThat said, however, I remember how just getting two kids in the car for a 2 hour trip could sometimes seem an impossibility. I simply can't imagine getting a family of five ready for a trip to Africa in a few short months. Never mind trying to keep up with a popular blog AND keep a smallholding going at the same time.
And hang in there, Veg. I know this has all been quite a bit for someone your age to take in, but when you're an old woman, with hair turning grey, you'll look back in amazement and remember all of this fondly. You'll be able to tell your grandchildren about the days when a little blog you started for family and friends went viral, the whole world found out about you, and you ended up going to AFRICA because of it all. Your grandchildren's eyes will grow as big as saucers, and they'll say, "Really, grandma"? And you'll just smile to yourself and say, "Really."
Looks like great progress! You'll have to take lots of pics of everyone dining out of the new kitchen, although I'm not sure if they eat there or pick up food to make at home?
ReplyDeleteWow, how exciting! That is going to be a really nice kitchen. I can't wait to see the Girl Scout meals. My daughter, Katy, is a Girl Scout. She's a Junior, which are fourth and fifth graders (ages 9-11). Tomorrow is the first day of school here. Katy would like to send in a photo of her lunch. It'll be a packed lunch and I can take a picture of it tonight. After the first two weeks of school parents can join their children at school for lunch so maybe I can do that and get a picture of a school lunch. The federal government has made some changes to the school lunch program so lunches should be changing. However, I looked at the menu for the next two weeks and it's the same stuff they've been eating for years. There was a story in the newspaper about a school district that was testing out new menu items and had students to taste and review the foods. They had a big selection of green and red/orange vegetables but a teenage girl interviewed for the story said she had spaghetti, french fries, corn, a roll and an apple. That may be a 10/10 on the food meter but it's not very high on the nutrition meter!
ReplyDeleteVEG--never lose your optimism and faith in humanity! I adore you, darling!Take lovely pictures of your family, friends, school, etc. And after you show them to your new friends in Malawi, we would love to see some of them! I'm a teacher, and I wish more of my students were like you! Love you!
ReplyDeleteVJE
For your photo album maybe you could take a photo of your class.
ReplyDeleteDear VEG,
ReplyDeleteThank you for this most exciting update. And what good ideas you have in your photo suggestions. Can I add some, please? I have never visited Malawi, but I have visited a primary school in Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo (how many seconds?!), and the first question I was asked was "What crops grow in your country?" My mind went blank! And the first thing I could think of was "apples". And, of course, they don't have apples and then I had to try and explain! So, when the next visitor from Europe went there they managed to take some apples too and they were cut up into tiny pieces so that the students could try them. So, try and find out if the students grow crops (in DRC a half-day a week is devoted to growing crops in the school fields, all over the country! And be prepared with some things that grow for you in Lochgilphead!
Can't wait to hear all about it!
Catherine
Great idea, many thanks. We've apples coming on in the orchard now. Wonder if we dare take some brussel sprouts?
DeleteVeg's Dad
I would add potatoes to the list of pictures (or even for real!). It is our staple food here but not so much in Africa! When I spent a few weeks in Casamance, in the south of Senegal (how many seconds?) they could not get their heads round the fact that I ate potatoes every day (or almost) here. I was told "this must be so boring!" or something along those lines... The really funny thing is that there we ate rice in the morning, rice for lunch and rice in the evening but that was normal!
ReplyDeleteVeg, WOW - this is really coming along and it looks amazing, everyone has done a wonderful job so far.
ReplyDeleteBe proud and always just be yourself!
Photo's - something to leave the children at Lirangwe.
Hey I really like your blog and I think its really to do what you are doing. I live in New Zealand and I go to Balmacewen intermediate in Dunedin and all my class mates were reading about you and your blog and the healthy eating. You should look at our class blog http://www.room72012.blogspot.co.nz/
ReplyDeleteI hope it all goes well from here.
Balmacewen intermediate
From Tamara Amies age 12
Hi Veg,
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice if you visited some of the children's villages and took photos so we can see how they live.
Good luck!
Soyeb (from sunny London)