The Wonders of Kindle and Amazon for Those Traveling/Living Abroad

For anyone who plans to travel for any extensive period and is struggling with giving up her 'real' books in favor of one of those new-fangled e-books, I have only one thing to say: DO IT. As a recent convert and avowed book addict, I cannot praise the wonders of this invention enough.

I cheaped out and purchased the basic Kindle. In hindsight, it probably would have made more sense to get one with a touchscreen and built-in light, considering how frequent the power outages are in this region. That being said, I assume those functions use up battery life quicker and my basic Kindle lasts for weeks of nightly reading before needing to be recharged. 

Things that make me love my Kindle

Portability.
No matter how long the book, it always fits in my purse or carry-on when traveling.

Reading by the river in Zomba

Free reads.
There are many ways to not pay a single cent for the books you read. There are thousands of literature classics that are off copyright and so can be read for free. Amazon also offers a running list of free books on their website that you can find by entering '0.00' into the search bar after selecting the 'Kindle' filter on amazon.com. In addition, Amazon has a rotating list of books that it temporarily offers for free. I find the best way to catch them is to put all the books I want to read onto my Wish List and then periodically sort them by price to see which ones are at 0.00. Only one or two are ever listed as 0.00 at a time, but it does work. Alternatively, I also signed up to receive emails from hundredzeros.com, which gives you a daily list of free books on Amazon. (At least, they are supposed to be all free, but some of them aren't, for reasons I don't understand.)
 

Alternatively, many libraries now offer e-book loans, just like checking out hard copy books. Every library is different in what it offers and how easy its service is to use. I used to cheat the 2 week system by turning off the wireless on my device so that the book couldn't be 'returned' until I was finished with it. Obviously, this only works if you don't plan on checking out any other books during that time.

Passing the long journey to Lake Malawi on public transport by reading

Versatility
If, for some reason, you don't have your Kindle device with you (or you don't want people to know you are reading a book), you can also read your e-books on the computer for free, with the Kindle PC app. In fact, a friend of mine doesn't own a Kindle device at all but has signed up with Amazon and reads books on her computer only.

Evidently, there are even more options on the newer versions of these devices that let you play games, solve puzzles, etc. While I haven't experienced those myself, I can only assume that they make the e-book even more awesome. It will never be a smartphone, but for those of use who don't relish traveling with such expensive and sought-after-by-thieves devices, this is a pretty good second choice.

I Make It Rain (Well, My Debit Card Does)

Access to your money is something that can easily make or break you when traveling internationally and yet, it is something I rarely see discussed in any detail. Guide books have gotten much better about mentioning where ATMs can be located in countries where access isn't universal and everyone has heard of traveler's cheques, but no one seems to talk about what to do if you plan to live in another country for an extended period of time or travel for more than a couple of weeks. So, I thought I'd give my two cents to anyone looking for suggestions.

First of all, it obviously depends on where you plan to travel. I can only speak to my recent experiences in Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi in the last 3 years. It also, as I learned the hard way, very much depends on what bank and/or credit card you plan to use while abroad.

Lesson 1: Don't Assume Your Regional Bank Will Be Your Friend Overseas
My first attempt to utilize my U.S. bank account while overseas was in 2010 when a friend and I were traveling around Kenya and Tanzania. At the time, I was living in Boston and had an account with Citizens Bank - which suited me just fine on U.S. soil. It did not turn out to be such a good partnership when I decided to travel, though.

I dutifully alerted my bank where I would be and the duration of my trip prior to leaving so that my debit card wouldn't be blocked. What I did not count on was having a mental block upon my first attempt to withdraw money at the Nairobi airport. In a moment of unexpected dyslexia, I couldn't remember the order of the numbers in my PIN code and subsequently locked myself out of my account. We had a train to catch, so I gave up for the moment and placed an international call to Citizens Bank trying to get them to either tell me my PIN or let me set a new one. I answered what seemed like a million questions to verify my identity and explained the situation to the representative, who happily unblocked my account...and nothing else. He informed me that there was no one in the entire bank organization who had the power to allow me to change my PIN over the phone and suggested that I visit my nearest branch to resolve the issue, despite me repeatedly telling him I was in Africa and knowing that that fact was written in my file. Thankfully, I eventually remembered my number and the trip proceeded unencumbered. Upon my return home, though, I discovered that I had been charged fees for every little thing; even to check my balance prior to withdrawing money. I immediately closed that account in retaliation.

Lesson 2: Chuck Is The Man (And Visa Really Is Everywhere You Want To Be)
In light of the above experience, I was legitimately worried about how I would fare for a year living overseas. By this time, I was using an internet bank that charged no fees at any domestic ATM, but would charge me a small fee every time to use my card in Malawi. Also, since it was a MasterCard, I knew it wouldn't be accepted in very many places. Luckily, several people who had done my program already suggested opening a Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account, which charges no ATM fees WORLDWIDE. (Yes, this is exciting enough to use all caps.) In order to qualify for this free checking account and associated Visa debit card, you must first open an individual brokerage account, but the bank does not require you to keep any minimum amount of money in that account. It did take a bit of time to get everything set up, but I can't praise the Charles Schwab employees highly enough. They worked with me to expedite the process and get me my card before my departure and politely walked me through my numerous questions and requests. After 6 months abroad in 4 different countries, my card has not been blocked a single time and the conversion rates are always very competitive compared to hard currency exchange rates. Bottom line, if you have the time before your trip to set it up, GET THIS CARD.

*A friend also has a Chase debit card as part of her family's Chase Private Client account that doesn't charge her fees, either.

Lesson 3: Do Your Research Before Deciding to Open An In-Country Bank Account
This won't be a consideration for most people but, if you happen to be in one country long enough to want to set up a local bank account, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before deciding on this course. I have several expat friends in Malawi who, due to the fact that they are being paid in kwacha, have had to set up local accounts and it has been an unpleasant experience all around. For one thing, it takes forever to set everything up and you actually have to set up two accounts if you want to transfer any of your paycheck back into a U.S. account - one local account where the kwacha gets deposited and another one where it can be converted into USD and transferred to your home account. And then there are the fees. I don't know the details, but I do know that Malawian banks charge fees for EVERYTHING. Even Malawians complain about it. In addition, for reasons that seem to defy logic, just about every single person in this country gets paid at the same time - around the 25th of the month. This means that just about every single person who uses that bank you set up your account with will be queuing at that bank for the next week trying to withdraw their money. You will either have to stand for hours in the rain/sun/wind battling some intense body odor and people who don't see any problem cutting in line or specifically budget to avoid this circus. Not to mention the fun when you finally reach that ATM kiosk and find out that it just ran out of bills...

Lesson 4: Shop For The Right Credit Card, Not Just With It
Back in the day when credit card companies were constantly spamming people with offers to entice them to open accounts with them, I decided to open a Capital One card because it charged no international usage fees. While I wasn't sure at the time whether or when I would ever be abroad again, I'm glad I took the initiative. I don't use the card much in Malawi because MasterCard is so rarely accepted and, even though Capital One does not charge a fee, vendors very often charge up to a 6% service fee to cover their costs associated with doing business with MasterCard. (Note: this is why, even if places in the developing world accept MasterCard, it's almost always still better to use a Visa if you have it.) For my recent vacation in the Middle East, though, it was incredibly useful.There are probably other credit cards out there that offer similar services. You just need to 'shop' around for the best deal.

Personally, I'm not a fan of carrying large amounts of USD into the country to exchange, especially after multiple people, including myself, have had stuff stolen from our luggage at Kamuzu Airport. For anyone who feels the same way, I hope this information has been helpful.

Giving Thanks in Style

Thanksgiving 2012 was definitely an event to remember.

First off, we managed to land a free trip in a private plane from Zomba to Lilongwe, instead of suffering for 6-10 hours on a public bus. Not too bad...

Then, a group of about 12 expats rented a huge, beautiful beach house at Chintheche (conveniently called "The Beach House") on the shore of Lake Malawi....

and proceeded to frolic in and around the pristine water for 3 days.....

and occasionally defend ourselves against local kids playing "Al-Shabaab pirates" as we strolled along the beach at sunset....

 

and read en masse on the patio as over-educated nerds like us are wont to do......

and prepare an awe-inspiring Thanksgiving meal mostly without electricity, because it wouldn't be Malawi without day-long power outages when you need the electricity the most.....

and feast on said awe-inspiring meal on the patio watching the sunset and marveling at how blessed we all are to be where we are, doing what we're doing, and in the company we are keeping....

and, finally, enjoy the lake a little in the morning, gorge on homemade cinnamon rolls baked in a hole in the sand (because the power was out again), take a group picture to commemorate the experience, and start the long trek back to our normal lives...

if you can ever consider anything in Malawi 'normal'!

Cultural History - Dedza, Mua Mission, and Chongoni Rock Art

A few hours outside Lilongwe is Dedza, a city that located on the Dedza Plateau at the highest elevation of any city in Malawi. 

It is host to three activities of interest; the Dedza pottery workshop, store, and coffee shop; the Kungoni Center of Culture and Art at Mua Mission; and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chongoni Rock Art.

Dedza pottery offers a variety of beautiful pottery items, including basic mugs, bowls, and plates, as well as other items, such as salt and pepper shakers, Dutch ovens, flower vases, and even ceramic tiles that are made-to-order for the home. (For more information on the pottery and the business, see here.) In addition, the coffee shop is famous (at least in Malawi) for its delicious cheesecake. Some people claim the cheesecake itself is worth the drive from Lilongwe....

For a different cultural experience, visit the Kungoni Center at Mua Mission to learn about Malawi's pre-colonial history. Not only is this one of the few places that still preserves some original old growth trees in a country suffering from extreme deforestation, but the Center has a museum and offers tours to both visitors and locals. Our group shared a museum tour with a group of Malawian teenagers from Lilongwe would had come to learn about their cultural heritage; an opportunity that simply doesn't exist in the young, urban capital.

And for those who enjoy some nature with their cultural history, be sure not to miss a hike in the Chongoni Mountains to view the famous Chongoni Rock Art sites. There are 127 sites in total, but they are spread out throughout the hills, so you can only view a handful in one day. It is best to use a tour operator for this excursion. Some friends tried to find the paintings on their own and ended up wandering around in the hills for hours with no luck because paths don't exist up there. Even our tour guide picked up two local chiefs on our trip to help guide us to the first site because it is so hard to find.

The paintings are divided into 2 groups; white paintings made by pygmy hunter-gatherers that date from as early as the 1st millennium AD and red paintings made by the Chewa people (the main ethnic group in the country) who moved into the area and displaced the original artists beginning in the 15th century. Interestingly, the newcomers didn't erase the original white paintings, instead painting around and over them.

This evident respect for history and culture is sadly juxtaposed by the disrespect local people have shown for the sites that aren't actively protected by the government. In areas where there has not been a concerted effort to educate the locals about the importance of these sites, people have scratched out, written over, or simply removed chunks of the rocks where paintings were, not to mention leaving trash and burning leaves against the walls.

We were really pleased with the tour company we chose: Small Steps Adventure Tours. The tour cost $70USD per person and we were picked up in Lilongwe at 7am for a full day of driving and hiking. Our guide, Franciwell, was a sweetheart and knew the area like the back of his hand, including the locals.


To contact this company, try any of these:
www.smallstepsadventuretours.com
info@smallstepsadventuretours.com
(+265) 999-773-395/ 888-873-783

Cape Maclear

Since the devaluation, prices in Malawi are rarely stable, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to give an overview and price breakdown of my recent trip to Cape Maclear from Zomba. This will either prove helpful to others looking to visit the area or a good laugh for those who come later and can't find anything so cheap....




As it often is with travel in the developing world, it's neither simple nor particularly enjoyable to make the trip between Zomba and Cape Mac if you have to do it via public transportation. If you're lucky and time it right, you can get on a big bus that provides a relatively safe and reliable ride. If you're not, you get the minibus experience. Also keep in mind that this is no straight shot trip. My itinerary was as follows: Zomba to Mangochi boma bus depot (4 hours); transfer to another bus to go from Mangochi to Monkey Bay and wait while it fills up (1 hour + wait time); hop in the bed of a pickup truck with a handful of others for the ride out to Cape Mac (20-30 minutes).

 Private taxis were also available to take you to the Cape for MK6,500 per car (without negotiating it down), split by as many people as you could fit in the vehicle. On the return, we took another pickup ride back to Monkey Bay and found a minibus going directly to Zomba. This one cost us only MK1,500 for some unknown reason, despite being the same distance and not including a transfer. Perhaps the discount was meant to offset the olfactory trauma we endured from the dead fish tied to the front of the minibus that wafted in the window continuously while baking in the African sun for 5 long, smelly hours....

A side-note: travel by minibus (also known as matatus or dalla-dallas in other parts of East Africa) is a test of endurance, patience, and cross-cultural comprehension for any distance. You are crammed into decrepit vehicles four to a row that is meant to comfortably seat 3 and alongside any number of screaming children, small livestock, foodstuffs, and random men asking for your phone number...repeatedly. Multiply that by the approximately 5 hours it takes you to get to Monkey Bay and you have yourself a personal test of will. (Luckily, the lake is THAT beautiful and enjoyable, so it's worth it in the end.)

Once at the lake, we stayed at Mufasa's for MK2,500 per night, which got us double occupancy rooms with bed nets and access to  dorm-style toilet and shower areas. It is also literally ON the beach with a gorgeous view. I only ate breakfast there and it was tolerable, although I've certainly had worse in this country.






I assume that the trip for people living in Lilongwe and its surrounds is much less arduous. Regardless, Lake Malawi is not a sight or experience to be missed, no matter what the trials involved in getting there. In the long run, what's a little dehydration, fish odor, and, 5-7 hours of cramped travel when you get to swim it all off in a gorgeous lake infested with shistosomiasis? I mean, there's a pill (or 3) for that.... :)

Beautiful Zomba

Just a few shots of my beautiful adopted home.

Roughing It, But Not Really

When moving to the developing world from The West, it is assumed that your life will be very different from how you are used to living: diseases are more common and more dangerous; infrastructure is less developed; sense of time and urgency is, ahem, 'more relaxed' (read: really, really slow); feelings of isolation are common, etc.

What do all the above have in common? They are negative impressions. What many people fail to consider when contemplating the differences between "Here" and "There" are all the good, fun, and just plain random ways that your life changes when you leave your country and your culture and move to someone else's.

One of the first and most important lessons I had to learn in Malawi was how to deal with the drastic change from being a poor person in a rich country to being perceived as a 'rich' person in a poor country. In other words, I am white, therefore I am wealthy. I'm not going to deny that I am a heck of a lot more well off than many Malawians; it's more that I perceived myself very differently at first than locals do here and it was quite a shock to realize how different my lifestyle was going to be for the next year, both from what I am used to and from how I could see most people live here.


Probably the best example of how life changed for me on a daily basis is the services of a maid and a cook that I inherited upon moving in to my organization's swanky guest house. The maid comes every week day and the cook supposedly comes MWF, although, in reality, he shows up randomly. Contrast this to my former life in Boston, crammed into a tenement with 3 others and struggling to find both time to cook and room in the refrigerator for said food (a big deal, mind you.) I spent weeks feeling guilty about any mess I made in this new house, even though the out-going fellow pointed out that the maid work for expats is considered a coveted job here. I have no reason to not feel guilty about the cook; that's a privilege even most of my co-fellows don't have. :) 


Another change was the instant celebrity status I achieve simply by walking around with white skin. This is especially true regarding children, who absolutely LOVE waving to azungu (white people) and screaming, "HI!!!!!!!!!!!" as you pass them, no matter how far away you are from them or if you are in a fast-moving vehicle. It was rather disconcerting at first to have so much attention paid to me simply for looking how I look and I now have a greater compassion for the pervasive feeling of 'otherness' that minorities in my own country must feel at times. These same kids (and their much-less-cute teenage counterparts) will also sometimes demand, "Give me money!" in addition to the waving, but it is mostly said in jest and accompanied by giggles because they know they are being naughty.

The last example I will give now of a pleasant difference between Zomba and Boston is the change in eating habits I have been forced to adopt. While pre-packaged, processed foods reign supreme in America, it's all about fresh fruit and vegetables here. Granted, I live in a smaller city, so people in Blantyre and Lilongwe probably don't experience this quite as much. In Zomba, you can shop at the local market for fresh produce brought directly from the farm....or you can eat Ramen noodles. There are no frozen vegetables or microwave meals here. (In fact, it's an extreme luxury to even possess a microwave.) There are some chips and cookies you can buy if you are really hard up, but they are pretty gross and super expensive compared to the fresh food. I don't trust the meat in the stores, so I my roommate and I decided to be vegetarians when it comes to cooking our own meals.

All-in-all, while there are many things I dearly miss about America, I can't complain about my life here. Whatever struggles I do experience only serve to remind me how precious the lifestyle we lead back home is and that nothing should ever be taken for granted in this world. All I have to do is walk down my road to see vividly all that I have to be thankful for.

"Give" and Take

It’s so easy to fall into the habit of interacting with only expats and missing the real life that is happening around you when you live as a minority in a country. 

About a month into the fellowship, I had the privilege of being invited to a Malawian wedding reception. One of my coworkers was getting married and needed some extra hands to help out with the “perekani-perekani.” I had no idea what this was or what I would be expected to do, but I was flattered and jumped at the chance to be one of the locals (as much as a light-skinned muzungu can be) for an afternoon. 

                             

Luckily, I would have my trusty co-fellow, Grace, there with me to make sure I didn’t embarrass myself too greatly. 

“Perekani” means “to give.” Grace’s and my job was to collect the money thrown at the bride and groom by guests in a succession of call-outs made by the MC. For example, the MC would call out “groom’s family” and his family members would come up and toss bills at the couple. Other groupings included coworkers, men or women, parents, etc. This went on for the duration of the ceremony, meaning that an individual would make multiple trips. It was also set to music, which meant that people really danced up, rather than walked up. (For all my GHC fellows, I counted four times that Chop My Money played.) After each call-out, one of us would run up and gather all the money on the ground and bring it back to a table to count it and make change for any guests who needed it. The call-outs weren’t restricted to just the guests, either. On several occasions, the MC specifically requested that I be the one to come collect the money, to the elation of the crowd. 

                            

I turned down an invitation to travel out of town that same weekend and visit other GHC fellows, and I’m so glad I did. While it’s certainly important to foster community among fellows, it is even more important to engage in the community in which we are living. That Saturday afternoon in Zomba’s Botanical Gardens, I was granted a glimpse of what it’s like to be a true Malawian. I can’t think of a better way to have spent my weekend.

 

Impromptu Liwonde National Park Weekend

I’m not usually one to make big last-minute plans, but my second weekend I decided to be a bit spontaneous and ‘plan’ a trip to one of Malawi’s national parks during lunch on Friday with Sarah - a coworker. Essentially, we secured a rental car, I invited 2 other people via email and we decided to make up the rest as we went along. There were a few calls made to the lodge we were interested in staying at, but between accents, poor connections, and not knowing the exact number of people we’d be arriving with, we decided to figure things out when we arrived at the lodge the next day. (For anyone who knows me, this is NOT how I usually operate.)
Lauren and Jeff arrived in Zomba Saturday morning after getting on a matola at some ungodly hour from Blantyre and we set off directly in our 4-wheel drive SUV rented for the amazing price of $60 total. There were 5 of us but Lauren and Jeff weren’t yet sure if they wanted to spend the money to stay the night. Also, it turns out that, due to a miscommunication, they thought we were going hiking, not on a safari.
Once we arrived, saw the accommodations – including a swimming pool! –, and listened to our options, everyone decided to spend the night and fully enjoy the weekend. This decision was conveniently aided by the fact that the lodge accepted credit cards and it is almost impossible to get back out to the main road without one’s own car, which Sarah and Amber were keeping because they definitely were spending the night. So, you might say we were held hostage, but really it was just the gentle push we all needed to allow ourselves to have some fun and enjoy being in Malawi, despite our meager budgets and the fact that none of us GHC fellows will be getting paid until the end of August.
A delicious dip in the pool commenced immediately upon being instated in our rooms. Rooms, I might add, that Lauren, Jeff, and I got seriously upgraded due to a random lack of bedding in the tent accommodation we paid for. Instead, we got placed in a beautiful 4 person ‘chalet’ for the same price of a camping tent.

 

Post-pool, we went on the evening game drive, watched the sunset with glasses of Malawian G&T, and then returned after dark with the aid of a red light to spot any nocturnal creatures that came our way (or rather, ran frantically away from us).

We were all famished and excited about dinner but, unfortunately, had to sit through a drum and dance performance before being fed. Under circumstances involving less gastric distress, the performance would have been enjoyable. Instead, we all wanted to take a bite out the drum players, both to satiate our hunger and to get them to stop beating those damn drums and feed us!

Everyone passed out right after dinner and slept relatively well, except for the occasional hippo grunt disturbance throughout the night. After a delicious breakfast of veggie omelets (or eggs scrambled or fried – your choice) in the morning, we set out on our 2-hour boat safari to get up close with hippos, crocs, and various other river life. The trip didn’t hold any surprises but was beautiful and relaxing.

 

We headed out soon after returning from the boat. It is a short drive from the camp dock to the outer gate of the park and there is a big sign and a curio shop right on the outside of this gate. I asked to stop so as to get a picture of the sign and check out the curio (souvenir) stand, which turned out to be a horrible idea, because the car refused to start up again when we were done. After a hilarious few attempts at pushing-starting the vehicle both forward and backward with the help of the curio stall guys, we cleaned off the battery clamp and got it running again.

 Jeff bought a drum as a thank-you for the guys’ help. Needless to say, we did NOT stop the car again for the rest of the ride in to Zomba. After a delicious, authentic Italian meal at Casa Rosa’s in Zomba, Sarah and Amber dropped Jeff and Lauren off at my place to wait a mere 6 hours for their driver to show up and we all went along our merry ways.
What made this weekend a smashing success was the fast friendship we all made. Amber and Sarah have known each other for a while, but I only met them 2 weeks ago and Lauren, Jeff, and I only met each other a month ago. The Aussies and GHCers didn’t meet until everyone got in the car to set off. This could have been a recipe for disaster, but it was amazingly fun, instead. I look forward to many more new insta-friendships and great memories in unexpected places this year.