In Lilongwe to get Mauwa!!

Hey everyone! I am in Lilongwe for a few days and figured I should update my blog. Well, things have been going pretty good lately. Last week, the Peace Corps doctor and new country director came for a site visit to see how my house is and for me to meet the new cd. It went really good. The new cd seems really nice and ready to tackle the job of handling 120 PCVs in Malawi. It was good to tell them about all the thigns I've been doing over the last 7 weeks. I guess I didn't realize how much stuff I've done until I talked with them! I've been busy "going out in the field" as they call it, riding my bike many kilometers to outreach clinics and the like. The roads are all dirt, rough, uphills and downhills, and sometimes just kick my butt! I've visited a trained traditional birth attendant. She delivers babies at her house where women come to see her since the health center can be too far. It went well, she liked me alot! I went to a sanitation platform training with Interaide, a French NGO. They taught a bunch of chiefs, village health committee members, and me how to make these concrete platforms to put on top of pit latrines. It is a lot more sanitary than just a hole in the ground! I finally got furniture on Wednesday of last week! I have a bed, table, and two chairs! No more sleeping on a mattress on the floor! I actually feel like I have a home now. The nurse midwife that lives next door to me came back from her leave at another health center. I was very excited to see her! She said that she missed her daughter (talking about me!). I have been "adopted" by her and her 4 children. I eat dinner at her house every night. I buy some veggies to contribute and they teach me how to make Malawian food! They taught me how to make phala (porridge) which is sort of like cream of wheat so that I can make it for breakfasts for me and my kitten! I've been doing the usual outreach clinics and clinics at the health center. I have rode to Thondwe 3 times. It is a tough 16km to get to the paved rode! Hopefully the more I do it, the easier it will get. The hot season is quickly approaching as I noticed that I am sweating more and drinking lots of water. I get into town about once/week to check mail and emails, so keep them coming. I have about 1 month until reconnect and training when I will get to see all of my fellow 1st year health PCVs and hear how their 1st three months at site has gone! I get my kitten, Mauwa, this weekend! I am very excited to finally get her! Hopefully she will be an excellent mouse hunter! Well, that's it for now! Love and miss everyone lots!