Almost There

To say the very least, it was a LONG plane ride. I didn’t sleep, sat through many movies, consumed several airline meals, and pondered what lay ahead. After nearly twenty hours in the air, we finally landed in South Africa Monday evening and settled into a hotel in Johannesburg for the night. I spent my evening in South Africa with my roommate (coincidentally also named Kelly) discussing our lives and potential futures over our last nice meal in a very nice restaurant. I spent my South African Rand which my Aunt Linda had very thoughtfully given me before I left, on a very tasty glass of red wine, a huge chicken sandwich with potatoes, and a dessert bar consisting of various fruits, chocolates, cakes, and tiramisu. Though it was sent in the confines of the hotel, I really did enjoy my night in south Africa and look forward to traveling there in the future.

Upon finishing our breakfast and coffee the next morning, our group returned to Johannesburg International Airport to embark on the next leg of our journey. We didn’t have much time in the airport, and really there isn’t all that much to say about it, just a bunch of overpriced shops and food as you’d expect to find there.
Our flight to Lilongwe wasn’t too long; we landed on Malawian soil in just over two hours. I can’t remember my thoughts as I stepped off the plane. It was very overwhelming to finally be in Malawi, the country so far away where I would be spending the next two years of my life. We were met at the airport by tons of people including the Malawian PC Country Director, our APCD for Education, other Peace Corps Malawi staff members, and many current volunteers from all three sectors. Everyone was most welcoming and so excited to see us!

We then took about an hour bus ride south of Lilongwe to the Dedza College of Forestry and Agriculture where we’d be staying for our first few days in country. Staying at the college is nice. We’re fed three big meals each day, with two tea and snack breaks between. We have running water most of the day, complete with toilets and showers. We even have electricity! A nice amenity to have when charging batteries, computers, cameras, etc. For the first few days I spent the majority of my time sleeping, chatting with my fellow trainees, and going to language and technical sessions preparing for my upcoming homestay experience.