Life goes on...

Life in Malawi continues to amaze me!

I was able to do rounds this morning in the Pediatric ward at Nkhoma Hospital, after our hand burn contracture surgery was pushed back until Thursday. The hospital conditions here are absolutely astonishing. The Pediatrics ward had 85 patients today, in 10 beds, with 1 doctor, 1 clinical officer (the equivalent of a physician assistant in the US), 2 nurses, and 1 patient attendant (a nurse's assistant in the US). The medical treatment here makes me thankful for the services in the US. I wish everyone could see what it is like here, in order to better appreciate all that we are blessed with at home and in other developing countries. I was able to see a few interesting patients, when rounding and was able assist in a burn dressing change and a lumbar puncture of two pediatric patients.

The child with the burn dressing change was a young girl, about 2 years old, who had been burned when her mother spilled a pot of boiling water on her face, stomach, and knee. The burns were second degree and should heal within the week with the use of Silvadine and regular dressing changes.

The child with the lumbar puncture was an 8 year old girl suspected of having contracted meningitis. The child previously presented with otitis media (ear infection) and now is presenting with a stiff neck and confusion. A lumbar puncture was drawn in order to determine if the child had an infection present in her Cerebral Spinal Fluid.

Tomorrow I will be going to the Nkhoma Orphanage Project to share the burn prevention books with the children there.

The "Real" Malawi

After getting settled in at the Nkhoma Hospital Guesthouse and getting a tour of both the Nkhoma Hospital and the Nkhoma village, I am beginning to get settled here in Malawi. I went to the market on Saturday and was overwhelmed by the selling of food, cloth, clothing, and other trinkets by the Malawians there.

Last night I stayed overnight in a village, in what the natives call the "real" Malawi. I was lucky enough to spend the night with Elisabeth, a housekeeper in Nkhoma, and her family in their mud hut in her village. Elisabeth showed me her village, and I was able to take lots of pictures and meet lots of the natives. This is a photo of Elisabeth's house, in the village, where I stayed. I had a traditional dinner in her hut with her family, and played with the children outside. We then read them a book about Burn Prevention, and had a question and answer session with the kids. In the morning we had bread and tea for breakfast, and some kind boys walked me back to the guesthouse, where I will be staying.

This is a photo of me, sitting in front of Elizabeth's house with a few of the children I read to. The kids in Malawi are all absolutely incredible and they thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the magical rabbit, Luka, and the children, Precious and Manny, in their quest to be safe around fires.

I have been greatly humbled by the little that the Malawians have, and yet they still remain positive and happy all of the time. They are some of the the friendliest people I have ever met and, despite the language barrier, are quick to say "Hello, how are you" to anyone who passes by.

I'm having a wonderful stay in Nkhoma so far, and will start work with Jenn in the hospitals and be going into schools this week to teach them about burn prevention!
Talk to you soon!
Thanks for reading!!

I'm Here!

I have arrived, safe and sound, in Malawi!! After two flights, a visit to the city, grocery purchases, and money exchange, I'm in Nkhoma! I'm headed to the guesthouse of the Nkhoma Hospital soon to meet fellow volunteers, to unpack, and get some rest. I cannot wait to get "home" unpacked and settled in for the next 3 weeks!

This is the photo of the Nkhoma Guesthouse - a place I would call home for the rest of my stay in Nkhoma. The people at the Guesthouse made my time in Malawi so fun and wonderful. Thanks to everyone!

The scenery here is to die for and this promises to be one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I've decided to try everything I can, be as adventurous as possible (while still being safe, MOM), have a positive attitude, and always wear a smile. Here goes nothing!
Tomorrow brings a tour of the hospital and the village, getting my bearings, and a futbol (okay, for you Americans, soccer) pickup game in the afternoon.
Blog soon!

Ready or not!

Ready... Set... Africa!
My bags are packed and I'm ready to go!

I'm a little nervous and very excited.
I cannot wait for this new adventure to begin.
Ready or not, Africa, here I come!

T-minus 5 days!

Finals are finished! School's out for the summer! Vacation time is finally here! I have enjoyed a wonderful beach vacation with some of my very best friends! I am so thankful for this week we spent together. I am rested and ready for my next adventure: my 21st birthday.

T-minus 3 days - Monday, May 24th 12:01am - I am 21! Eeeek! Finally, after all these years, the last birthday that marks legal eligibility... and I will be legal to consume alcoholic beverages!

T-minus 5 days - Wednesday, May 26th 11:15am - My flight leaves from JFK on the adventure of a lifetime - my journey to volunteer in Malawi!

I have much to do in the next 5 days in preparation for my amazing trip. I am both excited and nervous and cannot wait for this new adventure to unfold.

Stay tuned for updates, (as often as possible) pictures, and stories from Africa!

Hippos, Giraffes, and Cheetahs! Oh My!

When mentioning my African trip to friends and family, I have received several suggestions about an African Safari! I am pleased to inform you that, God willing, I will be going on a 4 day safari while in Malawi. Although there is no guarantee that one will see such amazing creatures as Hippos, Giraffes, and Cheetahs, I am hopeful that a few exotic African animals will be spotted on this trip. It should be a wonderful opportunity! No one panic – Pictures will be taken!

Checkout the Safari I will be taking: http://www.kiboko-safaris.com/framesafaris.html
Kiboko Safari:


P.S. A geography lesson: In case you are unaware – Africa is a continent, not a country! Malawi is the country I will be staying in, which exists within the continent of Africa. There are 7 continents in the world! A prize will be awarded to the first reader who can comment on this post listing all 7 of them!

Where the heck is Malawi?

Malawi, you say.
Where the heck is Malawi?
In Africa!
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa. Officially the Republic of Malawi, Malawi is a country with a population of 15,028,757 people. The official language is English, although Chichewa is a recognized regional language, and the language of most of the native people. The currency is Kawacha, with a current exchange ratio of 1 US Dollar: 140 Kawacha.
The Climate of Malawi is hot in the low-lying areas in the south of the country, and temperate in the northern highlands. November to April brings warm temperatures with equatorial rain and thunderstorms. May to September bring almost no rainfall and is deemed the "dry season"
These are a few brief tidbits about where and what Malawi is. For more information, to see pictures, and to do further research on Malawi see the following websites:
The ever-trusty Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawi
Or CIA World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mi.html