March to july

Hello

It have been a long time since I wrote a line here in my blog, and that is a shame because I promised my friends that I will update it frequently, so now is it time to start write again lots have happened since I wrote the last time so I have to read my own blog to remember where I stop.’

Ok I have been in Las Pulgas Mexico in March I was there for eleven days studying global warming and what consequence it will have for the mankind I was so ignorant and had no clue what so ever about the consequence I did know that the weather is changing but not so much,

Well I will not write about that here then I have to write for a week or so it’s much but I can only say if we not take care of our world will we see a very hard future with climate refuges no ice on the winter only rain in some parts and where that not rain well there will be desert and not inhabitable,

Later on during the spring I was on Bustrup and worked to make the place nice and get the big parks and buildings in good shape, our students have worked all spring with a spring play that they put up on Tvind in June and it was so god and they come first place and could bring a back a trophy to Bustrup, they actually deserve to win they have practice so much and put much time and effort in it.

The school stop was also good many parents and kids was so happy for summer leave, and after that we teacher had a day in Alborg where we was in Udzon museum and saw he’s wonderful constructions and later after a nice dinner we saw marine museum cool stuff and boats it was a relaxing day with all teachers and staff.

Now here in July have I been in Grindsted and making promotion it have been for four weeks and here in the end was I in Prague on a promotion mission to put up posters and leaflets everywhere, and f course also did I see some of Prague’s wonderful buildings and statues, it was amazing, and some nice picture you can see here of course was I also enjoying my time in Prague even if it was work so was there little time to explore the city and see the museum and opera house the astronomic clock and all other things that was worth to go I did not have time to see the big castle but I hope I will return some day and I can go and see it

Tionana

christmas in Sweden

Well now is it a new year 2008, the autumn in Denmark have gone so fast the three month I where in Vamndrup, time is flying and now we look on 2008 it start with a lot of work the new years concert and later in March is it Global warming in Las Pulgas.
The time I was in Vamndrup was good I did a lot carpeting in the school that we repaired, it have been two building weekends and we where over 100 people there and the last week we work hard and got some more people so we where 13 people and could almost finish all work, there are still some work to do but that will the school and contractor finish.
When I come back to Bustrup and the Christmas celebrating where nice the students had a good time with good dinner and some present before they go home to their home and celebrate Christmas with there families, I left Denmark the same day by train and ferry, and I spend the Christmas with my mother and sister and here family later on I also meet my brother and his family, we had family dinner and went to the cinema and saw a movie.
During the fooling days I travel to my children and spend a couple of days there later I also go to my friends ,in Annerstad there we spend a wonderful new years eve and had a good time, and on Orust its nice to see them specially Anders and his family they are very close friends and we had not seen each other for almost one and a half year so we had some to catch up with, the time was not enough so we decided that I will come during the summer for a weekend or so and then I also can show all nice pictures from Malawi when I left them I go back to my mothers place for some good days in Sweden, the trip back was relaxing but it was also feeling good that all holydays where over its to many late nights and its hard to change back to normal time.
But it was strait on to work when I come back, I drove the students and start to prepare for the new year concert we have every year we are host for Capela Minsk this year again so we have to get 21 rooms ready for the quire, its cool because this Russian quire is so good and they travel here to sing on some places and on the new year concert that we have in Horsens , well now is it time to stop writing soon will I go to Las Pulgas and then will I write again.
Stay cool I am
PS. Angel do they exsist yes i belev so

så var man i Danmark

Well now have i been in Denmark for a couple of months, and life is slowly going back to the scandinavian life and that is somthing that i dont like at all., everybody are so stresed out here and always running like rats. i miss the calm life in Africa it was so nice to work there wiht no stress adn rush, i think actually that i did more there then here when i stress.

well now i work in Denmark and i like it alot of diffrent task, one week i where in Sweden and held some informations meeting about joining Humana people to people and work as volunteer worker in Africa. and i also work as a carpenter on one school that we renovate, the last tiem i where visiting my family i told about my planes to live and work in Africa or China, and to my satisfaction dont any body have any thing against that, so now is i looking for some posibel job that fits my demands.

its fun to start to planea a new trip and which i will do after christmas but i will write more about that later on so for now take it esay i do '

some news

hi all well i am back in Denmark now and work i also wanted to tell you that i thought my blogg was gone but it was a mistake from me so i will keep on to write once a month stay cool i am

Affe

NEWS FROM MALAWI
JUNE 2007
Training day
Today was the first day of the coldest month here in Malawi, but I think its ok because we had warm weather and the sun shine all day, except for a short while in the afternoon we had some rain but it went quickly away, but rain here is always very heavy. The DIs did a wonderful training day and the teachers had a marvelous time. One games and teaching method, can you see on the photo.
To Use the body as a tool and make letters is something that i hope they enjoy, this monthly training days are one way to help the preschool teachers to get more knowledge’s, and to make them more inspired and teach the children more. there is always problem with that teachers not teach so good and that they have to big classes, the parents also keep children home when they are old enough to work in the field, so the dropout is very high in primary schools especially with girls drop out.
\nfirst Lady of Malawi died this month and was berried in Blantyre; they also\nmade it a national holyday. We opened finely the pedagogical workshop in\nMtengowambalawe, we had the opening the 12 of June and it was a nice day with\nspeeches, and songs by the children and one local song grope, this opening will\ngive the possibility for local to learn computer, and be able to borrow books\nform the library, they can also watch TV or see a movie on Sundays In\nthe news paper could we read that one woman in Mzuzu was beaten up by local\npeople, because they suspect that she teach the children witchcraft in school,\nto read something like this is horrible but very common here, but it still\nexist , And in Lilongwe have one school in lack of classrooms made one toilet\nto a classroom, of course should learning take place in a good environment, the\nsystem lacks of enough of virtually everything from qualified teachers to\nteaching and learning materials that includes classrooms and I have seen in\nmany villages that classroom is in the church, and if they are lucky can all\nget inside when it rains, the common site is that there are about 6-7 teachers\non 700- 800 students and its almost impossible for them to make good classes,\nthe pictured shows one school in Alinaffa that collapsed and that is because\nthey don’t use cement but clay to build with and when it rain the clay\nget wet and the building fall and this is sadly enough a very common sight but\ncement is very expensive.
We\nhad also a sad incident not far from TTC six of teachers training collage\ntrainees was robed, and one girl was dragged out in the Busch and raped, the\ninformation I got was that several men enter their house with Pangas (machete)\nduring the night, and when the guard come to help them got injured in the face\nand had to go to the hospital, one girl succeed to escape and phone her husband\nand he cal the police but when they arrive was the robbers gone, ",1]
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The first Lady of Malawi died this month and was berried in Blantyre; they also made it a national holyday. We opened finely the pedagogical workshop in Mtengowambalawe, we had the opening the 12 of June and it was a nice day with speeches, and songs by the children and one local song grope, this opening will give the possibility for local to learn computer, and be able to borrow books form the library, they can also watch TV or see a movie on Sundays

In the news paper could we read that one woman in Mzuzu was beaten up by local people, because they suspect that she teach the children witchcraft in school, to read something like this is horrible but very common here, but it still exist , And in Lilongwe have one school in lack of classrooms made one toilet to a classroom, of course should learning take place in a good environment, the system lacks of enough of virtually everything from qualified teachers to teaching and learning materials that includes classrooms and I have seen in many villages that classroom is in the church, and if they are lucky can all get inside when it rains, the common site is that there are about 6-7 teachers on 700- 800 students and its almost impossible for them to make good classes, the pictured shows one school in Alinaffa that collapsed and that is because they don’t use cement but clay to build with and when it rain the clay get wet and the building fall and this is sadly enough a very common sight but cement is very expensive.

We had also a sad incident not far from TTC six of teachers training collage trainees was robed, and one girl was dragged out in the Busch and raped, the information I got was that several men enter their house with Pangas (machete) during the night, and when the guard come to help them got injured in the face and had to go to the hospital, one girl succeed to escape and phone her husband and he cal the police but when they arrive was the robbers gone,
The\ngirls are now staying at TTC and go from there to work in there schools,) this\nis not a common incident, but still it shows that we as DI’s should be\ncareful and not walk around in the dark alone.
But\nhere is happening good things to we had the first training day for the\ncommunity members in the villages, and that was a success her was over 300\npeople, and they got a lot of information from our teachers here that held some\ncourses in Chichewa, we DI’s were involved in planning and making I\nwent back to the prison this month, and it was so nice to see that Nick and the\nother DI’s had make big difference in there, especially on the female\nsection they was now knitting and held classes so that they can get some\neducation before they come out, the room that was full of maize last time, was\nnow cleaned and the desk was nice with black board full of lessons, and the\ninmate that teach was so good, she really tried to teach and was clear and\nprecise, we sat for a lesson and to see how little education some of them had\nstunned me, even if I know that many here have no read or writing skills, when\nyou see it like this and that they tried so hard to read and follow the lesson,\nthis words and sentence she used was for the small children in preschool, but\nstill it was difficult for some of them, and they was so happy when they answer\ncorrect we even participate in the classes which was fun, azungo We\nhad also a sports day with info about HIV/AIDS for local schools they come to\nTTC and had sports, the students here was performing about HIV/AIDS in songs\nand sketches, especially these two made them the children laugh and smile,\nas you can see on the picture.

(The girls are now staying at TTC and go from there to work in there schools,) this is not a common incident, but still it shows that we as DI’s should be careful and not walk around in the dark alone.
But here is happening good things to we had the first training day for the community members in the villages, and that was a success her was over 300 people, and they got a lot of information from our teachers here that held some courses in Chichewa, we DI’s were involved in planning and making it work.
I went back to the prison this month, and it was so nice to see that Nick and the other DI’s had make big difference in there, especially on the female section they was now knitting and held classes so that they can get some education before they come out, the room that was full of maize last time, was now cleaned and the desk was nice with black board full of lessons, and the inmate that teach was so good, she really tried to teach and was clear and precise, we sat for a lesson and to see how little education some of them had stunned me, even if I know that many here have no read or writing skills, when you see it like this and that they tried so hard to read and follow the lesson, this words and sentence she used was for the small children in preschool, but still it was difficult for some of them, and they was so happy when they answer correct we even participate in the classes which was fun, azungo (white man) as teaching material.
We had also a sports day with info about HIV/AIDS for local schools they come to TTC and had sports, the students here was performing about HIV/AIDS in songs and sketches, especially these two made them the children laugh and smile, as you can see on the picture.
there\nwas athletic, football, netball and volleyball which the children enjoy very\nmuch, the was almost chaos by the athletic run all wanted to see, and stood so\nclose that the runners bump in to some of them, but still they was so happy and\ncheerful and it was difficult to stop the from running with there friends\naround the The\nday was a success and all was happy even if it ended little late, and they had\nto walk back in darkness the sun falls down here so much faster than in Europe \nand at five thirty is it dark. I\nwoke up of I heard a noise it was one DI that had to go to toilet, I relaxed\nagain and listen to the sound of the night animal the moon was still high, so\nit was very early in the morning, I dose of and half sleep when he come back\njumping like a gazelle, I knew something was not as it should he rushed to me\nwith eyes big and breathing hard and tried to wispier elephant but it was not\nso easy he was so excited, I try to come out of my sleeping bag but stuck and\nfell over, while he woke up Nick, I finely get out of the sack and got my shoes\non, we walk slowly out from the porch and down to where he had seen it, we\ncouldn’t see any thing but suddenly we hear about fifty meters from us a\nbig branch crack, and there he was the big elephant standing still by the tree\nand eating Amarula a kind of sweet fruit that they like this was a weekend that we never will\nforget, we enter the park in the evening, and went to the rooms that we\nrented, me and Nick went with Jes the manager of the reserve down to a big\nporch, where we could sit and look on the animal when they come to the water\nhole, there was light so it was easy to see in the darkness and when the zebras\ncome for a drink the feeling I felt was nice and we went back to the others and\nmeet piggy the tame bush pig, after dinner we all relaxed in the evening and\nsaw al kind of animal that come for water, and when the light went out at nine\nthe moon light up the area, and we deseeded to sleep on the porch in a chair\nand hoped that we could see some elephant.",1]
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there was athletic, football, netball and volleyball which the children enjoy very much, the was almost chaos by the athletic run all wanted to see, and stood so close that the runners bump in to some of them, but still they was so happy and cheerful and it was difficult to stop the from running with there friends around the track,
The football, netball and the volleyball was the high light and the competition was intense.
The day was a success and all was happy even if it ended little late, and they had to walk back in darkness the sun falls down here so much faster than in Europe and at five thirty is it dark.
A little story of what you can experience here.
I woke up of I heard a noise it was one DI that had to go to toilet, I relaxed again and listen to the sound of the night animal the moon was still high, so it was very early in the morning, I dose of and half sleep when he come back jumping like a gazelle, I knew something was not as it should he rushed to me with eyes big and breathing hard and tried to wispier elephant but it was not so easy he was so excited, I try to come out of my sleeping bag but stuck and fell over, while he woke up Nick, I finely get out of the sack and got my shoes on, we walk slowly out from the porch and down to where he had seen it, we couldn’t see any thing but suddenly we hear about fifty meters from us a big branch crack, and there he was the big elephant standing still by the tree and eating Amarula a kind of sweet fruit that they like.
We had rented a buss on Friday and went down to Majete wildlife reserve, www.majete.org this was a weekend that we never will forget, we enter the park in the evening, and went to the rooms that we rented, me and Nick went with Jes the manager of the reserve down to a big porch, where we could sit and look on the animal when they come to the water hole, there was light so it was easy to see in the darkness and when the zebras come for a drink the feeling I felt was nice and we went back to the others and meet piggy the tame bush pig, after dinner we all relaxed in the evening and saw al kind of animal that come for water, and when the light went out at nine the moon light up the area, and we deseeded to sleep on the porch in a chair and hoped that we could see some elephant.
Wile we stood there watching the big elephant not being able to take a picture, and\nmaybe it was lucky that we not took any, the flash would irritated them, and\ncould made them attack us, we slowly go back to the porch and went to sleep,\nbut it was not easy to sleep to much adrenalin in the body and the pulls was\nsky high, at six o clock came Jes and took us on a safari tour with the\ntruck, and to see these impala waterbuck Hippos was so fun, and even if the\nmorning was cold did we enjoy every moment of the ride, he also show he’s\nhouse and make some coffee for us before we went to the waterfall, after that\nwe went back to the camp and waited for the next event the Elephant walk, all\nwas so existed and when we left in the afternoon to track them with radio, and\nwe found them at nyala lope we divided in two groups, I was in the first and\nwe went out in the jungle with two guards one with antenna and one with rifle,\nthe pulse raise very fast and when the guard said that we was close it raise\neven more and suddenly there they was a big male eating, a sound sow low like\nthunder they was talking to each other we could feel the vibration in the\nground when they sound, but we had to go back and let the other group see the\nguard talk to Jes and he said that we could keep on, because they had seen\nseveral on close distance so it was ok that we tried to get closer, and we got\nclose to at least one elephant that thought it was to close and he turned\nagainst us and start approaching, the guard told us to run back the adrenalin\nwas now sky high, to see a elephant bull making attack to us was. Well I have\nno words for it, but we was satisfied and went back on the way back to camp we\nsaw more animal, and in the evening we see more buffalos very close, in the\nmorning we went back but we stopped in a village and talk to the people and\nwere in a church in the afternoon we was back on TTC and said bye to the driver\nwho had he’s most exciting weekend in the hole life we also,

Wile we stood there watching the big elephant not being able to take a picture, and maybe it was lucky that we not took any, the flash would irritated them, and could made them attack us, we slowly go back to the porch and went to sleep, but it was not easy to sleep to much adrenalin in the body and the pulls was sky high, at six o clock came Jes and took us on a safari tour with the truck, and to see these impala waterbuck Hippos was so fun, and even if the morning was cold did we enjoy every moment of the ride, he also show he’s house and make some coffee for us before we went to the waterfall, after that we went back to the camp and waited for the next event the Elephant walk, all was so existed and when we left in the afternoon to track them with radio, and we found them at nyala lope we divided in two groups, I was in the first and we went out in the jungle with two guards one with antenna and one with rifle, the pulse raise very fast and when the guard said that we was close it raise even more and suddenly there they was a big male eating, a sound sow low like thunder they was talking to each other we could feel the vibration in the ground when they sound, but we had to go back and let the other group see the guard talk to Jes and he said that we could keep on, because they had seen several on close distance so it was ok that we tried to get closer, and we got close to at least one elephant that thought it was to close and he turned against us and start approaching, the guard told us to run back the adrenalin was now sky high, to see a elephant bull making attack to us was. Well I have no words for it, but we was satisfied and went back on the way back to camp we saw more animal, and in the evening we see more buffalos very close, in the morning we went back but we stopped in a village and talk to the people and were in a church in the afternoon we was back on TTC and said bye to the driver who had he’s most exciting weekend in the hole life we also,

Well this was June and now I have only one month left so my last letter will come in the beginning of august, until then,
Tiwonana
Alf Carlsson
Development Instructor

Malawi May

Malawi May 2007

The new months begin nice and we have got almost all equipment to the network, and today we start to unpack the material and was like Christmas and al turn in to children again, but of course its always fun to open package
And this was extra with so nice equipments that hade arrive.
We divided up our group in three groups so that we are efficient and all learn little about the system, of course is there problems this are the first network so we are the pilot project and the difficulties wee face this first day is small, except that we missing 1,5km cable but hopefully will it arrive tomorrow her is how the digging was done for the network cable. I can tell you that this soil is rock hard and I have serious doubt that I could dig my self; they had five meters each and its 30 cm wide 60 cm deep so it’s allot to dig for them.
Its s going fast and we are amounting the trunks on the wall so we can pull the cables in all classroom and the students and teachers in the group work hard and we have much laugh when something is upside down or so, but we have very good instructors from headquarter in Zimbabwe Mr George, Mr kudu and Miss Paulette they are here to help and guide us so that we put it up right and they are very efficient and good teachers, I have learn a lot about the cabling that I didn’t know before and the group is working so fast and good even if we are in pressure of time because we have only this weekend, the expert will leave on Monday.
When the team leave in the morning we had done all except the library and the conference hall, and that is my task to see so the cabling been done this week if its possible, but its much to change and repair sockets that are broken and cable that are to short, but the network is working, and we have connection to all classroom the internet is also working even if it is slow, the rest of the installing is the same so I will not tell so much about that. Our group wrote an experience letter to the team, so that they have it and can read what problem we faced and how we salve them.
The rest of the weeks we work with preparing for the last part of installation and now is it only to Buy the last cable and pipes so that we can make the last part of installation this time because in a few months will the new buildings be finished and in them there will be Network to so that all classroom have network and are prepared fro the DMm.
Next week will I also give a course in bicycling repairing so that the DIs and the teachers student can do a basic repair of a bicycle, I think it will be fun and to have a practical course is something that they not have so often and in this will they work with tools and pen and paper at the same time.
This week also the Trade Fare Centre had the annually opening, and the president Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika held the opening speech he was talking about how Malawi is growing and how the future looks bright and how the country shall keep on making business and the farmers shall grow cotton and how good it is to grow cotton and that its raising in price so that it will be profitable to grow if for the farmers.

And from the magazine Malawi Highlights can we read I quote (Some people marvel at their successes while others grumble for having failed to utilise lots and lots of opportunities to better themselves and Malawi as a nation.
The year 2006 has been one of Malawi’s best year as far as economy is concerned, when economic commentators predicted a better year other people took it as another prediction yet it has turned out to be true.
For starters the Malawi Kwacha remained generally stable and strong, against regional and major currencies of the world.
Malawi’s economic indicators show a significant improvement a sign that economy is indeed on the right track, the last few months have seen Malawi’s inflation growing down standing on 11,6 %.
The business community welcomed the announcement by the reserve bank in November that it had reduced the lending rate from 25 % to 20 % leading to the basic lending rate of most bank to reach 22,5 %. The reserve bank attributes the reduction to improved macro economic activities.
To top it all the IMF, the World Bank and the Paris club cancelled Malawi’s debt, thus leading to the freeing of 3, 3 billions Malawi Kwacha annually which the country used to service external debts. The challenge now is for Malawi to maintain financial prudence and clear domestic debt.
The fertiliser subsidy entered a second phase with the promise to reach more people, hopefully this year’s growing season will be a success as last season, and this year government has distributed a combination of 5 million fertiliser and maize seed coupons, almost 2, 4 million coupons more than last year. End quote.
That was some of the good news from the news paper.
The annually Porter race on Mulanje mountain was special year 2006 because it was the 10th anniversary porters race and the participated was not only from Malawi it was from other country to, and the total was 438 runners out of which 148 was female and 28 was foreigner, and after 2 hour 17 minutes Frances Khanje passing the finish line and become 20000 M kw richer, the first female that pas the finishes line was Teresa Master and that after only 2 hour 49 minutes, they reach a altitude of 2500 m and the race is 25 km long.
The start was in Likhubula Forest Office the runners trek to Chambe Plateau about 2500 m above the sea level before proceeding to via the plateau to Lichenya plateau and back to Likhubula a distance that would take over 16 hours on a normal walk.
The record that still is unbeaten is 2 hour 12 minutes set by Byson Willy who had won the race for three consecutive years, and the female record was beaten this year the last record was 3 hours 11 minutes.
To understand what condition they run in have I put some small pictures in here so that you can see little on how it is.

to walk in this mountain is hard and to run its dangerous and very tuff, when we was up on the mountain we saw how ruff the conditions are and to make this run on that short time is something very special, the 20000 Mkw the winners get is a small reward that they surely earned.
The 2006 Porters race enjoyed the proud sponsorship of, NBS Bank, Rab processors Malawi limited, Kingfisher associates, Population Service international (PSI), Bowler Beverages, Dispatch Newspaper, Dairibord Malawi, Arkey Plastics and Multichoise Malawi. And teen years ago when the race started it were not even a race it was not interesting at all for companies to support, time changes Mulanje Mountain has attracted attention of researchers and tourists from different parts of the world. Mulanje Mountain and its forest reserve ranks high in terms of terrestrial biodiversity richness in Malawi, globally it is an ecologic site, Mulanje Mountain is also a home to Malawi’s national tree, Mulanje cedar.
The Massif, covering an area of 250,000 hectares and shard by Mulanje and Phalombe districts, has Avery rich and stunning forest reserve, which is a home to a rich and diverse endemic plant and animal specie.
The forest and woodlands are vital for watershed protection and the catchments of head waters for nine strong rivers in the two districts.
Mount Mulanje with its Sapitwa peak standing over 3000 metres above the sea level is not only the highest mountain but also the most impresive Massif the south eastern African region, situated to the south east of Malawi, to the border with Mozambique
The mountain also represents an important source of resources, like firewood, grass (for thatching), water, timber, animals, and fruits. Close to a million people are dependent on resources from the Mountain and the Forest Reserve. To underscore the importance on this resource the government of Malawi gazetted Mulanje Mountain forest reserve as a protected area in 1927.
Today did I visit one of Malawi’s state prison in Blantyre, to come there was very educating and sad at the same time the condition that we have in our prison in Europe is far away here is no TV or movie and at four to eight in the morning are they looked in, and to spend time in prison here is terrible the prison are over crowded there are about 1700 inmates and should be 800 so the space are limited in the male section do they have lessons and they have also computer we delivered one today from TTC so now they have two, and in this room is four classes in each corner is a different lessons at the same time and of course is this difficult to keep concentration and the lessons are disturbed this room is about 8 *8 meter so its not big on the outside they have a roof and concrete benches its about 3,5 *8 meters and there is eight classes I cant even think how they can learn anything because its talking from every direction, those inmate that can teach and have lessons have some privileged they have a cell block for them self but still its horrifying in this room about 2 m* 3 meters are 8 inmates how they sleep cant I understand it cant be easy
In the woman’s section is it little better they have lintel flowers but the space is very limited and they have no lessons, according the guard only because there is no inmate that have the skills to teach, the conditions here are much the same as for the men, but here do they have children to and that is hurting so much to see this I saw one child I think was 1,5 year and its so wrong to have this child looked up like this she should be on the outside and play not be in there but there is no one that can take care of the child on the outside, and this is very common here.
I have no pictures it was not possible to take any but it is no place there a white person would like to be to survive during this conditions is hard I can only say horrifying.
Well this was what happened this month may is almost ended and i send it some days earlier but that doesn’t matter I have done a lot this month and more will come next month.
Sorry but I cant send picture because bad internet.

Alf Carlsson
Development Instructor

In Africa

Well my friends it's a long time since I wrote and much has happened, I have been here in Malawi now six weeks and another DI arrived for week ago, and there come students from Tvind PTG and visit here its really nice to see friends coming here, the life here is so different from What I am use to they live for the day and not think on tomorrow, and to see this poverty here is difficult I see it every day as I go to the villages and the schools to see the children sit on the ground under a three and have lesson can in your ears sound nice but they do it every day and when it start to rain they have to find shelter and not all schools have that.
There is one school that I have been visit they have over 700 students and only tree classroom four classes sit outside have there lesson and they have nothing to sit on at all one classroom is a church so they have the church benches, now this is not wooden benches as you are use to its made of bricks and concrete so they are very simple and the black board is so bad that when the teacher write on it children can barley read the text, all material they have must they share with each other you can images how it is to wait for the pencil so that you can write and the books are few so they sit in groups and read, and of course someone must sit so its upside down.
They don’t eat in school there is no food served, in some preschool are they serving food but that is mostly because that DI have help the make some income generated projects.
To travel in Malawi is something that are extra here they use mini busses and these are for nine to twelve people but here they put up to twenty five people plus luggage and the luggage can be a goat, chicken or a sack of maize or something ells so the bus is full, and then it is that these busses are well I have no words for it except crap they sounds that It will brake down any second, and the gasoline is expensive it’s the same prize that we have in Denmark and Europe, and we never know if the driver is sober or not its much drunk driving and accidents that happened we see every time we go to Blantyre so its a challenge every time but we have to take it for it is and hopefully will noting happened when we go with the buss.
The roads here is a catastrophe they are horrible and now when it’s the rain season well some days there is no road its big poodle of mud or a big pot hole that would brake bout car a and every thing that get n to it the dirt roads are build and reaper by handcraft so it take time and its not easy because this red soil here is like clay and its stuck to al so clots and shoes yea every thing is reddish, but still I love it here and I enjoy it very much I really see the real Africa it is terrible to see how they live and I wish I could do so much more, but development is starting with education and if I can give some of my skills to one or two the have a I succeeded any how because I have made something sustainable which al help here should be
Until next time stay cool I am.
no pictures because bad internet sorry come next time

To Africa

well my friends I am now in Malawi, and I must say that its nice here and I really enjoy it so far, its only four days but I have done some, but more about that later.
its a long time since I wrote and I am sorry but its not so easy to keep up with it, I have done allot since last time after Dieter left I have miss him allot but its life we had a lot to do in December and I had my 3/4 meting it was good and I think that I gain allot we sat down to plane for the new years concert, and we should build a swan a big pap marcher swan that was a big task we had two months but it was almost not enough time. and one painting we to do it was really a challenged, right before Christmas we had a evening for parents to the students we had entertainment and good food late that evening ,I drove two teachers to train station, so we was not many left and in the morning.
Me and Eric took the train, to be home was nice it was so many months since I was home, and it was nice to see my family and see them all before I go.
the new year was nice and when I left Sweden from Goteborg was it Little sad because I knew that I would be away at least 8 months or so before I see the m again, but that s life when I was back on Bustrup I do what I do every day fix taps, and benches in the kitchen and some other stuff now I had to plane and study for the conclusion meting so that I was prepared to go to Malawi. of course had we much to do before the new years concert we had to prep ear for the Capella Minsk the Russian coir and they had to have room so we get a lot to do and make in order before they come and we had also some painting to do and there come 4 Dies from CI CD England they help a lot and it was good the Coir had a concert in a local church and it was so nice to hear and sit so close to them it was really something extra. The new years concert was so good and all entertainment was so good and well planed the music and all acting was so nice and with all this planets and our swan hanging in the air was something that I never will forget.
It was a long day from morning to 02:00 Am so we were really tired when we come home, the following weeks I prepared for my journey to Malawi and so that I had all paper and tickets. The last week I had my conclusion and the last presentation, it was little sad to be in the end and know that I would be gone in a week it was really something extra sign my paper and we go home to Bustrup again. The last weekend the DIs had a Farwell party for me it was so nice to see them all once more before I go I didn’t expect to see them all so that was nice we go and ice skating and in the evening we had a good dinner with cake and coffee.
The last night I was on Bustrup the teachers and staff make a dinner and said Farwell and I got some reading materials with me to read, well it was a long travel it took one and a half day, and I was really tired when I come there my flight went from Denmark
To Amsterdam, to Nairobi and Lilongwe, from there I took bus to Blantyre there Eva meet up and took me to the TTC school it was a ride that I not suspect the first part was ok, but the last halfway was on a dirt road that I never would drive a car on, perhaps a tractor would be a good idea.
I start to acclimatise now and also get to know the names on the people its little difficult to remember al names, so I start to write them down, the people are so friendly and I like it very much, and when I have all my job in my schedule then it will be much easier for me but I will do a lot of work here mostly supervise and teaching well that was little about it now more come later.
Alf

Now i am more then half ways

Hi again my friends I haven’t written in many weeks now and that is sad but I have so much to do and time is not enough for me, but I will tell you little about what happened since last time and I can tell you it is very much.

I am halfway now in Denmark and three months have gone and so fast I cant actually understand that it go so fast I have learn so much and meet more interesting people we got two new Di, s Eric and Angela and its nice now we discuses much more and the job is done much faster, but I shall also tell little what I have done since I wrote last time the

The porch is finished and I am very proud over it become very nice so our fundraising is over and we got the money we needed for our flight.

We did our job description also during the end of October I will go to teacher’s training school

And work with Maintenance of the computers and the network, implementing of DMM, and new studies courses and experience, that means also that I have some task to study here to.

About network and the problems that I can face, but also about the DMM. System and how it works and how you study and study points and experience.

I will also give courses to the staff and student teachers in the technical skills as well as the planning methods so that they can use DMM in the education.

We also find sponsors that will support us with some clothes, glasses and pencil I got so much that I have to send a package to Malawi before I go I cant take it on the plane I hope I can raise the money for it in Sweden on Christmas.

And on my free weekend I have my sweet friend here to and it was nice to talk Swedish and get all news that happened during my time away here in Denmark.

And in the end of October we start to write our essay about water in the world and in Malawi

And was in charge of a building weekend here on Bustrup good experience for me and it go well to we actually did more than I have hoped so it was a success.

November starts good and we start the month with clothes collection the containers was full every where, I also did a presentation about Malawi it was not so good and I have to praxis more on that, and we had a second building weekend on Tvind I was in charge of a window group cool I think it went well and we did lot of window, it was really interesting on the Saturday evening Sune Jorgenson was presenting friends for ever and he talk about the sculptures that they make in Zimbabwe Africa and how they have exhibition every where in the world and the last one they have in Berlin it was a success and I must say they are very nice and so much living in them, we had also a gay from Palestine he had a presentation for us it was very interesting to hear about Palestine and Israel, and how the war bad the war is and how people suffer there,

On our satellite day in Holsted I see the best presentation from Malawi now I actually I can see what I have in front of me and that is a very big task and it will be my biggest challenge ever. In the middle of November we go to Lindersvold for the development conference and that was so interesting and It gave so much we had allots of presentations from different speakers but Humana from Spain and Jan Öberg from Sweden they had two good presentations, and on the last day we have a collection for TCE, Total control of the epidemic HIV/AIDS.

And Dieter have decided to leave us and go back to Island I am little ad about it but I understands he would not cope in Africa so this is the best but I learn a lot form him so I am glad that I meet him and got the opportunity to get to know him,

I start to write my essay to Midway meting on the 17^th of Nov and it went well and I was pleased I had prepared my self good and I could present it smoothly and our study week end started direct after we ad it so it was a long but so interesting week end and we made lots of games and learn a lot about Malawi and how we will have it there but a lot of the info was so good it will help us a lot when we come there and today I send my presentation to my team leader in Malawi I hope that I got answer soon we will see well this was little about my life here and how I prepare for my work in Malawi, now is the weather so bad and the rain is poring down so I really longing to February when I will go, but first I go home to Sweden over Christmas so I can see my friends before I go.

Well I write soon again