Week 9 last one!

I could definitely feel the whole journey is about to end, this was our week off from doing no coaching. Bentry asked us, what would we like to do in our week off? Of couse, the first thing that came to my mind, I wanted to see a little bit more of Malawi.

Zane organised a camping night at the falls. This was my first time camping and the staff members at the lodge help us out in building the tent, at first they did struggle, but they managed to produce a secure tents. During the evening, we had a few competitions, stone skipping and many more. On top that, there was baraque, beverages and food was great. I was expected the night to be cold, but it was better than I thought. Likely, I had my music to fall asleep.

After a few days later, we went to beach, called 'Kande Beach'. It was really nice beach, which had a variety of accommodation, to camp, room suite and basic room. As well as exchanging your money. I tested the lake, by attempting to swim and tasted the lake, it was really fresh, which was a surprise. No salt what so ever! We made a few new friends, they join us in a game of volley ball. Played pool and table tennis.

Overall, my views of Malawi are, approachable people, and smiling faces.  I can't thank enough for the everyone that made this experience possible. I hope one day, I'll come back.

Week 8

The Internet is not great, but it still have does the job searching information.  The football matches are not great either but it is entritanting.

I just wrote a a whole week of information and the phone blog deicdes to delete the blog and I don't know how? 
So this is going to be second time writing this blog. 

All the sessions has came to a end. Plus the programme has finished for  this year. We had a presentation, said a few speeches and had a photos taken. I found their sesion quite amazing. They really did well. It was ashamed the guest were falling asleep because the chairs were too comfortable.

During the weekend Robbie made a interview. It was interesting questions that he asked. I had no clear answer to the questions. But, despite that I still managed to answered the questions. Robbie did act like professional interviewer who was keen to ask questions and follow up queries. On top of that Bentry wanted to ask questions from both us about the Tongole foundation and our stay at the lodge. It definitely felt like relax as well because Bentry would ask question and laugh in between.

In one of the session that we went to. Someone was meant to pick us up after our session.  But for the better turn, the teachers at the school asked Robbie did he wanted to become a teacher, Robbie response, 'that's Cedric'. Right now, I was curious in want they wanted to know. The teacher told us to follow him. He asked, 'what subject do you want to teach,  maths or english?' I replied , 'English' I wouldn't mind if they gave me both. Still, I was feeling nervous going to teach English in a class. It wierd seeing a class of students standing up and greeting us. At first I just wanted the teachers to carry on with the lesson. But they insists that I should teach. I know I've teached in variety of places and different countries.  I had still butterflies in my stomach.

So, I played a game called 'Hangman' I explained how the game works. I think I did pretty good job explaining the game. After finishing my turn, Robbie went up and did his go and so on.
In the end, it wasn't as bad I thought it would be. It certainly boost my confidence in teaching.

Plus I was testing out the water pump in a village.  It definitely work your arms for a bit.

Week 7

It's been long time we've taking a session, and it's the first time this week, that we've conducted a session.
But, it does feel good teaching again. Even though, I was still giving the teachers some guidance.

The roads heading to the schools and lodge are been repaired.  And we're driving in a arkward angle. Driving on a right angle is never comfortable, nor it doesn't help when there is bumps on the road.

What a surprise, surprise, NOT!  While I'm driving on the road, the road police stop me because I'm a foreigner, plus they wanted to find a faults on the car,so they can give us a fine. Bentry came to the rescue, by making a few phone calls. To me, I wasn't pleased because they obviously knew who we were. They just wanted to take advantage out of that nature. Plus, I was told they haven't received their monthly payment yet. (Now that makes sense.)

In the last couple weeks, I was baffled by some of the teachers, addressing the students by calling them 'learners' instead of students. Usual, you'll call a learner in london as a new person learning to drive. Yeah, in some ways they are learners, but their more than learners/students. They are the future of their country, I know I'm going off topic.  So, I suppose it's right to call them 'learners', because their picking up valuable knowledge to move on, to do better things. But, on the other hand, it's a culture thing were they want have unique moto for students. There was great quote from a school, 'knowledge is wealth'. I only realised that over time in life in school.

Each school we've been to. All staff wanted to show their staff room for us.Some are really small, size of university room were you would have to walk sideways and shuffle across the room.     
I know most teachers don't want to be in rooms that are small. So, they decide to teach outside or bigger room.
On top that the teachers that impress me are the teachers who can adapt their sessions and facilities they are given to them. Their the ones that makes things out of nothing. Their the ones that make school awesome.  Their the ones that believe in you and others didn't. Thanks to all you teachers out there who made a difference.  It makes me think, when I see my teachers that help me out in things I couldn't do and they still believe in me.

During this week the lodge was busy, with guest who were very pleasant to talk to. Plus, they are absolutely nice family. Got along with them. The highlight for this family was the traditional dance done by the member staffs. Which was brilliant, I hope they do something like that for us when we leave. I'm sure there was other things that the family loved about the wildernesses. But, for me you can tell I enjoyed the performance. On top of that, I took part in the dance without my own will. I should have not sat in the front of the stage. It was shame that my phone battery died.

Bentry took us to a place that we are going to camp in the next few weeks. It wasn't far from the lodge and were we live at the staff camp. One of the scouts told us anecdote what he has experience with animals. Advise that he gave us do not be friendly with animals because they would attack nor matter what size, big or small. As who I am, I was curious what animal wouldn't harm us. So, I ask him would a butterfly attack us? Everyone there laughed, because I trying find animal that wouldn't attack humans.

Patrick the scout lodge, also added some trees in the wilderness can be made to become a rope. I was amazed, how he took a branch from the tree and started peeling the branch and there was long strip of the branch, long enough to make a rope. He asked me to pull the semi type rope apart.  I couldn't break the rope tree, it was slipper, really strong and deceiving strength. The tree is called  'Musasa' or 'Brachystegia spiciformis'.

Week 6

The last couple days, all the cars, except one car, which was working, Jo's car was in top condition. The problems were, either the batteries was flat, tyres were flat, you can see it sort of a pattern. Or the ignition of car wasn't working.
Happy days though!

When we didn't get go to schools, 'Shai' the lodge assistance, suggested we should go to the airstrip to see the falls. One word, AMAZING!  Plus, Robbie pick up a new skill, fishing. I had few goes. Went well for while, after a few more attempts, I hit a rock and hook got caught on the rock. Shai came to the rescue to release the the hook. I'll definitely do fishing again.

When we managed to get a chance to leave the lodge. We were, half way between lozi and Nkotakhota. The car gave a signal to stop because, we run out fuel. For our miss fortune, we were strained on side of road for over 4 hours. To get matters worse, when we did get fuel and it was put in, the car didn't start. What day to start back on the road after few days with no car. Bentry called the mechanic from the lodge, who saved the day! (Freddie the mechanic knows the cars inside out.)

It first time, I've been called 'sir' in Malawi, from a little kid who was selling peanuts on road; wanted me to buy the peanuts. Now I do feel old! Usual, you'll be called 'sir' from some sort of authority. I have been called sir before, but I don't know why I feel wierd when someone call me 'sir'. In london many of the school children call 'sir', afterwards the students know me. They would call me coach or even by name or surname. On the other hand, he may have called me sir because of respect. Or it could be my gery hairs and the uniform.
                                               
We went to school that has hospital right next to the school. One teacher though I was American. He though my name and how I spoke american. (I think it might because I'm Indian) I didn't think I had American accent.  However, the East London accent hasn't arrived to this part Africa so far.

A lot schools around Nkotakhota and Lozi they variety religions. As we have been to school to schools. There has been chef in different villages, have be explaining the people who live there, their ancestors were slave traders who converted to another religion to be avoided to be slave. A lot of the times religion plays a part in their lives. Family may change religion to get their children in the right schools.

See you next week.

Week 5

It was productive week, we did see majority of schools in one area. Just a few more schools and we're done our journey. But, it doesn't stop there, we will be visiting the schools again. But this time, giving our sessions, hopeful they will take our ideas and develop it.

Some teachers that we taught never wanted to become teachers and they wanted to do another pathway.

I suppose, becoming teachers is better than nothing.  It's hard when someone tell you, your dream or passion to become something in life,

maybe shattered is sceonds. But, these incredible people taking their time and effort to make a difference. That's the difference wanted something and being someone or teacher. I'll give you a lot of respect for changing your ways and helping these children. One day, they will remember you for the little things, that you did. Keep up the good work!

When I tell my children, don't ever give up on dreams. 

Couple nights ago,  elephants came through the lodge. Trampled everything, that they walked through, leaving trails of broken trees and drive paths. Also the odd occasion gifts. Sometime, I wonder if they were ever blind. If their that blind, why bother walking at night?

In the weekend we with Jo for a drive to town. It was definitely refreshing to see something else then football. Don't get me wrong, love football, need a change scenery. But we certainly, you can see the contrast when you go far away from town. That the roads get better and the places are similar were we live.

Then we met Jo friends,Sandi and Chris. What I saw was unbelievable. The pictures say everything. This lodge was called 'Ngala beach lodge'. Chris showed his collection of cars rebuild. Not forgetting Sandi's dog Wallace, funny little dog.

Week 4

This week wasn't the best week. But, still exciting because of the animals that we saw heading through the lodge.  Monkeys and bamboos that were bravely getting closer to us. Some were using fearful signs like noddling their head and making noise. Robbie communicating to one in particular to tell us to go away.

There were wild hogs in the wilderness. It was a shame, that I didn't get a picture of them. They ran really funny, plus they were scared, what would happen to them.

On top of all this week, the land rover was about to fall apart because one side of wheel was making some kind of racket. When sound was getting worse, a metal pole was sticking out of the middle of the wheel. Lucky we stopped in time, or the land rover would have collapsed to one side.
But who comes the rescue, the mechanic from the lodge.  Freddie fixes the car with ease. On the other hand, the hand brake was disfunction, because that metal pole was the key components to the hand brake.  Freddie told us, to use the brake normal, but if your in stationary, put the car into gear.
The next day we didn't use the land rover because it needed to be fixed.

Most of the coaches look for us for reassurance  and guidance. I never felt much like a leader, but it showed on the field as well off the field.  

Each day I'm learning something new.  One thing that I realised is that. Don't make any promises or they will come chase you for what they want.

We were invited to another football game to see a secondary school and there were was the champion league final. I wish I could see it in london. The secondary match was really good from my impression. Even though they only played 20 to 25 min each half. Again, we only saw one half and left early to see the champion league.
                                                     
There were some nights the workers wanted to see a film. So, we watched 'Alfie' and the other night, watched 'Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels'. The second film always made me laugh because the stupidity and the constant swearing.

It been a brilliant week, touch wood nothing esle would happen.

Week 3

We've had long weekend off. Plus, the rest was brilliant. I didn't feel tried the next day.

Robbie and myself did caneonlling on a Friday. It was really peaceful, but a lot of work on the arms. I struggled a bit, evenaully I got the technique. The river was so calm, and every stroke on the paddle to the river was a ease.

Fish Eagle were above our head, I think he or she was hunting for their next meal. But, it is a beautiful sight to see among other things in the river.

In the Tongole Lodge, Zane has arranged for the staff members to pick up First Aid. They were occupied for three whole days. The trainer or instructor was Rodney Chiwengo. Who, I've be told has a great patient and calmness. On top of that; he cool about things, which shows in his personality. I hope to see him in the near future. 

The great achievement this week was, the teachers who took the ideas from 'coaches coach', they've seen a change in the children and the children would want to learn more and want to do similar activities. It shows, a little change in what they do makes a big difference. One school in particular, Loga primary school. A teacher said "I've never seen so many kids coming to a session, because they were having so much fun." He also added, "there would be only 3 or 4 kids would come, 19 children was amazing! 

It displays children having fun and keep on enjoying sessions, they are now willing to come to the next session. It working!

During this week, we also saw Tongole Chickens. Were Robbie's mum, donated money to buy chickens to the foundation. The chickens are disrupted to families that don't have a lot means sell or buy things, this is great way to help them in right direction.

Pretty much all this families adopt children who have no longer have a parent to look after them.

As we going through the villages, there were field of peanuts, I was really surprised, how the old man pulled a bush out from the ground and there it appeared peanuts! That was another source of income that they would use to survive aswell. At first glance you'll never think, it's a peanut field. 

It been a long week. There some coaches that needed help in what their doing. But majority were able to execute the session with no problems so far. It's definitely feels satisfacting knowing that your skills and talent are working.  They really appreciate what you give them and they keen to learn more. 

We were invited to a game in the weekend. Everything was presented well and players look organized.  For my surprise, I saw actually referee and they were wearing their uniform! 

But, all the players didn't have shin pads. They still played regardless, two minutes into the game; the referee decide before they took a corner kick, to fix the hole in the net. (In my mind, they should have check that before they started the game.) It a shame we didn't see the whole game and only the kick off.

During this week, there were new staff that  Zane and Jo have employed.  To help them out during their holiday.  We have met her, and her name is Leia. A funny person and really good to talk to as well.

I see you next week!