Malawi


 * Past PO Participants write about Malawi:**
 * C. Collins (2002) - [|C. Collins 2002.pdf]**
 * K. Brooks (2007)** - [|Brooks Malawi.pdf]

> Currently Malawi is experiencing many fuel shortages, so be aware to stock up in neighbouring countries unless you want to queue for a long time (without actually getting anything) or use the blackmarket - with fuel prices being almost double, even triple, usual prices. > Finally, when meeting a Malawian — even to ask a question — you should always say hello and ask how they are. Properly greeting a Malawian is very important. They are uncomfortable with the Western notion of simply "getting to the point." Courtesy is a must, at all times, because not to be courteous is to show disrespect.
 * Tips from D. Arts (taken from the internet):**
 * **Temperature -** Much of Malawi is plateau, often reaching to 1,000 m (3,000 ft), and the temperature in these highlands is moderate, with the hottest period occurring during the autumn rainy season and the coolest and chilliest in winter. The hottest region in the country is the lower Shire River Valley well south of Blantyre. Temperatures along scenic Lake Malawi are generally warm, but with a cooling breeze, especially in the evenings. Winters (May till July) are dry. The rainy season begins in mid-October to early November and generally runs until March.
 * **Money** - Since 1970, the kwacha, denoted by the ISO code MWK, has been the monetary unit of Malawi. The Malawian kwacha is further divided into 100 tambala. The kwacha was adopted by Zambian kwacha, which was used in Zambia since 1968. The name kwacha derives from the Bemba word for "dawn", alluding to the Zambian nationalist slogan of a "new dawn of freedom."
 * **Accommodations -**
 * **Electricity** - Electricity in Malawi is 230 Volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second. If you travel to Malawi with a device that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter. There are three main types of voltage converters. Resistor-network converters will usually be advertised as supporting something like 50-1600 Watts. They are light-weight and support high-wattage electrical appliances like hair dryers and irons. However, they can only be used for short periods of time and are not ideal for digital devices. Transformers will have a much lower maximum Watt rating, usually 50 or 100. Transformers can often be used continuously and provide better electricity for low wattage appliances like battery chargers, radios, laptop computers, cameras, mp3 players and camcorders. However, they are heavy.
 * **Standard of living -**
 * **Taxis**- Taxis are available in any city, whether they are licensed or not. Be prepared to negotiate as quoted prices to tourists are generally two to three times the actual going rate. Ask a friendly local or expat what the price should be Compared to its neighbors, the main roads in Malawi are in surprisingly good shape and travel times between major destinations should be reasonable. The volume of traffic is low and most people drive reasonably slowly. Road travel after dark is not advisable as road markings are poor to non-existent and not all cars have headlights. The Malawian police force have check points along many of the major roadways. By and large, they are looking for illegal activities and bribes - but aren't too much of a problem. Expect to be stopped on occasion and asked where you are going. You should not have any problems if you are polite and have the correct documentation (passport, driver's licence, permission to use the vehicle, etc.) available if they ask.
 * **Entertainment** - Malawi’s people are its greatest asset - friendly, welcoming, colourful and vibrant. It is impossible to visit and not to become engaged with the people, but there are now opportunities to spend time in real villages (including staying overnight) for a first-hand experience of the cultures, traditions and daily life. This is an option pretty much everywhere in Malawi, and one well worth taking.
 * **Food -** Traditional Malawian food revolves around one staple, maize, served in one form, //nsima// (n'SEE-ma). Nsima is basically a type of thick porridge, rolled into balls with your right hand and dipped into a variety of stews known as relishes. Those who can afford them eat relishes of beef, chicken or fish, but the many who can't make do with beans, tiny dried fish (//usipa//), pumpkin leaves (//chibwabwa//) and other vegetables. At breakfast, nsima can be served watered down into a soup, maybe with a little sugar. Local restaurants abound. A traditional local drink worth trying is maheu, a somewhat gritty and vaguely yogurty but refreshing beverage made from maize meal.
 * **Etiquette** - Malawians are in general extremely courteous, and a part of that courtesy is shaking hands, speaking softly, and referring to travelers and others with respect. Malawians avoid rudeness. It is common for Malawi men to hold hands when they've gathered together to chat, and this shouldn't be given a sexual interpretation when it is encountered. Culturally, women should not wear shorts or mini-skirts, especially when traveling outside the lodge/camp. A woman in shorts or a short skirt is considered to be provocative, as well as rude. Many female visitors wear wraps that are available in the stores and markets of major cities. These are generally made of bright, colored patterns and can be extremely attractive. Low-cut tops on women, while discouraged, are not nearly as provocative. Men in the cities tend to wear slacks and not shorts, as shorts are generally worn only by school-age children, so when a man wears shorts it can be viewed by Malawians as rather silly.
 * **Teaching** -
 * **Other -** There’s much to see of Malawi’s history, beginning with the pre-history remains of the Karonga district and the Stone Age rock paintings near Dedza. The Cultural & Museum Centre at Karonga is well worth a visit. Elsewhere, the colonial period is preserved in buildings dating from the David Livingstone era and the defeat of the Arab slave trade is well documented in the museums of Blantyre. Among other museums around the country are a Lake Museum at Mangochi, a mission museum at Livingstonia and a postal services museum near Zomba.