Malawi 2018

Well guys, I know this sounds 100% cliche...but honestly words can't express how my last week went! I can saw it was incredible, awesome, amazing, and majestic....but it still doesn't capture it all. This last week we traveled to the Maasai Mara for our first safari! Like I said, words can't capture everything. The pictures can't even capture it all! Being out in the plains, in the Savannah, by the river, wherever we were...the feeling can't be captured. All I know is that, yes, I did cry a couple of times, okay?! We had a three day adventure and man it was quite the adventure! The first day was probably the most exciting. We got to see all of the major safari animals (lion, zebra, elephant, giraffes) and then some. The coolest thing was that our van saw a black rhino. In reality, it more of looked like a black blob that was a rhino shape, but through binoculars it was definitely a rhino. Black rhinos are super rare to see, only 12 in the entire park! They like ...

This week we went on another excursion, this time to Cape MaClear at Lake Malawi. Oh man, it was so beautiful, I swear it was paradise. I’ve never seen a better lake in my life! The water was super clear, the beach felt like a real beach…it was really great.While there, I got to go snorkeling for the first time ever! It was so fun. The fish were so beautiful and very vibrant. There were yellow fish, electric blue fish, stripped fish….so many different kinds of fish! I feel like I am constantly amazed at the beauty that is found not only in this country, but also in the world (yeah, that’s cliché but it’s true!). I had a rough time figuring out how to breathe through the tube, but after a while I got the hang of it all and had an incredible time. Another awesome thing while we were there—we found REAL ice cream!! So, the normal ice cream here is pretty funky. It’s got a marshmallow-y taste and texture, and isn’t as cold as real ice cream. Plus, I’m lactose intolerant and w...

This week I truly learned the meaning of “mourning with those who mourn, and comforting those who stand in need of comfort”. We found out last night that one of our translators and cooks passed away while at the hospital. It has been a hard experience for us all. Because we found out late at night, the cooks stayed over at our hostel. When we got back to the hostel, it was obvious that they had been crying. I didn’t want to be culturally offensive (because touch isn’t a big thing here), but my heart swelled and I had to give the one closest to me a hug. She folded into my arms and began sobbing. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something so heartbreaking as to hear the sobs of someone who lost a dear friend. I decided that rather than making this post about the fun trip that we went on the beginning of this week, I would give this post to Joyce. Joyce was one of the purest people I’ve met, and I’m not exaggerating. She always had a smile and loved talking to us interns. She an...