7 quick takes
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| I have taken exactly zero private pictures on my camera this week, so instead a quick phone snap. |
- Good morning from our veranda. It’s not even seven and already hot. But my sweaty face is not only because of the temperature; Sophie and I have been doing a ballet work out. I like working out with her and this particular workout worked well for both of us. It was good for me because it’s a great way to get a strong core, and it works for Sophie as she will take any opportunity to improve her ballet skills. She is dreaming about the day that we will move to a place where she can finally go to a real ballet school. Don’t worry, there are also many reasons why she doesn’t want to leave here, but a ballet school will be a good incentive to make the inevitable leaving a little easier.
- Talking about school; the girls got their first taste of what life in school is like, and they loved it. I have always talked positive about schools with the girls but for some reason, they always thought it was a place without joy. Last week we were in Lilongwe and because I had to work, I was looking for a babysitter. My friend organised that they could join her kids in the kindergarten. The girls found it a little easy, but that was to be expected as they were amongst the oldest kids. But they also really loved it and that’s a good thing. We love homeschooling for now, but I want it to be an informed and conscious choice, for both me and the girls. Now they have at least an idea of what school life is. When I came home in the evenings, I would ask how it was, but they were always too tired to tell anything. Fortunately, slowly but surely, stories come out now and it’s fun to hear what they have been up to while I was working.
- I spent most of the last week in the hospital as I was filming an educational movie called ‘The Cancer Journey’. It tells the story of a girl living with cancer. The paediatric oncology ward will use this movie to help patients and their families understand what cancer is and how the staff will do what they can to treat the cancer but also to make the journey as comfortable as possible. It’s important because in Malawi, people don’t really know what cancer is. Many think it has to do with witchcraft and cancer patients are often avoided as people fear that it might be contagious. Doing this project feels like a privilege. It was hard to see children suffer, but also great and inspiring to see how motivated the staff was to give the children an easier experience. This week I will be in full time edit mode as I would like to finish this movie before the holidays start.
- And the holidays will start soon! We have booked tickets and if all works out the girls and I will fly to Namibia on the 8th of December. The plan was to go to the Netherlands this year but as 2020 dragged on, it became clear that we would have to postpone that plan. Not an easy decision but going to Europe right now is not a good idea. We thought about staying here but after this long and sometimes lonely year, we really need a good break and crave time with family, so I am glad that this plan seems to work out. Travelling these days is not easy and it was a real puzzle to book the tickets but I pray that the puzzle will work out as planned. I realise it’s a luxury and as many people are facing a lonely Christmas, and we will enjoy it even more than we normally do as we realise how precious time with family is.
- I need to make a birthday present as Doris’ her birthday is coming up. While I am in Lilongwe I look for a needle to sew something and in the shop I have one of those typical conversations that make me frustrated while I love them at the same time. ‘Hello, do you have a sewing needle’ 'Do you need one for hand sewing or for a machine?’ ‘Hand sewing please’. The shop attendant looks at me with a sad face and shakes his head. ‘We don’t have that ma’am.’ I ask ‘Would you have one for a machine?’ He shakes his head. ‘No ma’am, we don’t have that either...’
- Remember last week’s new pet? We made him a house, and he was doing really well. After we came back from Lilongwe, he looked much stronger. His feathers were growing back, and he was a lot more active. But yesterday marked the end of his life. We have no idea why but when I wanted to bring him some food, I found him dead. The girls were sad but also happy for him. ‘If we wouldn’t have helped him, he would have died right away. Now he had a week in a nice house with enough food.’ And now he got a funeral and a grave with a cross to mark his spot on the girls’ ever-growing graveyard.
- Time to stop and shower so that I, for five minutes, feel clean and fresh. After that the heat will get to me again and it will feel like I never showered. It’s al right, I actually like hot season. So dear people, drink enough water, stay cool (or warm) and have a good week!
