Some Reminders and What to expect................................................
Hello team, I hope everyone is getting as excited as I am for our big
trip. Here are some reminders about getting prepared to go as well as a few
notes about what to expect.
· Health:
o Have you got your jabs and spoken to your GP about how to ensure your
health and wellbeing in Malawi?
o If your stomach doesn’t always have an easy time when you’re traveling,
I recommend you bring some of your favourite snacks just in case you don’t
immediately take to the local cuisine.
· Money Matters: While you won’t need a lot of
cash whilst in Malawi, you will want to have some on-hand for souvenirs and
other personal items you may want to purchase. Remember to let your bank and
credit card companies know that you will be travelling to Malawi so you will
have access to your money. When we arrive on Sunday we will stop in Salima
centre to access ATMs, of which there are plenty. If you prefer to exchange
your money, you will want to bring US dollars as they are more widely accepted
than British pounds.
· Safety on-site: Have you gotten your
steel-capped boots? Remember that these are absolutely mandatory and you will
not be allowed to build without them. I will play it safe and wear mine on the
plane to ensure that I will have them even if my luggage decides to take a
detour.
· What to expect on-site:
o We will be working on two houses with two families. The foundations are
being built right now and when we arrive we will be building the brick walls.
o It will be hot, so please remember to stay hydrated and take things at
your own pace.
o Also be patient with yourself and your fellow team members as you learn
new tasks--we will not start out as experts, but we will leave with plenty of
brand new skills.
o The loos on-site is an open-pit latrine that has been freshly dug. With
this in mind, you may want to ensure that you bring some hand sanitizer with
you to the site each day.
· Evenings and free time:
o Each evening we will eat dinner together and have a brief team meeting.
o There is not much around the hotel area, but there is a lounge.
o There is internet access in the hotel for a small fee.
o While we will be on the shores of Lake Malawi, our hosts have instructed
us not to swim in the water.
o Many volunteers enjoy playing football on the beach. I also recommend
bringing cards or other travel games.
· A note about gift giving: Team members
often want to bring gifts or money for the families and community.
This is strongly discouraged as it often goes against the principle of
"giving a hand up, not a hand
out." Giving individual gifts sets a precedent and
falsely raises expectations among the families or individuals involved in the project(s)
as to what future teams might provide. Individual gifting also has the
potential to create jealousy, competition and feelings of ill will among
the families or individuals as well as within the community, depending on
what type of gift is given and to whom. Team members who want to
further support the affiliate and Habitat for Humanity Malawi are encouraged to
contact Habitat for Humanity Great Britain.
Manuela
