How did it get so late so soon? - Dr. SeussI'm writing this on my last weekend in Lilongwe, before I head back to England's cold shores for Christmas. The run-up to the festive period has been predictably busy: I travelled to Cape Town at the start of November for a weekend of wine drinking and penguin spotting; Nepear celebrated his 30th birthday by buying six quails (four of which have so far evaded the dogs); Paddy passed his end of term exams; as did Robert and Patience. Chicks hatched; piglets were sold; life sprang forth and life came to an end. Strawberry Farm finished the year on a high, with a feature in 'Country Smallholding' - the UK's biggest selling magazine for smallholders. On Thursday, to celebrate these achievements, we held a party for all those who have contributed to Strawberry Farm's successes in 2015; a pig was slaughtered, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow cooked in an underground pit - kālua style; an inflatable Santa was procured; much beer was consumed; much Fanta was spilt; fireworks were lit; and hangovers were nursed - thanks to Amanda, Megan, and Amber for helping with the organisation.
The end of the year has also brought much change. Nepear recently secured a new job working for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) - a world-leading research for development organisation, which focuses on finding solutions to hunger, malnutrition and poverty through improvements in agricultural practices. He'll be working with smallholder farmers to implement US-funded trials aimed at improving soya bean production. He'll be based out in Mchinji District - about an hour's drive west of Lilongwe - during the week, returning to Lilongwe at weekends. Melifa and the boys will stay living at Strawberry Farm for now. It's a great career step for Nep, and very much deserved, but his absence will leave a big hole here. Pilirani, who has been working at my house as a guard since I arrived in Malawi, will step in to keep things ticking over.
And Nep's not the only one with a new job; I have also been offered and accepted a position working in another overseas location (of which more in another post). I will be leaving Malawi next April/May. The new year will be a time for winding things down at Strawberry Farm and doing those things which remain undone: ensuring Nepear, his family, and Paddy have somewhere to live; finding the dogs, the pigs, and the chickens happy homes; selling cars and motorbikes; and climbing Mount Mulanje. While I'll be sad to leave, my connections with Malawi will remain and I will return for visits; I am looking forward to following Robert and Patience's progress through school; seeing Paddy get his Malawi School Certificate of Education; and watching Nepear as he builds his career.
Have a very merry Christmas, from everyone at Strawberry Farm.
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| Penguin spotting in Betty's Bay, Western Cape |
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| Quails - the latest addition to the Strawberry Farm menagerie |
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| Fame, at last |
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| Nepear, making known his feelings about Santa |
