days of travel, three on the beach), but I feel like I've been away
for weeks. The lake felt like a sea and almost Mediterranean like with
clear water, nice sand, and white sunlit rock islands jutting out.
Sitting on the beach, reading, and watching the sun cross the sky was
just what I needed. I did not expect Malawi to be much different from
Zambia; they are neighbouring countries, and cultures and languages
cross geo-political boundaries anyway. The Chewa people in Eastern
Province, Zambia may consider themselves to be in the same group as
the Chewa in Malawi. Also, Malawian Chichewa and Zambian Chinyanja are
very similar languages. I don't know enough Chinyanja to notice the
difference, but I ran into no problems bargaining in Chinyanja.
Nonetheless, on the 9-hour journey back I made a list of some notable
differences:
>>Roads! Malawi has amazing roads. I think I am amazed because Zambia
has such terrible roads; the difference is noticeable immediately
after crossing the border. There are shoulders, lane markings, and
very few potholes. Not only are the roads amazing relatively to
Zambian roads, they were so good I almost got the feeling I was
drinking I was in Canada driving through the mountains. The landscape
is different, but I had the feeling of being on an open highway –
fresh air, blue sky, and endless horizon.
>>Zambians will be the first to tell you that Zambia is a friendly
country. Sure, Zambia is generally a friendly country, but my
experience is that it is an in-your-face kind of friendliness. The
local people I ran into in Malawi were more reserved and perhaps, as a
result their friendliness felt more genuine. At the campsite over
cheap beers and under a sky full of stars, I had some great
conversations with people from Lilongwe (capital of Malawi). I realise
that the people we ran into on the lake and in villages where we
stopped to buy crafts probably have regular contact with tourists, but
it still surprised me how little hassle we got. I have gotten used to
being asked for money and other things that I now notice when I am not
approached. No one said more than hello to me while I was on the
beach… all the attention I usually get is not good for my ego, because
now I expect to be noticed. Hah.
>>I think Malawi and Zambia rank closely on the Human Development
Index (I haven't officially checked). It is difficult to justify this
statement from the perspective of a visitor passing through, but
Malawi seems more developed. In addition to the roads, there seemed to
be more planning and organisation in the capital city. We only spent a
few hours in the city to get food and fuel, but I was amazed (again)
at the infrastructure. There are several modern glass buildings set on
tidy roads lined with shady trees. Lilongwe probably has its share of
shanty compounds, but from what we saw, it felt like people took pride
in maintaining the city – the streets were clean, most streets had
street signs, and traffic lights work! Lusaka doesn't really compare
except for the Western style shopping malls.
Another sign I took to mean things in Malawi are improving was the
number of Malawian families at the beach. A wonderful couple I met, a
midwife and a mechanic, brought their kids for an afternoon barbeque
on the beach. Resort places like the beach are usually filled with
tourists, but it felt nice to see a mix of tourists and local people.
Zambia's attractions are plenty – Victoria Falls, Luangwa National
Park, Lake Kariba, etc. However, many people I work with have never
been and I'm not sure will seek the opportunity to go.
I know I'm making broad comparisons without strong evidence, but
Malawians seem hopeful and more committed. The people I had a chance
to speak with seem to have realised their challenges and are finding
ways to improve their own livelihoods – we came across a huge
furniture and woven mat cooperative. I would like to see the same kind
of optimistic energy in Zambia. Seeing development agency signs and
project vehicles (as you see in Zambia, especially Lusaka) does not
mean development is necessarily happening in the country. There is no
doubt that a lot of money is pouring into Zambia, but until the
leaders and citizens take ownership of their future, no amount of
money will result in any real improvement. I hope I don't sound too
disillusioned because I do want to believe that development from
community level, not dictated by aid agencies is possible.
(I am curious what a development worker in Malawi would say about Zambia...)
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