New beginnings

I have ventured into the unknown. After working for the past 12 years as a pensions consultant, I’ve given up the security of a good career and a steady income, and switched life in Lenzie, Scotland for a new adventure in Mzuzu, Malawi. We have been here for 2 weeks now, although there has been so much to take in that it feels like much longer. A new house, a new daily routine, new relationships, a new job for Gary, a new school for Eilidh, new food, new shops, new creepy crawlies (!), all while adapting to a new culture. To say it’s a change in direction feels like an understatement!

When Gary and I decided that he should take up this new role, naturally we were nervous at the prospect of uprooting the family and leaving behind our comfortable life. But, at the same time, it felt like we were going in the right direction, and so we didn’t let it phase us. As Christians, we are striving to follow where we believe God is taking us, even if we don’t know what it will look like in the end. For me, the path is still unclear. But I am fine with the not knowing. For now I am taking each day at a time, getting the girls settled in and figuring out this new way of life.

There are lots of things to get used to in Mzuzu – driving for one thing is an adventure! With not many pavements to speak of and more pedestrians and bikes than there are cars, it’s a bit of a free for all on the roads. It’s even more fun when it’s dark – we had our first real experience of this a few nights ago when we arrived into Mzuzu at night after being down in the capital. We could barely see the people walking along the road and cars were blinding each other with their headlights, trying to keep to the middle of the road. I think Gary was glad when we eventually made it back to the house having not hit anything (or anyone!).

I’m also finding I’m becoming a bit obsessive with cleaning up in the house after we eat anything, and having multiple clips and plastic tubs for any food items, to avoid trails of ants or tiny flies turning up to enjoy anything that has been left out. Having a 14 month old crawling around dropping crumbs all over the place makes this a pretty impossible task however, and so the ants always seem to find their way in.

Added to this there is coping with the random power outages, learning to haggle at the market (I’ve still to attempt this), and knowing how to respond to people who are trying to sell you things left right and centre, or are asking for help. But Mzuzu is growing on me. It has a laid back feel to it (those who know me will know that this suits me quite well!), the people are very friendly and I like the hustle and bustle of town. There are lots of places still to explore and I am looking forward to getting to know the city and the people better.

Before we left for Malawi, Gary bought me a bracelet with a verse written on it from Jeremiah, when God’s people were living in a foreign city that was very different to what they were used to: “Seek the peace of the city…for in its peace shall you have peace”. Mzuzu is where we have come to live, and so we want to make it our home and play our part in making it a better place. What that means for me, time will tell…