...I just ate cow hoof. I had planned on a variety of different posts today, each one corresponding with what I was feeling at the time. Throughout various parts of the day, the following all seemed like viable topics for posting:
- Sleeping in
- Watching a football (European) match
- Drinking a Kuche Kuche ("The Pride of Malawi")
- Taking a nap
- Writing poolside
- Meeting a Canadian Londonite
- Drinking a Carlsburg ("Probably, the best beer in the world")
- The Sports Mans Bar (Another topic for another post)
- "Crashing"a Malawian wedding
- Reading a story involving a leather jacket, a fudgesicle, and Academy Award Winner Nic Cage
- Did I mention napping?
But, all pale in comparison to a cow hoof. After a day full of clearly nothing productive, I received a phone call from Andrew, the security officer for the Save the Children Lilongwe office. He requested we meet, in the lobby of the hotel, in a half-hour to discuss my arrival and time in Lilongwe. When he arrived, we exchanged brief pleasantries and moved quickly into business. He gave me a cell phone for use in Malawi, read through the security briefings (more for tomorrow's post methinks. Too tired to go over it all now), and went over the week's agenda. Which basically went something like this:
Him: "You are all set for this week, yes?"
Me: "I know there were going to be meetings set up with the Ministry of Education, yes?"
Him: "I have no idea"
Me: "Ok, well what is the schedule for Monday?"
Him: "I am actually not entirely sure."
Me: "Ah. Well then, no I am not really set for the week."
Him: "Ok great. We will get it figured out by the beginning of the week, hopefully."
Me: "Ok"
But oh the cow hoof. We are getting there. After my meeting with Andrew (approximately an hour) I got a call from Chris, who is the project manager for the whole project, in charge of the planning and coordination during my stay here. He met me in the dining room courtyard (with the bullfrogs) and we discussed the details of the project, this summer's political riots, and everything in between. He gave me a briefing over his history with Save the Children (too tired to go over it all now), and went over the week's agenda. Which basically went something like this:
Him: "So you are coming to Blantyre on Tuesday, yes?"
Me: "I believe so, yes"
Him: "And what time does your flight get in?"
Me: "Flight?"
Him: "Yes, your flight from Lilongwe to Blantyre"
Me: "I am not sure. I had expected to come on Tuesday, but didn't know I would be flying"
Him: "Ah, well I think they have it scheduled for the morning of Tuesday"
Me: "Ok I can do that"
Him: "Unless you want the afternoon"
Me: "Morning is fine. I can be up whenever"
Him: "Ok, morning it is. We will arrange the pickup and flight"
Me: "Ok"
Him: "Unless you want to fly to Blantyre next week"
I will save you the rest of the conversation (basically blank stares, peppered with "wha????" looks) but it all ended well. I am headed to Blantyre on Tuesday, by flight, to get the actual research project started. As for the Monday meetings, well, that was up to Emmanuel to figure out.
Ah, I haven't introduced you to Emmanuel have I? Remember the cow hoof? Well after I began typing this post, I got a phone call, my third of the night. It was Emmanuel, here at the hotel to discuss details about the project. He stated he was at the "Sports Mans Bar" (I have to explain this in greater detail tomorrow. Don't let me forget) and that I needed to come chat with him if possible.
Our meeting involved copious amounts of kuche kuche, talks of Chelsea's superiority over Manchester United, and, yes, cow hoofs. It is apparently a delicacy, and the closest thing I may ever get to "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern"I will ever get. It was described to me as 'mostly fatty' and let me tell you, descriptions do not lie my friends. It was gamey, fatty, boney, and hoofy. I ate it (peppered...pun intended...with copious amounts of salt) and praised its taste. He joined in while eating it and later gave me the full disclosure. Which went something like this:
Him: "Did you enjoy it?"
Me: "Yes! I have never had anything like it before?"
Him: "It was good, yes?"
Me: "Yes, very interesting"
Him: "Ah, it was actually quite bad. I have had much better. But glad you liked."
Me: "....."
And so it goes. Another day, another handful of lessons. Tomorrow holds another day of beautiful weather, more kuche kuche, and hopefully, the Blues dominance over the Red Devils of Man U.
Until then...
