Scheduled to depart Monday, May 30 at 8.25pm from Houston, I sat on my living room floor Sunday night, surrounded by supplies and clothes. I needed to decide, the night before, all the things that I might possibly need for my trip to Blantyre, Malawi. Should I pack hiking boots and sneakers or sandals and dress shoes, a raincoat or a sweater? I have never been to Malawi before, much less any other country in Africa, meaning that I was bound to pack the wrong things. In a panic, I realized that duct tape might be a good idea, not knowing if I could even get such a thing at a store in Blantyre. Simply, I really just did not have any idea of what could happen.

 

All I knew was that Texas weather in the summer would not hold a candle to the ideal temperatures that waited for me in Blantyre. A high of 75°F in the day, and lows into the 60s at night would be amazing—perfect for exploring the various parts of the country. I read that hiking was a popular activity for expats and tourists visiting the country, as well as taking trips to Lake Malawi and the game reserve parks. While potentially touristy and not so much of a typical Malawian activity, I still greatly want to try these out. As a sort of balance, I hope I can walk throughout the town during the day, going to the markets and stores while I live there for the next 8+ weeks.

 

However, during most of the day I would be working on a Water Treatment project through a partnership with the Polytechnic. We were tasked with devising a treatment plan for the villages that use shallow wells and river/stream water for some of their water sourcing. This water was high in bacteria and turbidity, so we will work on reducing these, potentially using the Moringa seed as a coagulant and disinfectant.