Getting Around Town

Our new home is about an hour away from the “big city” of Blantyre and about a 5 hour drive to the capital of Malawi, Lilongwe. Although the views near our home certainly make up for the remoteness of the town, it does present a little added challenge when it comes to getting around and gathering supplies we need on a daily basis. In Malawi there are several ways to get around.

The first and probably the most common way many people move from place to place here is by walking. This is the most common for the obvious reasons, it’s free. Walking does not require any extra equipment and for some Malawians it does not even require wearing shoes. Everyday people from all over Malawi walk to church, school, work, the market, or where ever else they need to go. They walk along the main roads or on dirt roads that come from more remote villages. They walk alone, they walk in groups. They walk with huge loads on their heads and sometimes babies on their backs. They walk everywhere.

A sign that you are doing well in your village is being able to afford owning a bicycle. Bicycles are not used the same way they are used in the United States. Bikes are often used here as family cars, as pickup trucks, and taxis. Unlike in the USA when bikes are used more for recreation and exercise. A bike can significantly improve the life of a Malawian family and open up a lot of opportunities that they may have not had before. 

There is no public transportation system in Malawi, but there are mini buses that drive all around that are relatively inexpensive. The problem with mini buses is they are often very crowded, sometimes unreliable, they stop often, and I see them broken down on the side of the road quite a bit. I’m also convinced that mini bus drivers, much like some taxi or bus drivers in the USA, think the rules of the road do not apply to them. Even with all of their flaws, mini buses are a great option for traveling longer distances here.

The final way people get around Malawi is by driving individual cars (the Chichewa word for car is Galimoto). I am again fortunate enough to be among this lucky group of people. I will have access to a car during my time here and have spent the last week learning how to drive. Since Malawi was once under British rule, they drive on the right hand side of the road. This change in itself would not take too long to get used to. It’s all the other things that I am learning to get used to when driving in Malawi that make learning to drive here a challenge. There are not many paved roads in Malawi, so the roads that are paved are often very crowded. Along with sharing the road with other cars, trucks and mini buses (that again stop often and unexpectedly, and don’t think the rules apply to them) I am also sharing the roads with bikes carrying massive loads, groups of people walking side by side, goats, chickens, and sometimes even cows. I have used my horn more in the past week then I have in my entire life so far! 

Although driving can be quite a challenge and the roads here are often dirt and filled with pot holes, I am constantly reminding myself that I am blessed enough to even have this challenge that many do not have the opportunity to have.  As you travel in your daily lives today, I challenge you to imagine for a moment what it would be like to have to walk all the places you need to go. Driving here is going to be a lesson in itself but also a lesson in remembering our challenges can often be a blessing.