Where the heck is Malawi? The way my husband is behaving you’d think it was the back of beyond and that he’ll be waving me off a la Paddington with a marmalade sandwich in my pocket and a label attached to my coat! We’ve made contact with Soroptimists there for goodness sake! I’ll be working in the hospital, not backpacking in the wild. They have internet, albeit not always reliable but I’m sure I’ll be fine.
He’s really not happy with my proposed mini – VSO trip; apparently I’m not supposed to spend the money from his Mum this way. We watch Comic Relief and this doesn’t help. He feels that, if I must, I should just give the money to the Friends of Sick Children in Malawi and let them decide what will help. Our two daughters are most bemused; they can’t understand why I don’t just donate my share of my mother-in-law’s inheritance either.
But that’s not the point, I’m a Soroptimist, and I want to make a difference!
One of my mottos is that the difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one comes from a strong will whilst the other comes from a strong won’t. I’m getting to the end of my working career and I don’t want to put any more things off ‘until I retire’. I’ve always wanted to do VSO so I will do this and won’t budge. Reluctantly Dave agrees to me travelling in June when he is away for one week.
We spend much of March on holiday ourselves and I’m not much use to the group working on the Malawi Quadrennial bid. I still haven’t told Elaine and club about my intentions; I decide to wait until arrangements are a little firmer. More guilt.
Malawi
The British Protectorate of Nyasaland
