Sunday June 15, Providence, Mulanje (night)

Met up with the camera guy, Ezaius, the fixer CBS hired here in Malawi for the piece on Idah. We caught a ride down to Mulanje with him and his partner Vitema in a rented car. It felt like another return home, and I realized suddenly that this place has become my whole reality, no longer just a place I simply am. Riding down in a private car, three whites, driven by two blacks, we had our first experience being hassled by the corrupt police. They feel like the whites must A) have money and B) be more than willing to spend it than waste time being hassled. They find some bullshit to hold us up, say we cannot possibly continue on unless... Ezaius was very mad, and I take it not a guy used to bending over or being pushed around. He's a Rastafarian, and was fired from the national paper in Malawi for insubordination. He told the traffic police what for, but still ended up having to cough up 6000mk because the rental company had different colored tags than the police wanted to see on our vehicle that day. Ezaius is a ver y interesting cat, and a great travel guide. After being fired from the paper he formed a journalist collective with some other friends in Liliongwe. In addition to the hired work, he shoots his own stories and documentaries. The first kindred spirit I feel I've met on this trip. He was brimming with facts and history about Malawi, the landscape, the culture, the government, very astute, a humanist, and all around stand up guy. It was just very refreshing to be able to talk to someone, a Malawian, only sharing information and laughs. He joined us for dinner under the church (Vitema felt he required meat, Ezaius is a vegan) and the two of us stepped outside and spoke about our mutual mistrust and disrespect of organized religions. He is also a musician, so we chatted about music. I copied some Thomas Mapfumo, and Dillinger onto a flash drive for he and Vitema to play in the car on their drive back. All the girls at Providence giggled and waved hello to see me back. A couple approached me and said that I was in trouble for not telling them that I was leaving last time. I told them I was sorry, but that I'd soon be leaving again. They said that was fine since they were going on break anyway and wouldn't be around. Today was their last day for a week.

PICASA PHOTOS