5th of July

With an infinite reserve of unpredictable variables to complicate our plans, Africa routinely thwarts even our most calculated efforts to pull off a smooth event. Ironically with our latest effort to stage a complex operation, picking up Janet’s family at the relatively nearby international airport in Lilongwe (~250kms from our house, but a lot closer than Maputo, 1500kms away), it wasn’t any of the typical African things. The driver we hired was on time (we got started at 4am, you've always got to start early in Africa!), his vehicle didn’t have any major mechanical trouble, crossing the border was smooth, we were prepared for the fuel crisis in Malawi picking up some reserve drums of petrol while still in Mozambique, no trouble with the police or road blocks, the Malawi SIM card we got from our PC neighbor across the border gave us good cell coverage, no natural disasters. What threw a monkey wrench into "plan recieve family" was our visitors’ flight from London to Johanesberg, which arrived two hours late. They spent the night in a fancy South African hotel while waiting 24 hours for the next connection to Lilongwe; we got a call over 200 kms from home, and just 15 minutes from the airport, informing us that they wouldn’t be there. Then the craziness. Janet had to find a place to stay for herself, Alfonso (the driver), and Arturt (our Mozambican teacher counterpart who we had invited to come greet our family). Luckily Alfonso didn’t mind the last minute improvising and agreed to spend the night and drive everyone the next day. Luc had to race back to school to give English finals the next day, and with no regular transport it was a crapshoot. In the end, Janet worked everything out on the transport side and was at the airport with a car to greet her family, and Luc just made it back home just after sunset hitching a ride on the last semi truck crossing the border. So our best efforts at a 4th of July feast for our visitors, all the bean burgers and potatato salad had to wait in the fridge as we postponed celebrating our nation’s independence a day. But July 5th was great, with a full house and plenty of food. Patience and flexibility are indispensible to life no matter what your circumstances are, but here in Africa, as Peace Corps volunteers, these virtues are all that keep us sane.