Mountain or mole hill?
This weekend I'm heading out with friends to run up a mountain. Seriously. Apparently there's an annual porters race (porters are the people who carry your stuff while you struggle up the mountain) in Malawi every year. It's not quite all the way up the mountain, but it is a 22 km (12 or 13 miles???) race up and then down a portion of Mt. Mulanje. So of course I couldn't resist giving it a try. It could end up being the dumbest and coolest thing I've ever done. For the worriers out there, there's a nice hospital at the base of the mountain and they're more than used to handling white guys like me who thought it'd be a good idea to run up a portion of the mountain.
But before I leave, a few news and notes...
1) As the situation in Zimbabwe has worsened, Malawians, and most of Africa, have been trying to figure out what the President of Malawi, Mutharika, would say about the worsening situation. But he has remained curiously silent about the whole issue. This has led to some very plausible theories that he is somehow in cahoots with Mugabe. For instance: he just named a new highway after Mugabe, he is married to a Zimbabwean that is somehow related to Mugabe, there is a rumor that he's building Mugabe a house in my neighborhood of all places, there's another rumor that Mugabe has given Mutharika a farm in Zimbabwe and that Mutharika has given Mugabe a farm in Malawi. Of course no one ever knows how much these street rumors are true, but Mutharika isn't doing anything to refute them. So it'll be interesting to see how the whole issue plays itself out and whether or not Mutharika is ever forced to choose a side.
2) I thought this article was interesting: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/world/africa/11sudan.html?ref=todayspaper
It's about whether or not to indict the president of Sudan on war crimes, and then how that might affect aid organizations in Sudan. I'm not sure what the right answer might be.
3) I stumbled upon this video about a 'Sports for Development' program in Kibera, Kenya which is one of the biggest slums in the world (slums are euphamistically called 'informal housing'). It's probably the first time in my life where I saw someone's job and wished I had it. I could definitely see myself doing this in a year when I graduate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRsU1IUJoKw
4) While researching one of these Sports for Development groups, I found the following cautionary note which I thought was funny:
POTENTIAL HARM
The negative aspects of sport cannot be discounted. Sport can lead to elitism and exclusion, excessive alcohol consumption and drug abuse. It can lead to inordinate competitiveness and nationalism that can further divide communities and nations. There is always the potential for doping, cheating, corruption and violence. The benefits of sport, however, far outweigh these potential negative consequences.
Good to know. Thanks lawyers. Look, just because I'm an alcohol abusing, overly-competitive, corrupt doper that is prone to violent outbursts does NOT mean that sports are bad for you.
5) I'm also switching houses this weekend, so I'm saying goodbye to my two dogs Cassie and Woosha and the Armed Forces Network, and I'm saying hello to my new dog Dar (a black lab!!) and South African Satelite Television. Hello BBC!
But before I leave, a few news and notes...
1) As the situation in Zimbabwe has worsened, Malawians, and most of Africa, have been trying to figure out what the President of Malawi, Mutharika, would say about the worsening situation. But he has remained curiously silent about the whole issue. This has led to some very plausible theories that he is somehow in cahoots with Mugabe. For instance: he just named a new highway after Mugabe, he is married to a Zimbabwean that is somehow related to Mugabe, there is a rumor that he's building Mugabe a house in my neighborhood of all places, there's another rumor that Mugabe has given Mutharika a farm in Zimbabwe and that Mutharika has given Mugabe a farm in Malawi. Of course no one ever knows how much these street rumors are true, but Mutharika isn't doing anything to refute them. So it'll be interesting to see how the whole issue plays itself out and whether or not Mutharika is ever forced to choose a side.
2) I thought this article was interesting: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/world/africa/11sudan.html?ref=todayspaper
It's about whether or not to indict the president of Sudan on war crimes, and then how that might affect aid organizations in Sudan. I'm not sure what the right answer might be.
3) I stumbled upon this video about a 'Sports for Development' program in Kibera, Kenya which is one of the biggest slums in the world (slums are euphamistically called 'informal housing'). It's probably the first time in my life where I saw someone's job and wished I had it. I could definitely see myself doing this in a year when I graduate. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRsU1IUJoKw
4) While researching one of these Sports for Development groups, I found the following cautionary note which I thought was funny:
POTENTIAL HARM
The negative aspects of sport cannot be discounted. Sport can lead to elitism and exclusion, excessive alcohol consumption and drug abuse. It can lead to inordinate competitiveness and nationalism that can further divide communities and nations. There is always the potential for doping, cheating, corruption and violence. The benefits of sport, however, far outweigh these potential negative consequences.
Good to know. Thanks lawyers. Look, just because I'm an alcohol abusing, overly-competitive, corrupt doper that is prone to violent outbursts does NOT mean that sports are bad for you.
5) I'm also switching houses this weekend, so I'm saying goodbye to my two dogs Cassie and Woosha and the Armed Forces Network, and I'm saying hello to my new dog Dar (a black lab!!) and South African Satelite Television. Hello BBC!
posted by Michael, aka Tex, aka Jett | 12:48 AM
2 Comments:
Ooh! If you're getting BBC, you have to watch Top Gear! I'm serious.
I've seen that hospital at the base of Mulange - I wouldn't be so confident if I were you.
I can asuure you that yo will cut an interesting figure as you race up the mountain against a bunch of Malawians. Since the average height of a Malawian is 5'5" and most are as nimble as an olympic gymnast, you will look something akin to Alice the Goon (remember, she was always chasing Popeye?) as you tromp up Mulange. Add to that the hundreds of voices shouting "Mzungu, Mzungu" and it should be quite amusing.
Good luck!
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