The other day, I was driving with my favorite taxi driver, Tom. I met him when I first got to Blantyre and he is always happy to drive me around whenever I need help. He charges me fair prices and even sometimes offers me rides free of charge.
Anyways, he was bringing me somewhere and he turned to me and said "people in Malawi like you so much." I wasn't sure what he was talking about and asked him whether he was talking about Americans or azungus or me. He said, "no, you!" I asked him why and he replied, "You don't have one racist bone in your body. So many of the azungus that come here don't greet us and don't want to know us. But you are friendly and you try so hard to know the people." It sounds silly but that simple comment made me feel so good about myself and how people here perceive me.
Malawi has interesting racial dynamics. It is in the south of Africa so there are large white settler populations. A lot of the expats do keep to themselves and are able to insulate themselves from everything African. Their interactions with Malawians consist largely of talking to their gardeners, cooks and guards- all people who work for them. In my time here, I have come across many South Africans, white Zimbabweans and Brits who now make their homes in Malawi. There is also a group of doctors and medical professionals who work here on a shorter term basis. These two groups don't really interact a whole lot.
I personally love Malawian people. Although there is a small subset who is constantly trying to rip me off, most of the people are helpful and kind. The simple act of greeting people in Chichewa and learning a few words off of them makes all the difference in how they view you. You can always get a big smile by practicing Chichewa with the vendors on the way to work.
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