Asian Women's Club

I visited the Japanese Embassy which just opened last year.  I needed to go there for my registration because I am not American citizen but Japanese.   I met Mr. Ooya and introduced my husband and myself.   He gave us some important information such as doctors, communities, and safety advice....... etc. 

When I asked him where is the best place I could find Japanese people, he told me about "Asian Women Club."  I guess this is the starting point I should knock the door!    

A couple days later, Mrs. ambassador called me to confirm about the club's next meeting.   Oh my god, she called me directly.   I am glad I remembered Japanese ambassador's  family name otherwise I probably said, "WHO?  Do I know you?"   I think I did a good job to introduce myself on the phone.

January 16th, I went to the ambassador's house.   There were about 25 people gathered and I say 20 were Japanese.  

This meeting is kind a potluck style which everyone bring some food.   "Here are the main dishes and the other room is for deserts," someone told me.   Wait!   I know this kind of situation.   This feeling is almost forgotten but I still have strong flash back where I was in Virginia 20 years ago.    I was a domestic helper of Japanese Air force family.   I was taking care of 2 boys and stayed with them for 3 years.  They had many home parties and invited American military people and Japanese visitors.  Days of cooking and washing dishes all day in the backstage was my first experience of American life.   My employer called me in the middle of the party when they tired of speaking English, I took off my apron and played piano for the guests for 10 minutes and returned to the kitchen again.   I remember my fingers were all wrinkly due to the kitchen work but I just did a short performance.  

I found a professional chef wearing a chef suits and working for the ambassador's house.   I am here today in the living room with other guests and enjoying the food.   I don't need to worry about the empty dishes.  Well, I am deeply concerned with my experience totally opposite from 20 years ago.    I just enjoy this feeling nobody know who I was.    I missed my old self..........if I did not have that experience in VA for 3 years, probably I am not here in Africa right now. 

It made my life much more interesting!   

　

 

Lake Malawi

I am still suffering from jet lag.  It can't help because we departed from San Jose, then Dallas, London, waiting 10 hours then Johannesburg, then Lilongwe. 

My brain has been confused and body is shocked because of temperature change.

Jim and I hired a taxi for a week.  The driver offered to take us to Lake Malawi on January 1st.  I am wondering that  stores and restaurants open on January 1st?   He says, "no problem."   I doubted his word but he has confidence.   

We decided to go to the lake on the first day of the year because we don't have much things to do at the lodge. 

Actually I am very pleased I can watch Japanese TV (NHK) at this lodge because the lodge owner's son's wife is Japanese!  I have not seen "KOHAKU" (it's a typical Japanese year-end TV show) on December 31st last 10 years but I did it in Africa.   I feel so wired.  Maybe I keep  forgetting where I am.   Yeah, I am in Africa.  It is a huge difference between Chad and Malawi.  

Here are the pictures of lake Malawi.  It took us 3 hours from Lilongwe.   Our driver was right!  Restaurants and stores were opened.   We stopped at a restaurant near the lake and had fish (Chambo!). 

 

Lake Malawi looks like a ocean with nice sandy beach.   Local people enjoying swimming and kayaking.   We were sitting down on the beach chair which are provided by a lake lodge and found monkeys on the tree behind us.   We found lizards which look different from Chadian.  Chadian were more like small dinosaur but Malawian are more like lizards which I know since I was small and really really afraid of.  One of them lost his tail.   

Now what!  What is that black smoke moving slowly on the lake.    Someone burning tires?   Smoke on the lake?    Strange..........

Jim says bugs?????? NO!!!!!   

Malawian told me that they are lake bugs.   They look like small tornadoes but they are millions of  bugs moving together!   Here are some of them flying around my face.   Oh my god!