Smiles all round!

Today our workshop finished at lunchtime so I took the opportunity to go with a friend to visit his family in the village. Of course when we mean African family, we mean the whole extended family, not just the immediate family!

Amongst the family members were these three pretty young girls, who have not had much interaction with a 'mzungu' (white person) before. So when I asked if I could take a photo it was smiles and giggles all around! I just loved this one because they were so natural and laughing so much!

They wanted me to take pictures of the chickens, the goats and even the poor dog who was sleeping! We had a lot of fun and on the way back the sunset was fantastic - I got a nice silhouette of people walking home through the maize but decided to post this happy one of the girls!

I always feel a bit guilty about taking photos of people and feel that I should ask them as I know I would not appreciate it if I was going about my daily business and someone stuck a camera in my face! It happens all the time here - we have visitors from all over the world who see the kids in our Community Based Childcare Centres and they immediately get out the cameras without asking and point the large camera's into the children's faces. In UK child protection is maybe over the top sometimes but here - well, we have a child protection policy but in reality it is not adhered to on the ground! So when I see people with large camera's in the faces of the kids I always go and challenge them! So beware any of you out there who want to come and take pictures of our kids in Malawi!! Haha!

I had a wonderful time and consider it a privilege to be allowed to live with the Malawian people and learn more of their culture each time I visit a village!

Tomorrow the long trek back to Mzuzu (probably about 10 hours driving) so setting off early in the morning. Expect a blip of the road tomorrow!!