Today six of us rented a leaky falling-apart rowboat and rowed out to a little rocky island on Lake Malawi to dive off the rocks, snorkel and swim. Before I left I promised I would not swim in Lake Malawi because of parasites, but it is so sparklinbg and pristine here I couldn't resist. It was such a good feeling to stretch my body out in the water, and snorkelling I saw angel fish striped pale blue and black and other tropical fish.

Last night Masankho's father, Alekey Banda, arrived and spoke to us about the history of Malawi since it got its independence from the British in 1964. I forget all the details but I have a sheet of paper with the salient facts and will put them here later.

Meanwhile, I just feel in bliss. I want to stay in Africa forever, want to drink mango beer and learn to play bao and just wear a bright cloth knotted around my waist the way the village women do. I feel so sorry for the members of our group who are sick--it's a nasty flu-like bug. So far no one has bad diarrhea (that I know of.) I'm eating as much protein as I can, and taking drops of grapefruit seed extract in my water and I feel fine. My period started yesterday, so I am deliciously relaxed now. It helps that I boycotted the rattley old bus--half-hour rides from our sleeping accomodations at Kande Beach and Masankho's family home in the village where we all gather for meals and Interplay and to travel around and see the aid projects.