Though some places on earth are challenging to love, I have always enjoyed living and working in Blantyre, Malawi. I first visited in 2008 as a Visiting Professor at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, teaching neurology to their pediatric residents. I’ve worked here every year since.
Blantyre is the hilly commercial capital of southern Malawi. Located at an altitude of just under 1100 meters, it is surrounded by three mountains: Soche, Ndirande, and Michiru. The downtown is compact, and the tallest building is 8 or 9 stories tall, completed a year ago. I remember a few years back when the first escalator was installed in the city; riding it was An Event that warranted photos and video. The city is charming and laid back, full of extremely friendly people. It is truly The Warm Heart of Africa.
Blantyre has a moderately long history, too. It is the oldest European settlement in Malawi, formerly known as Nyasaland. The oldest existent building in the country is within walking distance of the house where I am staying. It is Mandala House, built in 1882, and the former trading post of the African Lakes Corporation.
The work I do here is a joy. Being allowed to do it here in Blantyre is a lagniappe, an unexpected gift.
The building’s ground floor is now La Caverna, a wonderful art gallery featuring Malawian and Zambian carvings, paintings, and textiles. I love to spend a leisure hour looking at the beautiful things and soaking up the history. Adjacent to the gallery is an outdoor restaurant open only for lunch. Tables are both on the covered porch and out in the garden. There are huge trees all around and their dense canopy makes it comfortable to eat outside even on sunny, hot days. I always have dessert at La Caverna. When I’m having a bad day, I take in the art, eat some chocolate cake, and recharge.
Upstairs from the gallery is the library of the Society of Malawi. To my knowledge it’s not a lending library, but a welcoming place to leaf through books encompassing the country’s history. Besides the historical works, there are hundreds of books that cover a wide variety of topics whose connection with this place is still unclear to me. But no matter. The librarians always act both happy and surprised to see me walk through the door. After perusing the books, I fire up the huge Apple monitor to search through their enormous, digitized collection of historical photographs. My work continues to be at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and yes, she once made a trip to this far outpost of The Empire. The work I do here is a joy. Being allowed to do it here in Blantyre is a lagniappe, an unexpected gift.
