Malawi Market

Whew... today we spent hours in the local market getting monthly supplies for Esther's House.

Usually once in town, we try and get every possible thing we need so we don't have to make multiple trips back.  The drive is about 20 minutes, which honestly doesn't sound too bad, but once you add in our bumpy dirt road, it gets real.

My favorite thing about the market? FRESH PRODUCE. It's everywhere.
And it's a better value than even your local Walmart.

I am uploading some photos I took today while out and about.
Don't mind the quality, just snapped some with my handy dandy phone.


The market is a poppin' place.  There is constantly loud music playing, people coming and going, and if you're ever in the mood for some goat intestines - you're ALWAYS in luck! (nope didn't get a picture of that to display)



The farmers who sell produce just lay their food on a tarp or mat.  When I buy vegetables (carrots, onion, green pepper, cucumber, tomato, potato, etc) they are laid out in stacks/bunches and are at a fixed price.  I'm so glad Malawians don't typically do the barter thing.  The price usually is what it is, and I don't have to work it down.

There are other things besides food to buy, as you can see in the below picture.
These "shop owners" have wooden stands and shelves.



You can buy anything from socks, cups, bowls, brooms, mops, to cell phones.

Luckily Tyler and I's Chichewa is improving, so it's easy for us to greet the sellers (hi, how are you? I'm good, thank you) and ask how much each thing is (we pay everything in Kwatcha).  Sometimes they start talking more in Chichewa and I have to let them know I'm not fluent.  Some do know english, which is helpful.



In the village, almost all Malawian women wear chintinjes (shown above).  Since chintinjes are so popular,  a lot are on display at the markets. You can wear them as skirt wraps, dress wraps, head wraps, or as a baby carrier on your back.  They get so creative, and so are the patterns!

So far I have 2 patterns, and Tyler is thinking about picking out a design and getting pants made out of them.  Trust me, if this happens, you will all see a picture of it.



Now you know where we do our personal shopping, and shopping for Esther's House.
It's no Aldi or Walmart, but it's always an adventure.

Plus, we always get to follow what Michael Pollan suggests "Shake the hand that feeds you."