Last day on the job

Today is my last day at work in my current position. It's been a bit more rushed than I wanted as I had to stay home with Milo this morning until the babysitter could make it. But, all things considered, I'm pretty much ready to wrap up. I think I will actually leave the office on time today, which will be a first. Usually on my last day of work I am in the office until 8 at night, trying to get all my files backed up and cleaned off. That stuff's all done already - I just need to sit down with the woman covering for me and go over a few things, then I am outta here!

I have really enjoyed my job, and love the team that I work with - they're hard-working, creative, and take inititative for theri own tasks. I'm going to really miss the cooperative team spirit that we've built up over the last 3 years. But I feel I have done what I came to do - build the capacity of the team and get things moving so that they no longer need an international staff person helping out. Working myself out of a job, one position at a time...the aid worker's creed.

The last couple of days in Malawi have been interesting. It's been so calm, so civilized - not at all what you'd expect if you've been listening to the BBC airing condemnations of the election by the opposition candidate, John Tembo. Here in Lilongwe, everyone has accepted the election results very peacefully, and no one seems to doubt the fairness of the voting.

For the last few days, the radios all over the country have been on constantly, the monotonous drone of polling station results announced hour after hour. And now it's over - I've just listened to President Bingu's inauguration speech; he's already been sworn in, even though the polls just closed three days ago! Today I've seen a lot of people in Bingu chitenjes, or wearing t-shirts and buttons with the president's face emblazoned across the front. People seem to be more relaxed, and they are justifiably proud of their little country for pulling off a peaceful, seemingly fair, mostly harmonious election - that's about the extent of the excitement, though.

As for me, I'll relax once I'm resting at my brother-in-law's house in New Orleans, still more than a week away!