Snail Mail

Most people stay in contact with their friends and families via regular mail. Letters being sent from the States to Malawi via air mail can take anywhere from 7 days to three months to arrive (the average is a month). Letters from Malawi to the US usually take a much shorter time; expect a week to two months for the letter to arrive. Surface mail, through cheaper, can take as long as six months.

Be careful with what is sent in the envelope. Many people have reported that they suspect their envelope was opened before it reached them, perhaps in the hope of finding money. Many Peace Corps volunteers prefer to have their letters and packages sent to Peace Corps Malawi Headquarters in Lilongwe because this cuts down on the number of people handling the letter. Headquarters has the same address that trainees use for the first two or three months of service. That address is:

Peace Corps
[volunteer name]
P.O. Box 208
Lilongwe , Malawi , Central Africa

Packages

Many volunteers receive packages from family and friends throughout their service in Malawi . Unfortunately, sending a package to a volunteer does not always mean that it will get to the volunteer intact or even at all. Malawi ’s postal system and mail systems to Africa have been known to render packages opened or altogether lost. Many volunteers report that it can take anywhere from two weeks to 6 months to receive a package from the United States ! Sending packages from Malawi to the United States is possible and not too expensive. Of course, the same problem of package tampering applies.

Suggestions:

• Don’t send cash in the mail, as it can easily be stolen
• Non-perishable foods are great (e.g. “just add water” mixes, powdered drink mixes, etc.)
• New music is a special treat! Mixed cassette tapes are a favorite.

Internet and Email

The Internet has only recently made its way into Malawi . Currently, there are a handful of service providers offering Internet access in the three main cities ( Blantyre , Lilongwe and Mzuzu). Because most people living outside of the cities do not have phones in their homes, most do not have Internet access in their homes, either. Of course it is possible to use the Internet on occasional visits to town and one of the few Internet cafes. In short, don’t expect to have regular email access. It is here, but it’s very slow (analog phone line connections) and is fairly expensive to use.

For those times when you are able to access email, you will want a web-based email system (like that of Hotmail or Yahoo). Once you get to Malawi , try several systems to see which operates the fastest—the number of servers available in Africa varies from system to system.

If you plan to bring a laptop computer and would like Internet access, here are a few bits of information you may find useful:

• The vast majority of computers in Malawi are PCs. As a result, it may be a good idea to bring a PC instead of a Mac. If you are Mac person you can still get on the Internet— it may just take a little more work.
• Make sure that your computer can handle Malawi ’s 240v system. We STRONGLY suggest you invest in a voltage meter when you arrive here. Computers are easily fried without a voltage meter. With a voltage meter, computers can survive countless surges and brown-outs (drops in voltage).
• All Internet Service Providers in Malawi offer only analog phone connections to their servers, so all you will need is a 56k modem. An extra phone cable is probably a good idea.
• As far as software goes, all you will need is your web browser and an email client if you plan on accessing a non-web-based email account. Most ISPs will help you set up your computer to access their servers.
• Monthly costs vary widely (as does the quality of service). Expect something between $15.00 and $50.00 per month.
• Bring back-up software for those times when you find yourself in the middle of Malawi with a crashed computer!
• Finally, keep in mind that items sometimes get stolen in Malawi . Keep your computer in a locked cabinet and don’t tell many people in your village that you have one. Remember: information spreads quickly when you don’t want it to.

Phones

In Malawi, there are about 100 people to every phone line, while in America there are more phone lines than people (World Development Indicator data, year 2001). In other words, many people do not have a phone in their home. Cell phones, in some areas, are a viable option, and there are volunteers who take advantage of that option. Otherwise, access to a land line is through the post office, at police posts, or in major cities and towns. It is possible to receive international calls and to make reverse charge calls. Of course, families of volunteers can usually make contact in an emergency through the volunteers’ agency; in the case of Peace Corps volunteers, that is through Peace Corps Headquarters in Lilongwe . Speak with the country desk at Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington , D.C. to get that number.

If you have a family member traveling to Malawi , take a minute or two to call your local phone company and inquire about reduced rates for calls to Malawi . Many families have found excellent deals that considerably reduce their phone bills. International calling cards sold on the internet are significantly reducing the cost of making phone calls to Malawi . Be aware that pre-paid phone cards do not work from Malawi .

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