Have you ever thought about teaching in the warm heart of Africa? International teacher Petrina McGregor set off to Malawi this autumn with her family to teach at Bishop Mackenzie International School. Here, she reflects on her first few months teaching in Malawi.
Bishop Mackenzie International School in Malawi is a real oasis. We live very nearby, which means that our journey is a stroll which commences soon after sunrise. Gone are the days of hideous, stressful commutes.
The school is very spacious, with sprawling playing fields being scorched in the sun. Trees arch over the driveway that leads to the secondary school. All the buildings are single-storey, constructed from reddish-brown brick and cream-coloured plaster. Grassy areas separate the classrooms, and these are overshadowed by an array of beautiful African trees: Jacaranda, mulberry, mango and a host whose names I don’t know. Fountains splash away into ponds, something which amazed me. Never have I worked in a school where unsupervised bodies of water did not mean inevitable dunkings by wicked Year Tens, but so far, all students are dry as bones. Picnic tables are dotted here and there, ready for outdoor lessons or socializing at lunch time. Sculptures and murals lend the whole place an air of peaceful creativity.
Peaceful creativity: Sculptures and murals decorate the school.
Students here are truly international. Although the school is relatively small, a large number of nationalities are represented from all over the globe. Students are well-behaved and have a desire to learn. We have a number of visiting speakers at the school, and they all comment on the pleasant, enthusiastic atmosphere they encounter amongst the classes. The IB Learner Profile is taken extremely seriously here, and its values are instilled by staff and management. Academic results could be higher, and this is something that the school leaders are working on.
The thing I was not expecting about the school was the vibrant brightness and the colour. I was expecting it to be a lot more dry, parched and down-at-heel. Well, it certainly is dusty. Dust is impossible to escape in Malawi in the dry season. By the end of the school day (2pm), everything is covered with a thin coating of red dust.
Afternoons are long and busy. After school clubs commence at two, and finish at four. My son has signed up for swimming, football, rugby and his chill-out time is table tennis. My daughter joined the Drama Club and has landed a part in the forthcoming school play. She loves the drama facilities – a drama room and a spacious hall with a reasonable sized stage.
A real oasis: walk from class to class through the school’s lovely grounds
The sun sets rapidly in Africa, going down in a blaze of glory every evening at about 5.30. By 6, the streets are shrouded in total gloom. There are no streetlights in Lilongwe, and the atmosphere is a little more grim after dark. The pleasant, relaxed vibe which characterizes daytime ends abruptly at dusk, and we only venture out in the car. Quite frankly, there is not a huge amount to do after dark. There is a sprinkling of restaurants and no cinema. We socialize at friends’ houses or at Lilongwe Golf Club.
We are very busy here despite the quiet night life. We have plenty of new friends, enjoy spectacular travel opportunities and the peaceful lifestyle suits us well.
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