My study abroad experience in Malawi, Africa

1. Intercultural
Communication in
Malawi, Africa
By: Jennifer Kalchik

2.  Traveled to Malawi, Africa in May 2012
 Social Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries

3.  Expected poverty to
be obvious
◦ Some parts very
urbanized
 Don’t judge or
assume
 I was going to
Africa, specifically
Malawi

11.  Located in Sub-Saharan Africa
 Formerly known as Nyasaland
 Classified as a developing
country
 Warm heart of Africa
◦ Greet all visitors with a beaming
smile, & with a genuine,
disarming warmth.
 Languages:
◦ English
◦ Chichewa

12.  Borders:
◦ Mozambique
◦ Zambia
◦ Tanzania
 Major cities:
◦ Lilongwe
◦ Blantyre
 Lake Nyasa (Malawi)
is 1/3 of Malawi
 About the size of
Pennsylvania

17.  Hot, but not humid
 Dry season
◦ No rain
◦ Very sunny
 South of equator
◦ Start of winter
◦ Sunset around
5:30 pm
◦ 7 hours ahead of
United States

18.  Christianity
◦ Mostly Protestant
◦ Catholicism
◦ Most of our projects through
the Diocese of Mangochi and
Presbyterian Church
 Alleluya Orphan Care Centre
 Saint Monica’s
 Center for Disabled and
Handicapped

19.  Muslim men are protective of their wives
 Mangochi is 50% Muslim

20.  Radio
◦ Most popular form of
communication
◦ Wide geographic reach
 Television
◦ Only one channel, owned
by the government
 Internet/Cell Phone use
◦ Very limited access
 Daily Newspaper

21.  How are you?
 I am fine (good) and
how are you?
 Thank you
 See you later
 Muli bwanji?
 Ndili bwino, kaya inu
 Zikomo
 Tionana

22.  Objective rather
than
requirement
 Patience was a
virtue
 Expect to wait
 Made a joke of
it, eventually

23.  Kwacha
 Dense population
 Agriculture
 Exchange rate
 Trading partners:
◦ South Africa
◦ UK
◦ United States
◦ Japan
◦ Netherlands
◦ Zimbabwe
 Making bricks

24.  8-4-4 education system
 Grade years are called
Forms
 Public school
◦ 75:1 student/teacher ratio
◦ Lack of supplies or room
 Private school
◦ 20:1 student/teacher ratio
 Brain drain

25.  Class outside
 Goat and Hyena
 What I want to be when I grow up

26.  First Aquinas College
graduate of the
Community
Leadership program
 Graduated in 2002
 Native to Malawi
 Currently serves on
Parliament as Head
Whip of Mangochi
District

27.  Agriculture, human
rights, development,
democracy
 28 districts of Malawi
 Mixed legal system of
English common law
and customary law
 18 years to vote
 President Joyce Banda

28.  The rising sun represents the dawn of hope
and freedom for Africa
 Black represents the people of the continent
 Red symbolizes the martyrs of African
freedom
 Green represents the nature of Malawi

29.  Basic staples:
◦ Nsima (cornmeal)
◦ Chambo (fish)
◦ Chips (french fries)
 Bottled drinks
 Expect to wait a
long time
 Be careful how you
order!

33.  Those who are
different are not as
well received by
society
 Religious diversity
 Numerous tribes
 Hard to unite
 Lack of racial
diversity

34.  Many unwanted
children
 Dependencia
 A life of poverty
 There are a LOT of
them
◦ Average age: 17 years
◦ Nearly ½ of the
population 14 years
 The more children
the better

44.  Malawi is represented at the Olympics
◦ Never won an Olympic medal
◦ Never compete in Winter Olympics
◦ Sometimes co-op with Nigeria
 Sports
◦ Girls: netball
◦ Boys: football
◦ Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis
Squash
 Leisure activities
◦ Hiking
◦ Safaris
◦ Mountain Climbing
◦ Sight-seeing

54.  Illegal businesses
◦ No regulation
 Very pushy salesmen
◦ “Sister sister, buy my products”
 Wide variety of products
 Haggling common

59.  Be grateful for what you
have
 Learn about the culture
of a country before you
visit
 Travel
 Form your own opinion,
don’t let others decide
for yourself
 Not everything goes
according to plan

60.  Tubbs, Stewart L. Human Communication Principles and Contexts.
12th ed. New York: McGrawHill, 2010. N. pag. Print.
 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-
factbook/geos/mi.html
 http://www.malawitourism.com/pages/blog_01/blog_item.asp?Blog
_01ID=182
 http://www.aquinas.edu/marketing/display.html?id=654
 http://www.atlapedia.com/online/countries/malawi.htm
 http://www.africaguide.com/country/malawi/culture.htm
 http://www.xe.com/currency/mwk-malawian-kwacha?r=1

61. Tionana!