Thursday 5 March 2009

Malawi Rough and Ready.


Great meeting this morning with Matt and Patrick from Theatre for a Change to sort out the logistics for sending Applied Theatre students out to Malawi in January 2011. We're going to begin the acclimatisation process soon by setting up some video conferencing between our St.Mary's students and trainees working with the company.

This will help us to begin to prepare our students for what I'm sure will be a hugely impacting experience, but also set them up ready to hit the ground running when they touch down in Lilongwe. Working abroad in a completely unfamiliar context can be a real culture shock, but I'd like them to be surprised by Africa rather than the work and expectations of Tfac who, as Patrick reminded us this morning, are very busy and have a clearly defined strategy for developmental work. All of us want to avoid poverty tourism.

It looks as if the group will go in out in two groups of ten, supervised by Matt and myself. Patrick has generously promised us rough and ready accommodation in the Tfac house where we'll share communal meals and plans together. Our partnership and is really beginning to come into focus!

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