Malawi is not the first place I have traveled in Africa. Four years ago, I spent a summer in Ghana. When I learned I would be moving to Malawi, I thought to myself, “This is not my first time to Africa. I will know more of what to expect this time.” Boy, was I wrong!
Ghana and Malawi are actually very different countries. To begin, they are very far apart within Africa. Ghana is in West Africa, while Malawi is in East Africa. After I arrived in Malawi, I looked up how long it would take to drive to Accra. The answer: 108 hours! To compare, it would only take you 40 hours to drive from New York to Los Angeles. This reminded me that Africa is a huge continent (bigger than North America) and home to many different countries.
I also didn’t consider that countries on the coast are often busier places than countries that are inland. Ghana and its capital city of Accra are on the Atlantic Ocean. Accra is a big, bustling place. When I flew into Accra, the airport was modern and busy. On the other hand, Malawi does not touch any ocean, and I noticed a difference as soon as I landed. The Lilongwe airport is very small. Even though it’s the capital city, it feels more rural. There are very few tall buildings.
