They are just a couple of average kids, horsing around, playing baseball, video games, and hanging out together. But for one boy, life in America is a stark contrast to the life he has known in Malawi.
Andrew Chanya, 10 years old, currently lives in Wareham with his mother Celeste, who is originally from the U.S., and his father Stephen, who is from Malawi. Andrew’s parents are missionaries.
From the time he was 2 years of age until he turned 8, Chanya lived in Chitipa, Malawi with his parents and extended family. The memories this young child has of the country and the living conditions have been eye opening for his local pal William Gouveia, a second-grader at Center School.
William’s mother Stacey Gouveia said, “They play together all the time. William has been surprised at some of the things Andrew has told him.”
Gouveia wants her son to appreciate that not all children live as American children do. As a mother, she wants him to understand there is a big world with many different types of cultures and challenges. “I want him to know it isn’t easy everywhere,” she added.
On December 22, Andrew had a chance to see William’s school and what life is like for his pal. Andrew noted some big differences between schools here and schools in Malawi.
“Well, for one thing, they don’t have cafeterias in Malawi,” said Andrew. “No desks and about 200 kids in a class.” He explained that all the children go home for lunch and then return for afternoon classes.
When asked if American children would have a tough time adjusting to life in Malawi, Andrew, with his eyes very wide open, emphatically replied, “Yes!” And what would be the biggest adjustment? “The food,” he stated with equal emphasis. Andrew thought American children would have a hard time with “cow intestines, tomato soup, and soya pieces.”
Malawi is an impoverished agricultural country that is struggling. Disease and political strife, along with long periods of severe drought, have plagued the African nation. Located on the southeast portion of the continent, Malawi is landlocked but has a huge lake simply named Lake Malawi. It is divided by the Great Rift Valley. A quick visit to any number of websites provides some harsh facts.
Of the 17 million Malawians, 53 percent live beneath the poverty line. There are 10 distinct ethnic groups, yet English is the official language with the local language Chichewa also spoken. The median age for both males and females is 16 while life expectancy is only to age 60.
As the Center School bell rings, all of that is very far away for the present. On Tuesday, Andrew enjoyed shadowing William through the halls of Center School, watching the holiday show and eating lunch in the cafeteria.
Andrew said the best part of this holiday season in the U.S. is snow. It doesn’t look like he’ll get that white Christmas this year, but he is hopeful there’ll be snow sometime this winter so he and William can play in it together.
The best part of this holiday in Malawi, he said, was a tradition Andrew described as, “Children come through the gate and ask for coins to be put in their boxes.” He said the money would be used to help their families in the coming year.
The Chanyas will be returning to Malawi in October 2016. And what about Andrew and William? Well, for now, there are those play dates and another full summer waiting for them to play baseball and eat hot dogs.
Do they plan to stay in touch once Andrew travels back to Africa? You bet they do. “We’ll write letters and Skype,” they said. When the Chanyas return to Malawi, they will be gone for three years.
“I might go visit him when I grow up,” William stated as the Christmas chocolate was tossed back and forth between the boys like a baseball. Clearly, theirs is a friendship for life.
By Marilou Newell
