Back In Malawi…

Going back to Malawi, even briefly, has been layered. I was asked to return to train the new research assistant for the bat team. After I left in 2021 things slowly unravelled and the bat work paused for a while, so this trip is partly about getting systems back in place. Survey protocols, data management, field logistics, expectations. Familiar territory but with the added weight of knowing what happens when structure slips.

At the same time I have been offered the opportunity to take over the whole programme, bats and carnivores, because things are not running smoothly. So alongside training the new hire I am quietly assessing whether I want to step back in fully. I love Malawi. I love the landscape, the fieldwork, the people. But stepping into a struggling project means more than research. It means leadership, rebuilding, conflict management, accountability. Can I handle sorting the mess out? Do I want to?

Being back for a month has been grounding though. Catching up with old friends and colleague like Esther who I have missed dearly. As well as revisiting old haunts in the city and of course going back to Kuti. Charlie the donkey remembered me and the land cruiser and ran straight over when I arrived, which honestly made my day. Some places hold a version of you that never quite leaves. The question is whether I am meant to return to it or just visit.