Burgerland

Yes, it is as glorious as it sounds.  The first time we stumbled upon Burgerland in Lilongwe the clouds parted and rays of the sun shined on the entrance.  A chorus of angels could be heard while the proprietors walked around in flowing white robes...well, sort of but I'm getting ahead of myself.  A few weeks, months, or some other time span of which I no longer have any concept of ago, it was absolutely necessary for the men of Bakhita to be somewhere else.  While I think we would be justified in leaving for only the sake of being anywhere else, it wasn't difficult to find another legitimate reason for a weekend trip to Lilongwe.  We had an open invitation from Br. Walter, the principal of the Don Bosco Technical College, to stay for a weekend and we thought it would be useful to see how their computer classes were set up.  We also had a list of various parts that we need to get from computer stores in Lilongwe.  The Don Bosco Technical College is a school run by the Salesians and is combined with the local parish.  In the compound, they have courts for Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis, and netball, two soccer fields and a playground.  They are currently building a new church so the masses are held in the Youth Center Hall.  The college has courses for Accounting, Auto Mechanics, Carpentry, Brick Laying, and Tailoring.  One of the major appeals of staying there was the big comfy couches made by their students.  Good enough to sit down and stay there for the rest of your life.  After seeing the school, we had time to go to the city center where we found a comptuer store a little off the main road in a cluster of electronics/stationary stores.  He had very few things on the shelves, but Gary managed to buy a CD burner and place an order for some Network parts which were later delivered to Bakhita buy the owner himself.  I think he was desperate for customers.  Around the corner from the computer store we found Burgerland (Clouds parting, Angels Singing, etc.).  It was even sharing space with Pizzaland, but it was not open yet.   Burgland was run by a Muslim who looked to be in his forties.  I can't be sure of his age because I am terrible about that sort of thing and while he never actually said that he was Muslim, he was wearing the Muslim uniform: Long beard, white hat, very comfortable looking long white robe-like shirt.   We asked about the Burgland Special which we ordered immediately after hearing it was double cheeseburger.  While waiting for our order, he asked where we were working and how long we've been in the country.  He wasn't familiar with the Canossians, but talked about the Catholic Sisters he knew growing up.  It turns out that he was something like fifth generation in Malawi from India and he mentioned some of the problems Indians in Malawi had getting pushed around in the past.  He was very friendly and when our order was ready he threw in some chips and drinks for free.  The burgers were good...on nearly the same level as when God created earth and it was good..  We ate, watched the TV for a while (watersports or something), and talked with the owner a little while longer.  All this and no one was accused anyone of being and infidel or a terrorist.  It was a perfect cultural exchange all based on the preparing, selling, buying, and consuming of cheeseburgers...is there anything they can't do.