Diary of a Volunteer

An insight into one person's experience of volunteering, in Malawi, between 1995 and 1997
by Steve M Nash

Learn about Malawi, about VSO or about  being a VSO volunteer (AND learn about me) in my personal journal, all about life in Africa between 1995 and 1997.

(Consists of newsletters, poems, letters, photographs and more…)

Unsolicted comment from Simone:

"Just read some of your diary pages... I really enjoyed the read. Loved your touch of humour... VERY informative - gave me a real insight into voluntary work in Africa generally. Thanks again Steve. Take Care, God bless," 

Malawian village - team photo of Steve, Rachel and host family

PS. Those pictures are out of this world!! The colour, landscape... wow!"

Hi, my name is Steve Nash.

I went to Malawi. In 1995.

(I came back to England in 1997.)

The nights were very long and quite often I had very little else to do but to write (and take photographs). And so I did. Write. (And take photographs.)

Several edits (of my newsletters, poems and thoughts) later, I decided to put what I’d written – my life as a VSO Volunteer, living in Malawi, Africa – online, on this website. And several years after that (2005), I decided to ‘tidy up’ the website (and tidy up my thoughts).

[20 years later, the website is now a WordPress blog – eh voila!]

Ta-da!… Welcome to my Diary of a Volunteer website.

Solely based on my experiences as a VSO volunteer (similar to Peace Corps volunteer or Canadian WUSC or Irish APSO etc.), this website gives a flavour of life in Malawi as well as a glimpse into me, Steve Nash.

Okay, the content is not exactly up-to-date – I left Malawi in 1997, and I am nearly 10 [30] years older and wiser (!) – but what the heck, it will have to do…

So, what do YOU want to do now?

 

Cheers,
Steve Nash

PS Some of the names on this site have (finally!) been changed, to protect the innocent. (No, Malawi is real, it’s the warm heart of Africa silly!)

PPS 2025 edit: this is the original HTML-version of the site, if you’re interested: snash.org/doav/

PPPS Snash.org is my 1st ever website (created in 1998), and SteveMNash.com is my last (created in 2020)

 

Steve as a smiley, brown 32 year old [It’s Dec 2025, and Steve’s now an aging, greying 60 year old! :-o)]