Meet The Guides- Ozzie

What is your job and how long have you been working for RSC? 

My name is Osborne Phiri, or more simply Ozzie. I am a Tour guide working for the Responsible Safari Company, with now five years’ experience of guiding. I love travelling, helping people and like making new friends from all over the world and overcoming new life challenges

What is your favourite part of being a guide for RSC? I love my guiding job for it has taught me many life experiences and allowed me to meet with different types of people from different parts of the world even from within Malawi and learn about their cultures and their homes .

Where is your favourite place in Malawi? My favourite part of Malawi is the Lake especially Cape Maclear with its beautiful Islands and clear water.

Do you have any particular fantastic memories of moments on client trips? My most fantastic moments of my client trips are when am taking part with the clients, playing games with the kids and when clients are socializing with the local people, teaching and learning from each other and supporting in different ways.

My most interesting guiding experience was in my early guiding days, I was guiding a Scottish man in his mid fifties, he was travelling with his wife and his 80 year old Aunt. His aunt wanted to celebrate her 81st birthday here in Malawi, because her and her family together with the man’s father lived in Malawi long ago in 1930. The old lady wanted to trace the grave yard of her late brother who died and was buried here during the time the family was living Malawi, in the 1930s. I took the family to the old early Scotts missionary grave yard, with the help of the graves care taker and records we found the grave where her brother was buried in 1930, still standing with the tomb stone bearing the brothers name on it. This was a memorable moment for the man as he could actually see where his uncle was buried long before he was born.

Another great memory was when I guided a British family. The father lived in Malawi with his family in the 1970s when he was a young boy. His father was a Professor at The Chancellor College in Zomba. The man wanted to see if he could still remember the house where he was staying with his parents, a place which was still called Nice. I took them to old Nice and luckily the man remembered the place he used to take his dog for a walk. We found the house where he lived in 1970 and after I spoke with the Malawian people who currently owned the home, they allowed the man and his family to have a look inside the house. He showed his wife and children, his bedroom room and his dog’s den! It was such an amazing experience.

What are the three most interesting things you have learnt during your time at RSC? 

I have learnt many things at RSC;

• That everybody can bring change to the environment for a better world.
• We should not take for granted things which we have, because to some it is of great value. What we experience in our everyday life in Malawi is a life changing experience to visitors from abroad.
• I have learned to honor and respect peoples views, despite different kinds of age, race, gender, culture, colour of skin, religion, political and social beliefs so on and so forth.

What would you say to somebody thinking about coming to Malawi with RSC? If you chose to travel with RSC, you have made the right choice because you will get more than what you expected! We RSC guides are well trained and are passionate about our job, we surprise our clients by delivering more that what they ask for! We link clients with local communities. We allow our clients to really ‘feel’ what it’s like in Malawi by taking them to different community projects. The company gives the its guides 24hrs support when are on a trip with clients, in case of emergency back up will arrive in no time.

RSC teaches and believes responsible travel.