Okay...7 Weeks in Mozambique

Hi there!  So it's been a while, apparently it is much more difficult to blog in Mozambique than I imagined, at least during training.  I do have an internet phone, which is amazing for checking my email, but today I have accessed the first wifi on my computer, which is amazing!  To set the scene, I am sitting in a place called "Mundos" in Matola in Maputo Province, it is a little crossroads town outside of Maputo on the way to Namaacha.  To get here, Jenny, Tiffanie and I had to cram into a chapa, which is a tiny van, meant to seat 10 people, plus a driver, that actually seats 19 or 20.  Needless to say, it takes about five minutes for some significant body part (or multiple!) to fall asleep.  We arrived at Mundos at about 8:30am and are all happily munching on snacks and working on our laptops.  It is clean here and the waitstaff are friendly (more uncommon than you would expect) and there are clean bathrooms with running water and flushing toilets.  I would truly like to just live here and sleep under one of their tables for the next three weeks of training, but alas!  I cannot actually afford more than a single afternoon at Mundos :)  I will attempt to catch you all up with highlights on the past 7 weeks...

WEEK ONE (staging, arrival in Moz and travel to Namaacha):  See my previous blog.  We arrived in Mozambique and were greeted by PC staff and taken to Kaya Kwanga, where we checked into our hotel and began the process of getting oriented to Mozambique.  We had a few days of orientation, shots, language tests (yeah, I had no idea what the examiner was saying, AT ALL).  After a few days, we were packed into vans again and transported to Namaacha, and given a sheet of handy phrases in portuguese, featuring such tidbits as "Eu nao sou um bebe!" (I am not a baby).  And "Muito obrigada!" (Thank you very much)... In Namaacha, we were greeted by our new host families.  I was greeted by Ceclia, my 19 year old host sister, in English, which was exciting and disconcerting, and she proceeded to lead me to my new home.  I live the farthest out of all the volunteers in Barrio B, off a dirt path in a modest Mozambican home.  Ceclia has given up her room for the 10 weeks I am here and it is very spacious.  My mom, Laura, Cecilia, my cousin Lina and my neice Laurinha share a bed in the separate reed house that also serves as a kitchen.  My room is spacious and safe and lovely, and is connected to the family/dining/living room.  I've posted some pictures on facebook of my home and family here.  After settling in, we had the weekend to get acquianted with our families and then the official training process began.

TYPICAL SCHEDULE: I am to overwhelmed by the prospect of updating in detail on all my time here so far, so instead here's a typical day, I wake up at 6am and get ready for school.  I might eat some delicious namaachan bread and have some ricoffe with hot water prepared for me on the carvao (charcoal stove) by my family.  I leave for language class at 7:15am and until 9:30am work on speaking, conjugating and learning the ins and outs of portuguese (pouco a pouco....little by little).  at 9:30 I walk to the "hub" a house rented by the peace corps for technical training, which ranges from organizational development to hiv-aids education to mozambican history to coping with grief and loss, to international development theory to healthy coping mechanisms to understanding and identifying and treating medical issues.  it runs the gamut depending on the day.  At 12 I walk home, which takes about 20 minutes and have lunch, which usually consists of rice and couve (a delicious peanut/coconut/veggie dish) or salad and beef or some other mozambican delight.  At 1 Iwalk back to the hub for more technical training and then from 3:45 to 4:45 I have language tutoring.  After class, I either go hang out for a little bit with my colleagues or go home.  When I get home, I clean my room, including my xi-xi bucket (pee bucket) and then I either talk with my family or study portuguese.  We eat dinner around 7:30pm (see list of lunch options above, it is generally leftovers) and then directly after dinner I get ready for bed.  I usually study or read for a bit and then turn out the lights around 8:30 or 9pm.

On the weekends, oftentimes the peace corps has activities planned for us, but when they don't I wash clothes (lavar roupa) in buckets, clean my room, talk with my family, hike around namaacha with colleagues etc. 

MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS 

Unfortunately, I didn't pass my first language test, so I am working really hard to make sure I pass the final.

I took a trip to Chokwe to visit a fellow volunteer and had a wonderful time seeing the work that she was doing and preparing delicious food.  We made homemade raviolis stuffed with carrot puree and served in a cream sauce with bread and lots of veggies.  What a treat!  I also found some very expensive granola in the south african store and so I have a great treat now that tastes like home.

But the good news is that we got our site placements!!!  I am so so so so happy!  I will be living in Inhambane City, which is right on a sheltered bay just minutes from the Indian Ocean and one of the most famous beaches in Mozambique.  I will be working with a national aids alliance doing organizational development and capacity building and also working with a socially-conscious body products business that works with women and familes affected by HIV/AIDS and other issues to develop locally sourced market ready body products.  I posted more info and links on my facebook page for those of you interested!   On a final note about that, I have been placed within a couple of hours of my closest friend here, so I honestly could not be happier! 

There are three weeks of training remaining, although the final week is mostly final details!  Once I get settled, I will renew my promise to post weekly or at least write a weekly blog in more detail.  I apologize for this broad overview, but hopefully I've captured the most important points!