Since my last entry, I’ve had a few more adventures but I thought first I’d make some interesting observations about Maputo. Prices of certain things are really funny here. For example it cost me about $0.55 to buy a 1.5 liter bottle of water (cheap), but I very reluctantly paid $5.00 for dental floss (sadly the one I really wanted was $7 but that was just crazy). Another example, a bar of soap costs $0.40 and shower gel costs about $8-10! Ouch! Basically you always have to do a lot of math when you’re shopping or you may come home with very little money!
I’ve been doing more driving (I have borrowed a car from some friends on vacation which is a great luxury for a few weeks) and am now quite used to the left side of the road. Occasionally I want to shift gears with my right hand, but I quickly realize my hand will hit the window if I try. Now I just need to master try to stay on the left side of the side walk when I walk. It’s not a rule here but people tend to follow the side they drive on when they walk, as we do.
I attended a wedding here this past weekend, which was disappointingly not that different than typical wedding protocol. The one difference is that no one could hear any of the ceremony. So after about 10 min, all was said and done and it was all about the reception. The funniest moment was that there was quite a mix of music, African and other, and the crowd really got into it when Michael Jackson played. I wasn’t expecting that. Some of the older men even got out and danced in the center of the dancing circles that formed, and kudos to them. Who knew Michael was so popular here?
Food poisoning from fish is about the least fun experience I have ever had. I won't disclose the gory details but needless to say, not something I hope to ever repeat and we'll leave it at that. I'm glad to say I've survived and am feeling human once again, however I'm going to take a break from the coastal cuisine for a bit!
(I neglected to mention last time that if you hover over the photos in the links, you should be able to see titles when I have given them, just fyi. )
HHH?...
So I am now an official member of the Hash House Harriers. If you are not familiar with this group, it exists in some 100+ countries, and it’s basically a group that meets usually once a week to walk/run. The idea is for people to meet each other, and be able to do some exercise in a safe way. I subscribe to all of that, but it also comes with all sorts rituals like, getting a circle and singing some raunchy songs and making different people each week chug beer. Here it’s about 40% Mozambican which is pretty good, and the rest foreigners and you go to a different place each week where a path is set up. I think it’s a great idea, it’s a bit of an “old boys’ club” feel in reality so I’ve only been once but it was fun. Some people get very serious about it and go each week. I will unlikely be one of them. But I have started doing some jogging on the beach which is a wonderful past time, except that you have to time it with the tides!
So I am now an official member of the Hash House Harriers. If you are not familiar with this group, it exists in some 100+ countries, and it’s basically a group that meets usually once a week to walk/run. The idea is for people to meet each other, and be able to do some exercise in a safe way. I subscribe to all of that, but it also comes with all sorts rituals like, getting a circle and singing some raunchy songs and making different people each week chug beer. Here it’s about 40% Mozambican which is pretty good, and the rest foreigners and you go to a different place each week where a path is set up. I think it’s a great idea, it’s a bit of an “old boys’ club” feel in reality so I’ve only been once but it was fun. Some people get very serious about it and go each week. I will unlikely be one of them. But I have started doing some jogging on the beach which is a wonderful past time, except that you have to time it with the tides!
Bilene... 
A few weeks ago for a day trip a few friends of mine and I went to Bilene (pronounced bee-lenny), which is in the province of Gaza, just outside Maputo (about 2.5hrs drive). There is a lagoon there with much cleaner water than in Maputo and one hotel across the lagoon that you can have a leisurely lunch at and look out over the lagoon. We did just that as you will see from the pics (see the first 8 photos of http://www.flickr.com/photos/vida-internacional/sets/72157600188573517/internacional/sets/72157600188573517/internacional/sets/72157600188573517/) and then took a short walk around the area and head back before dark. I’d love to go back and stay the night, very nice relaxing spot and water was great even though we only had time to put our toes in.
A few weeks ago for a day trip a few friends of mine and I went to Bilene (pronounced bee-lenny), which is in the province of Gaza, just outside Maputo (about 2.5hrs drive). There is a lagoon there with much cleaner water than in Maputo and one hotel across the lagoon that you can have a leisurely lunch at and look out over the lagoon. We did just that as you will see from the pics (see the first 8 photos of http://www.flickr.com/photos/vida-internacional/sets/72157600188573517/internacional/sets/72157600188573517/internacional/sets/72157600188573517/) and then took a short walk around the area and head back before dark. I’d love to go back and stay the night, very nice relaxing spot and water was great even though we only had time to put our toes in.
April 25 - Africa Malaria Day!
For this event, I went up to the province of Zambézia and stayed in the capital called Quelimane (pronounced kel-ee-mahn-ee). This is about a 1.5 hr plane ride from Maputo and is still only about ½ way up the country. We went there to help organize the events for Africa Malaria Day, which is a time to raise awareness about malaria. The event was held in Mocuba, about 2hrs driving from Quelimane, and the Minister of Health came, which makes it a semi-big deal! There were speeches and cultural events – dancing and singing. I even tried to take a few videos on my camera, but unfortunately I did it wrong so next time (sorry!). But you can see many a photo here http://www.flickr.com/photos/vida-internacional/sets/72157600188573517/ after the Bilene photos and it will give you an idea of the place, the attire (women wear traditional skirts called capulanas that have all sorts of patterns on them), the people and the overall atmosphere. It was a good day and nice to see a bit outside of Maputo but hard to know if any real awareness is raised amidst the overall pomp and circumstance in these kinds of events.
Some days the cynicism wins, other days the idealism. Such is life in the world of development work…until the next entry, beijos.
1 comment:
Wow,
thanks for the reminder. I almost forgot to get my sister a happy Malaria day card. How embarrasing.
Hope you are doing well Maielle.
Michael.
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