Week 1 in Moz

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My First Flat 

Week 1 in Moz

Wow what can I say!  I have to keep reminding myself I am in one of the world’s poorest countries.  Maputo is alive and kicking all day and all night.  They compare it to Brazil because of the Portuguese culture and traditions that has stayed in Maputo, along with the Portuguese pastries and chicken.  The other day I was bringing my garbage out to a dumpster on my way to meet other volunteers for dinner and I also had a pizza in my other hand that I thought I can bring to the dinner.  The minute I crossed the road to put it into the dumpster a man came up to me and tried taking my garbage bag and telling me he’ll will take care of it for me.  I told him “nao obrigada” and quickly I realized he was hungry.  Ele esta fome.  I have seen other people going through the garbage in the dumpsters, so I offered him my pizza and he thanked me very much.  Muito obrigado. 

My flight was very long it took 3 days for me to arrive and there were a few times I wanted to head back home.  When I arrived 2 lovely volunteers Seija and Biss were at the airport along with a VSO employee Sansao.  I went to the VSO office and then got settled in at my new apartment quickly discover that I am staying alone in this apartment.   The other volunteers that were supposed to be here from other parts of Canada have not as of yet arrived. I am staying in the upper part of town and a 15 to 20 minute walk to the VSO office.  The first thing I noticed about the apartments were the caged and bolted down doors everyone has, right away this brought up fear.  I spent my first night and the rest of the week hanging out with Biss and Seija and getting to know other volunteers from all over the world.  The sidewalks in Maputo look like battleship grounds and if people do not find a parking spot on the street they park on the sidewalks.   There are holes and broken cement everywhere. So not only do you have to pay attention to the cars not killing you when you cross the streets you have to pay attention that you don’t fall while walking on the sidewalk, some holes are very deep.   There is garbage everywhere because if you don’t put your garbage in the dumpster no one will pick it up and there is dust from everywhere.  So the first week I was wheezing, huffing and puffing instead of breathing.  The program director of VSO Quim told me it was because I was very healthy.  So all those allergies to dust, cockroaches, mildew etc have had to disappear or my system had to get use to things very quickly.  I have also sited a gecko in my apartment that has become very brave and friendly with me.  Everyone tells me its good to have one of those in your apartment because apparently they eat other bugs that are not supposed to be there.  So I have named him to Nik the Gecko not even knowing if it’s a she.  The fury and scaly friends here are very brave and relentless.  A woman at VSO Zaida also told me that the city of Maputo did not have this many cars and this much hustle and bustle as of 5 years ago.  This city is so busy with traffic and full of people that there is rarely any moments of peace except for Sundays here it becomes deads-ville (which has been a welcoming break).

So I was invited to a celebration of the mulher de couragem at the Embassy of U.S. and it was spectacular.  I finally had the chance to see the ocean upclose from the backyard of the embassy and the event was about presenting an award to a strong Mozambican women whose infected with HIV/Aids and fought for her life.  The women has 8 children and when she found out she had Aids her husband left her, but her family stuck by her and she is very alive, happy and healthy today.  She was there to accept the award and to represent the fight for everyone to know that Aids is about us all!  There is so much need but there is also so much help here too, from allot of different countries. 

To my sad –triste discovery I have learned that you cannot go into clean swimming water around Maputo beaches unless you travel about 2 hours outside of the city.  To travel is fine but apparently it is not so easy traveling around Mozambique.  Many people have told me that it is easier to travel to South Africa than it is up north to other municipalities.  No one even advises to walk around the beach at all because it is very dangerous and a lot of homeless people have found residence there.  So my crazy 1^st week is done and I am feeling a little unnerved by staying by myself and I feel like Jiva because I freak out at the littlest noise or sound.  One night I am not sure if I was sleeping or not but I kept hearing a women crying and screaming “Para, para, para, para..” which means stop.  Her cries eventually weaned away into the thickest part of the night, placed above my head and in my pillow. 

On Saturday 2 of the volunteers had a BBQ and potluck party, so it was a chance for me to meet other volunteers.  There is about a dozen volunteers working here for VSO Mozambique and they are from all over the world.  All the volunteers have been very nice and helpful and some I believe have been angels.  Most of the volunteers that are still here have extended there terms for more than 1 year they seem to like it very much that they become flared with Mozambican swag.  The swag is all about taking it easy, if there is a delay, it’s a delay, things will get done when they get done and enjoy your life.  There is a huge “go with the flow” kind of energy and watch how things happen.  Many polarities here too, with events and people too, you can find that you are having the worst time ever and then something very great happens, just like that each and every day.

On Sunday the volunteers invited me to a hidden gem of a pool in the neighborhood and I got to relax and take it easy for 1 or 2 hours. 

Monday was my first day I started with AEFUM a non-profit organization for youth and they have been long anticipating my arrival.  I watched a presentation and became very excited at some of the projects that they are doing.  The project that my heart is already into is the project that has been presented to me a few times that helps orphan and vulnerable children in all municipalities.  I then find out that there is no more money left to fund this program that has been running for about 2 years.  I am going to try to help keep this program going, because I don’t know if anyone has noticed but they are a lot of orphans in this country and they need all the help Africa can give and WE can give.  I have also realized that there is no specific embassy or ministry for children.  There is one for youth, education, employment etc.  Apparently the children fall under the same ministry for women, I was told that women supposedly take care of children.  My guess is that all women are born with maternal instincts here?!

Some thing else that it has been taken me some adjustment to get use to, is that the majority of people that work in the social services field are men!  Men at work surround me all the time, which was the reserve back home.  I don’t know if I like it better at all to be honest.  I think what’s missing besides women running the country (and maybe then we would have no orphans) is the heart and soul of the work.  I am not saying that men don’t have it here because I doubt they do the job for the money.  I actually have discovered that some of the men that work in this field don’t even get paid.  I think I have to delve into the history a bit more but it is definitely because women never had the opportunity to go to school and to obtain jobs.  Even though it is changing but I have also learned that the men where told by the governs what they would do and what they would become in their careers and if they did not follow the path they were given they could get into trouble.

So I am attending AEFUM for my Portuguese classes they are giving me and with one of AEFUM members for 4 hours a day for about 1 month. 

AEFUM

AEFUM is a 5 min walk from downtown.  I have NEVER seen a downtown like this it is beyond crazy in a good way and in a shocking way.  I have traveled to many major cities and there is nothing, nada, ningun city I have ever seen quite like this one.  There are thousands and thousands of people everywhere and there are thousand and thousand of items selling on the floor, pouring out of boxes and the sidewalks.  You can find anything here; people bring their own sewing machines and start pedaling away for business.  Men will shine your shoes or paint your toenails.

Also, women here carry everything and anything on their heads no one uses their arms to carry a sack.  I saw a woman transporting a television on her head.  Not a flat screen, a huge television.  I look at the women in complete awe!  I also had the chance to due my first Kundalini Yoga class at 2 volunteers flat.  Sat Nam!

Aduese from Maputo!!!

VSO Mozambique

Love & Light to you all always

Xoxoxoxoxo MISS YOU xoxoxoxoxo

Send love and light to me in Africa!

Thank You

Rosetta