The Simple Way of Things

May 1/2012

Today was a national day off for workers so I sat by the pool all day with a couple of UK volunteers.  You have to pay to use the pool anywhere here; it can start from $5.00 to $20.00 US dollars for the day and a dip.  I wanted to continue with the list of how simple things are here and a reflection of how you might have to let go of all the things you think you wouldn’t be able to survive and be happy without, like the Internet.  Today I was lucky because the poolside had wireless but most of the time you are scrambling or paying for any connection even if it’s for 15 minutes to be connected.  I only watched television once here and it was in the hotel I stayed in when my flat had a flood, I was glued to it like Jesus made a comeback! LOL Whatever you have downloaded on your computer you watch however the streets does have movies for sale and so far the majority have been pretty good copies.  The cinemas here are now playing “Tower Heist” and “I don’t know how she does it.”  I had a good laugh because all the volunteers who have been here for 1 year or more had no clue who (my Hollywood boyfriend) Ryan Gosling was?  I guess I will be that way soon…Jay Blue Z who?  Keri Hilson and some other Divas were just here in concert btw.  At first I didn’t believe it but it was true her and other female singers called The Diva Show performed in Maputo.  I also got to go to a (white) reggae band performing at the railroad station (literally) and it was GREAT.  The night life here is pretty awesome.

When I say there is NO fashion or clothes here I am not joking kids.  The clothes are mostly 2^nd hand clothes.  I saw a man in a furry black sweater and I thought OMG that was mine in the 90’s!  Seriously the clothes are all over the streets, I mean on the floor, on the sidewalk, held down by rocks, the streets own Maputo even when the government uses bans against her.  Or once in a while you will see a man or woman walking around carrying some clothes in there hands or in the back of a trunk.  People who sell from their trunks or vans in Toronto would make a killing here and it would be completely legit!  However everyone has there certain areas and their rocks mark the spots.  There are some stores that sell clothes and even a Maputo shopping center and there is nothing in it or anything of OK or good quality is very expensive.  Most people go off to South Africa to shop or they shop once a year in Portugal etc.  A lot of the products and produce here come from South Africa and everything else is “Made in China.”

The” chappas” here are the main man-made bus line that sometimes when you go on the bus, the doors fly off or you are asked to get off on your stop through the windows because they are so packed of people.  They have become so popular that from what I understand the government has a piece of it now and they have been downsized. They are the size of mini vans and most times than not people are physically on top of each other.  So many of the volunteers do not take this form of transportation and we are all too broke to take taxis, so for many of us our form of physical exercise is walking.  I love walking and actually people use to think Einstein was nuts because he use to walk so much but man oh man do I get tired sometimes walking across the city especially in the heat.  Don't think they sell good shoes here to replace the war-torn sidewalk shoes you just ripped..no..no..no.  Flip flop professionals are the main foot wear experience here, hence the sock sporting fashion with the flip flops or the socks that look like mittens on your toes. YUPPERS!

Another simple but reality bitten fact here is that many buildings do not have elevators.  If your building does have an elevator, they rarely work and if they do work it’s a bit too scary when it stops and you notice the step you have to climb to get off the elevator.  The best is when you start to realize that you don’t huff and puff any more after climbing 5 flights of stairs! 

Last night it was the 1^st time I experienced some time here without any running water and it was 1 of the hottest days so far.  I was so excited to find out this morning that the water was turned on again.  However, this is a common thing that happens in Mozambique and thanks to the placement goddesses that I was placed in the city because some placements in other municipalities the lack of water and electricity happens a lot or the shower is the bucket outside every morning.  

Sometimes it gets too simple and you do miss many things like the civilization of protecting children and animals.  Like when you spot street kids not older than 7 yrs old on the busiest corner lying side by side on the sidewalk taking a nap underneath a tree or when the man in a wheel chair with no legs needs 2 big jugs of water to hold down his wheelchair but then you realize he can't push it, or when the 14 year old or younger boy with special needs stands on the same corner everyday wearing the same flip flop and torn up clothes.  Or when you begin to notice the beggar who is so polite. Or when you have gone to a restaurant and decide to "take away" the rest of your food and you don't even walk 2 steps and you know they should call it "give away" because you can't bear to see the whole family going through the garbage bins any more.  I can't sleep either at nights sometimes because of what I have seen and because of the city dogs don't stop barking, crying and yelling at night and all day.  There is a law here that you can NOT walk your dog in the park, so they are mainly used for guard dogs.  Also, someone was hoarding a monkey for a pet with a very short leash in his back yard and it just died.  The cats are very skinny and the roosters and chickens can be spotted in a local downtown hood amongst anything or anyone.

I have been called "white" women so many times here I can't believe it, I have always considered myself and many other women of many colours not just 1.  The other day I got called "molungo" from a local women the size of 3 of me blown up.  I learned to let it go INSTANTLY.  Molungo is the equivalent of calling a black person the N word but it seems like neither is very minded here.  I was also able to go to Nelspirt, South Africa to apply for my work Visa and it was a great experience.  South Africa appears to be in the remnants of apartheid still.  I was walking to the House of Commissions office to go and apply for the work Visa and the bus driver was taking me there to show me where to go.  As we were walking many people spoke to him in different dialects I did not understand (Zulu and Afrikaans).  He told me afterwards that there comments and questions were based on curiosity to why he was walking with a white women.  I thanked him for walking me and bid him adieu.  I then had to wait for a few hours and decided to walk around.  South Africa is beautiful; the landscape is mountains and waterfronts, just like I pictured Africa.  As I was roaming around I saw a market and I decided to walk towards it, it was not until a man called out to me did I realize that I was the ONLY white person in this market or even walking around downtown.  I slowly but quickly got myself outta there folks!

I also want to continue with writing about my work experiences here too.  I have finished helping the youth at AEFUM by writing a proposal about educating and empowering university students about the HIV/AIDS epidemic so they can begin activists roles within the schools, communities and beyond.  Fingers crossed that we receive some money to get this project started.  My wonderful colleague Nelson has also applied for more money to continue with the project in helping the orphanages.  There are many projects I will like to get started here, more interesting propositions to come soon for sure.  I have many ideas but the 1 idea I would love to get going besides putting schools and day care centres in the orphanages, is to help AEFUM have a running toilet at the centre they are located in.  Yes you have understood me well people, I do not have a running, working, toilet paper holding, running water, soap dispenser washroom when I go to work or when the youth and others come to the centre.  YUPPERS! Whooohoooo!

I have also made progress with my Kundalini Yoga classes I am teaching adults and the youth asked for a class 1 a week at the centre AEFUM.  I am also able to volunteer my time to some other causes so I made connections with a physiotherapist that works with children with special needs and I am going to hope fully get to help her out.  Susana is going to take me to a school where parents cannot afford private schools where they include children with special needs, so a school of ONLY children with special needs.  I truly can’t wait, but my epiphany and challenge has been when you take your time and figure things out it will all unveil itself perfectly.

When Susana told me that they pay for your transportation and give you something to eat when you are there, I nearly jumped for joy, simple but great.

Please do not hesitate to tell me about the things happening in your lives! XO