January 18
I was playing in the yard with some of the seemingly infinite number of children that live behind my house and casually trying to teach them English. In many ways this is a lost cause because quite a few children do not speak Portuguese (the national language), instead they speak one of the many local languages spoken in Mozambique (really throughout Africa - Mozambique has more than 60). In my case, people here in Gondola speak one of three local languages (the names of which I cannot spell or even pronounce for that matter – though I do know a few simple phrases). Anyway, back to the point, the kids were saying words in Portuguese and I was translating them into English. They got to mae and pae which I translated to mom and dad. They were confused with the word “dad” so I began to explain it and one boy asked me “ Você tem pae?” which means, “do you have a father?” I thought it was a silly question and I quickly answered yes, but than I thought about it a bit…
I live in an area of Mozambique that is on a major highway (resulting in sex between Mozambicans and residents of neighboring countries that are passing through), near Zimbabwae (which has a comparatively high prevalence of HIV), and near a large city (resulting in lots of transactional sex). Although I don’t have the numbers I would estimate the HIV infection rate here in Gondola to hover around the 25% range for the 15-49 age demographic (this is a guess, not a real statistic). Additionally the extremely high rates of HIV here in sub-saharan Africa are generally attributed to a culture of concurrent relationships (that is multiple sexual relationships going on simultaneously rather than the western method (generally speaking) of one monogamous sexual relationship after another). Hence, HIV infection rates are extremely high not because Africans are having more sex, but because they are involved in these concurrent relationships (that may last years or even decades). If you are confused, think about in terms of everyone’s favorite high school illness: mononucleosis (which we generally associate with kissing – though it is spread in other ways). If Betty has mono and she makes out with one dude (and that dude is with Betty exclusively and Betty is with him exclusively) only one dude is going to have mono. However if Betty is in concurrent relationships with two other guys – at least three people are going to have mono (and if one of the other guys is also in a concurrent relationship even more people will have mono - the numbers have potential to multiply quickly).
Back to the original question “do you have a father”, which I now realize is not silly at all. There are many reasons here (whether it is an AIDS death or the child was the result of a concurrent relationship gone dry) that a child would not have a father. I originally dismissed the question, but I now realize it is not only not silly, but extremely relevant here in Southern Africa.
February 11
Well, school finally started. It was supposed to start on February 2, but it took about a week for the school to get everything organized and for students and teachers to start showing up. I have six turmas (classes) each with anywhere from 40-70 students. Here in Mozambique the turma stays in one room and the teachers come to them, that being said most of my classrooms are decent. However I have two classes in the basement of a nearby Catholic Church that feels like it was built in the 1600s. So I feel like I am teaching in the middle ages (and my chalkboards in those classes are about three feet by three feet). The students don’t really want to learn chemistry (but who really does?) however, I think they are at least excited that they have a white (and tall) teacher.
Our (that is my roommate and myself) neighbors took us on the 10k walk (their family members walk it everyday) to their machamba (farm) one day. It was interesting; they grow corn (to be made into corn flour – which is a staple here), peanuts, and sugar cane with seemingly no organization at all. They also have a random assortment of fruit trees (guava, banana, mango, avocado, and more). For the most part, people in Gondola rely on subsistence farming to support themselves (and they sell whatever extra food they have) so it was good that we saw the farm – which is basically their life.
I have gone into Chimoio (the big city that is nearby) quite a few times for get-togethers with other pcvs. The central region of Mozambique (which is where I live) is the worst geographically (because we don’t really have a beach) but it is nice because people are close enough to each other to see each other on occasional weekends. It is also nice to be near Shoprite (the South African grocery store chain). I recently figured out that Shoprite does not have sales (because there really is no competition) but that they mark down food (mostly dairy products) significantly if it is near the expiration date. So my roommate and myself go to shoprite and buy almost expired butter and cheese (we can not afford the good stuff we can not get any dairy products in Gondola – although they do have un-refrigerated margarine – which is a novelty to me) and than we have to race to finish it before the expiration date (it is really a lot of fun).
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
December 18
Typing the date makes me realize it is a week until Christmas, but it sure does not feel like that here. The last time I updated this thing I was on my way to site – living the high life and taking showers in Maputo (living the high life in Mozambique = taking showers). The next day I got up early with the four other volunteers headed to Manica province and went to the airport. It turns out we were delayed for five hours because the King of Tanzania was arriving and the airport was closed – that was exciting, I did not even know Tanzania had a king (my research tells Tanzania is one of three monarchies remaining in Africa). Anyway, to get to the point we arrived in Chimoio (capital of Manica Province) Monday afternoon on a small 15-seat plane that bounced around like crazy. Chimoio is the fifth largest city in Mozambique and it is set about 200 km from the ocean and right at the edge of the Mountains that hug the Zimbabwe-Mozambique boarder. A Peace Corps employee met us at the airport and we headed to our site (Gondola), which is 16 km east (toward the ocean) of Chimoio.
Gondola is a town built around a road (the EN6) and a railroad that connect Zimbabwe and Zambia to the Mozambican port of Beira – it is (or at least was before Zimbabwe became a political and economic disaster) probably one of the busiest shipping routes in sub-Saharan Africa. It is evident that there was once a strong Portuguese presence here (my house, for instance was built by the Portuguese railroad company during the height of colonial times) there is also a bizarrely opulent sports club (now in ruins of course) with soccer and basketball stadium along with an Olympic sized pool. Somehow, a population of fish survives in the rainwater that collects in the deep end of the pool (I know because I talked to some kids fishing in the pool). I cannot figure out if it is an evolutionary miracle (that the population of fish evolved in the pool since the 1970s when the Portuguese left) or someone put someone fish in the pool (I will hazard to guess the later is the truth).
The good news (regarding my site), though, is that I am relatively close to “Shoprite” the South African Grocery store chain of which there are just four in Mozambique. If it is food and you can get it in Moz, shoprite has it. This means I am going to be able to eat things like cheese occasionally (I will also be able to eat meat – because I just met a guy who kills a goat everyday and brings it to the market five minutes from my house). So I am excited about my dining possibilities here in Gondola.
Back to my house… first of all it is huge. We (my roommate David and myself) have six large rooms with thirteen or fourteen foot ceilings, but there is absolutely nothing in it and there have not been any repairs or maintenance for at least 33 years since the Portuguese left. When I say nothing I mean nothing – no counters, no shelves, no sink, no running water, (we do have a few lights, but our electricity is terrible), definitely no kitchen, in many cases no window panes. The only things we do have are cockroaches and termites. We are trying to take care of the cockroaches with the nastiest looking chemical at shoprite and cleaning our floors with it (now our house smells like a gasoline spill), the termites are another story. So anyway, I have lots to do, but I also have lots of time (school doesn’t start until February and PC will not let me leave Manica Province until March).
December 27
Christmas came and went even in Mozambique. I went to Chimio and stayed at the apartment of two female health volunteers (there are health volunteers and education volunteers in Moz – I am an education volunteer) along with my roommate and three other girls. It is a pretty swanky apartment – it has running water, consistent electricity, and furniture. We had a nice Christmas, we spent a lot of time cooking American-style food and it all turned out really well. We ate until we felt sick and than we ate some more, than it was time for the secret santa gift exchange (the theme was housewarming gifts and the price limit was 200 meticais – about eight dollars). I received an estiera (a read mat) and a pilao (a wooden mortar and pestle-type device). Christmas was nice, but obviously it is a time when I miss my friends and family in the states.
After a straight week of rain my house in Gondola has developed a termite problem of biblical proportions. They are coming out of holes in the floor and actually building mounds inside the house. They also spawn these large flies with wings that are meant to spread the colony (at least this is what my roommate tells me – and he has watched his share of animal planet). Anyway, the flies come out at night and there are so many of them banging against things in our house that we actually mistook them for rain one night. The situation is even more bizarre because Mozambicans sweep up the flies in our house and eat them (I was offered, but declined). We are trying to remedy the situation as I type by pouring motor oil down the termite holes – to be followed by covering the holes with cement. Not too much else to report, I have been doing a whole lot of nothing recently (which is nice).
Oh yeah, I have a new address:
Polk Duffy - Peter Minchella
P.O Box 234
Chimio, Manica,
Mozambique
Africa
January 14, 2009
Hello friends, I realize it has been a while since I posted anything online, but I ask you (my readership) to bear with me as I try to find a consistent (and affordable internet connection). The other option (if you really like me/ want to correspond) is that you can email me at peter.minchella@gmail.com.
I really do not have much to report, my roommate and myself continue to try to integrate ourselves into the community and settle into our home. We have started playing basketball fairly often (the competition is less than stellar, but that makes me feel better about telling people that I should have recieved more playing time in college). I spend a lot of time cooking, reading, exercising, telling people I will not give them money, being stared at, and playing with the seemingly infinite numbers of children who show up in my yard.
You would be surprised what you can do (cooking-wise) with a stove in Mozambique.
Mangoes are also a big part of my life right now as we are in the midst of mango season. There are three or four large mango trees in my yard, but I generally let kids steal those and buy better ones at the market. Mangoes are unbelievably cheap (at the height of the season – which, sadly, at this point has passed) I was buying five high-quality mangoes for 1 metical (which is equivalent to about 4 cents). The result is that I eat a lot of mangoes (and put them in everything – I am sure that my Italian grandfather would be horrified to know that I made a delicious mango-tomato sauce and ate it with spaghetti). I am anxiously looking forward to avocado season (I also have a large avocado tree in my yard) and whatever else this semi-tropical climate brings me.
My roommate has a guitar, so I am starting to learn a little bit of guitar (everyone knows that chicks love guys who play guitar) so far it is not going well. The start of school looms closer everyday when my inadequate Portuguese (I talk to my roommate in English way to much) will manifest itself into a high school chemistry class.
I recently learned the stunning news that the Arizona Cardinals are in the NFC Championship (this is the kind of thing that makes me feel like I have been out of the country a lot longer than 4 months).
Typing the date makes me realize it is a week until Christmas, but it sure does not feel like that here. The last time I updated this thing I was on my way to site – living the high life and taking showers in Maputo (living the high life in Mozambique = taking showers). The next day I got up early with the four other volunteers headed to Manica province and went to the airport. It turns out we were delayed for five hours because the King of Tanzania was arriving and the airport was closed – that was exciting, I did not even know Tanzania had a king (my research tells Tanzania is one of three monarchies remaining in Africa). Anyway, to get to the point we arrived in Chimoio (capital of Manica Province) Monday afternoon on a small 15-seat plane that bounced around like crazy. Chimoio is the fifth largest city in Mozambique and it is set about 200 km from the ocean and right at the edge of the Mountains that hug the Zimbabwe-Mozambique boarder. A Peace Corps employee met us at the airport and we headed to our site (Gondola), which is 16 km east (toward the ocean) of Chimoio.
Gondola is a town built around a road (the EN6) and a railroad that connect Zimbabwe and Zambia to the Mozambican port of Beira – it is (or at least was before Zimbabwe became a political and economic disaster) probably one of the busiest shipping routes in sub-Saharan Africa. It is evident that there was once a strong Portuguese presence here (my house, for instance was built by the Portuguese railroad company during the height of colonial times) there is also a bizarrely opulent sports club (now in ruins of course) with soccer and basketball stadium along with an Olympic sized pool. Somehow, a population of fish survives in the rainwater that collects in the deep end of the pool (I know because I talked to some kids fishing in the pool). I cannot figure out if it is an evolutionary miracle (that the population of fish evolved in the pool since the 1970s when the Portuguese left) or someone put someone fish in the pool (I will hazard to guess the later is the truth).
The good news (regarding my site), though, is that I am relatively close to “Shoprite” the South African Grocery store chain of which there are just four in Mozambique. If it is food and you can get it in Moz, shoprite has it. This means I am going to be able to eat things like cheese occasionally (I will also be able to eat meat – because I just met a guy who kills a goat everyday and brings it to the market five minutes from my house). So I am excited about my dining possibilities here in Gondola.
Back to my house… first of all it is huge. We (my roommate David and myself) have six large rooms with thirteen or fourteen foot ceilings, but there is absolutely nothing in it and there have not been any repairs or maintenance for at least 33 years since the Portuguese left. When I say nothing I mean nothing – no counters, no shelves, no sink, no running water, (we do have a few lights, but our electricity is terrible), definitely no kitchen, in many cases no window panes. The only things we do have are cockroaches and termites. We are trying to take care of the cockroaches with the nastiest looking chemical at shoprite and cleaning our floors with it (now our house smells like a gasoline spill), the termites are another story. So anyway, I have lots to do, but I also have lots of time (school doesn’t start until February and PC will not let me leave Manica Province until March).
December 27
Christmas came and went even in Mozambique. I went to Chimio and stayed at the apartment of two female health volunteers (there are health volunteers and education volunteers in Moz – I am an education volunteer) along with my roommate and three other girls. It is a pretty swanky apartment – it has running water, consistent electricity, and furniture. We had a nice Christmas, we spent a lot of time cooking American-style food and it all turned out really well. We ate until we felt sick and than we ate some more, than it was time for the secret santa gift exchange (the theme was housewarming gifts and the price limit was 200 meticais – about eight dollars). I received an estiera (a read mat) and a pilao (a wooden mortar and pestle-type device). Christmas was nice, but obviously it is a time when I miss my friends and family in the states.
After a straight week of rain my house in Gondola has developed a termite problem of biblical proportions. They are coming out of holes in the floor and actually building mounds inside the house. They also spawn these large flies with wings that are meant to spread the colony (at least this is what my roommate tells me – and he has watched his share of animal planet). Anyway, the flies come out at night and there are so many of them banging against things in our house that we actually mistook them for rain one night. The situation is even more bizarre because Mozambicans sweep up the flies in our house and eat them (I was offered, but declined). We are trying to remedy the situation as I type by pouring motor oil down the termite holes – to be followed by covering the holes with cement. Not too much else to report, I have been doing a whole lot of nothing recently (which is nice).
Oh yeah, I have a new address:
Polk Duffy - Peter Minchella
P.O Box 234
Chimio, Manica,
Mozambique
Africa
January 14, 2009
Hello friends, I realize it has been a while since I posted anything online, but I ask you (my readership) to bear with me as I try to find a consistent (and affordable internet connection). The other option (if you really like me/ want to correspond) is that you can email me at peter.minchella@gmail.com.
I really do not have much to report, my roommate and myself continue to try to integrate ourselves into the community and settle into our home. We have started playing basketball fairly often (the competition is less than stellar, but that makes me feel better about telling people that I should have recieved more playing time in college). I spend a lot of time cooking, reading, exercising, telling people I will not give them money, being stared at, and playing with the seemingly infinite numbers of children who show up in my yard.
You would be surprised what you can do (cooking-wise) with a stove in Mozambique.
Mangoes are also a big part of my life right now as we are in the midst of mango season. There are three or four large mango trees in my yard, but I generally let kids steal those and buy better ones at the market. Mangoes are unbelievably cheap (at the height of the season – which, sadly, at this point has passed) I was buying five high-quality mangoes for 1 metical (which is equivalent to about 4 cents). The result is that I eat a lot of mangoes (and put them in everything – I am sure that my Italian grandfather would be horrified to know that I made a delicious mango-tomato sauce and ate it with spaghetti). I am anxiously looking forward to avocado season (I also have a large avocado tree in my yard) and whatever else this semi-tropical climate brings me.
My roommate has a guitar, so I am starting to learn a little bit of guitar (everyone knows that chicks love guys who play guitar) so far it is not going well. The start of school looms closer everyday when my inadequate Portuguese (I talk to my roommate in English way to much) will manifest itself into a high school chemistry class.
I recently learned the stunning news that the Arizona Cardinals are in the NFC Championship (this is the kind of thing that makes me feel like I have been out of the country a lot longer than 4 months).
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Free Internet, alright!
I am on my way to site and staying in a hotel in Maputo - and they have wireless internet. This is a first in the ten weeks I have been in africa and very exciting. However, I have things to do here in the big city and I am going to make this quick.
I have been doing a lot of "passear" - ing lately, which a portuguese verb that means pretty much whatever you want it to mean here in Mozambique. In this context I will use it to mean that I have been enjoying the company of my fellow Peace Corps Trainees before we are shipped all over the country never to see each other again (which is sad but true in many cases).
We have also had a few last minute sessions regarding things such as local language (there are sixteen local languages spoken here in Mozambique - these are the languages you see on national geographic channel with whistles and clicks - and only about 40% of the population actually speaks portuguese). I tried to pick up a few phrases of Cimanika (my future local language in Gondola) I quickly realized it was impossible. We have also had some last minute information regarding cholera (due to the current cholera outbreak in neighboring Zimbabwae), Malaria (for which we always have to be vigilant as it is everywhere and can easily kill you), and of course HIV/AIDs which is very prevalent and obviously very bad.
I swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer last wednesday at the U.S Ambassador's house in Maputo- it was a formal affair, and nice ceremony. From the looks of this house, being the U.S Ambassador to Mozambique (or the ambassador equivalent, which is what we have here) looks to be a pretty job.
The next day we had a party for the home-stay families which turned in to a study in corruption in Mozambique. Because the people that ran the party were quite obviously skimming money/food off of the top.
But overall it has been a good, fun last week of training. I am not ready to leave the friends I have made, but I am ready to leave Namaacha.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Namaacha kids
Namaacha
My Brother - Bapu
Near Namaacha
Namaacha
My Brother - Bapu
Near Namaacha
Nov. 18
I returned from site visit and learned that most of my fellow PCTs had epic visits (with either excessive drinking, excessive chapa riding – 20 hours plus – or both). The result was that we had a few days to recover and do nothing – which I did not need, but I took advantage of anyway. One day I took a hike to a nearby waterfall (which does not have water in it, even though the rainy season has arrived – more on that later). Than I just hung out until Sunday when I came down with a severe case of Mozambican Mudbutt (GI tract issues) from which I am currently recovering.
I think I should take this time to explain the PC medical care system in Mozambique. Medical care here is supposed to be a top priority, but this country of twenty million does even have an MRI (in the entire country). Our current PC doctor is a temporary PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) because our real one is on medical leave (which I think is kind of ironic). The current PCMO from the Kyrgyz Republic who reminds me most of Borat. He comes to training every week and gives sessions on the terrible diseases we can pick up in Mozambique, but every session is hilarious because of the combination of this guy’s un-mastery of the English language and his sense of humor.
We had our interviews with the people who are going to decide where we are going to live for the next two years. This is a big deal in a country larger than California with roads so bad that people actually drive on the shoulder because it is better than the paved road (which is more pothole than road). This is not a joke, the main road in Mozambique “the EN1” is more pothole than road for almost 2000 km, and if the main road is that bad you can guess what the other roads are like. Anyway, we had our interviews – and they were very anticlimactic. My interview was about five minutes long, I stressed that I wanted to be able to stand up in my house and the APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Country Director) who was giving my interview said “this is very interesting, we can’t guarantee you anything”. We find out our placement the day before Thanksgiving at our thanksgiving festa.
I mentioned earlier that the rainy season has arrived; since nothing is paved in Namaacha it means the muddy season has arrived. The entire town is mud, with an occasional pool of standing water to breed malaria-infested anopheles mosquitoes. Also, if you have been following along you know that I don’t have a roof on my casa de banho – so all my business is performed in the rain. This includes my showers (which I thought was kind or ironic).
11/28
I went to Maputo last Saturday and I spent the entire day at the Maputo Shopping Center (the only structure in Mozambique that even closely resembles the western world). All I did was eat food that I cannot get in Namaacha (everything) and walk around the grocery store. A few volunteers were accosted (and almost arrested) by Mozambican Police (who can be bribed) because they were not carrying their passports – it was exciting only because we got to gossip about the story. On the way back home the door on my chapa flew open (I was not wearing a seatbelt – because I am in Africa and they do not have seatbelts), a few miles later the chapa overheated - it was fun.
We had thanksgiving on Wednesday. Peace Corps booked the only restaurant in Namaacha, and we had our site announcements directly before dinner. Site announcement was very exciting/nerve racking. I was placed in a town called Gondola near the city of Chimoio in Manica Province (not on the beach – significant because 70 percent of volunteers are close to the beach). I do not really know anything about it, except that I am relatively close to Zimbabwe (I am hoping to befriend Robert Mugabe). I am going to live with an English teacher and we are going to be teaching at the same secondary school (Escola Secundaria de Gondola). I will be the first PC science teacher the school has ever had.
After site announcement we had a delicious meal (though it was not like thanksgiving at all). Our country director was nice enough to bring a pumpkin pie and cranberries from the U.S, but that was the extent of the thanksgiving-like foods.
I also just finished my first week of model school, which means that I have been teaching a chemistry class every day to 20-25 students. Although the peace corps rates my language skills at intermediate-high, I would not tell anyone that my portuguese skill level is high. The result is that it is very difficult to teach a forty-five minute lesson about chemistry completely in Portuguese. I am told that I will be a pretty bad teacher for the first few months – and I am okay with that.
I returned from site visit and learned that most of my fellow PCTs had epic visits (with either excessive drinking, excessive chapa riding – 20 hours plus – or both). The result was that we had a few days to recover and do nothing – which I did not need, but I took advantage of anyway. One day I took a hike to a nearby waterfall (which does not have water in it, even though the rainy season has arrived – more on that later). Than I just hung out until Sunday when I came down with a severe case of Mozambican Mudbutt (GI tract issues) from which I am currently recovering.
I think I should take this time to explain the PC medical care system in Mozambique. Medical care here is supposed to be a top priority, but this country of twenty million does even have an MRI (in the entire country). Our current PC doctor is a temporary PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Officer) because our real one is on medical leave (which I think is kind of ironic). The current PCMO from the Kyrgyz Republic who reminds me most of Borat. He comes to training every week and gives sessions on the terrible diseases we can pick up in Mozambique, but every session is hilarious because of the combination of this guy’s un-mastery of the English language and his sense of humor.
We had our interviews with the people who are going to decide where we are going to live for the next two years. This is a big deal in a country larger than California with roads so bad that people actually drive on the shoulder because it is better than the paved road (which is more pothole than road). This is not a joke, the main road in Mozambique “the EN1” is more pothole than road for almost 2000 km, and if the main road is that bad you can guess what the other roads are like. Anyway, we had our interviews – and they were very anticlimactic. My interview was about five minutes long, I stressed that I wanted to be able to stand up in my house and the APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Country Director) who was giving my interview said “this is very interesting, we can’t guarantee you anything”. We find out our placement the day before Thanksgiving at our thanksgiving festa.
I mentioned earlier that the rainy season has arrived; since nothing is paved in Namaacha it means the muddy season has arrived. The entire town is mud, with an occasional pool of standing water to breed malaria-infested anopheles mosquitoes. Also, if you have been following along you know that I don’t have a roof on my casa de banho – so all my business is performed in the rain. This includes my showers (which I thought was kind or ironic).
11/28
I went to Maputo last Saturday and I spent the entire day at the Maputo Shopping Center (the only structure in Mozambique that even closely resembles the western world). All I did was eat food that I cannot get in Namaacha (everything) and walk around the grocery store. A few volunteers were accosted (and almost arrested) by Mozambican Police (who can be bribed) because they were not carrying their passports – it was exciting only because we got to gossip about the story. On the way back home the door on my chapa flew open (I was not wearing a seatbelt – because I am in Africa and they do not have seatbelts), a few miles later the chapa overheated - it was fun.
We had thanksgiving on Wednesday. Peace Corps booked the only restaurant in Namaacha, and we had our site announcements directly before dinner. Site announcement was very exciting/nerve racking. I was placed in a town called Gondola near the city of Chimoio in Manica Province (not on the beach – significant because 70 percent of volunteers are close to the beach). I do not really know anything about it, except that I am relatively close to Zimbabwe (I am hoping to befriend Robert Mugabe). I am going to live with an English teacher and we are going to be teaching at the same secondary school (Escola Secundaria de Gondola). I will be the first PC science teacher the school has ever had.
After site announcement we had a delicious meal (though it was not like thanksgiving at all). Our country director was nice enough to bring a pumpkin pie and cranberries from the U.S, but that was the extent of the thanksgiving-like foods.
I also just finished my first week of model school, which means that I have been teaching a chemistry class every day to 20-25 students. Although the peace corps rates my language skills at intermediate-high, I would not tell anyone that my portuguese skill level is high. The result is that it is very difficult to teach a forty-five minute lesson about chemistry completely in Portuguese. I am told that I will be a pretty bad teacher for the first few months – and I am okay with that.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Oh yeah,
I am checking my email more often these days - so feel free to email me at peter.minchella@gmail.com
I am checking my email more often these days - so feel free to email me at peter.minchella@gmail.com
xai-xai
I am currently on a site visit, in which PC sends us to current PCV sites so we know what we like and do not like. I am in Xai Xai a coastal city about three hours north of Maputo staying with two English teacher trainers. Getting there was fun - our chapa broke down and it took three hours and about ten mozambicanos to fix it.
Their house is awsome, and it is a welcome break from Namaacha, but I know it is not the kind of site that I want. I went to the beach yesterday with a bunch of other pcvs and had a good time, including my first swim in the Indian Ocean. On wednesday it is back to Namaacha and all that that entails - bad food - bad bathing facilities - portuguese. For now it is as if I am on a few day vacation from Mozambique.
I appreciate all the comments
Their house is awsome, and it is a welcome break from Namaacha, but I know it is not the kind of site that I want. I went to the beach yesterday with a bunch of other pcvs and had a good time, including my first swim in the Indian Ocean. On wednesday it is back to Namaacha and all that that entails - bad food - bad bathing facilities - portuguese. For now it is as if I am on a few day vacation from Mozambique.
I appreciate all the comments
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