“I cant remember when the earth turned slowly, so Im just waiting with the lights turned out again \ I lost my place but I cant stop this story \ I found my way but until then, Im only spinning” – Jacks Mannequin
Halfway into the 4th week of training (Ive been in this country a whole month!), I feel that I am in a bit of a slump. Spending day after day with the same 24 health volunteers in a small room, talking about the same topics, becomes absurdly tedious. We are halfway through training but the finish line seems so far away still. I feel very fatigued, which is apparently normal during PST.
I am fortunate enough to get at least some alone time, unlike many of my peers. My family knows I close my door after dinner at 8. I tell them that the light in my room is better for reading and doing homework, which is true. The family just sits around and watches Brazilian soap operas at night anyway.
I did, however, wake up last week in the middle of the night to a strange scratching noise coming from the corner of my room. I turned on the light and noticed a fairly large hole above me in the wood plank in between the roof and the wall. As I continued to watch, a little nose poked through the hole and suddenly I was having a staring contest with a rat (mouse?). It was pretty cute, actually, with big ears. I told my mae the next day so she borrowed the neighbors cat and locked it in the kitchen overnight and my little visitor hasn’t been back since.
Speaking Portuguese from sunrise to sunset is certainly a challenge. I am in a fairly advanced group with 5 other students and a professor named Meque. This Saturday we are having an American cooking session, and our group is planning to make pancakes and omelettes. I am also going to start cooking for my host family once a week… Im excited for fried rice, mashed potatoes, banana bread, garlic bread… If only it were possible to have a nice, juicy steak mailed to me. Food is a common topic of conversation among trainees, as you can probably tell.
Today, all 71 trainees must cross the Swaziland border to renew their visas. My group was first, so we have the rest of the day off (thankfully). Unfortunately, we are not official volunteers yet and cannot travel and play in other countries, so we basically had to walk across the border and come right back. Peace Corps has had some issues with our visas, because the price of a permanent visa has skyrocketed from about $100 about $1000 US.
Next week we have a couple of permagarden sessions (how to create a sustainable garden), which will be useful. Although Im usually awful at growing plants, I hope that when I get to site I will have a chance to cultivate my green thumb.
I may have already mentioned this, but I also plan to get a baby goat (to mow my lawn and omg they are so cute), a cat (to deal with mice), and a ferocious dog (to guard my house). It will be quite the farm.
There seems to be a problem with the mail getting to us, unfortunately. A staff member told us that at this time last year, the packages were rolling in, in large quantities, which is not the case this year. I have only received 1 out of 6 pieces of mail I am expecting. Hopefully the mail starts arriving soon; everyone seems to be waiting for something. Next week should be the last week you should send me mail if you plan to, until I receive my site placement and can give a permanent address.
I hope everyone is doing well! I would love to hear from you guys. It would certainly lift my spirits.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Vida em Namaacha
"If I just breathe, let it fill the space between, I´ll know everything is alright." - Michelle Branch, "Breathe"
Life in Namaacha is becoming normalized. I know my way around Bairro B and how to get to the places I need to go- mainly the market, the agencia where I use internet on a very slow computer, my friends houses, health class, and of course, the barracas (bars). Haha, just kidding. But not really… There are definitely limited places where large groups of volunteers can go to hang out.
2nd week seemed to go by much faster than week one, now that I have language basics, a stronger relationship with my host family, and the establishment of a daily routine. I wake up at 630 to the sound of roosters. Theyre everywhere. The 1st week, Id wake up when they started at about 3am but now, I just tune them out until the sun is actually out. I take a bath first thing (tomar banho), then eat mato-bicho (breakfast)- almost always fried eggs, bread, and tea (or instant coffee). Language class is from 730 to 930 and from 3-50, always held at one of our homes. We rotate every week and its interesting to see how different our lots are… Some homes have running water or gas stoves or indoor toilets, although mine certainly does not.
My lingua class, as of yesterday, was the smallest language group with only 3 of us. The teachers and classes were rotated yesterday based on how well we did on our first test. Id like to think Im in an average to high group, but who knows. My Portuguese definitely still sucks :)
Health class is from 10-1230 with a lunch break that is usually 1 or 1.5 hours, depending on the day. Some days I need to bring my lunch, which tends to be an ordeal because Mozambicans do not just have already prepared food waiting to be eaten. After class, I usually hang out with other volunteers, walking around (passeando) which is quite the pasttime here. Its probably culturally equivalent to just ´chilling with friends.`
On Sundays, I go to church with my family. Its a lengthy experience- approx 3 hours, but also very culturally rich and different from anything Im used to. They spend an hour singing in small groups, another hour collecting donatios in conga-line dancing and singing formations.
The weather here is rather unpredictable, sometimes violently rainy and windy at night. It is also amplified by the tin roof over my head, so sometimes I feel (as another voluteer described it) as if I am stewing in a giant pot. Lets not mention the plethora of animals that trek around on the roof as well, particularly when Im trying to sleep. When it rains, the roads turn to mud that cakes to your shoes and weigh your feet down when youre walking to class. Its also been colder than I expected, certainly colder than San Diego... But then again, we were warned that Namaacha has a microclimate similar to that of Swaziland, and not to expect the same throughout the rest of Moz.
In Mozambique, theres no such thing as different types of food. Food is food and if youre picky, this country is not for you. Salad and french fries for breakfast is entirely possible, especially if you happen to mention to your mae that you really enjoyed having them for dinner last night. Some things you can expect every meal: rice, pasta, or xima (a disgustlingly tasteless mush of corn adn flour that looks heartbreakingly like mashed potatoes). Xima is the one thing I have informed my host family that I intensely dislike, by the way. Theres always a type of protein as well, be it chicken (freshly killed in the backyard, of course. Also something on my training to-do list), goat, rarely beef, or peixe (fish that is most of the time fried and contains a million annoying bones). Oh, or bologna. Yes, bologna, and of a suspiciously bright shade of red too. Most veggies, aside from salad, are cooked in the rice or sauce to the point of absolute softness (read: no nutritional value). Some volunteers have had stomach problems, but Ive been okay.
I cannot wait to get to my own site and make fried rice! And spicy ramen, does anyone want to send me some more? Thatd be great, thanks. Ive also had multiple cravings for the strangest things, particularly skittles, goldfish crackers, cheezits. (Hint hint)
My mailing address is on a previous blog post (I dont have it on me right now)
and my PHONE NUMBER is 258 820 653 968. Its cheapest via google, and skype is 2nd best. Call me!! I would love to hear from you. I havent had time to keep up with anyone via internet, unfortunately.
Until next time, take care!
Life in Namaacha is becoming normalized. I know my way around Bairro B and how to get to the places I need to go- mainly the market, the agencia where I use internet on a very slow computer, my friends houses, health class, and of course, the barracas (bars). Haha, just kidding. But not really… There are definitely limited places where large groups of volunteers can go to hang out.
2nd week seemed to go by much faster than week one, now that I have language basics, a stronger relationship with my host family, and the establishment of a daily routine. I wake up at 630 to the sound of roosters. Theyre everywhere. The 1st week, Id wake up when they started at about 3am but now, I just tune them out until the sun is actually out. I take a bath first thing (tomar banho), then eat mato-bicho (breakfast)- almost always fried eggs, bread, and tea (or instant coffee). Language class is from 730 to 930 and from 3-50, always held at one of our homes. We rotate every week and its interesting to see how different our lots are… Some homes have running water or gas stoves or indoor toilets, although mine certainly does not.
My lingua class, as of yesterday, was the smallest language group with only 3 of us. The teachers and classes were rotated yesterday based on how well we did on our first test. Id like to think Im in an average to high group, but who knows. My Portuguese definitely still sucks :)
Health class is from 10-1230 with a lunch break that is usually 1 or 1.5 hours, depending on the day. Some days I need to bring my lunch, which tends to be an ordeal because Mozambicans do not just have already prepared food waiting to be eaten. After class, I usually hang out with other volunteers, walking around (passeando) which is quite the pasttime here. Its probably culturally equivalent to just ´chilling with friends.`
On Sundays, I go to church with my family. Its a lengthy experience- approx 3 hours, but also very culturally rich and different from anything Im used to. They spend an hour singing in small groups, another hour collecting donatios in conga-line dancing and singing formations.
The weather here is rather unpredictable, sometimes violently rainy and windy at night. It is also amplified by the tin roof over my head, so sometimes I feel (as another voluteer described it) as if I am stewing in a giant pot. Lets not mention the plethora of animals that trek around on the roof as well, particularly when Im trying to sleep. When it rains, the roads turn to mud that cakes to your shoes and weigh your feet down when youre walking to class. Its also been colder than I expected, certainly colder than San Diego... But then again, we were warned that Namaacha has a microclimate similar to that of Swaziland, and not to expect the same throughout the rest of Moz.
In Mozambique, theres no such thing as different types of food. Food is food and if youre picky, this country is not for you. Salad and french fries for breakfast is entirely possible, especially if you happen to mention to your mae that you really enjoyed having them for dinner last night. Some things you can expect every meal: rice, pasta, or xima (a disgustlingly tasteless mush of corn adn flour that looks heartbreakingly like mashed potatoes). Xima is the one thing I have informed my host family that I intensely dislike, by the way. Theres always a type of protein as well, be it chicken (freshly killed in the backyard, of course. Also something on my training to-do list), goat, rarely beef, or peixe (fish that is most of the time fried and contains a million annoying bones). Oh, or bologna. Yes, bologna, and of a suspiciously bright shade of red too. Most veggies, aside from salad, are cooked in the rice or sauce to the point of absolute softness (read: no nutritional value). Some volunteers have had stomach problems, but Ive been okay.
I cannot wait to get to my own site and make fried rice! And spicy ramen, does anyone want to send me some more? Thatd be great, thanks. Ive also had multiple cravings for the strangest things, particularly skittles, goldfish crackers, cheezits. (Hint hint)
My mailing address is on a previous blog post (I dont have it on me right now)
and my PHONE NUMBER is 258 820 653 968. Its cheapest via google, and skype is 2nd best. Call me!! I would love to hear from you. I havent had time to keep up with anyone via internet, unfortunately.
Until next time, take care!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Boa vinda a Moçambique!
"Say, all I need is the air I breathe, and a place to rest my head." - Onerepublic
After leaving the comforts of Hotel Kaya Kwanga in Maputo on Saturday, we arrived in Namaacha, Mozambique- our training site and homestay for the next 10 weeks. All the families came in singing and holding up post-its with our names on them, and then held our hands all the way home.
I live in Bairro B with all the other Health volunteers. I have a mai, a pai, four host sisters ages 4-20, and a host brother (22). We have electricity but no running water. My bathroom is an outdoor latrine (aka hole in the ground) with a chimney on top, and I take bucket baths no less than 3 times a day, as it is Mozambique custom to bathe before every (large) meal. (We eat three big meals a day and two small meals.) Food is generally very carb-heavy: bread, pasta, crackers, french fries, more bread... Mozambicans love to feed you, and being fat is good here. I find small cockroaches in my house sometimes, but its a part of life here. The one thing I havent gotten used to, is hearing the roosters start going off at 3 in the morning, and the big rats that scuttle around on the roof above my bed.
When I arrived at my home on the first day, I was surprised to see a Justin Bieber music video on the TV, followed by Lil Wayne and Rihanna. I visited a middle school the other day, and the students were eager to ask if I knew Beyonce and Justin Bieber personally. I guess I just cant get away from Bieber fever... even in Africa.
On a similar note, I was caught off guard to see how Westernized everything is. They refer to toothpaste as "Colgate," yogurt as "Danon," and kids run around with Nike shoes and Western brand clothing. When I met my pai, he was wearing a Miller Lite shirt.
However, Mozambicans tend to have little concept of geography (which I was warned about beforehand)... The first day I showed my family pictures from my camera. "Las Vegas" I said, pointing. My mai gave me a confused look, until my oldest sister (a teacher) clarified, "En Espana." (In Spain) Everyone nodded and then continued on scanning through the rest of the photos.
My Portuguese is improving immensely, even after less than a week of being here. It is certainly not as similar to Spanish as I expected. Now I can understand most things and even speak a minimal amount... I guess being immersed in a foreign culture will do that to you. Or maybe the 10 hours of language classes a day.
Something else I find interesting, is the difference in concept of privacy. Here, being alone is a bad thing. Mozambicans take it to mean something is wrong. However, Americans enjoy their alone time and for this reason, by the end of the first day I just wanted to shut myself in my room and journal and go to bed.
As I was taking my first bath in Mozambique, my mai walked around the corner of the bath hut and told me I was doing it wrong. I needed to tie up my hair, she said (or motioned, because I had no idea what she was saying) so she called for my sisters to get a hair tie for me. Then, before I knew it, two of them walked around the corner and I suddenly had three pairs of curious eyes on me as I was already naked and soaking wet. They finally left and I was able to finish my bath in peace.
My second bath, no such luck. Because it was dark outside, my mai had a flashlight which I assumed she would leave with me. Instead, she held it up for me and waited for me to bathe... So I did, slowly and awkwardly. After a couple of minutes, she shook her head, spewed some foreign Portuguese at me, and proceeded to bathe me, literally. She scrubbed me with her hands and a bar of soap like I was a baby. (And in many ways, I am, because I dont know how to speak or prepare food in this country- or bathe, apparently.) I didnt know who should feel more awkward, me or her, but she seemed to have no problem with it. I guess that was my introduction to Africa. Welcome to Mozambique.
After leaving the comforts of Hotel Kaya Kwanga in Maputo on Saturday, we arrived in Namaacha, Mozambique- our training site and homestay for the next 10 weeks. All the families came in singing and holding up post-its with our names on them, and then held our hands all the way home.
I live in Bairro B with all the other Health volunteers. I have a mai, a pai, four host sisters ages 4-20, and a host brother (22). We have electricity but no running water. My bathroom is an outdoor latrine (aka hole in the ground) with a chimney on top, and I take bucket baths no less than 3 times a day, as it is Mozambique custom to bathe before every (large) meal. (We eat three big meals a day and two small meals.) Food is generally very carb-heavy: bread, pasta, crackers, french fries, more bread... Mozambicans love to feed you, and being fat is good here. I find small cockroaches in my house sometimes, but its a part of life here. The one thing I havent gotten used to, is hearing the roosters start going off at 3 in the morning, and the big rats that scuttle around on the roof above my bed.
When I arrived at my home on the first day, I was surprised to see a Justin Bieber music video on the TV, followed by Lil Wayne and Rihanna. I visited a middle school the other day, and the students were eager to ask if I knew Beyonce and Justin Bieber personally. I guess I just cant get away from Bieber fever... even in Africa.
On a similar note, I was caught off guard to see how Westernized everything is. They refer to toothpaste as "Colgate," yogurt as "Danon," and kids run around with Nike shoes and Western brand clothing. When I met my pai, he was wearing a Miller Lite shirt.
However, Mozambicans tend to have little concept of geography (which I was warned about beforehand)... The first day I showed my family pictures from my camera. "Las Vegas" I said, pointing. My mai gave me a confused look, until my oldest sister (a teacher) clarified, "En Espana." (In Spain) Everyone nodded and then continued on scanning through the rest of the photos.
My Portuguese is improving immensely, even after less than a week of being here. It is certainly not as similar to Spanish as I expected. Now I can understand most things and even speak a minimal amount... I guess being immersed in a foreign culture will do that to you. Or maybe the 10 hours of language classes a day.
Something else I find interesting, is the difference in concept of privacy. Here, being alone is a bad thing. Mozambicans take it to mean something is wrong. However, Americans enjoy their alone time and for this reason, by the end of the first day I just wanted to shut myself in my room and journal and go to bed.
As I was taking my first bath in Mozambique, my mai walked around the corner of the bath hut and told me I was doing it wrong. I needed to tie up my hair, she said (or motioned, because I had no idea what she was saying) so she called for my sisters to get a hair tie for me. Then, before I knew it, two of them walked around the corner and I suddenly had three pairs of curious eyes on me as I was already naked and soaking wet. They finally left and I was able to finish my bath in peace.
My second bath, no such luck. Because it was dark outside, my mai had a flashlight which I assumed she would leave with me. Instead, she held it up for me and waited for me to bathe... So I did, slowly and awkwardly. After a couple of minutes, she shook her head, spewed some foreign Portuguese at me, and proceeded to bathe me, literally. She scrubbed me with her hands and a bar of soap like I was a baby. (And in many ways, I am, because I dont know how to speak or prepare food in this country- or bathe, apparently.) I didnt know who should feel more awkward, me or her, but she seemed to have no problem with it. I guess that was my introduction to Africa. Welcome to Mozambique.
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