|
|
|
April 26th, 2009
12:28 pm - South African Elections
It looks like Jacob Zuma will become the next South African president. Even though everybody knew he would win the elections, this still saddens me a little. I moved to South Africa with my family in 1992, just before the end of Apartheid. I was very fortunate to be there when the country experienced its first democratic elections in 1994, which culminated in Nelson Mandela being elected president. He was a brilliant speaker and a unifying force in a country that could very well have sunk in a bloody civil war. Fortunately this didn't happen and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up as a compromise.
But since Mandela has left power, and the initial euphoria is over, things seem to be going downhill. It's true the country is going through a transitional period and the results of decades of social injustice and racial prejudice cannot be changed overnight. However, the "quality" of South African leaders is definitely dropping. Ok, it's difficult live up to an iconic figure like Mandela, but still. Thabo Mbeki, Mandela's successor was a fence-sitter, not to mention his embarrassing statements to the effect that he didn't believe that the HIV-virus caused Aids and therefore didn't support any type of governmental action to subsidise and distribute retro-viral drugs to HIV-positive patients. And this in a country with of one of the highest infection rates in the world. And now Zuma: a man who's been involved in countless corruption charges (conveniently dropped just before the elections) and who was also accused of rape a few years ago. Where will all this lead to?
I'm afraid to answer this question. Even though I don't think South Africa will go the same way as Zimbabwe, I think things could get a lot worse before they get better. It's good at least to see that the political opposition is slowly getting stronger and hopefully in the not-too-distant future, the ANC will not monopolise South African politics so much.
But enough about politics. I love South Africa and regard it as my second home. And as I am in a mood for tributes, I'm posting two links below. The first contains a song by Soweto String Quartet, a group of amazing musicians known for their fusion of African and classical elements. I attended a live performance when I was a student in Cape Town. It was a brilliant concert and nearly brought the theatre hall down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MufiAgwQN1w
And the second is a rendition of "Weeping", a powerful protest-song about the alienating effects of Apartheid - performed in London last year to celebrate Mandela's 90th birthday. I must say I like the version by Soweto String Quartet (with vocals by Vusi Mahlasela) much better. It gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. I'd like to post a link for people to download and listen but don't want to violate copyrights here . :-(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-GrOzichZ8
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (= "God Bless Africa" in Xhosa). ;-)
|
July 14th, 2008
12:58 pm - To give or not to give
It is normally against my principles to give money to people here just because they ask for it (unless there is a real emergency). To me, this only reinforces a culture of begging that I find disturbing and at the same time annoying. Sometimes, as I walk around the village, people (young and old alike) come up to me and without so much as a greeting, ask for money. Asking outsiders for money seems to have become a bad habit.
Yesterday, on my way to the beach, I stopped to talk to the sister of one of the College workers. I had already seen her at the local market several times but did not realise she was related to this boy who works at the training restaurant. I was remarking this to her when a girl who was sitting next to her suddenly asked me for money. I asked her what for and she was silent, apparently embarrassed. She might as well have said that it was because I was an akunya (meaning a light-skinned foreigner in the local Makua language). Later on however, as I was lying on the beach, an old man carrying a bag full of shells approached me. When I politely explained that I did not want to buy any he then proceeded to ask for money. Normally, I would have said no but I was touched somehow. Perhaps it was because I saw the humiliation he must be feeling stamped on his face. I don’t know, but in the end I gave him a couple of coins.
I’m still trying to figure out where to draw the line. Obviously, the local villagers see me as a rich foreigner. In a sense, they are right. Even though I am not rich in absolute terms, I am definitely better off than most (if not all) people here. But if I were to give money to everyone who asked me for it, I would end up broke. Instead, I prefer to give gifts (in the form of food, clothing, and medication) to people who don’t normally ask for anything yet need it all the same. These are usually people I have befriended. I know that by choosing people I know and like, I am being biased but at least this way I’m fairly sure that whatever I give them will make a difference. And at the end of the day, aren’t we most likely to help those closest to us?
Current Location: Mozambique Island, Mozambique
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/thinking.gif) pensive
|
12:44 pm - P.S.
A few days after my last post, my boss mentioned that she was thinking of recruiting Ancha to work at the new hotel-restaurant she inaugurated a couple of weeks ago in neighbouring Mossuril. I was really happy to hear that and will certainly lobby for her to get the job!
Current Location: Mozambique Island, Mozambique
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/smile.gif) cheerful
|
July 5th, 2008
11:53 am - Ancha`s story
I met Ancha last year while volunteering here at the College. She was working then as a waitress at the training restaurant. After talking to her a few times, I noticed that she was different from the others. She had an air of self-confidence and pride (without being overbearing) that many of the other student and workers seemed to lack. She was also a very quick learner and already spoke English quite well – not that I needed to speak English with her in order to communicate but I had offered to teach some English to a group of interested students. For some reason, the wide gap (cultural, linguistic, etc) that seemed to separate me (and probably most other “Westerners” as well) from the locals didn’t feel wide at all when I was with her. Also, unlike many of her fellow co-workers, she never asked for money. This made me feel at ease. We gradually became good friends.
Shortly before I left Mozambique, Ancha found a job as a waitress at a restaurant in Chocas-Mar, a neighbouring town. I was happy for her because this meant that the years she had spent at the College were finally paying off. Not that I think waitressing is a great job but in an area where jobs are scarce, it was a good beginning. When I came back this year, I obviously paid her a visit to catch up and find out how she was doing. I was sad to discover that she had quit her job in Chocas because it was simply too far to walk everyday (6 km each way), often in the dark if she was working the night shift. Apparently, the restaurant owner didn’t pay her regular wages either.
Ancha now sells “fritos” (a sort of fried dough, quite tasty) at the local market. Although she seems content enough with her lot, I feel sad for her. She is such a talented woman, and I know that she can and would do better if only given the chance. She’s divorced, in her mid-thirties, and owns a fairly spacious mud-hut where she helps raise two of her nieces. She once lived in Nampula (the bustling capital of Nampula Province) but moved back to CG after divorcing her husband. She told me she often thought about moving back there and maybe set up a little shop (or stall) near one of the marketplaces but life was simply too expensive. So in the meantime, she subsists selling her fritos here. I sincerely wish there was something I could do for her but what?? There are so few option and hardly any economic activity to speak of...
Current Location: Mozambique Island, Mozambique
|
June 15th, 2008
09:29 am - A little patch of paradise
Ah, Pemba. This is where I have spent my weekend, and let me tell you, it has been absolutely refreshing. Pemba is a town located about 400 km north of where I work. It is said it has some of the most beautiful beaches in Mozambique, and that is no mean feat given that this country is blessed with a stunning coastline. It took me 9 hours to get here by bus but it has been worth it.
When my parents told me they would be flying to Pemba to spend the weekend with friends, I decided to join them. I realised then how much I needed to get away for a little bit. I've been working here for about a month now, which is not very long, but when you live full-time in the bush, it's a different story. There's normally not much to do, and living with other people in such close quarters can generate a lot of tension. People gossip and complain more than usual and this can wear you out.
But, alas, all good things come to an end and tomorrow it's back to reality for me. I must take the bus back at 5 in the morning and hope to make it back to my village before nightfall (you never know with public transport here).
Current Location: Pemba, Mozambique
|
June 7th, 2008
10:12 am - Fat, me??
When I left Mozambique in December last year, I was 10 kg lighter than now. I was basically eating very lean food here consisting mainly of rice, beans, and fish. The chocolate I had, had to be rationed as I could not get it easily. But, alas, all my discipline and willpower disappeared when I arrived in Belgium. The fact I was returning to the northern hemisphere at the height of winter plus the stress I felt while trying to readjust to my old life made it difficult to maintain the same eating habits as before.
So it should not have been a surprise that people noticed that I had gained weight when I came back. Because this is a poor area where malnutrition is a common problem, overweight people have a certain status. Round women, in particular, are much admired. And sure enough, one of the first remarks I heard upon my arrival was that I was “gorda”, meaning fat in Portuguese. Feeling a bit put out, I still tried to joke saying they were exaggerating, that I hadn’t put on so much weight, only to hear “no, no, you ARE fat”. So I had to console myself with the thought that at least here people appreciated what I perceived as unwanted extra flesh.
Cultural differences aside, I think I have started to lose some weight in the two weeks I’ve been here. I must admit it’s a relief as the few pairs of tight trousers I brought with me (I didn’t want to buy new larger ones) are starting to feel more comfortable.
Current Location: Mozambique Island, Mozambiqur
|
May 31st, 2008
11:08 am - Changes
There have been quite a few changes here since I left at the end of last year, more than I expected actually, and most of them positive. The most significant event has been the installation of power lines in the village. I know I’m being vain when say this, but it feels good to think that I played a big role in making it happen. At least all those months I spent harassing EDM (the Mozambican energy agency) paid off in the end. It’s strange not to hear the generator rattling away into the night anymore.
There are also a lot more people staying and working at the College (which is still used as a base for all staff and volunteers working for the organisation running the different projects in the village). Another HUGE improvement is the fact that we have our own transportation now. There are two 4x4 vehicles as well as truck for transporting building materials etc. Gone are the days when we used to have to wake up at 4 in the morning to catch those dodgy buses in a neighbouring town.
As for my responsibilities, very briefly, for now I’m expected to supervise the construction of the first community centre which will also function as a health centre for the treatment of malaria. Because works are still at an early stage, I need to organise the workers, procure building materials and make sure that they don’t run out, and get the necessary permits and papers from the local authorities. It’s all very new to me for I can’t really claim to know much about construction. But it’s also exciting as the results of what you’re doing are soon visible, even if the pace is slower than what you would wish.
More to follow...
Current Location: Nampula, Mozambique
|
May 20th, 2008
10:11 pm - One year on
One year on I'm back where I started. I'm back in Mozambique, working for the same organisation, except that this time I'm not working as a volunteer anymore. Now at least THEY pay me to work for them. It's true that the salary is not much to speak of but then again I won't have many opportunities to spend it where I'll be based. And anyway, I'm not in it for the money. The truth is, I'm happy to be working again, to feel useful, to have a challenge ahead of me. Not many doors opened for me back in Brussels, which was kind of disappointing, so here I am. I'm flying to Nampula tomorrow morning.
I'll be working as project manager in a malaria prevention project for the next 3 months. After that, we'll see. I'm still not clear about all my responsibilities so more details to follow soon.
Current Location: Maputo, Mozambique
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/confused.gif) curious
|
January 22nd, 2008
11:53 am - Back to reality
I'm back. Back in Brussels and back to reality. Not easy. I thought going to Africa and working in a mud-hut village would be a challenge. In fact, trying to resume my life in Belgium is the real challenge. Mozambique was a breeze by comparison.
Current Location: Brussels, Belgium
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/sad.gif) melancholy
|
October 23rd, 2007
08:43 am - The transport nightmare
It’s probably obvious by now that the transport situation in Mossuril District (where CG is located) is a bit of a nightmare. Since the Land Rover we normally use here is being fixed in Nampula (it’s been there since September and who knows how long it may still take until the necessary spare parts can be found – not a good idea to have a Land Rover around here!), are entirely dependent on the goodwill of others to go virtually anywhere.
When the time came for me to accompany T back to Nampula for him to be able to fly to Maputo -and from there to Johannesburg before eventually boarding the plane bound for Belgium – we had to use our imagination to get to Chocas at 4am. That is, unless we were willing to walk the 6 or so kilometers there and risk getting lost in the dark. So we enlisted the help of the local tailor who also happened to own a nice big motorbike. After haggling a bit, we agreed on a suitable fee that we would pay him the following day. He said he would try to find someone else with a bike to take us both at the same time but there were no guarantees.
At around 3am he promptly showed up with his bike, but alas, he came alone. That meant that he would have to take us one at a time to Chocas. Thomas went first as it was more important that he get to Nampula than me. After about 20-25 mins the tailor/taxi came for me. We did manage to get the bus (locally known as chapas) to Nampula on time but unfortunately we had to squeeze ourselves into the back seats (the only ones left), which had almost non-existent leg space for the following 3 ½ hours. Even economy class airplane seats looked better!
This is what the “odyssey” to Nampula is normally like. I’ve also mentioned earlier what we must do to get to Ilha de Moçambique. I came here a couple of days ago and it took 2 hours to sail across the 4km channel because there was no wind (today, miraculously, only about 30 mins as the wind was good!). The problem with coming to Ilha is that, unless you wish to spend the night here, you have to catch the last (and sometimes only) dhow back which leaves the island at around 12h30. So you’re never able to spend a full day here. Worse still, if you have errands to run (buy supplies at the market, go to the post office, use the internet at the only internet centre which has two old computers and a slow connection), you REALLY have to rush especially if the crossing has been long (meaning you have less time to spend on the island).
It is therefore fortunate that we normally have lots of spare time here in N. Moz which makes the waiting periods less stressful. I, for one, don’t leave the College without my iPod or a book. I tend to get lots of stares from my fellow passengers but at least I don’t get bored.
Current Location: Ilha de Moçambique
|
October 16th, 2007
03:35 pm - T's initiation
I have joked about the Belgian volunteers’ baptism of fire when they arrived in Mozambique. Well, my journey with T has not been much different although a bit more comfortable.
About a week ago, we took a very early flight from Maputo to Nampula. We landed in Nampula at 10h in the morning and took a taxi straight to the “bus terminal” (in reality, just an open space where all the vans and mini-buses converge). We managed to get into the one heading to Chocas-Mar, about 6km away from CG, our final destination. We had to wait for about 1 ½ hours before the bus departed – the principle being that it only leaves when it’s packed with passengers, which is fair enough given that the driver must still make a profit after bribing all the traffic police officers along the way.
Less than halfway through our journey the bus broke down and the driver parked it on the side of the road. Apparently something (I haven’t managed to figure out what exactly) fell from under the vehicle and the driver had to walk a few kilometers to the nearest town or petrol station to ask someone who might have a few tools to come and try to fix it. It was early afternoon and very hot. After about an hour the driver eventually came back with the “mechanic” who promptly positioned himself under the bus and starting banging on something. I was already contemplating hitch hiking to the nearest town where if we were lucky we might camp at someone’s place when another bus heading to Mozambique Island stopped ahead of us and the driver offered us a lift to another town where we could get another lift to Chocas. Needless to say the bus was packed and we had to stand (or stoop as the ceiling was really low) for about 45-50 minutes. Once out of the bus I proceeded to ask around for a lift and found a man who had an open pickup truck. Since nothing comes for free, we had to haggle a little bit before agreeing on a fee we would pay him to drive us the remaining 40 km (of dirt road). So we loaded out backpacks onto the pickup and climbed in at the back. Fortunately this time (unlike previous time, see entry dated 23 Aug), it wasn’t loaded with bags of rice, cassava, goats, chicken, and people so we actually had a place to sit. A few other people got in and off we went.
In the end it took us about 6 hours (not counting the waiting period at the bus terminal in Nampula) to cover app 230 km. We were absolutely exhausted by the time we got picked up in Chocas. I must say though that T handled the whole thing extremely well and never lost his sense of humour. It seems that he has also adopted the “hakuna matata” philosophy – at least so far. Tomorrow we head back to Nampula as he needs to catch his flight back to Maputo early on Thursday morning. Who knows, I might have another interesting story to tell next time I write.
Current Location: Nampula, Mozambique
|
October 8th, 2007
10:56 pm - Heading back north
T and I head back north to Nampula province early tomorrow. We have a long day ahead of us: our flight leaves at 6h45 from Maputo arriving in Nampula at around 9h30, and then it's a 3, 5 hour drive by bus to Chocas-Mar. Once we get there we'll hopefully get a lift to CG. We might get there by late afternoon.
I'm quite looking forward to going back. And I'm even more curious about how T is going to react to the travelling and living conditions in northern Mozambique. He's used to travelling in South Africa - that's basically the Africa he knows. He's also spent some time in Maputo but the truth is that Maputo seems like a beacon of civilisation compared to the city of Nampula or the villages elsewhere in the province.
This is going to be my final stint in Mozambique before I return to Belgium. I'll remain in Nampula until the end of November and then I'll be flying back to Europe later in December. I should therefore try to make the best out of this experience.
More updates soon...
Current Location: Maputo, Mozambique
|
September 13th, 2007
08:09 pm - Back in civilisation
I've been back in "civilisation" (read Johanneburg, RSA) for about a week now and I must confess that the first couple of days were a bit weird - it felt like I was having some sort of reverse culture shock. How strange having access to running water again, being able to have a hot shower, and flush the toilet! I spent a day by myself in Maputo before flying to Johanneburg (my parents were in Zimbabwe, visiting friends) and was not expecting to miss the College and CG so much already. Actually, I'm looking forward to going back in October. But I think taking some "time off" for a couple of weeks will also be positive. I need some time to make sense of the time I've spent up there in Mozambique. So much has happened in such a short time.
|
August 23rd, 2007
01:33 pm - Riding with goats and chickens
I made my way to Nampula last week to change the date of my plane ticket back to Maputo and also to welcome some new volunteers arriving from Belgium. It all went quite smoothly until the moment we had to catch the bus back. Because M, the self-appointed "president" of the college still had a couple of urgent emails to send in the afternoon, we ended up missing the bus that would take us back to Chocas-Mar, a little town about 6 km away from C. So we boarded the bus heading to Mozambique Island instead. After waiting about 1 hour or so for the bus to be packed enough (with people) to leave, we finally set off. The idea was to ride as far as possible before the bus took a different turn off from the one going to Chocas and then get off at this tiny little village called Naguema. We would then wait until someone was kind enough to stop and give us a lift. I didn´t know this was the plan until we got off the bus. :-)
After approximately 30 minutes, this pick-up stops and offers to take us to Chocas. Except that it has an open back and it´s already LOADED with people, goats, chickens, hundreds of sacs of rice, beans, and manioc - the ultimate African cliche! I was trying to figure out how the 4 of us, plus the girls´luggage (a huge suitcase, 2 backpacks, 2 rucksacs, a laptop case, and so on and so forth)could possibly fit in there when some men started loading the bags on top on the pickup and fastening them with a rope. We then had basically to climb on top of everything and everyone and try to find a niche in which to settle. I ended up sitting on top of someone´s bag holding on to the rope that was tied around the girls´luggage. I was very close to the edge so I had to constantly shift position in order not to slip out onto the road. And that for 45 km of dirt road. The whole time I was thinking of my former road safety colleagues back in Brussels and what they would think if they saw me in this situation, hehehe...
Anyway, we eventually made it alive to Chocas but boy what a journey that was! I felt a bit sorry for the two girls fresh out of Europe visiting Africa for the first time. Definitely a baptism of fire for them, but I think they managed pretty well as they were still sort of smiling when we arrived home.
Current Location: Mozambique Island
Current Mood: amused
|
August 15th, 2007
06:20 pm - An African tale (not for the faint-hearted)
I did make it back eventually to CG that day but with a little detour. I was not too keen on taking the same boat back so instead I hooked up with some people who had nearly drowned with me in the morning (wink) and sailed to CP (a neighbouring village) which was a bit further and then walk the rest of the way to CG. When the tide is high, CP is cut off from the rest of the peninsula, but at that moment it was low so we would be able to take a shortcut across the bay. So far so good. We got off the boat and started skirting the mangrove that separates the beach from the village. At one point we passed what looked like a round object lying in the sand. I was a bit intrigued and decided to ask the others what it was. They replied: "It's a person". I didn't really understand and asked again what it was. The answer was the same. I said there was no way that that it could a person, it was way too small. Then it occurred to me that it could be a baby(I wasn't close enough to see it clearly). Seeing my confusion, they said that it was a head! I came closer and was finally able to see that it was a human skull still covered in shreds of pink flesh. I think I was so shocked I didn't really react for a few minutes. It felt like I was in the middle of a CSI episode (CSI Africa?, hehehe one needs a bit of humour to cope with situations like this), and I just wanted to take out my mobile and call the crime lab investigation team! The others then said that it was probably a fisherman who could have drowned or been attacked by a shark and whose head had been deposited on the beach by the tide. Fair enough, I thought - at least it was not likely to be someone killed in some sort of macabre ritual. We resumed walking as no one knew what to do - I certainly wasn't going to dig a hole in the sand and dump the head in it! Instead, they was started telling people we came across on the way back that there was a head on the beach and would someone please alert the authorities. Later on, my "travel companions" told me they didn't want to stick around as someone cold accuse them of having something to do with the person's death (although it was obvious that whoever the head had formerly belonged to had died a few days before). I also heard that this is actually not an unusual occurrence, corpses do wash up on the beach from time to time. Apparently last year, two kids got lost in the mangrove and probably drowned when the tide started to rise. Their bodies were only found a few days later.
At times like this, you realise how raw life can be in Africa. Death is not a distant concept but part of everyday life. Everyday you hear news that this or that person died of malaria(one of the most common causes of death), or some other disease that in rich societies could have easily been treated. Since I've arrived in C, I've calculated that 2 to 3 people on average have died every week (and these are only cases that we have heard of through the local villagers that work at the school ). A couple of days ago, I attended the funeral of the sister of one of the cooks, who died of gangrene. Apparently she cut her foot, and the cut soon got infected. She was eventually taken to hospital but the family refused to allow her foot to be amputated (it seems to be a taboo around here). Instead she was taken back home to die (and apparently it was a painful death).
To end this entry on a more cheerful note, in spite of sad stories such as these, I've observed that people here seem to be able to move on with their lives much sooner than we would expect. The business of surviving does not allow them much time to grieve. Perhaps, the realisation that death is inevitable and can come at any moment gives them strength in a way that at least I cannot understand. I'm still amazed to see someone who may have lost a loved one only a few days before come to the College with a smile on their face.
Current Location: Nampula
Current Mood: thoughtful
|
August 6th, 2007
10:16 am - The old men and the sea
Back on Mozambique Island. The crossing today was rather eventful to put it mildly. When the boat was halfway across the channel, a sudden gust of wind sent it shooting to one side of the island, towards the open sea. The waves were growing by the second and the tattered sail didn´t look like it was going to last much longer. To make things worse, the boat was being handled by two old men who didn´t seem strong enough to steer the boat back in the right direction. Some of the women started to panic, another started to pray. I was starting to wonder if we were going to have to swim the rest of the way, when they finally managed to turn the boat around. In the end, it took us about 2 hours to cross the channel when it normally takes 45 minutes or so. I must say I´m not looking forward to sailing back today...
All is still well on my side. On Saturday we organised an annual party for the children from CP, a neighbouring village. The party was held at Varanda nature reserve, a beautiful spot surrounded by mangrove on one side and a long stretch of unspoilt beach on the other. We sailed to Varanda on Friday and camped there overnight. We took mosquito nets, sleeping bags and blankets. I was quite excited as I hadn´t camped in ages so it felt a bit like going back in time. It was very windy but at around 2 am, when the wind died down, I was suddenly awakened by what felt like a swarm of sandflies attacking me from all sides. The mosquito repellent I had put on before going to sleep had worn off so I had to jump out of the sleeping bag, splash some more on and put on a jersey. The sandflies were so small they could get easily through the net. My arms and neck are still covered in bites and they itch like hell - it looks a bit like chicken pox. I´m trying desperately not to touch them lest they get infected but it´s so hard. Anyway, I digress. Back to the party. Some two hundred children came, all holding on to a plastic plate or cup. We served lunch (rice, beans, goat stew, veggies), organised games, a lotery, and a story-telling session. It was difficult controlling them, especially when the food was being served, as in their eagerness to eat, they refused to get in line and some tried to get more food after finisheing their meal. But in the end it all worked out and we had fun.
Right, time is running out. Must see about catching that boat back soon (fingers crossed).
Current Location: Mozambique Island, Mozambique
Current Mood: a bit shaken
|
July 29th, 2007
10:25 am - Another week gone by...
And yep, I'm still alive. A few more volunterrs arrived last week - one boy from England, and a girl from the US who came straight from Rio where she had spent 6 months as en exchange student. I say "boy" and "girl" because they are all so young, around 21. On top of that, the Director's daughter is only 17, so sometimes I feel like I'm helping run a creche, hehehe.
There is so much I would like to write about but the clock is ticking (I'm back on Mozambique Island, which is just about the only place where you can get internet connection and my boat back to Cabaceira leaves in less than 1 hour) so I'll have to keep things short. One of the things I had to get used to is the slow pace at which everything happens over here. I can only use my laptop for a couple of hours every day because the generator is only switched on at night, and all our equipment can can be charged. So I need to find other things to do during the day. I teach English a couple of hours every day. The rest of the time, I've been trying to learn as much as possible about how the community project is run. Soon, I'll start working on a newsletter which the foundation periodically sends to all its donors, past volunteeers etc. I've also been helping with a malaria campaign project proposal.
A couple of days ago, we carried out a "census" in village in order to get a sample of people who don't have identity documents. We collected more than 200 names. The vast majority didn't have any papers, and didn't know how old they or their children were. Perhaps not so surprisingly, many of them had voting cards (political expediency, of course - "we don't care who you are as long as you vote for us"). The reason behind this census is to put pressure on the local authorities to send one or more officials to the village to see the extent of the problem for themselves. And it is a big problem: if you don't have an ID card, you cannot get a proper job nor send you children to school. It's a vicious circle of poverty and unemployment that can be perpetuated for many generations. In the meantime, these people don't officially exist. You might wonder why they don't try and get their IDs sorted out. Well, the place is so isolated it would take perhaps a full day for them to reach the nearest district office. There is no public transport to speak of, and most people can't afford to pay for a ride anywhere.
Anyway, must run to catch the boat!
Current Location: Mozambique Island
|
July 21st, 2007
08:56 am - 1 week on
I'm writing this post from Ilha de Moçambique (Mozambique Island), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I had to wake up today at 5h50 in the morning, walk about 25 minutes through the village to a little mangrove beach in order to catch the boat (or "dhow", a traditional wooden sailing boat, a bit rickety but still in good order)which would then sail across the small channel separating the island from the mainland. The crossing took about 40 minutes and it went smoothly (thank God!).
So I've been here a week now and I must say that it has also gone smoothly. The College is being restored and is already in very good condition. There is a generator that runs approximately 5 hours a day (mostly in the evenings), the food is excellent and so far I've had no stomach or digestive problems or felt any side effects whatsoever. I've been bitten by mosquitoes but so far no sign of malaria.
What can I say about CG itself (question mark - haven't found it on the keyboard!). It's a typical African mud hut village, with about 7 thousand inhabitants. It's quite scattered and spread out over a large area. The villagers are very friendly and curious. Within a week of my arrival, I think everybody already knows about me :-). As for the project I'm working in, it's also incredibly interesting and varied and I've been trying to learn and observe as much as I can. I do a bit of teaching on the side every day (mostly English) but the rest of the time I'm normally free to wander around and ask questions about all the different activities taking place at the school. One thing I'm still getting used to is the very slow pace at which things happen (or do NOT happen). One really does have to have a sense of humour around here.
Anyway, off to explore the island a little bit.
Current Location: Mozambique Island
Current Mood: content
|
July 13th, 2007
11:38 am - Quick hello from Nampula
Arrived about an hour ago in Nampula, the capital of Nampula province. Am at an internet cafe while the people who came to pick me up are doing some errands. Soon we will head to CG, where the so-called college is located. It is 230 km away, which will take about 3 hours to cover but apparently the road is quite reasonable as it has been repaved recently.
Now that I am actually here, I am starting to get butterflies in my stomach. I just don't know what to expect and how I will make myself useful. They say there is lots to be done but what sort of expertise can I actually bring into all this? I just don't know. Only time will tell I guess...
My watch stopped this morning, a few minutes before I boarded the plane. Could this be a sign that from now on I should just relax and go with the flow? Perhaps. The Swahili phrase "hakuna matata" - no problem - should be my motto from now on...
Current Location: Nampula, Mozambique
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/classic/shock.gif) anxious
|
July 12th, 2007
07:31 pm - So it begins...
The time has finally come! Tomorrow I fly to Nampula to start working as a volunteer in this capacity building/sustainable development project. The flight is quite early, at 7h30 in the morning. I'll land in Nampula at 10h30 - it's quite a way considering that it's an internal flight. It's a bit daunting to think that I'll be living in this (almost) totally isolated place. Far away even from my parents in Maputo.
The time spent here with T was quite intense to say the least. Trying to sort out some of the issues that had been sort of coming between us in just two weeks was difficult but we managed in the end (sigh of relief). Hopefully we'll both be able to relax when he comes back in September.
I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update the journal given that I'll only have sporadic access to internet but I'll do my best. Ok, back to packing - or rather, trying to stuff everything I think I'll need in the next month or so inside an already full suitcase. I absolutely hate packing, it's definitely the worst aspect of traveling but I guess it needs to be done (takes a deep breath and looks dignified). :-)
Current Mood: determined
|
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
simunye's journal