The good, the bad and the ugly of life in Africa

10/24/12

I want to make sure I document those moments I’m overwhelmed with emotion, be them feelings of gratitude for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or feelings of pure insanity wondering how anyone in their right mind would opt voluntarily to do what I’m doing. So here goes:

Those moments to cherish

Those things I could happily live without

Bathing outside in the open during the cool dawn hours with the wind blowing through the reed walls and the sunlight streaming through the leaves above. LOVE waking up to that J The satisfaction (albeit neck ache) of carrying 20L of water on your head alongside all the other neighborhood women back home from the next closest running water spigot. Everyone here gets a real kick out of my determination to do it myself, even though I spill half of it on myself by the time I’ve returned home. Going to the market each day to pick up fresh local fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains to make my meals from scratch. I also love knowing my favorite vendors by name and chit chatting with them everyday; wish life was still like that back in the states. MANGOS!  And papayas and banana trees galore!!! Since all the fruits are picked off the trees there’re way more fresh and delicious. The sense of security I feel with so many neighbors so close around me – power in numbers! Although most of the time terrifying, there are certain aspects about traveling in a developing country I admit I find quite exhilarating. Like sitting on top of sacks of rice and beans for hours on the back of an open-back pick-up truck while we climb up and down dirt roads winding through the forests of palm trees, mango trees and cashew trees. Or climbing into a little boat to get to a major city because there are no bridges. I oftentimes wonder if rollercoasters will still give me a thrill after the rides I’ve already been on during these first 5 months. The reed-walled home is growing on me. I love feeling the wind when it blows outside, or waking to the pitter-patter of rain on my tin roof when it sprinkles. It’s very relaxing and earthy. Cooking without smoke detectors  10 mets, or the equivalent of 35 cents (give or take on the exchange rate) will get me a huge bag of mangoes  I find myself eating a steady 3 per day (at least.) Mmmmmmmhmmmmm gotta love mango season!

The occasional worm or bug crawling up your foot / leg while you’re outside bathing or using the bathroom. Freaks me out every time. When the water goes out, you forgot to hoard up earlier, and you don’t know when it’ll come back on… = no fun The lack of quick & easy meals… My go-to easy meals are popcorn (where I pop the kernels in oil over a flame in a pot) or pancakes (made from scratch and no measuring utensils.) Soon with the mango season starting I have a feeling those will creep up to #1. More fresh and naturally ripened fruits are not part of our diet back in the states so the extra acidity in them does a number on your teeth here. I have an ominous tooth ache that I’m afraid will become my first cavity L The lack of peace and quiet with so many neighbors so close around me. My favorite days are Sundays when everyone is at church… Transportation here scares the living bageesus out of me. Not going to go into details because I know there are people that love me that read this blog and I don’t want to worry them, but know that I do all I can to lower my risks of danger. ANTS. I hate hate HATE ants and they’re everywhere. I just can’t seem to get rid of them, no matter what chemical cocktail I buy at the store, or how often I sweep and scrub my house clean, or the fact that every single piece of food is wrapped in at least one plastic bag and then hung from the ceiling not touching the floor or walls… They’re still in my tea kettle (where I only boil water!), on my lufa (which at most has soap scrubs), on my clean sheets (not the ones on my bed, the dang ones I washed and stored away), in my books, … just everywhere. 70 degree nights and 90 degree days (and that’s just in the shade, afraid to take the thermometer outside, might just melt.) (Seriously, I bathe and am already sweating by the time I’m dressed again.) the loud bangs of falling mangoes onto my tin roof while I try to sleep. Not even ear plugs can stop me from jumping every time one of those suckers slams down up above.

Ok, that’s all I have for the time being, but now that I’ve started the list it’ll be easier to add on to it whenever a new love/hate moment pops into my mind.

Hope you enjoyed reading about the joys and tribulations of my life in Mozambique!