Written June 12, 2012. . . Posted – whenever I find internet.

Another day, another dollar… well minus the dollar here in Moz. We use Meticais (pronounced met-ee-keish) – exchange rate abour 28/29 to 1 USD, and the last time I checked, I’m not really in this for the money haha. Either way, another day has passed here in the beautiful land of Moz. Today’s activities included language class, cooking, dancing, tomar-ing my banho, and reading. Basically how I’m going to spend the next two years of my life lol.

The morning started out early, 6am like usual. I boiled water to wash my face/brush my teeth, got dressed for classes, and ate breakfast of pao (bread) and queijo (cheese) and of course a bit of café- which is really really bad because its powder coffee. . . but it does in a pinch.

After breakfast, language classes began, this week the class is being held in my casa (pronounced ca-za) so I didn’t have to walk very far, unlike last week, when I had a nice 15/20 min walk to my friends house. It was a difficult morning of language consumption. . . I get frustrated at myself for not picking up the language as quickly as I would like, all the while, kicking myself for not being super studious about it before I came. Yes I did use Rosetta Stone before my arrival (its brilliant, I suggest it to anyone) but not to the extent that I should have. I try to use it on my computer some nights here, but the majority of the time, by the time I retire to my room for the night I have absolutely no desire to listen or speak any more Portuguese haha!

Class usually runs from 7/730 am until 330/4pm, with a break from 12-1:30 for lunch. Mornings are chilly here, so we are always bundled up in our coats, and sometimes two pairs of pants (guilty as charged). But after lunch the layers are pealed off and we usually sit out in the sun for the remainder of the classes. Today’s lesson was about the environment, we worked on various vocabulary used to describe our surroundings, problems caused by pollution, and in return what the pollution does to our bodies as humans. It was all very interesting, and it began to tie in the language with the upcoming health-related work I hope to be doing here in Moz.

I have started reading a wonderful book in the evenings (aside from 50 shades of grey that is) one that Oma gave me – “the fever” by sonia shah. Incredible stuff to mentally digest I tell ya. All the while making me flinch even more every time I hear the shrill drone of a pesky mosquito. Yes I am taking malaria medicine – doxycycl 100. So far the drug has given me no intense side-affects, aside from some intense (but not bad) dreams. I still am not super thrilled about taking a potent medicine on a daily basis, but if it helps to prevent malaria, than by all means let me at it.

In addition to the drug, I sleep under a lovely forest green mosquito net. It is not hanging gently from the ceiling as one may imagine, instead it is in almost a cube form around my bed. On move in day here in Naamacha I gestured to my Mae that I needed to hang the net, however my ceiling is probably 12 feet above the floor, and is a pure tin roof. . . hanging the net wasn’t really an option. So instead, we found some random pieces of wood, and tied them to the bed posts (did I mention I have a full size bed, but a twin size mattress?) creating sort of a four-poster bed – Moz style. I then draped the netting over said posts, and it brushes the floor of my room (which is very spacious and most times very chilly) leaving me with a bed-cube type thing.

But I digress. . . After class I helped to make dinner, which for the life of me cant remember the name of as I type now. It was a very simple, yet filling and satisfying dinner. Tomato, onion, carrot, green pepper, a green leafy veggie similar to kale, a bit of salt, and beans (kidney I think). Start with some oil in the big pot on the carvao (charcoal stove-like thing) let that heat up, add in the onions, some fresh garlic and a bit of salt, let those cook up. . .add in diced tomato a few minutes later. . . a few minutes more add in the green leafy veggies, let simmer for a bit (adding a smidge of water). Then toss in the boat load of beans, the carrots and green pepper and let simmer for maybe 15 min or so. Do that while keeping an eye on the white rice cooking in the pot next to that, and boom- a dinner fit for a volunteer and her family. Yes I cooked it all, and yes, they were quite impressed. Although I did need help cutting up the veggies and such, as the women here do not use cutting boards, instead cut into the palm of their left hand. I’m getting better at it as the days go, but the fear of mutilation is still in the forefront of my mind.

As things were simmering or when the rice was done I heated water for my bath, took that along with my trusty flashlight to the “casa de banho” as it gets dark here around 530ish. Took my bath (a glorious feeling after a long day) and then had dinner with my family. Dinner conversation is starting to pick up as the language gets better. . . my proficiency is that of a 2 year old now I’d say. . . not too shabby for two weeks.

I obviously have my down moments here in Moz. It is tough to be surrounded by a language that is totally different from your own. I miss my family and friends, the normalcy of American life (the convenience of a shower and water pressure, my bed, driving a car etc) but also know that this adventure is going to be that of a lifetime. And for that, I wouldn’t give up my bucket baths, or watching my kid sisters sing and dance while I’m cooking, for anything.

Already in my experiences in this country, no matter how bad the day one is having, the most simple things – a child’s laughter, cooking with your older sister, listening to your Mae tell stories from work – are the reasons why I am here. To learn about these fantastic people, their culture and way of living, with hope of imparting some knowledge to make it just a bit safer, healthier and with that, longer and happier.

Until next time.

Your tired, yet happy- daughter, granddaughter, niece, friend, etc

td