Market day

Every Wednesday and Saturday Namaacha holds a giant open-air market called “shop rite”.  This is where Scooter and I are accustomed to getting our veggies, but it also holds everything from leather jackets to plastic bathing tubs to capulanas to old running shoes, and believe me, everything in between.  I took mom around to see a few things, take a few pictures, and get her a bit more acclimated to my life here.  I’m not too used to walking around most of the market, just because there aren’t many things I need nor do I particularly like to be hassled, but with mom it was fun to point out all the different things for sale, explain those she was unfamiliar with, and talk with people.  Also, I swear I found more than one clothing item I donated to Good Will back in the day… I think this is where a lot of it ends up…

My old home

Mom and I took an afternoon trip back to my old town.  It was a quick trip but unbelievable.  We spent most of the morning with my best friend from site and her two adorable kids (whom I absolutely love).  I was sitting outside her house, talking and waiting for the kids to come back from wherever they might be. I saw the little boy turn the corner and I swear I've never seen a smile that big.  It filled my heart.  He ran over to me and lept onto me.  He's now in school so he showed me all his school work, so proud of what he was learning.  The 3 year old girl, love of my life, wouldn't leave my lap.  I was so thankful I could come back and visit with them, see them growing up, and remind them that I love them.  They are both such bright kids and have so much potential. I really hope they will be able to take advantage of any opportunities that come their way and learn to create opportunities for themselves.

REDES girls!!!

While in Howke I spent an hour with my old REDES group! They met me after they got out of school and we talked about everything; what they've been doing since I left, school, REDES projects, relationships, families, etc.  I could tell they were ecstatic to see me and have me back even if just for a few hours, but they were their normal, quiet selves.  There's something about girls from the bush verses girls from the city.  I've never been able to get the girls to really open up and just talk with me.  I think a lot has to do with their lack of Portuguese skills (they typically understand it but can't speak it) and for some of them the fact that they hadn't seen me in 10 months.  Regardless, it was a great time with my girls.  It made me miss my old home a lot.

Timbilia Festival

more street food

part of our booth

Timbila is an instrument, like a Xylophone, used by the Chopi people of southern Inhambane.  Each year, the town of Quissico holds a music festival to highlight these instruments as well as culture, music, and art from around the region and the country.  Two years ago I attended the festival, listened to musical artists from all over the country, watched traditional dances by community members and school students, and wandered around the town eating street food and people watching.  This year was very much the same, except Peace Corps Volunteers got together with JICA (Japanese International Cooperation Agency) Volunteers, who are very much like PCVs but from Japan, and we created a Japan/USA booth to share about our cultures, foods, play games with kids, and sell items made by PCV communities and projects like REDES.  While I was working the booth, talking to people about what I do, mom was able to wander around town, take lots of pictures, and experience an authentic African music festival.  I think she had a blast!!

yeah.. that's street food...

Lunch with Marta

My mom and I stopped by and had lunch with a woman from the community, Marta, who was not my host mother but has come to take that kind of role in my life over the last few months.  I stop in and visit her as often as I can, and talk about project ideas for Namaacha.  This afternoon she invited my mom and I for lunch.  We spent a few hours talking about life, other PCVs, projects, my future in Swaziland, and upcoming travel plans.  Unfortunately my mom doesn't speak Portuguese so she was lost for most of the conversation, but I think she really enjoyed meeting Marta, taking pictures, and experiencing a relaxing afternoon with someone important to me.  And the food was delicious.

Family Time

During training,  my and Scooter's host moms were sisters, so even though I haven't kept in great touch with my host family, I've been able to spend some time with the rest of the family, grandma, cousins, etc.  This afternoon on our way through Namaacha we stopped by and talked to Vovo (grandma), baby Anata (named after Scooter, who's real name is Anata), and a couple other kids of the family. 

Beach time!

We celebrated Scooter's birthday and the end of week one at site for the Moz 18ers.  We lay on the beach, made shrimp scampi, star gazed, and enjoyed ourselves.  The trip up was pretty painless, only two chapas and two private cars.  The way home was a bit more interesting.  Walking out of the beach houses, we ran into a bus full of Maputo university students who'd been farther down the beach in a sports competition.  The offered us a ride all the way into the city.  We each had our own row, stopped at KFC, took bathroom breaks, and didn't have to have the hassle of multiple chapas, long walks on dirt roads, and annoying passengers.  These guys were fantastic, very friendly, and helpful.  We made it home to Namaacha in enough time to make spring rolls, watch Mrs. Doubtfire, and put a candle in Scooter's birthday cheesecake.

Lemons: Can you identify them?

My mom's first night in Namaacha.  She comes back from the kitchen and asks, “What are those things sitting on the counter?”  Scoot and I are perplexed.  Our “counter” is practically nonexistent and the only thing on it now is silverware and a pile of lemons.  We say as much.  Mom retreats to to kitchen and comes back holding a lemon. “This!” She was dumbfounded that what she was in fact a lemon from our lemon tree.  She smelled it, squeezed it, and finally had to cut it open to believe us.  Apparently Scoot had a similar experience when her friend from America visited last month.  I guess our lemons look funny, not that we can tell anymore. Do you agree?

Swear In Moz 18!!

We officially have a new group of PCVs! This afternoon was the swearing in ceremony in Maputo, to formally induct Moz 18 into the PCV family. I haven’t been to one since my own way back in 2009 (wow, I’ve been here a LONG time!!!), but it was pretty much the same as I remembered- Country Director speaks, US Ambassador speaks, a Moz 18er speaks, and then we eat!


Congrats to all 28 Moz 18ers!!! Let the journey begin!!

Moz 14 with Moz 18er, Kyle

Colin reps his group

They all match!

fit of laughter #1,234,654,543,851 of the day

We clean up alright

“Just gonna stand there and watch me burn”

On my way back to Namaacha, after traveling for 4 weeks, after all the chapas and trains and planes, after the vast variety of people and cultures, I encounter the most frustrating men. I’m the first person on the chapa, so I sit in the front seat. I wait for almost an hour as if fills, and the last seat in the chapa is between me and the driver. I’m told, “Move over so this man can sit there.” I jump out and say, “No, I’ll get out to let him in, but I’m not moving. I like my seat.” I got laughed at. “Lady, it’s against the law for a man to sit in the center seat if a woman is in the window seat.” ?!?!?!?!? I quote, “Against the law.” I argued for a bit, (“Really, against the law? Culture, sure. Custom, I don’t doubt it. The law? Try again,”) talked about equal rights, (“Yes, men and women have equal right here, but not this. This is a law,” I was told), refused to move seats, and eventually the dude got in the middle seat. The driver, the dude, the cobrador (who takes your money and lets people on and off), and several of the men at the chapa stop were all talking and yelling about how this white chick was refusing to obey the law and give a man my seat. Lets note 2 things: They always think I’m weird here, and since when has the law mattered for anything?! So, we finally leave, the driver muttering, “You’re wrong but let’s go.” I politely asked to stop and talk to the police along the way, because there are conveniently 4 check-points between Namaacha and Maputo, but no dice. When we finally arrived, I asked the men, “Did you survive? Did you suffer?” I’m still amazed sometimes at people and their knowledge of what is “right”. I’m sure a few of those men truly thought it was a law that women cannot sit in the front. Ha, not on my watch.


One thing Scoot and I talked about once I got home was inability of the women on the chapa with me to support me or back me up. Sure, maybe some of them would’ve liked to, but they have to live here with these cultural inequalities for the rest of their lives, deal with misogynistic men constantly, and continually battle to get by in this imbalanced culture whereas I am just visiting and get to leave it all behind. I know they just had to sit there and watch me, but maybe I made at least one person think things could be different someday.

“It’s just tequila and the beach that’s why it’s salty when we kiss”

Even though I spent 4 weeks traveling throughout inland northern Mozambique, I still got a few moments of beach time. Ilha de Moçambique, where I got to spend time with not only the PCV who lives there but also visiting PCVs, was absolutely beautiful.  The town has such a different feel from the rest of the country. Plus there’s just so much history to the town.  However, I will admit, my favorite part aside from sitting and talking to a slew of crianças who followed Caitlin and I around, was the Matapa siri siri, made from seaweed and cashews. Same place Anthony Bordain came when he was in Moz.  I get it now- AMAZING!    Then beach time came in Pemba, relaxing a bit after the Science Fair competition.  And a fantastic way to close up my trip!

How to make a lasting impression…

Macanhelas, a rural site in Niassa, was a wonderful stop on my trip. I was immediately surprised at how many bikes were in the town. It’s like the Holland of Mozambique. Anyways, aside from dodging bikes and seeing infants on motorcycles (seriously, if your kid is in a diaper, just walk), I was able to meet and talk to people from all three of the organizations Vicente works with, talk to his JUNTOS counterpart, and spend an afternoon with a group of crianças from the Clube Infantil. The club meets every Friday and invites orphans and vulnerable children throughout the town. They sing songs about healthy living and respecting others, learn about things like nutrition and malaria, and get a free meal at the end of the meeting. Vicente gave a presentation about malaria transmission and prevention, and I was able to help out, dressing up in a mosquito net (things NOT to do with a net) and quizzing the kids on malaria.


My lasting impression, however, did not come from my dynamic presentation or my charismatic personality. It came from being a clutz. During my morning run, when I was about 10 paces past the market (where the ENTIRE town likes to gather in the morning), I tripped on a rock and went flying. Not just a little fall- I was picking rocks out of myself for days. From behind me I hear, ‘OOOOOOHHHH!!!!” and “EEEEEEEPPPPPPPAAAAAAAA!” I couldn’t stay down so I jumped up, through my hands above my head, yelling “I’m good!” and then took off running again. (Scooter likes to point out that had she been with me, she would’ve been in stitches laughing, rolling around on the ground. I believe that’s a true statement.) Anyways, embarrassment’s not over yet. Later that afternoon I walked into one of Vicente’s organizations and right away his coworker yells out, “Oh, I saw you this morning! You fell down!” Yep. It’s not over. The next day I took a 2+hour chapa ride to visit another PCV. We get to the town and a person there comes up to our chapa to talk to our driver, sees me and says, “Oh, it’s you!!! I saw you running yesterday, and then you fell. Wow!” Looks like I made an impression not only in the town but in surrounding towns as well. I preemptive sorry to any Makunhas that visit Macanhelas- the community will most likely think you are me, the clumsy Makunha who can’t run.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, I'm really such a lady"

While eating lunch in Gurué, the town muluco (crazy dude) came up to us, a group of 4 PCVs and 2 REDES girls, and tried to… well really I don’t know what he was trying to do. Dance maybe. Get in our faces. Get some food.  Anyways, he was getting all too comfortable up in our personal space, so we ended up scarfing the rest of our food and getting out of there ASAP.  Meanwhile, watching the spectacle were about 15 Mozambican men, just hanging out and laughing at us.  As we walked away I gave them a piece of my mind.  I thought it was a good lecture about respect and helping represent your community, but I’m not so confident they took anything from it than a yelling Makunha (white person up here). But it made me feel better.

"Who Run The World? GIRLS!"

"Boy you know you love it

How we're smart enough to make these millions
Strong enough to bare the children
Then get back to business"

I have had the privilege of attending not only two but three REDES conferences in my time here. The first year everything was new and exciting- I hardly spoke Portuguese but I spent my whole time sitting and talking with the girls, watching them learn and share. Year two I was running the show, busy meeting invited guests, making sure sessions were running on time, but I was still able to see the smiles as the girls made new friends or saw the beach for the first time, learned public speaking skills, and recounted their favorite moments during the conference. This year was yet again different- I was an outsider with no girls of my own at the conference, but I sat in the back, watched the girls learning, answered questions when necessary (and clarifying any misinformed statements), and talked candidly about their REDES experience and how the program is truly changing their lives.

I will admit, the whole conference wasn’t easy (are they ever?!). Being in the position I was, I spoke to all of the counterparts about how the conference was running, things we could do betting in the future, and improvements they’ve seen and have appreciated. In the process I heard all about how the food wasn’t good enough, they’re not making enough money, or they didn’t travel far enough (they want a national conference so they can travel far from home.) All of it I understand, and like my entire experience here in Moz, I was reminding myself why I’m here. I’m not here to help extend peoples’ wallets or help them travel. I’m here to make at least a small difference in someone’s life. In the case of REDES, my goal is to change the girls, to open their minds to new things and new ways of thinking, and to try to give them the chance to succeed in this world.

Highlights from the conference would have to be the location- tucked about in the mountains = beautiful!, talking to the counterparts and hearing their enthusiasm about REDES, and listening to the testimony of four women living with HIV, guest speakers at the conference. One woman in particular talked about her struggle with an abusive husband and how she left him with her twin sons because she knew she was worth more. It was extremely inspiring to hear a young Mozambican woman speak like that. I really hope her words reached some of the girls.

(Pictures coming soon!)

A perfect start

My first plane ride in Mozambique! That’s what I get for living 3 years on the south. I landed and immediately jumped into the Moz 17ers PDM conference (Project Design and Management). I was able to talk to all the PCVs and their counterparts about project ideas, how to apply for grants, and catch up on what they’ve been doing since I’d seen them last (which for most was November 2011 when we were all living in Namaacha). After taking care of business at the conference, we all went out to the National Cultural Festival, which happened to be taking place that weekend. We saw art and crafts from each province, dancing and musical presentations, and, my favorite, tried food from each province. We literally ate our way through the country  My favs were this yogurt-like fruity dessert from Manica, and the Indian style curry from Nampula. Delicious timing on my trip!


I was only in Nampula two nights, then off on site visits. First was Carapira. It’s a tiny little town located on the main highway (like are most towns), but if you weren’t looking for it you would pass by without thinking twice. When I stopped at the one and only road, I was struck by the site of a church. From almost a mile away, you can see this enormous, beautiful church. The one road leads right to it, pulling focus towards it.

I was only in Carapira for one night, but I talked to three PCVs about their projects, bounced around some ideas, and got hugs from one of my favorite people.

Liz's Visit photos