34 hours, 3 airports, 3 airplanes, and 2 countries later, I am in Mozambique! I arrived Monday afternoon, and Chris, the team leader was at the airport to pick me up. He told me the best way to get on Mozambique time was to stay up and go to bed at the regular time. I was super tired, but I was ready to start my Africa adventure--I can't waste a day!
So after a quick tour and shower, we went downtown in the Care for Life truck. Wow, how can I convey to you everything I took in being out in Mozambique? Well, first, I love it. I was smiling the whole time, just loving everything--the people, the palm trees, the jungle, the third worldness of it all. Second, did you know people drive on the left side of the street in Mozambique? Very disconcerting to have a semi barreling toward you on "wrong" side of the street. Third, there are no traffic lights, or any traffic rules for that matter, so everyone drives like the Knight Bus from Harry Potter. Best part is, I never felt unsafe--or maybe I was too enamoured with the landscape. So we went downtown in search of nails and some food, which we purchased at a very Americanesque grocery score called Shoprite.
A Cozinha (Kitchen)
Don't forget your mosquito net!
Soon to be my bunk bed
O banheiro (bathroom)
We had plenty to do that evening. First we went to visit a family that Chris had met (he actually taught and baptized the husband Bernardo) on his mission in Mozambique. They were super nice, and we enjoyed FHE and a legitimate Mozambican dinner with them. Rice, chicken, fries, and salad--my first Mozambican meal is a success!
We spent the rest of the evening celebrating the Fourth of July with four other Americans at a little farm on the outskirts of Beira. Chris had met them early that day volunteering at the orphanage, and they invited us over to celebrate that night. It was a total blast. We made our own homemade fireworks out of steel wool, ate Brazilian food to beyond contentedness, and played Uno. It was so much fun.
I love Mozambique!
This is really great Drake. I know Juli had such a good time on her trips down to South America and Darcy is headed to Guatemala in a couple weeks for some kind of volunteer effort. Good for all of you. Have fun, be safe.
ReplyDelete-Daniel