Had a good lesson today. Did a Predator and Prey game that I made up. It was complicated, but I managed to explain it with Zach's help.
Found out the exact Internet policy today. I need to have a disclaimer saying that these opinions are mine and not necessarily PC. If you've read this for a while...duh! Hehe.
There's been some complaining about training, language, etc. Most of it has manifested itself constructively, but some people aren't getting what they expected from the program. I think some people aren't getting what they expected from the program. I think some peoples' expectations are a little too high. Our trainers work hard and have to consider many different perspectives when teaching something. We don't know what we're getting into and they don't know where we're coming from. Some of us are teaching in Portuguese, some of us have strong Spanish backgrounds, others have weak French backgrounds. We all have different priorities, knowledge, strengths, weaknesses and learning styles. And in 10 weeks, we want to know everything.
It can get frustrating for anyone to be in this situation, as it has for many of us. I've resigned myself to the fact that it will take time for me to pick up the language, regardless of what is taught. It's a time and effort issue for me. I respond very similarly to good and bad teachers. Not so for others who are scared about their language abilities.
Hardship, I suppose.
Peace
John
(FROM MOM - THUS ENDS THE LATEST INSTALLMENT OF THE JOURNAL!)
Saturday, December 28, 2002
11/25/2002
I had never seen a star twinkle before seeing a moonless night in Africa.
Of course, I could see hundreds of thousands of stars, after the beautiful sunset complete with pink clouds opposite the turquoise sky. And the only light pollution was the lights of Maputo - but the thing I noticed the most tonight was the amazing spectrum of twinkling stars.
We have songs written about such things, but they harken to times and places that were less polluted than 21st century America.
So when you see a star discretely change from red to white to blue and black...it's simply magical. You kinda rub your eyes to make sure what you saw, really happened, and you see it again.
In the States, we're so used to this phenomenon happening because of planes or satellites passing above. So it's our natural inclination to look to another star for confirmation.
So you look to a close star...red-blue-red-white-blue-red-blue-white...and then all of a sudden your focus pans out and you can see every star in the sky twinkling.
Suddenly, the very mysterious night sky becomes alive with evidence of the atmosphere that protects us every day. Like that friend who always does the little things but never takes the credit; you always feel safer knowing they're around.
Blah. My writing's getting sappy. When I have more time, I'll write about some cold, hard facts :)
Peace
John
Of course, I could see hundreds of thousands of stars, after the beautiful sunset complete with pink clouds opposite the turquoise sky. And the only light pollution was the lights of Maputo - but the thing I noticed the most tonight was the amazing spectrum of twinkling stars.
We have songs written about such things, but they harken to times and places that were less polluted than 21st century America.
So when you see a star discretely change from red to white to blue and black...it's simply magical. You kinda rub your eyes to make sure what you saw, really happened, and you see it again.
In the States, we're so used to this phenomenon happening because of planes or satellites passing above. So it's our natural inclination to look to another star for confirmation.
So you look to a close star...red-blue-red-white-blue-red-blue-white...and then all of a sudden your focus pans out and you can see every star in the sky twinkling.
Suddenly, the very mysterious night sky becomes alive with evidence of the atmosphere that protects us every day. Like that friend who always does the little things but never takes the credit; you always feel safer knowing they're around.
Blah. My writing's getting sappy. When I have more time, I'll write about some cold, hard facts :)
Peace
John
11/23/2002
Yesterday was a great day.
We finished our first week of model school yesterday, and the stress from that created an interesting vibe in the group. A lot of people had a tough time this past week, and nobody had it easy. Some current volunteers pitched in and threw us a party (complete with cheese quesadillas, brownies, chocolate chip cookies and smoothies - possibly the best thing any of us had tasted for quite a while) and PC got a DJ to school to play pretty much any music we wanted. Also, we had a very nice "Ngoma Time" - a bunch of talent came out in the group, led by Carolyn's singing prowess.
(In case you haven't noticed by now, I refer to everyone by their first name because I don't want to spoil their relative anonymity :) )
Anyway, before all this happened, we were told by PC (Paolo specifically) that we wouldn't be receiving mail this week because of problems in Maputo. Well, this was pretty rough because of the week we had had, so it didn't get the night off to a great start.
About midway through our party, Didinho (dih-dee-nyoo) let us know that mail had just arrived in the office and it was being delivered right then. Jubilation ensued!
I didn't want to build things up too much, but I ended up having the best mail day yet. I got 3 letters from the States, all sent around the end of October/beginning of November from my Dad, Lisa and Cara! I also got a RANDOM letter from this woman in Malta, Rebecca. She had foundmy address on this journal and wrote a very nice letter!
Receiving my first communication from Lisa was really big, especially since I got my first phone call from Eric this week too. As soon as I got hime, I told my host family that I got the letter, and my host dad told my host mom to go cut a rose.
We have two rosebushes around the house, and one of them has 3 blooms (2 now). They presented the flower on top of the letter and handed it to me very respectfully. I just about died, it was so thoughtful! Sometimes I wonder if my host family understands me and what is important to me (and of course, vice versa), but yesterday it was clear that they knew.
I read my Dad's letter with my host dad, helping him with pronunciation and trying to translate a very colloquial letter. It was a good time, especially since I had been drinking!
This is probably the first day I feel significantly more comfortable about being able to make it 2 years here. Not because of language, teaching ability, etc., but because I'm starting to reestablish communication with the people I'm close to, and it seems to be not only as important for them, but they all completely understand why I'm here and not there, with them. It's hard to admit, from both ends, but we all know that this is something I need to be doing right now.
I'm trying to really take account of how I feel right now, and why it feels good so that I can remember the next time things suck, which could be as soon as this afternoon.
I found that when I was getting stressed out lesson planning this week, it was relaxing to take a step back in my mind and look at the big picture: I'm in Moz, teaching Bio in Portuguese. This isn't supposed to be easy. And I'm not expected to be a good teacher for a few months yet, even a year. So the fact that I'm concerned that the homework I gave didn't make sense except to a couple of students, or I pronounced the word "vagina" incorrectly (with the accent on the first instead of second syllable), should tell me that I'm really doing quite well.
I have a lot of goals for myself this next week of model school, mainly involving Portuguese. One of my perceived weaknesses this past week was my energy level. I had a VERY quiet class of 6th and 7th grades learning 8th grade biology. It was tough to teach them when I was trying to be energetic and not getting anything back. Monday, I get the 10th graders who are apparently very energetic. It should be a good time!
Peace
John
We finished our first week of model school yesterday, and the stress from that created an interesting vibe in the group. A lot of people had a tough time this past week, and nobody had it easy. Some current volunteers pitched in and threw us a party (complete with cheese quesadillas, brownies, chocolate chip cookies and smoothies - possibly the best thing any of us had tasted for quite a while) and PC got a DJ to school to play pretty much any music we wanted. Also, we had a very nice "Ngoma Time" - a bunch of talent came out in the group, led by Carolyn's singing prowess.
(In case you haven't noticed by now, I refer to everyone by their first name because I don't want to spoil their relative anonymity :) )
Anyway, before all this happened, we were told by PC (Paolo specifically) that we wouldn't be receiving mail this week because of problems in Maputo. Well, this was pretty rough because of the week we had had, so it didn't get the night off to a great start.
About midway through our party, Didinho (dih-dee-nyoo) let us know that mail had just arrived in the office and it was being delivered right then. Jubilation ensued!
I didn't want to build things up too much, but I ended up having the best mail day yet. I got 3 letters from the States, all sent around the end of October/beginning of November from my Dad, Lisa and Cara! I also got a RANDOM letter from this woman in Malta, Rebecca. She had foundmy address on this journal and wrote a very nice letter!
Receiving my first communication from Lisa was really big, especially since I got my first phone call from Eric this week too. As soon as I got hime, I told my host family that I got the letter, and my host dad told my host mom to go cut a rose.
We have two rosebushes around the house, and one of them has 3 blooms (2 now). They presented the flower on top of the letter and handed it to me very respectfully. I just about died, it was so thoughtful! Sometimes I wonder if my host family understands me and what is important to me (and of course, vice versa), but yesterday it was clear that they knew.
I read my Dad's letter with my host dad, helping him with pronunciation and trying to translate a very colloquial letter. It was a good time, especially since I had been drinking!
This is probably the first day I feel significantly more comfortable about being able to make it 2 years here. Not because of language, teaching ability, etc., but because I'm starting to reestablish communication with the people I'm close to, and it seems to be not only as important for them, but they all completely understand why I'm here and not there, with them. It's hard to admit, from both ends, but we all know that this is something I need to be doing right now.
I'm trying to really take account of how I feel right now, and why it feels good so that I can remember the next time things suck, which could be as soon as this afternoon.
I found that when I was getting stressed out lesson planning this week, it was relaxing to take a step back in my mind and look at the big picture: I'm in Moz, teaching Bio in Portuguese. This isn't supposed to be easy. And I'm not expected to be a good teacher for a few months yet, even a year. So the fact that I'm concerned that the homework I gave didn't make sense except to a couple of students, or I pronounced the word "vagina" incorrectly (with the accent on the first instead of second syllable), should tell me that I'm really doing quite well.
I have a lot of goals for myself this next week of model school, mainly involving Portuguese. One of my perceived weaknesses this past week was my energy level. I had a VERY quiet class of 6th and 7th grades learning 8th grade biology. It was tough to teach them when I was trying to be energetic and not getting anything back. Monday, I get the 10th graders who are apparently very energetic. It should be a good time!
Peace
John
11/21/2002
I talked with Eric today. It was really great to hear from him. Even though I miss him just as much, it's infinitely better having this connection...
I'm glad I brought the music I brought - I've been listening to Speakeasy a lot lately and a lot of folk. It's nice to hear familiar voices :)
Model school is hard. And stressful. WOOT!
Peace
John
I'm glad I brought the music I brought - I've been listening to Speakeasy a lot lately and a lot of folk. It's nice to hear familiar voices :)
Model school is hard. And stressful. WOOT!
Peace
John
11/20/2002
I really hate McDonald's.
Really.
McD's represents everything the PC experience does not represent. You go to McD's for quick, easy solutions to one of life's major problems. You expect to pay a small price for something that isn't good for you, but goes down easy.
It disgusted me way before I ever considered the PC experience. And the fact that it was brought as a gift for us this week nearly made me vomit.
It was a taste of home for some people, who enjoyed their guilty pleasures. I had to leave the room, however. I couldn't handle smelling or being around such nasty food. It was ushered from South Africa by a staff member, posthaste.
Iggy, one of the training coordinators, dug into his McD's cheeseburger with zeal. From Zimbabwe, he has a completely different perspective on McD's food because it isn't a replacement meal - it's a treat.
So I explained to him why I was so put off: the way McD's monopolizes farmers and controls both methods and prices of beef, misleading tactics to sell their products, their lack of conscience when it comes to what they sell and how fat they help make people, etc. This was all new to him and somewhat entertaining. I felt pretty ridiculous afterwards, realizing that I just tried to explain to someone who has bigger concerns than boycotting business practices that reflect a different society's values. But I think we both learned from the experience.
However, I still detest McDonald's.
Model school is going well, and I'm trying new things every day to see how they fly. I was a live model for the muscular system today. I was shirtless for Sawyer's demonstration of major muscle groups. It was really funny, but I don't think they're going to forget that lesson!
Peace
John
Really.
McD's represents everything the PC experience does not represent. You go to McD's for quick, easy solutions to one of life's major problems. You expect to pay a small price for something that isn't good for you, but goes down easy.
It disgusted me way before I ever considered the PC experience. And the fact that it was brought as a gift for us this week nearly made me vomit.
It was a taste of home for some people, who enjoyed their guilty pleasures. I had to leave the room, however. I couldn't handle smelling or being around such nasty food. It was ushered from South Africa by a staff member, posthaste.
Iggy, one of the training coordinators, dug into his McD's cheeseburger with zeal. From Zimbabwe, he has a completely different perspective on McD's food because it isn't a replacement meal - it's a treat.
So I explained to him why I was so put off: the way McD's monopolizes farmers and controls both methods and prices of beef, misleading tactics to sell their products, their lack of conscience when it comes to what they sell and how fat they help make people, etc. This was all new to him and somewhat entertaining. I felt pretty ridiculous afterwards, realizing that I just tried to explain to someone who has bigger concerns than boycotting business practices that reflect a different society's values. But I think we both learned from the experience.
However, I still detest McDonald's.
Model school is going well, and I'm trying new things every day to see how they fly. I was a live model for the muscular system today. I was shirtless for Sawyer's demonstration of major muscle groups. It was really funny, but I don't think they're going to forget that lesson!
Peace
John
11/19/2002
I hadmy first full class today, and I suppose it went well - it was really tough to get the kids to participate, and even harder when you can't explain yourself fully.
I had a couple of fairly vivid, sentimental dreams last night. The ones I remember now involved the two people I miss the most and haven't been able to communicate with to this point for many reasons - Eric and Lisa.
It's hard to write about this, because I miss them so much. I had a great conversation with my mom (real mom) on Saturday night - and so it makes me miss them that much more, knowing that I'm close to making contact with them. I guess what's more is that our relationships can't help but change over 2 years. I really do feel like I'm on the moon sometimes - whether it be communication, culture, or just this awkward adjustment period. I don't know if there will be a point where I'm completely comfortable being here, but I don't know that I want that. I think feeling like I always need to be working on integrating is a good thing and will make me more culturally aware.
Continuing in a fairly sentimental tone, this is the last page of my first journal, a milestone of sorts. I hope it's the beginning of a long journey with the people who are reading this and a good way for the people I love to keep up with me in the in-between times...
Love and Peace
John
I had a couple of fairly vivid, sentimental dreams last night. The ones I remember now involved the two people I miss the most and haven't been able to communicate with to this point for many reasons - Eric and Lisa.
It's hard to write about this, because I miss them so much. I had a great conversation with my mom (real mom) on Saturday night - and so it makes me miss them that much more, knowing that I'm close to making contact with them. I guess what's more is that our relationships can't help but change over 2 years. I really do feel like I'm on the moon sometimes - whether it be communication, culture, or just this awkward adjustment period. I don't know if there will be a point where I'm completely comfortable being here, but I don't know that I want that. I think feeling like I always need to be working on integrating is a good thing and will make me more culturally aware.
Continuing in a fairly sentimental tone, this is the last page of my first journal, a milestone of sorts. I hope it's the beginning of a long journey with the people who are reading this and a good way for the people I love to keep up with me in the in-between times...
Love and Peace
John
11/18/2002
It's been 48 days in Peace Corps, and already many of my perspectives on the world have changed. I now know how similar people are and how cultures radically alter relationships, but enrich them at the same time.
So I found out why everyone has water issues. Apparently, the water is off for the entire province (or at least this area) because of some work on the pipes. Of course, things were supposed to be fixed already.
I probably shouldn't mention this, but the pheromones are up again this week. Many of the women in the group are ovulating, and so hormones are going crazy. It's funny to be aware of this and see how differently people act!
Peace
John
So I found out why everyone has water issues. Apparently, the water is off for the entire province (or at least this area) because of some work on the pipes. Of course, things were supposed to be fixed already.
I probably shouldn't mention this, but the pheromones are up again this week. Many of the women in the group are ovulating, and so hormones are going crazy. It's funny to be aware of this and see how differently people act!
Peace
John
Friday, December 27, 2002
11/17/2002
Water Problems
Usually when I wake up on Sundays (NOTE: The word "usually" has taken on new meaning here, as anything that happens twice is considered ritual to me.), I wash my clothes. But today, I was asked what was most important to wash.
There are still plenty of mysteries of living here because many of the day-to-day events are only communicated in dialect. I noticed that we had very little water this morning, which was unusual. I started washing my bed sheets, then offered to help get water after it was apparent that that needed to happen.
Most of the bigger families here have wheelbarrows and 25kg water bottles. The wheelbarrows are all marked with "UNICEF" and the water bottles are all the same brand, in either yellow, green or black.
So I started carting the wheelbarrow of empty bottles (4 of them). Please take note that it's VERY strange for a white person to be carting water, even if it is empty. I got a ton of laughs and greetings of "Carting water, eh?" in Portuguese. I responded by saying it was my first time.
About 4 other trainees saw me along the way, as it was a long walk. We finally got to a house, escorted by my brother Antonio (who was acting drum major in our 2-man parade). We waited for my host dad to catch up, and then he determined that they didn't have any water. The house we had stopped at recommended we go to the Mosque.
So we went to one of the nicest buildings in town, a living, breathing Mosque. The man we spoke with was in traditional garb, and seemed to be giving my dad the runaround. We were offering to pay for water (you have to pay for it anyway, unless you go to the river) but he just disappeared after a while. I think my host dad just lost patience. And we weren't alone. There were at least a dozen women waiting.
So Antonio took the water back as we "passear"ed to Zach's place. My dad always asks about him because he "never visits" - which is considered rude, to have a friend who doesn't visit. I tried to explain that he's got a lot of work, etc., but it didn't seem to help.
So, at 8:30AM we stopped by - and Zach was still asleep. His brother woke him up (as company necessitates) and so I immediately told him to go back to sleep, as I explained to my host dad that he was tired. First, my host dad asked Zach why he hasn't come to visit, but we managed to get out of there without much of an issue :)
Carolyn and Sawyer both stop by a lot and end up talking Sr. Bernardo for a while if I'm not there. It's funny to hear them talk about it, because it's a double-edged sword. They love the conversation, but they don't always have the time for it. Kinda the same way I feel sometimes.
Peace
John
(THIS IS MOM-- I'm pooped and will continue this tomorrow...)
Usually when I wake up on Sundays (NOTE: The word "usually" has taken on new meaning here, as anything that happens twice is considered ritual to me.), I wash my clothes. But today, I was asked what was most important to wash.
There are still plenty of mysteries of living here because many of the day-to-day events are only communicated in dialect. I noticed that we had very little water this morning, which was unusual. I started washing my bed sheets, then offered to help get water after it was apparent that that needed to happen.
Most of the bigger families here have wheelbarrows and 25kg water bottles. The wheelbarrows are all marked with "UNICEF" and the water bottles are all the same brand, in either yellow, green or black.
So I started carting the wheelbarrow of empty bottles (4 of them). Please take note that it's VERY strange for a white person to be carting water, even if it is empty. I got a ton of laughs and greetings of "Carting water, eh?" in Portuguese. I responded by saying it was my first time.
About 4 other trainees saw me along the way, as it was a long walk. We finally got to a house, escorted by my brother Antonio (who was acting drum major in our 2-man parade). We waited for my host dad to catch up, and then he determined that they didn't have any water. The house we had stopped at recommended we go to the Mosque.
So we went to one of the nicest buildings in town, a living, breathing Mosque. The man we spoke with was in traditional garb, and seemed to be giving my dad the runaround. We were offering to pay for water (you have to pay for it anyway, unless you go to the river) but he just disappeared after a while. I think my host dad just lost patience. And we weren't alone. There were at least a dozen women waiting.
So Antonio took the water back as we "passear"ed to Zach's place. My dad always asks about him because he "never visits" - which is considered rude, to have a friend who doesn't visit. I tried to explain that he's got a lot of work, etc., but it didn't seem to help.
So, at 8:30AM we stopped by - and Zach was still asleep. His brother woke him up (as company necessitates) and so I immediately told him to go back to sleep, as I explained to my host dad that he was tired. First, my host dad asked Zach why he hasn't come to visit, but we managed to get out of there without much of an issue :)
Carolyn and Sawyer both stop by a lot and end up talking Sr. Bernardo for a while if I'm not there. It's funny to hear them talk about it, because it's a double-edged sword. They love the conversation, but they don't always have the time for it. Kinda the same way I feel sometimes.
Peace
John
(THIS IS MOM-- I'm pooped and will continue this tomorrow...)
11/15/2002
I now know what cooked rat smells like.
Let me start at the beginning.
Wednesday night, I heard and saw a mouse in my room. It's body ws about 5" long and was just tooling about in my room, looking for anything to eat. I had some trash (that I collect and then pack out every week) sitting out, so I got rid of that the next morning. I told my host dad about the problem and suggested we get some poison or something along those lines. He said we'd take care of it on Saturday.
So at about 4:30 this morning, as the sun was rising, I heard it. And it was not trying to eat, but trying to find somewhere to hide during the day. I could tell it was trying to burrow into our cement wall, so I shined my flashlight on it from the comfort of my mosquito-net enclosed bed. I saw it run and hide, so I got up and started...
THE HUNT
I wrapped a towel around my waist to form a makeshift capulana, and looked for whomever was awake. Minutes later my host dad and mom came in and I explained the situation. I had seen it crawl in a hole halfway up the wall, so I pointed out the hole to my dad. He got a stick and a rock, thinking he could trap the rat with the rock. Unsuccessful in this endeavor, he started poking around the hole with the stick. I can only imagine what must have been going through the rat's head at this point. Whatever it was, it looked like sheer panic. I was standing about 5' back of the wall, shining my flashlight on the hole. Sr. Bernardo got the mouse out, and as it came out of the hole, he gave it a little flick...right for my face. I managed to swat the sucker away, but only after making eye contact with what must have been the most freaked-out mouse on the planet at that very moment.
We hunted it in my room for a little longer, managing to scare it into the common room. I closed my door, and we proceeded into...
STAGE TWO - The Common Room
Now, one of my brothers was in on the action, too. My dad armed himself with a wooden spoon, my mom with a fairly mean stick, my brother with a T-shirt, and I grabbed our mini-broom and was in a hockey stance. We all had a good laugh about the situation (in fact, we were laughing the entire time as different languages were fired about). The mouse kept running to different parts of the room, and as it found more hiding spots, we kept moving things outside or on top of the main table.
The mouse seemed to have found a good hiding spot at one point, behind a food cabinet. But we managed to urge it out.
Every time it started running, there was a chorus of yelps and screams followed by a fairly violent "whap-whap-whap" of brooms, sticks and T-shirts. Then laughing, and a regrouping at the assumed hiding spot. This went on for a good 15 minutes until the rat made a break for my room and burrowed under the door. Which leads us to....
SQUARE ONE
Now it was getting serious. I didn't want to kill it before, but it had the balls to go back into my room. So now my room got turned upside down, looking for the fearsome critter. We repeated the previous ritual several times, until it left my room for good and back into the common room. I put a towel in front of my door to make sure there was no repeating the disaster...
REVENGE
After only a minute, the rat came into the clear. My mom had a good read on its pattern, and started thwacking with all her might. She nailed it and it died pretty much instantaneously. Not a bad way to go, if you're a rat, considering what we do to them in labs...
Anyway, we celebrated and presented the corpse on the front step like raising a trophy. It was a great moment, I guess :)
A minute later, it was gone, and I asked what had happened with the body...
BREAKFAST...
Peace
John
Let me start at the beginning.
Wednesday night, I heard and saw a mouse in my room. It's body ws about 5" long and was just tooling about in my room, looking for anything to eat. I had some trash (that I collect and then pack out every week) sitting out, so I got rid of that the next morning. I told my host dad about the problem and suggested we get some poison or something along those lines. He said we'd take care of it on Saturday.
So at about 4:30 this morning, as the sun was rising, I heard it. And it was not trying to eat, but trying to find somewhere to hide during the day. I could tell it was trying to burrow into our cement wall, so I shined my flashlight on it from the comfort of my mosquito-net enclosed bed. I saw it run and hide, so I got up and started...
THE HUNT
I wrapped a towel around my waist to form a makeshift capulana, and looked for whomever was awake. Minutes later my host dad and mom came in and I explained the situation. I had seen it crawl in a hole halfway up the wall, so I pointed out the hole to my dad. He got a stick and a rock, thinking he could trap the rat with the rock. Unsuccessful in this endeavor, he started poking around the hole with the stick. I can only imagine what must have been going through the rat's head at this point. Whatever it was, it looked like sheer panic. I was standing about 5' back of the wall, shining my flashlight on the hole. Sr. Bernardo got the mouse out, and as it came out of the hole, he gave it a little flick...right for my face. I managed to swat the sucker away, but only after making eye contact with what must have been the most freaked-out mouse on the planet at that very moment.
We hunted it in my room for a little longer, managing to scare it into the common room. I closed my door, and we proceeded into...
STAGE TWO - The Common Room
Now, one of my brothers was in on the action, too. My dad armed himself with a wooden spoon, my mom with a fairly mean stick, my brother with a T-shirt, and I grabbed our mini-broom and was in a hockey stance. We all had a good laugh about the situation (in fact, we were laughing the entire time as different languages were fired about). The mouse kept running to different parts of the room, and as it found more hiding spots, we kept moving things outside or on top of the main table.
The mouse seemed to have found a good hiding spot at one point, behind a food cabinet. But we managed to urge it out.
Every time it started running, there was a chorus of yelps and screams followed by a fairly violent "whap-whap-whap" of brooms, sticks and T-shirts. Then laughing, and a regrouping at the assumed hiding spot. This went on for a good 15 minutes until the rat made a break for my room and burrowed under the door. Which leads us to....
SQUARE ONE
Now it was getting serious. I didn't want to kill it before, but it had the balls to go back into my room. So now my room got turned upside down, looking for the fearsome critter. We repeated the previous ritual several times, until it left my room for good and back into the common room. I put a towel in front of my door to make sure there was no repeating the disaster...
REVENGE
After only a minute, the rat came into the clear. My mom had a good read on its pattern, and started thwacking with all her might. She nailed it and it died pretty much instantaneously. Not a bad way to go, if you're a rat, considering what we do to them in labs...
Anyway, we celebrated and presented the corpse on the front step like raising a trophy. It was a great moment, I guess :)
A minute later, it was gone, and I asked what had happened with the body...
BREAKFAST...
Peace
John
11/14/2002
My second lesson was pretty fun, and it was well-received. Though I still don't understand everything the students are saying yet, that will come with time. The more time I spend in the classroom, the more I will understand. It feels like a slow process, but the fact is, I've only been speaking Portuguese for six weeks and already I've taught two lessons in it. Not too shabby.
It's interesting being a month away from swearing in. I think back a month ago, and I realize that it doesn't seem that long. I know we've been busy, but we've only just been able to establish a routine. I wonder what it will be like after I've established a routine at site - how the days and weeks might fly by.
It both scares me and puts my mind at ease to think that time is passing so quickly. I will relish returning to the States, catching up with my old life and starting a brand new one. OK, well, that last paragraph was for me. I know you don't want to hear about all that wishy-washy shit.
Tonight at dinner, I saw for the first time, the "right hand rule" in action. You're not supposed to hand anything to anyone with your left hand, a remnant of Arab traditions. It makes sense, though, as most people use their left hand to wipe their ass. One of those Darwinian things ("He's still alive because his family didn't serve him feces for dinner.")
My host mom had a glass in her right hand, and grabbed an empty water bottle for me to fill with my left hand. She realized her error and placed her right hand (with glass) under her left arm while handing me the water bottle. This signifies that she is excusing her dirty hand.
(Something else she does - and many people do this - is that she touches her left hand to her right elbow when receiving something, to show respect. Every time I lend her my knife - every day - she uses this form of respect. You'll see this happen during handshakes, when meeting someone respected for the first time. I've used it on several occasions.)
Also, my host dad was looking for matches (the Portuguese roughly translates to "phosphors") and I had them right in front of me. Without thinking, I grabbed them with my left hand and gave him the matches, which he proceeded to grab with his left hand. Realizing his mistake, he let go and switched hands. It was strange, but I understand the awkwardness of it all.
In other news, I made a note for myself to write about my host father's clothes. It is the best wardrobe...ever. And he's quite the snappy dresser. I'm being sarcastic.
When it's warm in the morning, he'll often wear a mesh tank top (as Carolyn said, "Yeah, quite fashionable...for 1985) and cargo shorts. He's got a few collared shirts, which he always wears with the collar up and buttons unfastened. This is a common fashion here.
It gets interesting though, then it gets "cold". By cold, I mean below 60F. JUST below. One morning, my father walked out with a petticoat on. The next morning, it was a fake fur. Oh yeah, and he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. I nagged him a little for his interesting taste in dress, and we all had a good laugh. He even complained that he was still cold, so I gave him one of my hats. I explained the logo (it's a baseball hat) and he seems to have taken to it.
I give him shit about his fashion, but really, I'm quite impressed with the amount he actually has. My two older brothers share some outfits; my host mom wears the same three tattered T-shirts salvaged from the USA; and my youngest brother often runs around nakes, except for a capulana. And it all has an American influence.
People think of malnourishment when they think of Africa, but one of the biggest things that strikes you about poverty on a daily basis is the dependence (and existence) of fashion in developed nations. In most MOZ communities, people don't dress to impress - they dress to be covered and warm. It's actually quite a relief to not be constantly concerned about fashion. Those who know me are laughing right now. (NOTE FROM MOM --- JOHN MARCHES TO HIS OWN FASHION DRUMMER...)
Essentially, I'm trying to say that you learn to do without a lot of things without much trouble, and then you look at the way things were with curiosity, humor and sometimes disdain. I did this a lot before coming here, so it's nice to have some of my views on what's REALLY necessary, vindicated.
It's funny how the only things you miss are the only things you can't buy. Especially when you don't have the money to buy them in any case!
Peace
John
It's interesting being a month away from swearing in. I think back a month ago, and I realize that it doesn't seem that long. I know we've been busy, but we've only just been able to establish a routine. I wonder what it will be like after I've established a routine at site - how the days and weeks might fly by.
It both scares me and puts my mind at ease to think that time is passing so quickly. I will relish returning to the States, catching up with my old life and starting a brand new one. OK, well, that last paragraph was for me. I know you don't want to hear about all that wishy-washy shit.
Tonight at dinner, I saw for the first time, the "right hand rule" in action. You're not supposed to hand anything to anyone with your left hand, a remnant of Arab traditions. It makes sense, though, as most people use their left hand to wipe their ass. One of those Darwinian things ("He's still alive because his family didn't serve him feces for dinner.")
My host mom had a glass in her right hand, and grabbed an empty water bottle for me to fill with my left hand. She realized her error and placed her right hand (with glass) under her left arm while handing me the water bottle. This signifies that she is excusing her dirty hand.
(Something else she does - and many people do this - is that she touches her left hand to her right elbow when receiving something, to show respect. Every time I lend her my knife - every day - she uses this form of respect. You'll see this happen during handshakes, when meeting someone respected for the first time. I've used it on several occasions.)
Also, my host dad was looking for matches (the Portuguese roughly translates to "phosphors") and I had them right in front of me. Without thinking, I grabbed them with my left hand and gave him the matches, which he proceeded to grab with his left hand. Realizing his mistake, he let go and switched hands. It was strange, but I understand the awkwardness of it all.
In other news, I made a note for myself to write about my host father's clothes. It is the best wardrobe...ever. And he's quite the snappy dresser. I'm being sarcastic.
When it's warm in the morning, he'll often wear a mesh tank top (as Carolyn said, "Yeah, quite fashionable...for 1985) and cargo shorts. He's got a few collared shirts, which he always wears with the collar up and buttons unfastened. This is a common fashion here.
It gets interesting though, then it gets "cold". By cold, I mean below 60F. JUST below. One morning, my father walked out with a petticoat on. The next morning, it was a fake fur. Oh yeah, and he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. I nagged him a little for his interesting taste in dress, and we all had a good laugh. He even complained that he was still cold, so I gave him one of my hats. I explained the logo (it's a baseball hat) and he seems to have taken to it.
I give him shit about his fashion, but really, I'm quite impressed with the amount he actually has. My two older brothers share some outfits; my host mom wears the same three tattered T-shirts salvaged from the USA; and my youngest brother often runs around nakes, except for a capulana. And it all has an American influence.
People think of malnourishment when they think of Africa, but one of the biggest things that strikes you about poverty on a daily basis is the dependence (and existence) of fashion in developed nations. In most MOZ communities, people don't dress to impress - they dress to be covered and warm. It's actually quite a relief to not be constantly concerned about fashion. Those who know me are laughing right now. (NOTE FROM MOM --- JOHN MARCHES TO HIS OWN FASHION DRUMMER...)
Essentially, I'm trying to say that you learn to do without a lot of things without much trouble, and then you look at the way things were with curiosity, humor and sometimes disdain. I did this a lot before coming here, so it's nice to have some of my views on what's REALLY necessary, vindicated.
It's funny how the only things you miss are the only things you can't buy. Especially when you don't have the money to buy them in any case!
Peace
John
11/13/2002
I taught my first class today - ever.
Well, let me qualify that.
I've taught before, just never in a formal classroom setting or teaching required material. So it was an experience, especially since I was teaching in Portuguese.
It was only a twenty-minute lesson, and I based it on the similarities of humans to other mammals. I went over the various differences we have and made a list with the students. Then, we concentrated on similarities and made a similar list.
And when I say students, I mean it. Some local 8th graders (ages ranging from 15-18, most likely) sat in on our "micro" teaching, our first forays into education in Mozambique. They acted like normal MOZ students, copying dutifully every word we wrote on the board.
My biology lesson went well, and to some extent, I was able to explain myself, but it was quite difficult. Knowing that they know Portuguese 10x better than I do can be intimidating if not downright scary. But most of the Bio teachers are doing really well with this challenge and we are already working quite hard (and spending less time playing cards or hanging out at the bar...)
The English teachers are similarly thriving, and feeling out for themselves how much Portuguese they can and should use in a given lesson. The lessons I sat in on were very interesting to watch. It's a real test for some people to stay patient and find other ways to explain themselves that the students understand.
It seems like these 3 days of micro-school and probably the first week of model school (next week) will create a sink-or-swin situation for some people. If you're not patient, or are weak in Portuguese (and a bio teacher), then something is going to give over the next few days. I think a couple people are on the brink of leaving, and I truly hope that they stick with the program and the rest of us reach out to them.
It would be a shame to lose more people who are so willing to give of their time.
On the positive side, however, I am very relieved with my first lesson. I had moderately expanded notes, and spent most of the lesson talking from the Portuguese I know. It didn't come out too grammatically correct, but that's just something I need to work on, and will come with time.
It's both exciting and daunting, being done with this first day. I only put together 1/2 a lesson, and yet it took quite a while to draw up and even more time thinking about it. I guess I just need practice and confidence.
Today at lunch, I was told that even more parents are reading this. We all say HI! Please realize thought that these are only my experiences and everyone's experience is radically different!
On Monday, I found out the Republicans took control of the Senate. Today, we found out that Iraq denied UN inspectors and W stated he's going to attack Iraq if Hussein confirms the denial of UN inspectors. The combination of these things makes it very likely that we will go to war in January in my mind, unless the UN steps in immediately. I think it's in our best interests here, as aid/development/PEACE workers that war is avoided at all costs. After all, as PC volunteers, we essentially work for the U.S. government...I hope W finds a peaceful solution as I know can be found.
Peace
John
Well, let me qualify that.
I've taught before, just never in a formal classroom setting or teaching required material. So it was an experience, especially since I was teaching in Portuguese.
It was only a twenty-minute lesson, and I based it on the similarities of humans to other mammals. I went over the various differences we have and made a list with the students. Then, we concentrated on similarities and made a similar list.
And when I say students, I mean it. Some local 8th graders (ages ranging from 15-18, most likely) sat in on our "micro" teaching, our first forays into education in Mozambique. They acted like normal MOZ students, copying dutifully every word we wrote on the board.
My biology lesson went well, and to some extent, I was able to explain myself, but it was quite difficult. Knowing that they know Portuguese 10x better than I do can be intimidating if not downright scary. But most of the Bio teachers are doing really well with this challenge and we are already working quite hard (and spending less time playing cards or hanging out at the bar...)
The English teachers are similarly thriving, and feeling out for themselves how much Portuguese they can and should use in a given lesson. The lessons I sat in on were very interesting to watch. It's a real test for some people to stay patient and find other ways to explain themselves that the students understand.
It seems like these 3 days of micro-school and probably the first week of model school (next week) will create a sink-or-swin situation for some people. If you're not patient, or are weak in Portuguese (and a bio teacher), then something is going to give over the next few days. I think a couple people are on the brink of leaving, and I truly hope that they stick with the program and the rest of us reach out to them.
It would be a shame to lose more people who are so willing to give of their time.
On the positive side, however, I am very relieved with my first lesson. I had moderately expanded notes, and spent most of the lesson talking from the Portuguese I know. It didn't come out too grammatically correct, but that's just something I need to work on, and will come with time.
It's both exciting and daunting, being done with this first day. I only put together 1/2 a lesson, and yet it took quite a while to draw up and even more time thinking about it. I guess I just need practice and confidence.
Today at lunch, I was told that even more parents are reading this. We all say HI! Please realize thought that these are only my experiences and everyone's experience is radically different!
On Monday, I found out the Republicans took control of the Senate. Today, we found out that Iraq denied UN inspectors and W stated he's going to attack Iraq if Hussein confirms the denial of UN inspectors. The combination of these things makes it very likely that we will go to war in January in my mind, unless the UN steps in immediately. I think it's in our best interests here, as aid/development/PEACE workers that war is avoided at all costs. After all, as PC volunteers, we essentially work for the U.S. government...I hope W finds a peaceful solution as I know can be found.
Peace
John
11/12/2002
I'm realizing how important each of us has (and will) become for this country. Many schools have less than a dozen teachers, and very few qualified to teach English. All told, the Ministry of Education says that they need 6000 teachers in Mozambique. Though 36 is an impressive number by PC/MOZ standards, it's less than 1% of the need. Hardly seems adequate.
Even so, our role is magnified in MOZ as we are expected to play an active part in the community. No matter which site I end up at, I will have another volunteer there with me, if not living in the same house. Together, we will be expected by PC and the school to transfer our knowledge to the community - meaning that 2 people will be expected to contribute the passion and information of 100x as many people. We will have to fill gaps we didn't know existed. It's intimidating to be in this situation, especially since we're not sure we should be doing this in the first place (well, some of us).
Walking into another country and telling them you can do things better than they've been doing them is a very touchy subject. It's the plight of the development worker, and no matter how much time and effort one puts in, there's always the risk of never being accepted.
And, on the other hand, if we are accepted into the community and there are hundreds of times more communities that need our help, how can we but make a dent? How can we feel that we've simply done our part and leave somebody else to continue our work elsewhere? How can we not feel frustration at Americans who bathe every day in the fruits of privilege (my metaphors have gone downhill as well:) )? Or even at the Mozambicans who do nothing about their situation except accepting their plight as a poor nation. There aren't many of the latter, but it's hard not to get worked up when meeting them.
Basically, I feel like there is an inordinate amount of pressure on those of us who may still be coming to terms with putting our lives on hold - so much pressure, that perspective is lost. Taking a couple steps back, it's plain to see that giving two years of our best efforts is but a drop in the bucket for what we can do for this country. It becomes not a question of staying, but a question of opportunities here in Africa. And, importantly, relaying this feeling to our loved ones.
Peace
John
Even so, our role is magnified in MOZ as we are expected to play an active part in the community. No matter which site I end up at, I will have another volunteer there with me, if not living in the same house. Together, we will be expected by PC and the school to transfer our knowledge to the community - meaning that 2 people will be expected to contribute the passion and information of 100x as many people. We will have to fill gaps we didn't know existed. It's intimidating to be in this situation, especially since we're not sure we should be doing this in the first place (well, some of us).
Walking into another country and telling them you can do things better than they've been doing them is a very touchy subject. It's the plight of the development worker, and no matter how much time and effort one puts in, there's always the risk of never being accepted.
And, on the other hand, if we are accepted into the community and there are hundreds of times more communities that need our help, how can we but make a dent? How can we feel that we've simply done our part and leave somebody else to continue our work elsewhere? How can we not feel frustration at Americans who bathe every day in the fruits of privilege (my metaphors have gone downhill as well:) )? Or even at the Mozambicans who do nothing about their situation except accepting their plight as a poor nation. There aren't many of the latter, but it's hard not to get worked up when meeting them.
Basically, I feel like there is an inordinate amount of pressure on those of us who may still be coming to terms with putting our lives on hold - so much pressure, that perspective is lost. Taking a couple steps back, it's plain to see that giving two years of our best efforts is but a drop in the bucket for what we can do for this country. It becomes not a question of staying, but a question of opportunities here in Africa. And, importantly, relaying this feeling to our loved ones.
Peace
John
11/11/2002
I really don't know which site I'd like to end up at. In talking about all of the sites with everyone, it seems like all of the houses are very nice and there are a bunch of spots near the water.
Because I'm in the relatively unique position of being a male bio teacher who's not married and may well be limited to being within 6 hours of Maputo (due to asthma), I have two likely sites I may end up at and two more I could go to if I fought hard enough. One of the likely sites, of course, is the one I visited. It's not that I couldn't make it there, I just don't know if it's for me.
In any case, I'm going to have a roommate or a sitemate.
Rumor has it that one of the more admired volunteers has left the program early. People can't help but have a few doubts when things like that happen.
We got new language classes today, and I'm in the slower bio teacher class. In talking with the training coordinator, I confirmed why. In terms of being able to speak, I'm doing very well. However, I know I have problems with understanding the language when it's spoken. I can only understand words I know how to say - and because I can only learn so much every day, it takes a while to get to that point. Other people can understand more than they can speak, because of their Spanish backgrounds, but I surpassed my Spanish book in the second week. I know that I can help others in my class, and by doing that, help myself. So, as much time as I have (not much), I will be spending more tutoring and working with others.
I spoke with my mother and father today on the cellphone that Chris and Neha bought, then got broken under warranty, and was replaced with a "new" phone. In fact, this phone was used and has a bad receiver. You have to yell in order for the other person to hear you, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Didn't receive any mail today, but some should be coming tomorrow (hopefully).
Over the next few weeks, entries may be getting shorter as the pace of training picks up. I'll be more opportunistic about writing, but I can't guarantee anything!
Peace
John
Because I'm in the relatively unique position of being a male bio teacher who's not married and may well be limited to being within 6 hours of Maputo (due to asthma), I have two likely sites I may end up at and two more I could go to if I fought hard enough. One of the likely sites, of course, is the one I visited. It's not that I couldn't make it there, I just don't know if it's for me.
In any case, I'm going to have a roommate or a sitemate.
Rumor has it that one of the more admired volunteers has left the program early. People can't help but have a few doubts when things like that happen.
We got new language classes today, and I'm in the slower bio teacher class. In talking with the training coordinator, I confirmed why. In terms of being able to speak, I'm doing very well. However, I know I have problems with understanding the language when it's spoken. I can only understand words I know how to say - and because I can only learn so much every day, it takes a while to get to that point. Other people can understand more than they can speak, because of their Spanish backgrounds, but I surpassed my Spanish book in the second week. I know that I can help others in my class, and by doing that, help myself. So, as much time as I have (not much), I will be spending more tutoring and working with others.
I spoke with my mother and father today on the cellphone that Chris and Neha bought, then got broken under warranty, and was replaced with a "new" phone. In fact, this phone was used and has a bad receiver. You have to yell in order for the other person to hear you, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Didn't receive any mail today, but some should be coming tomorrow (hopefully).
Over the next few weeks, entries may be getting shorter as the pace of training picks up. I'll be more opportunistic about writing, but I can't guarantee anything!
Peace
John
11/20/2002
Yesterday, we went to Xai-Xai, on the Indian (Ocean) coast. We had to take three chapas to get to the beach, and it took from 7:30, stopping for 3 hours, then going again and arriving at about 3 PM. But it was worth it.
I'd never set foot in the Indian Ocean before, and it's not as if my 3rd ocean was spectacularly different - it was just the novelty of it all. Of course, it was a gorgeous, unfettered beach and there were only a handful of people there on a beautiful day. Although I enjoyed myself, it was a guilty pleasure. I know I'm not here to be a beach bum - and I'm also privileged enough to have the choice. Most people can't afford to ship out to the beach - ever - and the people who buy up the property fence themselves in with their satellite dishes and SUVs. It creates a further dichotomy when you see this alongside reed huts. So can we ever integrate into the community when there's not only a perception but a reality that we have money and time to waste? Many volunteers have shown that they think so, but I wonder how true their integration really is. I would love to see if I can truly live at the level of the community, instead of slightly above it.
Anyway, the water was chilly and blue, perfect for a hot day. We did some body surfing and threw around a frisbee. We left the beach late afternoon and got into Xai-Xai for dinner at a tourist restaurant (however cheap).
Well, after dinner we went to a volunteer's house to hang out. Then we headed to the discoteca - Miao Miao. It was a fun one and played both traditional and pop American songs. This seemed to have more international interest, as it was near the beach and the tourist areas. I've gotten over the weirdness of being in dance clubs here - and how eerily similar the whole experience is to the States. I had a good talk with Lisa - I needed to vent some homesickness.
We returned from the club quite late, and most of us ended up only getting a couple hours of sleep before we rented our own chapa (between the 12 of us) straight to Boane. I've been napping and studying since I got home- well, trying. My host dad keeps interrupting. To him, it's not interrupting and I understand that, but it's still frustrating.
So I know what I want from a site now. I just don't think it exists. So no matter what, I'm going to have to compromise. It's not as if I came to Africa expecting anything anyway. It's just that we've been allowed to form expectations and desires about the rest of our experience, which is dangerous. I look forward to getting to site, but I'm also excited about this last half of training. My Portuguese came a long way this weekend, if only in colloquial ways. But confidence is confidence, so I'm a happy camper!
Peace
John
I'd never set foot in the Indian Ocean before, and it's not as if my 3rd ocean was spectacularly different - it was just the novelty of it all. Of course, it was a gorgeous, unfettered beach and there were only a handful of people there on a beautiful day. Although I enjoyed myself, it was a guilty pleasure. I know I'm not here to be a beach bum - and I'm also privileged enough to have the choice. Most people can't afford to ship out to the beach - ever - and the people who buy up the property fence themselves in with their satellite dishes and SUVs. It creates a further dichotomy when you see this alongside reed huts. So can we ever integrate into the community when there's not only a perception but a reality that we have money and time to waste? Many volunteers have shown that they think so, but I wonder how true their integration really is. I would love to see if I can truly live at the level of the community, instead of slightly above it.
Anyway, the water was chilly and blue, perfect for a hot day. We did some body surfing and threw around a frisbee. We left the beach late afternoon and got into Xai-Xai for dinner at a tourist restaurant (however cheap).
Well, after dinner we went to a volunteer's house to hang out. Then we headed to the discoteca - Miao Miao. It was a fun one and played both traditional and pop American songs. This seemed to have more international interest, as it was near the beach and the tourist areas. I've gotten over the weirdness of being in dance clubs here - and how eerily similar the whole experience is to the States. I had a good talk with Lisa - I needed to vent some homesickness.
We returned from the club quite late, and most of us ended up only getting a couple hours of sleep before we rented our own chapa (between the 12 of us) straight to Boane. I've been napping and studying since I got home- well, trying. My host dad keeps interrupting. To him, it's not interrupting and I understand that, but it's still frustrating.
So I know what I want from a site now. I just don't think it exists. So no matter what, I'm going to have to compromise. It's not as if I came to Africa expecting anything anyway. It's just that we've been allowed to form expectations and desires about the rest of our experience, which is dangerous. I look forward to getting to site, but I'm also excited about this last half of training. My Portuguese came a long way this weekend, if only in colloquial ways. But confidence is confidence, so I'm a happy camper!
Peace
John
11/8/2002
This is a really great site to be a volunteer. The town is pretty big, but not so big that it's intimidating. There are essentially two main streets that intersect, which have most of the commerce, but of course there are shops all over the place. And these are real shops, too. They're big enough for a dozen to be Mozambique-ly comfortable in, and are usually populated with flies. The flies don't bother me. The mosquitoes at night bother me, because I know some of them are malarial.
This may seem random, but I'm finding that I'm censoring myself in this journal because of PC sensitivities way too much. I wish there were some way around this, but I understand why PC is apolitical - otherwise, host countries would think twice about have volunteers coming in - and controlled by lawyers. It is like any other U.S. organization, defined by the limits of their liability because people equate life and happiness with money. So we can't do or say certain things because our parents/loved ones could (in theory) sue. I mention this only because this seems so ridiculous. The culture I'm in right now is very much concerned with living life and not about being afraid. So to try and explain to Mozambicans why we have to wear helmets when riding a bike is difficult, once you get past language.
"Speaking" of language, the two volunteers I'm visiting, Tober and Blake, and I had some good conversations about learning Portuguese. Tober is fluent now (he's in his second year and will leave MOZ in December), and he set my mind at ease. He was in the middle of the pack, was focused on pronunciation and learning Portuguese the slow and methodical way instead of the quick way. He's also a Biology teacher. Additionally, we look alike - and everyone the past couple days has been calling me Tober or Tober's brother (irmao). Since there are 4 unmarried male bio teachers, one of us will end up here with Blake. I'm not sure I want to be here - it's a great town, and the people are fantastic. There's a lot of opportunity for music and theatre, and a bunch of people speak English well. However, life here is relatively easy compared with Boane. I don't know that I want that. And since I resemble and have similar interests to Tober, it might be quite difficult to create my own identity and change peoples' perception of what to expect from me.
I think I'm going to wait and see what the other bio sites are like before I put down my preferences. I love the idea of having an indoor shower when it's cold, but I also like staring at the stars.
I didn't come here to be picky - far from it, actually. But I just want to make sure I have the opportunity to really make a difference in people's lives, which I think both Blake and Tober have done, however, I have different ideas of impacting others.
In other matters, both the guys here are big into basketball. The French came in and built a great multisport court here in town, and so that's where everyone plays. It's kind of strange to see this relatively modern court built by the French in the middle of Africa. I mean, the French aren't that good at basketball. Maybe they built it for recruiting :)
In the Maputo paper today, there was a story about the local roller hockey league. There's one court in Maputo (and probably in all of MOZ) where they play roller hockey on roller skates (the 2x2 kind) with limited equipment. But apparently this is the latest craze in this part of Africa. If I'm near Maputo, I'll definitely have to find this place. Talk about big fish in a small pond. How many MOZ grew up on hockey??
Now for something completely different...
On the Internet today, I saw how much of an influence - rather, how well-known - this journal is getting to be. It's intimidating, but definitely a good thing. I think the more people can learn about different cultures, the better, even if it is secondhand. Especially when it happens all over the world, like it's happening. I'm definitely going to try and distill these experiences into a book after I return, as there seems to be genuine interest.
I'm getting a better handle on the personalities of the MOZ people little by little. There's an incredible variation in personality styles once you get past the universal cultural differences. Just like the U.S. People are sensitive, combative, curious, loud, laid back, fun-loving, etc. Just like anywhere else. So what is it about humans that we have such different personalities, even among the same people? How is nurture and how much is nature?
As these are questions that will take years to answer, I will keep them in the back of my head for a while and let 'em simmer. Right now, I have to focus on my job and learning language.
Monday I have the phone again!
Peace
John
This may seem random, but I'm finding that I'm censoring myself in this journal because of PC sensitivities way too much. I wish there were some way around this, but I understand why PC is apolitical - otherwise, host countries would think twice about have volunteers coming in - and controlled by lawyers. It is like any other U.S. organization, defined by the limits of their liability because people equate life and happiness with money. So we can't do or say certain things because our parents/loved ones could (in theory) sue. I mention this only because this seems so ridiculous. The culture I'm in right now is very much concerned with living life and not about being afraid. So to try and explain to Mozambicans why we have to wear helmets when riding a bike is difficult, once you get past language.
"Speaking" of language, the two volunteers I'm visiting, Tober and Blake, and I had some good conversations about learning Portuguese. Tober is fluent now (he's in his second year and will leave MOZ in December), and he set my mind at ease. He was in the middle of the pack, was focused on pronunciation and learning Portuguese the slow and methodical way instead of the quick way. He's also a Biology teacher. Additionally, we look alike - and everyone the past couple days has been calling me Tober or Tober's brother (irmao). Since there are 4 unmarried male bio teachers, one of us will end up here with Blake. I'm not sure I want to be here - it's a great town, and the people are fantastic. There's a lot of opportunity for music and theatre, and a bunch of people speak English well. However, life here is relatively easy compared with Boane. I don't know that I want that. And since I resemble and have similar interests to Tober, it might be quite difficult to create my own identity and change peoples' perception of what to expect from me.
I think I'm going to wait and see what the other bio sites are like before I put down my preferences. I love the idea of having an indoor shower when it's cold, but I also like staring at the stars.
I didn't come here to be picky - far from it, actually. But I just want to make sure I have the opportunity to really make a difference in people's lives, which I think both Blake and Tober have done, however, I have different ideas of impacting others.
In other matters, both the guys here are big into basketball. The French came in and built a great multisport court here in town, and so that's where everyone plays. It's kind of strange to see this relatively modern court built by the French in the middle of Africa. I mean, the French aren't that good at basketball. Maybe they built it for recruiting :)
In the Maputo paper today, there was a story about the local roller hockey league. There's one court in Maputo (and probably in all of MOZ) where they play roller hockey on roller skates (the 2x2 kind) with limited equipment. But apparently this is the latest craze in this part of Africa. If I'm near Maputo, I'll definitely have to find this place. Talk about big fish in a small pond. How many MOZ grew up on hockey??
Now for something completely different...
On the Internet today, I saw how much of an influence - rather, how well-known - this journal is getting to be. It's intimidating, but definitely a good thing. I think the more people can learn about different cultures, the better, even if it is secondhand. Especially when it happens all over the world, like it's happening. I'm definitely going to try and distill these experiences into a book after I return, as there seems to be genuine interest.
I'm getting a better handle on the personalities of the MOZ people little by little. There's an incredible variation in personality styles once you get past the universal cultural differences. Just like the U.S. People are sensitive, combative, curious, loud, laid back, fun-loving, etc. Just like anywhere else. So what is it about humans that we have such different personalities, even among the same people? How is nurture and how much is nature?
As these are questions that will take years to answer, I will keep them in the back of my head for a while and let 'em simmer. Right now, I have to focus on my job and learning language.
Monday I have the phone again!
Peace
John
11/7/2002
I'm in Gaza province on site visit. I'm writing under electricity and (somewhat) running water. I've spoken more English to locals than I have in the five previous weeks combined. I even tried some French with a native speaker. I got out "Je ne me souviens pas francais" and he responded that if I remembered how to say that, then I should know how to speak. I was too ashamed to admit that the only reason I remembered that phrase was because it's on the Quebec license plate.
My Portuguese is getting better, and I was able to speak it with a bunch of people today.
However, I got up at 3:30 AM and it's now 10:30 PM. I'm going to sleep.
Peace
John
My Portuguese is getting better, and I was able to speak it with a bunch of people today.
However, I got up at 3:30 AM and it's now 10:30 PM. I'm going to sleep.
Peace
John
11/6/2002
(THIS IS MOM ON 12/27 --- I JUST RECEIVED JOHN'S JOURNAL FROM 11/6 THROUGH 11/26. JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, HE IS NOW AT HIS PERMANENT SITE AND HAS A SNAIL MAIL ADDRESS IF YOU WISH TO CORRESPOND WITH HIM IN THAT FASHION. JUST EMAIL HIM AND LET HIM KNOW.)
I feel like there's so much I want to document before I stop noticing it. So much. Of course, I felt similarly overwhelmed in the States, but I never had the routine of writing in a journal.
So the weather.
The weather is strange. There are two official seasons, winter and summer. Winter is the three months of American summar, and summer is the other nine months. By winter, they mean, of course, that the average temperature is in the 70s and not the 80s.
There is a rainy season, and when it is supposed to begin and how long it is supposed to last is the topic of much debate. Many of us have heard that it was supposed to begin in September. Some heard even August. Others heard that it was supposed to start in January. And for how long? Anywhere between a week and a month. So really, rainy season could strike at any time and for 1-4 weeks. And it randomly rains, too.
The only thing that PC people need to worry about is flooding. If it seriously floods, there could be an outbreak of cholera, which means we would be at least temporarily evacuated. And of course, it would devastate this already poor country. By the same token, if these rains don't come (and they haven't, some years), the country will be horribly crippled. Such a difference from the US, where we worry ourselves about homes being washed away and other trifles... Nineteen million peoples' well-being depends on the weather, and in turn, what the 1st world does to the environment. Think global warming sucks because you don't have as much snow this year? Sorry, I promise not to get preachy. After all, this is my journal...
So, the weather. It's been nippy the past couple days. Today it was in the mid-50s (Fahrenheit). For Africans, this is COLD. For Americans prepared for mere summer, this is chilly. For Americans taking outdoor bucket baths like I'm about to do, it's RIDICULOUS. I feel like my testicles are going to freeze into stones and drop off my body, one at a time. Tink...tink. It's cold.
The sky, however, is spectacular at all times. When it's sunny, the land around here is so flat that you can see for over 20 miles. You can see the distortion of the clouds in the sky as they follow the curve of the earth, and you can see the clouds drop off into the horizon. When they're not burning trash, there's no pollution to speak of, and you realize how much ambient pollution there is in the US at all times.
At night (and I think I previously explained this), the sky is breathtaking. You can see stars pop out while there's still enough light to write by. Then, as the night gets older, you can see hundreds and thousands more stars. Constellations become crystal clear, and you can jump into the minds of the first navigators who stared at the very same patterns for years at a time. You look around at the life around you and marvel at the simplicity - nighttime is my hour of justification. I am a creature of the moment, and all of my emotions are intense. So when I have even one day of homesickness or of lamenting a stupid cultural error, a simple look up into the heavens and then back around at the village that is lit by moonlight, all is forgotten, at least for long enough to temper my mental state.
It is how the Earth is meant to be seen and used, and it appeals to humans subconsciously. No picture I can take can reveal its simultaneous simplicity and perfection, and no words can describe how raw and pure it really is. I guess this is why it's so jarring to me to see 21st century America in bits and pieces alongside what is classically "human". And such is the question of my presence here - which category do I fall under?
Peace
John
I feel like there's so much I want to document before I stop noticing it. So much. Of course, I felt similarly overwhelmed in the States, but I never had the routine of writing in a journal.
So the weather.
The weather is strange. There are two official seasons, winter and summer. Winter is the three months of American summar, and summer is the other nine months. By winter, they mean, of course, that the average temperature is in the 70s and not the 80s.
There is a rainy season, and when it is supposed to begin and how long it is supposed to last is the topic of much debate. Many of us have heard that it was supposed to begin in September. Some heard even August. Others heard that it was supposed to start in January. And for how long? Anywhere between a week and a month. So really, rainy season could strike at any time and for 1-4 weeks. And it randomly rains, too.
The only thing that PC people need to worry about is flooding. If it seriously floods, there could be an outbreak of cholera, which means we would be at least temporarily evacuated. And of course, it would devastate this already poor country. By the same token, if these rains don't come (and they haven't, some years), the country will be horribly crippled. Such a difference from the US, where we worry ourselves about homes being washed away and other trifles... Nineteen million peoples' well-being depends on the weather, and in turn, what the 1st world does to the environment. Think global warming sucks because you don't have as much snow this year? Sorry, I promise not to get preachy. After all, this is my journal...
So, the weather. It's been nippy the past couple days. Today it was in the mid-50s (Fahrenheit). For Africans, this is COLD. For Americans prepared for mere summer, this is chilly. For Americans taking outdoor bucket baths like I'm about to do, it's RIDICULOUS. I feel like my testicles are going to freeze into stones and drop off my body, one at a time. Tink...tink. It's cold.
The sky, however, is spectacular at all times. When it's sunny, the land around here is so flat that you can see for over 20 miles. You can see the distortion of the clouds in the sky as they follow the curve of the earth, and you can see the clouds drop off into the horizon. When they're not burning trash, there's no pollution to speak of, and you realize how much ambient pollution there is in the US at all times.
At night (and I think I previously explained this), the sky is breathtaking. You can see stars pop out while there's still enough light to write by. Then, as the night gets older, you can see hundreds and thousands more stars. Constellations become crystal clear, and you can jump into the minds of the first navigators who stared at the very same patterns for years at a time. You look around at the life around you and marvel at the simplicity - nighttime is my hour of justification. I am a creature of the moment, and all of my emotions are intense. So when I have even one day of homesickness or of lamenting a stupid cultural error, a simple look up into the heavens and then back around at the village that is lit by moonlight, all is forgotten, at least for long enough to temper my mental state.
It is how the Earth is meant to be seen and used, and it appeals to humans subconsciously. No picture I can take can reveal its simultaneous simplicity and perfection, and no words can describe how raw and pure it really is. I guess this is why it's so jarring to me to see 21st century America in bits and pieces alongside what is classically "human". And such is the question of my presence here - which category do I fall under?
Peace
John
Saturday, December 14, 2002
Swearing In!!
I am swearing in today, in about four hours. There are 36 of us who are gonna have a great time tonight, and we´re all really excited to be volunteers. I have received a bunch of mail that I haven´t had the chance to respond to just yet, but there should be a whole bunch of journal entries arriving before Christmas.
Speaking of X-Mas, I will have cell phone access starting Christmas day, on a different cell phone. If you want to call me, please send an e-mail as the town I will be in has an internet cafe! Also, if you want my new snail mail address, please e-mail me for that, too. I can´t just give that out for the whole world! Mail sent to the old address will still get to me, just slower than it is now.
If you would like to send anything in the way of books or educational materials in general, please contact Gifts-in-Kind, gik@peacecorps.gov . I hear that they sometimes help out in paying for it to get here. But that´s all that PC can do, so keep on researching other ways to get the heavy stuff over here. Also, check out this web page for more info ...
http://peacecorps.gov/wws/correspond/handbook/educators.html
If you know of any schools who would like to get involved with me, please contact me right away, as now would be the best time to set up that relationship. Also, if you are interested in me writing a column for your publication, please send an e-mail as I need to clear these things before I can do them!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season, and please keep the e-mail and letters coming, as they mean more than you could imagine!
BTW, if you´re stuck in Ohio, you are going to have to visit. Mozambique has the most beautiful beaches any of us have seen, and our group has people who have gone to St. John, Costa Rica, etc. I´m not a huge beach person, but I´d be willing to spend a couple leave days in the sun ...
Love & Peace,
John
Speaking of X-Mas, I will have cell phone access starting Christmas day, on a different cell phone. If you want to call me, please send an e-mail as the town I will be in has an internet cafe! Also, if you want my new snail mail address, please e-mail me for that, too. I can´t just give that out for the whole world! Mail sent to the old address will still get to me, just slower than it is now.
If you would like to send anything in the way of books or educational materials in general, please contact Gifts-in-Kind, gik@peacecorps.gov . I hear that they sometimes help out in paying for it to get here. But that´s all that PC can do, so keep on researching other ways to get the heavy stuff over here. Also, check out this web page for more info ...
http://peacecorps.gov/wws/correspond/handbook/educators.html
If you know of any schools who would like to get involved with me, please contact me right away, as now would be the best time to set up that relationship. Also, if you are interested in me writing a column for your publication, please send an e-mail as I need to clear these things before I can do them!
I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season, and please keep the e-mail and letters coming, as they mean more than you could imagine!
BTW, if you´re stuck in Ohio, you are going to have to visit. Mozambique has the most beautiful beaches any of us have seen, and our group has people who have gone to St. John, Costa Rica, etc. I´m not a huge beach person, but I´d be willing to spend a couple leave days in the sun ...
Love & Peace,
John
Monday, November 25, 2002
11/05/2002
AIDS
In the US, we have a very cautious attitude towards AIDS/HIV. People who are even slightly conscientious use condoms, and it's downright cool in many social circles to use condoms, as more than just birth control. Prevention of HIV infection is something everyone takes seriously (some people less so), but it is under control, even though AIDS is still an incredible problem, and a major killer.
Sub-Saharan Africa is a completely different world, in many ways. HIV prevalence is absolutely staggering. In Mozambique, the best situation of the Sub-Saharan countries, infection is at 13% (official number, but most agree the real number is closer to 20%). In a couple of populated corridors, such as the one I'm in now, infection levels are above 30%. Boane hosts a military base, which raises the numbers even higher. We travelled to Motola, a fairly prosperous city just a few kms from Maputo, and saw an avenue marked with reminders of SIDA (AIDS in Portuguese). Red ribbons were graffitied on trees lining the avenue and the initials SIDA. It was amateur-looking, but this is as official as public awareness seems to get - the government makes a considerable effort, but with a lack of funds to do very much, public displays are difficult.
There are a lot of myths about HIV/AIDS contraction here, and most have to do with who is able to get it. As educators, we have to teach that everyone is susceptible. And in more ways than just vaginal or oral sex. Apparently, official recommendations now say that AIDS can be acquired via oral sex, however rare, and also by "wet" kissing - also rare, but possible. This, of course, isn't the main concern of Mozambicans. Education is critical for the next sexually active generation, because HIV prevalence will skyrocket otherwise. And we see examples very nearby. The most dramatic is in Botswana.
Just a couple years ago, HIV infection in Botswana was around (or below) 30%. This is a very bad number. At this point in our HIV/AIDS epidemic, there begins to be a lot of orphans and infected children who never get to grow up. Today in Botswana, according to a very recent estimate, fully 50% of the adult population (15+ years) is infected. This means that if you have unprotected sex with someone, you have about a 75% chance that one of the two of you will be infected, if not the both of you. This means that only a quarter of children are completely safe from vertical infection (parent to child, specifically mother). This means that there will be a significant decrease in children that live to 10 years - so much so that the children who do live will have seen so much death, that they will have to be careful when being sexually active, or so we can hope.
There IS hope, however. If you can look past the morbidity, people with natural resistance to AIDS/HIV will prosper in Botswana and will rebuilt the country after such a horrible disaster, stronger than it was before. I just hope this transition begins sooner rather than later.
Peace
John
In the US, we have a very cautious attitude towards AIDS/HIV. People who are even slightly conscientious use condoms, and it's downright cool in many social circles to use condoms, as more than just birth control. Prevention of HIV infection is something everyone takes seriously (some people less so), but it is under control, even though AIDS is still an incredible problem, and a major killer.
Sub-Saharan Africa is a completely different world, in many ways. HIV prevalence is absolutely staggering. In Mozambique, the best situation of the Sub-Saharan countries, infection is at 13% (official number, but most agree the real number is closer to 20%). In a couple of populated corridors, such as the one I'm in now, infection levels are above 30%. Boane hosts a military base, which raises the numbers even higher. We travelled to Motola, a fairly prosperous city just a few kms from Maputo, and saw an avenue marked with reminders of SIDA (AIDS in Portuguese). Red ribbons were graffitied on trees lining the avenue and the initials SIDA. It was amateur-looking, but this is as official as public awareness seems to get - the government makes a considerable effort, but with a lack of funds to do very much, public displays are difficult.
There are a lot of myths about HIV/AIDS contraction here, and most have to do with who is able to get it. As educators, we have to teach that everyone is susceptible. And in more ways than just vaginal or oral sex. Apparently, official recommendations now say that AIDS can be acquired via oral sex, however rare, and also by "wet" kissing - also rare, but possible. This, of course, isn't the main concern of Mozambicans. Education is critical for the next sexually active generation, because HIV prevalence will skyrocket otherwise. And we see examples very nearby. The most dramatic is in Botswana.
Just a couple years ago, HIV infection in Botswana was around (or below) 30%. This is a very bad number. At this point in our HIV/AIDS epidemic, there begins to be a lot of orphans and infected children who never get to grow up. Today in Botswana, according to a very recent estimate, fully 50% of the adult population (15+ years) is infected. This means that if you have unprotected sex with someone, you have about a 75% chance that one of the two of you will be infected, if not the both of you. This means that only a quarter of children are completely safe from vertical infection (parent to child, specifically mother). This means that there will be a significant decrease in children that live to 10 years - so much so that the children who do live will have seen so much death, that they will have to be careful when being sexually active, or so we can hope.
There IS hope, however. If you can look past the morbidity, people with natural resistance to AIDS/HIV will prosper in Botswana and will rebuilt the country after such a horrible disaster, stronger than it was before. I just hope this transition begins sooner rather than later.
Peace
John
11/04/2002
I only got an hour of sleep last night, due to some intense heat and having a low-grade fever with a dose of paranoia.
It's hard to balance my frustrations with my family, with the radically different cultural expectations here. I feel like my feelings and desires are rarely respected unless they match up with the feelings or desires of my family. I feel like a commodity sometimes, and not so much a person. I feel like my father talks at me instead of trying to talk with me, because I'm the new person and I can't know very much. I know others patronize me when I don't fully understand what they're saying.
Of course, I can also see things from their point of view. I'm living in their country, their way of life. Why should my desires carry any weight? Plus, they're just trying to do what they consider to be right. If the situation were reversed, the Mozambican guest would be very frustrated that their American host family left them on their own so much of the time (when in fact, the Americans would perceive that they were smothering their guest). I am very much a commodity here, as families get paid to host trainees - so they have an investment in my wellness. Aside from that, there is a certain amount of respect associated with a family who hosts an American. So they need to make sure they save face, by keeping me healthy.
People talk at each other all day and don't necessarily ask questions unless they're looking to have something done for them. Conversation is very much static - which is not to say that it's boring. People offer up whatever information they want to share, and expect the same of others. So he's doing the same with me, however, I don't have all the faculties yet to reciprocate.
Others patronize me as Americans patronize foreigners. We like to show how much of an ingroup we are as members of the same country. Whether that's manifested in making fun of foreigners or slowing down language for foreigners, when you notice it as a foreigner, it's always a bad feeling. Everyone wants to belong.
These are just my frustrations though. I am very happy with my family and they are one of the strongest families in this village, as far as I can tell. They work hard, according to Mozambican standards, and they seem to have good standing within the community, even though they are poorer than many of their acquaintances or extended family.
We really felt the piercing heat of the African sun today, as it felt like your eyeballs were being roasted if you were out in the sun for too long. Too long being more than a couple of minutes. Not really a nice feeling.
Luckily, there's a somewhat air-conditioned building where we have some of our sessions, and we spent the better part of the afternoon in 82F luxury. And this place has flush toilets. I felt spoiled, especially with my extra bowel movements today!
We go visit volunteers on Thursday, and I'm going to Chokwe (SPELLING?) in the Comca (I THINK) province. It sounds like a nice site, so I can't wait for Thursday.
Peace
John
It's hard to balance my frustrations with my family, with the radically different cultural expectations here. I feel like my feelings and desires are rarely respected unless they match up with the feelings or desires of my family. I feel like a commodity sometimes, and not so much a person. I feel like my father talks at me instead of trying to talk with me, because I'm the new person and I can't know very much. I know others patronize me when I don't fully understand what they're saying.
Of course, I can also see things from their point of view. I'm living in their country, their way of life. Why should my desires carry any weight? Plus, they're just trying to do what they consider to be right. If the situation were reversed, the Mozambican guest would be very frustrated that their American host family left them on their own so much of the time (when in fact, the Americans would perceive that they were smothering their guest). I am very much a commodity here, as families get paid to host trainees - so they have an investment in my wellness. Aside from that, there is a certain amount of respect associated with a family who hosts an American. So they need to make sure they save face, by keeping me healthy.
People talk at each other all day and don't necessarily ask questions unless they're looking to have something done for them. Conversation is very much static - which is not to say that it's boring. People offer up whatever information they want to share, and expect the same of others. So he's doing the same with me, however, I don't have all the faculties yet to reciprocate.
Others patronize me as Americans patronize foreigners. We like to show how much of an ingroup we are as members of the same country. Whether that's manifested in making fun of foreigners or slowing down language for foreigners, when you notice it as a foreigner, it's always a bad feeling. Everyone wants to belong.
These are just my frustrations though. I am very happy with my family and they are one of the strongest families in this village, as far as I can tell. They work hard, according to Mozambican standards, and they seem to have good standing within the community, even though they are poorer than many of their acquaintances or extended family.
We really felt the piercing heat of the African sun today, as it felt like your eyeballs were being roasted if you were out in the sun for too long. Too long being more than a couple of minutes. Not really a nice feeling.
Luckily, there's a somewhat air-conditioned building where we have some of our sessions, and we spent the better part of the afternoon in 82F luxury. And this place has flush toilets. I felt spoiled, especially with my extra bowel movements today!
We go visit volunteers on Thursday, and I'm going to Chokwe (SPELLING?) in the Comca (I THINK) province. It sounds like a nice site, so I can't wait for Thursday.
Peace
John
11/03/2002
Being sick in Mozambique is not fun. I had a fever for most of the day today, and the weather was at least in the mid-90's, anyway. I tried to move as little as possible, but it was still pretty painful. I took some ibuprofen which helped, and hopefully my fever has broken for good. It's often hard to tell whether it's the weather or my body!
Yesterday, I spoke with Iggy (a native Zimbabwean) about his country. It was very interesting. Apparently, there are a ton of problems, but things are still better than Mozambique.
I'm starting to get the hang of non-verbal communication such as gestures, hums and whistles. Mozambicans notice every little gesture that you make, so everything is subtle. You can wave goodbye by simply tipping your hand while your arm is completely relaxed. You can whistle at the chickens to keep them out of the house. The cobradors (ticket-takers on the chapas) use different whistling tones to signify "go" and "stop" to the driver.
I think the most interesting aspect of all of the non-verbal communication is that direct verbal communication is possible in every situation, but non-verbal is more meaningful. I find myself "mmm-mmm" ing a lot in conversation as the natives do. The "mmm" can mean a lot of things, from "I'm listening" to "I didn't quite catch that" to "Yes!". It saves a lot of brain power not having to say those things in Portuguese.
I was reminded again today how different personal space is considered here. I was sick, so I told my host father that I needed some rest. So I went inside my room, into bed, and shut the door. Seconds later, Sr. Bernardo knocked on the door, and he came in. He suggested that he bring a chair into my room so we can converse while I rest. I politely (well, maybe not politely) told him no. It's hard to be alone here.
And I didn't have much of an appetite today, either, especially for oily eggs. So I told my family I didn't want breakfast, and I thought they were going to shit a brick. I just couldn't bring myself to eat anything, and they acted like I was on my deathbed. Of course, for the rest of the day I was being offered food every hour on the hour. I think they got offended (or scared) every time I said no.
It's quite hard to be sick in Mozambique!
Peace
John
Yesterday, I spoke with Iggy (a native Zimbabwean) about his country. It was very interesting. Apparently, there are a ton of problems, but things are still better than Mozambique.
I'm starting to get the hang of non-verbal communication such as gestures, hums and whistles. Mozambicans notice every little gesture that you make, so everything is subtle. You can wave goodbye by simply tipping your hand while your arm is completely relaxed. You can whistle at the chickens to keep them out of the house. The cobradors (ticket-takers on the chapas) use different whistling tones to signify "go" and "stop" to the driver.
I think the most interesting aspect of all of the non-verbal communication is that direct verbal communication is possible in every situation, but non-verbal is more meaningful. I find myself "mmm-mmm" ing a lot in conversation as the natives do. The "mmm" can mean a lot of things, from "I'm listening" to "I didn't quite catch that" to "Yes!". It saves a lot of brain power not having to say those things in Portuguese.
I was reminded again today how different personal space is considered here. I was sick, so I told my host father that I needed some rest. So I went inside my room, into bed, and shut the door. Seconds later, Sr. Bernardo knocked on the door, and he came in. He suggested that he bring a chair into my room so we can converse while I rest. I politely (well, maybe not politely) told him no. It's hard to be alone here.
And I didn't have much of an appetite today, either, especially for oily eggs. So I told my family I didn't want breakfast, and I thought they were going to shit a brick. I just couldn't bring myself to eat anything, and they acted like I was on my deathbed. Of course, for the rest of the day I was being offered food every hour on the hour. I think they got offended (or scared) every time I said no.
It's quite hard to be sick in Mozambique!
Peace
John
11/02/2002
Here's the Birthday Song in Portuguese...it uses the same tune, just sung three times over... (THIS IS MOM --- AS WITH OTHER PORTUGUESE IN THE JOURNAL, I CAN'T USE ACCENTS AND OTHER MARKINGS - SORRY)
Parabens a voce
Nesta data querida
Muitos felecidades
Muitos anos de vida.
(Pronunciation of above:
Pa-ra baynsh ah voh-say
Nesh-ta da-ta kayr-ee-da
Muy-tosh fe-liss-ee-daud-aysh
Muy-tosh awn-oos day vee-da.)
Tenha sembre do bom
Do que a vida contem
Tenha muita saude
E amigos tambem.
(Pronunciation of above -
Ten-ya sem-bray doo bong
Doo key a vee-da con-teng
Ten-ya muy-ta sa-woo-day
Ee am-ee-goosh tom-bang)
Hoje e dia de festa
Cantam as nossas almas
Para (your name)
Uma salva de palmas.
(Pronunciation of above -
Oh-gee ay dee-ah dee fesh-ta
Can-tang ash noh-sash ah-mash
Pa-ra....
Oom-ah sah-va dee pah-mash.)
Peace
John
Parabens a voce
Nesta data querida
Muitos felecidades
Muitos anos de vida.
(Pronunciation of above:
Pa-ra baynsh ah voh-say
Nesh-ta da-ta kayr-ee-da
Muy-tosh fe-liss-ee-daud-aysh
Muy-tosh awn-oos day vee-da.)
Tenha sembre do bom
Do que a vida contem
Tenha muita saude
E amigos tambem.
(Pronunciation of above -
Ten-ya sem-bray doo bong
Doo key a vee-da con-teng
Ten-ya muy-ta sa-woo-day
Ee am-ee-goosh tom-bang)
Hoje e dia de festa
Cantam as nossas almas
Para (your name)
Uma salva de palmas.
(Pronunciation of above -
Oh-gee ay dee-ah dee fesh-ta
Can-tang ash noh-sash ah-mash
Pa-ra....
Oom-ah sah-va dee pah-mash.)
Peace
John
11/01/2002
I just came back from seeing a great African dance troupe - they had on the most wonderful costumes and moved incredibly gracefully.
The backing band was a drum corps and a homemade xylophone made of gourds and trees. The clothing was mostly composed of shredded cloth about 2' long that was tied to various parts of the body and made for an incredible effect when they danced. It was really quite something to watch and I hope that I can get some pictures from other people.
This troupe seemed pretty professional, so I asked about how we landed this gig. Apparently, one of the Moz organizers found this group and offered them free lunch in exchange for their performance. It just seems incredible to me - you couldn't even think about landing a gig like that in the States without tremendous compensation (especially for such a small group). It really reminds me of how poor this area is.
This has been a very good Portuguese day - I've understood most that has come my way!
Unfortunately, I didn't receive much mail today, and I've been expecting - or hoping for - some letters from Ohio friends. It's difficult to be patient, especially since the phone I did get hold of stopped working this week, so I've been able to have a conversation with my father, but that's it.
On the plus side, I did receive this wonderful newsletter from my mother and some logic puzzles. It's all great to have! But this lack of communication with so many of my friends is as hard as I thought it would be and more! I suppose I just need to be patient and wait for letters, while taking the time to keep on writing them.
I know you all want to hear about different aspects of my life here, but I just don't know what to focus on!
It's a very interesting group dynamic that we have, because we are all so focused on our individual contributions to Mozambique and being good teachers, so we have only a decent knowledge of each other as people. Sure, there seem to be some closer friends, but we don't really have cliques, per se, and there don't seem to be people who spend all their time together. I think part of the reason for this is that we are training for what it is - preparation for our jobs. We are all taking it seriously, and so our focus is on self-preparation and not so much on making good friends...not just yet. Once we get to our sites, I'm sure we'll grow closer to each other out of necessity, and once we're settled in. It's hard not to have people who know me very well and to also know I will be putting myself in a tough spot by trying to find these people during a transitional period.
I think I speak for all of us when I say that we need to get to our sites and have some permanence in our lives!
Personal space and touching are quite interesting here. Africans have much less personal space and same sexes like to hold hands and just be very touchy-feely. This is perfectly fine with me, and I think it's kept me sane to feel the warmth of other humans! However, there are very few PDAs between couples (and don't talk about homosexuality --- it's quite taboo, not unlike the US just a few years ago) and rarely do you even know without a map who's married to whom. It is practically the opposite of the US in that respect - and so it has its positives and negatives.
Of course, to understand why personal space is the way it is, you really need to understand the culture. I'm working towards that understanding, and I most likely will be for my entire time here. Honestly, the culture is constantly changing from what I can tell as they move towards their goals. And these next two years are going to be interesting as the current president of 18 (or so) years is stepping down in 2004. It should all be wonderful to see and experience.
I've been thinking about what I want to do when I return to the States, and pursuing an acting career is looking very attractive. Acting is one of the pursuits I've found to be both challenging and rewarding in ways other careers are not. However, I wonder how I can integrate that pursuit with my passion for aiding society. Of course, acting is a very romantic notion that seems attractive as I'm 2 years away from having make that decision!
Peace
John
The backing band was a drum corps and a homemade xylophone made of gourds and trees. The clothing was mostly composed of shredded cloth about 2' long that was tied to various parts of the body and made for an incredible effect when they danced. It was really quite something to watch and I hope that I can get some pictures from other people.
This troupe seemed pretty professional, so I asked about how we landed this gig. Apparently, one of the Moz organizers found this group and offered them free lunch in exchange for their performance. It just seems incredible to me - you couldn't even think about landing a gig like that in the States without tremendous compensation (especially for such a small group). It really reminds me of how poor this area is.
This has been a very good Portuguese day - I've understood most that has come my way!
Unfortunately, I didn't receive much mail today, and I've been expecting - or hoping for - some letters from Ohio friends. It's difficult to be patient, especially since the phone I did get hold of stopped working this week, so I've been able to have a conversation with my father, but that's it.
On the plus side, I did receive this wonderful newsletter from my mother and some logic puzzles. It's all great to have! But this lack of communication with so many of my friends is as hard as I thought it would be and more! I suppose I just need to be patient and wait for letters, while taking the time to keep on writing them.
I know you all want to hear about different aspects of my life here, but I just don't know what to focus on!
It's a very interesting group dynamic that we have, because we are all so focused on our individual contributions to Mozambique and being good teachers, so we have only a decent knowledge of each other as people. Sure, there seem to be some closer friends, but we don't really have cliques, per se, and there don't seem to be people who spend all their time together. I think part of the reason for this is that we are training for what it is - preparation for our jobs. We are all taking it seriously, and so our focus is on self-preparation and not so much on making good friends...not just yet. Once we get to our sites, I'm sure we'll grow closer to each other out of necessity, and once we're settled in. It's hard not to have people who know me very well and to also know I will be putting myself in a tough spot by trying to find these people during a transitional period.
I think I speak for all of us when I say that we need to get to our sites and have some permanence in our lives!
Personal space and touching are quite interesting here. Africans have much less personal space and same sexes like to hold hands and just be very touchy-feely. This is perfectly fine with me, and I think it's kept me sane to feel the warmth of other humans! However, there are very few PDAs between couples (and don't talk about homosexuality --- it's quite taboo, not unlike the US just a few years ago) and rarely do you even know without a map who's married to whom. It is practically the opposite of the US in that respect - and so it has its positives and negatives.
Of course, to understand why personal space is the way it is, you really need to understand the culture. I'm working towards that understanding, and I most likely will be for my entire time here. Honestly, the culture is constantly changing from what I can tell as they move towards their goals. And these next two years are going to be interesting as the current president of 18 (or so) years is stepping down in 2004. It should all be wonderful to see and experience.
I've been thinking about what I want to do when I return to the States, and pursuing an acting career is looking very attractive. Acting is one of the pursuits I've found to be both challenging and rewarding in ways other careers are not. However, I wonder how I can integrate that pursuit with my passion for aiding society. Of course, acting is a very romantic notion that seems attractive as I'm 2 years away from having make that decision!
Peace
John
10/31/2002
My first Halloween that I can remember being out of the country for. How depressing - it was very uneventful! I miss the pomp and circumstance of the whole holiday. Missing Halloween also made me realize how experiencing these holidays mark time - and how differently time has passed here. It doesn't seem like it could be the Halloween season, or even November for that same reason. It was chilly last night, but it was still an exception rather than the rule. It will be strange when it warms up again here and we start having summer again.
I hope that paragraph reflects how being so far from home has changed my very perception of time!
It still seems like if I went back to the US, nothing should have changed. It feels like one big dream, and I'll wake up in Cleveland wishing I was still dreaming. Because, for all of the struggles and hard work facing me, this is an awesome life.
When I sometimes think of going back in order to be with friends and family, I remind myself of how routine the American way of life often is - and how little change you can exact in the world. Here, I feel like every little thing I do to help does 50x that of anything in the States. Even being unqualified to teach a science in a language I have only a simple grasp on is helpful to this country. In the US, I would do more harm than good, given these circumstances. And I'm just one person - imagine if it weren't just 36 of us teaching in Moz next year, but 3600 of us. Mozambique wouldn't know what to do with all of us, but would they begin to have an adequate educational system? I would hope so. Imagine how far Mozambique could go with the assistance of other countries showing them how to fish and not just giving them the fish.
At the same time, we'll be showing them to fish in an empty lake if we don't integrate into their culture. This means that we may be able to present relevant information, but unless it's applied in a way that makes sense to the students, it's useless.
Today, I was told that I may not be able to go more than 6 hours away from Maputo because I'm an asthmatic. However, I've never had an asthma attack, and my inhaler takes care of any problems I've had (few and far between). Hopefully, there will be some leeway in determining my site, because I desperately want to go up north (at least right now).
The pace of training has definitely picked up, and it's difficult to keep up with the studying I know I need to do. But I try.
There are chickens in a bucket close to me. Tomorrow, my Dad will sell them for 45 Met apiece. This is not strange to me any more.
Peace
John
I hope that paragraph reflects how being so far from home has changed my very perception of time!
It still seems like if I went back to the US, nothing should have changed. It feels like one big dream, and I'll wake up in Cleveland wishing I was still dreaming. Because, for all of the struggles and hard work facing me, this is an awesome life.
When I sometimes think of going back in order to be with friends and family, I remind myself of how routine the American way of life often is - and how little change you can exact in the world. Here, I feel like every little thing I do to help does 50x that of anything in the States. Even being unqualified to teach a science in a language I have only a simple grasp on is helpful to this country. In the US, I would do more harm than good, given these circumstances. And I'm just one person - imagine if it weren't just 36 of us teaching in Moz next year, but 3600 of us. Mozambique wouldn't know what to do with all of us, but would they begin to have an adequate educational system? I would hope so. Imagine how far Mozambique could go with the assistance of other countries showing them how to fish and not just giving them the fish.
At the same time, we'll be showing them to fish in an empty lake if we don't integrate into their culture. This means that we may be able to present relevant information, but unless it's applied in a way that makes sense to the students, it's useless.
Today, I was told that I may not be able to go more than 6 hours away from Maputo because I'm an asthmatic. However, I've never had an asthma attack, and my inhaler takes care of any problems I've had (few and far between). Hopefully, there will be some leeway in determining my site, because I desperately want to go up north (at least right now).
The pace of training has definitely picked up, and it's difficult to keep up with the studying I know I need to do. But I try.
There are chickens in a bucket close to me. Tomorrow, my Dad will sell them for 45 Met apiece. This is not strange to me any more.
Peace
John
10/30/2002
We had a discussion about race today. I'm feeling quite disturbed from it, and I'm going to try and figure out why.
One member of our group brought up that he feels that it's very difficult for white America and specifically himself to talk about race without feeling like they might make a misstep and offend minorities. I said that I think he needs to put those concerns away and just be completely honest, because otherwise it's very difficult to have any open conversation, and that I was glad he was making the first step. It came off as very condescending (and it was), but I just felt that he was being incredibly naive and missing part of the point of being here in Mozambique. It really got to him, and when he told me his feelings, it really got to me. I'm not exactly sure I should have said what I did in an open forum with everyone listening, but I think I was demonstrating my own point - that you can't be afraid of offending anyone, because you do yourself a disservice. And of course I did, and now I feel shitty about it. Obviously my idealism needs some tweaking, but maybe his guardedness about his feelings needs to change as well. I think he might be afraid of his own viewpoints in the context of the group, which makes me feel cheated that I'm only getting to know one aspect of him, and that it's not real.
So even though we spoke, I don't think the air is completely cleared as to whether or not he is being honest AND whether or not I should expect this of everyone else. I know I'm not representative of the group as a whole, and that our main "dynamic" is not in the context of the group, it is as volunteers in a struggling country. I said that I think we need to focus on that, moreso than our own differences. I hate it when I get insular (thanks Steve) in a situation which demands thinking about others' needs. I hate being so sensitive to what other people think of me, and at the same time believing that I shouldn't worry what other people think of me. I think I know who I am, I'm just having a lot of issues with being comfortable with myself.
Now I've put my host brothers to sleep, and they wanted to play cards. So I'll stop for now and get back to what really matters - children.
Oh yeah, someone left today. I wish he the best of luck. I hope she hasn't opened the door for others.
I'm still searching for a lot in Mozambique, but I think it's becoming clear what I need to do in the next 6 weeks + of training.
#1 - I need to learn enough Portuguese. I'm learning a lot every day, and I understand more every day, but I still feel shaky trying to understand every bit of casual conversation and more than 50% of formal conversation. In my favor, my reading comprehension and translation is very good; I just don't understand (spoken language) too well just yet.
#2 - I need to come up with several large long-term goals for the people I will be working with, and allow for more goals to come about as a result of my interactions with them.
#3 - I want to maintain good relationships with the other trainees in order to keep me sane and in good spirits.
#4 - I want to maintain open relationships with weaker trainees (in terms of their commitment to staying in Mozambique) so as to help them continue their service.
#5 - I need to maintain connections to loved ones in the USA so that I can keep on loving the people as they are and not simple as the they were when I left.
Of course, I want to complete the rest of the training program, but my emphasis is also on these points.
It started raining today and there doesn't seem to be any sign of it letting up - welcome to the rainy season! It's quite chilly - below 60 F - which makes taking a bucket bath downright painful when the winds pick up.
I'm one of a few guys to be trying new facial hair on - I've got a decent goatee growing now. I'm planning getting rid of the moustache part and keeping the rest, once it's full enough.
Site visits next week. I sincerely hope that I end up in Tete, which is the newest province for PC. Apparently, the mountains are fantastic!
Peace,
John
One member of our group brought up that he feels that it's very difficult for white America and specifically himself to talk about race without feeling like they might make a misstep and offend minorities. I said that I think he needs to put those concerns away and just be completely honest, because otherwise it's very difficult to have any open conversation, and that I was glad he was making the first step. It came off as very condescending (and it was), but I just felt that he was being incredibly naive and missing part of the point of being here in Mozambique. It really got to him, and when he told me his feelings, it really got to me. I'm not exactly sure I should have said what I did in an open forum with everyone listening, but I think I was demonstrating my own point - that you can't be afraid of offending anyone, because you do yourself a disservice. And of course I did, and now I feel shitty about it. Obviously my idealism needs some tweaking, but maybe his guardedness about his feelings needs to change as well. I think he might be afraid of his own viewpoints in the context of the group, which makes me feel cheated that I'm only getting to know one aspect of him, and that it's not real.
So even though we spoke, I don't think the air is completely cleared as to whether or not he is being honest AND whether or not I should expect this of everyone else. I know I'm not representative of the group as a whole, and that our main "dynamic" is not in the context of the group, it is as volunteers in a struggling country. I said that I think we need to focus on that, moreso than our own differences. I hate it when I get insular (thanks Steve) in a situation which demands thinking about others' needs. I hate being so sensitive to what other people think of me, and at the same time believing that I shouldn't worry what other people think of me. I think I know who I am, I'm just having a lot of issues with being comfortable with myself.
Now I've put my host brothers to sleep, and they wanted to play cards. So I'll stop for now and get back to what really matters - children.
Oh yeah, someone left today. I wish he the best of luck. I hope she hasn't opened the door for others.
I'm still searching for a lot in Mozambique, but I think it's becoming clear what I need to do in the next 6 weeks + of training.
#1 - I need to learn enough Portuguese. I'm learning a lot every day, and I understand more every day, but I still feel shaky trying to understand every bit of casual conversation and more than 50% of formal conversation. In my favor, my reading comprehension and translation is very good; I just don't understand (spoken language) too well just yet.
#2 - I need to come up with several large long-term goals for the people I will be working with, and allow for more goals to come about as a result of my interactions with them.
#3 - I want to maintain good relationships with the other trainees in order to keep me sane and in good spirits.
#4 - I want to maintain open relationships with weaker trainees (in terms of their commitment to staying in Mozambique) so as to help them continue their service.
#5 - I need to maintain connections to loved ones in the USA so that I can keep on loving the people as they are and not simple as the they were when I left.
Of course, I want to complete the rest of the training program, but my emphasis is also on these points.
It started raining today and there doesn't seem to be any sign of it letting up - welcome to the rainy season! It's quite chilly - below 60 F - which makes taking a bucket bath downright painful when the winds pick up.
I'm one of a few guys to be trying new facial hair on - I've got a decent goatee growing now. I'm planning getting rid of the moustache part and keeping the rest, once it's full enough.
Site visits next week. I sincerely hope that I end up in Tete, which is the newest province for PC. Apparently, the mountains are fantastic!
Peace,
John
10/29/2002
(THIS IS MOM -- JUST RECEIVED JOHN'S POSTS FROM 10/29 FORWARD. I UNDERSTAND FROM EMAIL TO ONE OF THE OTHER PARENTS THAT UNREST IN THE CAPITAL HAS MEANT THAT THE VOLUNTEERS CAN'T GO IN FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. THAT MEANS NO EMAILS FOR A WHILE. NONETHELESS, IF ANYONE WISHES TO EMAIL JOHN, PLEASE DO, AS ALL ARE BEING KEPT FOR HIM AND EVENTUALLY HE'LL SEE IT.)
Cockroach vs Trainee -- the battle continues...
I know the cockroach is just another bug, like any other, and is as harmless as any other. All they do is scamper about randomly.
But here in Mozambique, they get to tremendous proportions. And they're all downright nasty looking. They look like mobile pieces of crap with large feelers that can sense what's going on at all times. I have never held such superficial contempt for an animal (or anything, really) as I do for the cockroach. It is the only animal I have no problem harming or killing on sheer principle.
Ants and spiders I can deal with. Bats are downright cute. But when faced with a cockroach on my wall, I reach for the industrial-strength bug spray and go to town. I'll keep on spraying until it can't hold onto the wall any longer, then it will fall to the ground. I'll either sweep it out of my room, or cover it with something until morning. Cockroaches like to play dead, so you can never be sure.
What's more, they seem to take a certain liking to the smell of shit. I don't know what it is, but if it's dark out and reeks of feces, you can bet there are a few roaches near.
I really needed to "fazer coco" (take a poop) tonight at 9:00 PM. My family was all asleep, so I had to venture outside all alone. The moon isn't out tonight due to cloud cover, so I couldn't see very much at all beyond the glow of my flashlight (possibly one of the best inventions ever, my LED flashlight).
The latrine is simple - a hole with a wood covering, raised about a foot off the ground.
As soon as I entered the bathroom, I saw roaches scurry in every direction, and not necessarily away from me. I kicked a couple away, then decided I just couldn't pull down my pants and expose myself to getting roached.
So I want and "fazer xixi" (to take a piss) in the casa de banho to work up the courage. When I came back, it seemed like the roaches I kicked had spread the word. They seemed to keep their distance, but as I opened the latrine, there were still a couple more enjoying their poopy meal. They hopped out after some prodding, and I tore my pants off as quickly as possible, balancing the TP and flashlight so as to keep track of every rogue cockroach and keep them away from A) my ass, and B) my TP.
I talked to them the whole time, giving them such nicknames as "F...ity, F..., F..." and "F...'in roach". You can tell I was in a creative mood. One did get daring and touched my ass which provoked an immediate and sudden response I care not to share here.
I pooped quicker than I've ever pooped before, and then let the roaches get back to doing whatever they had been doing before...
Peace
John
Cockroach vs Trainee -- the battle continues...
I know the cockroach is just another bug, like any other, and is as harmless as any other. All they do is scamper about randomly.
But here in Mozambique, they get to tremendous proportions. And they're all downright nasty looking. They look like mobile pieces of crap with large feelers that can sense what's going on at all times. I have never held such superficial contempt for an animal (or anything, really) as I do for the cockroach. It is the only animal I have no problem harming or killing on sheer principle.
Ants and spiders I can deal with. Bats are downright cute. But when faced with a cockroach on my wall, I reach for the industrial-strength bug spray and go to town. I'll keep on spraying until it can't hold onto the wall any longer, then it will fall to the ground. I'll either sweep it out of my room, or cover it with something until morning. Cockroaches like to play dead, so you can never be sure.
What's more, they seem to take a certain liking to the smell of shit. I don't know what it is, but if it's dark out and reeks of feces, you can bet there are a few roaches near.
I really needed to "fazer coco" (take a poop) tonight at 9:00 PM. My family was all asleep, so I had to venture outside all alone. The moon isn't out tonight due to cloud cover, so I couldn't see very much at all beyond the glow of my flashlight (possibly one of the best inventions ever, my LED flashlight).
The latrine is simple - a hole with a wood covering, raised about a foot off the ground.
As soon as I entered the bathroom, I saw roaches scurry in every direction, and not necessarily away from me. I kicked a couple away, then decided I just couldn't pull down my pants and expose myself to getting roached.
So I want and "fazer xixi" (to take a piss) in the casa de banho to work up the courage. When I came back, it seemed like the roaches I kicked had spread the word. They seemed to keep their distance, but as I opened the latrine, there were still a couple more enjoying their poopy meal. They hopped out after some prodding, and I tore my pants off as quickly as possible, balancing the TP and flashlight so as to keep track of every rogue cockroach and keep them away from A) my ass, and B) my TP.
I talked to them the whole time, giving them such nicknames as "F...ity, F..., F..." and "F...'in roach". You can tell I was in a creative mood. One did get daring and touched my ass which provoked an immediate and sudden response I care not to share here.
I pooped quicker than I've ever pooped before, and then let the roaches get back to doing whatever they had been doing before...
Peace
John
Sunday, November 17, 2002
Live Update!
Everything is fine here -- hopefully I will be making phone calls later
today! We have started teaching, and it is really a blast, but also
incredibly intimidating. Communication lately has been really frustrating
because it is so difficult, and I still haven`t received any mail outside of
CT. But we just have to be patient, and once I get to site, communication
should be a lot easier once I have more time during the day.
My Portuguese is really coming along, and teaching in it isn´t as
intimidating (it is still really hard) as I originally thought it would be.
I miss everyone tremendously.
Things that would be really cool to have here: The latest hip-hop & rap
music (they LOVE JayZ, P Diddy, JLo, DMX, etc), pictures of people and
events from home, synopses of the latest movies, a book on budgeting and
personal finance because I want to see if I can teach that here, my friends
to visit in four and a half months when I am allowed to have visitors :-) ,
teaching materials (anything really), etc.
Hopefully I will be able to send out some sort of XMas gifts, but I cannot
promise they will be on time. We have four weeks until swearing in as
volunteers, and we are all really psyched ...
PEACE and Love,
John
_________________________________________________________________
Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
today! We have started teaching, and it is really a blast, but also
incredibly intimidating. Communication lately has been really frustrating
because it is so difficult, and I still haven`t received any mail outside of
CT. But we just have to be patient, and once I get to site, communication
should be a lot easier once I have more time during the day.
My Portuguese is really coming along, and teaching in it isn´t as
intimidating (it is still really hard) as I originally thought it would be.
I miss everyone tremendously.
Things that would be really cool to have here: The latest hip-hop & rap
music (they LOVE JayZ, P Diddy, JLo, DMX, etc), pictures of people and
events from home, synopses of the latest movies, a book on budgeting and
personal finance because I want to see if I can teach that here, my friends
to visit in four and a half months when I am allowed to have visitors :-) ,
teaching materials (anything really), etc.
Hopefully I will be able to send out some sort of XMas gifts, but I cannot
promise they will be on time. We have four weeks until swearing in as
volunteers, and we are all really psyched ...
PEACE and Love,
John
_________________________________________________________________
Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
Friday, November 08, 2002
10/28/2002
I just found out that the Angels won the World Series. It's very surreal being so far removed from the American media. I can't imagine the Angels winning, just because it seems to be out of nowhere. However, I know if I were keeping up with things, it would seem perfectly normal.
Zach and I got haircuts today at a barbershop by the market. He has significantly more hair than I do.
The shop was about 15' long and about 8' wide. There was one lightbulb hanging from the ceiling and one outlet with an extension cord and power strip. Some men were fooling around with cell phones on one part of the power strip, and the electric razors were plugged into the other outlets.
My host father took us there, and he explained that we needed haircuts. I told the barber how short I wanted my hair (he cut it a little too short, but it's no big deal), and he took the electric razor to it. It was going very normally, and I was speaking to Zach in English.
One of the men working on the cellphones speaks a little English, and told me (in English) that "it's not nice to speak" a language that most people in the room cannot understand. He held fast by this rule, as he was later speaking Changara. But I was trying to communicate to Zach what this man was doing to my head, and I guess that could definitely be construed as rude!
After he cut most of my hair, he got to my neck. "Gentle" is not a concept for Mozambican barbers. It was downright painful how hard he shaved my hair away, and I let Zach secretly know this so he could be prepared.
Because Zach has so much hair, they ended up going to a backup electric razor - and instead of using scissors, they trimmed from about 6 inches down to about 3-4 inches with a razor. It was actually quite impressive.
The whole thing took about an hour and cost 35,000 Met each which translates to $1.50. You don't tip for anything here, as it's a communal society. The reasoning is that everyone has their job and always works hard at it. I want to give people a tip, but it just doesn't work.
I've found out that other people are recommending this journal as a way to find out how things are in Mozambique. So please communicate with your contact in Moz what you might like to hear about, and I'll try to describe it as best I can. But please keep in mind that my experiences can't help but be vastly different from your loved ones'!
We had discussions today regarding what we're doing for Halloween, and it seems like we're having a little party on Sunday afternoon with a movie and such.
I didn't want it to be on Sunday, because that's the only day I can spend entirely with my family. Some people see it as a day they do nothing, but to me, this time is important. This family has taken me in and wrapped their lives around my well-being - I feel like I owe them more than just one day a week!
I think it goes back to my perception of the volunteers working around the culture rather than with the culture. I've brought it up in conversation, and the concensus seems to be that it's too difficult. We are told that we can never be Mozambican, try as we might. It's not that I think they're wrong, it's just that I'm stubborn. I'll only find this out the hard way, which is why I took this job in the first place.
As much as I enjoy spending time with the other trainees, we won't have this luxury at site, so I feel that I need to force myself to be away from that and spend quality (Portuguese) time with my host family. There are similar reasons to spend all our free time with the trainees, but I just don't think that way.
These entries should be arriving in two weeks from now, if not sooner. By then, the Xmas season will be starting and Thanksgiving will be right around the corner. I'm going to miss my traditional Thanksgiving in Virginia, seeing relatives and taking a nice long road trip with my father. It will be even stranger to have a Thanksgiving in the summer heat!
Please keep on writing - I've only received mail from my mother so far (!) but there are a bunch of us who know more is coming. It seems to arrive by the part of the country it departed from, in no particular order. I have a feeling Ohio will be this week, and I'll feel better having some letters from school friends.
Peace
John
Zach and I got haircuts today at a barbershop by the market. He has significantly more hair than I do.
The shop was about 15' long and about 8' wide. There was one lightbulb hanging from the ceiling and one outlet with an extension cord and power strip. Some men were fooling around with cell phones on one part of the power strip, and the electric razors were plugged into the other outlets.
My host father took us there, and he explained that we needed haircuts. I told the barber how short I wanted my hair (he cut it a little too short, but it's no big deal), and he took the electric razor to it. It was going very normally, and I was speaking to Zach in English.
One of the men working on the cellphones speaks a little English, and told me (in English) that "it's not nice to speak" a language that most people in the room cannot understand. He held fast by this rule, as he was later speaking Changara. But I was trying to communicate to Zach what this man was doing to my head, and I guess that could definitely be construed as rude!
After he cut most of my hair, he got to my neck. "Gentle" is not a concept for Mozambican barbers. It was downright painful how hard he shaved my hair away, and I let Zach secretly know this so he could be prepared.
Because Zach has so much hair, they ended up going to a backup electric razor - and instead of using scissors, they trimmed from about 6 inches down to about 3-4 inches with a razor. It was actually quite impressive.
The whole thing took about an hour and cost 35,000 Met each which translates to $1.50. You don't tip for anything here, as it's a communal society. The reasoning is that everyone has their job and always works hard at it. I want to give people a tip, but it just doesn't work.
I've found out that other people are recommending this journal as a way to find out how things are in Mozambique. So please communicate with your contact in Moz what you might like to hear about, and I'll try to describe it as best I can. But please keep in mind that my experiences can't help but be vastly different from your loved ones'!
We had discussions today regarding what we're doing for Halloween, and it seems like we're having a little party on Sunday afternoon with a movie and such.
I didn't want it to be on Sunday, because that's the only day I can spend entirely with my family. Some people see it as a day they do nothing, but to me, this time is important. This family has taken me in and wrapped their lives around my well-being - I feel like I owe them more than just one day a week!
I think it goes back to my perception of the volunteers working around the culture rather than with the culture. I've brought it up in conversation, and the concensus seems to be that it's too difficult. We are told that we can never be Mozambican, try as we might. It's not that I think they're wrong, it's just that I'm stubborn. I'll only find this out the hard way, which is why I took this job in the first place.
As much as I enjoy spending time with the other trainees, we won't have this luxury at site, so I feel that I need to force myself to be away from that and spend quality (Portuguese) time with my host family. There are similar reasons to spend all our free time with the trainees, but I just don't think that way.
These entries should be arriving in two weeks from now, if not sooner. By then, the Xmas season will be starting and Thanksgiving will be right around the corner. I'm going to miss my traditional Thanksgiving in Virginia, seeing relatives and taking a nice long road trip with my father. It will be even stranger to have a Thanksgiving in the summer heat!
Please keep on writing - I've only received mail from my mother so far (!) but there are a bunch of us who know more is coming. It seems to arrive by the part of the country it departed from, in no particular order. I have a feeling Ohio will be this week, and I'll feel better having some letters from school friends.
Peace
John
10/27/2002
The rainy season is knocking. There have been thunderclaps, but so far, there has not been any rain.
I think everyone's English is improving again, now that we are able to speak more complicated Portuguese. It's really funny that we all took this approach of simplifying the way we think in order to simplify the way we speak.
To my knowledge, there haven't been any romantic couplings within the group yet. But as we are in a very interesting situation - and on our own - it's bound to happen soon!
It's nightfall and the bats have come out. It's really fun to watch them because they are so acrobatic in being able to avoid people and everything else very easily and quickly. And they're out every single night.
I cooked a Chinese stir-fry for my family this afternoon with the help of Sawyer. It took quite a while to cut everything, mainly because I had to use my hand as a cutting board. It is really making me a better cook!
I included fresh ginger and orange peel in the initial seasoning. Then, after a couple minutes, tossed in onions and garlic marinated in soy sauce. Then, after a few more minutes, bell peppers and piri-piri (small jalapenos). I served it over rice with soy sauce. It got good reviews with eyes wide open. I've never seen a group of six people drink so much water so quickly in my life! As they ate more, it just got more entertaining. Of course, it was only the first course of three that we had for lunch...
Next week, I'm cooking Italian. I think I'll make a really nice sauce for spaghetti. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much basil around here, and I don't want to use all of mine.
Some neighbors brought over their 2-week old baby, and I got to hold Rafael for a while. Within minutes, he pissed on me, which seemed to be some sort of rite of passage here. Everyone started clapping rhythm and cheering. I still am not quite sure exactly why.
If you would like to visit me (and I know you would), it is possible to get round-trip airfare for less than $1000. If you want to learn the language, pick up "Portuguese in 3 months". We're using it as a supplement, and it's very good. There are a couple different pronunciations in MOZ Portuguese, but other than that, it's accurate!
The third course today for lunch was chicken. It got killed while we were waiting for the rice to cook and I ended up having to eat some. Yes, I had told my family only once per week, but they want to give me meat so badly, they made me eat at least once. Bybluk (ONE OF JOHN'S FRATERNITY BROTHERS) must be laughing right now.
I'm sitting here by candlelight now, listening to the rain fall and reading some random French calendar my family has. I like this proverb I ran across:
"La societe a besoin de poetes,
comme la nuit a besoin d'etoiles."
And if my French is correct...
"Society needs poets like
The night needs stars."
What's intimidating is that I couldn't translate that into Portuguese (from memory) and the last time I was in a French class was high school. I know conversational Portuguese, not written, just yet!
Just a couple days ago, some French superceded Portuguese when I was trying to speak. I wanted to say, "I want..." in Portuguese, which is "(eu) quero", but all I could think was "voudrait" - even though this is very simple Portuguese. I think the language [see foreign :)] part of my brain just dredged up old, useless information.
This morning, which seems like forever ago, I had salad for breakfast. And fried eggs that I made myself. This was a good meal.
All in all, a good day.
Peace
John
I think everyone's English is improving again, now that we are able to speak more complicated Portuguese. It's really funny that we all took this approach of simplifying the way we think in order to simplify the way we speak.
To my knowledge, there haven't been any romantic couplings within the group yet. But as we are in a very interesting situation - and on our own - it's bound to happen soon!
It's nightfall and the bats have come out. It's really fun to watch them because they are so acrobatic in being able to avoid people and everything else very easily and quickly. And they're out every single night.
I cooked a Chinese stir-fry for my family this afternoon with the help of Sawyer. It took quite a while to cut everything, mainly because I had to use my hand as a cutting board. It is really making me a better cook!
I included fresh ginger and orange peel in the initial seasoning. Then, after a couple minutes, tossed in onions and garlic marinated in soy sauce. Then, after a few more minutes, bell peppers and piri-piri (small jalapenos). I served it over rice with soy sauce. It got good reviews with eyes wide open. I've never seen a group of six people drink so much water so quickly in my life! As they ate more, it just got more entertaining. Of course, it was only the first course of three that we had for lunch...
Next week, I'm cooking Italian. I think I'll make a really nice sauce for spaghetti. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much basil around here, and I don't want to use all of mine.
Some neighbors brought over their 2-week old baby, and I got to hold Rafael for a while. Within minutes, he pissed on me, which seemed to be some sort of rite of passage here. Everyone started clapping rhythm and cheering. I still am not quite sure exactly why.
If you would like to visit me (and I know you would), it is possible to get round-trip airfare for less than $1000. If you want to learn the language, pick up "Portuguese in 3 months". We're using it as a supplement, and it's very good. There are a couple different pronunciations in MOZ Portuguese, but other than that, it's accurate!
The third course today for lunch was chicken. It got killed while we were waiting for the rice to cook and I ended up having to eat some. Yes, I had told my family only once per week, but they want to give me meat so badly, they made me eat at least once. Bybluk (ONE OF JOHN'S FRATERNITY BROTHERS) must be laughing right now.
I'm sitting here by candlelight now, listening to the rain fall and reading some random French calendar my family has. I like this proverb I ran across:
"La societe a besoin de poetes,
comme la nuit a besoin d'etoiles."
And if my French is correct...
"Society needs poets like
The night needs stars."
What's intimidating is that I couldn't translate that into Portuguese (from memory) and the last time I was in a French class was high school. I know conversational Portuguese, not written, just yet!
Just a couple days ago, some French superceded Portuguese when I was trying to speak. I wanted to say, "I want..." in Portuguese, which is "(eu) quero", but all I could think was "voudrait" - even though this is very simple Portuguese. I think the language [see foreign :)] part of my brain just dredged up old, useless information.
This morning, which seems like forever ago, I had salad for breakfast. And fried eggs that I made myself. This was a good meal.
All in all, a good day.
Peace
John
10/26/2002
I know I didn't make an entry last night, but I don't know if it would be a good idea to write much tonight. I'm feeling better, but I got, well, drunk tonight and I think a lot of people ended up saying things they didn't really want to say without the assistance of DARKNESS.
Mainly, we spent a lot of time questioning "diversity training". Constructively, of course. But apparently, volunteers suggested that we emulate other PC programs in having more diversity training - which is fine. I just think (and many others think) that the exact methods need to be refined somewhat.
Many people feel that the trainees outselves have been steering things in a direction that wasn't necessarily intended. I personally think this is the first time many people in the group have had the opportunity to learn about some specific American subcultures.
I think that I have been very lucky to have been exposed to most subcultures, and as such, training in diversity has seemed very insular.
Also, I think we need to realize that we're only 3 weeks into training, and so we shouldn't be expecting to get to the meat of the program just yet. If there's one thing we've learned, it's PATIENCE, because of the culture we're in.
I've noticed something about many of the volunteers we have spoken with, and it's that they seem to retain their American identities very strongly. Personally, I want to blend into this society as much as possible and learn exactly how life is lived - and not just life around Mozambican culture. This is not to belittle what other volunteers are doing at all, it's just that I have this idealistic goal of fitting into my community and teaching as a peer rather than some random American.
I find that when I speak Portuguese, I try to do so as a Mozambican would, and not as an American struggling with the language. I guess that this is just my approach. I'll stop now :)
Peace
John
Mainly, we spent a lot of time questioning "diversity training". Constructively, of course. But apparently, volunteers suggested that we emulate other PC programs in having more diversity training - which is fine. I just think (and many others think) that the exact methods need to be refined somewhat.
Many people feel that the trainees outselves have been steering things in a direction that wasn't necessarily intended. I personally think this is the first time many people in the group have had the opportunity to learn about some specific American subcultures.
I think that I have been very lucky to have been exposed to most subcultures, and as such, training in diversity has seemed very insular.
Also, I think we need to realize that we're only 3 weeks into training, and so we shouldn't be expecting to get to the meat of the program just yet. If there's one thing we've learned, it's PATIENCE, because of the culture we're in.
I've noticed something about many of the volunteers we have spoken with, and it's that they seem to retain their American identities very strongly. Personally, I want to blend into this society as much as possible and learn exactly how life is lived - and not just life around Mozambican culture. This is not to belittle what other volunteers are doing at all, it's just that I have this idealistic goal of fitting into my community and teaching as a peer rather than some random American.
I find that when I speak Portuguese, I try to do so as a Mozambican would, and not as an American struggling with the language. I guess that this is just my approach. I'll stop now :)
Peace
John
10/24/2002
Wow!
I've gotten used to being in Africa.
Every day is a new adventure, but I've really adjusted. And though I have only a small grasp of the language, I feel less like a stranger.
Kids always come up to me, saying my name (Joao) and wanting to hold my hand. Not that this is exactly unique! But fun.
Today we learned about initiation rituals in Mozambique. It was really quite interesting.
For the girls, there's a sequestering directly after her first menstrual period of either one week or one month, during which she learns the traditions of being a Mozambican woman. For the men, they are alone and naked for a month after being circumcised on their 12th (?) birthday - ouch. Both of these traditions are not practiced any more, but the government is urging local leaders to reinstitute them.
Another interesting tradition is the wedding night...ceremony. In order to make sure the new wife was a virgin, a white sheet is placed on the bed. If blood is on the sheet in the morning, the family knows she was a virgin.
Of course, bleeding does not occur in every woman. But this tradition does not allow for that exception. This is not to say that Mozambicans are ignorant. There are very many good reasons to want to marry a virgin, and most have to do with health and verification of paternity.
At the same time, I don't agree with doing this - but as this is a different culture (and a seldom-practiced tradition) - it's important to understand why these rites exist.
Peace
John
I've gotten used to being in Africa.
Every day is a new adventure, but I've really adjusted. And though I have only a small grasp of the language, I feel less like a stranger.
Kids always come up to me, saying my name (Joao) and wanting to hold my hand. Not that this is exactly unique! But fun.
Today we learned about initiation rituals in Mozambique. It was really quite interesting.
For the girls, there's a sequestering directly after her first menstrual period of either one week or one month, during which she learns the traditions of being a Mozambican woman. For the men, they are alone and naked for a month after being circumcised on their 12th (?) birthday - ouch. Both of these traditions are not practiced any more, but the government is urging local leaders to reinstitute them.
Another interesting tradition is the wedding night...ceremony. In order to make sure the new wife was a virgin, a white sheet is placed on the bed. If blood is on the sheet in the morning, the family knows she was a virgin.
Of course, bleeding does not occur in every woman. But this tradition does not allow for that exception. This is not to say that Mozambicans are ignorant. There are very many good reasons to want to marry a virgin, and most have to do with health and verification of paternity.
At the same time, I don't agree with doing this - but as this is a different culture (and a seldom-practiced tradition) - it's important to understand why these rites exist.
Peace
John
10/23/2002
I'm trying to send letters to everyone, writing one letter every day. There's enough volunteers headed back to the States so that I can send mail back with them. So by the time you read this, you'll either be receiving mail or I'll be writing you something (hopefully!) But keep on writing...
I got hold of a phone I can use today, so soon I should know what's going on in the world and be able to actually talk with people. I don't want to give the phone # away here, but Email me if you would like to talk. (Or call my mom's place and she'll give you the info.)
(MOM HERE --- WE HAVE HAD VIRTUALLY NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THROUGH TO JOHN ON THE CELL PHONE NUMBER - APPARENTLY SIMILAR TO OTHER FAMILIES' EXPERIENCES. I'LL GIVE YOU THE NUMBER AND WISH YOU LUCK!)
I had a good Portuguese day. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the language, and I really had good conversations with my father and my brothers. I'm still having trouble understanding a lot of it, as I have trouble picking out the small words (prepositions, articles, etc.) and I don't have the ever helpful Spanish background. But that's motivating me to learn more all the time, and then use it in conversation.
I'm making good friends here, but I still can't replace my US friends...ever...
We've been taking wagers as to who will be the first couple, but there are only 5 unattached guys and about 20 unattached women. So I guess that makes things more interesting! All of us are pretty focused on our training so I haven't seen very much fraternizing. And since homosexuality is all but banned here, the odds are pretty low for the women.
The reason I'm even harping on this is that we've met about 10 PC couples who all met in their training class. So we see it as inevitable.
Some of us have been taking bets as to the first trainee to leave, but I think that's bad karma. Honestly, I hope nobody leaves because this country needs as much help as we can give. But I could see this not working for some people. It's just not for everyone.
In terms of leadership, I think I lead in a much more non-traditional way. I think I talk to most of the trainees on a regular basis, and I try to get a feel for how they're doing. This isn't to say that my approach is unique, but I think it's necessary. I always try to keep the mood light - and I don't know if everyone appreciates that. I know some people are annoyed, but I think humor keeps people sane, so I'm going to stick with being as I am for now.
A few of us have talked about how this could very easily be a reality show. So many stories make up a soap opera of sorts, and the PC experience is so completely foreign, it could garner great ratings on US TV. It's a fun idea, but then we return to why we're here in the first place.
For me, it's the children.
And I feel like a kid again, being able to start a new, wonderful life if only for 2 years.
Peace
John
I got hold of a phone I can use today, so soon I should know what's going on in the world and be able to actually talk with people. I don't want to give the phone # away here, but Email me if you would like to talk. (Or call my mom's place and she'll give you the info.)
(MOM HERE --- WE HAVE HAD VIRTUALLY NO SUCCESS IN GETTING THROUGH TO JOHN ON THE CELL PHONE NUMBER - APPARENTLY SIMILAR TO OTHER FAMILIES' EXPERIENCES. I'LL GIVE YOU THE NUMBER AND WISH YOU LUCK!)
I had a good Portuguese day. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the language, and I really had good conversations with my father and my brothers. I'm still having trouble understanding a lot of it, as I have trouble picking out the small words (prepositions, articles, etc.) and I don't have the ever helpful Spanish background. But that's motivating me to learn more all the time, and then use it in conversation.
I'm making good friends here, but I still can't replace my US friends...ever...
We've been taking wagers as to who will be the first couple, but there are only 5 unattached guys and about 20 unattached women. So I guess that makes things more interesting! All of us are pretty focused on our training so I haven't seen very much fraternizing. And since homosexuality is all but banned here, the odds are pretty low for the women.
The reason I'm even harping on this is that we've met about 10 PC couples who all met in their training class. So we see it as inevitable.
Some of us have been taking bets as to the first trainee to leave, but I think that's bad karma. Honestly, I hope nobody leaves because this country needs as much help as we can give. But I could see this not working for some people. It's just not for everyone.
In terms of leadership, I think I lead in a much more non-traditional way. I think I talk to most of the trainees on a regular basis, and I try to get a feel for how they're doing. This isn't to say that my approach is unique, but I think it's necessary. I always try to keep the mood light - and I don't know if everyone appreciates that. I know some people are annoyed, but I think humor keeps people sane, so I'm going to stick with being as I am for now.
A few of us have talked about how this could very easily be a reality show. So many stories make up a soap opera of sorts, and the PC experience is so completely foreign, it could garner great ratings on US TV. It's a fun idea, but then we return to why we're here in the first place.
For me, it's the children.
And I feel like a kid again, being able to start a new, wonderful life if only for 2 years.
Peace
John
10/22/2002
We found out briefly the Internet communications policy for PC. Being critical of the people or of PC is not for Internet journals, and this policy makes sense. This is not to say I have a lot to be critical of, it's just that I'll save any judgement, positive or negative, for personal communications. But I think it's very important that this journal continue because I think people should understand what's going on here in Mozambique.
Taking a bath is quite a pleasure. I forget if I've written about this, so I'll try to detail it as best I can.
It's traditional that everyone takes two baths a day - one before breakfast and the other before dinner. First, you boil a gallon of water in a teakettle, then pour that into a 10-gallon bucket (MOM SPEAKING - JOHN DREW A PICTURE OF A LOW BUCKET WITH OUTWARD TILTING SIDES). Then, you add cold water until you have the right temperature. Usually, this is about 4-5 gallons of water.
You take your soap and a water jug that holds about 5 gallons into the "bathroom". You put your clothes on the clothesline, as well as your towel. I take a bath in flip-flops, as the ground is fairly dirty. Wafts of urine smell come by every so often, as the "drain" for the bathwater is the same as for the urinal.
You strip down to the flip-flops. I usually look at the stars and the moon at this point, because it's so beautiful. You start the bath by dumping water all over yourself. Typically, I can do this with the first jug. Then, you soap up your entire body, making extra sure to get the stinky parts (very important). If it's a shaving day, I'll wash from my neck down at this point, then shave. Regardless, you finish the bath by rinsing with the rest of your water, which feels fantastic.
It's really great on hot days, and is nice on cold nights (around 60 degrees F), but sucks on cold mornings. I usually crouch down to conserve heat and go as quickly as possible.
The most challenging aspect of the bucket bath is replacing your clothes, specifically pants. Since you don't want to get your clothes wet and dirty, you have to balance on one foot for quite a while. Taking baths after drinking is NOT recommended.
One of the trainees had her mother bathe her on her first night. It was apparently quite traumatizing, and she's since reached an agreement with her.
Another trainee took a bath WITH his father, which was also very bizarre. Less than a week later, his mother came after his father's penis with a machete. She ended up in jail and the trainee was immediately moved to another house! Zach made the joke that this trainee was almost the last person to see his father's penis. I think everyone thought it was funny...kind of :)
Peace
John
Taking a bath is quite a pleasure. I forget if I've written about this, so I'll try to detail it as best I can.
It's traditional that everyone takes two baths a day - one before breakfast and the other before dinner. First, you boil a gallon of water in a teakettle, then pour that into a 10-gallon bucket (MOM SPEAKING - JOHN DREW A PICTURE OF A LOW BUCKET WITH OUTWARD TILTING SIDES). Then, you add cold water until you have the right temperature. Usually, this is about 4-5 gallons of water.
You take your soap and a water jug that holds about 5 gallons into the "bathroom". You put your clothes on the clothesline, as well as your towel. I take a bath in flip-flops, as the ground is fairly dirty. Wafts of urine smell come by every so often, as the "drain" for the bathwater is the same as for the urinal.
You strip down to the flip-flops. I usually look at the stars and the moon at this point, because it's so beautiful. You start the bath by dumping water all over yourself. Typically, I can do this with the first jug. Then, you soap up your entire body, making extra sure to get the stinky parts (very important). If it's a shaving day, I'll wash from my neck down at this point, then shave. Regardless, you finish the bath by rinsing with the rest of your water, which feels fantastic.
It's really great on hot days, and is nice on cold nights (around 60 degrees F), but sucks on cold mornings. I usually crouch down to conserve heat and go as quickly as possible.
The most challenging aspect of the bucket bath is replacing your clothes, specifically pants. Since you don't want to get your clothes wet and dirty, you have to balance on one foot for quite a while. Taking baths after drinking is NOT recommended.
One of the trainees had her mother bathe her on her first night. It was apparently quite traumatizing, and she's since reached an agreement with her.
Another trainee took a bath WITH his father, which was also very bizarre. Less than a week later, his mother came after his father's penis with a machete. She ended up in jail and the trainee was immediately moved to another house! Zach made the joke that this trainee was almost the last person to see his father's penis. I think everyone thought it was funny...kind of :)
Peace
John
10/21/2002
Language
I don't know if I've written about language specifically yet, but I figure I oughta do it fairly often since it occupies much of my thoughts and time.
Here in Mozambique, language is extremely important. Moz has a unique situation, as it's a (former) Portuguese colony surrounded by English colonies. So in schools, both languages are taught. But only Portuguese is spoken in the home, so kids only learn Portuguese. So until English becomes accepted as a language of commerce, the gates to other countries will be very difficult to open for Mozambique. Those who can speak English find better jobs, but those who are poor can't afford to learn English. It's a vicious cycle as you have to pay to go to secondary school (8th-10th grade) here. I'm not quite sure whether that makes me cheap labor or not, but I do know there's something wrong with having to pay more for what should be mandatory education.
(THIS IS MOM --- I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE NEXT WORD IS, BUT IT WAS FOLLOWED BY "ASIDE", AND THEN THE NEXT SENTENCE...)
Learning Portuguese well is the only option for someone like me who needs to teach a science.
For a Spanish speaker, Portuguese is fairly easy to understand. Unfortunately, I took less than a year of Spanish and that was five years ago. I have a sizeable French background, and I remember all the grammar concepts as it's fairly mathematical, which appeals to me. So I have trouble understanding the language, but that improves with every word or verb I learn. I've gotten to the point where my ability to speak, write and understand Portuguese are pretty much all on the same level. As I learn more, all three improve accordingly.
It can be very tiring listening and speaking the language for most of the day, but I know that it's the best way to learn. I make myself vocab lists and verb conjugations while conversing with others.
I still get lost much more easily than others when it comes to listening, just because I haven't completely grown accustomed to how Portuguese sounds yet. Plus, almost everyone speaks with a different accent. Since everyone learns at school, and non-Mozambicans typically learn as a third language, everyone has a different accent. It can make things very difficult to understand, especially in informal situations. I understand those who speak wit heavy American, Mexican or French accents the best, but native accents are very difficult.
Time is on my side, but I can't waste it. Back to the books!
Peace
John
I don't know if I've written about language specifically yet, but I figure I oughta do it fairly often since it occupies much of my thoughts and time.
Here in Mozambique, language is extremely important. Moz has a unique situation, as it's a (former) Portuguese colony surrounded by English colonies. So in schools, both languages are taught. But only Portuguese is spoken in the home, so kids only learn Portuguese. So until English becomes accepted as a language of commerce, the gates to other countries will be very difficult to open for Mozambique. Those who can speak English find better jobs, but those who are poor can't afford to learn English. It's a vicious cycle as you have to pay to go to secondary school (8th-10th grade) here. I'm not quite sure whether that makes me cheap labor or not, but I do know there's something wrong with having to pay more for what should be mandatory education.
(THIS IS MOM --- I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE NEXT WORD IS, BUT IT WAS FOLLOWED BY "ASIDE", AND THEN THE NEXT SENTENCE...)
Learning Portuguese well is the only option for someone like me who needs to teach a science.
For a Spanish speaker, Portuguese is fairly easy to understand. Unfortunately, I took less than a year of Spanish and that was five years ago. I have a sizeable French background, and I remember all the grammar concepts as it's fairly mathematical, which appeals to me. So I have trouble understanding the language, but that improves with every word or verb I learn. I've gotten to the point where my ability to speak, write and understand Portuguese are pretty much all on the same level. As I learn more, all three improve accordingly.
It can be very tiring listening and speaking the language for most of the day, but I know that it's the best way to learn. I make myself vocab lists and verb conjugations while conversing with others.
I still get lost much more easily than others when it comes to listening, just because I haven't completely grown accustomed to how Portuguese sounds yet. Plus, almost everyone speaks with a different accent. Since everyone learns at school, and non-Mozambicans typically learn as a third language, everyone has a different accent. It can make things very difficult to understand, especially in informal situations. I understand those who speak wit heavy American, Mexican or French accents the best, but native accents are very difficult.
Time is on my side, but I can't waste it. Back to the books!
Peace
John
10/20/2002
I'm pretty tired, so I'll make this quick.
I washed my clothes again today. You just use buckets and wash the clothes against your forearms, rubbing the dirt out. It's pretty cool.
The funny part for me is when it's time to dry the clothes. Everything's pretty standard untill you get to the socks.
Instead of fences here, property lines are defined by prickly bushes (I forget the name, but it suggests getting pricked) that stop growing at about 3-4 feet (one meter). So we dry the socks on these plants. Because we're hanging the socks very carefully, it reminds me eerily of a very, very different tradition.
Putting the tinsel on the Christmas tree...
It's exactly the same thing, but I can't share it with my family, as I wouldn't know where to even start. And I feel like I'm decorating these bushes with my socks. It's quite bizarre!
Peace
John
I washed my clothes again today. You just use buckets and wash the clothes against your forearms, rubbing the dirt out. It's pretty cool.
The funny part for me is when it's time to dry the clothes. Everything's pretty standard untill you get to the socks.
Instead of fences here, property lines are defined by prickly bushes (I forget the name, but it suggests getting pricked) that stop growing at about 3-4 feet (one meter). So we dry the socks on these plants. Because we're hanging the socks very carefully, it reminds me eerily of a very, very different tradition.
Putting the tinsel on the Christmas tree...
It's exactly the same thing, but I can't share it with my family, as I wouldn't know where to even start. And I feel like I'm decorating these bushes with my socks. It's quite bizarre!
Peace
John
10/19/2002
No entry last night because I went to the discotheque and returned quite late. It was a blast, and very tiring!
Today we went into Maputo again to get more vaccines. This time, the others managed to scare the heck out of me by talking about how much it hurt, most of it mockingly. But shots (and medical procedures) are really the only things that scare me - as in, really cause a physical reaction. They had me so worked up that I came quite close to passing out when I got vaccinated. They did typhoid fever and the first rabies shot today, both of which did hurt (and I'm still sore), but the anticipation was horrible. The way I'm looking at it, I'll have great immunizations for at least a few years.
What I really wanted to discuss was our mode of transportation to and from Maputo. We take buses called "chapas" which are essentially 15-passenger vans or old charter buses. The smaller chapas go quicker, but get more cramped. And I mean cramped.
There are four benches of three seats each, with a special fold-down seat on the front three. There's also one between the passenger's side and driver's side (they drive on the left here). It takes two men to operate the chapa: the driver and the conductor.
As the chapa makes every stop, the conductor will hang out the sliding door and announce the final destination repeatedly. As people leave the chapa, he collects 5-8 Met from every passenger (5 in Maputo, 8 to/from Boane). The conductor is very relaxed, and will assume whatever position he has to in order to maximize the occupancy of his bus.
Chapas are run by the government, in that the operators are paid by the state. But they are paid based upon the number of passengers, so drivers will fight over you getting on their bus. They also have no motivation to leave until they are mostly full. This may mean 12-15 people.
Every stop, you accumulate more people. Today, on our way into Maputo, we had 21, with room for more [I suppose :)]. You quickly lose all concept of personal space.
Every bus is named differently, and has a printed or painted name on the front and rear windshields. One was named "White Power". We didn't bother to point out the irony.
The smaller buses don't go too quickly. They make plenty of stops, but not as many as the large buses.
My scariest ride ever was this afternoon on a chapa - the larger variety. We all sat in the back and were witness to an accident with another chapa, several people jumping off the bus in panic as it sped away, and someone getting off, then 5 minutes later returning with a full 8' door. Yes, a door. Everyone was very helpful with the door.
From our vantage point in the back, we could see the bus swerving across the road, narrowly missing oncoming traffic. We laughed the whole time, only because we were petrified!
Needless to say, none of us will take the larger one again. it was ridiculously scary.
Peace
John
Today we went into Maputo again to get more vaccines. This time, the others managed to scare the heck out of me by talking about how much it hurt, most of it mockingly. But shots (and medical procedures) are really the only things that scare me - as in, really cause a physical reaction. They had me so worked up that I came quite close to passing out when I got vaccinated. They did typhoid fever and the first rabies shot today, both of which did hurt (and I'm still sore), but the anticipation was horrible. The way I'm looking at it, I'll have great immunizations for at least a few years.
What I really wanted to discuss was our mode of transportation to and from Maputo. We take buses called "chapas" which are essentially 15-passenger vans or old charter buses. The smaller chapas go quicker, but get more cramped. And I mean cramped.
There are four benches of three seats each, with a special fold-down seat on the front three. There's also one between the passenger's side and driver's side (they drive on the left here). It takes two men to operate the chapa: the driver and the conductor.
As the chapa makes every stop, the conductor will hang out the sliding door and announce the final destination repeatedly. As people leave the chapa, he collects 5-8 Met from every passenger (5 in Maputo, 8 to/from Boane). The conductor is very relaxed, and will assume whatever position he has to in order to maximize the occupancy of his bus.
Chapas are run by the government, in that the operators are paid by the state. But they are paid based upon the number of passengers, so drivers will fight over you getting on their bus. They also have no motivation to leave until they are mostly full. This may mean 12-15 people.
Every stop, you accumulate more people. Today, on our way into Maputo, we had 21, with room for more [I suppose :)]. You quickly lose all concept of personal space.
Every bus is named differently, and has a printed or painted name on the front and rear windshields. One was named "White Power". We didn't bother to point out the irony.
The smaller buses don't go too quickly. They make plenty of stops, but not as many as the large buses.
My scariest ride ever was this afternoon on a chapa - the larger variety. We all sat in the back and were witness to an accident with another chapa, several people jumping off the bus in panic as it sped away, and someone getting off, then 5 minutes later returning with a full 8' door. Yes, a door. Everyone was very helpful with the door.
From our vantage point in the back, we could see the bus swerving across the road, narrowly missing oncoming traffic. We laughed the whole time, only because we were petrified!
Needless to say, none of us will take the larger one again. it was ridiculously scary.
Peace
John
Saturday, November 02, 2002
Sorry!
I was previously in violation of PC Internet policy, and I apologize. I needed to vent some frustrations which have since been resolved -- and frustrations I was told to expect!
Everything is going well here, and it was really a trip to see that this blog is being recognized! More posts should be coming within the next few days, and I'm going to send out a week's worth of entries this week. Please keep reading and sending the messages of support, as it's great to hear. Also, don't be afraid to send mail!
Also, thank my mom!
Peace,
John
Everything is going well here, and it was really a trip to see that this blog is being recognized! More posts should be coming within the next few days, and I'm going to send out a week's worth of entries this week. Please keep reading and sending the messages of support, as it's great to hear. Also, don't be afraid to send mail!
Also, thank my mom!
Peace,
John
Thursday, October 24, 2002
10/17/2002
All in all, things are going very well. Every day, there are new, difficult challenges. And I'm still concerned about Portuguese, but I understand more every single day, and I speak in more tenses every single day :)
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is as much, if not more of a problem as in any other country.
People drink the most on Sundays, ironically, and they can drink pretty much anywhere, at any age. There are bars everywhere, and comparatively speaking, beer is expensive. A big water jug costs 2(000) Met, while a beer runs 12-17 Met for 1/2 liter. For volunteers, this is a good deal. For natives, they can drink their meager income away.
It's not that people are perpetually sad, it's just that alcohol is plentiful and profitable. What doesn't make sense to me is that Mozambique society is very open, and sober men are always harassing women under the best of circumstances (from an American point of view). So alcohol doesn't seem "necessary", but is a way of dealing with a shitty day.
There is quite a rift between the haves and have-nots among the trainees. Not a personal one, but an experiential rift. I am having a completely different experience from someone who has electricity, a microwave, and a full desk and freezer in their room (yes, it exists). People talk about TV shows, and I feel like the kid at lunch with the sandwich nobody wants to trade for.
But, at the same time, I know I'm getting the experience I want and bargained for. Nothing about my living conditions has surprised me. It's very much like camping!
Peace
John
(NOTE FROM MOM: That's the extent of the journal that I've received thus far. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. 10/24/02)
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is as much, if not more of a problem as in any other country.
People drink the most on Sundays, ironically, and they can drink pretty much anywhere, at any age. There are bars everywhere, and comparatively speaking, beer is expensive. A big water jug costs 2(000) Met, while a beer runs 12-17 Met for 1/2 liter. For volunteers, this is a good deal. For natives, they can drink their meager income away.
It's not that people are perpetually sad, it's just that alcohol is plentiful and profitable. What doesn't make sense to me is that Mozambique society is very open, and sober men are always harassing women under the best of circumstances (from an American point of view). So alcohol doesn't seem "necessary", but is a way of dealing with a shitty day.
There is quite a rift between the haves and have-nots among the trainees. Not a personal one, but an experiential rift. I am having a completely different experience from someone who has electricity, a microwave, and a full desk and freezer in their room (yes, it exists). People talk about TV shows, and I feel like the kid at lunch with the sandwich nobody wants to trade for.
But, at the same time, I know I'm getting the experience I want and bargained for. Nothing about my living conditions has surprised me. It's very much like camping!
Peace
John
(NOTE FROM MOM: That's the extent of the journal that I've received thus far. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. 10/24/02)
1015/2002
Today was much better!
The moonlight here is absolutely incredible. I've never experienced anything like it. It's just a half-moon, but I can see my way at night with no problem. I'm not used to that at all. It's very cool!
I wanted to briefly talk about children. Children are everywhere in this village (and in all villages of Mozambique) and if you are going to know anyone, you have to know the children.
Here in Mozambique, children grow up very quickly. As soon as they can walk, they do so without their parents. Older brothers or sisters take care of them, or just other children in the village. Once they get older, they can stray further from the house. But keep in mind that there are less dangers for small children in Africa, and as long as they're in a close-knit community, it doesn't matter where they go. So these kids know each other very well.
They are almost always dirty. They have approximately 2 outfits, the second one for when the first one is being washed. Their clothes almost always have holes and more often than not are American throwaways.
Children usually have a litter of brothers and sisters - my family with three sons is relatively small. The expected lifespan is 37 years, so there are many childhood deaths from malaria and other diseases.
Regardless, when school lets out, there's immediately a flock of 6-12 year olds in the school area where have training. Last week, I played with them all the time, but this week our schedules have not meshed as well, so we play less.
Today, however, they were very rambunctious with my Frisbee. I don't know why, but every time it was thrown, six or seven children would pile on each other, hitting each other and shoving everyone around. It was totally out of character, because before they had always shared and were always laughing. I figured it must have been because of the Frisbee. But since I don't have one for every other child, I can't start giving them out.
In many ways, they are like kids everywhere - they run around and get into everything, they're clumsy, mean to each other, etc. When Nora and I were walking here today, surrounded by about 40 kids, one was running and took a bad fall, spilling his books. We went over to see if he was OK, and suddenly the other kids started making fun of him and pushing him. Typical kid behavior. I told them to stop, and they mockingly thanked me (but did stop...temporarily.) After seeing how ill-tempered (and normal, I suppose) they could be, I realized that this job is going to be harder than I first thought!
On the whole, the children are a blast to be around and are very patient and eager to learn, but they imitate their parents as much as other cultures' children do - and we all know what happens when parents hit their kids. I've heard that teachers hit their students, too, which I can't stand. One of my stated goals is to help the children, so I'm going to need to work on this part.
Peace
John
The moonlight here is absolutely incredible. I've never experienced anything like it. It's just a half-moon, but I can see my way at night with no problem. I'm not used to that at all. It's very cool!
I wanted to briefly talk about children. Children are everywhere in this village (and in all villages of Mozambique) and if you are going to know anyone, you have to know the children.
Here in Mozambique, children grow up very quickly. As soon as they can walk, they do so without their parents. Older brothers or sisters take care of them, or just other children in the village. Once they get older, they can stray further from the house. But keep in mind that there are less dangers for small children in Africa, and as long as they're in a close-knit community, it doesn't matter where they go. So these kids know each other very well.
They are almost always dirty. They have approximately 2 outfits, the second one for when the first one is being washed. Their clothes almost always have holes and more often than not are American throwaways.
Children usually have a litter of brothers and sisters - my family with three sons is relatively small. The expected lifespan is 37 years, so there are many childhood deaths from malaria and other diseases.
Regardless, when school lets out, there's immediately a flock of 6-12 year olds in the school area where have training. Last week, I played with them all the time, but this week our schedules have not meshed as well, so we play less.
Today, however, they were very rambunctious with my Frisbee. I don't know why, but every time it was thrown, six or seven children would pile on each other, hitting each other and shoving everyone around. It was totally out of character, because before they had always shared and were always laughing. I figured it must have been because of the Frisbee. But since I don't have one for every other child, I can't start giving them out.
In many ways, they are like kids everywhere - they run around and get into everything, they're clumsy, mean to each other, etc. When Nora and I were walking here today, surrounded by about 40 kids, one was running and took a bad fall, spilling his books. We went over to see if he was OK, and suddenly the other kids started making fun of him and pushing him. Typical kid behavior. I told them to stop, and they mockingly thanked me (but did stop...temporarily.) After seeing how ill-tempered (and normal, I suppose) they could be, I realized that this job is going to be harder than I first thought!
On the whole, the children are a blast to be around and are very patient and eager to learn, but they imitate their parents as much as other cultures' children do - and we all know what happens when parents hit their kids. I've heard that teachers hit their students, too, which I can't stand. One of my stated goals is to help the children, so I'm going to need to work on this part.
Peace
John
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