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)
