10/6/2013: It's Happening

It’s been a busy few days. Yesterday we took a class field trip Maputo. I have to tell you, it is very overwhelming to be in a crowded city when you don’t speak the language. I was very happy to get home and try some Cider (turns out I like Cider when it’s made in Africa…) and relax in quiet Naamascha.

To unwind and get some exercise (let me tell you, a girl can only eat so much bread and rice before really needing to get out and do something about it), we hiked out to some waterfalls. Naturally, it is the dry season and none of us considered that they would in fact not be exciting, but we gave it a try. It was still gorgeous, and just absolutely refreshing to EXERCISE.

That isn’t the big news though, I don’t think.

I had a two-hour conversation with my Mae in PORTUGUESE. It’s happening. Very slowly but surely I am learning some Portuguese. It helps that my Mae has officially banned English from our house so I can learn it faster and will sit for 2 hours to have a 20-minute conversation while I act out verbs to learn and speak slowly.

Pouco a pouco. 

10/2/2013: I Officially Live Here

For our afternoon class, we experienced “Shop Right.” In Maputo, Shop Right is like a Giant or a Safeway. In Namaacha…”Shop Right” is an open air giant market that only exists on Wednesdays and Satrudays. It is crowded and hot, but it was great to see everyone and see the market. I got 2 capulanas—BEAUTIFUL fabrics used for EVERYTHING – clothes, rugs, drapes, towels, whatever.

That’s 1 reason I live here now.

Reason 2:
Chapa ride. Chapas are basically crowded van taxis. I thought rickshaws in India were nerve wracking…oh no. But the experience was hilarious and I now officially feel like I live in Moçambique.

I bought fresh, warm pâo…I’m addicted…and played with so many babies today. THE BEST. We even learned a secret handshake from some random kids on the street in the barro. Simple days don’t get better.

I’ve also never been so clean in my life. THREE BATHS A DAY! Cleanliness is muito importanté. 

10/1/2013: I Have to Teach in This Language?

Day 1 of official Portuguese lessons. Umm…I have THREE months to not only be able to get around but TEACH…TEACH HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY in this language. Holy cow. So I borrowed “Mamãe, Você Me Ama?” – “Mommy, Do You Love Me?” – one of my favorite childhood books. Hopefully this helps?? We’ll see LOL.

Off to read “Mamãe, Você Me Ama?” and hopefully learn a little Portuguese so I can stop making a fool of myself.

9/30/2013: Carne de Caza e télé novella

I realized there is quite a language barrier right now as my mãe and I try and try to communicate. Today, the language barrier really showed. We had been told time and time again to not eat carne de caza—bush meat. I just assumed that it wouldn’t show up on the table. As I took my first bite of dinner, I said “qué?” “Carne de caza” “Oh não gusto. Corpo de Paz disse não carne de caza” “qué?” “Não carne de caza para me” “uhhhhh” – oh boy. Good thing it doesn’t even taste good! At least I got to finish my night with some quality télé novella.

Portuguese class starts tomorrow – yay! Hopefully this helps my language barrier. For now – the classic excuse for any volunteer will have to do… “Corpo de Paz…”

9/29/2013: Galinha

After our language test I had so many new experiences.

I have now had a galinha totally dissembled in front of me. I’ll let you guess what that is before I tell you.

My irmã, irmão, and I danced to “I Feel Like A Woman”. LOL! And my mãe and tia flipped through my entire picture book to meet my familia and amiagas at home.

I had markers for teaching, but I saw that Nina and Betou draw a lot but only had pens, so I have officially lost my makers – their eyes lit up brighter than the moon.

Nina discovered my camera, so Nina and Betou have been exploring.

Okay, I only hope I don’t have to eat the head of the galinha.

To Jordan’s “What is Love” post...

: big brothers around the world know true love. I gave Betou 5 goldfish and I have Nina 5 goldfish. He fed her 2 of his because she wanted a couple more but I had none.

Update on the last hour – I most definitely ate the head of the galinha. I think my mãe KNEW its strange for Americans because she was LAUGHING. But I ate it and PS. There is nothing like walking in the cold rain to take a cold bath.

Mark, Erin, Sara, Nick, and I went on an adventure to get to know Namaacha and the market and I came home to a study sheet from my mãe for my Portuguese. Pouco a pouco she keeps saying. At least I know she’ll help me study!

Now I’ll tell you. Galinha is chicken.

9/28/2013: Corpo De Paz, We Made It!

We have made it to our training village! I think yesterday, upon arrival, it did finally hit that I’m living in Africa for the next 2 years. Arrival was quite a treat. It was a beautiful drive and our families were all awaiting our bus, even though we could barely communicate, the excitement was evident.

My mãe, irmão, and irmã are so sweet. My irmão Beatou is 11 and Nina, my irmã, is 4. Spending the afternoon of my arrival with them gave me comfort in knowing that kids are the same worldwide. Adorable. And from the start, my mãe was set on teaching me Portuguese.

My first real Mozambique night was much better than anticipated. I had hot water and everything, and it was cold enough to buddle in my sweats to sleep—my favorite when I’m not sure of what’s going on. I still feel a little lost and confused, but I can only imagine it gets easier and I’ll start understanding as my Portuguese improves.

Pouco a pouco I’ll get there, I’ll know I’ve reached my goal when I’m not only teaching in Portuguese, but blogging in Portuguese.

Side note—let me tell you, you haven’t listened to country music until you’ve danced with your mãe to Taylor Swift dubbed in Portuguese followed by “Tell Me the Meaning of Being Lonely”.

Desculpa pelo meu atraso

I apologize for the tardy updates, we finally have internet here in our training village. I will share the posts I wrote during the past two weeks though.