Bits and Pieces

Back again. Every once and a while I notice something interesting to blog about, but it’s not enough for a whole entry. I’ve managed to save up quite number of these little points, so I figure it’s time to clean house.

Back when I first arrived, I noticed two things about the Mozambican population. First, there is a large proportion of people who have twisted or missing legs, forcing them to walk on crutches. I wonder if this is a legacy of polio. I have a feeling it is, since I met a similar person in Kenya who told me he had it as a child. Also, the people usually seem to be above 30 years old. Second, there are a lot of albino people here. In Kenya I saw one or two in my time there. Here I have seen a lot more. I haven’t noticed any discrimination or staring though, possibly just because it is such a common thing so people don’t think much of it.

A couple months ago, the Mozambican government made a new law that required all drivers to have a reflective vest in their car with them so that if they have an accident and they are standing by the side of the road they will be seen. For a few weeks after the law came into effect, there were guys everywhere along street (always guys, never women) who were carrying around piles of reflective vests. It was quite the sight.

As most of you know, I quite like movies, but I rarely go to the theatre. Only if it’s one of those movies that’s so much more powerful on the big screen. Avatar was one such movie. I really wanted to see it on the big screen. There are a total of two movie theatres in Maputo. One shows only Bollywood movies. I went to the other to see if they were showing Avatar (because of course they don’t have a website). Guess what they were showing? The Soloist. Yes, a movie from 2008. Yay!

Vera is quite the character. She feels very comfortable with us now and loves to sit down and talk. Of course her conversation with me is a little limited, but she talks about all sorts of things with Lilian. She used to be a street seller and survived a knife attack. If we do something in a new way, she gives us this sceptical look. When she disagrees with us, she grunts. She calls Lilian and I “minhas meninas” which means “my girls” and she is already talking about how much she will miss us when we go. She is grateful for every gift, whether a candy, a banana muffin, or a candle for her to light at church.

The two interns wanted a maid to help especially with cooking, because they work until 7pm every day. Vera volunteered her daughter and we set them up. Vera and her daughter don’t speak Portuguese as a first language, so their Portuguese is a little funny (which makes it very hard for me to talk to her sometimes). About a week ago, Vera’s daughter was talking to the guys and saying that she wanted to “senhor senhora” which means “Mr. Mrs.” The guys were very confused. What? “Senhor Senhora”. What? Very slowly… “ralador cenoura” (grate the carrots). Ohhhhhh!!!

If you have a craving for a chocolate bar in Mozambique, you don’t stop by the check-out, you go to the refrigerated section.

The last couple of weeks have been focused (well, as much as I could) on a certain event that happened back home. It was very hard to follow the Olympics over here, in a hot, soccer loving country. I checked the website every day and Mom was sending me updates via email, but I couldn’t find any TV channels, even on satellite TV, that had more than a quick Olympic update. When it came down to the big game (you know the one), I knew I had to see it. I couldn’t watch it on TV. I couldn’t watch it online streaming (the signal was blocked outside Canada). So my Mom put her laptop on the coffee table in front of the TV and turned on the webcam, and I watched it through Skype. It wasn’t the greatest picture, but I could see and I even got to hear the cheers and screams like I was home. A little piece of Canadian hockey history, and I saw it. :)

The closest I could find to the Olympics here was this:



For whatever reason, this is on the gate to the pool that I walk by on my way to ISCTEM. It was built in 1932.