Swazi Road Trip

We are headed to Swaziland today for an extended holiday weekend with friends. It will be our first time there, and Rico and I are really looking forward to it. Included in our plans: white-water rafting, mountain biking (yes, even I am going, the girl who hasn't been on a bike since 2001), hiking and adventure quad-biking. Lots of sports to justify lots of beer and good food, and a massage at the Royal Swazi Spa.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Felicidades, Rico! (and many other random thoughts)

First of all, Happy Birthday to Rico! Today he turns 29. We had appetizers and dessert at our favorite restaurant for lunch, and I am throwing him a mini birthday party this evening with homemade lasagna and plenty of beer.

In other news, I am frustrated by technology. I now have two blogs - this one, and Alexandra Amaro where I show my jewelery. I want to have them under one account to facilitate administration, but would like to have two different profiles appear (I don't want "Ali la Loca" on my jewelry site where I'm attempting to present myself as a "serious designer"...because seriously, would you blindly purchase jewelry from someone who calls themselves Ali the Crazy One?

Unfortunately it seems this isn't possible, so perhaps I'll just embrace the Ali la Loca name and go with it on both sites.

Any help, blogspot bloggers? Is it possible to have two different profile names on the same account?

And, in other-other news, it seems poor Pequena, the little kitten we rescued some time back, has disappeared from the farm at the Banana Empire where she went to live with my ex-colleagues June and JR. She's been gone for a week now, and the general consensus is that a snake got her. There are lots of snakes at the farm - several people have had freaking Mozambique Spitting Cobras in their living rooms (!!!) - and a little Pequena-sized snack would be perfect for one of those nasty, slithery beasts.

I'm so sad to hear that Pequena has disappeared - I even cried a bit yesterday when I finally lost hope that she might turn up after several days missing. The worst part is that this is the second kitten that has disappeared/died on June's young daughter. I fear the poor girl now things she is the one making the kitties die. :(

The creepiest part is that about 2 or 3 weeks ago, I dreamed in vivid detail that Pequena was being attacked by a snake. I saw the snake sink its fangs into Pequena, and knew that she was gone even though I mercifully woke up before the end of nature's struggle.

Whatever the end was for Pequena in real life, I just hope it was quick and painless, and that she enjoyed her months of luxury while they lasted.

I suppose this means we now have a vacancy for another adopted cat...that is, if June and JR want to go through the feline drama for a third time.

Alexandra Amaro Jewelry in Maputo

I've had a terrible cold for the past few days, but at least my time in bed was put to good use. I created a website for my jewelry sales here in Maputo that works around the fact that the mail system here is not at all reliable.

Despite the fact that all deliveries must be done in person, thus limiting my customer base to people in the captial, I think this is a good interim solution so that I don't have stock sitting idly at home.

Check out the fruits of my labor: http://alexandraamaro.blogspot.com

If you are in Maputo, this means you can now get my jewelry without having to visit the gift shop at the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Center or having to wait several months for my next fair booth!

Shameful

Thankfully, Maputo was not the next port of call for the ship carrying arms from China bound for Zimbabwe. The latest news we've heard is that it is heading for Luanda, Angola. I sincerely hope that the reaction to the ship's cargo is similar in that country, and that port workers refuse to unload the weaponry, and that government officials do the right thing on a higher level and recognize that 77 tons of arms arriving in Harare right now would exponentially facilitate the human rights absuses against the Zimbabwean people by ZANU-PF.

Fridays Are All About Me

I love Fridays. When signing my current long-ish term consulting contract with the Big International Corporation, one of my conditions was that I would only work Monday through Thursday. Fridays are my day, a time for jewelry making, cooking, photography, emails, writing, errands, lunching with friends, cocktails, sleep or whatever else strikes my fancy.

Today I made a Brazilian-style carrot cake covered with homemade chocolate ganache, did some verandah gardening (my poor ficus trees had such a bad scale infestation that the only way of saving them was to cut off all the leaves and green stems), played with the cats, updated my jewelry spreadsheet and addressed some wedding invitations.

I always forget exactly how much effort it takes to do calligraphy en masse. I did the calligraphy for my mom's wedding invitations several years ago, and I vaugely remember it being a lot of work, but nothing like the mammoth task that addressing our own wedding invitations has proven to be. Granted, we have a reasonably long guest list (150 invites going out), but it's been a seemingly endless endeavour. I have to admit, though, that the hand cramps and shaky forearm are well worth it for the satisfaction of seeing a stack of envelopes with beautiful calligraphy on the outside!

Speaking of things wedding-related, Rico and I have semi-started our campaign to get in shape by July. We're playing squash several times a week with our friends A. and M., who conveniently have a squash court at their residential complex. Rico is unbelievably, disgustingly good at squash. He used to play all the time with his friend Chocolate, who is going to be our best man, and despite the fact that he's been off the courts for a while, it shows that he used to play regularly in the past. The rest of us play decently well, including me (total and utter shock), becuase I tend to suck at all sports.

I actually really like squash, to the point where I find myself looking forward to playing. The only other time this has happened to me, where I look forward to serious exercise, is with dance classes (Nia, cardio salsa). It's so nice to finally have found a sport that I can play with Rico and other friends, get a great workout, and have it be a social event in the process.

I've just had a piece of carrot cake (okay, the diet bit of "let's get in shape for the wedding" has yet to seriously kick in) and am off to play some squash and then have a beer with A., M. and Rico, followed by a barbeque at Jenny's house.

Looks like a fine start to the weekend.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Relocation Karma

I think I could put together a viable business helping people relocate to Mozambique, in particular Maputo. It's amazing to me how little resources there are on the internet regarding expat life here, and how even the professional relocation companies seem to have Moz a bit under their radar.

However, though I am completely convinced this would be a feasible business, there is part of me that is happy simply helping people and would never want to profit off these connections. I believe in karma, I believe in meetings that are meant to be, I believe that helping fellow travelers/expats without expecting anything in return only paves my own path that much smoother for future relocations and adventures.

I have met so many people through my blog since moving to Maputo last year. Some people have come and gone quite quickly; others have stayed more permanently. Regardless of actual time together in Maputo, I can say that some of my best friends today are people I've randomly met through my blog.

Jenny, Lies, Lacithecat, Marcos and Kelly, fiery little A. and her husband...

I am currently in touch with about 5 people planning to move to Maputo in the next few months. I am excited to meet them, genuine in my willingness to help them nagivate housing or finding roommates, happy to forward along CVs to my professional network. I look forward to taking these new residents out for a beer or a coffee, to sharing our stories and, perhaps, forging friendships during our shared time here.

Sunday Scribblings: Fearless

I am doing a new thing for Sunday Scribblings this week. I am trying a timed piece of writing with absolutely no editing (though I must admit that I don't really edit the majority of my posts). Here goes!

I am not fearless. There is a list of situations that I dread, and that unfortunately I think about often. Obsessively sometimes. I think of snakes, and imagine their fat bodies in every shadow and curve of the path in front of me. I visualize thin green vines suddenly coming to life, slithering down to confront me, a bright blue mouth with nearly transparent fangs making me freeze in my tracks, or perhaps scream and run desperately in the opposite direction. Each step of a hike, of a bush walk, of a picnic in the woods is an opportunity for my fear of snakes to manifest itself. Thankfully the actual run-ins have been relatively infrequent, but still, I remain afraid.

I am not fearless when it comes time for dentists, or doctors, or any sort of procedure that involves prodding my body. One of the most terrifying days of my life was when I had to get my wisdom teeth extracted, all four at once. My oral surgeon was our next-door neighbor, an incredibly qualified and kind man. It didn't help one bit. I remember sheer terror, my body shaking uncontrollably, hot tears gushing out of my eyes. The nurse suggested that perhaps I should take a Valium and come back the next day if I wasn't able to control myself and sit still so that they could put an iv in my arm. Never mind the thought of someone cutting open my gums and snapping my teeth away from my jaw-bone; the idea of a needle entering my vein that would make me go unconscious was terrifying enough for me to lose control.

I made it through the surgery, though I woke up scared and unhappy. The last thing I remember is Dr. Crago asking me to tell him what I was reading in Spanish Literature class at the university. My voice trembled and I could barely stutter out Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz before going into darkness.

I am not fearless when it comes to travel (I am almost certain the plane will crash each time I fly), violence (I often imagine myself the victim of a kidnapping, or torture, or a gunshot wound) or illness (God only knows what years of worrying about the wrong things have done to my mind-body connection). I am afraid of all of these outcomes, yet I go forward, act through the motions, pretend I am on a reality tv show; whatever the trick is to get me on the plane, or across the dark parking lot, or to the gynecologist's for my annual check-up.

I wonder if it is possible to be fearless, truly, in our frail human state. Isn't fear what keeps us safe in many instances? Isn't fear - be it of a consequence or of an unrealized outcome - what moves us to act and talk and change in so many situations? What would my life be like without fear? What would I do differently?

Nothing, perhaps. Despite all of my fears - some of them obsessive and crippling - I still somehow manage to do the things I want in life, and make myself do the things I don't want to but know I must anyhow. I connect to something greater than myself, I move out of my body if necessary. I make the presentation in front of 500 people, I ask for a $20,000 loan, I read books that make me cringe because they dredge up the painful parts of my past that I seem unable to remember but 100% capable of feeling, I move halfway across the world, I write the blog post...all the while feeling my stomach in my throat, my heart thumping with adrenaline as if I were about to collapse. I don't let fear stop me, but it would be misleading to say I am a fearless woman.

Special Dates of the Fourth Month

April is a month full of anniversaries and celebrations, so I've stopped worrying if I miss a date by a couple of days...well, except for the birthdays. I try not to let those pass by unnoticed.

Thus far:

3-year anniversary of Ali's blog: April 6th
Ali's 26 1/2th birthday: April 13th (yes, I still mark the 1/2 years)
Ricardo's 29th birthday: April 24th
3-year anniversary of Ali moving away from the US: April 29th
Mom's birthday: April 30th

So, happy belated 3 years of blogging to me. In following the tradition of previous years, I shall do nothing in particular to celebrate the occasion, other than note that I let the day pass me by (again). Instead, I'll take it as a license for some serious future navel-gazing, on the date of my choice.

On another note, today I made the most delicious dinner ever: ostrich goulash with a red wine sauce, roasted butternut, and sauteed kale with garlic. Super yummy tribute to South African cuisine.

Batizados

Yesterday at 6am, Rico and I were awoken by an insistent hand pounding against our front door. From the lack of subtlety, we knew the knocker was one of our building guards. Senhor Augusto and Senhor Micas have the habit of banging on our door with an urgency fit for announcing that, “Quick, the building is about to collapse, you must get out now!” when really all they want is to hand-deliver our water bill or tell us that that the cable guy stopped by while we were out.

This time, however, the level of pounding actually corresponded somewhat to the news Sr. Micas had come to announce.

“Patrão, trabalhamos mal ontem.” Boss, we didn’t do our job well last night.

“What happened?” Ricardo suddenly became alert.

“Someone stole the side mirrors off your car.”

Rico followed the guard downstairs to inspect the damage. One of the most common crimes here in Maputo is to have the mirrors, brake lights, indicator lights or spare tire stolen off your car. These petty thefts happen all the time: while you have a quick coffee in the Baixa, while parked at the supermarket on a Sunday afternoon, or – as was the case with our car – while overnighting unprotected on the city street due to the general lack of enclosed garages or parking lots in apartment buildings.

We’d left the car directly in front of the entrance to our building, not 100 meters from where the night guards sit. There are between 2 and 4 guards keeping watch over the cars and apartments on any given night. The general building guards, Sr. Augusto and Sr. Micas, are plainclothes, unarmed and wholly lack any professional training. Then there is the private security force hired by our first-floor neighbor, an extremely wealthy Indian man. There are three uniformed guards that work for his family in shifts. Depending on the day, they will be armed with a machine gun, though it seems to be on a totally arbitrary schedule.*

Unfortunately, all of this security doesn’t do much good in terms of deterring criminals, as most nights all of the guards bundle up inside the covered entrance to the building and fall sound asleep, as is the case with 99% of security guards in Maputo. It was during their peaceful slumber that the petty thieves managed to remove our mirrors and get away unnoticed. One evening last year, a gang of carjackers was able to subdue all of the guards, take the uniformed one’s machine gun and throw it in the dumpster across the street, and speed away with our neighbor’s Toyota sedan.

So, with the loss of our side mirrors, it seems we have been baptized as car owners in Maputo. It seems the only way to prevent them being consistently stolen is to have your car’s license plate number sandblasted on the mirrors, thus making them difficult to re-sell on the black market.

Yesterday afternoon we had Zeca, our favorite (but now sadly underutilized) taxi driver, search for replacement mirrors for the CRV. Apparently, it was impossible to find legitimate mirrors in any of the auto shops in the city, so Zeca was forced to buy the mirrors at Estrela, the, ahem, “second-hand” bazaar for car parts. It was unfortunate to have to resort to this option, but we needed a quick solution because I think I would be completely incapable of driving on the left without my trusty mirrors.

So we are back in business, with plans for next week to sandblast our mirrors and buy metal clips and grates to prevent the theft of our indicators and tail lights. Owning a car here certainly is a different story than back in the US…

*One day last year I had to take Pria and Parceiro to the vet. As I waited for the taxi, the uniformed guard - a tall, no-nonsense, beret-wearing man – cooed and made baby talk with the cats, scratching their heads through the spaces in the cat carrier with one hand, while clutching his machine gun in the other.

Late, But Better Than Nunca

Yes, my mom was here for a short visit two weeks ago, and yes, I have been very delayed in blogging about our time together.

To sum it up, we had an incredible time despite the fact that it was way too brief.

I think my mom was pleasantly surprised by Maputo and all it has to offer. We had delicious lunches each day she was here, drove up the coast to Costa do Sol, toured the banana plantations at the Empire (unfortunately without meeting Hugh Marlboro, as he was in Cape Town), bought hibiscus and bouganvilla from a roadside vendor near Boane, visited a local ceramics factory, went to a beautiful photography exhibition at the Franco-Moçambicano cultural center, and hung out a lot at home drinking tea while I made jewelry and laboriously did the caligraphy on the envelopes of our wedding invitations.

Easter Sunday was a highlight, though it was spent in spectacularly secular fashion. Rico, my mom and I had lunch at the Macanese* restaurant downtown and enjoyed deceptively delicious food given the shabby look of the place. We had peri-peri stir-fried chicken, rice with shrimp and squid, prawn curry, and hot and sour soup. All super delicious, and cheap to boot. Rico had said he wouldn't have gone in there on a bet, but I'll wager a dollar or two that he would go back after our lunch experience.

We rounded out the traditional Easter experience (ha, ha!) with a movie at the Gil Vicente cinema. From the look of the place, my mom estimated it was from the 1920's. Full of character, but notably empty of patrons on the holy day. We thoroughly enjoyed "Charlie Wilson's War", complete with sweet popcorn and cokes (incredibly delicious and made with real sugar, as my mom noted).

I'd like to upload the photos from my mom's trip, but unfortunately Blogger is not feeling cooperative. Perhaps tomorrow...

*proper adjective for something or someone from Macao

Vision for the Future: Project A

Today, after a very long time not feeling it, the spark inside me - the tesão I feel regarding my professional experience in Mozambique - the idea that these 3 years have not been spent here only to look back with resentment at some point in the future and think, "Damn, we were there at the right time, and we didn't make it happen,"...that spark came back full force.

I am part of a grand plan for business in Mozambique. I am part of an incredible team. We have a vision, and a real chance at making something work that would be an innovation in the country. I will call it Project A for now.

There is also a possibility that we will fail spectacularly, but at least we will have tried. One of my greatest fears is that I will look back and regret not having taken a risk. We are here at the right time. We have the experience. We have the people. We just need to take the gamble...and we are ready to do it.

Our brainstorming phase is over. We are moving forward, concretely, to put things into action.

Much more will come regarding these plans. They've been in our heads for nearly two years now. I can clearly see how everything has played its part in preparing us for this next step...our initial experiences doing consulting work in Chimoio, our freelance period in Maputo, working for various private-sector clients and donors, networking galore, my stint with Hugh Marlboro, my current consulting position at the BIC working on investment projects for local small and medium businesses...it all adds up, and it all comes together as the framework for a grand plan.

Come success or come failure, I'm just glad to have the spark back. The road forward will be a challenge, but I think we are all ready to have a go at it.

Even with Confirmed Election Irregularities, There Is Hope for Change in Zimbabwe

The biggest thing on my mind these days is the election in Zimbabwe. Supposedly results will be posted today. The early word was that the opposition party, MDC, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, was on track to win the elections. However, this projection was based on publicly posted results from about 1/3 of the polling stations in the country. An official count is necessary to determine the winner, and many fear that the delay in announcing a result is in order to cover up election rigging.

ZANU-PF and Mugabe have notoriously tampered in past elections in Zimbabwe, and there is evidencet his has happened yet agaion in this one. We know of at least one story first-hand...

You may remember when I first moved to Chimoio, I was working on a project to establish a tea plantation and processing unit in Mozambique. The project was to be carried out in conjunction with a Zimbabwean partner, a family who had been running a tea operation in the Eastern Highlands of that country for many years. They had managed to avoid expropration of their land, a somewhat miraculous feat given the fate of the majority of Zimbabwe's other white commercial farmers, but were nervous about the future and thus interested in establishing operations across the border in Mozambique.

We got word from this family that they were forced off their tea plantation in Zim last week by a group of police thugs sent from the government. Apparently, the police claimed all of the family's equipment and assets, and made them leave the country. No, this was not a land claim...this intimidation was done in order to "secure voter loyalty". Basically, vote for Mugabe and you can come back home and have your farm back. Vote for the opposition, and you can imagine how the story will end.

As I sit today and periodically check the news waiting for official election results, I can't help but feel hopeful that change will finally come to Zimbabwe. Despite intimidation tactics, despite outright vote rigging (there were reports that ZANU-PF managed to cast thousands of ghost ballots), despite people arriving at polling places to find their names strangely missing from the voter lists...despite all of this, I believe that Zimbabwe is at a point where they can no longer bear the economic burden.

I hope that the official result is that Mugabe has lost the election. Either one of the alternate candidates will do; the main point is that the old man must step down...lest he be forced out of power, for I believe that Zimbabwe's people are prepared to engage in Kenya-style violence should the results be rigged once again. Violence is never something I wish for, but in this case, I can't help but see how it would be necessary if Zimbabwe's people want to have any hope for their immediate future.

Gratitude List

I'm in a bit of a slump today, so I'm trying to concentrate on the positive and turn my mood around.

Things I am grateful for today include:

1. Having a job that gives me financial security.

2. A cup of lemon tea being brought to my desk just when I need it the most.

3. Listening to house music full blast while I drive to and from the office.

4. Relief from a persistent itch.

5. E-mails from my Mom giving me real-time updates on her trip back to the US.

6. Being able to talk to Rico about how I feel.

7. A good friend coming over later this evening, even if it is for work stuff.

8. Feeling excited about new jewelry designs.

9. Cats.

10. Internet.

Because You Can't Make This Shiz Up...

A friend who is a partner in an import/export company based in China recently visited us in Maputo hoping to make some business contacts. We set up some meetings, facilitated some introductions, and spent many nights discussing various business ideas over beers.

Yesterday, our friend sent us an email with the good news that one of the meetings we set up for him while in Maputo seems to have resulted in a deal. The owner of a local supermarket chain apparently requested a quotation for a specific product our friend can source for a good price in China, and it looks like the deal will move forward.

Curious, I asked our friend what product the supermarket owner had requested.

Friends, the answer was simply priceless. Of all the products to be responsible for our first China-Mozambique brokered deal, I certainly didn't imagine it would be TOILET BOWL CLEANER. Not the most glamorous product ever, but at this point we are taking what we can get!

Imagine it...Ali and Rico indirectly responsible for an entire container of toilet bowl cleaner being shipped to Maputo.

Heh heh heh. This totally made my night!

Fusion Earrings Available on Etsy!

These earrings feature clusters of 300-year-old trade beads from Mozambique Island on sterling silver pins and chain.

These fusion designs feature oversized discs of Blackwood and Rosewood from Nampula Province with clusters of semi-precious stones, swarovski crystals and pearls.

All of these earrings and other designs are available on my Etsy site at Alexandra Amaro. Perfect for a unique gift for a loved one or yourself!

Commissioned Crucifix

A male musician here in Maputo requested this rosary made of faceted Onyx beads and sterling silver wire. Designing the cross and triad piece was quite a challenge, but I am quite satisfied with the results. I hope the musician enjoys the rosary. Maybe someday I'll catch a glimpse of it in a Mozambican music video!

Countdown to Mom

Time is dragging in a way that only happens when you are really, incredibly excited about some upcoming event.

My mom arrives in Maputo in a few hours and it is a massive understatement to say that I can't wait!

I am taking most of the week off work to hang out with her. Definitely one of the benefits of being a consultant - I can create my own schedule to some extent despite the fact that I am under a year-long contract with the BIC. Very cool.

I am on my way home in a bit to have some lunch and make some jewelry. I have a friend here who is easily my biggest jewelry client, and I need to finish some cluster earrings for her. The cool part is that she owns a day spa, so we trade my jewelry for her beauty treatments. Works out very well, especially with the wedding coming up (massages and facials are definitely needed on a regular basis!). I am going in for a back and shoulder massage before heading to the airport this afternoon.

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!

Pequena Has a Home and Other Updates

A few random notes:

1. I am now a confident driver on the "other side". I am loving the CRV, and loving even more the independence having a car provides. I still need some serious work on parking, however, especialy parallel parking. Just thinking about it makes me nervous.

2. My mom arrives tomorrow for a 6-day visit. I can't wait! It will be her first time in Mozambique. We had hoped to take her to Kruger, but since it is Easter Weekend, we've decided against it. You couldn't pay me to cross the border over the holiday, as it is one of the peak traffic periods and we don't have the luxury of cutting through to the VIP line as we don't have diplomatic status. Sorry, mom. If you want to see big animals, I suppose you'll just have to come back for another visit!

3. Pequena has found a new home! My old colleagues June and JR came over yesterday for lunch, and they decided to take the kitten back with them to the farm. I think it will be perfect, as Pequena is very energetic and will enjoy running around outdoors, and she seemed to really like June and JR. I actually miss the little one. Over the past week, she and I had bonded...

4. The Lura concert on Friday was off the hook! I've never seen so many people at Coconuts - every square inch was packed with people. The music was amazing, Lura was beautiful on stage, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. There was one disappointing moment, when Jenny and I were the brunt of some stupid racial comments while trying to make our way through the crowd, but I can honestly say that it is the exception and not the norm here in Mozambique. Nonetheless, it made me really angry, and I only managed to stop thinking about the comments when the concert ended and the nightclub music started... Dancing is always a great way to clear one's mind and renew one's energy.

5. I am still super tired. Not surprising, given the rhythm of the past few days.

Long-Haul

Yesterday Rico finally arrived back in Maputo after an absolute nightmare journey. First his flight from Brazil was cancelled because the pilot brining the plane over to São Paulo from Johannesburg managed to overshoot his landing and end up in the grass outside the runway, blowing out 2 tires in the process. So Night 1 was spent in São Paulo.

The next morning, after an additional 4-hour delay, the rescheduled flight took off, but unfortunately arrived in South Africa so late that there were no connecting flights to Maputo. Night 2 was spent at a hotel in Sandton.

South African Airways had given Rico a printout of a confirmed itinerary where he was rescheduled on a flight to Maputo the next afternoon at 1:55pm. However, when he arrived at the airport to do his checkin, SAA informed him that there was, in fact, no such flight on Saturdays and that he'd have to spend another night in Joburg because there were no more flights to Maputo that day on any airline. Night 3 was thus spent at the Emperor's Palace hotel or something like that.

Rico finally made it to Maputo yesterday morning, only to find his luggage didn't arrive. Apparently they stuffed the plane full of cargo in lieux of passengers' suitcases, as about half of the flight was in line to file a claim with SAA upon arrival. We had to go back to the airport later in the evening to pick up his bags, as the airlines here don't deliver lost luggage directly to passengers' hotels or homes as is the case in every other country I've ever visited, developed or not.

It was funny watching a man in front of us in line at the SAA baggage desk, obviously on his first trip to Mozambique.

Man: So do you have any idea of where my bags are right now? Are they in Johannesburg?

Woman at baggage counter: Ummmmmmm, no. We can't see any of that information.

Man: Okay, do you at least have an estimate of what time my bags will arrive in Maputo?

Woman: Maybe on the 3pm flight. But you should call before you come to the airport because the flight may be late.

Man: But you will deliver my bags to my hotel, no?

Woman: No, you must return to the airport this evening to fetch them.

Man: You're kidding, right? (several people in line, including me, laughed out loud at this point because we were all to familiar with the situation)

Woman: No, sir. You must come to the airport. This is Mozambique.

Man: But it's the airline's responsibility. At least South African will pay for my taxi to the airport, right?

Woman: No...

Man: This is absurd! How is it the passenger's fault? I shouldn't have to pay for this! Where is the office of SAA?

Woman: Around the corner to the left, but it will do no good.

Man: No, I want to talk to someone.

Woman: But this is Mozambique!

Man: I am from Argentina - it's not so different there - but we manage to provide this basic service!

Woman: Here we are struggling to eat. We are dying of hunger! We ask for international donations! How can we provide this service? We can't be expected to have the means to deliver a bag to a passenger's hotel! This is Mozambique...

The poor Argentine man huffed off to try and talk to the attendant at the SAA office, and the rest of us in line commented about the situation. The man was right, after all. It should be a service provided by the airline, regardless of the donor-dependence or poverty of the country in question. Isn't this type of thing taken into consideration when passengers are charged overhead and airport handling fees and other taxes as part of a total ticket price?

Regardless of the obligations or lack thereof on the part of the airlines, there was something about the woman's attitude that made me feel exasperated and sad. This is exactly the type of attitude, in my opinion, that hinders progress. It is easy to sit back and play "poor me", both on an individual and on a national level. Finding solutions, being proactive...now that requires an effort and an ounce of hope.

Fortaleza de Maputo

From our outing a couple of weeks ago when my friend Heleno was visiting. This is the old Portuguese fort in Maputo, complete with the most beautifully engraved cannons I've ever seen.