Reality

Most days for lunch I eat at a small restaurant that serves Indian as a sit down meal, or light meals out on the patio. I alternate between the two. Anyway, when I sit out on the patio I am approached regularly by youth trying to sell me the latest DVD, CD, sunglasses or a variety of other merchandise. I politely reply, "No obrigado" (No thank you). One gentlemen sat beside me as I ate and browsed the internet and told me he had no job, and no money. I had heard the same disheartening story many times before, however, he then told me he was "living with AIDS". I hope my face did not give away my shock.

Before I embarked on my journey to Maputo, Mozambique I did receive a few days of training from my sending organization (VSO). In that training they made it very clear that it was impossible to distinguish between a person living with HIV / AIDS and one who was not. On a lighter note, they also showed two dogs and we were not able to differentiate which one was healthy and which one had rabies.

The reality of Africa is slowly settling in, day by day, as I learn to succumb to the harsh realities that millions of Africans deal with on a daily basis. The gentlemen (we will call him Geraldo) also told me that the reason he did not have a job was because employers were not willing to employ men infected with the virus for various reasons. He seemed well spoken, well kept, and all in all, a competent man.

I volunteered to try and find help for this gentlemen. He told me he will meet me again tomorrow to see what I could dig up. To be continued...

Scathe with Crime

On Saturday night my friend Mateus dropped me home about a block down the street. I urged him to do so to save some time and expensive gas. It was late in the night and I was alert of any potential danger. As I was walking down the street to my flat I noticed a man infront of me. I made a mental note that he looked a fair bit larger than I was in height and mass. He called out to me, "My friend, Can you give me directions". I went through the possible scenarios to which he would be asking me for directions.

1) He could be genuinely lost and roaming the streets late in the night. I thought this was highly unlikely since he obviously spoke Portugese based on his broken English and postcard Mozambican English "My friend..."

2) He could be trying to lure me in close to him so that he could potentially mug me or threaten me. I thought this scenario was a much higher probability than scenario 1.

My course of action was to respond back "Sorry, No falo en Portugese" (I do not speak Portugese). I crossed the street and he actually continued to pursue me. I stopped and called my friend Mateus who had just dropped me off and asked him to return. He actually was already on his way back because I left my house keys in his car.

When Mateus returned the man was nowhere to be seen. As I opened the front door to my apartment building the man reappeared in a car, again, asking for directions. I made it inside and into my apartment safely.

I am still not sure whether or not the man posed a threat, but when you are in a new land and a new culture, better safe than sorry.

Lesson learned, always stay alert when walking the streets after dark.

Book #1 Warren Buffett's Biography

Although my three (3) bedroom flat is adequate, it is not luxurious by any means. There is no television to entertain nor telephone to converse. This is a blessing in disguise. I have been reading feverishly almost every night. My first book I completed was Warren Buffett's Biography (Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist written by Roger Lowenstein). Here are a few insights from the book that I have learned.

Buffett was uneasy with the increasing leverage (high amounts of debt) of fortune 500 companies leading up to the credit crisis. He remarked to the effect, You can't tell who is swimming naked until the tide goes out. The tied went out last year and the housing collapse and global credit crisis ensued.

Buffett is uneasy about giving his money away to friends, family or charioties. In fact, his children grew up with an extraordinarily modest lifestyle. When asked about giving money to his children he explained he did not feel his children should grow up with any advantage over other children. In 2006, Buffett finally loosened up the strings to his wallet and pledged billions to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He exceled at making money, however, was very unsure of how to give it away so he has nominated Bill Gates and his wife to lead philanthropic activities on his behalf.

Buffett is a very simple guy and does not care for luxuries. He feels they complicate his life. It wasn't until his second wife came along that he upgraded his wardrobe and purchased some designer suits. In fact, he still drinks his childhood beverage, Cherry Coke, and frequently visits local restaurants in his home town of Omaha, Nebraska.



[Disclaimer: The above blog is not intended to be a factual account of Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist written by Roger Lowenstein]

Benefits of Maputo

There are a tonne of things to miss about life in Toronto. Funnily enough, those reasons elude me thus far. Maybe it is due to the fact that I have been keeping very busy, or, it is because I have all that I "need" here in Maputo.

Here are the things that I have realized I love about Maputo. Some are rather trivial and others are very subtle. [Note: In no particular order].

1) The people are wonderful. I met a fellow name Carlos yesterday and he asked me what I love about Mozambique so far. I responded, "I have not met someone that I do not like"

2) The weather is perfect. The days are warm but not hot. The temperature averages in the mid 20s during the winter months (July to August) and the nights cool off to a comfortable 15 to 20 degrees Celsius.

3) The cellphone service is GSM. That way you can change phones as often as you like if one breaks.

4) The view. From my apartment I can see the Indian Ocean. Within 15 minutes walking I am steps from the beach. There is a park that has some relaxing cafes, restaurants and ice cream parlors.

5) The work / life balance. I am up just before 7am and at my employer by a little after 8am. The commute is a whole 10 minutes. My favourite Indian restaurant is a few short steps away for lunch and I am back home by 5pm. I can cook a decent meal and work out everyday if I like.

Matola

One of my friends, Mateus, took me to Matola on Saturday afternoon. His friend, Alex, had a barbeque to celebrate his fiancee's birthday this past week. Matola is a township outside of the main city, Maputo, where I reside. It is about 25 kilometers outside of the city which takes far longer than it would in Toronto. The roads quickly deteriorated from two lanes, to one lane (which were driven as though there were two lanes), and then to dirt, and then to sand, and then to trail. There were no landmarks, road signs, or gas stations to help direct us to our final destination. It was a real eye opener to the living conditions outside the 'oasis' of Maputo.

Although the people there were not 'rich' by traditional Western measurement scales, what they lacked in financial resources they made up for in warmth, spirit, culture and character. Their modest homes are all meticulously cleaned and surrounding land tidied. I have noticed that everyone's clothes are always perfectly cleaned and pressed. They put my dry cleaner back in Milton to shame ;)

Alex lives in a township which is very remote yet I have discovered, reggae music truly is international. After he learned of my Jamaican heritage he put on the icon - Bob Marley - and his mother and I started a dancehall session.

Mateus asked me if I ate pork. I informed him I was not a huge fan. He proceeded to take me on a walk to the back of Alex's property where we picked out our next meal. The mother pig and her piglets had to be separated into two different pens because she was eating them when she got hungry. This serves as a reminder why I am not a fan of the meat.

Pictures: Mother pig, Piglets, Mateus and I.

What the Mutola Foundation Does

Day by day I am getting to know more about the projects the Mutola Foundation is working on. "Mais Escola para Mim" More School for Me is a program for young girls. The program manager carefully selected 20 young girls from rural areas which are over 40 kms away from the nearest school. They were brought to Magude where a building was rented and furnished. Their meals are provided for and after school programs arranged. It is like a mini private school for these girls. It is a great program that launched in 2008 and will grow in 2009.

I am supposed to visit Magude next week to meet some of the girls and see the progress of the renovations to the building to increase its capacity. I can't wait!!! Magude is supposed to be a beautiful place.

New Experiences

Last night I went salsa dancing. Yes, that's right, salsa dancing. I have gone twice before in the past 3 years. By no means am I an enthusiast or an expert. But I thought it would be interesting. We arrived at the Polana Hotel around 7pm and within minutes the instructor had us on the dance floor getting warmed up. Who knew salsa dancing could be such a workout!?! (Polana Hotel and Casino in Maputo, Mozambique - http://www.kanimambo.com/kan2ap.htm)

The instructor could use a lesson in diplomatic relations. He tells the women how to be ladies and the men how to be gentlemen. I will give him credit though, he got my attention and kept it for an hour which is quite a feat.

I went with one of my partners, Mateus, and he wasn't keen on the idea of sharing his girlfriend with other salsa dancers. If looks could kill there would be three dead Mozambicans. {Disclaimer: No one was actually killed as a result of our dancing}. The class forces all the attendees to switch partners which is interesting because of the differences in skill level and style. I danced with a Mozambican woman who could rip up the dance floor and some travellers from South Africa who had not yet mastered the basic 1-2 step. For all you novices out there that is the first step you learn.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from the actual class. But I think its better that way, no evidence of my miscues.

Tonight all the VSO and ex-VSO volunteers will be getting together for a potluck. For the sake of my friends, I think I will pick some take-away. That's what they call it over here (instead of take-out).

Chow for now.

Social Life

Anyone that knows me I'm all about the social life. Pretty much every night the ex-pats meet up and go for some food and uma bebida. They are a real friendly and willing to show me around so I have had no problem finding a place to eat. I went Zambia last Friday for Sophie's birthday. We enjoyed great food and terrible service. But its Maputo, what can you do!?!

I went site seeing on Saturday and went into the Avenida - the most exclusive hotel in Maputo. I didn't stay there, it is waaaay out of my budget. But, the view from the top is gorgeous, you can see uptown Maputo and the sea. The gym is great, so I won't lose my exceptional physique (jokes).

Nucleo de Arte

I spent Sunday afternoon walking the beach with new friends and enjoying some good food and cafe. In the evening I visited the Nucleo de Arte. This art studio features 'Arms into Art'. After the civil war ended in 1992 there was a movement to collect and disarm weapons and remove landmines. Concurrently 'Arms into Art' was launched to create art sculptures from weapons. There are many very interesting pieces including an arm chair I would love to take home with me. Unfortunatley I may have some trouble explaining the multiple AK-47 machine guns being used as legs for the chair.

In the night the art studio turns into a mecca for artists and live bands. All the artists differentiate themselves from other Mocambiqueans with eclectic fashion styles. I met one artist (Alex) who has many sculptures being featured in the art studio. For more information check out (http://www.africaserver.nl/nucleo/eng/index.html).
(http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.erasmuspc.com/documenten/citycult/mozambique_arms_arts/10_maputo_mozambique_photo_jamesbt.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.erasmuspc.com/index.php%3Fid%3D18235%26type%3Darticle&h=375&w=500&sz=137&tbnid=rJh90I-kY4gJ::&tbnh=98&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmaputo,%2Bmozambique&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=4&ct=image&cd=1)

On Monday afternoon I finally moved into my flat. Great place. Large three bedroom place and I have my own bedroom. My roommate has been in Mocambique for two years so I had no problems finding the local grocery store. Downside is that there is no laundry machine, if they think I am going to wash clothes by hand, they are crazy!

Day 6 - Sunday Rituals

I am really starting to get settled into Mocambique living. My hotel is within walking distance of many local cafes and eateries. Anyone that knows me knows that I love to try new restaurants. And I found a pick-up soccer field. Well actually its a concrete slab. In the city there isn't much space for grass so a lot of Mocambiquens play on polished concrete. It was an early pick-up match at 9am. But little or no sleep, I love my futbol!!!

I am trying to learn Portugese and it is a frustrating process. I am here for 3 months and I think it is enough time to pick up the language. However, I can use all the pointers I can get. Any good websites anyone can suggest would be appreciated.

I am still getting over my jet lag. I almost collapsed midsentence yesterday afternoon after walking around for a few hours and then I couldn't sleep at night. I woke up this morning at 6:30am! That's right 6:30 am on a Sunday. I think that is a sin in some religions...just kidding ;)

Tomorrow is my first day at work. I have to meet the auditors tomorrow.
The foundation I am working with (Mutola foundation) is audited by pricewaterhousecoopers. I think I will know all the right questions to ask them ;)

Contact Info

I am currently staying at Hyo-Hyo in Maputo, Mozambique. It is a hotel in uptown Maputo that is somewhat isolated from significant crime. I can finally walk to work within 10 minutes...my dreams have come true.

It is by no means a 5-star palace but it has hot water and a clean bed and some security so I have no complaints.

In case anybody wants to give me a call to see how I am doing you can call me: country code (258) 82-942-5467. You may need to insert a 1 after 258. I'm not sure, I haven't called myself ;)

Day 4 - Meet my employer

Today I met my employer Lordes Mutola Foundation. The foundation was founded from Maria Mutola (http://www.mariamutola.com/) who is arguably the most famous Mozambiquen. She is ranked as the greatest female 800m runner of all-time due in part to her incredible consistency. In total she has won 9 world 800m titles including both indoor and outdoor championships. Her greatest moment, though, came at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, when Mutola finally won Olympic gold. She returned to Mozambique after her Olympic victory, huge crowds came to cheer her and a road was named after her in Maputo.

The people are all wonderful and I anticipate an enjoyable three months. In fact, they love reggae music so I'm sure we will get along ;)

What I am doing in Mozambique

My employer has teamed up with the VSO (volunteer service overseas) organization. Here is the quick and dirty synopsis of VSO. They have been around over 40 years and have sent over 40,000 people around the world. They have offices in 30 different countries. They find a need in a developing country and then find the right person with the required skill set to send to that country.

I was selected to work in the Mutola Foundation in Maputo, Mozambique for three months. I will be starting my placement in the next coming days and I will provide a better description of what I am doing and how I am helping make a difference.

Day 3 - Arrive in Mozambique

Between flight 1 to London and flight 2 to Johannesberg I wisely decided to catch some rest in the Yotel. A hot shower and some rest go a long way. Unfortunately, I was then unable to get any decent sleep on the overnight flight to Johannesberg.

We arrived in South Africa about 20 minutes behind schedule. Not that it mattered to me. We were greeted by a brisk breeze. Let me rephrase that....it was cold! 6 degrees celsius. That's right, Canada is currently warmer than South Africa. Who knew!?! The sun was just piercing the horizon, a beautiful sight somehow more intense when you have been focused on the back of the seat infront of you for the past 11 hours.

Day 3 My flights all connected as they should and my baggage arrived with me in Mozambique. A fabulous thing when all travel arrangements work as planned. Bravo! I was greeted as promised by a representative from VSO and taken to my hotel. I feel truly blessed to know that there is hot water in Mupoto...yes! Already I have dinner plans with fellow volunteers to help acclimitize me into my new home for the next 3 months.

Day 1 - Connection through London

July 16, 2008
I arrived in London Heathrow airport at around 3am, or was it 7am, I’m already losing track of time zones and the concept of night and day and its only day 1.

Since my stop over is 11 hours I am staying in ‘yotel’. It’s a mini hotel room within the airport – a brilliant concept. My luxurious suite features a rainfall shower, contemporary bathroom fixtures, master bedroom with built-in LCD tv, high speed internet access, sitting room, laundry facilities and a den.

I am debating between heading downtown to London versus catching some well needed sleep. My gut instinct is that I should probably go to sleep…..zzzzz