Maputo for the weekend

Friday morning I got acquainted with African Time. The bus was bound to leave at 8:30, so I made sure I was ready with bag and all around quarter past eight. The bus did not leave until 9:30, and actually I found it quite funny, it didn’t really surprise me as no one made a big deal out of it. I think I just have to get used to a more layed-back attitude here, compared to in Holland.

The drive itself was wonderful once again. As we drove through Mbabane and Manzini, the most amazing image came by my window: The Jacarandas were in bloom, which gave the city a lila-purple dreamy glow to it. These beautiful trees gave a whole new dimension to the colour purple; imagine the huge amount of cute purple flowers on one big tree, contrasting with the bright blue sky and the different tones of greens of the remaining trees. Every time I saw a Jacaranda I could not take my eyes off of the tree, when it was out of sight I just had to look for another one to keep my eyes filled with the amazing image.

The bus had a sleepy effect on me, the roads were bumpy so the bus was rocking and cradling me a lot. I think I slept like a baby, despite the heat... It was 35-40 degrees when we got closer to Mozambique, and I can assure you that no one can ever be comfortable in a bus with hard sticky chairs and warm air filling the bus and the person next to you just a little bit too close to you. As soon as we crossed the border it felt like Mozambique already; the winding roads, the rolling hills and the Portuguese signs at the side of the road. Unfortunately I also came across poverty on the way to Maputo. Just by the side of the road, I saw a tiny little house every 500 meters, made of wood, stones, hay and other natural materials. It looked really primitive, children bare feet, playing with empty cans of coca cola and an old bicycle tire, a goat and a donkey tied to a tree and a fire just outside the house, which made the air breathe a delicious perfume of burnt wood. The contrast was big; these little houses were just situated underneath electricity lines, something these people probably don’t use at all. I felt like learning tiny life lessons just by looking out my window...

When we arrived at the American International School of Mozambique, every pair of students got a host family. My host family (I was together with the other volunteer) was lovely, they were very hospitable and they really wanted to show us around Maputo for the short while we were here.

Saturday we had to be at the AISM at 7:30, the volleyball and soccer games went on until 13:00. We as volunteers gave ourselves the task to keep track of the points, because we were there for fun, really ;) After lunch we went back to our host-home. The parents decided to take us to the Bazaar, a market with little artifacts and souvenirs. After that we drove to the Mozambique International School because there was an international food fair going on and I wanted to see this school as my mother and her siblings went to this school when they lived in Maputo. Then we drove along the Indian Ocean and then I fell in love with Mozambique... The vibe in Maputo was just so nice, the weather on Saturday was great and I felt so warmly-welcomed by my host. When we headed back to our home, we quickly stopped at the fish market. It was amazing!! The fish was still alive and they had so many varieties of fish, unbelievable! Also there was a restaurant connected to the market, where the people can prepare the fish you just bought.
At 19:00 we had dinner in a restaurant with all the students of Waterford, AISM and AISJ (joburg). The food was great and we had a lovely time chatting to each other. After dinner the parents picked us up and we went to Polana Hotel to have a drink. It was a beautiful 5 star hotel, very old but super fancy! The elevator still had a gate you had to close before going up, like the old fashioned ones :)

Sunday morning the host parents insisted on taking us for breakfast at a restaurant with the ocean view, we of course didn't decline because we wanted to see as much of Maputo as we could. The restaurant was Italian, it had the best coffee and very nice sandwiches. Whenever the host-mum or dad would speak in Portuguese, I would listen with amusement. I just love the sound of Portuguese, I can pick up some of it with my knowledge of the Spanish language. Some words just feel nice in your mouth, like the name of the currency: “Meticais” which is pronounced like “Meticaiszj” I Love it :)
The host-mum told us that the Indian Ocean is most of the times warm, I couldn't believe it just yet as the weather had changed extremely. From 40 degrees on Friday afternoon, to 20 degrees with rain and wind on Sunday morning... So I tiptoed on the sand and put my big toe in the sea, and she was right! The water had a lovely temperature.
At school us volunteers didn't have a task anymore, so we just watched all the semi-finals and finals and cheered for the Waterford teams (and had lots of hot chocolate as it was freeezing and I didn't quite prepare for this weather clothes-wise, so there I was in my shorts and top...) We had lunch at our host family and then we had to say goodbye.. All I felt was gratitude for my host family, I was there for such a short while and still they made me feel at home :)
The bus left at 14:30 and driving out of Maputo I still wanted to see every corner of every street and read every sign in Portuguese and look at every other tree, just to make memories as I go along.. After a while the sun had sunken behind the mountains and the bus cradled me to sleep again.
In such a brief period I have fallen in Love with Mozambique, whenever I have the chance to go back, I WILL :)!!

Lots of Love,

Laura