Second Installation

Each day I spend here seems to be more of a contradiction.  Even though I feel as though i am discovering more about Maputo and its inhabitants each day, so do i also feel as though for every one thing I puzzle out, six different and more complicated and shrouded things appear beneath it.  Much of my situation here is operating on double standards, from the prices for mulangos (white people) and the prices for everyone else, to the mission of this organization and the reality that I am discovering.  Things are certainly never what they seem.   

Take this as an example.  This tuesday some friends and I went to the beach, a semi-touristy place that advertised turquoise waters called Bilene.  The 100 kilometer journey was a real thing, forty minutes haggling about the price only to have to pay the original upped price anyways.  Then after two hours of bearable chapa ride, (the windows were down, the breeze was good and the company very enjoyable) the tire completely blew out and we were stranded on the side of the road for an hour and a half.  This, however, was also not terrible, there were some nice acacia trees where we climbed and rested in the shade.  Then we piled back in the chapa for another hour and after one more twenty-five minute chapa ride, we finally arrived at the beach.   I plunged into the lagoon and struck out for the other side, meeting my friend simon a little ways out.  We swam and picked our way through zebra clam beds (they cut like razors!!) for a few hours....a few hours longer than we thought.  What with the buoyancy of the super salty water and chatting all the way, it took so much longer than we thought to reach the island that by the time we eventually headed back (thankfully catching a ride in a boat with a local fisherman), our friends had called the police and hired a boat to come look for us!!!  To top it off, apparently swimming to that island is prohibited, as is walking on the Island, because of traditional rituals that used to take place there and the huge amount of negative beliefs about swimming to this Island.  After we got the legal bit sorted out (no repercussions other than a stern talking to because the police chief couldnt be found) the night turned into a bad movie, wed missed the last chapa home, so we had to look for a hotel, only nothing was open, so we camped out in front of a hotel for a while until it started to rain, and then we wandered some more until we ended up sleeping in the police barracks for money we said wed pay in the morning!!!!  Attempting to take money out was also a bit of a nightmare, at that point I hadnt eaten for 24 hours, and we were going to be in BIG trouble if we couldnt get money somehow.  The police here are not known for their kindness.  Luckily, a local shop owner took pity on me and allowed me to take cash out on my card.  

And yet being on that Island ranks among the top experiences of my life.  Apart from a few bits of plastic washed up on the ocean side of the island, it looked as pristine as it must have a thousand years ago.  We felt like we were on Gullivers Island, or treasure island, or one of those bad survivor tv shows, because all we had with us was ourselves.  No shoes, no water, no clothes...  Just our swimsuits, and somehow that added to the experience, because we felt as though we werent intruding in any way, simply offering of ourselves as the Island offered of itself.  Its white sands, dragonflies, fronds, bushes, reeds and massive sand dunes could have formed the set for a Jurassic Park film, and they were beautiful in themselves.  But nothing compared to the Indian Ocean on the other side. Sweeping steeply down to the crashing surf, the white sands were populated by thousands of pink crabs that darted in and out of waves, and the sky above the sea rose pristinely turquoise forever.  I certainly believe that there was something special about that stretch of beach, whether it was spirits as is the local belief, the concentrated force of untouched nature, or the impression of solidarity and harmony that such original beauty provided, whatever it was, it was a powerful thing. 

Also as I believed that for tropical nations that the rains caused only good, bounty and joy, so I had not taken into consideration the urban systems.  Streets, which are only packed earth to begin with, washed away completely in places, rubbish was strewn everywhere, (more than usual, which is saying something) whole neighborhoods were flooded, and cases of cholera rose by 30%.  Thankfully my bairro was spared, and aside from having the transportation become much more packed as less chapas were driving, my life was unaffected, but hundreds of people lost lives and property.  

However, the worst double standards have been those of the program I am working with.  The organization is not paying for my living costs as it said that it would, and how clever of them to say that they wont pay any visa related costs, because the only type of visa you can get requires you to leave the country once every thirty days, and I have to pay all of those costs.  This organization is not even paying for my toilet paper.  If my family doesnt prefer to use it, its on my bill.  The host families are also a problem, many dont even seem to want a volunteer to live with them and dont provide for their resident volunteers at all.  The work postings are also a bit of a joke, we are put wherever, regardless of any previous skills, and so far, 75% of them say that they are not actually needed at their projects, and they havent really done much in their time here.    

Im looking into solutions and I really hope that I will succeed, but if anyone ever asks you about United Planet, tell them to not touch it with a ten foot pole.  

Not all is bad, not at all, in fact its felt quite a bit like a vacation, lots of writing and chilling and practicing my guitar, along with super warm weather, beach trips and lots of going out for drinks with the other volunteers and friends.  And i am TAN!!!!!!!!!!  This is the first tan of my life, and Im quite excited.  We cook at each others houses, and some friends host families are totally amazing.  Im having a blast, but I miss you all, so send me an email, or comment on here, I love to hear from people.

Love,

Allie

allie.unisus@gmail.com