MOZAMBIQUE TOP 10
10 things I learned in Mozambique…
1 – The sun is closer and much hotter in Mozambique. I’m not sure if it is an actual scientific fact, but I’ve never felt so close to the sun as I did in Mozambique. It is scorching from its rise at 4:30 am to its setting at 6:30 pm, making sunburns and dehydration a guarantee unless you are very careful.
2 – Because of the heat there is a siesta like event every afternoon. Everyone tries to find a piece of shade and hide from the sun while it’s at its hottest. We along with the orphans, took full advantage of this break.
3 – Heavy items are carried on your head, especially water. The lack of cars or any other means of transport makes carrying weighty objects a challenge, so to relieve the stress on their arms, the Mozambicans carry things on their head. It is truly amazing how far they can walk with a 30 pound water jug on their head.
4 – Mozambique has beautiful beaches. I had no idea what we were in store for when we were told we’d spend a couple of nights on a beach, but I was pleasantly surprised to see the serene shimmer of blue water and the powdery, white beaches. It was a delightful break from life in the bush.
5 – Everywhere you go in Mozambique you will be welcomed by a Jack Russell. They are the most common pets and their little squatty bodies greeted us everywhere, whether out in the bush, in the city, or on the beach, we couldn’t get away from them.
6 – To get clean water most people have to walk anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. The walk from the orphanage is 3 kilometers and takes at least 30 minutes at a brisk pace, but the walk back carrying the loaded buckets of water can take twice as long, especially when you’re only 10 years old.
7 – The lack of easily accessible water makes laundry an interesting task. The easiest way is to bring your clothes to the water pump along with giant containers for the actual washing. It is a long process that ends by laying your clothes out in the grass to dry. Let’s just say I am very, very appreciative of washing machines and dryers.
8 – Instead of paying a lot of money for a name brand baby carrier, the Mozambique women place their baby on their backs and then secure them with fabric tied around their waist or shoulders. This method seems to work great and is even adopted by younger siblings to help carry the little ones.
9 – In Mozambique, taxis are large white vans that should hold about 10 people, but often hold many many more. You can call in advance, but most people simply wait on the side of the road and hope one eventually comes their way.
10 – Mozambican skies are beautiful, whether it’s daylight, evening, or the dead of night, the sky is astounding. The afternoon blues are rich and pure, the evening sunsets radiate with color, and the night sky twinkles with more stars than I’ve ever seen before.
