Jan 5. 2015. The first day

The day dawned bright and clear from 5am. I saw the similar pattern of southern African weather. Day cracks early, and people wake up early to start the day. When I was in Malawi, 7am was like the sun is up and high. So is Mozambique. Everyone can be a much of a morning person here. Mozambique has two seasons – wet (Oct to Mar) and dry (Apr to Sept) season – of tropical climate; I am not sure how crazily rains in Mozambique during the rainy season. Let’s see!

It was the first day to come to the national office. It was a small office where 50 staff work. It was early in the morning, 8am, and I met Claudio. Some staff went to vacation during January, and he would work closely with me for MozWASH project. I did a rite of passage, introducing myself to people here and there. I was a bit clumsy although the building was simple inside. Sadly, my MacBook laptop did not connect to office wi-fi, so I had to spend a lot of time to fix it. I barely googled the problems, and fortunately, many people have already been discussing Apple’s new software, OS X Yosemite that it disconnects the internet every 30 seconds. Oh my first day… Why now? I temporarily solved the issue in the end, but do now know how long it lasts.

There was a food delivery service! 

Sidonio briefed me on what to do during this change of government of Mozambique. The opposition party, RENAMO (the Mozambican National Resistance) has been convened and held nationwide demonstrations against the president election result, so he told me avoid crowded area and be aware of surroundings. Amazingly, International SOS always emails me about the country where I am, and they sent me Mozambique security information on Jan 4 and said, “avoid vicinity of upcoming nationwide opposition protests.” International SOS somehow knows my travel course. (Wow!)

<Renamo rejects Mozambique election result, African observers endorse vote>

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/17/uk-mozambique-election-idUSKCN0I60L620141017

It was the inattentive first day, and I concurrently released lots of energy surrounded by new people. However, I enjoyed new things all around me because it makes me feel alive. After work, I had to exercise. Security briefing scared me to prepare for the worst, so I was even hesitant to go outside and jog around in the early evening. Maputo was the hectic city that I could not easily cross the road, and people were selling things on the street. There was no good place to jog… I need to think about how to spend my time here in Mozambique meaningfully. The sun comes up early in the morning again.

Jan 4. 2015. II. Mozambique Cuisine I. Portuguese Steak

I picked Portuguese steak as my first meal in Mozambique because I liked that name. It must be something special. I also ordered rice with vegetable and bottle of water, and the total price turned out to be 410 MT ($13).It was double the 국밥($6) in S. Korea. A Server also brought two bottle of liquid for me; one was olive, and the other was something else. He told me what that was twice, but I did not hear well. I tried taste. It was sour, so it must be vinegar?

Portuguese steak was good. It was salty, and pretty well-done meat. Rice was suitably greasy. In any place in the world, there is meat, vegetable, fish, spice and rice; the only difference is the art of cooking. Taste becomes diverse depending on a recipe with the common ingredients. The food in Tanzania, Zambia, and Malawi made me unwell. Now I realize why I had something wrong with my insides in Africa; food is not spicy! Once I left my native country, I am sick for 김치 and 고추장… I do not know why my palate cannot abandon an acute sense of taste for severe hot spicy pungent food.

Anyway, the first food in Mozambique was good. I hope I will love all kinds of Mozambique foods during the stay.

Jan 4. 2015. I. Hello hello, Mozambique!

This airport looked so familiar. Yes, I have been to Johannesburg international airport three times recently. When I went to Tanzania from Sierra Leone, to Zambia from Tanzania, to Mozambique from South Korea, I always passed through South Africa. Even the movies in the airplane were still all the same since I last boarded on South African airways. The national flag on the wings of an airplane looked friendly, and inner structure of the airport was kind of like my home (Haha). Luckily, I did not feel any uncomfortable moment although I go to the new city, Maputo in Mozambique. The only awkward moment was that I wore the heavy winter clothing with short pants and long sleeves. South Korea was so cold but Africa was the exact opposite. I had to bring a few extra plastic bags in my hands during the whole transferring processes because my one luggage exceeded the maximum 23kg, so I had to take out something to save $100 fee. Every airlines had the different luggage policy; Asiana Airlines allowed two luggage and each of them should not exceed 23kg. I had only one luggage, and it was much less than 46kg, but why each one should be less than 23kg? (I think the sum of two would be rational.)

However, I loved Asiana Airlines’ service during the flight. I took the first airplane, Asisan Airline to get Hongkong, but the departure was delayed. I worried that I would miss the next airplane for South Africa because there were only 50 minutes left. The flight attendant checked that and came back to me several times. She told me 지상직원 would know this situation and do not have to worry. (What does “지상” mean? My Korean has been getting worse…) When the airplane landed, she took me to the exit even before the first class customer took off. Yoo hoo! I did not even have time to see her name, and I would not see her again, but I was moved by Koreans’ kindness. I would want to say thank you for your service!

Finally, the fashion breaker who wore four seasons clothing with neck pillow and eye blindfold at the same time arrived in Maputo, Mozambique in the morning, Jan 4! Flight was not that fun, as always, because it normally takes one whole day to get the opposite side of the earth. The driver Augusto from World Vision Mozambique came to the airport to take me to the guesthouse. We barely communicated with each other in English. I wished I could learn the official language, Portuguese before coming to Mozambique, but I was too lazy to learn the new language. 16 days in Portuguese-spoken country seemed too short period for me to learn how to say even “hello,” “I am hungry” in advance… Well, I can learn some simple expressions for surviving from now! At least, I cannot starve to death only because I do not know what to order in the restaurant. <Security guidelines briefing for Mozambique visitors and staff> quite frightened me, but I am glad to be back in Africa. It should be ok if I do not go outside at night, right? My health and safety is the top priority during the stay.

The first impression of Maputo was: HOT. It was 28 Celsius. I am experiencing extreme weathers dramatically, super-hot in Malawi, super-cold in South Korea, and super-duper-hot in Mozambique again. The second impression was: DESOLATION. Once I entered my room, I was captured by a feeling of loneliness. It was a small, moldy-smelled, and choky room. Who do I meet? It was only 1pm on Sunday, but I had nowhere to go, no one to know, and only uninteresting 2 TV channels were available. Surprisingly, this place was 2,420 MT ($78) per night. I do not quite understand the price in Africa. If you see dying African babies in UNICEF advertisement in the airplane and donate some coins through the envelope, you may expect everything would be cheap in Africa. Belis told me over the phone I could decide whether I would keep staying here or change the place after spending one night here. He said, “Please, please, please, let me know if you like that place. We want you to stay comfortable in Mozambique.” I heard “Please” about ten times. It was a bit burdened, but I could feel his true heart, so I appreciated that.

What is the appropriate and reasonable accommodation for visitors, donors, sponsors, and staff from other countries? I already have been to five African countries as an intern, but I cannot still answer that clearly. I do not know how to narrow the huge gap between gathering coins for Africans through UNICEF and comforting myself in Africa circumstances. What is more, I am not sure what is the desirable attitude as a position of intern. I have been trying to be thankful for everything, but my primitive instinct sometimes tells me I cannot bear something. I was shocked that so many Korean college students work without pay for their internship but even were delighted at having the work experiences. Korean companies take easily advantage of desperate applicants in the name of intern and do not employ them in the end. The temporary position makes them small, so any small request makes them inconvenient. What about me? I am awfully sorry that World Vision always tries to resolve any conflict of mine. Those hospitalities come to my own charge wholly, and I groan under a heavy burden that I should become a person of considerable merit. However, the unchangeable thing was that everyone has its job to do, no matter what the position is, and it needs to be done well. Yes, all’s well that ends well. Whew… I may stay here only today. By the way, I am stinky and hungry. Let me wash and have some food for now…