Bem vindo ao mato! When I got my site placement, I know I was in a rural area. I was happy with that. I definitely want to get the most out of Africa that I can! But what I didn’t really realize was how rural it was! When I opened my envelope, I had no information about it here which made it more exciting. I guess I didn’t know I could refer to my place as the bush, as some other people did with their sites. Well, I’m in the bush, it the mato… and I love it!
The closet place for me to buy most of my food it 15 km away. The only people within 10-15 km of me are my fellow teachers and the students and a few village houses here and there. Driving here was extremely interesting and I wish I could/would have taken more of it in, if wasn’t already such a LONG day in the car already! To get to my place, you drive north up Inhambane on the EN 1 and then there will eventually be a turnoff to the left for Mabote. It’s a sand road for there. 60 km of sand road to Mabote. Along the way, there are trenches dug, trenches that were used during the civil war. Last year, they cleared all the landmines from the area (so no worries!) As we were driving, the sun was setting. The sunset is an awesome site here. There are no mountains, so it’s all flat, and the sky turns an awesome orange. The sandy road, the orange sky, the table like trees, reminders of The Lion King. Next time I watch The Lion King, those thoughts will be reversed… The Lion King will remind me of Africa. “AAAH tapangua, galavitimafa, a zimbababwa….”
When the teachers here (the few that have not left for summer vacation that is) greet me, they tell me “Bem vindo ao mato!” When I met my supervisor at the conference we had first in Xai Xai (a beach), she just referred to Mabote as the bush.
I did get a tour of the school and it’s hard to believe the size of it. It’s not huge but it’s got room. There are 6 classrooms, a lecture/conference type room, 2 dormitories, a basketball court, a soccer field, cafeteria area, and a big area they have a garden already going (which is really exciting because I just learned an awesome way to garden, it’s called permagardening…look it up!) It’s a new school, extremely new actually. I think they have completed 6 months. Right now there is only 93 students which means I am a lucky volunteer who actually gets a small class of 30 students (most will have like 50 students in one classroom and some even up to 120 students in the north).
I spent my whole first day cleaning and organizing my house (and writing this blog and in my journal). One of the teachers asked me how I was doing and such and said if I needed any help, the students could help… offering the students… I did also go into town with that teacher so I could buy some veggies and such. Some of the students cam also and he sent them with me to help me shop. Apparently I also can not hold my own bags or even carry them myself into my house. They are really sweet. They just grab it right out of my hands. I’m sure I will have fun with them as time goes. I kind of feel like I’m in an awkward spot. I will be their teacher but I can’t communicate with them very well. My Portuguese is only at Intermediate Middle. Tomorrow I’ll spent more time outside and play around.
My first meal I made for myself at my house was French toast with a strawberry syrup (that I actually screwed up) and Irish pub chips (round French fries). Tomorrow I think I’ll make myself a pasta salad. And then I will soon buy a rolador and make my own coconut milk!
awesome! and make your own peanut butter too!!!!! A great way to learn the local language is to sit with the mamas when they are cooking (and you'll get all the village gossip)... also a good way to see how they make local dishes... if you have that option... I think my village might have been bigger than yours from the sound of it so I had a lot of mamas to sit with.
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