"PARAGEM!"

This week has been another good week despite my stomach problems over the last few days. I wont go into that but I think its just my bodies way of trying too adjust to some strange delicacies entering its domain. On Thursday night I had chicken feet soup. I honestly was a little bit shocked to see the feet floating about in this soup....I didn’t touch them but the soup was really tasty. I think your supposed to suck out the flesh on the inside.....I know, I know....disgusting! On Friday I had goats intestines!! That was on the day that my stomach felt like it was caving in. I couldn’t be all British and say a polite not thanks....I had t eat it. My host Mum was smiling and saying that it would probably do my belly good to have goats intestines inside it as long as I followed it up with some coke (don’t ask). I just smiled and ate it. It was actually ok but the thought of what it was really put me off. It all part of the ‘experience’! Apparently.....

Last weekend was so random.....myself and the two German volunteers, Nastasia and Jan (pronounced Yan – its’s a boy), went to visit the old railway station and I took a few artistic pictures which you can see below.  I do love a bit of historical culture.

Then we went to watch a LIVE TV show that our friend Dario was staring in. It was the most random TV show Ive ever seen in my life. It was called the ‘Sabado Show’ (Saturday Show) and Dario invited us to sit in the audience. I would just like to remind you that the show was LIVE and was supposed to start at 4pm. We arrived at 3.30 to see an empty studio and a man drilling and assembling the stage.  4pm came and went.....4.30 came and went......4.45 came and went.....5 arrived and left.....and then finally at 5.15 the LIVE show started. I had a bit of a laughing fit during the show but the whole thing was just so funny....I tried to rely what made it so funny but apparently you had to be there so I wont go into it now...sorry.

So anyway after that we went to a birthday party. It was in the city so it meant we couldn’t go home. We’ve been told its a bit dangerous to travel on the chapa after dark. The party started at 6pm and we were still drinking and still dancing at 6am. The music was brilliant. The musical vibe here is deep house, soulful house and afro beats. At some point during the evening I felt like I was in Ibiza.... Im hoping that I have been able to upload some video footage of people dancing below. It was a really good party with a BBQ and GIANT chocolate cake.  No one cares about ‘noise pollution’ because at 4am that music was pumping for all to hear. There was no environmental health popping along to spoil the show.....it was brilliant! 

My week at work has been inspirational. I still havent started at Mozarte and Ive just given up in asking what the delay is! Just like the Mozambicans I have decided to take it all in my stride. Maybe I’ll start next week.....maybe not but at the moment  Ingrid Chawner has been brilliant. Myself and Sarah, one of the other volunteers, went to visit the homes of four of the boys with two of the supervisors of the centre. We jumped on the back of this pickup truck and went from house to house.  I visited two of the four homes as I had my Portuguese class to attend. The boys looked amazing in their uniforms which are different from their school uniforms. There should be a picture below:

On the back of the pick-up....

Looking good....Mutus, Fernando & Isac

Sarah, Me and Isac

They were so proud to be wearing those clothes on the back of that truck and everyone we passed looked up and smiled. Their hair had been freshly cut and they just looked the business. It really made me so proud to be with them. The first home we went to was Matus’s but his parents were not home. I wanted to ask him how he felt not living with them anymore but with the language barrier it wasn’t possible.  I just observed him and maybe it was better this way because it can be hard to try explain those feelings to a stranger.  Matus is 12 and has the face of a man that has been on a long journey already in those 12 years. He is very sweet, intelligent and is keen to work and try new challenges.  I would say he is one of my star pupils as he never complains or seeks attention, he just gets on with the task which is really refreshing.

I really didn’t think I’d end up becoming a ‘teacher’ to these children but it seems I really have!!  I think we have created mutual respect for one another as apparently they normally steal things from the classroom so they can take to sell them on the streets. It can be small things like pens or books etc. I hadn’t realised that my pen had fallen out of my pocket and one of the boys returned it to me with a smile. One of the other volunteers looked very shocked but I was really proud of him. Apparently last week when I left, one of the boys chopped about an inch off of her pony tail. He then flashed it in front of her saying ‘Is this yours....’. How the hell did she let that happen to he?!?!? I couldn’t believe it!

This is probably why she was so surprised in regards to him returning my pen although I don’t think it was the same boy. I think its nice that I am a black volunteer from the UK. I don’t think that there has been a black volunteer before. Its made me think how important volunteering can be and that in places like Africa more black people should take the time to come and share their skills and knowledge so that young and old can start to work themselves out of poverty. Sharing knowledge can me so inspirational for both parties.

Next we went to see Isac family. Isac is 11 (I think). He is another one of my favourites despite being a little cheeky. His family live in a one room house which houses about 8 people. His sister just had a baby which was two weeks old and the he was so cute. She just whipped out her breast in the middle of the supervision which surprised me a little. The women here just pop their breasts out whenever their child needs a feed. Ive been on a chapa or  walking down the road and I’ll see a breast with a baby attached. Its brilliant and its such a contrast to the UK were  the women are using towels and stuff to hide their breast when they are breast feeding but here....nope....they  are not keeping those bad boys in hiding. Those breasts are a food source and are whipped out just like a can of coke! Just to quickly mention the women here....I don’t think Ive ever come across such strong females. These women maybe pregnant with a baby wrapped up on their back, with shopping on their heads and bags in their hand and they are standing strong in the heat! They are amazing and it really makes me think how easy life is in the UK can look. Even people who think they’ve got it hard need to come here to see what ‘hard’ really looks like.

So anyway back to  Isac family.... his parents were not home either but Muchanga, one of the supervisors, used my camera to take a few pictures. Isac seemed very timid which is not like him at all. He didn’t really say much but he seemed ok and had a nice smile on his face. I asked Sarah what she thought the communities thought about these boys  being  taken in  by Ingrid Chawner and given a new start. She said most of the time the families are pleased and happy because at least their child has now been given the opportunity to get an education, eat every day and be safe from street life.  When I look at some of these boys I find it hard to believe they were once street children.

Ive been proud of myself in some of the things that I have created for them....am I allowed to say that?  One day last week I was on my own and they all came rushing into the classroom. I decided that we could use some magazines and make flowers with 7 petals. I then got them to write the days of the week on each petal. I was surprised at how much they enjoyed such a simple project but I was annoyed that there was no glue.....one pric- stick, no paper. It just makes everything so much harder than it needs to be. The children want to learn but they have little resources in order to get things done. The Days of the week flower was good  as many of the boys didn’t know what the days of the week looked like let alone how to spell them. I think I’ll do it again but vary the shape we put them into.Next week I would like to do a paper mache (I don’t know how you spell it). Im going to try to get the wall paper paste tomorrow. 100 balloons cost me £5. I nearly had a heart attack in the shop. £5!!!! Daylight robbery!

Just very quickly because this is a very long blog today....I went to the beach on Thursday. It was about 3hrs from my house via chapa and boat. It was worth it but I got a bit stressed because my hair got wet and it lost the curls, I know you feel my pain, but its ok though. Ive put some snaps of the journey there and back for all to see....I couldn’t show you the fight that broke out on the chapa. Apparently a man groped some women and it all kicked off.....I was inside so me and Nastasia just watched while the boys were  amidst all the action......I cant show you the HEAT on the beach that gave the Germans sun burn despite them using factor 30 sun block.....or the giant cockroach that appeared while I was on the loo.....or the man that broke the draw bridge onto the boat because he drove onto it too fast.....oh my my my.....there is so much I cant show and it has only been three weeks. I really am enjoying the experience. Kamilah vs The Chapa still continues but Im still loving every minute. Yesterday was the first day that I shouted out ‘PARAGEM’ which means STOP. I thought everyone would look at me but they didn’t......I did it. Im really proud of myself J. 

Ate logo mi amigas

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