I have declared this week PORTUGUESE WEEK.....here here!

I have declared this week PORTUGUESE WEEK. This means that my host Mum must NOT speak her broken English to me and I must NOT be lazy and answer her in my broken English! If any Mozambican that can speak English tries to speak to me in English I MUST speak back in Portuguese, its going to be a long week people but Ive started the week as Im meaning to go on. I sent a text this morning to a friend who has had a fish bone stuck in his throat since last Monday. He said its giving him headaches and so I advised that he should get it taken out at the hospital…..so this morning I texted "Bom dia, onde esta, en o hospital o en casa" (Good morning, where are you, in the hospital or at home). I thought he said he was on his way to the hospital but running late but he actually said that he was not going to the hospital because he woke up too late! I’ll get there!!!

My host Mum was very impressed about my decision and I think she is surprised how much I do know and understand just because I never really speak it at home. I just a feel very conscious speaking but Im going to let go of my ‘looking good’ and get on with the show.

I’ve decided to reduce the length of my blogs as I am aware that for some reading them it is a bit of a mission. They will still be informative however I think I may just have to write more regularly if I can get access to this 17

Anyway, I wanted to show you some batiks I bought at a Market on Friday. I bought three small ones and one MASSIVE one. I was guilt tripped into buying the large one which I really like but mentioning/verbalising/expressing that you like something in Mozambique means that you want to buy and that was my first mistake my friends. The idea is to show no emotion in the market…..any thoughts of liking, loving or having an appreciation for the art must vanish or you will end up buying MASSIVE batiks that you might not have wanted! The man who sold me the batik started off at 950mtc then 800….700….750…..he then started folding it up at 600 and it was in a bag and shoved in my hand at 500….I was convinced he was close to tears explaining that he really needed the money. I was close to tears myself and think I actually did have ‘I am a mug’ written on my forehead because when I saw the desperation in his eyes and for just under £11 I dived into my purse and showed him the money!

The other two small ones you can see with the black boarder I bought for £2 each and Manuel, the artist, had some really nice abstract pieces which were really different to everything else available. I’ve asked him if he could teach me and he said yes so I am going to arrange a day with him which should be very excited.

Jan and I went to a really cool art ‘workshop’ this weekend. It was in Maraquene which is not far from the beach that we have now been to twice. There was an option of camping over the whole weekend but we just went for the day plus Im not really a camping type person and the site was plagued with mosquitoes which I really cannot deal with. There were about 10 tents set up in a circle with music playing and the hippy in me was in its element. It was near the sea and there weren’t really any workshops happening as most of the people who were instructing the workshops were hung over from partying into the small hours of Saturday morning. We left at 4.30pm when the first work shop stared which was drumming and African dance. I didn’t want to leave as we were so mellow and had good food and nice beer but we had a leaving party of a fellow volunteer to go to about 1 ½ away. The journey back was fine. I wont go into detail as Im sure you have heard enough about my chapa stories but this actually chapa was falling apart! The fold up seat actually fell off and I just couldn’t contain my laughter…..tears were falling from my face but it was just so funny and the cobrador just kept telling people not to touch it and that he was going to get it fixed bright and early on Monday morning….lol. He was so stressed about it but I just love the cobradors they are normally drunk as I don’t think they sleep and they have so much attitude its brilliant. I think I might make a feature of chapa stories because I honestly have one to tell every day. In fact I think I will ‘CHEEKY CHAPA OF THE WEEK’.

I really am going to see if I can upload a video as Ive taken so many. There is one particular clip of a man dancing on the street that I hope I have managed to upload. Its brilliant and it was at about 2am and everyone was just hanging out on the street after a Hip-Hop night that I went to. It was so good. Just a bit to hot inside the venue but it was like being at the Jazz Café in London as the set up was exactly the same. There was a guy who sounded just like Buster Rhymes which was really strange. A lot of the guys have learnt English through their love for Hip Hop its really amazing. I do like a bit of Portuguese spoken Hip Hop too. It has a nice flow about it and maybe because I don’t understand the words and just listen to the way its spoken I find it really fascinating.

Okey dokey, let me upload this now onto The Adeventures of Mozam Kam.

Its soooooooooooooooooo windy here right now. Rain, wind thunder…..very refreshing as this weekend was HORRIFIC. Im not knocking the weather again but the mid day heat is not funny! I haven’t been drinking enough water and on Friday morning my kidneys were hurting me so much.

Ok, Im going now…..also I don’t know if this is a good idea or not but a few people have been asking for my postal address here. You can send any mail to the offices of ICYE at the following:

ICYE MOZAMBIQUE/ADJUDE

RUA DE MESQUITA 222,

PO BOX 177,

MAPUTO

MOZAMBIQUE

Ok, Im going as its 3.49 and I need to check the rest of my emails and facebook and all those important things.

Xxxxx

in

I like this picture so I thought I would add it into the mix.....I did my hair myself....I know,  it look good doesnt it....lol!

th century internet service that I am using.