The Final Blog

Since this is the very final Mozambican themed blog, I thought it would probably have to be some kind of summing up/conclusive affair. I've done my best but I'm sure I've missed a lot of things out already. If anyone does feel that they have anything to add, discuss, deliberate or question I'm all ears and am available for all of those things over a beer, coffee, email, ice cream, long walk etc etc. My friends know how to contact me and for those that don't: tomdowner@gmail.com

Actually, first of all, something less serious than all this summing up. I did promise a picture of my new favourite national team's lastest strip, so here it is!

So, on a slightly more serious note, what have I learnt about Mozambique?

• Most are content with the little they have. If their neighbours don't have more than them, they seem satisfied.
• Some people eat cats!... Not dogs, only cats.
• Plastic is very much not biodegradable! I did already know this but most Mozambicans really should take note. 
• Civil war has held Mozambique back and that’s a huge reason why it’s behind its neighbours i.e. Zimbabwe and South Africa. Whilst they were busy developing, Mozambique was in the grips of a 15-year war.
• This bit deserves a blog in itself but I won't: A white person is called a "mulungu". Apparently this is more of a label than an insult (Mulandi is the unused label for locals). I can't say I'm a fan of the name, but a polite "not mulungu, my name is Tom" will suffice. Having said that, I still found chants of "MULUNGU, MULUNGU" during village football matches slightly offensive. This did make me wonder - given the controversies around racism in English football - how an equivalent situation would go down back home.
• It seems that culturally, there are hardly any thoughts towards the future...
• Therefore, ultimately it's up to Mozambique or even Africa to change itself. I already knew that volunteers don't make much difference, but there really needs to be a desire for change among the local people themselves.

I wish I could offer Mozambique more than one person can, and even though I've only been there for such a short time, it's reinforced the fact that I can't. What I've done is a tiny, tiny drop of water in an expansive country of dry sand and dirt. I hope that what I've done can be built on and irrespective of that, in time Mozambique will be able to help itself.

And what have I learnt about myself?

• My cooking isn't that bad but I could do with increasing my repertoire.
• Kids are all right in small doses.
• I can talk to anyone. Given my job as a tutor, that's kind of a given, but when you're not on home territory it's a different matter.
• Cold showers aren't that bad. I find that head first and body second decreases the shock
• I don't want to be a schoolteacher.
• I enjoy choice and I enjoy having access to things easily: Africa may not be the best location to enable this!
• I like food. I also missed food quite a lot!
• I still like and appreciate music of all kinds. I was worried that I'd lost my enthusiasm for it. I'm still not sure if it's what I want to do as a job.
• I really could handle the Mozambican rural lifestyle and could probably even kill a few things if I had to. At the same time, I'm very glad that I have the choice to come home.
• Reading books seems to free up my mind for all sorts of things.
• I will say 'yes' to a lot more things. There's also no such thing as 'should'.
• I can stand my own company - I didn't think I was very good at that.
• Being away has made me realise how important friends are.
• I like to travel but I don't want to be nomadic. I think I need a proper base and to travel when I can - to branch out like the spokes on a wheel.
• I still haven't decided exactly what I want from life but I've cleared a few things up. 
• I still want a dog!

And finally, in no particular order, I thought I'd leave you with my favourite people, pictures and memories:

And so that's it, that's all. To you, dear reader; thank you for reading and sharing my experiences. I do hope you found some use of it all, entertaining maybe, educational possibly or most likely, mildly interesting.

Until my next blogging exploits, over and out,

Tom x

Maputo

The 6-hour door-to-door bus journey turned out to be 8-hours. I never realised the importance of all seating materials until this very journey. The seats were well and truly shiny, grey-ey, green-ey plastic. I'm sure I wasn't the only one on the bus, but the words 'sweating' and 'uncomfortable' don't come anywhere close to what I experienced yesterday.

The bus journey itself was unexpectedly uneventful. Only once did we stop to look under the bonnet and only once was there a smell of burning coming from the dashboard. Nothing that water and a knife couldn't fix. The day looked a lot like this:

There's this drink that I've been eyeing up every time I pass through a built-up area. It's always included in that rush of people who try to sell passing buses their wares. It’s positively luminous and could be radioactive. I'd asked around and nobody had ever had it, nor did they know what it was. I bought it! I don't know what it did to my insides, but it was rather pleasant. Nothing fizzy, just a pineapple flavoured thing. I wouldn't buy it again, but I'm glad I took the plunge. At least I won't have sleepless nights wondering what it could taste like.

7 and a half hours later, there were people, loads of them. The most I've seen since, well, since I was last in Maputo, 5-6 weeks ago. It was a nice to change to see some relatively fast paced action.

At the same overpriced hostel - Fatima's Backpackers - I was met by the same shrivelled, cattaract-ed and scarred Shar-pei dogs (I didn't touch them) and after my first hot shower in a while, I met a few new friends that were staying at the hostel. A Dane and I decided to go for some piri-piri chicken at a oddly named place called Piri-Piri, it was good, but I ashamedly might still prefer Nando's. And then to watch the end of the Chelsea v United game - we joined with 10 minutes to go, so we didn't understand much.

A Norwegian girl bought these shortbread biscuits along with her. I've already tried them, they're quite good, but I'd forgotten to take a picture. I think the name is too good not to share:

My first whole day in Maputo (today) has been spent wandering around on my lonesome. If you ever get a chance to spend some time in Maputo, don't spend long! It's pretty grey.

It was recommended that I visited a shopping mall (it was shite, absolutely terrible!!), probably good by Mozambique standards and Piri-Piri. Having done both of those and having been charged at least 50mts above the going rate (because I'm white) in every taxi or tuktuk, I'm just about ready for my flight tomorrow at 14:00.

Having said that, there has been one exciting thing to come out of my day of aimless wandering: I got a Mozambique national team football shirt! The Mambas to those in the know. I'll try to get you a picture at a later date; I'm currently wearing it.

And so that's it, you're up to date. Right now I'm sat in a rather swanky hotel using their free Wi-Fi: me, I'm sat in summery shorts and football shirt, everyone around me is wearing shirts and trousers and giving me disapproving looks - I have bought a burger so they can't throw me out!

I'm planning a final blog that I'll finish when I get home. So for now I'll say bye, I'll update you if there's anything interesting to say about my flight, but for now let's all just pray for TV’s in the headrests - Ethiopian Airlines aren't known for their quality!