One Week in Chimoio (and links to additional reading)

After the frantic pace of pre-service training, the last week has been a bit of a shock. Since moving into my house last week, I have had one meeting with my school and a whole lot of free time. I have had plenty to do with that free time: I scrubbed my house down from ceiling to floor; there were piles of laundry to do (by hand on the concrete scrub board out back); I have had errands to run every day, from filling in the household necessities not left by the previous volunteer, to frequent runs to the paderia for fresh bread or mercado for fruits and veggies. I tried my hand at cooking a Mozambican dish: couve (like collards) with a coconut-peanut sauce (good, but I need some practice). And I have been getting to know the awesome other volunteers here in Chimoio. We have eaten at a few local restaurants, my favorite of which was a tiny Pakistani place located inside a basketball/indoor soccer court. There was a soccer tournament going on when we ate there, so we got free entertainment along with the delicious, fiery daal and warm, fresh chapatis.



My first attempt at Mozambican cooking- homemade coconut milk!

 Chimoio is home to a fairly large expat/immigrant population, which brings some diversity to the food - I just learned yesterday that there is a Chinese restaurant with good lo-mein! - and also means Americans don't get as many curious stares as we did in Namaacha. Fortunately, the expat population is still small enough that there doesn't seem to be the same tension that can happen in some of the southern cities that have recently seen a large influx of South Africans. It also helps that Chimoio has a pretty large population - just over 250,000. It has been an adjustment after the familiar friendliness of a smaller town like Namaacha. People don't tend to say "hi" when passing on the street, despite my many friendly (insistent? lonely? desperate?) attempts to lure them with a "bom dia" or "boa tarde." I have about a 10 - 20% success rate, but the replies, frequently with a smile and slight bow over hands clasped at the chest, are so worth it that I won't stop any time soon. Mozambicans have a very charming habit of replying to "Bom dia" (literally, "Good day," the greeting used until noon), with "Bom dia, bom dia, obrigado," and that slight bow, which makes the exchange feel much more genuine.




Catholic Church with motorcycles. Mosque and Chimoians.

  Peace Corps has contributed seven foreigners to the city - three of us education volunteers teaching at the Universidade Catolica, and two health volunteers. Additionally, two former volunteers have returned ten years after their service to work at NGO's here in Chimoio. Yesterday they brought us to a beautiful spot just outside the city proper: a little bar on a hillside overlooking a lagoon where they can let their giant Rhodesian Ridgeback run free. Mozambicans are generally afraid of all dogs, and the looks on their faces when they spot Oliver is a sight to see. Unfortunately, I haven't been bringing my camera out too much while I am getting better aquainted with the city. I have heard plenty of stories of volunteers being pick-pocketed, so I have been cautious. But now that I am feeling more comfortable, I will try to take some more pictures. I did run around the center of town this morning to get the shots included here.


My favorite bakery: "Bread. Peace. Progress. Prosperity."

 
One of my favorite spots is the market. Chimoio's market has pretty much anything you could want when it comes to fruits and veggies. I have also been making a lot of scrambled egg sandwiches because the fresh eggs and bread here are sooo good. I am getting to know the stalls where I prefer to get my lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, lychees, bananas and pineapples. And the pineapple guy has gotten to know me as the girl who can never keep the prices straight! But as someone new to the city, the market has also been a great place to stop and chat with people who aren't Peace Corps Volunteers. Today, I had a long conversation with a kid at the carrot stand about where I came from, how much Mozambicans love Obama (a lot!) and whether or not I could bring him back with me. His brother ended up by joking that I should just carry his head back with me because it was so big. Much as was predicted by volunteers who have been here a year or two, people have asked me if I can get them into America, if I know Justin Bieber, and most frequently, if I need someone to work in my house. But I have also had conversations about recipes or what I am doing here or all the options for playing sports in Chimoio.


Fruit bounty at the mercado.

 So, despite some holiday-season homesickness, I am happily nesting here. Next Friday is the University's holiday party, where we will be able to meet some of our new colleagues. Then next weekend, the other Moz 19 volunteers from Manica and Tete provinces will be making their way to my house to celebrate Christmas. In the tradition of my mother, I intend to be the jolliest Jew in town. It will be great to have everyone over, cooking, baking and decorating the mango tree. I can't wait to hear about their sites and how their first weeks have been.

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With more free time and free access to the Internet at the regional PC office that happens to be down the street, I have been doing some more reading on what is going on in the world of economic development regarding Mozambique, so I leave you with links to a few interesting articles:

• Mozambique, the new frontier of global capitalism: Recently, many natural resources have been discovered in Mozambique and how the government manages foreign investment and mineral rights will be crucial in determining the country's development over the coming decades.
• Mozambique's 'growth corridor' hopes to tackle poverty and turn a profit: I live smack in the middle of a rich agricultural area and transportation corridor that could contribute to increased food security for Mozambique. The Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor is a body that is looking to invest in small-holder farms in the area while promoting commercial agricultural development.
• GSK forms partnership with Vodafone to help increase childhood vaccination in Mozambique: GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's largest pharma companies, is partnering with Mozambican telecom company Vodafone to develop mobile technologies that will aid in creating more effective childhood vaccination programs.