The Aura of Flora and Poo

Interesting week and finally settling in with somewhat of a routine.   My walk to and from work is just shy of two miles each way.  A very interesting walk too, I might add.  Where I live is in a much nicer area - Embassies, expat workers, the nice hotels - and where I work is in the Military neighborhood, which is full of regular people doing there thing.  The trek to work begins with an abundance of sidewalk infrastructure largely intact and a smattering of early morning tourist vendors - it ends in an area with gaping holes in the sidewalks, piles of trash, sand paths and colorful neighborhood street vendors.  The smells on the street are a combination of delicious and repugnant, but there's something about that contrast I find soothing - flowering trees, old fish, bread and pastries, human excrement, perfumes and colognes and gag inducing body odor - we have it all folks, and pretty much simultaneously!  I amazingly draw no attention to myself on these walks, often the only light skinned person on the street - I just look like another NGO hippy walking in flip flops with a back pack, off to "do good".  Within a week's time, I've pretty much figured out a few of the regular's schedules on my stroll as I'm sure they have mine.  For example, about 25 minutes into my walk, I will pass an albino teenager on her way to school, then my favorite fruit stand lady setting up shop, past the shoe shine guys, a horde of dirty people waiting to be picked up for day labor and then when I see the the same two vagrants getting a jump on the early morning trash picking I know I'm about five minutes from the office.  I don't even need a watch!

This week was curious as I worked with my team all week knowing that we were going to inform them that Friday of the office is closing in December.  They all suspected, but hearing it is another experience.  That went well and we let them go early.  I'm here for another 10 days then back to Pretoria for a few weeks until my return.  At this point, I'm not expecting any nasty surprises and we developed a construction schedule that's realistic.  I head to Gaza Province at the end of the month to participate in a few housing handovers and really get an idea of exactly what we are doing.  Some of the recipients live in small villages but others apparently live in extremely rural and difficult to access areas.  I was reading some of the stories about how their new homes have improved their lives ... they were full of comments like "... now we can see the snakes and rats on the cement floor which makes it easier to kill them and they can't hide in the dirt or thatched roof." My worst day at home, which might include finding a house spider in the tub, pales in comparison - however, I can relate on some levels after living in a rat/mice/fly/bird infested facility in Afghanistan for a few months.  Seeing and killing is very important and you haven't experienced life until a rat has run across your bare foot, found mice in the frig, snakes in your office and your living area is an after hours club for rodents (loved living in a tent).  I have a feeling that my living conditions in the Stan were still far, far superior to what I will witness in Gaza.

view from my office balcony

My walk to work - 5 more minutes!

no sidewalk here

walk near my house

the street I live on in Maputo

So, this weekend has been rather low-key.  I'm at the three week mark, but it feels like three months.  I'm a little homesick. Although technically I no longer have a physical home, I do have many of my favorite people located in one particular spot.  I have three more weeks until JM joins me here and I sincerely cannot wait and am unapologetically missing this particular person in a really bad way.  I do extremely well on my own, but I do have to admit to a certain amount of boredom after a bit.  I have no other expat workers here on this project either, so not many people yet to hang out with at this point.  Also, because I will be coming in and out on a semi-regular basis, that kind of dampens one's ability to join anything.  I have found some jazz and after-work happy hours that I will check out and they appear to be in the vicinity of my path home.  Note on that one - it gets dark pretty early here so I book out of work at a specific time so as not to be caught at dusk still in my work neighborhood - the Hillbilly senses that would not be a good idea and even the Wino side agrees.

I love the weekends here and walk for miles just checking things out, stopping at cafes and taking it all in.  On Saturdays, there is a wedding hall down the street and huge groups of people show up with their wedding parties to be married - tons of singing, dancing and fancy clothes or traditional wear.  It's become one of my favorite things to watch on Saturdays.  I will make sure to post some pics once I take them.  One of the only really irritating issues here are the street vendors - you cannot sit outside and enjoy yourself without an army of them walking by offering you every type of crap known to man - it ranges from food and electrical adapters (those were handy) to large ugly rugs, cameras and wooden bullshit.  No, I do not want to buy your friggin' marimba and standing in my face for 5 minutes speaking to me in a language I don't understand isn't going to change my mind.  That sounds so "get off my lawn" ... :)  Anyidontwantyourshit, for the most part it's OK, but every now and again it tends to work my last nerve.  Speaking of which, I have a sneaky guerrilla mozzie in my room that is literally biting the hell out of me - leaves dime size bites and I never see the evil thing.  I'm on malaria meds, but it still makes me nervous and you think I'd see something flying around that leaves bites that big.  I'm on a mission to kill it. dead.

This morning is starting off nicely - it's sunny, a nice temperature and my breakfast just arrived... brought to my room which is service deserving of the queen I am :)  I don't know why I'm up so early, but I'm going to stop asking myself that question.  I will go outside on the deck soon to enjoy the morning and the view ... with the four labs.  Might I add, none of which are fixed so they mark everything - if you happen to be sitting in the chair on not...  Hope you all had an enjoyable weekend and are readying for an excellent week!

Drink of the day: a champagne split and fresh juice - pinkies up!