Time has come close to the end. One thing I will miss for sure is the love of simple entertainment. Whether its rocks or sticks, or free music: someone has speakers and BLASTS them to the MAX. The 25th of June was Mozambique’s Independence Day. I had the opportunity to stay with 3 other girls at one of their houses in the bush. When night came, the bush cleared out to move to where the ‘free music’ and action was. One of the local ‘barakas’ was playing music and people of all sorts came. Young to old to VERY old. Even mothers with sleeping babies on their back were dancing as the baby was bobbed to sleep. Old grandmothers stomped feet and held their crooked backs swinging their heads vigorously side to side in delight. I have never knew ‘discos’ existed where ALL generations of ALL types were present at the same time, enjoying the same music.
Then there I was… the only white one in the crowd with a group of children who have never seen a white. Eyes were basically popping out of heads and I had a crew follow my like newborn ducks in unbelief. Some had the courage to run up to me and touch me apparently its good luck. Others believe they will be healed. I wish it were true so I would never have to get vaccines.
Along with SHREK (the big, digitally animated, green ogre), Tom Hanks, AKA Forest (from Forest Gump) is the new favorite. What adventures will Forest be up tonight?! The girls’ watch in fascination as Forest is launched into space (APOLLO 13), then the next day does not speak English and is locked in an airport (THE TERMINAL). The other night Forest (Tom Hanks) had an adventure they all could relate to. CAST AWAY. They keeled over laughing as this mid-aged muzungu (white man) tried to open a coconut by throwing it at a rock wall or biting it, trying to start a fire, cutting-up his feet on sharp ocean shells and being inventive with the FEDEX deliveries he comes across washing up on the shore. They rooted for Forest and his ball-friend Wilson and cheered when he finally escaped the vast island and made it to homeland.
My leaving of Machanga is only becoming a little more real each day as things are being packed, given away and pictures and decorations taken down. my room is feeling empty and vast and I know that there will always be a space in my heart that only machanga can fill. I am leaving ‘um pequeno padaso’, a small piece here. It is the people that are so important. I feel like I am leaving so many relationships at a point where they are growing the strongest. Along with the people, the language. I know that I am going to be submersed back home to a place where Ndau does not exist. I am at a point where the locals know me and simply talk to me in Ndau ONLY. I understand a great deal, but only can properly respond in Portuguese. I only realized this morning how much I understand when I take Ndau verbs and use them in a sentence of Portuguese. Example “Vou kusamba”, where vou is Portuguese: I go and kusamba is Ndau: to take a bath. Or when Tio Injala (Guard) asks “Mopinda Kugogoma kwapi nyamasi?” (You’re going to run where today?) and I respond without realizing he spoke Ndau and I understood. Language is a barrio, but as I am crossing it secrets are being reveled and stories unfolded (mostly traditional stories of the monkey and the rabbit which have absolutely no moral or point but rather to give laughs).
As we wait on dinner in the star lit sky the girls sing out loud in beautiful African song. It brings an ache to my heart and tears to my eyes to think it will be left here as I move on.
This is the time where one goes through the ups and downs of departure. I have always hated being categorized, where a book of scenarios predicts how I am going to feel and act, but obviously a lot of research was put into this research and the culture-shock-roller-coaster has brought me to the part of up’s and down’s before departing for home. Keep my in your thoughts and prayers as I finish off this last month in Moz.
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