The other side

Tuesday November 16^th, 2010

After many tears shed on Sunday and a couple on Monday when saying good bye to the sweet faced, loving kids, my peers and project leaders it was time for me to go. Leaving more scared to come back to the life I know so well but is so much more complicated than when I left for Mozambique. It reminds me that less is more. We can all say it, think it or want it to be true in this modern life we live (even I being guilty of feeling that but not understanding it truly), until you live it and feel not only content but completely happy without all the amenities we have and desire, you can not appreciate how peaceful simple is.

This journey was worth every sacrifice that was made. My experiences have highlighted qualities that I never knew I had. It opened up my eyes to a new way of life that I never thought imaginable. I left home thinking that I was going to enhance the lives of the unfortunate. In the end it was them who enhanced my life. 

Rememberance

Monday, November 15^th, 2010

Today I experienced something that no tourist ever will and so rare that very few volunteers for African Impact ever will either. One year ago today a much-loved teacher from the preschool pasted away after a long battle against an unknown illness. Our morning at preschool was spent remembering and honoring Esparanza. Before we left to school this morning I volunteered to cut flowers from our resort gardens to take along with us. They were a vibrant fuchsia; after seeing her beautiful smile in a picture it seemed as though they couldn’t have matched her personality better.

After playtime we gathered the kids up to walk to the cemetery. The two school teachers Zailia and Delyndia lead the way humming and singing a soft song in which we could not understand but it was without a doubt in commemoration of their friend. Delyndia balanced a large pale of water on her head while Zailia carried the flowers I picked along with a few they had brought as well. It’s hard to know what the kids were thinking, but they knew what was going on to some extent. They were all a bit quieter than average and some very clingy. We walked together in small groups; I had two on both sides of me. Meena and Mosash were holding hands to the right and Delcia and Clousia were on the left.

Without someone to follow I could have easily gotten lost.  Along the way we trudged on the hot sand, passed through a community of huts and dodged thorn bushes (that the kids love to play in). Before we even realized it, it was as if were in a secret spot under a large tree. Flattened mounds of dirt raised from the ground with only a small piece of wood with a name and a date on top, some had a shell or flower to mark the rows of graves before us. After finding Esparanza’s grave on the end of the row, the kids circled around it holding hands, the teachers still singing, only a bit louder now as the rest of us a step behind them. Along with us came a handful of stragglers that I did not recognize from school and a young girl about 12 years old with a baby (about 18 moths old) tied to her back. The girl stood next to me as everyone watched the teachers get down on their knees and clean the dead leaves off the grave, and then they started to churn the sand/soil on top with their hands to make it look fresh again. As I glanced over I saw a small tear trickle down the cheek of the young girl next to me. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it softly. Receiving a light squeeze in return I knew that I was accepted graciously. After the teachers finished grooming the grave they handed out the flowers one by one to every kid then allowed them to place them in the dirt as decoration. Then they handed them out to us and let us do the same. Last they handed what was left in a small bouquet to the girl next to me. My hunch was then confirmed that the girl was Esparanza’s daughter holding her baby. Letting go of her hand and watching her bury the end of the bouquet in the ground at the end of the grave just about broke my heart in two. Last Delyndia cupped water in her hands and sprinkled it on the grave while Zailia sang. I’m not exactly sure what he water symbolized but it was as if they were cleansing the ground and refreshing Esparanza with moisture and beauty.

As tears were running down my face, for the first time, I looked up and saw all my peers in the same emotional state. It was such an overwhelming moment. The thought of anyone losing a parent is heart-rending, but knowing this sweet baby will never even know its mother was a crushing thought. The girl was so strong but so subtle. I’m sure she has taken on the majority of her mother’s role at home and looks after the baby as her own. I wish I could have given her so much more than just a small bit of compassion. But I will always be grateful just to have had the opportunity to share this day of remembrance with her and everyone who clearly loved Esparanza so dearly.

To Good friends:

Sunday, November 14^th, 2010

This Blog is dedicated to Kaitlyn. Thanks for leaving me with memories for a lifetime of our last day off together. After a crash and burn on a cloudy sunrise we enjoyed Kalua and peanut butter bread rolls for breakfast. Being a bit buzzed I let my blond haired blue-eyed friend get her beauty sleep and I packed my bags. Yes, it was heard (not to pack I gave away half my clothes and supplies) but to get ready to let go and say good-bye.

I didn’t want to spend any of my last moments mourning what was not lost yet so I ran over to hut 7 and jumped in the window to wake up my friend. There is no way anyone could get any real sleep around here with the heat so we gathered our things and headed out for a day at Beach Lodge. Lathering up sunscreen from head to toe for the last time was more depressing than I thought ever possible, just knowing paradise would not be waiting for me at lunch any longer.

As we baked in the sun and played in the pool we shared many of our long heart to heart conversations and laughed at our dumb selves more than ever before. We are two very different people with different back rounds and different experiences but understand each other, relate to one another and see both points of view as if we have always walked the same path together. Kaitlyn is a Canadian construction worker for her dads business (yes, gorgeous but butch ;)). She is from a split home with 4 siblings. She loves her family dearly and continues to be close with them even after the tremendous amount of obstacles they have had to overcome. She will tell anything like it is and admit her faults with a smile and a joke. What is not to love about her???!

Although I can’t give away all of our stupid secrets, we basically acted like we were 13 again. We took a disgusting amount of pictures, most being underwater blowing bubbles in weird poses and some kissing odd fish statues. We ran on the beach and in the ocean, and chatted with locals along the way. We poked great fun at each other and mostly tried to neglect the underling sadness of what was soon to come. 

At every volunteer’s last dinner they are asked to share their top 3 highlights. I had been pondering mine for most of the day. So hard to only pick 3. I prolonged until we finished eating, trying to enjoy the most of our family style dinner discussing every ones day off and learning about our newest volunteers that came in this afternoon from the U.S. When the time came for me to share, surprisingly my stomach was twirling with the confusion of sadness and happiness and the battle of emotions in-between.

After reading my blog, most of you can probably guess my number one highlight. It has been without a doubt, my Edson’s class. I feel as though they have taught me as much as I have taught them (hopefully). They are an inspiring group of positive young men.

Highlight number two, the friends that I have made and the people I have met. I love the different cultures bonding together to form one. I love the common interest amongst us, but even more the uniqueness of each individual. The expression that six to one is a half dozen to another couldn’t be more true. And most of all the kindness and passion that radiates from our group.

Last but not least is the difference in the way I thought when I came to help a country, community or family and the way they have changed my views. I do not feel sorry for these people, I commend them for the life they live. They are truly happy, loving, caring and content with all (or very little) that they have.

If I could give any advice to anyone coming to a traditional African community, I would say start your journey completely open minded with no preconceived notions. Second, don’t come to change the lifestyle, enjoy it and engage in it. You are sure to make a difference.

Good-bye

Friday November 12, 2010

It’s so hard to say good-bye, but what a way to do it. This was my last Edson’s class this afternoon. I had a very average lesson plan put together, a word search with new vocabulary, a reading and discussion and finished off with a rousing game of Boulderdash. After many good laughs the boys asked me pull out my video “Flip” to say good-bye. They all left me with a message, regards to my friends and family and some with their hopes for the future. To my surprise they ended our day with a good-bye song one of them had written for me. They all rehearsed rapping the simple chorus of the numbers 1,2,3; 3,2,1 and Serviano chanting out a few lines. They’re not going to make it to Hollywood like they might hope, but the effort and thought was priceless.

For the rest of the evening I heard about how what a great job they did, how kind my boys are and how lucky I was to have gotten to teach them and make the kind of connection I did with them. It’s not that everyone doesn’t love the people they teach at Edson’s but they are not all able to hold a conversation and communicate enough to build the same kind of bond. I do know how lucky I am, and am so appreciative. Good luck to you all!

Comunity Project

Thursday November 11^th, 2010

Thursday afternoons are community project time. We have gardened, built huts, and today we painted the preschool we teach at. Recently the Traveling School Girls, a group of 15 American high school students who spend a semester learning abroad, where in Vilanculos and drew an amazing mural of a garden on the front of the schoolhouse.

As we divided into partners and different projects, I was lucky enough to get to work on the mural. It by no means will it be finished before I leave here but it was exciting to see it start to come to life. It brightens the whole area and it will be a great education tool. We have everything labeled from fruits and vegetables to colors and shapes. Plus, in a selfish sense, it’s fun to feel like I left a small mark behind.

Although projects like these are fun, the clean up is a whole different project in its self. Trading off pumping water to wash brushes and dabbling in a drops worth of turpentine to try to get off the most important parts weather it be us, or utensils we will need in the future. Remembering to save and take care of every little thing is key. 

Another project that was completed while I was here was building the chicken coop at the school. The money was donated by a past volunteer and the credits of the project have to go to Kerrie. It was her aspiration to have chickens that could lay eggs to put in the kids rice at school for a little protein and nutrients. Although both of these projects may seem so simple and average they are more of a challenge than you could imagine. The paint doesn’t just come from Sherman Williams down the street and the locks, hinges and chicken wire can’t be picked up at Lows. Some of the items were arranged for volunteers to bring on their way, some were specially ordered from South Africa and some were creatively scrounged together. Difficult, yes, but all the more rewarding!

Clean Teeth!!

Wednesday November 10, 2010

After many complements on my teeth since I have arrived, I was given the privileged of teaching dental hygiene day. Many of my peers have asked jokingly if all Americans are granted a dentist or orthodontist when they are born. I can honestly reply, “No, we just sought out a family member to marry one”.  It is mind blowing to me that dental care isn’t more important through out the world. It is also very interesting the amount of debate there is on how to take care of your teeth. (Sister-in-law, you would have a hay day!!)

My lesson included the best demonstration ever, of how to brush your teeth, displaying good teeth verse bad teeth, a song I made up with another volunteer, and the best dental games ever! When we split them up into groups. Group 1, was sorting out foods that were good for your teeth and foods that were bad for them. Group 2, played Simon Says with cut outs of Tooth Paste, Toothbrushes and Teeth. Group 3, had laminated mouths and had to match good teeth to one mouth and bad teeth to the other. Group 4, sang our song with actions. “Brush your teeth brush your teeth (chorus), up and down up and down. Chorus, round and round, round and round. Chorus, front and back front and back. Chorus, morning and night!” And, last but not least, group 5, got toothbrushes and tooth paste and had a lesson on how to brush your teeth. Hopefully they will make good use of their dental knowledge and toothbrushes, but regardless we all had a fun day!

Wednesday afternoon is regularly free so we scheduled a sunset dhow trip. This afternoon was particularly windy but since it is my last Wednesday we decided not to cancel. Some of our mates enjoyed a white-knuckle ride. I thought it added a bit more adventure to our day than just pretty scenery. It was a bit cloudy so we didn’t get the spectacular sunset that was anticipated. It all worked out for the best, we wouldn’t have been able to capture the moment with a camera anyway with the size of the waves and the amount of water sloshing into the boat. Not everyone on the boat was completely comfortable with the water and had some panicky moments when watching the skipper bail water out of the boat with a small tin can. Others shrieked at the shock of being splashed. I just reveled in the moment and giggled inside as I thought, “you did know the Sunset dhow tour was on the water… didn’t you???”

Discussion of a life time

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

As many days, my Edson’s class made my day today. Although my time here is winding down and I am looking forward to being home again, it is bitter sweet. I would have never thought in such a short amount of time I would grow such a liking to my students and them to me. Before my class started today one of my students handed me a gift, it was a woven African bracelet with my name on it. It melted my heart and reminded me for the first time that this was my last week here. I can’t stay forever (although I’ve thought about it), I just hope the torch is passed onto someone who sees as much in them as I do so they can continue to learn, grow and achieve all the things they want. And, I would feel even better about leaving them if I had a little peephole to watch them from afar.

Today’s class was dynamite exploding in the best way possible. We had a discussion day just to work on thinking quickly, speaking accurately and vocabulary. Thank God I recorded some of the discussion but I would kill to have the whole thing on tape. The topic was if you were the president of Mozambique what would you do. We hit every subject from HIV, taxes, over population, law enforcement and crime to education and values. We discussed what a poor country this is and that with money comes problems. Then debated whether life was better poor or wealthy, simple or elaborate. Last I had to approach the subject and feelings on wealthy countries helping out poor countries. The answer… 90% said they needed the knowledge to know how to do it themselves but did not need handouts. I was so impressed! I could have let them go on for hours. I couldn’t soak up enough information. My peers were so curious as they were teaching their own classes, heads were popping in left and right as they got an earful in the distance.

I hope that it has only been my misconception in the past, but I would have never thought that these people were so intelligent. I’m embarrassed to say that for anyone to see but I have to tell it like it is. The only thing they don’t have that many of the rest of us have are opportunities. Not to mention they have to work harder than I could ever imagine, just to get what little they do have. English is everyone’s third language, first being Shitswa and second is Portagees. They have to be more creative to find resources to learn from and work harder to make enough money to get an education. Once again they remind me how unbelievably privileged I am.