T.T.I. (Travel, Teaching & Illness)

I’m blaming travel, teaching and illness for not posting sooner. BUT. Since you last heard from me, here’s what’s been going on….

- I had a draft beer for the first time since September…thank you Sundowners and all of the South African ex-pats who also like cold draft beer.
- I had an amazingggg time in Chimoio (a city about 6 hours south of Tete) with all of the Central PCVs. There were about 25 of us there, which translates into – we did some hardcore crashing on the floors of volunteers houses. Chimoio is like a real city – it has different kinds of restaurants and bars. Saturday night, we had a scavenger hunt at a few bars in town where we took pictures and videos of things like “teaching the bartender how to make an American cocktail” or “a Mozambican defining a scientific term”….”the entire team in the air” …. You get the picture (HA). The entire thing culminated in a dance party at a bar which we fondly refer to as Rainforest Café – because…well… the two places are strikingly similar.
- We had our first real “boleia” experience getting back to Tete (boleia-ing is essentially like hitch-hiking…. Now, before you freak out (mom), this is a common and generally accepted form of travel here. There aren’t that many cars here as it is – so sometimes you just have to stick out you little hand and ask for a ride). Anyways, one back of a pick-up, one semi, 3 chapas and 12 hours later we made it back to Tete. Lessons learned here: wear sunscreen, there is not much traffic on Sunday, travel lightly….absolutely not recommended in a “post bar scavenger” hunt state.
- I taught my first class….well…. technically I missed my very first class (my school changed the schedule without telling me) but regardless, real teaching has begun!!
- I am now part of the athletics committee at my school. Totally serious. Me and the other young, athletic male professors are the committee. I, apparently, am there for the meninas (girls) and have now been roped into refereeing a school wide soccer tournament.
- I got crazyyy sick. Let me tell you, dysentery is not something to mess with! Any disease that kills players on “Oregon trail” should be avoided. Bottom line, I didn’t/couldn’t get out of bed for about 48 hours (accept, of course, to run to the bathroom…..thank GOD for the our relatively civilized housing situation. Oh, and Helen. Thank God for Helen). On day three, I started on antibiotics, which allowed me to eat something and take a bath, but did not stop me from sleeping approximately 20 hours a day. I’m feeling much better now, btw!