Destination Gaza

Gaza Province. What some Volunteers fondly (or not-so-fondly) call the “Armpit of Mozambique,” Gaza is a fertile and pleasant place nestled in between Maputo and Inhambane provinces. It lacks the pizazz and pretentiousness of the beaches of Inhambane, but nonetheless merits a visit… especially when two of your best friends live there. But in reality, it’s a nice place, very pretty, rolling plains and African savannahs… we just are a little spoiled on the beach up here. : )

Once I arrived at Abby and Gracey’s house, I knew that everything people had told me about their casa was true! It is really cute, and a real Peace Corps house. Let me show you what I mean… cute decorations everywhere!

I complain about cold water showers, but I am super lucky to have a shower in my house. INSIDE. This is a more normal “casa de banho” which means “showering” with a bucket. Outside!

And check out the potty. Peeing in style!

While we are incredibly spoiled with running water, most volunteers have to cart water from nearby pumps. This big jug of water has to be used for cooking, for drinking, for bathing, and for anything else you could possibly need water for, for like a week, or sometimes longer! These girls can conservar agua (conserve water) in style.

Most exciting thing at all besides getting to see my friends: hanging out with their new kitten, Mo! He even provided the housewarming (literally) by sleeping on my face. Thanks, Mo.

SO CUTE!

For dinner, one of the girls suggested cornbread and I was all over that. Can this count as my baking experiment? : ) Ingredients assembled…

Time to put it in the oven.

kinda like the oven you use at home, right?

Yes, THAT is the standard African oven. Pour batter in a pan, put the pan inside this contraption, plug it in, wait. Exit amazing cornbread. No Jiffy box necessary!

I had a wonderful time hanging out with my friends for the weekend. It was full of relaxing, shopping in the market, eating yummy food, and reading old trashy celebrity magazines (me). I also got to go running both days. It was the most exciting thing ever–probably my most enjoyable runs yet. See, I love to run, but in Vilanculos there is basically only one road I can run on, it is sandy and deep in places, and people stare like crazy, no matter how many times they have seen me. I try to ignore it, but it still wears you down once in a while. Here, the main road (really nice and paved) runs for miles and miles through the beautiful plains, with few people, few cars, and just amazing vistas in every direction. I was really jealous of them for having this awesome place to run (no sand and no staring!) but tried just to enjoy it instead of being jealous. I got to at least make oatmeal and drink juice for breakfast, and enjoy a magazine. I could really do this every morning. Lovely.

oatmeal, juice, magazine. perfect lazy morning combo.

I got to spend a lovely morning with Gracey wandering around town doing errands and taking in the sites. I wanted to take a ton of photos but I constantly struggle with that here, not wanting to 1. announce to the world that I am walking around with a digital camera and 2. looking like a tourist when I spend every day of my life trying to convince people in my community that despite my whiteness, I am not a tourist. But I busted it out a few times, principally to take Gracey’s picture with this awesome cactus per her request. For anyone who is interested in Peace Corps, check out Gracey’s blog as linked above. She is an amazing person and Volunteer (makes the rest of us look bad!) and writes frequently and beautifully about her experiences here in the Moz.

We did some vegetable shopping in the market, where I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. There are a variety of veggie stands (like the one pictured below) in every market, but ours is often full of wilted and very overpriced produce, giving that we live in an area affected by drought where little grows. In this town, however, you could buy seemingly anything.

This spread of fresh produce below (lettuce, green beans, spring onions, carrots, green pepper, tomatoes, orange and okra) cost about $3. Actually, probably less.

While I endlessly complain about the dietary constraints that come from living in Africa, walking out with a big baggie of dirt-cheap fresh produce is always an exciting event. So are egg sandwiches and bananas with peanut butter, something that you can get in… most places. Although my unhealthy obsession with bananas here is often pushed to the brink when bananas disappear for months at a time. Those are lonely, lonely months. I miss my bananas.

After a relaxing weekend we headed towards Xai Xai, the provincial capital of Gaza. Xai Xai is pronounced “shy-shy.” Do not say “shee-shee” as I did the first time I tried to pronounce it, as that means “piss.” Close enough?

To get there, we loaded up in the traditional Mozambican public transport vehicle known as a chapa. Chapas are 15-passenger vans, most of which have seen better days (doors falling off and entire benches coming unattached from the floor of the vehicle are completely common and no cause for concern). The chapas are meant to hold 15, but are not considered “full” and thus able to leave until there are about 20 poor souls in there, and stories of being in a chapa with 30 people are widespread. No one thinks anything of this. Chapas are their own world. Once I was vomitted on by the woman next to me, who continued to vomit for a good hour of the journey, and the driver would not stop. This is just how it goes.

Tried to take a creeper view from inside a chapa… there is hardly anyone in here. This equals luxury.

Once we arrived in Xai Xai it was time to eat, and I requested Indian. Somewhat-exciting restaurants outside of Maputo are hard to find, and I love Indian food. So after a long trek through the city, we finally arrive at the place. Pretty unassuming. And not just Indian food–Mozambican, Portuguese, Indian, AND Italian food! That means it MUST be legit.

They weren’t joking. This menu was a freaking book. I skipped right to the Indian menu but still found myself overwhelmed. I asked the waitress for a dish that had vegetables and was spicy, but she got really confused and went to get the chef.

I tried to explain my request again and he recommended Vegetais a Kadai. Spicy veggies. Can’t really go wrong with that. In Mozambique, any Indian food is good Indian food.

Especially with naan. “Do you want one or two naan?” Me: “How big is it?” Waiter: “Well, do you want one or two?” Me: “I would like to know the size.” Confused look. “Okay, just bring me one plain.” Enter one naan with butter. Asking questions about menu items is really weird here and I think I come across as rude instead of inquiring despite my best attempts.

While my veggies were good, Gracey’s pizza looked pretty darn good for Africa. It’s funny, I love pizza to death, but rarely crave it or order it here. I think it is because I know I can get it in any city, which makes it less exciting. Still good though. Sometimes you need your pizza.

Stuffed up, it was time to continue to our final destination for our trip: Xai-Xai beach. To get there, you have to get out of twn a bit, and then head down another road a few kilometers til arriving at the beach. Chapas do run this route, but it was a quiet Sunday afternoon in the Xai so we tried to hitch a boleia. A nice Mozambican man pulled over for us right away, opened the back of his truck, offered to help with our bags, and even went and got rice sacks for us to sit on so we wouldn’t get dirty! I always love the view from the back of a pickup, hitching a ride…

Abby and I were riding in style.

This man was not even going to the beach, but gave us a ride all the way there! He said he had time and was happy to help us out. This definitely was like 15 minutes out of his way. The kindness of strangers transcends all linguistic and cultural barriers! Being my first visit here, I enjoyed the landscapes so different than the ones that surround me.

Finally upon arriving at the beach, it was time to relax. No bathing suits, but no matter. We pretended it was a nude beach.

Just kidding. I grabbed a capulana and enjoyed the sun and the water from afar.

The reason for our trip was to participate in a conference for Peace Corps, which happen periodically throughout the year to offer different opportunities for training and general communication between staff and volunteers. The Indian food and the beach were a bonus…

I love living in this country and getting the opportunities to travel around and experience more. I know that after my two year service is over that I will still have a million things that I wish I could see. But for now, I will settle for immersing myself in the Moz as much as I can. Weekends away to hang out with other Volunteers are a big part of keeping sane in-country. Just getting away from the stresses and tribulations of your own daily routines, to spend time with other people who can relate and who care about you, and see something different. I am going to remember this lesson for the rest of my life: getaway weekends! But for now, I will make do with this. So long, Gaza. You were good to me.

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