Top 5 Questions I get/HATE from Mozambicans

#1 "Where are you from?"
** This question usually precedes several guesses at my country of origin. "Angola? No, no, Brazil? Oh I know, South Africa?" Surprisingly, most people don't even throw Mozambique into the mix.

This leads us to...

#2 "You're American!?! I didn't know there were black people in America"
** My natural response is to ask them where they think Lil Wayne and Jay-Z are from and then remind them that President Obama is Black. <-- THIS is why we need more Black PCVs

#3 "But where are your parents/grandparents/great grandparents from?"
**I have gotten this not only from Mozambican's who don't have a good grasp of the African Slave trade or of American history/pop culture, but also from what I mistakenly guessed where educated Europeans. I am so tired of having to enumerate my family tree. This question has however, made me very interested in doing a genealogy test when I get back home.

#4 "Are you married?" *slash* "Do you have kids?"
**In Mozambican culture, a person -woman or man- isn't considered an adult until they have a household to care for. This means that since I live alone without a husband or children that I am, in their eyes, still a "menina"+ little girl. When I first got here I was vigilant about telling people that I am a woman, because I have ___ years on the Earth and have this or that degree and pay my own bills. After a year in, I know that they aren't trying to disrespect me. That's just they way it is here.

#5 "Will you marry me?" *back-slash* "Can I go to America with you?"
**Self explanatory.

 Bonus Question!!

#5a "Can I have your phone number?"

**My best friends will tell you that is question plagued me even in the United States. Mozambique and Mozambican men are just the same. Men everywhere are getting hip to the fake number thing. They call you while they're still in your face to make sure the number is real!! ::Creeper alert::

*** I have picked up a few tips to combat the creeper call epidemic:

•  "Oh sorry, my phone is only for work."
• "How about you give me your number instead"
• And when that doesn't work and they insist on taking mine, I store their number as "DO NOT ANSWER"
• When I'm really getting the creeper vibe and just don't wanna deal I give them the "NO!" and walk away. 

::Disclaimer:: I really do try to be open and honest in the name of cultural exchange but if I hear any of these questions ONE MORE TIME!!!!! ...but I digress

Peace & Love

~Mama J in Moz~

One. Year. Down...Un. Ano. Mais...

My first year of service...

There's so much to say. So many thoughts going through my head. So many feelings in my heart. Part of me is just counting down the days until I'm back in the States, continuing my life. Then there is the other "me" who feels nervous and even a little worried about only having one more year of service, projects, and the "vida Mocambicana".

It basically boils down to this: I'm extremely homesick and also mentally exhausted from the daily ebb and flow of Peace Corps life. Yet, at the same time there are still so many things left to do before I can go home. I won't truly feel like I've completed my service unless I accomplish the few (but rather grand) goals I have set for myself.

But I digress...

...The point of this post is not to worry about what lies ahead of me, but rather to recollect and reflect on what I've already done, seen, and experienced during my service.

In just one calendar year I have learned to effectively communicate in a new (and rather complicated) language. I've become so comfortable with my Portuguese that I have been able to give small-group lectures on various health topics. I've lived on my own for the first time EVER! I've made what I hope will be lifelong friends and have even earned a nickname based on my more maternal nature. I've been accepted and loved by a whole new family and community. I've learned to subsist on the bare minimun (much to my mother's chagrin-but sometime it be's like that). I've tested my will and courage by tackling large spiders, giant fish and "integrating" into a whole new world.  I have fallen in love with the cutest cat and dog this side of the Zambeze river and learned to find peace and contentment in being alone. I have become my own loctician and manicurist and have found that I am actually very good at both! I've survived and managed to successfully navigate Mozambican public transit. I've turned a reed hut into my HOME. I have learned how to blend savory and sweet into some of the most delicious dishes I have  ever tasted. I have come up against agism and sexism and proved my worth as a young, educated woman in each situation. I have provided counsel to my fellow volunteers. I have amassed an impressive collection of handmade, custom clothing made from traditional fabrics. I've lost weight, and learned to incoporate exercise into my everyday life.  I've learned some new dance moves to bring back to the US club scene. I can speak about 10 phrases in the local dialect and can count to 5, which really impresses the older ladies at work.
Yes...my first year has been full of so much. There have been tears, laughter, anxiety, excitement, hugs, early mornings, songs and dances, large locally brewed beers, experiments with food, cultural exchange, fun and most of all tremendous personal growth.

As I enter my second year, I am feeling more confident and am ready to take on whatever life throws at me. I have been extremely blessed to have this opportunity to fulfill a dream I've had for a very long time.

In year two I am planning to start a club for adolescent girls, a home garden, income generation projects for the organizations I've been assigned to, a road saftey activity, and so much more. I am going to travel more, laugh more, love more and enjoy the time I have left.

They say the second year goes by even quicker than the first. So, with that said...I better get on it!!!

Peace & Love

~Mama J In Moz~