Once upon a time, there was a married couple called “The
Williams” who lived in a southern African country while serving together as
Peace Corps volunteers. Then 30 years later, it would happen again. Being a
married volunteer is pretty unique as only about 10% of people serve with their
spouse. Even more unique is when you’re the second generation of married
volunteers and serving in the same region. So of course it was a no-brainer for
Chris’ parents, Steve and Karen, to come and check out our lives in Mozambique
after going through the PC experience themselves in the neighboring country of
Malawi. Here’s a rundown of the original Williams visiting the Williams 2.0.
They arrived tired after a 36 hour-long journey, but not
lacking enthusiasm. “Oh my god, we’re in Africa!”, Karen exclaimed on the car
ride from the airport to our house. Although she’d been on this continent a few
times before, its distinctive authenticity still had a way to astound her. Steve
would also later say that coming here reminds him of why he’s so drawn to
Africa. We eagerly gave a synopsis of our surroundings, the passing landscape
helping to spur on the conversation. Steve
began to recount his days in Malawi, managing a district hospital and speaking
the local language, Chichewa. They lived only a couple of miles away from the boarder
of Mozambique yet were unable to cross it because of civil war. These stories,
along with his longing to find a Chichewa-speaking Mozambican, would continue
to pop up throughout their two-week visit as countless connections were made
between our experiences. They may have
driven a car, had two children in tow and a much busier work schedule during
their Peace Corps service, yet many similarities still exist. Once we arrived
to our house in Mapinhane, we took the first evening to relax and catch up while
they gained their bearings. Time in the village was spent exploring (and
sometimes getting lost in) dirt paths that led us to local houses and local
people. We took walks to the market to discover the day’s fresh fruits & veggies,
dictating our dinner plans. In our home, they saw how we adapted to a life with
no electricity or running water. I demonstrated how to use local cooking
utensils and got to show-off my dutch –ovening skills. Time was also spent getting
to know our colleagues and students. They
both visited our classrooms to watch us teach (and even taught a little too!),
and came to participate in my English club. During their first visit to the
club, a few of my students gave Karen a capulana, traditional fabric, to
welcome her to the community. It was an incredibly kind and unexpected gesture,
yet not surprising coming from these students who I’ve grown to adore. To thank
them for the welcome gift, the following week Karen brought a treat of crackers
and PB&J. Between teaching the new American guests how to properly wear a
capulana and devouring goodies, the students enjoyed the opportunity for a cultural
exchange and a chance to practice their English with native speakers. Another
highlight of our time in Mapinhane was a goat roast. It’s customary in
Mozambican culture to throw a party for visiting guests as a way to welcome
them to the community, and introduce them to friends and neighbors. While I was
not too excited about the hassle of getting things organized, Chris really
wanted his parents to experience an authentic Mozambican social gathering. So
he took charge, and authentic it was: Cooking started hours later than
expected. Neighborhood women stopped by to help prepare. Enormous heaps of goat and rice sat on the table
as we awkwardly stared at each other, waiting for things to officially begin.
In the end, it was a huge success, awkwardness and all since that’s a part of
the cross-cultural experience. About 30 people from our school community came
to greet the parents and enjoy our epregada’s boiled goat recipe. There was
even time for a few speeches. Steve thanked everyone for being our family away
from home, and the teachers thanked us for the formal introduction. And with
that, Chris’ Mozambican street cred continues to skyrocket. :) But village life
wasn’t all we showed them. We wanted to take advantage of our close proximity
to beautiful beaches, so Vilankulo and Tofo were also on our itinerary. The first day in Vil, we showed them around
our local beach town and stayed at a popular beachfront backpackers, enjoying
the sound of the ocean from our cottages. The following day, we were scheduled
for a boat trip to the Bazaruto Archipelago, a group of islands just off the
coast of Vil. Unfortunately, the windy weather wouldn’t allow us to go, but it
did give us the opportunity to take a boat to our next location rather than
driving. We stayed at an awesome place called Marimba Secret Gardens, about 15k
away from the town’s center. It’s called “secret gardens” for a reason; The
only way to get to this place is a car ride through the bush, or a boat.
Although it was too rough to venture to the islands, we were able to sail the
choppy coast to reach our destination. We made it to Marimba at low tide, which
meant a 30 minute walk in the sand to finally reach the entrance, but it was
totally worth it for photo ops of starfish. When we finally reached Marimba, we
were “ooh-ing and ahh-ing” at the place. Almost everything was made of local
materials yet was done very artistically and in a modern way. We explored the
secluded surroundings, ate great meals and spent time around the communal fire
pit. The second day, the wind subsided
and the sun was shining so we took our dhow trip to the islands. It was a
lovely day to snorkel, lay in the warm sand and eat lunch on the beach. Our
other beach location, Tofo, offered more opportunities to brag about this
country. We bought fresh lobster for lunch and had it prepared by locals in the
market, then browsed the huge selection of crafts before relaxing on the beach.
After an evening out with Italian food, we stayed at yet another cute
guesthouse. The final day was spent walking around the historical city of
Inhambane before saying goodbye and sending them off in a tuk-tuk to the airport.
To have visitors, no matter who they are, is a treat because they help you to
see your life with fresh eye. I found it even better to have visitors who have
a connection and a love for Africa. So many things have faded into the
background for me, but now I’m remembering that they are distinctive and
special, and that this way of life will always stay with us. As I told Karen
and Steve, “I get it now”. Their welcoming way with strangers, using sarongs
(or what we would call capulanas) for anything and everything, and their willingness
for adventure, travel and otherwise. It all
comes with the Peace Corps territory, a territory both of “The Williams”
couples are now familiar with.
A day after their visit, we headed down to Maputo for our
COS (Close Of Service) conference, the final conference of our service. It was
the last time our entire training group, Moz 17, was brought together to
reflect on the past two years and prepare for the administrative and medical
tasks that are required during our actual week of departure. A lot of the sessions focused on life after
PC, where we talked about prepping our resumes and career options, and tales of
readjustment back into America-land.
There was time to share stories and laugh at the memories we’ve made
together as a group. Chris and I were asked to compile a slideshow of pictures
as a surprise to open up the conference. We scoured hundreds of pics I’d taken
since the group first met in orientation and stalked our fellow Moz 17er’s
Facebook pages to find what we needed. A little dramatic music and a few “you
know you’re a Moz 17 PCV” anecdotes later, and it was completed. I saw lots of
smiles and laughter when the video was shown, so it seemed to be well received.
Another dedication to our group was
presented in rap form by 3 of our creative members. Hilarious for us, a little
confusing for our Country Director who was in attendance but appreciated it
nonetheless. We reminisced and enjoyed each other’s company during our free
time as well with dinners out and walks in a city we all now appreciate, yet
was so terrifying when we arrived 2 years ago. Two members of the PC staff were
generous enough to host all 38 of us at their homes for dinner. One party was
traditional American while the other was traditional Mozambican, fitting for a
group who has learned to weave together these two cultures. Yet after all the
social gatherings and time spent together, I did not feel the sense of closure
I thought would come from this conference. Perhaps it’s because we still have a
couple of months left before we actually finish our service, when we will leave
in staggered groups of 10 instead of all together. Or maybe because I am confident that some of the
friendships I’ve made will continue for years to come. Not to mention that
seeing friends across the country in the US seems so easy now compared to bumpy
bus rides with chickens. Consistent internet access and cell phone coverage
help too. But I think Chris’ explanation says it best: There is no closure
because there never will be. This experience has forever changed us and will
shape the rest of our lives in some way. So instead of figuring out how to wrap
things up in a neat little package, I’m hoping to take in these final months with
a renewed appreciation of my surroundings.
I’m hoping to come full circle. It started with Steve and Karen as parent
visited child in a place they had been 30 years ago. It continues now as I
remember what was so amazing when I first arrived here, and remembering to
appreciate it as I leave. After the COS conference, I got off the plane and
hitched a ride in the back of a truck without a second thought. As we drove
through the local village into town with the wind blowing through my hair, I realized
this is one of those moments to savor. It’s a time to mentally record the vignettes
of life in rural Africa, like children playing in the dirt and women carrying
barrels of water on their heads. Even now, I am writing this blog with the
sunrise lit Indian Ocean and tall palm trees as my scenery. Lake Erie just can’t
do it justice. And so the end-of-service reflection begins, as I try to
remember who I was when I entered this country and who I am now. I’ll be
getting a very clear picture of that in a couple of weeks when the new group of
trainees and our replacements, Moz 21, arrives in country. I was asked by PC staff to meet them at the
airport upon their landing in Maputo, and guide them through their first week
at homestay in Naamaacha. I’m guessing there’s nothing quite like explaining
how to take a bucket bath to really know that you’ve come full circle.
