Saturday, November 12, 2005
Site Visit 2
So, after Chokwe we went to visit another volunteer about two hours away from Hokwe. She lives on school grounds (which is fairly common) in a pretty nice house (electricity, running water from one faucet outside). The town is still really small, kinda like Hokwe but with a lot of trees, so it's not as hot. Sidenote: I saw Jessi there, and she says hi to Rob and Ivy.
The next day we went to Chidenguele which is right on the beach, and that was amazing! We stayed in a resort, because the volunteer there is friends with the owner, and he let us have a house for a day (with the condition that we ate in their restaurant). The house (with electricity and hot running water!) is overlooking the beach, and it was beautiful. We spent the day on the beach, which was practically deserted, and got to eat pizza for dinner :-)
Anyhow, the next day we hitched a ride back into town, and waited for a chapa to take us back to Maputo. The chapa ride itself needs some explanation i think. It was a bit bigger than the normal mini-vans (but not like a greyhound bus), and it was actually pretty comfortable. About an hour into the ride, I hear some chirping sounds (kinda like a bird's chirp and a cat's meow), so i look behind me and i see this lady sitting next to a couple of huge (HUGE) bags, but i see no chickens. About an hour after that, it starts to pour, and we all start fearing for our lives (chapa doesnt slow down at all, water doesnt drain very well, water starts coming in through the window next to me, etc). Anyhow, an hour after that or so, i hear another chirping noise (but i still see no animal). An hour after that, the lady with the huge bags asks to get off, so the cobrador (the guy who collects the money for the ticket) starts taking off her bags: two huge bags (packed with stuff), then a rice bag (which must way about 40 punds at least), and UNDER all this, let me repeat UNDER the rice bag, UNDER the two big bags, were three squished, barely alive, chickens!! I think all the volunteers on the bus were in shock. Anyhow, that's my chickens in the chapa story, and the end of my site visit.
I'll write one more blog about teaching.
Love,
Eli
The next day we went to Chidenguele which is right on the beach, and that was amazing! We stayed in a resort, because the volunteer there is friends with the owner, and he let us have a house for a day (with the condition that we ate in their restaurant). The house (with electricity and hot running water!) is overlooking the beach, and it was beautiful. We spent the day on the beach, which was practically deserted, and got to eat pizza for dinner :-)
Anyhow, the next day we hitched a ride back into town, and waited for a chapa to take us back to Maputo. The chapa ride itself needs some explanation i think. It was a bit bigger than the normal mini-vans (but not like a greyhound bus), and it was actually pretty comfortable. About an hour into the ride, I hear some chirping sounds (kinda like a bird's chirp and a cat's meow), so i look behind me and i see this lady sitting next to a couple of huge (HUGE) bags, but i see no chickens. About an hour after that, it starts to pour, and we all start fearing for our lives (chapa doesnt slow down at all, water doesnt drain very well, water starts coming in through the window next to me, etc). Anyhow, an hour after that or so, i hear another chirping noise (but i still see no animal). An hour after that, the lady with the huge bags asks to get off, so the cobrador (the guy who collects the money for the ticket) starts taking off her bags: two huge bags (packed with stuff), then a rice bag (which must way about 40 punds at least), and UNDER all this, let me repeat UNDER the rice bag, UNDER the two big bags, were three squished, barely alive, chickens!! I think all the volunteers on the bus were in shock. Anyhow, that's my chickens in the chapa story, and the end of my site visit.
I'll write one more blog about teaching.
Love,
Eli
# posted by Paul and Eli @ 12:49 AM 
