Integrating Again

I forgot how difficult it is to arrive in some new and strange place that is supposedly your home and try to set up a life. It is even more difficult in a different country/culture.

I forgot that I wasn’t always known in Chidenguele and that there existed a time when I walked down the street and people stared in confused wonder, kissed at me, asked me to marry them…

On my departure from Chidenguele one week ago, it was amid a multitude of goodbyes. I forgot how difficult it was to say hello to these people for the first time over two years ago.

And so here I am, 2 years, 3 months and 1 day after my arrival in Chidenguele, doing it all over again, this time around with new comforts and new challenges.

I am living in Namaacha, located about 50km outside the capital city of Maputo. My roommate and partner in crime here is Abby, another 3rd year volunteer who I have been friends with throughout my service here. No more horrible crazy roommates! Thank goodness! Abby is also currently on a hardcore diet (keep it up!), so I have sort of inadvertently lost a few myself. Actually, I am below 150 for the first time since high school. Is that normal at 25?

But despite my constant hunger pains and excessive exercise, because, let’s face it, I am too competitive to sit around being lazy and gluttonous while she is bouncing about with her workout videos and healthy food, we are living a happy little life together.

I remember the first day I arrived in Chidenguele. My Peace Corps supervisor, Sergio, dropped me off at my little cement house, helped me with my suitcases, wished me “Welcome home!” and drove on his way. I promptly closed all doors, rounded up some most likely out of date lentils that the previous volunteer had left me, and timidly hid in my house hoping that no stranger would dare to disturb me.

Last week, Peace Corps passed through the Chid, loaded up my stuff in a big Land Rover and I followed, making the move myself a few days later, hopping from chapa to chapa like a seasoned, unafraid, travelling veteran. Namaacha is actually where my initial Pre-Service Training took place. In that sense, I know getting to and away, my way around and I already have a small community of friends/family here.

That being said, Namaacha is significantly larger than Chidenguele and I am in a totally new neighborhood, with totally new faces, and a 45 minute walk between me and my mama’s house.

On my second day in Chidenguele, I ventured out of my cave, hungry for something other than stale lentils and made my way generally toward where I assume the market must be. I walked down the street, a stranger to every soul that passed. And on top of it all, despite my enthusiasm to get to know my community members, my effort to meet, greet, chat and make friends was hindered by my measly base of sort-of-Portuguese.

Now, after countless conversations and endless study, I‘ve got the language down. No, it’s not perfect and I continue to learn new words, phrases, and grammar items every day. But I can communicate and be understood without trouble and without fear. I can even throw in a little Changana if I am looking to provoke a few laughs.

So I should have integration down pat, right?

Not so simple. For example, my new house is spacious, clean, wonderful and, most importantly, safe. But you need about 4 different keys to unlock the gates, padlocks, bars and doors just to get inside. In the Chid, I was used to constant visitors, constant exposure to neighbors and a constant “you are going to chat with these people if you like it or not” setting. Here, visitors don’t often brave the fortress, so I have to leave its comfort and seek out potential new friends.

Also, I am not working at a school or community organization and thus don’t have a built in network of community contacts and friends. Rather, I am working for Peace Corps and my main contacts are Abby, other Americans and Mozambicans that live in Maputo. Again, this means that I have to seek out potential new friends.

But, don’t you worry about me. Ever the adaptive, outgoing, mover and shaker, I’ll find my way and my niche here. I will also enjoy the perks such as regular internet access, grocery stores and all their glorious products, an American roommate, and the massive stock of resources now at my disposal.

Difficult, but doable. I love a challenge.