Hmmm. Well it seems that even with the best of intentions it is difficult to stay devoted to keeping this updated. The trick has to be smaller posts more frequently. So I hope to switch to that strategy soon.
But now I find myself in a dilemma. It has been effectively over two months since I have posted anything, and over this period sooooooooooooooooo much has happened. It would be foolish of me to launch into a retelling of all my adventures. And at the mount I really am not feeling like being nostalgic.
Probably the most important bits of news to share were that after the crazy busy month of August, September and October, I was finally rewarded with some well deserved time off. But not before I was sent to Nairobi Kenya to represent my country office at a conference on Armed Violence and Development. The experience was amazing, and I had the wonderful opportunity to see a bit of new country (though I spent most of my time in conference proceedings in this very nice golf resort outside of town). Kat was able to join me, which made the experience all the more wonderful. We met up with a friend from our time in graduate school, Anne who was very hospitable and oriented us around town. We had many adventures for such a short time including a crazy ride in a Mu-ta-to (Chapa/Kambi they have different names everywhere) which had a TV screen playing misogynistic rap videos, a return flight from Joburg to Maputo that took 18 hours (usually take one) with weather delays, dangerous landing attempts, crazy flying, diversion to Beira, and an overnight sleep on an airport terminal floor, plus much more pleasant episodes that would take too much time to retell.
Upon our return to Maputo Kat and I almost immediately re-packed out stuff and headed on our planned vacation/road trip. It is well documented in photos on Facebook. We went to some amazing beaches, stayed in some amazing places, saw spectacular sunrises and sunsets, snorkeled amongst tropical fish in massive and beautiful coral reefs, swam with a sea turtle, went on an island sail away tour, relax on deserted island beaches, and had our breath taken away several times while we enjoyed the beauty of our surroundings. We are very lucky people. The stories are endless to tell (we even had a small exciting adventure with a tire blowout on a deep sand road which through coordinated team work we got out on in just over 30 minutes) and will best be described when I see you all.
Sadly the end of the road trip also marked the end of Kat and Bruno in Mozambique. We realized in early October that with the Kat having to renew her visa in Joburg, the trip to Nairobi and then our road trip in November, Kat had very little time to organize her stuff, pack up, and enjoy Maputo. But she is amazing at that stuff and did in 3 cumulative days what would probably take most of us weeks. We returned from our road trip to enjoy our two last days together in Maputo (which were busy with last minute shopping, packing and goodbyes from friends). It was then off to Joburg, where we spent our last few days together, including a wonderful morning/ afternoon at the Apartheid Museum, and an evening of cocktails. As always, it was sad to see Kat go. The hectic schedules and planning pretty much ensured that time flew by quick. It is amazing that it had been 5 months since she had moved in with me. We said our goodbyes with knowledge that she would be back in just over two months for a staff meeting in South Africa. Regardless it is never easy when you have adapted to having someone there next to you day in and day out. It was a wonderful experience that I will always treasure. Thank You Kat.
I set myself on the path back to Maputo from the airport. The weather matched my somber mood (pathetic fallacy at its best) and I soon found myself in a horrible thunderstorm (it is rainy season ;). People here drive like maniacs and a little water was not going to change that. I managed to avoid being obliterated by an 18 wheeler that lost control and veered into my lane from on coming traffic. I instinctively and luckily steered off into an off ramp. I fear the people following close behind were not as lucky. After driving around lost for about 2 minutes I found the highway and was soon in Nelspruit where I stayed the weekend with a friend. I spent the weekend with his family, which made me miss mine all the more.
I arrived in Maputo two days later to an empty apartment. Since then it has been work work work. Nothing that I hoped would be followed up on was remotely moving forward. So I spent the fist week playing damage control. I have been working 10 hour days every day. Adjusting to life without Kat has been a challenge, as I could always count on having someone to go to dinner with, chat with, watch a movie, or just hang out. The stress of work (I am now running three projects) combined with a sense of sadness did not make me a pleasant site. I also realize that I am entering my 9th month, and I figure that I seriously ready to come back home for a while. I could sense the same feeling in Kat over the last couple of months (especially since she moved around a lot more than I). It is exhausting, and as much as we may like it sometime, it still fundamentally does not feel like home.
I have decided to make some positive changes in my life to curb some of the boredom and negative disposition. Crazy as it seems, I have taken on some more responsibility at work, heading up a small task group that is part of a larger task force preparing for the Regional Meeting of Country Resident Representatives to be held in March. I have also been drafting and assisting in several proposals for new projects. It is hard to keep up with everything. When I get home at night, all I want to do is collapse, and hence the lack of posts over the last couple of weeks.
I plan to spend my Christmas and NYE at a beach in Tofo. Going with my friend Luke and it should be good times. Next week I have to do some project monitoring visits with my supervisor in northern Mozambique. I am excited about getting to see more of the country, especially the north. By the time I return I will be on holidays, coming back on January 2nd. Life will be, as always hectic. I have also decided to begin to be more active in the physical department and will be going back to the gym in January. I must thank Kat for the motivation to join one while she was here, I hope I can make it last. I feel like it give me more energy, and that is exactly what I need more of right now.
Well, I hope to post one more time before heading off on vacation, but no guarantees. Soo anyone who still bothers to check the site, if I do not get a chance to say it before then,
But now I find myself in a dilemma. It has been effectively over two months since I have posted anything, and over this period sooooooooooooooooo much has happened. It would be foolish of me to launch into a retelling of all my adventures. And at the mount I really am not feeling like being nostalgic.
Probably the most important bits of news to share were that after the crazy busy month of August, September and October, I was finally rewarded with some well deserved time off. But not before I was sent to Nairobi Kenya to represent my country office at a conference on Armed Violence and Development. The experience was amazing, and I had the wonderful opportunity to see a bit of new country (though I spent most of my time in conference proceedings in this very nice golf resort outside of town). Kat was able to join me, which made the experience all the more wonderful. We met up with a friend from our time in graduate school, Anne who was very hospitable and oriented us around town. We had many adventures for such a short time including a crazy ride in a Mu-ta-to (Chapa/Kambi they have different names everywhere) which had a TV screen playing misogynistic rap videos, a return flight from Joburg to Maputo that took 18 hours (usually take one) with weather delays, dangerous landing attempts, crazy flying, diversion to Beira, and an overnight sleep on an airport terminal floor, plus much more pleasant episodes that would take too much time to retell.
Upon our return to Maputo Kat and I almost immediately re-packed out stuff and headed on our planned vacation/road trip. It is well documented in photos on Facebook. We went to some amazing beaches, stayed in some amazing places, saw spectacular sunrises and sunsets, snorkeled amongst tropical fish in massive and beautiful coral reefs, swam with a sea turtle, went on an island sail away tour, relax on deserted island beaches, and had our breath taken away several times while we enjoyed the beauty of our surroundings. We are very lucky people. The stories are endless to tell (we even had a small exciting adventure with a tire blowout on a deep sand road which through coordinated team work we got out on in just over 30 minutes) and will best be described when I see you all.
Sadly the end of the road trip also marked the end of Kat and Bruno in Mozambique. We realized in early October that with the Kat having to renew her visa in Joburg, the trip to Nairobi and then our road trip in November, Kat had very little time to organize her stuff, pack up, and enjoy Maputo. But she is amazing at that stuff and did in 3 cumulative days what would probably take most of us weeks. We returned from our road trip to enjoy our two last days together in Maputo (which were busy with last minute shopping, packing and goodbyes from friends). It was then off to Joburg, where we spent our last few days together, including a wonderful morning/ afternoon at the Apartheid Museum, and an evening of cocktails. As always, it was sad to see Kat go. The hectic schedules and planning pretty much ensured that time flew by quick. It is amazing that it had been 5 months since she had moved in with me. We said our goodbyes with knowledge that she would be back in just over two months for a staff meeting in South Africa. Regardless it is never easy when you have adapted to having someone there next to you day in and day out. It was a wonderful experience that I will always treasure. Thank You Kat.
I set myself on the path back to Maputo from the airport. The weather matched my somber mood (pathetic fallacy at its best) and I soon found myself in a horrible thunderstorm (it is rainy season ;). People here drive like maniacs and a little water was not going to change that. I managed to avoid being obliterated by an 18 wheeler that lost control and veered into my lane from on coming traffic. I instinctively and luckily steered off into an off ramp. I fear the people following close behind were not as lucky. After driving around lost for about 2 minutes I found the highway and was soon in Nelspruit where I stayed the weekend with a friend. I spent the weekend with his family, which made me miss mine all the more.
I arrived in Maputo two days later to an empty apartment. Since then it has been work work work. Nothing that I hoped would be followed up on was remotely moving forward. So I spent the fist week playing damage control. I have been working 10 hour days every day. Adjusting to life without Kat has been a challenge, as I could always count on having someone to go to dinner with, chat with, watch a movie, or just hang out. The stress of work (I am now running three projects) combined with a sense of sadness did not make me a pleasant site. I also realize that I am entering my 9th month, and I figure that I seriously ready to come back home for a while. I could sense the same feeling in Kat over the last couple of months (especially since she moved around a lot more than I). It is exhausting, and as much as we may like it sometime, it still fundamentally does not feel like home.
I have decided to make some positive changes in my life to curb some of the boredom and negative disposition. Crazy as it seems, I have taken on some more responsibility at work, heading up a small task group that is part of a larger task force preparing for the Regional Meeting of Country Resident Representatives to be held in March. I have also been drafting and assisting in several proposals for new projects. It is hard to keep up with everything. When I get home at night, all I want to do is collapse, and hence the lack of posts over the last couple of weeks.
I plan to spend my Christmas and NYE at a beach in Tofo. Going with my friend Luke and it should be good times. Next week I have to do some project monitoring visits with my supervisor in northern Mozambique. I am excited about getting to see more of the country, especially the north. By the time I return I will be on holidays, coming back on January 2nd. Life will be, as always hectic. I have also decided to begin to be more active in the physical department and will be going back to the gym in January. I must thank Kat for the motivation to join one while she was here, I hope I can make it last. I feel like it give me more energy, and that is exactly what I need more of right now.
Well, I hope to post one more time before heading off on vacation, but no guarantees. Soo anyone who still bothers to check the site, if I do not get a chance to say it before then,
FELIZ NATAL e um FELIZ ANO NOVO!!!
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