Greetings from Mozambique!

I arrived to Maputo on Saturday only half conscious after 3 flights and 2 sleepless nights. So far during these 4 days here I have wandered around the city, searched after my lost luggage, danced to a live reggae band in a cozy outdoor club and had 2 interesting days of orientation at the Country Office of Plan Mozambique.

The trip here actually went really smoothly. I had prepared to answer some tough questions about my visa and the purpose of my trip at the immigration desk, but instead the lady just stamped my passport without barely saying a word. A shared a taxi to the city with an Australian guys I met at the lost luggage office, and only after 10 short minutes I arrived to my lovely hostel in the center of the city. 

On Sunday it became clear that my luggage would not arrive very soon, as it had not even been located yet. Thus I was in desperate need of some essentials, like clean clothes, some soap, a towel etc. Most of the shops were closed, so I headed to the buzzing street market and managed to find a tiny towel, some clean socks and underwear and a clean shirt to wear to the orientation the next day. Afterwards I went to get some hygiene products from a a tiny, candlelit grocery store. For almost the entire Sunday Maputo was suffering from a power cut (except of course the hotels and other buildings with their own generators). 

On my way to the Supermarket

On Sunday nights there is a lovely club in Maputo playing live music. This time the band was playing reggae and we danced until the very end, so much fun! Practically having just one outfit has made life very easy, apparently you can wear the same clothes to work, party and anywhere in between. Obviously I could buy more clothes, but for some reason I keep believing the people at the lost luggage office who keep telling me that my bag will arrive to Maputo 'tomorrow'. So far that tomorrow has not arrived yet. Maybe tomorrow! Anyway, at least I have realized that you really don't need many things.

My actual work will be done at the Program Unit of Plan Mozambique in another province, about 500 kilometres north of Maputo. So far it's a bit unclear when I will travel there, depends on the paper work etc, maybe next week. But until then I'll be enjoying the beautiful and exciting city of Maputo, endless amount of things still to see and do here!

I will write more about my work and Plan Mozambique soon, as well as try to share more pictures from here. So far the only picture I took is the one above, from the way to the supermarket on my first night. Anyways, just a quick post to say that I am alive and well, loving this country so far and excited about everything ahead!