14/01/12

Great news, the last PCV involved in the car accident has been released from the hospital and is back in America and doing well. Despite suffering spinal injury he miraculously suffered no paralysis and or brain/nerve injury. It’s incredibly wonderful news and suddenly the terrible feeling of wondering, of not knowing about a friend that has haunted us for the past four weeks is gone.
Inharrime, in Inhambane province, where I lived the last two years, is often referred to as the coconut belt. Something I took for granted. A coconut there costs between 3-6 Meticais. Here in Namaacha, up in the mountains and fairly temperate, a coconut costs 12.5 Meticais!
We have running water in our yard that comes out every few days. It is turned on and off by a knob up in the front corner of our yard and comes out of a hose behind the house. The water doesn’t come out too regularly, but this week I thought it was strange it hadn’t come out in a while, so I went up and checked the knob. Someone had turned it off, most likely when I was in Maputo and Amendoim was chained and couldn’t reach anyone who entered the yard in that corner. It must have been the two girls I had been paying to cart water for me—they are the only people who have anything to gain from me not having water. I was extremely angry. Not only was it dishonest and done by two of the only friends I had made here in this new neighborhood, but I was pissed that they (or their friends they enlisted, there is a whole troupe of kids who live near us and harass the dog) had entered our yard. And my feelings still get hurt when something like this happens, even though I know I should know better by now. I am still always saddened and wonder how long I would have to be here for people to not always see me as different and try to take advantage of me?