I am in Mozambique!

I killed a snake yesterday. Or took part in it anyway. It was about 3-4 feet long and in our front yard. Google and the locals identified is as a cobra! The locals say they have plenty of spitting cobra’s around here. This one did not spit. At least not at me. Yesterday afternoon after the snake killing venture we trimmed bushes and shrubbery (after poking a long stick into them and rustling it around to scare out any snakes). Drew and I have kind of a large place, with several areas for snakes to hide with cute bushes and trees. This is the second snake we have had since I’ve been here, and they seem to like to hide by the water storage container. We have these beautiful flowering bushes that have grown in front of the water container to shield us from it’s ugliness. Needless to say, we butchered those plants yesterday. I’d rather look at an ugly water container than a snake. Drew is organizing a clean up crew to trim up all the rest of the low lying shrubs and cut the grass. Interesting thing about grass in Mozambique: no one has a lawn mower. I have yet to see a lawn mower in this whole country! Instead, they use a blade with a curve on the end (kind of like a golf club) and essentially slice off the grass by hand. We have hired someone to do this. It is tedious. We may have to look into a lawn mower. Is anyone coming to visit soon? Perhaps they can pack that over in their carry on ;) Here is a picture of our lawnmower currently

Xai-Xai is such a funny dog. She has the most unladylike way of lying around. During the hot part of the day (9:30-3) You will find her trying to move as little as possible on the porch with her back legs sprawled out and in the air, but still sleeping on her side. I'll have to get a photo I’m thinking of shaving her, but I might just start with her belly first. She has thick black fur and is persistently panting. She has been a wonderful dog and is very receptive to training! I have now taught her to fetch, “drop it” and even to dance (for food). She follows me around everywhere I go (except in the house), and is forever watching me. We bought her off the street when I was here to visit in April and I’m still not sure what breed she is. She appears to be part border collie, but at certain times she reminds me slightly of a wolf. Surely not, but her legs are kind of spindly and her movements are often wolf-like. It may be my imagination, and I an definitely no dog breed identifier, that’s for sure.

I’ve been here for 3 weeks and a day now, and I’m staring to really get used to it here! Drew has thankfully installed AC, which has made me sane, and he has kept me busy with Christmas parties, traveling around seeing all kinds of cool things, and other adventures. Life is settling down, and I love spending time with my husband. I now see why people disappear for a while after they get married, it’s just so wonderful to have uninterrupted time with each other. This is something that I never understood while single. In the first week we had a Christmas party with Drew’s friends. He organized it and there were about 25 people there. It was in the backyard of the Mozambique Coca-Cola’s CFO, who Drew happens to know. It was to celebrate Christmas before everyone left, but looked suspiciously more like a pool party. There was volleyball, foosball, table tennis, slides and swings, plenty of music, and of course, the pool. It was fun time! Everyone brought something a little different, and as there were many cultures, we had multicultural food! We had Mozambican piri-piri BBQ chicken, a Peruvian potato dish, Portuguese desert, and American mashed potatoes and pumpkin cheesecake pie amongst much more. It was a great time to meet Drew’s friends in a relaxed environment and we all had such a splendid time.

A week or so ago we went for the monthly supply trip to Nelspruit, South Africa. This is the closest place that you can get many supplies that Drew needs, as well as cheaper grocery shopping with specialty food availability. On google maps it is supposed to take 2 hrs and 20 minutes to get there, but unfortunately, everyone in Mozambique was trying to get to SA to do Christmas shopping and the borders were plumb full. We stood in line for hours at the border just to get a stamp, then wait in another line. It ended up taking about 5.5 hours to get to Nelspruit. Speaking of driving, the drivers re are crazy! It’s a general rule, that if you are driving a little slower, you drive on shoulder, so that people can pass you at any time. You will find people passing you within inches where you can literally reach out your window and touch their vehicle, occurring while there is oncoming traffic. But there is no particular side that you will be passed either. Left, right, doesn’t matter. I have seen a car passing a vehicle that is already passing on the shoulder. I have a picture of this... but I cannot find it right now. I must have taken it on Drew's camera. It will follow I do have a picture demonstrating car painting facilities here in Africa that is interesting

It is Africa, and there seems to be no other place like it. There is poverty everywhere, trash and filth abound.

I am adjusting to a slower pace of life, with a significant change in schedule. I’m used to waking up at 7-7:30 and being into work by 8:30 or 9. But this is Africa. All of Africa gets up significantly early. This morning when I got up at our normal time (5:30) one of our neighbors was already playing music fairly loudly. But this is the confusing part: it’s vacation time (holidays), people aren’t working this week and will likely not work until after the new year. Why are they getting up so early?! But the answer is simple: This is Africa. It starts to get light outside around 4:45. People get up early here. Last Thursday morning when Drew and I left around 5:20 am, there was already a worker next door doing manual labor. It’s just the practical way to do it when it is this hot. It’s also typical to have a 2 hour lunch break, to cook, eat, and nap. Good idea when your day starts sooooo early. I’ve always been a night owl, and this has completely changed my whole way of living! Within the last 2 weeks I haven’t gone to bed after 11! And usually I’m in bed by 9 or 10. Wow! My mother would be astounded. I told Drew on the way over here that I need to immediately switch to his schedule while I’m recovering from jet lag and time zone confusion. Apparently it worked, and I’m functioning ok on the new schedule. This appears to be a long post! Apparently my typing skills have improved significantly while I’ve been working with EMR at the hospital and the words are flowing off of my fingers... Here is a photo of our house. It has a rooftop area that is nice for keeping an eye on things! Our property is probably a little over an acre with a large cement wall surrounding it. It’s wonderful for Xai-Xai, and we don’t have to worry about her running off. We have 5 mango trees, 2 lemon trees, and 2 avocado trees. We also have the nursery in the back yard housing a multitude of small plants.

It’s quit a pleasant place, and I’m growing quite attached to it already. One of my favorite features is the roof. There are stairs up to the roof and you can see for miles from there. It's a nice place for contemplation, and a nice place to have an evening worship. Well, enough for now, I'm off to be productive! More to come soon