Sunday, December 7, 2008

U.S. Election

I was thrilled to wake up on November 5 and turn on CNN (and BBC and Al Jazeera) to find out that Barack Obama had won the presidential election. Granted, I knew he was ahead going into election day, but the last two presidential elections made me a bit paranoid as to the wisdom of the American voting public. But that public has apparently expanded to include more people who share my views.

The pictures posted here are from the U.S. Embassy's Election Breakfast Reception, to which the Journalism students and I were most kindly invited. More than half the students turned out to catch a kombi to Mbabane at 6:30 a.m. – quite a good turnout for that hour, I thought. The reception was packed with the Swazi elite (ministers, tribal chiefs, foreign diplomats), so I think it was an exciting event for the students. Of course, we arrived late (not everyone was ready for the kombi at 6:30, plus the driver didn't seem able to read the map I'd given him) but we got there in time to hear Ambassador Parker's toast and to take in his Q&A session on the election results in the media room. Most of the students were very attentive, and some took advantage of the opportunity to observe and speak with members of the press who were there to cover the event. A few other students took advantage of the self-serve champagne until finally chased away
by indignant embassy staff. Of course, I heard about that; in fact the entire country did, as I learned on Thursday that the undisciplined behaviour of those students was mentioned in a Times of Swaziland article the next day. Well, I guess now UNISWA knows not to send me on field trips as the only chaperone. Fortunately, my department head found the story amusing; I seem to be the only person who feels shamed by it.

It has been great to see how excited most Africans are about this first African American, son-of-an-immigrant president. His triumph embodies so many hopes of people here, both in terms of renewing faith in the notion of the American Dream and in the example people have told me it presents to African nations. Namely that a member of a formerly oppressed minority can be peacefully elected as a great country's leader. Not every single person I've met here supported Obama's election (a few thought he lacked experience), but I'd say 90% of the people I've talked to are delighted to see him take office.

Photos attached:
most of the students waiting at the kombi (we picked up 4 more on the way out)
Ambassador Parker toasting the election results (proof that at least some of the champagne made it into non-student bodies)
a man (probably a chief) in traditional garb mingles among the suits
the ambassador explaining election results on the projected computer screen
the ambassador posing with some of the students

Mozambique trip - part 4 (including a Swazi homestead side-trip)

As usual, the trip back seemed faster than the trip to -- I wonder what laws of physics or human psychological perception govern that phenomenon.

I drove as far as the border. We actually returned via a different border crossing although I don't think the distance was any shorter. We also stopped just inside the Swazi border to visit the homestead of Nomsa's aunt and uncle. Their granddaughter showed Laura and me around a little – it's a lovely spot.

Laura kindly took over and drove my car the rest of the way to Matsapha, where the group at last parted company.

Photos attached are of Nomsa's relatives and their homestead.

Mozambique trip - part 3

Around noon on Sunday, we tried to visit one last museum before leaving town – the art museum – but were thwarted again, as it didn't open until 2:00 p.m. So, we visited a small, nearby market, where we could not find the cashews Nomsa and I both desired. Then we drove to and tried the central market, which was also closed. Sunday is apparently not a good day for shopping or tourist activities. By 1:30 or so we had given up and decided to head out of Maputo.

The attached photos show the group (including local 'guides' from the museum) walking through the little market plus several scenes of market activity (or inactivity, as the case may be)

Mozambique - part 2

On Saturday, we tried to go to the geology museum, which for some reason wasn't open – we were told this was because the day before was payday. So we went back to see the rest of the Natural History Museum, then went to a local craft market before lunch. I found the craft market expensive and the vendors extremely aggressive, but I did manage to buy a couple things before we were told it was time to move on. Unfortunately, that was my only real chance to shop. I wished at the end of the trip that I'd stopped at some of the stands we passed.

As I packed to leave on Sunday morning, I was told that someone had tried to steal one of the side indicator lamps off the boombox as it was parked outside our hostel. Fortunately, he was frightened away and left the lamp on the ground – either that, or the guard who had claimed to stop the thief had done the deed himself in order to claim a reward. No matter – I gave the guy 100 metacali (about $5) and stuck the lamp in the trunk. (On Monday, I talked the cable guys into reattaching it for me; sometimes it's good to play the helpless female…).

Our first stop on Sunday morning was to take in a walk along the beach, which is only a few minutes drive from the busy city center. Unfortunately there was no surf to play in, but I enjoyed walking in the sand and watching women gather shellfish.

Attached are photos showing several beach views, some women gathering shellfish and a pair of fruit carts on the street near the geology museum.

Mozambique trip -- part 1

On the weekend of Friday, October 24 through Sunday the 26th, I joined a group expedition with staff from the Swazi National Museum to Maputo, Mozambique. The trip was to visit, learn about and strengthen ties to museums in Maputo, especially the Natural History Museum there. We took two cars – mine and Nomsa's, and five people went. The plan was to meet in Manzini by 8:15 am with the goal of arriving in Maputo by 11 am. Of course, we got a late start, which I suppose is inevitable with a group. Some people needed to shop for supplies, someone needed money, etc. The border crossings also took quite a while. I was a bit worried that I might be turned back, as I hadn't yet managed to change the title on my car. (I couldn't do that until my work permit is issued, which just happened the week of November 24 – in fact I finally got the title changed over on the 26th). Anyway, I took with me as much paperwork as I could to show that I really
had purchased the car and applied for the title transfer. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), other than looking at the blue book/title, which was clearly not in my name, no one asked me anything.

What with all the delays and the crazy Friday afternoon traffic we encountered once we entered the city (Maputo's population is about 1.1 million), we didn't get to the Natural History Museum until 2:30; and it closes at 3:30. We had just enough time for a back-stage-type tour to see how the catalog database works and how insects are preserved and stored. Then we headed for our hostel to check in. The hostel was full, with only one private room left (which Laura nabbed), so I ended up in the 6-bed dorm room. By the end of our stay, I'd become surprisingly agile at clambering up and down from my top bunk.

On Friday evening, Lucilia arranged for us all to go to a big seafood restaurant near the water with her and four of her staff. Mozambique is known for its seafood, and the fish and prawns were lovely and fresh. Lucilia also invited us to her house in the suburbs for lunch on Saturday, where we again had seafood. She served crab, which most of our group had never tried. They liked it.

The following photos are attached:
a street scene near the museums
part of the lion diorama at the Natural History Museum
a view of the snakes-in-glass display at the same museum
my collegues waiting fruitlessly for the geology museum to open
the lovely seafood lunch Lucilia served in her suburban home
cranky street vendors near the hostel (should have bought something before taking their photo, I guess)

more orphanage photos

Here are some additional photos from the orphanage trip. I've found a way to email them separately from the initial blog posting. The photos include one of children hanging out their laundry among what look like banana trees, a view of the surrounding area and the dirst road as we drove toward the orphanage, some boys playing around building materials stacked near their dorm and a shot of the ill-fated Nissan resting in its mountaintop parking spot.

Monday, December 1, 2008

More on orphanage visit

As I'm having trouble uploading photos on the blog site, here is an attempt to email some photos of the orphanage visit.

If these work, there should be the following pictures:

Children running to open the gate to the compound.
The cook in the kitchen preparing a big vat of pap.
Laura and Margie, the volunteer who invited us, standing in front of the infant house.
One of the orphanage buildings.