My Daily Routine

Before trekking into the labyrinth of the  Mozambican health care system, I’ll post a few

(? Interesting?) unrelated entries on a variety of topics: the environment, food, gender roles, politics, the work place, education, language,and, below, My Daily Routine. If you find this more like homework than an “entertaining and informative”blog – LET ME KNOW!

Daybreak…. Usually, I’m up by 5 a.m., a mere one hour after the sun. We have strange hours here – no daylight savings time! And, the whole country is in the same time zone, for better or worse, lighter or darker. Daybreak is really the best part of the day, before the sun of southern summer has a chance to deplete our energy. My front yard is graced with many trees, and trees mean birds in a wide variety of colors, sizes and voices. (Note to self: find a book on the birds of Moz!) Trees include coconut, orange and cashew. Right now, mangos are entering their season – with two trees on my property, they are a sweet (free) deal.

At home, it’s the usual routine I’d follow anywhere –I’ll spare the details. I do try to grab a few minutes of the BBC radio broadcast, test myself with a few exercises in my Portuguese dictionary and read a few pages of  whatever book I’m wading through at the time.

Then, it’s off to my workplace: a good 20 minute walk, followed by a 15 minute bus ride crammed into a chapa with 15 other commuters…all for the low, low price of only 20 cents.

Mid-Day…The heat has set in by now. Were I Greene, Kipling, Orwell or any other British ex-pat it would be about time for a gin and tonic. However, being the still-rather- industrious American, I usually settle for juice and bread, along with my fellow Mozambicans. With all the stores closed for mid-day break (roughly, Noon til 1:30) there is not much to do except “passear” (walk) through the crowded streets of downtown Xai Xai, observing the street life.

End of Day…Around 3 or 4 p.m. I’ll leave my office and do some shopping, picking up some food for dinner or other necessities… and, then, head home. Occasionally, I’ll meet someone for dinner, but, as the city (“cidade”) is far from my neighborhood (“biarro”) this is usually difficult to arrange logistically.

Boa Noite! I usually take a 4 or 5 mile run before dinner. Though my fitness is nowhere near where it used to be back in the states, I can muster enough energy to make the run a worthwhile effort. Sure attracts attention, though. Mostly unwanted, save for the many children (“criancas”) along the route. Afterwards, it’s time to bathe (“tomar banho”), eat (“jantar”) and retire around 7 or 8 p.m. I try to fit in some reading to close the day, a book or the daily Moz newspaper, Noticias.

Kinda boring, huh? Well, sort of, but it works well for me right now.

So, until next time…”Ate Ja” (See you soon!)