The one where TJ reads a lot.

My first week back in Africa has seen a lot: Driving across town looking for construction contractors, riding on the back of a motorcyle heading to breakfast, eating lots of rice and beans, learning the kids’ new inside jokes, telling them all about my family and how everybody has been doing, and even some espionage…

But above all my time has included a lot of reading. There’s been tons to do and bunches of time to hang out with the kids, but when it gets to be 95° in the afternoon and I feel like crawling under the porch to die reading is an activity that involve zero energy.

So what’s been on my reading list? I’m glad you asked. First of all has been my Bible. Its super refreshing and always encouraging to me. The fact that its at the top of my list should have gone without saying. Second on the list currently is “A Strategic plan for the Development of Nampula”. One of the kids gave it to me because it’s in English (kind of) and they didn’t know what to do with it. Then again, they probably stole it from somewhere and didn’t want to caught with it, and now I have it. It looks to be some sort of intra-governmental publication probably distributed to various NGOs (non-government organizations), government offices (party bosses) and the United Nations.

Yep.

Half of the page is English and the other half is the original Portuguese. I spend more time reading the original text because it is easier to understand. It details how Nampula (our city) is going to get its act together economically. I’m gonna detail this book in a later post once I’ve finished, because its just that good!

Its hard using only words to convey the fake optimism expressed in the last sentence. Therefore, let me include an excerpt the section on barriers to public health and well-being:

“Another obstacle is the rampant and widespread defecation in streets, causeways, and public gathering places.”

Yah, its pretty much like that.

The last book I am reading is the kid’s 10^th grade chemistry textbook. We happen to have one here at the orphanage. It’s the kind of thing where if you happen to have one, great. Consider yourself lucky. If not then the teacher has one and just reads it to the class and does the problems on the board. That being said, I’m constantly surprised when I look through the kids’ notes how much stuff is wrong. Before know I had always just assumed it was because they don’t pay attention or have bad eyesight. Now I know its because the textbook is wrong. Their books are standardized by the Ministry of Education and Culture (because education and culture are two peas in a pod) and have all original material written by people Mozambicans. The explanation for why that is will come in a later post probably called “Mozambique Used To Be Communist a.k.a. Oh, That Explains a Lot”.

Lastly, and I’ll repeat this from time to time. Christina is excellent at updating pictures and I am not. I try to get stuff from time to time, but if you really want to see what stuff is like, check out their site at victorandchristina.blogspot.com