More African Adventures & Transition
With our Mozambique countdown now on, we have already
activated our ‘bucket list.’ A bit sad to realize most of our experiences now
will be for the last time. But some of these we will never mind not repeating
again, such as our 3rd house move this past week in under 2 years.
For the second time our rental contract was broken by the landlord forcing us
to move without compensation. No real rule of law or way to protect ourselves
and since this final relocation is so close to us leaving Maputo for good, we
actually had 2 moves in one. The big one included 110 boxes packed into a
container truck to make its slow way to our new home in Pristina Kosovo. The
second involved 4 back and forth shuttles to our small furnished apartment a
couple blocks away with just clothes, food and of course the obligatory toys
and baby gear. The only advantage as this huge inconvenience is our affects
will now be waiting for us in Kosovo when we finally arrive and it has allowed
us to purge our things and get used to much smaller quarters reflective of the
small condo we will occupy once we return ‘home’. No need to go into the detail
of our present landlord physically carry his stuff out of the apartment and
leaving it a dirty mess while we were moving in and leaving us with many
repairs to be done still. Such is Africa.
Still keeping it local, we adventured across the
Maputo bay by local ferry to walk the beach and lunch on the Katembe side of
the city. We had done this before and again it feels like leaving the bustle of
the city behind when in fact it is just across a 5 minute waterway. The kids
loved crab chasing and the nice imported beers, sunny weather and tapas lunch
ticked our senses. Of course our trip back was much more eventful with the high
tide limiting the beach walk to a very narrow, trash filled strip crowded with
holiday and political rally goers enjoying the end of a 3 day weekend. The
ferry was packed beyond belief with drunk youth and signified another a ‘never
again’ for us.
On the previous week we hosted Gabby, a long-time grad
school friend of Pranvera. Of course the kids took to him right away and we
shared with him some of the sites and highlights of Maputo before carting him
to the Kingdom of Swaziland for a different Africa flavor. Luckily the border
and drive was uneventful and despite the cold rainy weather we had some great meals
at our favorite restaurants, stopped by a number of the arts and crafts
studios, introduced Adi to a new place center for a couple hours, swam in the
heated pool and walked the grounds of the Royal Swazi Spa where we stayed. Must
say the highlight was Pranvera and my 2 hour spa experience with the kids in
the capable hands of uncle Gabby.
But only last weekend did we take a full day pause from our
pack-out and join 30 other internationals on a day cruise to the local
uninhabited island on a huge pirate ship (dhow). It was with some close friends
and tons of kids all running around. Adults enjoyed our beverages and both a
prego (Portuguese meat) sandwiches and fresh piaya lunch. It is always
interesting to see Maputo from the water where everything becomes serene and
pleasant. Aside from the fact that when we were to shuttle to the island, high
winds and wakes forced half of us to remain on the boat and forego as much time
on the beach. But frankly it is still a bit chilly and the water was not much
for swimming (except for all the jellyfish washed up on the shore). The
highlight of course was the boat anyway especially for Adi so we can check this
box.
Adi has been handling the adjustments like a champ. He even
pointed to the lighted outline of a ship sailing out to sea from our restaurant
the night of our move saying ‘There is the ship taking my Sponge Bob Square
Pants Legos to grandma’s house’. However he has been coming back into our much
smaller bed in the middle of the night all the time now as he adjusts to the
new feel of the apartment. Rea rocks our world and has been trying every ounce
of patience with Pranvera. We have a sleepless baby with no more than 3, ten
minute naps a day and constant wake-ups through the night. Now that we just
started her on some solid food we hope this will all change. But she is all
smiles and sounds and loves being the center of attention. She sits in the
middle of the baby play group rocking back and forth chirping ‘GAAAA’ to the
other kids.
Pranvera is doing some consulting again on another
corruption and transparency project. She loves re-engaging professionally and
can’t wait to find work once we return home. Her huge World Bank project/report
was finally published crediting her as one of the main lead authors. Meanwhile she is full-time in getting all the
logistics and preparations underway to have our place ready for our arrival.
My work is slowly drawing down. The reason for our departure
is an empty pipeline for new projects. The long-anticipated USAID mega ag
project is over a year/half late so even if TechnoServe wins it (with a strong
PPP component) it would leave me still with a 6 month gap to fill. As I am a
strategic advisory I may yet find my self returning her to assist them in the
future but nothing for the short term. I am making a final push to ensure the
operational structure and sustainability of a PPP and Inclusive Business
facility I designed and launched with both Dutch and UK support. It has been
challenging and rewording so I will hopefully able to work on this from Kosovo
as well. SO, one can see I plan to re-open my consulting practice with both
global and local projects. Luckily Kosovo is the regional hub for USAID
activities with several large projects on the ground I will connect with in
good time.
But most importantly we will spend a month in the states for
Xmas and reconnection before arriving in the middle of winter in the Balkans.
Aside from needing to purchase winter wear from the kids and bundle up with
more than flip flops, we look forward to getting to the mountains, snow
shoeing, skiing, European road trips but most of all, family (very) close by.
But not before a long vacation to Cape Town and a couple more
beach week-ends away and a Kruger safari to boot. All for now from the
Kirkbrides.
