MozamWeek

While we often complain about how things don't work in Africa or how long it takes to do some things here, I must admit, it isn't everything that is harder to take care of around here. I can get shoes fixed on the sidewalk near the supermarket. Another guy does watches on the same street. Here are a few things I've done in the past week that were easier in Tete than home in USA or Sweden: Getting copies of old newspapers Yesterday's news is always new! I waited until afternoon to get this paper on the day it came out. Unfortunately, it was only available after 2pm. Next day I picked it up for the usual cost of 15 mt. I could have gotten a copy of ANY of the papers from the previous week for the same price. Since they never sell out, you can always find old newspapers... but they don't give them away or discount them if they are old. Dress-makers and tailors are always nearby Second hand markets and local tailor shops are easy. Katie and I went

Once upon a time, there was a girl.* She grew up in the countryside. There were green mountains near her home and a cool stream flowed not too far away to take a daily walk there. She was born near the end of the war, so her first years were hard. She was strong and her parents managed to feed her. She didn't go to school, but she learned to work hard. One day a boy from another village asked her parents if they could marry. After the required time of courtship, they invited all their family for the ceremony and managed a small celebration. When her husband was called to the city to work, she went along. Life was hard in the busy town. There was no land to farm and everything was expensive, but they held on. The girl was now a young woman and still worked hard. There was little to bring happiness, but things could always change someday. What did she expect? That was life for her people. Instead of getting better, the sickness came. Her husband couldn't go to work. He needed