Equilíbrio

Sometimes I have to step back and remind myself that the emotional and mental aspects of moving countries are fairly significant. It was reinforced on a call with friends who are also colleagues, most of whom have been in this situation before. I've travelled so much over the years that if I am not determined otherwise, I could treat this Mozambique move as an extended work trip and not as a relocation. It's a big task to set up a new life, which is what I need to do.

It's quite daunting, and very different to my Cambodia move in 2013. There I had a readymade office and team and the foundations of a social network as Berry and Helen let me lodge in their spare room and introduced me to their buds. English was also the lingua franca for the international community there, whereas it's Portuguese here. Whilst English is spoken well by many, I don't want people I meet to have to pander to incoherent Portuguese as it's an interruption that lowers the quality of conversations, especially in a group.

I've got to push myself, leap around with pep and grab things by the horns, even when it's easier to stay in the apartment and watch Question Time. So I went to a music night at the Associação dos Músicos Moçambicanos (Mozambican Musicians' Association), which had a great atmosphere and carefree dancing. This mainly consisted of Mozambicans displaying insanely good rhythm, and foreigners imitating awkwardly.

I'm glad I went as I met some Brazilians. One used to work as a chemical lab technician and is trying to train as an air steward for Brazil's biggest domestic airline (probably because all science funding will be slashed by Bolsonaro). One works for the Tony Blair Institute in Maputo. And one is called Brenda. We went after the music to a relaxed Portuguese restaurant in a park, where I was recommended to order a francesinha. This is a massive slab of steak, chorizo, cheese, egg and bread slathered in a rich, thick tomato sauce. Stuffed doesn't begin to describe the feeling.