Home (for the next 2 years)

After taking my first in-country flight from Maputo to Nampula, we were taken to the most chique hotel that we’ve stayed in thus far for our supervisors conference.  Here our school sent a representative to get information about PC and to meet each other.  After a few days of this (including once again, a large quantity of great food) we were taken to our sites.  Most people where either driven by PC cars or PC rented out chapas to drive them and all of their stuff to their new homes…. But not us, we got to take the train from Nampula to Cuamba.  Now this wouldn’t have been a big deal in most circumstances but keep mind that each of us had the trunk that PC gave us, a box, our two year bag, and then about 3 other bags/suitcases each.  We also had bought a little toaster oven/stove thing in Nampula to take with us before we knew we were going by comboio (train).  So yes, if you did the math that is about 13 bags/boxes/suitcases that needed to be on the train with us.
In case you are wondering how we got all this on the train, well we took the trunks, boxes, and 2 year bags to the train the night before so they could be put on the next morning and then at 5am we left our hotel with our other 3 bags (each) and the stove and headed to the station with a PC staff member and our school representative.  The day before we had forgotten that we had the stove so there were some issues with this and we ended up having to leave it in Nampula and the PC sent it on the train a few days later.  But everything else worked out and we got on the train.  Now they have recently redone these comboios (trains) and we were put in the Executivo class by PC and this new car was climate controlled (ie air conditioned).  So for the next 11ish hours we were pretty comfortable.  The trip was beautiful but sitting in a train that makes a lot of stops for 11 hours is a very long time, but well worth it because we are now at site!
Finally we arrived in Cuamba, and like any other travel junction it was crazy.  Everyone getting off the train and making sure they get all their stuff ( don´t worry folks, I´m pretty sure we won the most stuff award).  Luckily we have some great site mates (a health volunteer and another education volunteer) and they met us at the train station with a IFP car to take all of our stuff to the IFP.  The IFP is a whopping 7k outside the actual city of cuamba, so once we made that trip (by car it was fine, since then Iºve had the joys of walking it several times) and unloaded our stuff into our new home... we headed across the yard to Rich´s house to enjoy the dinner they had gotten for us and the cake Colin had made!  That was great not to have to worry about food after traveling all day!  Then we headed back home to set up our trusty mosquito nets and unpack a little.
We´ve been at site now for about a week and a half, I´ve survived my first sickness here in cuamba... some sort of stomach bug, Ive learned to always have lots of TP, bread, and other necessities on stock so if both you and your roommate are sick for multiple days and have no energy to make the 7k trip into town you will have enough supplies, we came dangerously close to being out of several things.
Sam and I have made the trip to town about 12 times (there is 1 and back is 2...ect) and have gotten a balea (a ride) about half of those times... pretty good luck so far.  But today we finally bought bikes!  I have to say biking cuts a whole lot of time off the hour walk that it is but it also cuts the chances of us getting a ride.  I think it is worth it, plus it gives me an excuse to get some exercise (and by excuse I mean a reason to do it).   So far I really like it here, minus that it is really really hot!  I am in basically a constant state of sweat, accept for when it rains, which gives us a little break from the heat, but makes it that much harder to get to town.  Cuamba is surrounded by mountains, although I´m pretty sure they are to far away to get to to explore, but Iºm sure in the next 2 years Sam and I will check that fact out!  School doesnºt start for another few months so I have lots of time to plan and explore.  I think this is long enough, so until next time (which I will try to make it more often from now on)