It's that time of year again folks: the Superfluous Amounts of Water are back!
Pop quiz: is this a photo of a:
a. Sea wall
b. Cinder-block walk (boards just don't cut it)
c. The only bridge over the Rio Molocue for 5 miles in either direction
d. Retaining wall for the worlds largest glass of chocolate milk
If you answered a or b, I'm sorry but your wrong. If you answered d, you're also wrong, but I like your hopeful creativity. No the correct answer was c folks. With all the rain we've been getting these past few weeks, Molocue's infrastructure has taken a beating. But collapsed houses, cracking bridges, eroded roadways, and unpredictable power cuts are only part of the story. Much in town has ground to a halt from the countless people who are either very late or just completely fail to show up to work. Classes are stopped for hours at a time because the tin roofs turn every drop into a waterfall (Coldplay was't being melodramatic on this one) . Market prices have jumped from 1mt to 1.5mts a tomato, 40mts/kg to 60mts/kg of
feijao mantega (butter beans), 60mts to 100mts for a bag of
carvao (charcoal), and 320mts to 420mts for a bag of
cemento (I think you can figure that one out). Travel plans have been cancelled because bridges are not where they used to be. Volunteers have been evacuated and relocated because their houses aren't where they used to be. Thousands of Mozambiqueans have become
weather refugees. Rainy season here is no joke, much more so this year than the last.
Sure, there are a few upsides: effortlessly collecting all my water off the roof, lower temperatures and refreshing winds, early in the season
cana (sugar cane) being particularly sweat, and cuddle parties during thunderstorms with my dog Sticky (Coco's race tolerant and less aggressive offspring). But these don't make up for 2-3 months of forced, vigorous baths. Mozambqiue is clean,
chega! (enough). Unfortunately, the rain gods have seen fit to keep it up for at least a bit longer, with not one, but two cyclones on Mozambique's radar. Thankfully, they seem to be passing on both sides of Zambezia, but my heart goes out those who are in their path.
 |
Cyclone 1 passed over Nampula and into Malawi,
while Cyclone 2 is headed straight for Chimoio |
Stay dry everyone.
Sure, there are a few upsides: effortlessly collecting all my water off the roof, lower temperatures and refreshing winds, early in the season cana (sugar cane) being particularly sweat, and cuddle parties during thunderstorms with my dog Sticky (Coco's race tolerant and less aggressive offspring). But these don't make up for 2-3 months of forced, vigorous baths. Mozambqiue is clean, chega! (enough). Unfortunately, the rain gods have seen fit to keep it up for at least a bit longer, with not one, but two cyclones on Mozambique's radar. Thankfully, they seem to be passing on both sides of Zambezia, but my heart goes out those who are in their path.
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