http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/The-Fresh-Prince-of-Mozambique/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from The Fresh Prince of Mozambique en-us Sun, 27 May 2012 03:31:50 +0000 Sun, 27 May 2012 03:31:50 +0000 I thought about issuing a public apology to begin this blog because of long it has been since I last posted an entry but then I realized that it is probably unnecessary being that my blog readership can be more accurately described as a couple of dedicated family members and close friends that humor me rather than a throng of rabid and demanding followers. However I think its safe to say tha http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-400182.html I still cannot write the actually name of My Town because chances are that somewhere out there amongst my thousands and thousands of loyal readers there is someone so repulsed by my audacity to continuously publish a public journal about ME and MY LIFE that revealing my exact location would only put a bulls eye on my back for that someone to come here and put an end once and for all to the Fresh http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/Quelimane/blog-351802.html Yes your eyes are not deceiving you this would in fact be my second blog entry within the last 10 days. It must be due to that holiday magic that finds a way to touch all of us even those of us in Mozambique. I was telling my mom that Thanksgiving is just absolutely HUGE here You wouldn't think it but the streets were just overflowing with Mozambicans wearing pilgrim style hats dressing up http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/Quelimane/blog-350890.html Why hello there How have you been Oh me Ive been good thanks pretty busy though. Whats that Well yes I believe I have lost a little weight thank you for noticing You actually look a little fatter to be honest. Its ok that happens to a lot of people after high school. What Yeah youre right it has been quite a while I apologize .I believe the last time we talked I had a full http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/Quelimane/blog-349072.html So I spent so much time with those other entries today that I have very little time to write this update.I am training for a marathon. The race is November 2 in Soweto South Africa. Training in Africa is harder than training in Michigan.My hair is still growing. I will include a picture of how ugly I have become.I am almost done with my original name on my Peace Corps name countdown. I will includ http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/Quelimane/blog-320496.html Mt. Namuli is the second highest mountain in Mozambique tipping the scales at 2419 meters. It also happens to be located in my province right outside of a town called Gurue which lies only about 5 hours from the city I now call home. Naturally I had to climb it. Two other volunteer friends joined me one a health volunteer who lives in my province and another who is a teacher in the province http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/blog-320360.html I am in the Peace Corps. I serve in Mozambique. Or is I the other way around Peace Corps Mozambique is the name of my program. Within Peace Corps Mozambique there exists a powerful and wise organization called The Peer Support Network PSN. This organization is made up of only the wisest and most powerful volunteers a network of peers if you will. These are volunteers who have won the right t http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Central/Quelimane/blog-320359.html You know after a while it just gets to you. Everything The culture the people the work the daily grind. I can't lie it just begins to wear on you. There is corruption everywhere especially in the government the force that is supposed to lead the people to a brighter tomorrow. The people governed don't help the situation. They say they want change they say they can't tolerate the ways thin http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-307430.html I remained restless throughout the night and into the sunrise as the surprisingly cold morning air was seeping through my bedroom window and surrounding me. The temperature here has actually become slightly chilly lately particularly at night and early morning. The small thin blanket that was struggling to cover my 5'6 frame proved a poor substitute for the large thick bedspread I normally use w http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-284651.html So here is what I have seen in my short time working in the 'Bique. Mozambique is one the poorest nations in the entire world. When independence was finally won from the Portuguese in the mid1970s Mozambicans could not agree on who would lead the country which resulted in a 20 year civil war one of the bloodiest in world history a war that was also actually financed in part of the the South A http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-284646.html So a few weeks ago my mother sent me a package in the mail and enclosed was a set of silverware which I had requested. Four spoons four forks and yes four knives. I had requested that she send these because the silverware that I had bought here in the 'Bique was apparently not engineered to withstand the frequency with which I eat. My mother's package came just in time. The silverware set sh http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-284637.html No time for text right now but it is coming soon. For now here are pictures of a conference I went to where young Mozambicans learned about art theater photographys and journalism. The other set of photos is from a recent trip I took to Cape Town South Africa where I met a Canadian. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-279553.html I do not have time to post a lengthy entry but I will explain the pictures I am posting and the video that probably will not make it due to its size.Gaining my name back Peace Corps style. I believe I explained this in my last entry and since I know that everyone reads every word I write here there is no need to explain it again. That sign is taped to my front door.I built a book shelf. Like http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-268250.html Not a long entry today but just a few pictures. I spent the last 4 days in town where my organization is setting up a group of people that will do the same thing as the group of peple I work with in my town. Natually I was called upon to offer my expertise so I relinquished and helped with the 4 day training. At the end each participant graduated and was officially crowned peer educator. A tr http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-260828.html Alright I have received enough email lashings to know that it is just been too long for my adoring public since my last blog entry. I thought that writing was part of what was keeping me sane here but clearly all of you back in the states rely on it much more heavily than I do. Please accept my apologies and take my word that I will do everything in my power to not deprive the good ol' U S of http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-256998.html Here is my real address. Sorry for anyone who may have sent something to the other address or maybe i should just say sorry mom.Jimmy Schneidewind PCVCaixa Postal 395Praca Da Bonga N 24QuelimaneMocambiqueAnother entry coming I promise. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-246971.html So I spent a weekend in a place called Ile where myself and all the other volunteers from Zambezia got together for Zambeziapalooza which also doubled as a pig roastapalooza. Ok enough with the paloozas but that is the background for these few pictures that I will be posting. Lets just say although Wilbur might have been radiant it was probably just because of the oil and garlic that http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-244381.html Just a few pictures of what my house looks like. Plus a new creation. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-239559.html So I know it had been a while since I last wrote and maybe the one or two of you who read this are a little curious to know what the hell has been happening to me over the last month. I will get to that but first I want to tell you all a story of courage bravery and a person succeeding despite bumbs in the road and against all odds.So if you have skipped ahead to look at my pictures in true http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/Northern/Pemba/blog-237081.html So I originally put this paragraph last but I figured I should put it first because I dont think it would ever be safe to assume that anyone who began reading a blog entry of mine would actually make it to the end. I want to say that after 10 weeks in the Bique I still know nothing at all about Africa and next to nothing about Mozambique. The things that I have seen and noticed are jus http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Mozambique/blog-226697.html