I have landed in Angola. After two days of travel (including the ultimate baby-crying-in-airplane-for-15-hours experience), a stint in Jo'burg (where I definitely overpaid the guy helping me with my suitcases) and a diet composed of challah and ginger tea, I landed in the tropics. The moment tiny droplets of sweat started forming on my nose, I was happy…and I haven't stopped being happy since.
As many of you know, I am volunteering/consulting/interning for Development Workshop, an incredibly dynamic non profit that has been in Angola since 1981…My initial charge has been to update the website ("actualizar o website") and develop informational pamphlets ("panfletos") for the world to see…all my photoshop and editing experience is coming into exquisite use…and yes, I am already working in Portuguese. Half the time I feel like I'm speaking some version of Spanish-French-Italian…it's awesome. More on work front soon.
And so, without further adieu, here are some highlights (trying to keep it short, so I can keep my fan base going strong for the next three months):
· I have a chain and lock on my door. Yes. And some random guy rang the doorbell at 4:30am the other day looking for a steak sandwich. I told him we don't start serving until 10am. Thank G-d for locks.
· Our family friend, Cara, lives here in Luanda which means: instant social life, fantastic beaches, incredible dinners with wine (Portuguese, alas, but still…), and tons of girl talk
· Luanda Day was on Friday, but the whole city did not find out whether it was going to be a holiday or not until Thursday night.
· People here have the most beautiful smiles, the capacity to carry A LOT of weight on their heads, and a booming grayish market money exchange operation
· Grapes cost $50 per kilo…kiwis are close
· I have tasted some of the most delicious food…"funge" (corn-based similar to mashed potatoes), "gallinha" (wild/local chicken), "jimboa" (green, spinach-like yumminess), and of course, a ridiculous amount of mango juice
· The long tunics and pants I wear day in day out are last season here…women look at me like I have no sense of style. Moi?? I am fast becoming the proud owner of many "panos" (pareos)…
Skype is becoming my closest friend…after gmail. Hint hint hint.
P.S. Look at my pictures by clicking on this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/naama.laufer/Angola102
