Cereal Tastes So Good Here

    Good afternoon, or as my Portuguese speaking friends would say, Bom Tarde!
I think that's right at least. I've been trying to learn and speak Portuguese the past week to the best of my ability and usually I can say hello, how are you, and ask them what their favorite color is. Beyond that though I can either keep asking them to repeat themselves or my favorite fallback, laughter. It works out great unless they are asking me a question, in which case they laugh with me and then stare at me until they get a response. Oh well, fluent isn't my middle name so I suppose I should just try to learn as best I can.
   Anyways, we finally made it to Mozambique last Wednesday morning after a 12 hour overnight bus ride. I wasn't so bad, in fact I hardly remember it except for the border crossing and me sleeping with my head resting on the food try most of the trip. When we arrived, Dave and Amy, who we are living with, picked us up and took us back to our new home for the next five months. My oh my! I love it, partly because I can be outside in the sunshine more often then not and also because I am able to sleep top bunk in our bunk beds! Another great feature is the mosquito net I sleep under every night that feels very much like I am sleeping in a tent. I've been trying to work out the kinks and working out the blue prints to remodel my queen at home into a new top bunk.
    Besides settling into our new crib, we have also had the chance to meet tons of new people from missionaries to Mozambicans to anybody else that has happened to wander over or that I have met out and about during our daily excursions. We have already visited and become educated with many of the projects and organizations that are going on, such as CCM, Project Purpose, and even some farming projects that have become very successful. Yesterday we visited Project Purpose, (which will become a twice a week routine beginning this week) and it has become my favorite place so far. It is set outside the city in the Matola and houses about 20 children between the ages of three and fourteen. Most of them don't know who their fathers are, and their mothers are unable to care for them due to their unfortunate involvement in prostitution. There is only one building constructed so far that houses all the children, but it is a huge improvement from the huts that they were being cared for before. The long term goal of the project is to house at least 120 children, and to eventually be able to put them into foster homes are places where they can be more cared for on an individual level, such as with close family or friends of the children. The kids though! Oh! They were so loving and as soon as we just smiled at them they were all over us. I sat down by one of the girls and said my Portuguese bit, and then signaled that I liked her hair. As soon as I had done that, four little girls crowded around my hair, petting it and braiding it tight. Cornrows now! Just kidding, but I feel as if I probably lost quite a bit of hair. Needless to say, I had a great time with all of them and I am most looking forward to going back and having a real relationship with them.
       Goodness gracious, there has been so many things that have happened since my last entry that I can't think of it all. I have some great fun facts that I have learned since being here which I think can catch everyone up to speed.
1. Mozambicans are very superstitious such as it is bad luck to mop the floor at night, borrow salt from a neighbor at night, and if a black cat is seen up ahead in your path, you must turn around and walk backwards until the place where the cat was has passed.
2. Mozambicans have the best types of church services. Events and birthdays and any great news are all given their own song, with claps and sways attached!
3. They have the largest variety of candy, especially chocolate
4.  Portuguese is NOT Spanish (Francisco says, rolling his eyes after I mispronounce something for the tenth time)
5. Running around the property for 40 minutes is much more boring than any treadmill I have ever been on
6. Patterns and matching never matters. Either does what your shirt says in English (The last few days I saw one man wearing "I'm allergic to stupid people" and another one advertising a push-up bra)
7. There is such a thing here as the real price of something and the "banana" price.. it's ingenious really. 
8. Weddings here usually have three different ceremonies involved over the course of three different days, and it is very expensive. This is one of the main reasons so many people are not married.
    Alright, I know there are so many more things, but I must go! I have a pineapple head to plant and then harvest in three years! (It gives me a great excuse to come back)
        Ciao Ciao!

What a Great Date

   Why hello there, readers!
I am here in South Africa, and even better, I am finally posting in my blog! I have realized (a bit too late) that blogging is really not one of my gifts or special abilities. Anyways, I suppose I'll just catch everyone up with the goings on as of late.
    After staying up all night packing, I mean... rechecking my packing list! I left for the Sacramento airport on Tuesday morning at 3:30 a.m. There I met up with Jo and Allie and said our final goodbyes as we headed off to our first flight to Salt Lake City. Ok, bada bing bada boom 30 minute layover until our flight to Atlanta (Still no sleep!) and then from Atlanta we boarded our final flight to Jo-burg, South Africa. The flight was thankfully only 15 hours and we were at least all able to sit by each other for the long flight. No babies were crying, only one man was loudly snoring, and the movie selection was great (or so I heard). We arrived at the airport at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday and proceeded to go through customs and grab our overstuffed duffel bags and head to the train. Ok, I would just like to give you this great vision of three girls  (That's Jo, Allie and myself) each dragging two rolley duffel bags, a backpack, and a smaller "carry on" duffel. It was a great way to meet new friends and it gave us a workout fit for Jillian.
     Anyways, besides all that we made it to South Africa and Jo's friend, Sam picked us up in Hatfield and took us to her house in Pretoria. Sam has the best family made up of her husband, Luther and her three kids, Ben, Tristen, and Meghan. We have spent the last few days here hanging out with the family and visiting all of Jo's friends that live here (Jo lived in South Africa for 3.5 years playing soccer and doing Missionary work). So far Allie and I have drank some delicious cappuccino, played soccer with the South African soccer team, The Tucks, visited Jo's old church, 3ci, and been asked out on a date by Ben, the four year old of the family. Ben told us, "Maybe tomorrow I can take you two out on a date and open the door for you and such." I think this is going to be the best kind of trip.
    Can't wait until we leave for Mozambique next Tuesday! I'll be updating before then... yes!