Hello, Goodbye

For me, this summer in Africa took a cue from the title of a Beatles song (Or, I guess if you’re more inclined, the song from that Target commercial or Glee episode).

“Hello, Goodbye.”

And since my sentiments on goodbyes are fairly well known (I consider goodbyes to be like middle school and stirrup pants--an inescapable depravity of life), it was a bittersweet season.

I guess in all reality, it started with a goodbye as one of my site mates, Alex, a partner in crime and sage in all things Mozambique, said goodbye to Angoche to return to the states.

Everyone here has since been offering me condolences because they say the three of us (Alex, Erin--my other beautiful, amazing site mate, and I) are like family and it‘s like one of my sisters left. I guess when you’re in such a bizarre place so far away from everything you know and love, having someone around to remind you of all the familiarities of home is instantly comforting. Whether it was just speaking English together, cooking an American meal, playing UNO, commiserating about our recent bouts of tropical illness, or making dated cultural references to Saved By the Bell, it has been such a blessing to have two other amazing girls/friends/sisters here who understand the gauntlet of emotions you go through every single day.

So, when one in our Crazy American Branca Trio left, it was a hard, very sad goodbye.

The thing that did not permit me to dwell on it, though, was the visit of my dear friend from home. Hello, Claire! And hello to the Crystal Lite, new books, girly smelling products, and news from home that she brought with her.

Hellos are infinitely more fun.

Words cannot express how wonderful and refreshing it is to see a beloved, familiar face and have them see your new life and world. My literature professors while grading my papers always admonished me to show, Margaret, don’t tell. Show.

This place is nearly impossible to accurately describe using words so having someone here I could show, rather than tell…well, it was pure bliss.

Her trip entailed an evening on the town in Maputo, a weekend outing on the beautiful and haunting Mozambique Island, a chapa ride straight out of the depths of hell back to Angoche after which I am thankful she still agreed to be my friend, the meeting and greeting of so many of Angoche’s resident personalities, bucket baths, mosquito nets, the frequent lack of electricity, a dip in the waves of the Indian Ocean, a traditional Mozambican birthday party, a boat ride to a private, palm tree canopied beach, an 8th grade Mozambican biology class, capulana shopping, piri-piri eating, and ultimately and inevitably, another sad goodbye.

Every time I introduced Claire to someone new in town, they first wanted to know if she knew Obama or was my daughter. After I explained she was a friend, they responded incredulously, “Margarida, she came all the way here just to see you?! Wow! Ela é uma grande amiga!” Yes, I agree. She is a great friend.

Sometimes it’d be nice just to be desensitized to the constant hellos and goodbyes, but I really don’t think it will ever happen. Hello, goodbye, hello, goodbye. That’s just how it goes.

And one big hello on the horizon is to the new group of volunteers that will be arriving in Mozambique next month. It’s hard to believe that one year has passed since I said goodbye to my home and hello to Africa.

When it comes to coping with everything Africa throws my way and all the hellos and goodbyes that go with it, I remember Alex, Claire, Erin, the rest of the volunteers here, and all the wonderful people back home, and I take a cue from another Beatles song.

I get by with a little help from my friends.



Erin, Alex, and I at Alex's Despedida Party



To me, this sums up quite accurately our whole relationship.



Claire's first chapa ride. Don't let the spaciousness and functioning seats fool you. This was just a tease.



Claire and I standing on the famous anchors of the historic ghost town, Ilha de Mozambique.


Claire with Fabiao, the mailman, and one of the nicest people in Mozambique and the world.


Beautiful Claire waving goodbye to beautiful Angoche.