Day 9
 This has been an interesting day so far.  Yesterday I was hunched over the computer all day writing the business plan.   I took a break in the early evening and walked to “town” with Adriano to meet some Peace Corps vols - two young men teaching in the local schools in this area.   Interesting how universal some Peace Corps experiences can be - unhelpful bureaucracies, transportation challenges, exciting secondary projects, overwhelming desire for peanut butter.   I had one chocolate bar left from the stock I brought (made in Asheville at French Broad Chocolate, of course) and gave that to them.  You would have thought I was presenting them with casks of gold. 


As I wrote and wrote yesterday,  I realized I needed much more information and arranged an appointment with the President of the federation.   We are without transport today as our coordinating ngo is in another city with both cars.   So he was to meet us at the guest house at 10.   When we finally reached him at 10:30, he said he had problems w/ his motorbike and would be there shortly.   We called again at noon and suggested he come as 2 as it was too close to lunch time.  

Meanwhile,  I spent some time sitting outdoors.    I saw a man sitting nearby with something that looked like a round waffle iron.   As you can see from the pictures, he was making communion wafers for Sunday.  

 Notice the design on the grill.  

Then he stamps out the wafers and puts them in a container to await Sunday.   Pretty cool.

 Little kids come up to inspect and love having their picture taken.

 I told them I'd take a video of them if they would sing me a song.   Unfortunately,   I don't think the internet and my portable modem can handle the length.   I'll have to post it after I get to the US. 

                                  posing with Adriano

Its 1:30 now.   I wouldn’t lay odds on our visitor showing up at 2.   My time here is drawing to an end.   I have today and tomorrow to refine the business plan.   We leave Thursday morning for the 3 hour drive to Nampula where I will meet with my country director and spend the night.   The next day I can explore Nampula, the 2nd largest city.   Maybe I’ll find some more fabric.   We fly Friday night to Beria where this whole adventure started.   Then Saturday to Johannesburg in the morning, wait til 11 pm for the flight to Amsterdam,  wait 3 hours for the flight to Atlanta, wait two hours for the 45 minute flight to Asheville and home again, home again by 8 pm Sunday August 11.    Rats, just found out I won’t be leaving for Nampula til Thursday afternoon - transport problems.   I’ve run out of activities here.   I will just use the time as relaxing - reading and needlepoint with some local area walks thrown in.