Transitioning & Transiting

Here I am, writing from the Mozambican Embassy in Harare. I'm waiting for my passport to get a visa to enter Mozambique. I could probably get one at the border, however what with travelling as a group and being the only Brit in need of visa, we thought best to do in advance. I had communications with the embassy by phone and travelled up from Bulawayo this morning. I gather normally it takes 24hrs to process, however by phone the representative offered to turn it around within a couple of hours given I was driving up from Bulawayo. Then when I arrived just before 1pm, I discovered they normally close for visa sumissions at 12pm. Nevertheless they let me go ahead and submit for a 90min turnaround. From what I've seen of Mozambique (and Mozambican's) so far, they're kind! And I haven't yet set foot over the border...

Chatting with the desk manager about my trip, he seemed interested that I'm travelling with a theatre group to experience and share Mozambican culture and creativity. Then he insisted I meet “Mozambique's ambassador to Bulawayo” a dignified elderly man who has lived in Mpopoma in Bulawayo since 1949! Again the prospect of our trip seemed to to trigger the imagination (and some wise nodding of the head). Whatever this is...it's an adventure! 6 hours til our scheduled departure on our 2 day and 2,000km, journey by road (on a bus) to Zalala Beach Lodge, on the outskirts of Supinho, a small fishing village, approximately 40kms north of Quelimane, the provincial capital on the central northern coast of Mozambique.

We'll be devising and experimenting with new material as a group, and also interacting with those around us in local communities using performance and theatre.

Today was spent frustratingly chasing different errands, all of which seemed to end fruitlessly. I forget how it can be... But then, the gang from Bulawayo arrived into Harare armed with provisions and solidarity and warmth and I felt suddenly better. And part of a team, I guess.

So I find I'm off to a new country for 3 weeks. I've only been back in Bulawayo 3 weeks and all the comings and goings, leavings and arrivings can be unsettling. I even researched 'culture shock' to find out some of the facts to what I was experiencing. It's a funny one – largely characterised by chronic overuse of the word 'different' (in my experience!) and not being quite sure where you 'are' exactly.

More soon. Maybe even from the bus!