I've mentioned quite a few times that the national language of Angola is Portuguese. I have been trying to learn to speak Portuguese, and I have a fair grasp of it, enough that I can manage most situations. When we first moved here, one of the biggest stresses I had was communicating. Not only did I have a hard time understanding Portuguese, I had a hard time making myself understood - so each interaction with someone was a trial.
One thing I did NOT expect was the difficulty communicating with other English speakers. Yes, we may speak the same language, but when accents and local phrases come into play - it can be harder to understand than a totally different language!
Yesterday was the perfect example of this. I went to school in the afternoon, and was waiting to gather Miles from his classroom. A woman that I know walked over to me, and began talking to me. Now - I know this woman casually. She is from South Africa, and so she speaks English, but with a thick accent. Most times I can understand what she's saying, but yesterday I was truly baffled. She said, "I have to ask you a favor. Can you make beps for nakebowl? "
Say....what?
I said, "Umm, I'm not sure I understand." She spoke louder, "You know, nakebowl? I need BEPS, BEPS for the children to play nakebowl!" I was mentally searching for anything I could think of that sounded similar to what she was saying, but I was coming up blank! She was standing there, waiting for an answer. I said, "I.....have no idea what you're asking me, I'm so sorry." She sighed, and clearly thought she was dealing with an idiot. Slowly, she explained that she was organizing a game of NET BALL for the children at school, and she needed me to sew BIBS for each team to wear. I've never even heard of netball, and I'd rather not spend my time sewing dumb bibs for it - but I was so frazzled by the whole ordeal I just told her 'sure' so we could end the conversation. Exhausting, I tell you - that is the best description of life here.....but it's sure good for funny stories.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
School Days
It's the first day of school for Max, Molly, and Miles!
Adam and I are the proud owners - I mean parents - of a 6th grader, a 4th grader, and a Kindergardener!
This morning went pretty smoothly, especially since I had Adam to help me get the kids ready for school. We made it out of the house on time, and then found out that our school bus hadn't shown up. Weird, right? I mean....it just wouldn't be a day in Angola if everything went right! So we had to pile two busloads of kids/parents onto one bus, but it all worked out okay. I'm heading out the door in a few minutes to be bus mom for the afternoon, and I can't wait to hear about their day. I missed the little turkeys today, though it was really nice to get the grocery shopping done in peace!
This morning went pretty smoothly, especially since I had Adam to help me get the kids ready for school. We made it out of the house on time, and then found out that our school bus hadn't shown up. Weird, right? I mean....it just wouldn't be a day in Angola if everything went right! So we had to pile two busloads of kids/parents onto one bus, but it all worked out okay. I'm heading out the door in a few minutes to be bus mom for the afternoon, and I can't wait to hear about their day. I missed the little turkeys today, though it was really nice to get the grocery shopping done in peace!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Speechless
I can't even formulate a real paragraph to explain the situation here. It's....unreal. We finally complained to the right person, and got a team of repair people to visit yesterday. The hot water heaters in the attic were repaired (they say) and the leaking water pump outside was fixed as well (they say). Two electricians (one of them is the one who previously told me there was nothing wrong) spent a couple hours in the kitchen, trying to find out the problem that's causing the breaker to trip repeatedly. Around 5 pm, they decided that every major appliance in the kitchen is causing the problem. The stove, the dishwasher, and the refrigerator need to be replaced. Now....I'm no electrician, but doesn't it seem rather odd that 3 separate appliances are simultaneously causing power outages?
So now it's 2pm, and supposedly these appliances are on their way to my house. We have not used any of the kitchen appliances in the meantime, and yet our breaker is tripping approximately every 30 seconds.
And the water? It's hot again, but there's still hardly any water pressure. Luckily for us, the drinking water delivery guys must have heard about our situation. Instead of delivering the usual 3-4 jugs of drinking water, they stacked TEN jugs on my front step! This place will be such a source of funny stories someday. Until then, we will just keep on smiling.
So now it's 2pm, and supposedly these appliances are on their way to my house. We have not used any of the kitchen appliances in the meantime, and yet our breaker is tripping approximately every 30 seconds.
And the water? It's hot again, but there's still hardly any water pressure. Luckily for us, the drinking water delivery guys must have heard about our situation. Instead of delivering the usual 3-4 jugs of drinking water, they stacked TEN jugs on my front step! This place will be such a source of funny stories someday. Until then, we will just keep on smiling.
Because we have each other. And, as cheesy at it sounds, that's all we need.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Water
I'm currently feeling like I'm on the verge of a breakdown. I have only been back in Angola for TWO WEEKS, and all of my energy and determination and positive attitude have been drained out of me. That whole, "It's a new year!" thing is not really going like I planned it....to say the least.
So, the water situation? On Monday the repairmen (five of them - one to work, and four to sit around and chat with him) fixed the leaky pipe on our water pump, and we were once again able to shower and do laundry and flush toilets! Tuesday morning I realized that even though we had running water again, we had no HOT water. After approximately a hundred phone calls, I finally had two guys at my house to see what the problem was. They climbed up in our attic (where the water heaters are installed) and 'fixed' the problem. I use that term a little sarcastically, because as they were leaving the house, Max informed me that we no longer had running water! Now, just so you get the whole picture - while this is going on, the electrician had also showed up at the house. He's the same guy that has come several times to check on our breaker box, and each time tell me that there's nothing wrong. Remember when I said I had bad luck? I was so wrong! I was lucky enough that our power went out at the exact moment that this electrician showed up, which proved to him that perhaps I wasn't just imagining this problem with the breaker. I also had a random guy show up to inspect our fire extinguishers, as well as a new neighbor drop by to chat. Good times.
I'd like to say that there was a resolution to any one of these problems yesterday, but there was not. The electrician said that 'maybe tomorrow' he'd install a new breaker box. The water guys did get the water running again, but a couple of hours later, Adam and I realized that the water pressure was really low. We couldn't find another leak in the water pump, so we weren't sure what to think.....until it was time for bed. I went to check on the kids, and stepped in a puddle of water in Molly's room. Guess what? Our attic is filled with at least 2 inches of water, and it's leaking out into the bedrooms! I'm really starting to question how much more of this I can take. I know there are literally millions of people with bigger problems, but the constant stress of these issues is taking its toll on me. I feel like I'm playing a twisted game of "Whack-a-Mole," but instead of moles, it's house problems popping up all around me.
On the bright side - some things have been great since we got back. Our housekeeper is just as wonderful as ever, and I am so thankful for her. One of my pearl earrings fell out over the weekend, and none of us could find it. On Monday, before I could even ask her to keep an eye out for it - she found it and brought it to me! Our new driver, Tomas, is everything that the other drivers weren't - he is friendly, helpful, kind, and reliable. Having two wonderful people doing the jobs that impact me most is a huge deal - so I will be very grateful, and try to keep my head above water. Ha.
So, the water situation? On Monday the repairmen (five of them - one to work, and four to sit around and chat with him) fixed the leaky pipe on our water pump, and we were once again able to shower and do laundry and flush toilets! Tuesday morning I realized that even though we had running water again, we had no HOT water. After approximately a hundred phone calls, I finally had two guys at my house to see what the problem was. They climbed up in our attic (where the water heaters are installed) and 'fixed' the problem. I use that term a little sarcastically, because as they were leaving the house, Max informed me that we no longer had running water! Now, just so you get the whole picture - while this is going on, the electrician had also showed up at the house. He's the same guy that has come several times to check on our breaker box, and each time tell me that there's nothing wrong. Remember when I said I had bad luck? I was so wrong! I was lucky enough that our power went out at the exact moment that this electrician showed up, which proved to him that perhaps I wasn't just imagining this problem with the breaker. I also had a random guy show up to inspect our fire extinguishers, as well as a new neighbor drop by to chat. Good times.
I'd like to say that there was a resolution to any one of these problems yesterday, but there was not. The electrician said that 'maybe tomorrow' he'd install a new breaker box. The water guys did get the water running again, but a couple of hours later, Adam and I realized that the water pressure was really low. We couldn't find another leak in the water pump, so we weren't sure what to think.....until it was time for bed. I went to check on the kids, and stepped in a puddle of water in Molly's room. Guess what? Our attic is filled with at least 2 inches of water, and it's leaking out into the bedrooms! I'm really starting to question how much more of this I can take. I know there are literally millions of people with bigger problems, but the constant stress of these issues is taking its toll on me. I feel like I'm playing a twisted game of "Whack-a-Mole," but instead of moles, it's house problems popping up all around me.
On the bright side - some things have been great since we got back. Our housekeeper is just as wonderful as ever, and I am so thankful for her. One of my pearl earrings fell out over the weekend, and none of us could find it. On Monday, before I could even ask her to keep an eye out for it - she found it and brought it to me! Our new driver, Tomas, is everything that the other drivers weren't - he is friendly, helpful, kind, and reliable. Having two wonderful people doing the jobs that impact me most is a huge deal - so I will be very grateful, and try to keep my head above water. Ha.
If it Wasn't For Bad Luck.....
I'd have no luck at all. Yeah. Our electricity is still wonky, despite a 'team' of men working at my house all day long last week. They spent about 6 hours turning our power on and off, and ended by saying, "There is no problem, Madame." Amazing conclusion, considering our power cuts out even MORE than the average Angolan household (which already is a lot), and our breaker trips constantly, sometimes refusing to go back on. But there's no problem!
After a weekend with no running water, plus at least three visits from repairmen, we can again shower and flush the toilets - pretty key for a household of 5 people. Unfortunately for us, the minute our water was restored, we realized a new problem - no HOT water! This isn't a new problem, either - but in Angola, if something happens once, you can bet it will happen at least a few times more! I'm waiting for someone to show up to check out the problem. At 8:30 am, he said he'd be here soon. At 10:30 am, he said he'd be here in 10 minutes. It's now 11:10, and I'm just hoping someone shows up before lunchtime. Another little fact about Angola? Lunch time is at least two hours long.
On the bright side, however - my BFF is back in town!!!! Yeah, life in Angola just got a lot better for me, now that JoAnn is back. Now if I could just take a hot bath, I'd really have it made.
After a weekend with no running water, plus at least three visits from repairmen, we can again shower and flush the toilets - pretty key for a household of 5 people. Unfortunately for us, the minute our water was restored, we realized a new problem - no HOT water! This isn't a new problem, either - but in Angola, if something happens once, you can bet it will happen at least a few times more! I'm waiting for someone to show up to check out the problem. At 8:30 am, he said he'd be here soon. At 10:30 am, he said he'd be here in 10 minutes. It's now 11:10, and I'm just hoping someone shows up before lunchtime. Another little fact about Angola? Lunch time is at least two hours long.
On the bright side, however - my BFF is back in town!!!! Yeah, life in Angola just got a lot better for me, now that JoAnn is back. Now if I could just take a hot bath, I'd really have it made.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Happy New Year!
In one week and three days, the kids will start a new school year. Though it's not quite a full year since we arrived in Angola, I'm declaring this a new year! We aren't the new kids on the block anymore, and though this place is still chock full of unique experiences and challenges, I feel like I'm much better equipped to handle them.
The electricity in our house is still having some sort of problem. This was supposed to get fixed while we were gone, but that didn't happen - so instead, a crew of guys are supposed to come today and test every circuit to find the problem. For a few hours this morning, we also had no water upstairs. The water worked fine downstairs - but not upstairs! I called to report that to maintenance, but it magically started working again on its own, and the maintenance guys still haven't showed up!
We wanted to paint a few rooms in this house, just to jazz things up and make it feel more like home. Our first trip to the paint store, we picked out colors, and then found out that they were out of paint. ALL PAINT. They told us, "Maybe Monday," they'd have more. So Tuesday I headed back with the kids, and spent about an hour at the paint counter - only to find out that again, they didn't have the 3L cans of paint we wanted, that are $60. They did, however, have 15L cans - and those were only $478 apiece. Needless to say, we still don't have paint. You notice how buying in bulk actually costs you MORE here? That's just one of those things that makes no sense, but there's no point in questioning it.
I'm rolling with the punches, and not letting these things faze me much - but I can tell you, I am SOOOO looking forward to JoAnn coming back, and the kids starting back to school! I can handle a lot, but 10 weeks straight of summer vacation is pushing my limits! ;-)
The electricity in our house is still having some sort of problem. This was supposed to get fixed while we were gone, but that didn't happen - so instead, a crew of guys are supposed to come today and test every circuit to find the problem. For a few hours this morning, we also had no water upstairs. The water worked fine downstairs - but not upstairs! I called to report that to maintenance, but it magically started working again on its own, and the maintenance guys still haven't showed up!
We wanted to paint a few rooms in this house, just to jazz things up and make it feel more like home. Our first trip to the paint store, we picked out colors, and then found out that they were out of paint. ALL PAINT. They told us, "Maybe Monday," they'd have more. So Tuesday I headed back with the kids, and spent about an hour at the paint counter - only to find out that again, they didn't have the 3L cans of paint we wanted, that are $60. They did, however, have 15L cans - and those were only $478 apiece. Needless to say, we still don't have paint. You notice how buying in bulk actually costs you MORE here? That's just one of those things that makes no sense, but there's no point in questioning it.
I'm rolling with the punches, and not letting these things faze me much - but I can tell you, I am SOOOO looking forward to JoAnn coming back, and the kids starting back to school! I can handle a lot, but 10 weeks straight of summer vacation is pushing my limits! ;-)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Home
We are back in Luanda! Adjusting to the 8 hour time difference, unpacking, and gearing up for another year...it's all so much less stressful than it was last October. I had a hard time leaving our friends and family in the US this summer - that part never gets easier - but our house here is feeling more and more like home.
The flight from Houston to Angola went smoothly. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to be on a 14 hour flight with three kids! Well....at least a 14 hour flight on the Houston Express, anyway! The kiddos are getting to be pros at international travel, and they were happy to watch movies, read books, eat, sleep, and talk for the entire trip. When we arrived in Luanda, there was the usual long line at passport control. We were brought to the front of the line within 5 minutes (the perks of having children!) - but this doesn't guarantee a faster passage through. Shockingly, this time it helped, and we were through and at the baggage claim in record time!
This is where reality set in, however. We stood in front of the baggage carousel for TWO HOURS, waiting for our luggage. Apparently whatever machine is used to load the bags onto the carousel had broken. The airport baggage area is not air-conditioned, there is no seating, just hard linoleum floors and two baggage carousels. I repeat - TWO HOURS....and this is after flying for 14 hours, with very little sleep. The kids were champs - they found some other kids to play with, and did a great job passing the time. We finally got all 15 of our bags (don't laugh - another lady had 29!) and saw that our driver, Tomas, was waiting for us.
It was so great to get to our house, where Fletcher and Sao greeted us. Now the kids and I have a couple of weeks on our own, before the rest of the expat families start returning to the compound. I'm so thankful for the fabulous time we had with our family and friends...we are so blessed.
The flight from Houston to Angola went smoothly. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to be on a 14 hour flight with three kids! Well....at least a 14 hour flight on the Houston Express, anyway! The kiddos are getting to be pros at international travel, and they were happy to watch movies, read books, eat, sleep, and talk for the entire trip. When we arrived in Luanda, there was the usual long line at passport control. We were brought to the front of the line within 5 minutes (the perks of having children!) - but this doesn't guarantee a faster passage through. Shockingly, this time it helped, and we were through and at the baggage claim in record time!
This is where reality set in, however. We stood in front of the baggage carousel for TWO HOURS, waiting for our luggage. Apparently whatever machine is used to load the bags onto the carousel had broken. The airport baggage area is not air-conditioned, there is no seating, just hard linoleum floors and two baggage carousels. I repeat - TWO HOURS....and this is after flying for 14 hours, with very little sleep. The kids were champs - they found some other kids to play with, and did a great job passing the time. We finally got all 15 of our bags (don't laugh - another lady had 29!) and saw that our driver, Tomas, was waiting for us.
It was so great to get to our house, where Fletcher and Sao greeted us. Now the kids and I have a couple of weeks on our own, before the rest of the expat families start returning to the compound. I'm so thankful for the fabulous time we had with our family and friends...we are so blessed.
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