Random Ridiculousness...

Here's a collection of really random things from my really random mind...

1. In Americaland, we are right natured. We're taught to walk on the right side, drive on the right side, etc etc. Well here...its the opposite. And I'm having issues with that. Every time I get into a car, I go to the wrong side...the drivers side, then I have to run around to the other side and apologize to the driver. Everyone stares at me when I ride my bike, because I tend to ride on the wrong side...against traffic. When I cross the street, I have to constantly look both ways because I'm not quite sure which way traffic is going. Not to mention when I'm walking down the street and someone is approaching on the same path, I step to the wrong side to let them pass, so we end up in an awkward standoff type situation, where I step to the left and they step the same way, and so I try to go the other direction and they do the same and both of us are confused and don't know how to let the other person pass so we just pause until someone decides to just go around....

Yeah...its awkward.

2. Did you know people create and keep pigeons as pets??? Who knew that stupid annoying bird could be a pet. A pet that is cared for way better than the dogs around here...

3. My new name is "Americana". I was walking to work one day and a chapa drove by. The cobrador was sitting ON TOP of the chapa (I mean...why not, right?) And he saw me and started yelling "Americana!! Hey! Americana! We're going to Lichinga, are you coming! Hey!!! Americana!!". Then, the next day, one of my activistas couldn't remember my name (or didn't even care to use my name) and addressed me as...you guessed it..."Americana". Someone on the street was trying to get my attention..."Americana". Yeah...that's my name around these parts.

4. I was walking home for lunch one day past the primary school. The kids were singing the Mozambican National Anthem. I realized that while they were outside singing, people across the street had stopped and started singing, and I was the only person walking. So I stopped and thought "is it disrespectful for me to walk by while they're singing the National Anthem?" I stood there and waited for them to finish. Thing is, I had stopped right out in the open, so everyone could see me. I felt awkward, because if I could have kept walking, everyone saw me standing there watching kids sing...I dunno. It was kind of weird. I felt like people were looking at me like "why are you watching these children singing, weirdo?". But I couldn't move because I didn't want to run the risk of being disrespectful.

5. Women in groups can get really rowdy. That's all I have to say about that.

6. I love street vendors, I really really do.