good vibes on Mozambique Jazz Festival and looking forward to a new week full of surprises

So this weekend was full of jazz (and other music), the first festival day being a disaster in terms of organization and logistics: starting 3 hours too late, once inside the parc not allowed to go out, waiting 1 hour for tickets for drinks, plus suddenly a very cool night and me wearing my lightest silk shirt. But some good music from Spiro Gyra, Nondje (Mozambican band with several ex- or re-entered Ghorwane musicians) and others you won't know. But we left around 2 in the morning, deadly tired, while the thing dragged on until 4 because of late starting. On the second day there were lots of improvements, logistically, plus a really hot concert of Hugh Masekela, the South African trumpet player and singer who is dearly loved by his Mozambican fans and v.v. At some point the public started singing 'Happy Birthday to Hugh', he being 80 this year, but from his musical and dance performance you would't say this. I was in the front lines, observing a sort of dance between a security agent who had to keep the public some meters away from the stage, and a guy who was constantly pressing forward, dancing and probably drunk, and just as often being pushed back by security. It was nice to see that there wasn't any hassle, just each one trying to defend his interest, but with respect and smiles. Good vibes all around, I finally got over my assault trauma.

Why did I start my blog more than a month after arriving here? You don't wanna know how many technical obstacles I faced getting internet working via my cell phone. If I'd had net before I would have bored you with all the details, but I didn't so I won't. I was literally working for hours every day (assisted a lot by Chico and later also Antonio and Samito) during the whole month. Finally we got it sorted out (had to reboot my laptop, with the consequence that it lost its sound - still another problem to be resolved and urgent (no music, no voice contact with Youri or whoever). So that's one important reason why I didn't get a fast start in terms of work contacts. I was always welcome though at AMODE's office (my friend Otilia's organization for which I helped to draw up their strategic plan last year), could use internet for the most urgent emails, but doing so I was always robbing someone of her desk and computer, so it worked only for really urgent matters. AMODE stands for: Mozambican Association for the Development of Democracy, which has been my core business since many years. I did have some important meetings though and sent in my CV to several organizations - changing it daily to adapt to new opportunities. In doing so I found out that I can be a specialist in various areas, without lying, fruit of having had such a diverse professional life.

I did have some desperate moments though, even expressed in my dreams, wondering "what the hell am I doing here" or "why did I ever think I could just arrive here and make a living". But fortunately I have my great friend Carva, who not only has total confidence that I will succeed, but doesn't want to hear about lamentations, just kicking me forward all the time. Sending me smsses like this: "Everything worth while in life is worth fighting 4. Worth hanging in 4. Worth sacrificing 4. Be strong." And me knowing that he's also having a pretty hard time in life right now, I don't dare to give up. It's good to have a person in your life to whom you can complain about solitude and back-sets, but who nevertheless demands of you that you just have to continue and be focussed.

So that's what next week will be about. After trying to resolve some more shit from being robbed (like how to get a new driver's license without being in Amsterdam), I will FOCUS on making those contacts that one day might result into work. And meanwhile continuing to contact my personal network, because also friends are important to get me going in this new life.