It's been over
a week since I've arrived in Angola
If you’ve ever been away from your boyfriend/girlfriend for longer than a year, you probably understand quite exactly the heavenly feeling we’re experiencing of finally being together. Suddenly, such mundane activities as catching cabs, brushing teeth or heating up dinner in the microwave become coated in a glittery layer of daydream when you do them together again after 15 months. That is not to say that Márcio doesn’t get a quasi-heart attack when I run out on a highway crossing and almost get pancaked by a car, or that I don’t get annoyed when I have to wake up at 5am every morning during what’s supposed to be a vacation so we get to Márcio’s work on time. But in all this, little annoyances seem trivial compared to the realization of how blessed I am to be finally in my baby’s home country, seeing the places he grew up in, visiting the people he loves, AND eating Angolan food (while getting stomach ache only occasionally).
- Angolans dress well (and
expensive). You’d think it’s a tendency among the richer layers, but I noticed
that looking neat seems to be independent of the salary. I'd call it more of a
general cultural trait. Obviously, you do find copycat versions of clothes and
accessories from street vendors, but owning an original brand is common across all
ages and classes. The other day, a conductor in a cab that looked more like a
can opener than a vehicle was wearing a Calvin Klein watch. In the afternoon, a
driver of a similar cab was wearing a Lacoste shirt. I can imagine that owning these
brands consumes a good portion of an Angolan’s paycheck. But the way you
present yourself to others is valued higher than the money you spend on your look;
most Angolans therefore find getting authentic brands and looking put together a
worthy investment of time and money.
- Talking about money... I was always a bit skeptical about the rumor that Luanda is one of the most expensive cities in the world. But I've learned the bitter truth shortly after arrival. It is very pricey and truly more expensive than what I've seen visiting London and DC or living in Paris. A basic lunch portion of traditional feijoada or funge costs not less than 15 dollars, the trip to and from work adds up to 10-12 dollars a day per person. Even the gas is expensive, despite the fact that Angola is the second largest importer of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa.This article by Economist describes the exorbitant prices quite engagingly. Mail&Guardian also helps to explain things for those interested.
- Another thing you can't overlook is Luanda' 15 miles away, but we need to leave home at 6 am to get to the city center around 8 am. It's a
tiring trip both ways, and I feel like I couldn't sustain a similar schedule
for too long. Working close to home definitely becomes an advantage in Luanda
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I stole this picture from Dyllen Cafferty's blog since both my camera and the phone decided to resign right after my arrival.
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- Catching one of
those blue cabs to work is always an exciting experience. They are 9-people’s vans, usually stuffed to the brim (12 people plus occasional babies or
children sitting on the lap), playing all sorts of local music at all sound and
bass levels, with conversations of random strangers spanning from child rearing
to AIDS to complaining about anything that's relevant. Although I don’t
understand all that’s being said, the atmosphere inside the cab always
lets me feel like I’m part of the conversation.
- My Portuguese is progressing slowly but surely. I
catch a few new words every day but I'm still shy to speak by myself in public.
It's different with Márcio's family since I feel much freerer around them. But I
still use the creolized Portuguese-Spanish version. I hope it will lose its Spanish influence by the time I leave...
I shall be adding more news soon. Stay
tuned :)
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