Christmas in Moz

So, I spent my first Christmas in Mozambique.  At first I was kind of bummed out--all my friends were getting together in another Big City that is quite far away from My Big City.  Kim and I are together in Mboa-city but we're pretty far from other Volunteers.

But, we made the best of it.  We Integrated the Heck out of Christmas (Integration is the Peace corps word for making friends in your community).  First we went to church (we went to her school's catholic mass).  It was like other Catholic services, except it was in Portuguese and Changana and there were probably more drums and dancing in the isles than you American Catholics are used to.

After church we were invited to lunch at someone's house.  We were fed chicken, potatoes, potato salad, rice, coleslaw and Lots of cake.  Christmas isn't celebrated as a holiday here, instead they celebrate Dia da Familia (Day of the Family).  So people go to church and then spend the rest of the day eating and being family-like.  So, I guess it's like Thanksgiving?

After we finished eating we walked over to my house and played cards all night.  The kids (Tony and his sister Avo) came over and watched and spilled drinks on our cards and stuff like that.  My neighbors (Tony and Avos's parents) brought over a plate of food for us.

All in all : one of the BEST Christmases ever.  I met a lot of neat people who gave me lots of delicious food.