Chase and I went to Barada to visit our amazing friend Cameron.
Gabriel and Mafalda.
Chase enjoying hard sand.
Then, getting aggressive with Capoeira.
More Brazilian dance-fighting.
Cameron brought it home.
Then I prepared for battle.
With my arch-nemesis and fellow super-volunteer, Chase.
Poo-shaw!
Fwi-tuh!
To say the least, Bin Patraak had a good time at the beach.
He is not a pimp, he is a fairy (t-shirt coming soon).
Leaving Barada.
Have I mentioned Mozambique has amazing beaches?
Mozambique's three best modes of transportation.
A weathered group of adventurers.
While I was gone, some Canadians took charge of my Art Group.
The same wonderful Canadians donated cameras to my art club.
And taught them to take amazing pictures.
And how to be mimes.
And the students took pictures of their culture.
Emphasizing newly learned techniques.
Like perspective.
And the close-up.
And, the rule of thirds.
Thank you Canada.
The Canadians also donated art supplies.
Some students were bewildered.
Others, enthralled.
Some really knew how to pose.
Others were more candid.
The supplies will help my last trimester JOMA Fine Arts Club fantastic.
My student is holding a sign that says "Thanks Canadians."
I can't help to find this highly amusing. This is my school. That is a lawnmower.
June was good, good, good. Massinga hosted, and is still hosting, a gang of Canadians who are bringing a bit of white to the world of Mozambique. These arm carrying med-student, doctors, actors, artists, highschool students and friends have helped me, and my colleagues, give drawing, watercolor, and photo seminars, geography lessons on Canada, and biology lessons on heriditary and non-hereditary diseases. Also, they showed Mozambicans how to, once again, lose at hockey, they made delicious breakfast for dinner, and donated a plethora of art supplies, incluiding digital cameras, high quality paints and paper, and maps of canada, to the Fine Art Club of Massinga. Coincidentally another Canadian, sent more art-related books and supplies to help amp up the resources at the Peace Corps Library and Creative Center of Massinga. So, thank you Canada. As the United States of America's delegate of Massinga, I would like to say that you are great and, despite any rumors, we love you like a sibling.
Also in June, I got to meet Chase's Mom and step-dad. This was really cool since it mostly involved drinking, hanging out at the beach, and cooking. Well, they did most of the drinking because, after trying to keep up with Jerry on the first night, I was out of commision until the last day of their visit. So, I made up excuses and tagged along with their straight-edge son, Chase.
The following week, we had exams and Mozambique's Independence Day. So, I made a tough decision to bail out on exams and go north with Chase to visit Cameron. It took us 12 hours to get north to Beira, but by 12 pm we were nestled in Cameron's welcoming arms. The next day we got up early to catch a 2 hour boat ride across the river to get to the landing for Cameron's village Barada. From there, we walked on the beach for about 45 minutes, then through the bush for another hour, before reaching the Catholic missionary where Cameron teaches. The following day, we did not leave the dorm where Cameron lives. In fact, we hardly left the bedroom Chase and I were sharing. I drew, Cameron graded tests, and Chase played guitar. It was quite the cozy collective we had operating. Chase and I also worked on a song he had been theorizing for about 2 months and we made spaghetti sauce from a can; something in which I have not done for at least 20 months. After a day of lounging and recooperating from travel, we headed to the beach with Cameron's missionary buddies Gabriel and Mafalda. It was pretty fantastic despite being only 80 or so degrees. I made what I might consider my best sand castle ever under the supervision of Gabriel, we had Olympic jumping games in which I took second place (losing to the shortlimbed, acrobatic Chase), and played a slew of other games to show Gabriel that we too were once young. Or, maybe I have not completely grown up like I thought I had. Anyways, it was a ton of fun and playing with Gabriel reminded me how much I like kids and aspire to be a young dad. Get ready ladies!
The end of another sketch book. Falling in so many ways.
