The outskirts of Maputo, getting there by car we see the city change as we move from the central areas, where there are buildings and banks, to the outskirts, where we see sheet metal shacks and vegetable garden along the brook … but is that a brook or the sewer system?

I utter the phrase of the day: “On the outskirts the city turns into a village again, the way of life changes completely.”

I have made a great impression!

Now silence, it’s show time.

It is dark night! We say goodbye to Alvim, thank the actors one by one. They acted two stories for us, in the first one a public servant makes fun of the people, collecting their requests and then ignoring them, the second one told the story of a girl who gets pregnant, she hangs out in bad company and becomes a prostitute.

The actors were wonderful, the show had been set up only for us, with traditional music. Live, of course.

Yet, in the heat of the moment, I have the impression that everything is pretty worked-out and planned. I did not see sparks, sparkles  of creativity or dramatic turns of events. Perhaps it lacked a bit of emotion that is given by the audience who, in this type of theater, plays an active role in the performance.

I would have liked  to have the opportunity to see the two stories performed with stalls full of people to whom they were addressed to. That night they were acting for a group of white people and the show was unbalanced and a bit impersonal.

Daily Portuguese lesson: Obrigado! (Thanks!) De nada! (You’re welcome), Desculpa! (I apologize).

Oh, I almost forgot: papel higiênico, toilet paper!