He follows you around with his eyes, and he eats his food single handed-ly!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Praying Mantis... Our new bug-eating friend!
Digging our pal, the praying mantis!
He follows you around with his eyes, and he eats his food single handed-ly!
He follows you around with his eyes, and he eats his food single handed-ly!
Pablo, Paulo, Paul is Here! (Too bad he won't get in a picture!)
FIRST: Please comment if you have any questions or are curious about anything - we want this to be a two way dialogue.
SECURITY: A reminder that we are securing this blog up soon, so please send me your email to littlefieldsabroad@gmail.com so that I can register you. Don't be afraid - we welcome everyone we know, and even some friends of friends.
What a day! Woke up a bit late at 4:45 and got in the car at 5:30 to get to the airport by 7:00... Leave any later, and you're hooped with all the back up. (By the way, yesterday was a new record for the commute home...close to three hours... we stopped at a bakery (Pastelaria Vanan) for a bio break, but still a long trek).
I picked up Pablo at arrivals, and then we went to the customs office to claim his computer (not new, but it had to be inspected as if it was). This resulted in the conclusion that the monitor was new, but the desktop wasn't (even though the customs lady was suspect that all the dust inside the case of the computer could have EASILY manifested itself while wrapped three times in bubble wrap and in a box on the plane from Houston.)
So... Paul goes off to pay 14,820 kzs (Kwanzas - exchange is 100kz = $1) for it, and as I wait, the customs lady started asking about my iced tea cups....
Being the nice wife that I am, I loaded up a bottle of Veronica's iced tea (obrigada) and hit the road with thermo cups full of ice for el Pablo and me (those from the office know that I rarely part from "the cup.") Paulo was pleasantly surprised to receive it - more because I talked my way back into to baggage claim to meet him, but still a nice refreshment for an arrivals area with no air con.
So, I'm with the customs lady, and she starts asking whether the cup is new, and did I bring it with me, and I said no, no, and the she asks whether I bought it in Luanda...reaching out for it to take a look, and I hand it to her, and she says... Is this for me? Cute move lady.
NOTE TO SELF: don't bring stuff that's cool to the airport - it makes for awkward encounters.
Anyway we got home, met our new gardener - his name is Lisboa, and he is AWESOME. I am 100% doing before and after pics. Then we hit the stores to shop for a bit more food. Paul is a fan of the boutique shops that are analogous to Whole Foods, and he is a little freaked out by the chaotic Kero - he doesn't much like the chaos of Costco or SAMs or anything that spikes the barometer of calmness, so this wasn't a surprise.
MONEY EXCHANGE: During the adventure we traded out $200 USD for kzs at the Kero for about a kz103: $1 rate... When we got the the amount in 500 kzs - like $5 bills this stack of forty bills doesn't quite fit well in a wallet, so we decided to get our relief driver Alberto to trade the rest. He got the street rate of kz102:$1... He also made a tip of $4 since anything over a kz100:$1 rate is bonus for me.
RELAXING WITH MY HUSBAND: And now after unpacking, we are enjoying some patio action with a little BellX1 as back up music (along with the sound of tennis balls being hit - solidly, I might add) and some queijo (cheese) and chorizo. (The 2,650 kz cheese that I thought was $2.50 but is actually $25...oops!) here are some pics!
SECURITY: A reminder that we are securing this blog up soon, so please send me your email to littlefieldsabroad@gmail.com so that I can register you. Don't be afraid - we welcome everyone we know, and even some friends of friends.
What a day! Woke up a bit late at 4:45 and got in the car at 5:30 to get to the airport by 7:00... Leave any later, and you're hooped with all the back up. (By the way, yesterday was a new record for the commute home...close to three hours... we stopped at a bakery (Pastelaria Vanan) for a bio break, but still a long trek).
I picked up Pablo at arrivals, and then we went to the customs office to claim his computer (not new, but it had to be inspected as if it was). This resulted in the conclusion that the monitor was new, but the desktop wasn't (even though the customs lady was suspect that all the dust inside the case of the computer could have EASILY manifested itself while wrapped three times in bubble wrap and in a box on the plane from Houston.)
So... Paul goes off to pay 14,820 kzs (Kwanzas - exchange is 100kz = $1) for it, and as I wait, the customs lady started asking about my iced tea cups....
Being the nice wife that I am, I loaded up a bottle of Veronica's iced tea (obrigada) and hit the road with thermo cups full of ice for el Pablo and me (those from the office know that I rarely part from "the cup.") Paulo was pleasantly surprised to receive it - more because I talked my way back into to baggage claim to meet him, but still a nice refreshment for an arrivals area with no air con.
So, I'm with the customs lady, and she starts asking whether the cup is new, and did I bring it with me, and I said no, no, and the she asks whether I bought it in Luanda...reaching out for it to take a look, and I hand it to her, and she says... Is this for me? Cute move lady.
NOTE TO SELF: don't bring stuff that's cool to the airport - it makes for awkward encounters.
Anyway we got home, met our new gardener - his name is Lisboa, and he is AWESOME. I am 100% doing before and after pics. Then we hit the stores to shop for a bit more food. Paul is a fan of the boutique shops that are analogous to Whole Foods, and he is a little freaked out by the chaotic Kero - he doesn't much like the chaos of Costco or SAMs or anything that spikes the barometer of calmness, so this wasn't a surprise.
MONEY EXCHANGE: During the adventure we traded out $200 USD for kzs at the Kero for about a kz103: $1 rate... When we got the the amount in 500 kzs - like $5 bills this stack of forty bills doesn't quite fit well in a wallet, so we decided to get our relief driver Alberto to trade the rest. He got the street rate of kz102:$1... He also made a tip of $4 since anything over a kz100:$1 rate is bonus for me.
RELAXING WITH MY HUSBAND: And now after unpacking, we are enjoying some patio action with a little BellX1 as back up music (along with the sound of tennis balls being hit - solidly, I might add) and some queijo (cheese) and chorizo. (The 2,650 kz cheese that I thought was $2.50 but is actually $25...oops!) here are some pics!
Evening Weather and the Garden
In the evening when the sun goes down behind the houses, it still stays light for quite some time. A little breeze comes up. Right now, there are a ton of kids playing in the common area, and up until about 10 minutes ago, I could hear the sound of a tennis game going on. I'm sitting outside admiring my little seedlings that I planted last week. The only ones that didn't sprout thus far are the celery - I think because they need cold weather - so I've brought those into the air conditioned house for more appropriate temperatures. UPDATE: the celery is sprouting!! It only needed colder air, so I have it inside!
Beyond picking up Pablo, I'm looking forward to meeting the gardener on Tuesday. I was able to buy some supplies this weekend, but I'd like to see the yard get into some sort of shape. I have three different pink or white impatients in the yard, and they will go nicely into a pot instead of in their current random place. I'm abandoning the peanuts, though for a moment I contemplated that if I also got a banana tree, I've got all the makings for a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I also have random palms and lilies just sitting around the yard in strange places, so those need to be organized a little better, and then finally (gulp) I think I'm ditching a tree.
The tree doesn't bear any fruit, and since there are papaya, mango, and banana trees, I think I'd prefer getting one of them in its place. Perhaps I can move it to the side yard. I'm struggling with just knocking it down. Anyway, I plan on having some before and after pictures. Hopefully after three years of growing, I'll have developed a bit of a yard.
Beyond picking up Pablo, I'm looking forward to meeting the gardener on Tuesday. I was able to buy some supplies this weekend, but I'd like to see the yard get into some sort of shape. I have three different pink or white impatients in the yard, and they will go nicely into a pot instead of in their current random place. I'm abandoning the peanuts, though for a moment I contemplated that if I also got a banana tree, I've got all the makings for a peanut butter and banana sandwich. I also have random palms and lilies just sitting around the yard in strange places, so those need to be organized a little better, and then finally (gulp) I think I'm ditching a tree.
The tree doesn't bear any fruit, and since there are papaya, mango, and banana trees, I think I'd prefer getting one of them in its place. Perhaps I can move it to the side yard. I'm struggling with just knocking it down. Anyway, I plan on having some before and after pictures. Hopefully after three years of growing, I'll have developed a bit of a yard.
Traffic in Luanda
Generally, beyond being a tourist or visitor, I'm interested in two topics in international communities - traffic and how waste is handled. I'll leave waste for another post. Ever since I was in Bali where the motorcycles carried families of six and buzzed around town like a with the chaotic rhythm of a provoked beehive, I've watched patterns of traffic and what the motorists' code is in any one city. Aggressive in some, courteous in others, and Paul might tell you "non-existent" in Houston. In Luanda, when there is traffic, there is a bit of a dance.
First, there aren't really many traffic lights. At major cross-roads, there are actually center boulevard-like blocks barriers. So the way to cross at a major cross road is to turn right, flip a u-turn (G-rated audience) at any one of the openings in the road (that are not at a cross road, and are intended for just that - U-Turns), and come back the other way, and take a right. It's ALMOST like that game that you played as a kid, where you were only allowed to turn your right.
So often there are three lanes of traffic either continuing on down the road, or merging to the left couple of lanes only to turn into traffic coming the other way. And you might wonder why it takes over 1.5 hours to get home? Drivers (motoristas) are very courteous. We let a few people in, then others let us in. Give someone a kind gesture that you're trying to get over two or three lanes, and they let you go (none of the angry "I'm not letting you in because this is MY space" that I've seen in so many places in the US and Canada).
The blue busses - nothing more than a Toyota Previa, or VW Westfalia-sized passenger van painted aqua blue and white carry up to 15 people at a time (not counting babies on laps). Generally the passage of these vans in traffic is facilitated by the passengers themselves. They will signal to other drivers to let them go, and once the sea of traffic has parted for them, a thumbs up meaning "fixe" (pronounced feesh), which means "cool."
However, this is all happening when traffic is moving a glacial speeds. When we actually have some room to go 60 km per hour or more, there is always someone who snuggles up to your bumper. I think because the city is so constrained with moving slowly most of the time, that when the opportunity exists to be free - motoristas take it.
Unfortunately, perhaps akin to an 18 year old drinking for the first time in college, not having had much opportunity to gradually experience driving fast leads to situations that get out of control. Thus far I've seen what could easily be two fatalities, both times, it has been in low congestion times, when speeding is more prominent, and on both occasions the outcome involved a single car and a telephone pole or lamp post. I took some pictures of the first so you can see what I mean.
I'm grateful that we have drivers, since it alleviates both Paul and my stress levels driving home in this traffic, and since we aren't used to it at all, we would probably have a tough time navigating it anyway. Regardless of where you are, please be diligent and courteous in your driving. The courtesy I see amongst Luandans on the road during congested times is role-model behaviour, but accidents like those I've seen can remind all of us that slowing down a little isn't a bad idea.
Ciao!!
First, there aren't really many traffic lights. At major cross-roads, there are actually center boulevard-like blocks barriers. So the way to cross at a major cross road is to turn right, flip a u-turn (G-rated audience) at any one of the openings in the road (that are not at a cross road, and are intended for just that - U-Turns), and come back the other way, and take a right. It's ALMOST like that game that you played as a kid, where you were only allowed to turn your right.
So often there are three lanes of traffic either continuing on down the road, or merging to the left couple of lanes only to turn into traffic coming the other way. And you might wonder why it takes over 1.5 hours to get home? Drivers (motoristas) are very courteous. We let a few people in, then others let us in. Give someone a kind gesture that you're trying to get over two or three lanes, and they let you go (none of the angry "I'm not letting you in because this is MY space" that I've seen in so many places in the US and Canada).
The blue busses - nothing more than a Toyota Previa, or VW Westfalia-sized passenger van painted aqua blue and white carry up to 15 people at a time (not counting babies on laps). Generally the passage of these vans in traffic is facilitated by the passengers themselves. They will signal to other drivers to let them go, and once the sea of traffic has parted for them, a thumbs up meaning "fixe" (pronounced feesh), which means "cool."
However, this is all happening when traffic is moving a glacial speeds. When we actually have some room to go 60 km per hour or more, there is always someone who snuggles up to your bumper. I think because the city is so constrained with moving slowly most of the time, that when the opportunity exists to be free - motoristas take it.
Unfortunately, perhaps akin to an 18 year old drinking for the first time in college, not having had much opportunity to gradually experience driving fast leads to situations that get out of control. Thus far I've seen what could easily be two fatalities, both times, it has been in low congestion times, when speeding is more prominent, and on both occasions the outcome involved a single car and a telephone pole or lamp post. I took some pictures of the first so you can see what I mean.
I'm grateful that we have drivers, since it alleviates both Paul and my stress levels driving home in this traffic, and since we aren't used to it at all, we would probably have a tough time navigating it anyway. Regardless of where you are, please be diligent and courteous in your driving. The courtesy I see amongst Luandans on the road during congested times is role-model behaviour, but accidents like those I've seen can remind all of us that slowing down a little isn't a bad idea.
Ciao!!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Email Log On - Update on First Week
Hi All,
Paul and I want to start securing up the blog a little, so if you are interested in continuing to read it, please send us your email that you want to log on with to littlefieldsabroad@gmail.com so that we can add you to our list. IT DOES NOT NEED TO BE A GMAIL.... (though Google likes to think it does.)
Along with that, I can share a bit more of an update of my week.
I've been catching either the 5:00 or the 5:15 bus for work, that gets me there around 6:00-6:30, and I've been in meetings most of this past week, so I'm leaving the office around 5:00 - 6:00 in the evening. On Friday, I spent the morning at home with our Empregada, Veronica. She and I walked through the house and I tried to explain to her the items that would be washed vs. not (Dry Clean Only - we had a little shrinking incident - no problem...). As well as some other requests.... including cooking a bit.
She says she doesn't cook North American/Western Food, but I DID ask her to help with preparing some items. At around 11:00, I left for the office, got there at noon, and left again for the evening at 6:15. This got me home at exactly 8:00 pm. Yes, 1:45 in the car, for what is normally a 20 minute commute without traffic. At one point, we only moved 50 meters in a half hour. This makes for good conversation in Portuguese with Emiquilson (pronounced emi-KEEL-son) though!
When I came home, I was re-energized by a pleasant surprise - success! I had several litre bottles of iced tea made in the fridge (just like Starbucks!), noodles cooked, onions and zuchini chopped, and everything was neat and tidy. It worked! Veronica is AAAAAWESOME! So now, I just have to throw ingredients into a pan, and voila! (or I should say ohla! - pronounced OY-ya)... Dinner.
On Saturday I cooked multiple meals to freeze, and I also ran errands all morning. I went to the hardware store and picked up a machete and shovel for the gardiner (my first machete purchase!), and I also went to set up the cable, etc. I'm pretty happy that so far, my Portuguese is letting me get by in doing all of this. Emiquilson has been coming with me, and the plan is generally that I explain in the car what I need, and then if I get stuck while we're in the store, he can quickly explain better.
This morning, I played my first bit of tennis with another Catherine. I'm just starting to get my game back a bit, and she is a medium novice. She's really fun to play with, and we're both at about the same level.
Emiquilson also is helping me to hire a gardiner. We are going to arrange for him to come by on Tuesday when Paul arrives (YAY! YAY! YAY! Pablo is on his way). He drove by another house in the neighborhood and said that the gardiner he wants me to hire also does this house. The yard was looking just beautiful, so I'm quite excited to hear that!
I've finally picked up some cards for our iPads so that we have some access to the internet while I wait for the cable company to install high speed at our house - this will allow for a bit more photo action.
Photo postings to come. I know I still owe everyone a picture of the car accident I saw. I'm grateful that both of our drivers are very safe, drive responsibly, and know their way around town. Yay!
Ciao!
K.C.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Garden Exploration and Shopping
I found peanuts and a nice basil bush in the back yard! I tried to roast them.. Soaked them in salt water and the popped them in the oven... Meh. But it was fun trying!!
Also, I went to Kero to shop... Basically a Canadian Superstore in the burbs. I bought two trouts and when I brought them home, I realized that I had to clean them both... Something new for me...as of late at least. I poached them with lemon, garlic, and salt and pepper. And it worked out great!
Anyway, the phone wasn't calling out the last few days, and I don't have Internet yet,but when I do, I'll have to catch up.
SAFETY MOMENT... Why I'm glad I have a driver who is awesome....
Also, I went to Kero to shop... Basically a Canadian Superstore in the burbs. I bought two trouts and when I brought them home, I realized that I had to clean them both... Something new for me...as of late at least. I poached them with lemon, garlic, and salt and pepper. And it worked out great!
Anyway, the phone wasn't calling out the last few days, and I don't have Internet yet,but when I do, I'll have to catch up.
SAFETY MOMENT... Why I'm glad I have a driver who is awesome....
Gratitude
I was sitting on the plane reflecting on the last few months of preparation. And now it's all finally here! We are off to Angola to spend three years in another world learning, doing, and experiencing. And I'm thinking to myself, "boy, we sure nailed the shipment, and we brought a lot of great stuff with us, and I really think we are set up for success for our three years..."
And then my mind shifted to all the wonderful help we have received.
First, thanks to the Calders for their seemingly limitless hospitality; Norm and Carol Ann have been nothing but helpful and supportive in our move. Carol Ann serves as a role model in shopping preparations, and Norm has been the host with the most - he is also my assigned "buddy," who will be helping me get into the house, and to get prepared (shopping at Kero, getting settled, etc.)
Next, to the other expats in our community, who, through multiple engagements, have always offered their favorite tip and trick. We already sense a real culture of community, and it's quite nice to have.
Also to the Littlefields -Larry and Isabel have been amazing, We had a small shin-dig over the past weekend, and both Larry and Isabel were preparing days in advance, and the party went off in true Littlefield style - a ton of food, great people, and loads of fun.
Next to my mom - for being so supportive of this adventure. She has been encouraging both my sister and me to go out and live life and see the world, and "don't worry about ME!!" I'll still worry, but I am so grateful to have a mom who believes we should follow our dreams and chase success. Thank you!!
Finally to all our family and friends. Thanks for asking questions, caring about us, wishing us well, and experiencing this adventure along with us. We love you all, and we hope that you keep us up to date on your lives, and reach out to us, as more questions, and stay connected.
Work hard, love life, and be kind!
KC
And then my mind shifted to all the wonderful help we have received.
First, thanks to the Calders for their seemingly limitless hospitality; Norm and Carol Ann have been nothing but helpful and supportive in our move. Carol Ann serves as a role model in shopping preparations, and Norm has been the host with the most - he is also my assigned "buddy," who will be helping me get into the house, and to get prepared (shopping at Kero, getting settled, etc.)
Next, to the other expats in our community, who, through multiple engagements, have always offered their favorite tip and trick. We already sense a real culture of community, and it's quite nice to have.
Also to the Littlefields -Larry and Isabel have been amazing, We had a small shin-dig over the past weekend, and both Larry and Isabel were preparing days in advance, and the party went off in true Littlefield style - a ton of food, great people, and loads of fun.
Next to my mom - for being so supportive of this adventure. She has been encouraging both my sister and me to go out and live life and see the world, and "don't worry about ME!!" I'll still worry, but I am so grateful to have a mom who believes we should follow our dreams and chase success. Thank you!!
Finally to all our family and friends. Thanks for asking questions, caring about us, wishing us well, and experiencing this adventure along with us. We love you all, and we hope that you keep us up to date on your lives, and reach out to us, as more questions, and stay connected.
Work hard, love life, and be kind!
KC
Friday, April 19, 2013
Luanda Bound!!
Paul and I spent the afternoon running around and getting errands done yesterday, as well as finalizing our packing. I leave this morning, and Pablo will follow me in about a week.
We agreed that I would take the big load, since I've been there a few more times than he has, and since the Sterilite boxes (see picture below) go to a different arrival area than suitcases. So he is the Suitcase Man, and I am the Sterilite Lady.
I ended up with my own bus to the airport, and with loads of help from the purser and the check in lady, I have successfully checked in 22 boxes (including the coolers (2), and the golf clubs). I'm also bringing some art pieces and the raised gardening bed kit.
Yvonne, from Atlas Air, the charter that operates the Sonangol flight to Luanda (the Houston Express or... HEX) was a dream when checking me in. She got through the whole process with ease, with me taking a bio break half way through (it was about 30 minutes of process), and even gave me an upgraded lounge pass to first class. She and I have had a few engagements on previous flight occasions - I've taken another's luggage and I've lost my ipad, and Yvonne is always my hero and comes to save the day.
Anyway, I've got help on the other end - Josh, who is my incumbent, is back in Luanda for the week, and he has kindly answered my pleading request for help with loading back up. Paul will be purchasing him a bottle of scotch upon his return. :-) Josh aptly noted the strategic-thinking husband. (He only has 10 bags or so).
Well, I'm going to get ready to catch the plane. Will start the real posts on the other side of the Atlantic soon! Love to all!!
We agreed that I would take the big load, since I've been there a few more times than he has, and since the Sterilite boxes (see picture below) go to a different arrival area than suitcases. So he is the Suitcase Man, and I am the Sterilite Lady.
Yvonne, from Atlas Air, the charter that operates the Sonangol flight to Luanda (the Houston Express or... HEX) was a dream when checking me in. She got through the whole process with ease, with me taking a bio break half way through (it was about 30 minutes of process), and even gave me an upgraded lounge pass to first class. She and I have had a few engagements on previous flight occasions - I've taken another's luggage and I've lost my ipad, and Yvonne is always my hero and comes to save the day.
Anyway, I've got help on the other end - Josh, who is my incumbent, is back in Luanda for the week, and he has kindly answered my pleading request for help with loading back up. Paul will be purchasing him a bottle of scotch upon his return. :-) Josh aptly noted the strategic-thinking husband. (He only has 10 bags or so).
Well, I'm going to get ready to catch the plane. Will start the real posts on the other side of the Atlantic soon! Love to all!!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Golfing in Luanda
Update: no carpets were carried around - that was somewhere else - see below for how wood and iron shots were taken in the early years.
Golf in Luanda has been evolving recently.
When we talked with Larry (who was an early Gulf employee in Angola - and met Paul's mom there) about the golf he was surprised with its development. He mentioned the course that the rotators* used to play up in Malongo (our operational camp in the enclave of Cabinda), and how they would bring a three rubber tees on a key chain to the "course" to play a pitch and putt made of dirt, sand, and oiled-down greens. The tees were used on all iron and wood shots, as the course itself was not receptive to direct surface contact.Things have changed just a little.....
Here is a map of Angola - Cabinda is nestled near the mouth of the Congo River, and is sandwiched between Congo and DRC.
Down in Luanda there was an original course just south of the suburb of Benfica; it is still there, but now it serves as a casual camp spot and mountain bike track - which we plan on testing out! Its landscape is full of hills and dales, and I'm sure there are some coastal views, as the road it borders is the main road down to the coast.
Here is a shot of the coast:
But now there is the new course near the Cuanza river - Mangais. This course is right out of Florida, with a little Costa Rican hillside added in. It is gorgeous, and because there isn't a HUGE population of golfers, it's also pretty pristine. My goal is to mountain bike down the coastal road to the course (with our driver following closely behind with flashers -very Tour de France), play 18, and then have our driver take us back. When I do this, I'll be sure to take pictures! In the mean time, here is a picture of the course and the resident crocodile - we only saw his tracks in the sand traps... eek!
I was lucky enough to play the course back in November when visiting - the BMW Amateur Invitational was on, and I think they were actively seeking female players. So a co-worker and I joined in. We were half the womens' pool of players, and we ended up second and third. Free umbrella! I'm going to train up for the next tourney - since it looks like from the course's FB page that there are loads of activities going on. https://www.facebook.com/mangaisgolf
Now mind you - patience is everything during these rounds - you are generally expected to hire a caddy - who is from a local village, and they vary in their understanding of the game of golf. My caddy handed me my driver on a par 3 - 155 yard hole. I'm hoping to build up and teach a caddy to be super value add, and well sought after for his benefit and mine!
Also, the holes are long, and it is HOT, and we walked. Which is great exercise, but a ton of sun exposure - I should have cued in when the Angolan member of our foursome re-applied SPF 50 four or five times during the round. Needless to say - I learned my fair-skinned lesson. In any case, a round takes some time, so the plan is an all-day thing.
Here are the lady competitors - great fun - no two people spoke more than one common language: I spoke French and English and a tiny bit of Portuguese, the woman from Angola spoke French, Portuguese, and a little Italian (which we found out on the 15th hole!), Maria speaks English, a little Italian, and some French, and our Portuguese team mate only spoke Portuguese. This also slowed up our round a bit - "you're away" or "ready golf" didn't translate very well! But we all enjoyed each others' company!
In summary, a great day, and many more fun times to come at Mangais!
*The rotators run a 28/28 schedule of work on and off. So effectively, they are off for four weeks, but when they are on, it's long days for 6.5 days per week. I can imagine being single, or having a spouse that is also on this tour, since you would then have 4 weeks to see the world 6 times a year. But for now, we're happy to be residents.
Golf in Luanda has been evolving recently.
When we talked with Larry (who was an early Gulf employee in Angola - and met Paul's mom there) about the golf he was surprised with its development. He mentioned the course that the rotators* used to play up in Malongo (our operational camp in the enclave of Cabinda), and how they would bring a three rubber tees on a key chain to the "course" to play a pitch and putt made of dirt, sand, and oiled-down greens. The tees were used on all iron and wood shots, as the course itself was not receptive to direct surface contact.Things have changed just a little.....
Here is a map of Angola - Cabinda is nestled near the mouth of the Congo River, and is sandwiched between Congo and DRC.
Down in Luanda there was an original course just south of the suburb of Benfica; it is still there, but now it serves as a casual camp spot and mountain bike track - which we plan on testing out! Its landscape is full of hills and dales, and I'm sure there are some coastal views, as the road it borders is the main road down to the coast.
Here is a shot of the coast:
But now there is the new course near the Cuanza river - Mangais. This course is right out of Florida, with a little Costa Rican hillside added in. It is gorgeous, and because there isn't a HUGE population of golfers, it's also pretty pristine. My goal is to mountain bike down the coastal road to the course (with our driver following closely behind with flashers -very Tour de France), play 18, and then have our driver take us back. When I do this, I'll be sure to take pictures! In the mean time, here is a picture of the course and the resident crocodile - we only saw his tracks in the sand traps... eek!
I was lucky enough to play the course back in November when visiting - the BMW Amateur Invitational was on, and I think they were actively seeking female players. So a co-worker and I joined in. We were half the womens' pool of players, and we ended up second and third. Free umbrella! I'm going to train up for the next tourney - since it looks like from the course's FB page that there are loads of activities going on. https://www.facebook.com/mangaisgolf
Now mind you - patience is everything during these rounds - you are generally expected to hire a caddy - who is from a local village, and they vary in their understanding of the game of golf. My caddy handed me my driver on a par 3 - 155 yard hole. I'm hoping to build up and teach a caddy to be super value add, and well sought after for his benefit and mine!
Also, the holes are long, and it is HOT, and we walked. Which is great exercise, but a ton of sun exposure - I should have cued in when the Angolan member of our foursome re-applied SPF 50 four or five times during the round. Needless to say - I learned my fair-skinned lesson. In any case, a round takes some time, so the plan is an all-day thing.
Here are the lady competitors - great fun - no two people spoke more than one common language: I spoke French and English and a tiny bit of Portuguese, the woman from Angola spoke French, Portuguese, and a little Italian (which we found out on the 15th hole!), Maria speaks English, a little Italian, and some French, and our Portuguese team mate only spoke Portuguese. This also slowed up our round a bit - "you're away" or "ready golf" didn't translate very well! But we all enjoyed each others' company!
In summary, a great day, and many more fun times to come at Mangais!
*The rotators run a 28/28 schedule of work on and off. So effectively, they are off for four weeks, but when they are on, it's long days for 6.5 days per week. I can imagine being single, or having a spouse that is also on this tour, since you would then have 4 weeks to see the world 6 times a year. But for now, we're happy to be residents.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Packers are here!! Round 1 of the Packing Awards
We have spent the day with five packers preparing to ship our goods to Luanda, and put the rest of the stuff in storage.
Most remarkable pack job: the recliners. These were packed by Mike, one of our awesome packers, with such precision that Paul and I both felt like we could sit in the chairs after the cardboard was meticulously carved and origami folded around them.
Squeeziest pack job: I tried my best to put our curtain rods into the golf club cases in order to have some window coverings upon arrival. It was certainly a challenge to get them in and get the sleek carrying case closed, but we've managed... We are just hoping that TSA doesn't express interest, since they are going to have a tough time closing up my case if they so choose to open it!
Best Taco for Lunch: Paul picked up a bunch of tacos and guacamole from Tacos a GoGo for lunch or the team and me. The three types were pulled beef, fajita chicken, and al Pastor. It's cool when the people packing, who are from Mexico ask where you get your tacos... It's cooler when they are all digging the al Pastor enough to run out of them, and remark multiple times on its yumminess. Yay Tacos a GoGo!!
Most Creative use of the Vacuum Sealer: this is a bit of a toss up... It was between the use of it to pack up all the sunscreen and bug spray in little bricks, or the spices... Ironically, the crushed red pepper was in a plastic bottle, and, well, got crushed!
Lamest packing sacrifice: I'm not really a super purse kind of girl, but I have amassed a novice collection... Of that, I'm leaving a whole 3 bags behind. And bringing mmmm.. 7 or so.
Day two starts soon.. We are shacked up at the Hotel Zaza, and we are happy to NOT be surrounded by boxes...
Tomorrow, we are going to take some time to enjoy a little breakfast. We shared a power bar this morning, and given all the run around, a couple eggs and a little bacon seems appropriate.
More awards to come tomorrow... Who knows what that will be!
BTW, we have a max of 6500 lbs of shipping.... A reminder of our living room full of "stuff" is here:
http://littlefieldsbigadventures.blogspot.com/2013/04/packing-and-meat-packing_8.html
We are certainly cutting it close - big items left are a mattress, the entertainment center, the BIG Green Egg (yes, we are!), and some shelving... Hoping we can also bring the raised garden bed frames, but if I have to, I will haul it on my person with the 12 footlockers, 4 suitcases, and golf cases that I plan on lugging. Oh, and some art... That's still being determined....
Most remarkable pack job: the recliners. These were packed by Mike, one of our awesome packers, with such precision that Paul and I both felt like we could sit in the chairs after the cardboard was meticulously carved and origami folded around them.
Squeeziest pack job: I tried my best to put our curtain rods into the golf club cases in order to have some window coverings upon arrival. It was certainly a challenge to get them in and get the sleek carrying case closed, but we've managed... We are just hoping that TSA doesn't express interest, since they are going to have a tough time closing up my case if they so choose to open it!
Best Taco for Lunch: Paul picked up a bunch of tacos and guacamole from Tacos a GoGo for lunch or the team and me. The three types were pulled beef, fajita chicken, and al Pastor. It's cool when the people packing, who are from Mexico ask where you get your tacos... It's cooler when they are all digging the al Pastor enough to run out of them, and remark multiple times on its yumminess. Yay Tacos a GoGo!!
Most Creative use of the Vacuum Sealer: this is a bit of a toss up... It was between the use of it to pack up all the sunscreen and bug spray in little bricks, or the spices... Ironically, the crushed red pepper was in a plastic bottle, and, well, got crushed!
Lamest packing sacrifice: I'm not really a super purse kind of girl, but I have amassed a novice collection... Of that, I'm leaving a whole 3 bags behind. And bringing mmmm.. 7 or so.
Day two starts soon.. We are shacked up at the Hotel Zaza, and we are happy to NOT be surrounded by boxes...
Tomorrow, we are going to take some time to enjoy a little breakfast. We shared a power bar this morning, and given all the run around, a couple eggs and a little bacon seems appropriate.
More awards to come tomorrow... Who knows what that will be!
BTW, we have a max of 6500 lbs of shipping.... A reminder of our living room full of "stuff" is here:
http://littlefieldsbigadventures.blogspot.com/2013/04/packing-and-meat-packing_8.html
We are certainly cutting it close - big items left are a mattress, the entertainment center, the BIG Green Egg (yes, we are!), and some shelving... Hoping we can also bring the raised garden bed frames, but if I have to, I will haul it on my person with the 12 footlockers, 4 suitcases, and golf cases that I plan on lugging. Oh, and some art... That's still being determined....
Monday, April 8, 2013
Getting Going - Early Preparations and PAV
When we first heard that we were going to Angola, it was September, and we've effectively been preparing in many ways ever since.
We started by heading down to the police station to get our criminal records run, and we also worked on getting copies of our diplomas. All this was submitted to the translating agent in Washington DC to then be authenticated by the Secretary of State. (Our diplomas and criminal records are translated into Portuguese, and made official by the "stamp" of Hillary Clinton's signature).
We also take a physical and then gather all this info to be sent off to the Ministry of Petroleum to be approved in conjunction with the job. BUT before we can accept the job in full, we are expected to visit our residence on a Pre-Assignment Visit (PAV).
This is a whirlwind of a trip. We arrive in the morning after getting some shut-eye on the Houston Express - a direct flight from Houston to Luanda, and we hit the ground running. We end up going to lunches with current expats, dinners, meeting the teams we will be working with, meeting the leadership team, visiting the housing that we will be staying in (if you have kiddos of school age, you visit the school), and seeing the clinic to understand what's available for medical support.
This is a great way for people to gut check whether they are up for the assignment and put at ease any unknowns that they might have. All that said, it's also a way for the business unit to make sure they think you're a fit. (there have been some horror stories in the expat community of PAVs leading to arrest, or other such wonders - like forgetting that you are entering another country, and acting like a general ass.)
Needless to say, we had our own adventure, which led to an extended experience learning more about the clinical system than we had expected. I'll post about that and link it in (that will be my technical challenge, and feat for the week!)
Below are some pictures of our community in Luanda Sul. We are living in a nice complex; all the houses are the same, so it's a bonus to understand ahead of time what to pack, what to measure, etc. And loads of people have done it before, so there is plenty of good advice!
We started by heading down to the police station to get our criminal records run, and we also worked on getting copies of our diplomas. All this was submitted to the translating agent in Washington DC to then be authenticated by the Secretary of State. (Our diplomas and criminal records are translated into Portuguese, and made official by the "stamp" of Hillary Clinton's signature).
We also take a physical and then gather all this info to be sent off to the Ministry of Petroleum to be approved in conjunction with the job. BUT before we can accept the job in full, we are expected to visit our residence on a Pre-Assignment Visit (PAV).
This is a whirlwind of a trip. We arrive in the morning after getting some shut-eye on the Houston Express - a direct flight from Houston to Luanda, and we hit the ground running. We end up going to lunches with current expats, dinners, meeting the teams we will be working with, meeting the leadership team, visiting the housing that we will be staying in (if you have kiddos of school age, you visit the school), and seeing the clinic to understand what's available for medical support.
This is a great way for people to gut check whether they are up for the assignment and put at ease any unknowns that they might have. All that said, it's also a way for the business unit to make sure they think you're a fit. (there have been some horror stories in the expat community of PAVs leading to arrest, or other such wonders - like forgetting that you are entering another country, and acting like a general ass.)
Needless to say, we had our own adventure, which led to an extended experience learning more about the clinical system than we had expected. I'll post about that and link it in (that will be my technical challenge, and feat for the week!)
Below are some pictures of our community in Luanda Sul. We are living in a nice complex; all the houses are the same, so it's a bonus to understand ahead of time what to pack, what to measure, etc. And loads of people have done it before, so there is plenty of good advice!
Meat Packing Update
A few more pictures from tonight's butcher block extravaganza... we had a lovely dinner at PREGO with the Adams' and then we came home to load more artistically-cut beef-bod into plastic bags. Ah... the good life... ;-) BTW, I had fish for dinner.
PS: I promise that I won't continue down this path, but this is a good way to see "what do I eat in a year?" Certainly, this is a good cholesterol/consumption barometer... luckily we plan to share with friends!
KC
Packing and Meat Packing
We have really ramped up the packing over the course of the last month - this is a picture of our dining room and of Pablo sealing up some individual portions of ribeye. One of several cuts of meat that we purchased at Costco yesterday.... (The butcher nearly fell over when I asked for 50 filet mignons - but it resulted in a serious volume discount of about 25%!)
As you can see, we also left Costco with a Food Saver... Gem of a product! We plan to use it to keep all sorts of stuff bug free in Luanda.
I'll detail the packing later, but for now it's safe to say we're prepping at full speed.
As you can see, we also left Costco with a Food Saver... Gem of a product! We plan to use it to keep all sorts of stuff bug free in Luanda.
I'll detail the packing later, but for now it's safe to say we're prepping at full speed.
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