This morning at 6:30 my phone rang and it was Fernando Mussane, the general manager of our Egg Co-op here in Mozambique, and he told me that I needed to be at the Maputo port at 7:30 so that we could pay for our container of mixed nuts that came in a few days back. So I rolled out of bed and got 280,000 Meticais cash ($10,000 USD) which weighed my backpack down quite a bit. When we got to the port we waited there for about 3 hours while our paperwork was stamped, and stamped again, and stamped again. In fact, when we got to the port the customs officers said "We will treat your business in 30 minutes...." (even though Customs was to already have opened), "...we are eating breakfast now and it is the end of the week so give us a break." I didn't even care, I do not even mind that kind of thing anymore, I've since learned that if I make a scene then I am worse off anyhow. So Fernando, Filipe, and I waited outside chatting.
Eventually the container was permitted to leave the port, so we led the truck driver to our warehouse (which is the same place as our offices), which is in Marracuene. When we got to Marracuene, we were a bit worried as to if the truck would make it into our offices because the roads are all dirt and very loose sand out there. We took the truck driver down what we thought was the best route for about a kilometer, and eventually the truck driver stopped in a rage because he had gotten stuck. He backed up for a kilometer back to the main road and refused to enter. I needed a 7 ton truck fast to unload our 13 ton container. So we had to take a 1/2 k trip down the main asphalt road near our warehouse, just then as I was riding at 80 kph see an old man sitting in an even older 1940's rehabilitated German 7 ton pickup bed that looked to be nothing but rust and bawled tires, so I stuck my head out of the driver's window shouted to him: "Is that truck for rent?!" surprisingly he heard me and gave me a thumbs up as I passed him and I motioned him to start following us. I thought that he probably wouldn't come but sure enough the 1940's German made 7 ton rolled in at a steady 5 mph ready to help. We agreed on a 1200 meticais price for his service of renting the car and carrying the 13 tons to the warehouse.
The next hours were spent unloading 13 tons of cashews, brasil nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios etc. As myself and our workers were unloading the container 4 Mozambican men who had been working at a local construction site came up to me and said to me "Boss, we are asking for an odd job please." and they looked all humble with their eyes all glassed over like a sad puppy. I asked them why they thought I was the boss, and they said "cause you're white." we all got a good laugh and I told them I wasn't the boss and they didn't buy that, so eventually I realized that we wouldn't be able to unload 13 tons of nuts on our own, so I discussed pricing and terms with them and we made a deal. after they had worked for hours at the end they all got mad at me and said that they deserved more, and then they lied for personal gain and said that I made them do things that weren't part of the deal. They wanted to take advantage of me, I explained to them that I do not mind hearing from them that they feel like compensation was not sufficient for the amount of work done, however to lie about the terms is quite another. Since setting our initial terms I had already doubled the price and refused to pay a dime more. They understood. Then I gave them 50 meticais to all go have a soda on me for the good work. This happens to me often when I ask have a service done. White person = $.
So then I go to pay the driver of the truck, I thank him for his time and hand him the 1200 Meticais that we had agreed upon, and he tries to tell me that he said 1200 meticais per load and not for the 13 tons. I had 3 witnesses that heard contrary so we fryed him. It is just amazing how this people sees an opportunity to take advantage of someone and they do it. I laughed when I recently read the 2009 Department of the State report on Mozambique (source) where it stated shortly after an accidental explosion of an "after the massive accidental bomb explosion 14k outside of Maputo, armed soldiers were sent out to protect the homes that had been destroyed and bombed from looters". Two days ago I went to the 2nd biggest hospital in Maputo and handed out blankets to women with babies, it was hilarious, I'd say 1/3 women would try to steal 2 blankets very well knowing that I told them "one per person please so everyone can have one". Stealing a blanket from someone who is offering you it as a gift!
Anyway, I felt like a bean counter when we were putting all of the product in the warehouse. I had to constantly yell at this Mozambican to do this and tell another one to do this and count all of the sacks to make sure that none had "disappeared". I used to think that muslims in stores in downtown Maputo were a little grouchy, now I realize that they were just very stressed trying to control their stock from "disappearing" into thin are and trying to make use of their biggest risk of Mozambican human capital. There is a small hardware store in Beira that absolutely closes when its boss is not present. The boss sees every piece that comes in and out of that store and that place is watched like a hawk. It is probably a lost cause writing about this because most who may ever read this can not relate, there are many things that are conversations that I could never have, but are true. Maybe some day I will be able to speak about these things more freely.
The crop project has come to a hualt, we are at a cross roads and now need to re-evaluate due to bungayne and cesogar.
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