My journey would first lead me to family in Zimbabwe and then onto ambique to visit other relatives. It was a bittersweet feeling arriving at the airport in Harare. Sweet to finally see my dear sister and my nieces, but bitter as I came to the realisation that this time round, I wouldn't have the privilege of greeting my late mother with a great big hug. Still, just being able to see the big smiles on my relatives' faces made me so happy to be home.
As I chatted to family and friends, I realised that not a lot had changed since I had last been in Harare. Daily transactions are still carried out using the American (US) dollar, as the local currency is still not back in use. Life is tough for many. Unemployment is high and people are trying to survive on as little as $400 a month (if not less). Corruption is prevalent. Some civil servants earn such a low income that many even rely on bribes to be able to obtain some extra cash - unacceptable but true.
People struggle to feed their families let alone put their children in school. There are numerous power cuts, and some areas don't even receive running water. Moreover, the government's indigenisation policy appears to have repelled foreign investors. There's a great divide between the rich and the poor.
Although life is tough for many residents, I must say I admire the positive and hopeful attitude of so many Zimbabweans. They don't give up but instead plough through their hardships. From the lady that tries to make a living by selling vegetables on the side of the street, to the man that uses the boot of his car as a shop for his goods. To even the single mother who can't afford to send her children to school, but makes the best effort to home school her children. I admire the poor elderly man that makes his business dream a reality by starting up a new company despite his age.
Zimbabwe still remains a beautiful country. It will probably take years for the country to recover from its economic instability, but I believe there is still hope for a better future. A future where even the local communities will not be exploited but will actually benefit from the resources they own.
When the time came to say goodbye to my sister and family, I only wished I could have stayed much longer. But I had to move on to my next destination - Maputo, ambique.
Maputo
It had been more than 6 years since I had last stepped foot in my city of birth, Maputo. As we drove home from the airport in my uncle's car, I recognised a city monument that brought back such pleasant memories of my childhood. I couldn't help but wonder if my life would have been any different if my parents had instead decided to stay in Maputo.
It was wonderful to see my brother and extended family again. I visited markets and made it a point to eat almost all the ambican foods I had so missed. I also had the privilege of attending my grandmother's 90th birthday party. We ate, laughed, danced and truly enjoyed the time we had together.
After being absent for so many years, I was quite eager to see if there were any changes in the city. Driving through the streets of Maputo, evidence of a communist past is still present in streets named after Karl Marx, Mao Tse Tung and Vladimir Lenin. Corruption is still prevalent. It was disappointing to see that the infrastructure of the city hadn't changed so much.
The quality of the roads is still quite poor and rubbish lies everywhere in the city. Life in ambique however, appears to be a lot better than it was in my childhood.
Contrary to its neighbour Zimbabwe, it was very evident that ambique is flourishing. Tourism and other business activities have gained a much greater momentum. The coal, oil and gas fields have foreign investors flocking to ambique to try and get a piece of the pie. Whether the local communities are benefiting from this is questionable.
It's interesting that a country so rich in resources is still considered to be one of the poorest countries in the world. There is still a lot of room for improvement.
Despite the many challenges faced in the countries that I visited, I still see so much potential. One step at a time and I believe a change for the better will come. I am glad I had the opportunity to visit my family and I cherish even the smallest moments I spent with them, like being able to share a meal together or playing with my nieces. I'm already looking forward to my next trip.
Kandima Awendila was born in ambique and lives and works as an IT Service Desk Engineer on the Gold Coast.
Kandima Awendila's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/kandima-awendila.html