MOZAMBIQUE AND ITS PARTICULARITIES: EXPERIENCES AND VIEWS

Abstract

The text in question addresses the third mission of studies, research, exchange and mobility of the Project “Social practices and knowledge of women and men and the production of rural territory in the Marracuene District, in Mozambique: viability of productive alternatives in the world of sustainability”. Mission in which both authors of this article participated as PhD students in Geography, and were on their first trip to the African continent. The text reports, from the perspective of the authors, a look at what they resemble or approach us, even if presented in a timid way, or superficially interpreted. However, we seek to highlight Mozambique and its particularities, using our experience and our views in the time of coexistence and learning that we were there. Among the main similarities, possibly the first to stand out, is the fact that we have Portuguese as the official language, and that although we speak the same language, sometimes we did not speak the same “language”. The linguistic differences became evident and on several occasions, we needed some "translation". In addition, most people at least speak at least one other language and / or dialect, so or more spoken, so that when walking through the streets of Maputo, it did not even seem like we were in a Portuguese-speaking country. Despite some setbacks caused by linguistic and cultural differences, the receptivity of the Mozambican people has always been a differential. Among so many points that enriched our experience covered in the text, we also highlight that we were housed in one of the buildings of the student housing at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM), which deepened our immersion.