The Marketplace

Ahh the marketplace… rows of wooden stands all built right against each other going from the main road back until a line of trees and houses. To think such a paradise of inexpensive, quality fruits, veggies, and fish is but just a 3 minute walk from my house. Yet another reason to thank God daily. :)

As I mention in another blog, the market is just about a daily stop for me. Yes, I have to buy whatever ingredients I need any given day to make dinner, but I also go there specifically to enjoy some of the people that I have gotten to know over the past few months. There are the same shoppers who walk around the market when I do, the same kids playing while their parents work, and then of course there are the venders that work the stands themselves.

One of my favorite stands to visit is that of my friend Angelica. She’s a bit older, probably enough to be my grandma, and boy does she act like one towards me. I met her a few months ago when she called me over, recognizing me from my greeting the congregation in Church a few Sundays before. We got to chatting and next thing I know, I’m at her stand everyday and being spoiled rotten every time. It’s like she said one day to me right before I walked off, “Don’t be afraid to take bacelas. Your family is not here so you need other people to be your family here in Mozambique.” She smiled and as usual gave me a few free goodies in my satchel.

A bacela, for the non- Portuguese speaker or Mozambican, is at it sounds… a free item. And thankfully it’s not solely given away at the market near my house. As the general unspoken rules go, they are given when asked for by the customer, especially after buying lots of items. In other cases, however, when you shop at the same stand often and/or become friendly with a vender like Angelica, they are just offered. And what tastes better than a mango? You guessed it… a free one… :)

Meanwhile if somebody were in the mood to settle for a mere bargain, there’s also the option to haggle. Of course, while haggling is always a good way to get a decent price, there has to be a little bit of discernment involved. Is this person just trying to take advantage of the foreigner to get some extra spending money or is she (or) he simply trying to make ends meet? Maybe it’s best to not haggle unless the first situation is very apparent. Maybe it’s better to protect oneself regardless. Whatever side one may choose, I find that it’s better to give others the benefit of the doubt in most cases because you just cannot always know for sure.

Thankfully within my own marketplace there is a level of trust between myself and the women whose stands I go to. If the price has indeed gone up, they tell me and they always give me good quality. Meanwhile I return the favor by always going to them and buying lots of items from their stands everyday.

That said, the marketplace has become more to me than just a place to make transactions since I first arrived in December. The relationships, however basic they may be, have indeed been a great blessing to have at the end of a long day at work. Sometimes a smiling face and a talk about the weather is enough to both remind me that I belong here as well as to make some of the toughest days just a little bit better. Now that’s something to thank God for everyday, isn’t it?