If it was supposed to be easy, someone else would have already done it. - Anna

We have to go survey this new site, and in order to do that, we need to borrow a Total Station Surveying Machine again. Luckily, because we’ve done it once before (Really…You’re just gonna let me walk out of here with this $5,000 piece of equipment?), we’re familiar with the process and how to go about getting it.  To recap from last time: First you write the president of the city a letter stroking his ego and asking to borrow the machine.  He then signs the request letter and sends it over to the office where the machine is being stored.  They receive the letter, read it, and then write on their calendar that you have a reservation to take the machine.  Finally, the day of your reservation, you arrive to pick it up along with a Technician who’s been assigned to help out. You then walk out of the office with a smile on your face and an expensive, but very practical piece of equipment in your hand.  Unfortunately though, and because this is Mozambique, that didn’t happen this time. 

This time, because this is Mozambique, it was more complicated.  We wrote up a new letter last Monday, and I had Anna take it down to the President’s Office on Tuesday.  She was told the president was out of town, but would be back and that everything would be alright.  Meanwhile, I got in touch with Angelo, our technician friend at Servicos Urbanos that went with us last time to survey, just to let him know that we’d need both him and the machine again and to expect an official request. He said cool, and then I humored him by having a text message conversation in English (he likes to practice, and wants to learn more).

Yesterday (Monday), I asked Anna to run by the President’s Office and the Servicos Urbanos Office to check in and make sure everything was ok. Naturally, it wasn’t.  A new President of the Municipal Council entered office after winning the city elections in November, and he was completely unaware of what we were doing (not surprising, as his primary concerns are within the city limits and our project is just outside).  So, before we could get getting his approval to borrow something for a project he knows nothing about, we’d have to tell him about it. Anna called me to explain, and we immediately went in to problem solving mode. We called on Alan, our Master Liaison, to help.  Alan agreed to go talk with the President and suggested that he bring some of the official documents we’ve collected thus far (including the one with the Administrator’s Signature on top) to prove that our project was legitimate.

After spending chatting up the President’s Secretary, he was finally given an opportunity to present our case to the President himself.  As Alan described it, the President was friendly and courteous, but concerned that the project did not provide any direct benefit to him and his municipality. Alan explained, “Well, sir…this is true now, but if this project is successful, there might be an opportunity to build more bridges in the future. And we know that there is a site in the city limits that could use a bridge.”  This isn’t a lie, and although it might be idealistic, it’s still something we’d very much like to do. I’m not sure if he believed Alan or not, but it did bring up a new subject of conversation.  “Ok, maybe,” the President said, “but that machine you want to use…well, it’s broken.” Wait, what?

Yeah, so apparently the machine is broken.  The President said that a group of people from Beira (the countries 2nd largest city which is about 1,500 kilometers away) were coming to fix it.  Highly unlikely.  But he then offered another solution: “We’ve been borrowing surveying equipment from someone else that lives in Montepuez, Api. Maybe you can too.”  Ok.  Time for more problem solving.

Alan called me to explain.  He said that he had an inkling that he wasn’t hearing the full story, and suggested I get in touch with Angelo to investigate what was going on.  Alan also mentioned that the President had made an off-hand comment about having to “dar na mão,” unsure if he meant we had to offer him a bribe, or do something for the city in return.  Honestly, in this country, it could mean we have to do both.

So I sent Angelo a text, asking for clarification.  “Hey amigo, how’s the English?  Alan spoke to the President and he said the Machine is broken.  Is that true?  What happened? Any way I can help?” Angelo texted me back a few minutes later.  “It broke,” he said, “They took it to Maputo.”

You’ve got to be joking.  I mean honestly, why didn’t this guy just tell us that in the first place?  Seems like it would be common sense, right?  I dunno.  The whole thing smells a little fishy to me.  I guess I really can’t grieve too much though, as in reality, it’s not our machine and we aren’t paying to use it. Just seems funny.

So now we’re trying Api.

UPDATE: March 31st - Api said he'd like to help us out, but he can't do anything until he's back in town.  Currently he's away on business in Maputo.  We managed to tap into Alan's network even further though and now we are tentatively scheduled to go survey the bridge site with a friend from the local engineering group, CMC on April 10th.  They have some surveying equipment and are apparently willing to let use it.  Crossing my fingers it works out!