Africa from East to South

By: Gabriela Fernandes

We had just set our wooden table in the dining room, ready to have a feast on rice, chicken snitchel and
salad. My mother and I called my father from the TV room, and my kind seven year old sister from playing
with our eight chickens outside. We had been in the kitchen grilling and frying in preparation of dinner for
more than an hour, and there was no voice heard at all. This was when I realized something peculiar was
going on, beyond my knowledge.
My family and I had been living in a faraway country called Kenya, located on the East coast of Africa, for
almost seven years, and this awkward silence of the night of the third had never occurred before. Every night
at the time of dinner preparation, when I was on duty, our kitchen usually felt ALIVE! I would inform my
mother all about the homework that was assigned during the day or what had happened within the eight
hours of school. I usually loved this time, but not on the night of the third.
Soon my playful sister and calm father arrived in the dining room where my mother and I had prepared the
table. They too noticed the odd silence as they entered the feasting chamber. Both stood side by side in the
doorway without saying a word. Their freshly washed hands meanwhile expelled the glorious fragrance of
lavender infused soap. Shortly the four of us approached the serving table in a single filed line one behind
the other. As the silence of the house continued, nocturnal animal calls were heard through the open kitchen
window. Owls were hooting, and our three clumsy dogs ate under the shining moonlit sky. This was for sure
nature at its most.
The next moment my father as the leader of the family started to speak. He was on the go just as we sat
down ready to eat. His tone took off in a sort of whisper, and gradually turned into a standard conversation
volume. The beginning of my fathers sentence seemed to Claudia and me as if there was something
important to be said. This character worried us both, but we hoped for the best.
Sergios exact phrase occurred as something unwanted according to my sister and I. He announced,
Gabriela, Claudia, we have news for both of you. Inside me I suddenly had felt this wave of emotion and
fear that came over me once my father had finished his sentence. It soon hit my sister and she then looked up
at me. Her eyes met mine and they stayed fixed for a long while in complete silence, waiting for my dad to
continue.
What has happened is that this year Easter - 2012 - a month ago, your mother and I received a phone call
from another Coca Cola factory in a big and beautiful country south of us called Mozambique. The people,
who called, asked us all to relocate there for a few years in order for me to manage the construction of a
completely new factory. They are in need as the one they possess at the moment has a capacity that is too
small for the amount of Coke products they produce on a daily basis.
At this point in time I could see what was coming. Claudias eyes, along with mine became damp with tears.
A river of water poured out of our tear holes and formed a wide spread ocean across the base lobe of our
eyes. We both couldnt believe that we were truly going to move away from the place we loved from the
bottom of our hearts! Although we knew we were about to start a new chapter in our lives, we also
considered all the things that would be lost. Even if we went back to Kenya, it would never be the same
again!
A few moments after my sister and I had calmed down from all the tears that had been shed, I asked my
parents one difficult question. I knew that it could have been going though trouble for them, but I asked it
anyway, So, what was your answer to them? I knew they had agreed to the offer, otherwise they wouldnt
have told us about it, but I was curious to observe how my parents would respond to my question in an
occasion like this. Whether or not they would have hesitations in communicating with me, or whether they
could trust me.
Before I could think any longer, my father attempted to answer my question, Well, you see Gabi, I actually
said yes to the offer. Firstly because it will be amazing for me to see old friends from Inhambane as I grew
up there and for you to meet them as well. Secondly I think its a good opportunity for us all to see what
lives on the other side of the globe. We can go on adventures, meet new people and experience different
cultures and traditions. Trust me, you WILL find new friends who are just as good as the ones here. I
promise.

The following day at school turned out to be tougher than I had imagined it to be. I had to approach all my
friends and inform them about the new news I had prepared for them. The entire time at school from 8:00am
to 16:00pm was full of sad emotions and tears everywhere!
My class and I had mathematics as our first block of the day. We had just got a new substitute teacher who
was applying for a job at our school. He was known as Mr. Kernel, and he was quite something! This
educator turned out to have some anger management problems, therefore he reacted to EVERYTHING!
Apart from our teacher, I hadnt done my given assignment, as the entire house the night before remained
sad and lifeless! I personally had a relevant excuse for my missing work, but most of the other students who
lacked in handing anything in, didnt. I was thankful that Sir. Kernel didnt overreact when I couldnt give
him anything.
By first recess, after all the suffering of listening to Mr. Kernel show anger to the other students in the class,
and sitting in the back most row of the room, my friends and teachers still didnt know about my relocation
news. They had noticed that I wasnt acting like usual, but they still knew something was going on.
In a matter of ten minutes, the bell rang and it was time for us to go to our next class, English. At this point,
I couldnt hold the secret in anymore, I had to let it out, and English was the perfect lesson for me to do so.
At the beginning of every lesson, there were three chosen students permitted by our teacher Mrs. Barnette to
share something new to the rest of the class. I soon raised my hand slowly and silently, hoping she would
point at me, and she did. My chair squeaked loudly as I moved it back in order to approach the front of the
room and announce my news. I walked towards what seemed to me to be a stage at the head of the
classroom. I saw all sixteen students seated at their desks watching in amazement as I approached the stage.
All of them just sat and stared!
Just as I was about to do my announcement, I got the wave from the night before. It gave me flashbacks and
reminded me of everything that happened on the night of the third. The way the house remained silent, and
the way the dogs and the owls called under the shining moonlit sky. EVERYTHING was remembered!
The wave at that exact moment didnt help me. All it gave me were sad emotions and damp eyes. I had an
unsecure expression on my face, and trembling arms. I felt extremely fearful, but soon overcame the thought
as my first words of the day were said, Ive got some news for everyone. The reason that I have been so
quiet today is because last Easter my parents got a phone call from a Coca Cola factory in Mozambique.
They asked my father to go work there for a few years and manage the construction of a new factory. I
explained. By then, all my audiences eyes were wide and in shock! They listened carefully as I continued to
talk, I only got this news last night otherwise I wouldve told you earlier.
After my big announcement, I excused myself from the room as headed towards the bathroom. As I exited
Mrs. Barnettes doorway, I quickly looked behind me and saw sixteen wide eyed students, chattering to each
other about what I had just said to all of them. Meanwhile, I had felt both physically and emotionally down,
mainly because I had just told my six best friends that I was moving away for a few years, if not forever!
The rest of my day at school with my friends and teachers who had then known that I was moving away
from them, remained as sad as it was during English class. The entire house of education in my position
seemed sad and lifeless, just as the night of the third was! Most of the girls cried a little and my favourite
teachers were emotional. I had constantly been to the counsellor, but nothing seemed to work. I still
remained with an ache in my heart throughout the day, and it didnt recover. Nothing did!
At 16:00pm it was home time. All the school mothers came through the entrance and collected their
children. My mother somehow was one of the final parents to arrive as she had a packing company at our
house to collect our big and heavy furniture. They loaded all the things and left as we were arriving at
around 16:30pm.
Once we entered the house I headed to my purple and white themed bedroom with damp eyes and red
cheeks. I stared at my corner of the house and tried to picture the way my room would look without all my
property in it. Plain and blank. I soon started to pack up some of the things I wouldnt be in need of for the
following few months. I still kept my bed though, but packed most of the other things. Doing this turned out
to be helpful to me as I found missing and hidden objects from many years before. I reclaimed pencils,
socks, and some small pieces of clothing! The entire time that I was doing my activity, I thought about how
much our house, and our friends and our life would be missed once we left. Nothing would ever be the same
again!