Author: Caroline Bach

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Back

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And just as infallibly as always, it cured everything. The sad face, the sore throat, the melancholy, the boredom and the uncertainty. There is nothing in the world that can compare to the wonders that dancing does to me, my body and my mood. I’m back on track again.

The painting above is from Núcleo de Arte here in Maputo, the Sunday hangout venue where art meets live music, grilled food, expats, rastas, dancers, painters and – unfortunately I don’t know the name of the artist.

(The sore throat might also have been cured by a wonder-spray that I got from a friend and sprayed onto my non-existent tonsils a couple of times. And the bottle of wine we shared the same day while painting our nails and talking about girly stuff.)

Caroline Bach1 Comment

Diagnosis

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It’s raining pretty badly in Maputo this weekend, and I’m still not 100% back on my feet. What about giving me a diagnosis, my dear super smart friends?

For more than a week now, I have had:
1. A sore and slightly swollen throat, in the place where my right tonsil would have been, had it not been removed.
2. A bitter taste in the back of my mouth.
3. A body temperature below 36 degrees.
4. A slow/sad mood.

I had strep almost monthly when I was a kid, usually without fever. This is the reason to why my tonsils were removed seven years ago – and I have basically not had infections in the throat since then.

I have some serious trust issues here in Maputo after hearing horror stories about the healthcare and after trying it myself.. basically, it costs a fortune, takes forever, and the doctors tell you nothing new. And ooh – if you insist, you get medicine that might have been banned in Europe many years ago.

Anyway, If there’s something that really upsets me it’s doctors that write prescriptions for strong antibiotics without being sure about the diagnosis. Oh, and a random detail: when selling pills here, they take the exact amount out of the box in the pharmacy – so you really have to beg to get the pamphlet that is supposed to accompany the pills.

Anyway, I will see if I can indulge in ginger/lemon/honey tea to treat this, hoping that it’s not streptococcis. And if it doesn’t get any better soon I might go for another study visit to a Maputo clinic. You’re joining, right?

Caroline Bach9 Comments

The wonderful surprises of DJ Jesaja

Growing up with an affection for the voices and beats in R&B and soul tunes, I have been struck by euphoria to DJ Jesaja’s music in different clubs in Malmö since I was 15 years old. They say that he plays R&B, but he always makes sure to throw in some marvellous oldschool soul track, or surprise with some classic hip hop, dancehall, New Jack Swing or funk, and I can’t help but loving even the most cheesy parts of it.

One evening in 2005, when I was sitting in front of the computer while on vacation in Poland, Jesaja called me on Skype. He was playing in a club in Sweden, and instantly managed to turn my boring Saturday evening into one of the most memorable music experiences I have had. Dancing with headphones ftw.

Today, Jesaja wrote to me saying that a stream of his latest radio mix was available online, and I instantly began swaying. One and a half hour later, when reaching Koffee Brown’s After Party, I died a little from nostalgia overload. This is just wonderful, so I’m sharing. Do enjoy.

Lyssna: Din Gata – DJ show

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b2b vs. transparency

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I guess that excellent colleagues pep-talking me via Skype while others send me love via Whatsapp is really reason enough to shake those irrationally blue feelings off and get back to business.

…anyhow – it’s already Friday.

Damn it, I’m so transparent that I don’t even need to say anything before people start telling me that I “look different” today, that there is something missing – “Where is all that positive energy of yours? We need it!”.

Is it really that obvious that I’m having a bad day? Maybe I need a crash course in faking “feeling great” because I really don’t know how to.

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Blue

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This might have been today’s highlight:
Lunch in a sunny park surprised by a blue headed beauty. I was reminded I’m in Africa, despite the Italian ravioli alla napoletana on my plate.
Motivation and awesomeness levels are worryingly low right now, I think I need a hug and a dancefloor.

Caroline Bach2 Comments

Never say never

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Downloaded one of my favourite animated movies and just watched it together with Ava. An American Tail by Don Bluth and Steven Spielberg from 1986 is about the mouse family “Mousekewitz” who emigrates from Russia to the United States. While on the boat, the little boy-mouse Fievel gets lost and while his family thinks he has drowned, he must find a way to reunite with his family again.

I cried a little, it’s such a great movie – and now Ava finally knows my “Never say never” song that has been omnipresent in my head for all these years. :)

Here´s us watching my favourite scene when the two siblings are in different parts of New York, believing that they will reunite, singing the same song. It’s in Swedish, as I know it.

And here´s the “Never say Never” song, from the original version:

So, never say never.. again!