Learning the Lingo

The first and most challenging obstacle we came across when we arrived here a little under 3 months ago was the language barrier. With the Zimbabwean border just a 15 minute (and 30p) bus ride down the road, there are plenty of people who speak English here, but as our main priority is the kids, we were a bit taken back by the challenge that we would be coming up against.

For the first month that we were here I would say that it affected my experience. Our visits to the several junior teams would often consist of us being introduced, and then watching the kids train or play a match with the one ball which their team had to play with, and for the kids it was exciting enough just to have us there. Really though we knew that we could offer more and wanted to give the kids some exciting training sessions which their respective coaches could use when we head back to England.

Gradually as time has gone on, we have tried to pick up as much Portuguese as we can, and one of the ways in which we learn is from the first team coach and the players. Before each training session the coach will gather the players together and talk to us about previous games, upcoming training sessions, and the responsibilities that playing for this club holds. In the beginning Mussa and Lloyd would translate the important parts of the coach's speech, but now we are working things out for ourselves.

As our total stay here (this time around) is just 4 months, noone is expecting us to be able to hold an in-depth conversation about Mozambican politics or teach History in Portuguese, but to be able to explain a drill to the kids is a good target to aim for. Therefore, the phrases used by the players and the coach every day in training help us to get an idea, whilst the phrases that we use give them a chance to pick up some English.

Another way in which we try to pick up the language is back at the club where we stay with some of the players. Whether we are eating lunch or dinner, playing chess, or just chilling out it is always an opportunity for us to listen and unsurprisingly, the conversations more often than not revolve around football.

The club's staff are also very useful with Nelson a.k.a Mr Man and Chandulaia a.k.a John, the English teachers, Short Chikwandingwa, all round funny guy, Waru Waru the computer teacher, and boy genius Zambito, one of our closest friends here, all providing ongoing lessons free of charge.Finally, the most important group of people here, and probably the best learning tool we have for getting to grips with the language, and that is the kids. First and foremost, you know that the kids are not going to laugh at you if you get something wrong, not that the other players do, but it is less imtimidating with the kids. Most importantly though, the looks on their faces when you explain something (or try to) in their own language, are priceless and make every bit of anxiety go away.

A few of the characters in particular have provided some very fruitful lessons, namely Panache, the 7 year old leader of the GDM pack who loves to tell you that he is 20, Toni and Nani, the pair that are getting a bit too brave for our liking and who love to push the boundaries in our sessions, and the Costa Do Sol boys, who you will be hearing and seeing more of in the very near future. Até á proxima vez, Boa Noite!