Some lessons are learned early in life, the hard way, never to be forgotten. As I was coming out of childhood there was a major upheaval in my life. I saw my family lose almost everything: our properties, our money, and our way of living but most of all our beloved homeland Mozambique. My grandfather, who was a self-made man, lost everything he had worked so hard for during his whole life, and he was devastated as were so …
Tag: grandfather
She is going up the subway stairs with her mother. They have been downtown for some Christmas shopping and they are carrying many bags. Outside, the evening is cold, but the smell of roasting nuts – so typical of Lisbon at this time of the year – feels like a warm welcome. In the distance she hears the sounds of the latest Christmas hit “Last Christmas” by Wham. She sings along and her mother cheerfully joins in. They walk home …
In summer everything is different, special, spicier…but Friday summer evenings are even more so, the promise of a sunny weekend to come. Last Friday I was really looking forward to getting out of the city and arriving at our quiet seaside village, sitting down on a terrace and relax while sipping a drink and looking at the sun setting over the sea. I got home from work and hastily packed up the rest of my things – I was half-packed already …
He was born in 1914, the year of the beginning of the Great World War. His parents had both come to Mozambique from Madeira island – first his father and some years later his mother, who had joined her brother. They met and soon they were married. He was the elder son, being followed by three sisters. His father was a successful businessman. When he was six the whole family took a ship to go on a long holiday to …
