Our Place

Mozambique is a young country, but its history stretches back many centuries. It’s a long coastal country that touches South Africa at its southernmost border and Tanzania and Malawi on its north. In between are 30 million people from myriad nationalities and cultures who find common ground in enjoying Mozambique’s natural and cultural riches.

Maputo is the capital city, where AISM calls home. Nearly 1.8 million people live here, including the greater metropolitan area. Its fine architecture includes distinctive late-19th-century buildings and a significant number of buildings from the 1930s Art Deco era through the early mid-century period. Maputo is a city that is changing for the better: after a period of disruption and social unrest, it is attracting new businesses and widespread investments in infrastructure. (link to Wikipedia page)

NEIGHBORHOOD

The AISM campus is between the neighborhoods of Costa do Sol and Sommershield, a five-minute walk to the Indian Ocean. We share a street with two other international schools, bringing plenty of activity on most days and weekends.

Our lives at AISM are enriched by the area’s notable flora, fauna, foods, and cultural icons. A sampling of the what you’ll see, smell, and enjoy follows.

THE SUN

Every day, we are treated to beautiful sunrises and gorgeous sunsets. The days start early here, with sunrise generally at around 05:00 and sunset at around 18:00. This allows us to orient many of our activities around the plentiful sunshine and warm, subtropical climate. Even AISM’s neighborhood, Costa Do Sol (Sun Coast) describes our daily reality!

FLORA—FLOWERS & ACACIA TREES

The pinks, the oranges, the greens, the reds—these colors surround you when you walk around the school grounds, the city, and the neighborhood.

FAUNA—WEAVER BIRDS

When you walk onto the school grounds, you immediately hear the colony of southern masked weavers that nest in the trees on campus. The nests that the male weaver makes for his mate are either used or cut away and “discarded,” and are fun to collect and display.

PERI-PERI

This habanero pepper spice is everywhere! And it is tasty! It’s used on grilled chicken and on shrimp.  Whether you purchase it in a store or use your own homemade recipe, peri-peri adds to the spice of the city.

DHOW BOATS

All along the shore, you will see colorful dhow boats. The dhow is the traditional style of boat indigenous to this region of Africa. Fishermen make their own sails and cast out every day to make their catch and then sell it along the roadside or at the fish market.

CAPULANA

Have you noticed the design on the web site? The banner is our own custom capulana design. The capulana is the traditional bright patterned fabric worn by many many people in Mozambique. At AISM, we even have Capulana Friday!