We're Off and running (pole pole - slowly!)

18th Feb 08 – The start of volunteering

Today we started our volunteering. Joey arrived at MH at 9am and we signed all necessary papers, we had already been given our ID cards. We then sat down outside our place and had our first Swahili lesson. Now I am really NOT good with languages and I have to say that this part of the volunteering has scared me quite a bit. We did numbers and greetings – Donald and I ended up giggling as we were getting things so wrong, but Joey persevered and even carried on with the lessons when he took us to the market later.

After an hour of language lessons we headed off to see our placements and meet some of the people. First we went to Mwanza Samaritans, which is just up the road from home. We had already met Moshi who is the Director there and he was very pleased to welcome us again. He showed us around their place, which seemingly hopes to have up to 300 kids come to them for lessons, and then some of the money received from this teaching is used to assist the widows and orphans they help. SAIDIA had spent some time there last year and managed to get a whole load of guys along to help them ‘up grade’ the class room by creating divides so that the pupils can be taught in small groups dependent on their needs. No doubt you will hear more about this when Donald gets more involved. We were only there for half an hour – tomorrow we go and spend a bit more time with them (and my placement) to see if we can actually work out what their expectations are.

We then went on to TACOPE which is my placement. This is just an office and I thought it was more like BVS (Basingstoke Voluntary Services) and was an umbrella organisation for other groups who work in different areas. Not sure I have that right – but their main objectives are to become active participants in the search for lasting solutions for the severe economic and social problems which face this country in their daily life. Speaking to Mr Messo there – he said that their main areas are work are combating, poverty, health, AIDS/HIV and education. (Well what will I do in week three?!!!) I joke, but its all a bit daunting at the moment.

Again, tomorrow (kesho), we hope to get a bit more of an idea of what they are expecting from me, and then work on that.

Something which has already come out is that we must remember that we are in Africa, and things take longer (even longer than that if it rains!) We can’t work at UK pace – it just doesn’t happen here. This we already know from the internet speed, and just buying something in a shop takes time. Cooking a meal at Milestone House (home) is another example. Only boiled and purified water can be used to wash stuff – that in itself is a chore, but getting the hang of it. Only have two gas rings – no oven – but seem to have managed to cook a couple of nice meals so far – it just takes longer.

We went along to the market to buy our food, best to buy fresh stuff, and Joey insisted that we try to do it ourselves (quite right!) but we kept getting it wrong and giggling. The Tanzanians are so nice tho, they try to help us, they speak English better than my Swahili will ever be, and there is no aggression there at all. There are very few white guys (mzungu’s) in Mwanza so we do stick about a bit. Anyway, we managed to buy food for tonight, Talapia (the local fish from the lake – very boney but tastey) and salad. We are planning to try to BBQ the fish so had to buy all that stuff too. The hardware store in the market is amazing. Everything is made there, knocked up out of sheets of metal or blocks of wood, piled up so high that just a puff of wind would knock the lot down, but somehow it all stays there, and, they know where everything is! It was an experience – one which is to be repeated often by the sound of it, probably three times a week. Donald said that we won’t have time to volunteer as the shopping takes us so long! He’s right!

The meal was good but just took a couple of hours to prepare – sat later and watched a DVD on my laptop – so all pretty cosy.

Tuesday 19th Feb

Another Swahili lesson at 9am – we did times and food this time. Well as some of you know, I am not exactly known for my understanding of the 24 hour clock. Swahili time is something else tho. (see if I can get this right) Daylight comes at 6am every morning – we are so near the equator – so that means that the timing starts from then. So – (wait for it!) 7 o’clock is 1 o’clock, 8 is 2, 9 is 3, etc etc. A way of knowing/checking, is that the time in Swahili is exactly on the opposite side of the clock face – I think its just something else to trip us up. So when we make an arrangement re time, first we have to get the time right and then translate it into Swahili – a challenge or what!!!

After our lesson this morning, Joey showed us how to us the public transport here. The buses are called Dalla Dalla’s and are basically beaten up, clapped out and abused mini busses which have 7 extra seats put into them and they do set routes. Joey said the one good thing about these dalla dalla’s in Mwanza is that they don’t speed – well that’s the only good thing about them. Oh they are cheap tho. Not only are all the seats usually taken but every inch of space inbetween and standing too. So we took a dalla dalla into town to visit my placement again.

Met up with my co-worker with TACOPE is a young guy called Terry and he was there to meet me, as well as Mr Messo (who I met yesterday briefly). Another guy was there too, and he is the co-ordinator there, so we sat and had a chat about what they expect from me and what I can do for them. Still confused, but hopefully tomorrow when I meet up with them again, I may have a bit more of a handle on it. My placement is in town, so easy to walk in for lunch, or hopefully, meet Jen for lunch – which would be lovely!

Donald and I then had a quick lunch in town and took a taxi to his placement. Whilst he was chatting to Moshi from Samaritans, I tried to put some questions together to ask my placement tomorrow, and then did some Swahili (or tried)

A chap came into the Sam’s office and greeted me – I knew what he said, (Habari za mchama – good afternoon) I understood it, and I knew what to reply (Mzuri sana – fine thank you) – BUT – what did I say “jambo!!!” (hello) This was not the right thing to say really but I just froze!) pathetic or what!! Maybe time will help – time and practise.

So – as Sam’s office is not far from us/home we decided to walk back, stopping off for a drink of water at a hotel on the way. Arranged to meet up with Jen & Joey tonight at a local eatery, and just sat now with G&T (well deserved I think!) – its all good fun (honest)