Karibu!
My next adventure which has just begun involves a few months living and working in Tanzania. I will be working as Deputy Programme Manager for the Raleigh Tanzania ICS programme from January to April, helping to run the programme and manage the teams.
So, I have arrived in
Tanzania! I’ve actually been here almost
2 weeks, but the time is flying by.
I met Catherine at the airport
who was also travelling to the same project with me to work as the Medic. We arrived in Dar Es Saalam and then had a 5 hour drive to Morogoro where
I will be based for the next 3 months. I
attempted to stay awake (unsuccessfully) to enjoy the view and soak up the
scenery.
Anyway, I am now at fieldbase,
with the rest of the ‘advance’ team who have come out to set stuff and all the
Project Managers and Team Leaders that arrived last week. Myself and Calum (the Core programme Deputy
Programme Manager) went up to Dar to collect and welcome them.
It’s taken me a while to adjust to the sheer heat it is out here at the moment. Although the rainy season is approaching, apparently this is actually the hottest time of the year – my thermometer tells me it’s been 34C, but it feels hotter!
It’s taken me a while to adjust to the sheer heat it is out here at the moment. Although the rainy season is approaching, apparently this is actually the hottest time of the year – my thermometer tells me it’s been 34C, but it feels hotter!
Before the rest of the team
arrived last week, all the advance team were given a day off, so we decided to
go on Safari in Mikumi National Park which is about an hour and a half from
Morogoro where we are. It was
amazing. I saw giraffes, zebra, warthogs
like pumba, vulchers and most excitingly of all…a lion and 3 lionesses (Simba
is actually the Swahili word for lion, incase you were interested). They were so close! Loved it.
After busily getting everything ready
for the arrival of all the Team Leaders, the training phase has begun. With the rest of the management team I have
been helping to facilitate and run the training for all the guys who will be
going out on project in just a couple of weeks.
It’s been pretty busy but I am enjoying it. I actually even enjoyed the trek and camping which
I thought I would hate (I like walking and camping, but not carrying heavy bags
up mountains), plus I had to be a good example to the rest of the team and
exude enthusiasm…
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| Simba |
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| An elephant taking a pee |
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| My giraffe selfie |
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| Some of the advance team on safari |
Yesterday the groups all found out
which villages they are going to be working in and tomorrow they all head off
to visit them for the first time and do their PPV (Project Planning Visits)
before the volunteers arrive next week.
It’s a different experience
living at fieldbase compared to living in a village like I did in India, but I so
far I am enjoying seeing how it all works from the other side.
Badae!