First blog in Africa

Hey guys,
sorry it has taken me a while to get to the internet. Am actually on hols at the moment (school term doesnt start until July 12th) so am relaxing on Zanzibar island and taking this opportunity to make some contact back home.

Has only been a bit over a week since I left Aus but it honestly feels FOREVER ago. Tanzania is a beautiful country and the people are lovely but I really do stand out and my very poor attempts at Swahili dont help! It is taking me a while to adjust to the VERY different life I am living over here, including the HOT climate.

Arrived in Dar Es Salaam lunch time Sunday the 20th and spent until Wed with all the other volunteers (absolutely awesome bunch of people) learning a bit of swahili and exploring a little with the guidance of Judy (our tanzanian lattitude rep). On Wed everyone went their serperate directions to placement so Mr Mapunjo (headmaster) picked Connie and I up from YWCA and we travelled to Ikwiriri (about a 2 and a half/3 hr drive) in the back of a TOYOTA ute (all the cars, minivans, utes etc are toyotas!) with the luggage. Was fun and got to wave and yell out "mambo" (how are you) to all the people we passed by who were excited to see Mzungu (white people). But it was really hot so were very glad to get to Ikwiriri. We then went and met all the officials in the Rufiji District so that they knew there were Australian volunteers in the area so it was a very long day.

Got to our house that night and, of course, the electricity wasnt working so we explored the place where we would be living for the next6 months with a lighter before having a few pringles and heading off to bed (by which time the electircity had come back on but only lasted about half an hour before it went off again). The house is very basic but nice. 3 bedrooms, a living/dining room and then a courtyard type area which has the kitchen in a small seperate building and 2 pit toilets (1 a toilet, 1 to bucket shower over). It is all concrete which keeps it quite cool.

We spent from Wed night to Sun morning getting used to our new living conditions (very different to home!) and meeting some of the teachers around us. Was a huge culture shock as the people in Ikwiriri dont speak much english (or very broken english) so communication is VERY difficult. Really must work on my swahili! Also because it was school holidays, there wasnt that many people around and we are about a 20min walk from town so felt a bit isolated. Everyone we met seemed lovely though and the teacher for geography and swahili even helped us kill a rat when we had one in the kitchen the other night. I think I felt a little overwhelmed as well as we found out we will be the only 2 english teachers in the school so theres a fair bit of pressure on us and noone there to help and guide us. Although we met the retired english teacher who is still in the area so hopefully we can go to him if need be.

On Sun we travelled by bus (cost 3,000 shillings so less than $3AUS) for 3 hours to Mbgala and then an hour bus from there to Mwenge to meet up with some other volunteers. Tanzanias public transport leaves quite a bit to be desired! Especially as we are travelling for 2 weeks so have a fair bit of stuff. It was so hot and they just cram SO many people on the buses that things arent exactly comfortable. But we managed and it was so worthwhile.

Met up with Laura and Meg (2 Lattitude volunteers at ESACS academy) and caught tuk tuk's back to their house which was fun. They live with a mumma (Mumma Diana) and she is so lovely! So we had some lunch there (how nice it was not to have to cook for ourselves) and then spent the afternoon at a place called wet and wild which is the biggest water park in east and central africa. At about $5AUS for entry, I definately think I'll be back there at some stage. Had awesome slides and was just so much fun! Crazy to think it was in Africa though! The only thing that made it feel different to the goldcoast was that us (and 1 other person) were the only white people there and that rules dont really exsist so u nearly always ran into someone as u went down the slides.

So stayed at Laura and Megs the night (SO nice there!) and then caught a ferry to Zanzibar this morning. Met a guy from Brisbane who has done A LOT of travelling so Connie and I hung out with him a bit. Had lunch on the waterfront here which was BEAUTIFUL and am just about to go and meet up with the Kilombero girls. Will stay here until fri and then back into Dar for headmasters brother-in-laws wedding and then up to Arusha on the 4th. Will meet up with the volunteers from Waamuzi up there and do a safari before heading back down to Ikwiriri to begin teaching.

So thats a run down on what I've been doing here. Missing home but enjoying this experience!
Will try and update again soon.
Love to all,
xx

8 and a half hours until I leave

So it is now only 8 and a half hours until I drive to Newcastle to begin my adventure. My bags are packed (finally) and Im REALLY hoping customs doesnt pick my bag to check because if it gets opened...i will NEVER get it closed again!!! Must thank mum very much for getting it to close in the first place. Who knew you could squish so much into one bag! Dont think I could have ever done it without her help!

Everything still seems so surreal...its hard to fathom that I am about to leave everyone and everything to live overseas for the next 7 months.

Anyway thats about it for now, the next post I make will be from Africa!!!!

Xxxx

Postal address in Tz

Hey guys,
I would love to hear from you about what you're getting up to while Im away but because of where I will be, snail mail is the best option.
So for anyone who would like to send me a letter (much appreciated), my address while in Tanzania is:

P.O. Box 75
Ikwiriri, Rufiji District
Coastal Region
Tanzania
Africa

Thanks,
xx

Not long to go!!

Only 5 days to go now until I jet off over to the other side of the world. Can't believe how quickly it has come around. Still havent packed and my swahili is almost non-existant. So feeling a little unprepared but am SO exicted! Cant wait to leave winter behind...
:)