Greetings again. A little update before we head into the tough stuff.
We’ve spent the days since our arrival isolated primarily in a large compound called Msimbazi Centre. Msimbazi contains a number of hostels, a dining hall, multiple classrooms, a bank, a couple bars and an internet café (which I’ve been too busy to use). The typical day consists of breakfast at 7:00am, classes between 8 and 4:30 with tea (chai) and lunch in-between. After that we’re left to ourselves until dinner at 7:00pm, following which we have more time to ourselves. Not too bad.
If you saw my last post, you know we’ve had running (though cold) water for showers. Despite that, many of us have been practicing bucket bathing given that we’ll inevitably have to for Pre-Service Training (PST) – it’s a far less painful experience than I’d imagined. As well, I’ve hand-washed my clothes for the first time, and my clothes are drying above me on the makeshift clothesline that is my mosquito net. Next lesson: using a squat toilet.
Today is our last day in Dar before we head out to Muheza region for PST. We were let out of the compound yesterday to explore Dar a little via Tanzania’s world-class busing system – they packed about 60 of us into a “bus” (read: large van) built for 40 and off we went. Dar itself is an interesting city; the population is dense and the poverty overwhelming. It’s also hot and humid (and this is the Tanzanian winter). We visited a local shop, an ATM, walked the street markets and ate lunch. I’m battling a bit of a stomach bug at the moment (the first of many, I’m sure), so I didn’t eat much. Nonetheless, getting out of the compound was a great experience and I got to practice some newly-learned Swahili.
Dar has been a luxury compared to what we’re about to experience over the next ten weeks during PST. Muheza is in the northeast corner of Tanzania near the Kenyan border. I’ll be staying with five other trainees in Kilulu, a tiny, isolated village about 14km from the main training hub (furthest village from training) with no electricity or running water. Huzzah! (Three current Volunteers - Chelsea, Chuck and Julie - have been guiding us around during Week 0. As it happens, two of them spent PST in Kilulu.)
During PST, trainees are essentially adopted into a native Tanzanian family. We live with them and integrate into their household, learning to live in the same manner that native Tanzanians must to get by. Oh, and we’re only supposed to speak Swahili. Needless to say, we’ve been warned that the first couple of weeks are going to be frustrating and rough, but in the long run, forcing us to use Swahili as a matter of necessity is the best way to learn on the fly. We’ll also be taking formal language classes along with technical classes during the day with our village groups, and meet once a week at the training hub with the rest of our class for vaccinations (6 shots thus far and counting…) and other discussions.
There is an internet café in Muheza town, so I’ll have the occasional opportunity to post when we’re allowed out for free time. (Not sure what that entails, but it could be worse.) One of my fellow trainees is a Michigan alum, so we’ve already agreed to sit in the café on Rivalry Saturday for three hours watch ESPN.com to refresh every 30 seconds. Loser buys the other a drink – I can taste it already.
That’ll do it for this post. Apologies if my posting has been a bit disorganized thus far. Haven’t blogged in awhile, so I’m just getting back into the swing of it. I imagine it’ll get a little more coherent with time.
‘Til next time (oh, and this is the last time I’m closing a post with that).
Monday, October 8, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Habari from Dar es Salaam...
Once again, I'm posting again sooner than expected. We're visiting the Peace Corps compound and the staff's given us access to the wifi in the Volunteer lounge, so I figured I'd take advantage of it to add the disclaimer (see right) that I should've put up from the outset. Once I swear in, I'll have to get this blog approved by the admin before I can continue posting. Anyway...
We arrived in Tanzania around 9:30pm local time (2:30pm EST) yesterday. The flight was 10+ hours, but I slept through the majority of it after not sleeping at all on the flight to Amsterdam. Touching down in Dar es Salaam (henceforth Dar) was an exciting moment; I had a huge adrenaline rush walking off the plane. We were greeted by John and Joel, Directors of Training and Security, respectively. Both are native Tanzanians and are tremendously friendly.
John and Joel guided us through customs, after which we grabbed our luggage and loaded into a couple vans. We were taken through a commercial district of Dar (there was something comforting to the familiar Coca-Cola, Samsung and Toyota logos) before arriving in a church compound. A wedding reception in the same building as the welcoming session (staff introductions, snacks and anti-malarial pills) accentuated the already positive environment. Following the session, we picked our bags back up and were taken to our rooms.
My room for Week 0...
The bathroom is a size of a closet, but hey, running (cold) water!
I will survive.
There you have it.
Not sure if I'll be back before we head out to the Tanga region, where I won't have internet access, but I have to run.
'Til next time.
We arrived in Tanzania around 9:30pm local time (2:30pm EST) yesterday. The flight was 10+ hours, but I slept through the majority of it after not sleeping at all on the flight to Amsterdam. Touching down in Dar es Salaam (henceforth Dar) was an exciting moment; I had a huge adrenaline rush walking off the plane. We were greeted by John and Joel, Directors of Training and Security, respectively. Both are native Tanzanians and are tremendously friendly.
John and Joel guided us through customs, after which we grabbed our luggage and loaded into a couple vans. We were taken through a commercial district of Dar (there was something comforting to the familiar Coca-Cola, Samsung and Toyota logos) before arriving in a church compound. A wedding reception in the same building as the welcoming session (staff introductions, snacks and anti-malarial pills) accentuated the already positive environment. Following the session, we picked our bags back up and were taken to our rooms.
There you have it.
Not sure if I'll be back before we head out to the Tanga region, where I won't have internet access, but I have to run.
'Til next time.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Greetings from Amsterdam...
We just arrived safely in Amsterdam and are now getting ready to board the plane to Dar es Salaam. I'm sitting just outside a security checkpoint waiting for a long line to dwindle. The duration of that line will determine the length of this post.
Staging was a success. Everything went well in Philadelphia, despite the fact that I spent the first 36 hours without sleep. I managed to stay awake through registration and the staging events, and then went out with some fellow trainees for our last meal in America (actually, our last meal was in the airport at Newark, but the former seems a little more romanticized).
My group is awesome and our spirits are high. All of us are facing many of the same uncertainties (some of which are mentioned in my previous post), and being open about that has been a great coping mechanism. Definitely motivated.
Things are moving quickly, particularly the security line, so I'm going to have to end this here.
'Til next time (probably three weeks or so).
Staging was a success. Everything went well in Philadelphia, despite the fact that I spent the first 36 hours without sleep. I managed to stay awake through registration and the staging events, and then went out with some fellow trainees for our last meal in America (actually, our last meal was in the airport at Newark, but the former seems a little more romanticized).
My group is awesome and our spirits are high. All of us are facing many of the same uncertainties (some of which are mentioned in my previous post), and being open about that has been a great coping mechanism. Definitely motivated.
Things are moving quickly, particularly the security line, so I'm going to have to end this here.
'Til next time (probably three weeks or so).
Monday, October 1, 2012
Only 'til next time...
Dear Diar-... eh, no, I don't think I'll start it off like that...
Greetings and salutations!
Welcome to my blog. This blog serves two purposes: (1) to relay information back to family, friends and whoever else so they (you) can keep track of how I'm doing a third of the world away, and (2) to provide me with an out when things invariably get tough.
Speaking of tough: the last two days have been two of the most emotionally-challenging of my life. I have been blessed beyond reason with great and supportive parents, grandparents, extended family, friends and have an all-around stable life. What possesses someone to give all of that up in favor of being thrown 8000 miles away in uncertain conditions for the benefit (I hope) of an uncertain people? Frankly, I'm not certain. Saying goodbye (or, as I prefer, "'til next time") to the most important people in my life has been one the hardest things I've ever had to do, but nonetheless I am compelled to do it.
I wake up in three hours. Staging is in Philadelphia at noon and my fight departs at 6:59am. On Tuesday, my staging group departs Philadelphia and will arrive in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening (afternoon in Ohio). Following that, we'll be guided around Dar es Salaam for a week to set up the basics in-country and then we'll move north into the Tanga region near the Kenyan border for Pre-Service Training (PST). PST will last about ten weeks and involves intensive language (Swahili) and cultural training, during which I'll be staying with a homestay family - native Tanzanians who have offered to house Peace Corps trainees (like myself to this point) for the duration of training. Following that, we'll finally be sworn in as Volunteers. (Oh yeah, that's a capital V for Volunteer. Huzzah!) Sometime during that period, we'll learn what our specific assignments will be and where our sites will be located. I'll probably get back to this blog before that happens, but if not, you'll know I'm hard at work (or at least cursing in a new language).
One more note: once in Dar es Salaam, we'll probably be out of contact with those back home for upwards of three weeks, so it may be some time anyway before this blog gets an update.
'Til next time.
Greetings and salutations!
Welcome to my blog. This blog serves two purposes: (1) to relay information back to family, friends and whoever else so they (you) can keep track of how I'm doing a third of the world away, and (2) to provide me with an out when things invariably get tough.
Speaking of tough: the last two days have been two of the most emotionally-challenging of my life. I have been blessed beyond reason with great and supportive parents, grandparents, extended family, friends and have an all-around stable life. What possesses someone to give all of that up in favor of being thrown 8000 miles away in uncertain conditions for the benefit (I hope) of an uncertain people? Frankly, I'm not certain. Saying goodbye (or, as I prefer, "'til next time") to the most important people in my life has been one the hardest things I've ever had to do, but nonetheless I am compelled to do it.
I wake up in three hours. Staging is in Philadelphia at noon and my fight departs at 6:59am. On Tuesday, my staging group departs Philadelphia and will arrive in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday evening (afternoon in Ohio). Following that, we'll be guided around Dar es Salaam for a week to set up the basics in-country and then we'll move north into the Tanga region near the Kenyan border for Pre-Service Training (PST). PST will last about ten weeks and involves intensive language (Swahili) and cultural training, during which I'll be staying with a homestay family - native Tanzanians who have offered to house Peace Corps trainees (like myself to this point) for the duration of training. Following that, we'll finally be sworn in as Volunteers. (Oh yeah, that's a capital V for Volunteer. Huzzah!) Sometime during that period, we'll learn what our specific assignments will be and where our sites will be located. I'll probably get back to this blog before that happens, but if not, you'll know I'm hard at work (or at least cursing in a new language).
One more note: once in Dar es Salaam, we'll probably be out of contact with those back home for upwards of three weeks, so it may be some time anyway before this blog gets an update.
'Til next time.
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