Get up offa that thing

Writing this at a hotel in Moshi, following a swim in a pool and 3 'Kilimanjaro' brand beers. Volunteering is hard work.

I do love Africa. I love its smells, its craziness, colourful street signage, the donkey carts, chickens, wierdly decorated minibuses with people spilling out, cute children that smile and wave to the white folks, colourful birds, coca cola branded townships, ultra relaxed service industry and insane traffic conditions. Even incidents where I break a chair while registering for the Flying Doctor Service or the guy who relentlessly stalked me in Arusha for 3 days in a row asking me to buy tea towels do not dampen my honeymoon enthusiasm for Tanzania (however ask me how I feel in 5 months time..)

Thursday was adminstration day, registering with this, setting up that. Had a bite in a cafe with fruit bats whirling over shrieking American tourists just as rain (finally)started to come down. Love rain. But like many things, over far too soon.

Despite some qualms from my previous role relating to the Privacy Act, I diligently registered my cellphone and personal details with the Government (an anti-crime measure I think). I think my cellphone profile of 'Batman' made the Arusha Vodacom workers laugh a bit. Wait until they see my cape.

Wednesday, we bid farewell to our host nuns and South African chums we had made at the Arusha accomodation and to the sounds of James Brown, moved our mess in a convoy to Moshi...hoping our house (which we had never seen) would be ready to move into. I'll miss how green Arusha is. However, according to a news item in 'The Citizen' a local Arusha/Moshi rag, Moshi is one of the cleanest municipalities in Tanzania, if not Africa.

We popped by the Mildmay International Office (ie the partner organissation)Franatee and I would be working at to say hello. It looked professional and the people seemed friendly, liked the welcoming kisses on our cheeks. The director, a Kenyan, seems really onto it. Plus she ran a half marathon so she loves Francoise. Plus she will be our next door neighbour to our new pad, so no late night parties or domestics for us.

We were told our Moshi abode was 10 minutes walk away from the workplace, actually it is more like 1/2 hour away off the main road as the unfit Doug trots ...oh well walking along is a good way to get to know the locals. We dropped some stuff off (I tried carrying it on my head, now my neck hurts) but our house is not ready for us yet; people furiously painting and installing my trophy room, so we are in a hotel for 1 or 2 nights. I did like how "Welcome to the Jungle" started up on the car radio just as we were pulling away from the house.

So Thursday, more getting to know Moshi, then Friday is the first 'work' day involving setting tasks/expectations at work...gulp. Me hope me know law things good.