Back to working life now. Election campaigning is proceeding apace in the background now, Tanzanians go to the polls in October this year. Lots of flags, gatherings and cars with loudspeakers.
CCM, the ruling party, is-of course-the favourite to win; however, I just found out that Moshi is a Chadema (oppostion party) stronghold.
Work on our new flat to install a fan, shelves etc is proceeding. We hope to move in in a couple of weeks. Our new place is much smaller than our current concrete monstrosity, but its closer to work and has a nice bach-y feel to it. We are glad to be staying within the Rau neighbourhood, people are pretty chilled here.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Death wears yellow fur AKA Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 4
Woke up Sunday feeling bummed out we were going to have to make a move today. Ate breakfast while watching the elephant visitors from the nearby National Park munching at the local vegetation.
At Franatee’s insistence, ("we can relax anywhere let's make the most of the time we have left!") we went for one last guided walk. I am so glad we did. We had seen elephant grazing nearby as we had breakfast and our guides soon set a beeline for where the tembo had been walking. Up and down following torn up grass and trees and lots of elephant dung, past an abandoned hyena burrow inside a 170 year old baobab tree until we could see the herd only a few hundred metres from us. They seemed agitated and we soon found out why. “Simba!” one of our guides said excitedly. A solitary lioness was trying to take a baby elephant while the elephant matriarch of the herd fended her off.
To my horror I soon realised the wind was blowing from us (and taking our scent) to the charged scene. The lioness started looking our way and let out a roar...which made wifey give off a location confirming shriek("Sorry I didn't mean to!"-wife)
(elephant is holding lioness away from the herd...lioness is looking towards our group...ulp)
Through the binoculars we could all see both the frustrated lioness and the (very angry looking) elephant scenting the air for us. Our guides asked to use our binoculars...I guess a lion is a reason to upgrade from their excellent game-spotting vision and rely on the optical 'big guns'.
The lioness darted out of sight and as soon as that happened, our guides gave the retreat order.
(lion has disappeared who knows where...elephant is getting our scent..ulp again)
When the Maasai are worried, it means we need to go. And quick. Despite the fact our protection only consisted of a spear and a stick, I wasn't too terrified, more elated at the mad fun of it all. Dunno if the wife was as excited as I...However once we were well clear of the area, everyone started laughing and sharing the excitement of having made a rare (and on foot) sighting of a lion.
We said our goodbyes to the staff at the lodge and promised to return later in the year for another break. The staff there were cool and it was great being able to converse (in a limited way) in Swahili with them. We were driven the 45 km back to the main road in the blistering sun past ostriches, zebra, wildebeest and (yet more) elephant. Got home at 6pm, tired, sunburnt and sad to be out of the wilderness.
(an elephant at the Park sadly watches the horizon for our return)
At Franatee’s insistence, ("we can relax anywhere let's make the most of the time we have left!") we went for one last guided walk. I am so glad we did. We had seen elephant grazing nearby as we had breakfast and our guides soon set a beeline for where the tembo had been walking. Up and down following torn up grass and trees and lots of elephant dung, past an abandoned hyena burrow inside a 170 year old baobab tree until we could see the herd only a few hundred metres from us. They seemed agitated and we soon found out why. “Simba!” one of our guides said excitedly. A solitary lioness was trying to take a baby elephant while the elephant matriarch of the herd fended her off.
To my horror I soon realised the wind was blowing from us (and taking our scent) to the charged scene. The lioness started looking our way and let out a roar...which made wifey give off a location confirming shriek("Sorry I didn't mean to!"-wife)
(elephant is holding lioness away from the herd...lioness is looking towards our group...ulp)
Through the binoculars we could all see both the frustrated lioness and the (very angry looking) elephant scenting the air for us. Our guides asked to use our binoculars...I guess a lion is a reason to upgrade from their excellent game-spotting vision and rely on the optical 'big guns'.
The lioness darted out of sight and as soon as that happened, our guides gave the retreat order.
(lion has disappeared who knows where...elephant is getting our scent..ulp again)
When the Maasai are worried, it means we need to go. And quick. Despite the fact our protection only consisted of a spear and a stick, I wasn't too terrified, more elated at the mad fun of it all. Dunno if the wife was as excited as I...However once we were well clear of the area, everyone started laughing and sharing the excitement of having made a rare (and on foot) sighting of a lion.
We said our goodbyes to the staff at the lodge and promised to return later in the year for another break. The staff there were cool and it was great being able to converse (in a limited way) in Swahili with them. We were driven the 45 km back to the main road in the blistering sun past ostriches, zebra, wildebeest and (yet more) elephant. Got home at 6pm, tired, sunburnt and sad to be out of the wilderness.
(an elephant at the Park sadly watches the horizon for our return)
In the jungle, the mighty jungle...(Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 3)
It was so dark at night in our room. A bit of wind (as our room is on a hill) and a lurid glare on the horizon of an accidental plains fire started-we were told-by wandering Maasai trying to burn wood to make charcoal.
I was woken at 5am by loud noises close by our room. Crashing and chewing noises. Try as I could in vain to strain out of our window (and stand on our balcony) I could not see what it was in the dark, only that it was large. I was desperate to run outside and see what it was, but common sense (and an angry wife) prevailed and I went back to bed. The next day, 100 metres or so from our room were elephant tracks and torn up trees..probably good I stayed inside.
The next day we were off on a day safari of nearby Tarangire National Park. The park, the 6th largest in Tanzania, is busting to the seams with elephant. Dry season ie now, is the best time to see lots of them. They amble from the heart of the park, the almost dried up Tarangire River (the 'heart of Tarangire') to marshlands and back again, wreaking havoc with trees and leaving their dung everywhere.
Tarangire is also home to thousands of birds with over 500 species living there. We saw snake eagles, fish eagles, eagle owls, vultures, storks, sacred ibis, herons, lilac breasted rollers, magpie shrikes, horn bills and on and on. But mostly lots of elephant and the occasional impala, zebra or ostrich.
(impala)
Franatee liked seeing a lot of dik-dik (tiny antelope) running around:
I think I liked seeing a fish eagle transit from screeching into flight close by. We also saw the fish eagle doing a crazy squawking thing and then flipping its head back (flip top head style). Lazarus, our guide told us that was only the third time he'd seen that since becoming a guide three years ago. We saw some sad old (but huge) male elephants, too old to keep a place in a herd wandering by themselves. Lots of old elephant die of starvation as they lose their teeth.
(an old male with only one tusk)
(giraffe by the Tarangire river)
Near the river, we found what we thought was a dead baby elephant only to have it sit up after 10 minutes of being sprawled motionless on the ground. Guess it's family were just protecting it while it slept. 'The elephant, she is a good mother' our guide told us. We dubbed the baby the ‘Lazarus’ elephant in honour of the name of our guide who had declared that it was only sleeping.
(you can see the baby elephant sleeping in the background)
I had a pic with some elephant bones and continued to get nice and close to many of the elephant I am obsessed with.
Not even the constant biting of tsetse flies (the non ‘sleeping sickness’ variety I was told) could dampen our spirits. That night I had a bath under the stars cradling a beer in my paw and pondering the circle of life. And bubble bath suds.
The next day, Saturday, after watching the aptly named violet starlings cavorting near the breakfast area, we relaxed in our room, before popping out in the afternoon for another guided walk. We walked close by a group of elephant before coming near to a stream where an angry elephant was charging at a troupe of baboons who were trying to get a drink. Man, a trumpeting and irate elephant is pretty cool to see on foot close up. We backed away and slowly walked home.
(you can see the angry elephant and the baboons)
That night we did a night drive with spot lights through the surrounds. It reminded me a lot of similar trips out when I was volunteering on a South African Conservancy in 2008. We didn’t see too much, only a hare or two, a bat eyed fox and a genet cat. No leopard, lamentably. But Moses our guide was pretty amazing. He managed to also spot a chameleon (can you believe it!) pretty sharp eyes.
To be concluded..
I was woken at 5am by loud noises close by our room. Crashing and chewing noises. Try as I could in vain to strain out of our window (and stand on our balcony) I could not see what it was in the dark, only that it was large. I was desperate to run outside and see what it was, but common sense (and an angry wife) prevailed and I went back to bed. The next day, 100 metres or so from our room were elephant tracks and torn up trees..probably good I stayed inside.
The next day we were off on a day safari of nearby Tarangire National Park. The park, the 6th largest in Tanzania, is busting to the seams with elephant. Dry season ie now, is the best time to see lots of them. They amble from the heart of the park, the almost dried up Tarangire River (the 'heart of Tarangire') to marshlands and back again, wreaking havoc with trees and leaving their dung everywhere.
Tarangire is also home to thousands of birds with over 500 species living there. We saw snake eagles, fish eagles, eagle owls, vultures, storks, sacred ibis, herons, lilac breasted rollers, magpie shrikes, horn bills and on and on. But mostly lots of elephant and the occasional impala, zebra or ostrich.
(impala)
Franatee liked seeing a lot of dik-dik (tiny antelope) running around:
I think I liked seeing a fish eagle transit from screeching into flight close by. We also saw the fish eagle doing a crazy squawking thing and then flipping its head back (flip top head style). Lazarus, our guide told us that was only the third time he'd seen that since becoming a guide three years ago. We saw some sad old (but huge) male elephants, too old to keep a place in a herd wandering by themselves. Lots of old elephant die of starvation as they lose their teeth.
(an old male with only one tusk)
(giraffe by the Tarangire river)
Near the river, we found what we thought was a dead baby elephant only to have it sit up after 10 minutes of being sprawled motionless on the ground. Guess it's family were just protecting it while it slept. 'The elephant, she is a good mother' our guide told us. We dubbed the baby the ‘Lazarus’ elephant in honour of the name of our guide who had declared that it was only sleeping.
(you can see the baby elephant sleeping in the background)
I had a pic with some elephant bones and continued to get nice and close to many of the elephant I am obsessed with.
Not even the constant biting of tsetse flies (the non ‘sleeping sickness’ variety I was told) could dampen our spirits. That night I had a bath under the stars cradling a beer in my paw and pondering the circle of life. And bubble bath suds.
The next day, Saturday, after watching the aptly named violet starlings cavorting near the breakfast area, we relaxed in our room, before popping out in the afternoon for another guided walk. We walked close by a group of elephant before coming near to a stream where an angry elephant was charging at a troupe of baboons who were trying to get a drink. Man, a trumpeting and irate elephant is pretty cool to see on foot close up. We backed away and slowly walked home.
(you can see the angry elephant and the baboons)
That night we did a night drive with spot lights through the surrounds. It reminded me a lot of similar trips out when I was volunteering on a South African Conservancy in 2008. We didn’t see too much, only a hare or two, a bat eyed fox and a genet cat. No leopard, lamentably. But Moses our guide was pretty amazing. He managed to also spot a chameleon (can you believe it!) pretty sharp eyes.
To be concluded..
Been there dung that! (Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 2)
After a bite, we decided to take an afternoon stroll with our helpful host at the Lodge and a Maasai guide. Both were pretty nice guys and it was pretty cool that our guide only took a spear for his and our protection (gulp). We walked out looking at animal tracks (including elephants, impala and snakes)and saw some elephant, hyena (white with all the bones it eats) dik-dik dung.
(lion been there)
(an elephant dung that)
We followed a dry river (saw a marula tree, sniffed the fruit, yes it smelled like Amarula liqueur) on a winding route back to the lodge. Finisehed up with dinner by a fire and under the stars...bliss.
Boundary Hill Lodge/Tarangire National Park Part 1
Our friends had recommended we stay at the remote Boundary Hill Lodge near the outskirts of Tarangire National Park. The Lodge utilizes local community shareholding, with the Masai village of Lokisale owning 50%. 164 square kilometres around the lodge have been set aside by the Lokisale Village as a conservation area.
Once I knew I’d be surrounded by elephant day in and day out I was sold. Our bags packed, we were picked up Thursday at the main road near our house and taken to Arusha. There we met our guide (“Lazarus...like the bible”). We were given a short briefing and told under no circumstances to go outside at night or walking by ourselves. Aside from many elephant, the area is full of leopards, apparently.
Lazarus drove us north of Arusha and off road for 45 kilometres to get to the Lodge. We drove past traditional Maasai boma, herds of cattle and children begging for money: "Hello-money-money." We were told elephants regularly pillage the Maasai’s maize crops at night. Then we left the people behind and we drove past hornbills, a dead (headless) python, zebra and elephants sheltering from the afternoon sun under a tree.
We got to the lodge and wow...what an amazing view from our room overlooking mile after mile of savannah.
(view from the balcony of our room)
I was ecstatic to see a bath on our balcony so I could get some tub time while looking out at Africa. The sounds of Africa drifted over us-birds, hooting, grunting. We heard a lion roar as we sat down to lunch and all living things suddenly went silent.
To be continued...
Once I knew I’d be surrounded by elephant day in and day out I was sold. Our bags packed, we were picked up Thursday at the main road near our house and taken to Arusha. There we met our guide (“Lazarus...like the bible”). We were given a short briefing and told under no circumstances to go outside at night or walking by ourselves. Aside from many elephant, the area is full of leopards, apparently.
Lazarus drove us north of Arusha and off road for 45 kilometres to get to the Lodge. We drove past traditional Maasai boma, herds of cattle and children begging for money: "Hello-money-money." We were told elephants regularly pillage the Maasai’s maize crops at night. Then we left the people behind and we drove past hornbills, a dead (headless) python, zebra and elephants sheltering from the afternoon sun under a tree.
We got to the lodge and wow...what an amazing view from our room overlooking mile after mile of savannah.
(view from the balcony of our room)
I was ecstatic to see a bath on our balcony so I could get some tub time while looking out at Africa. The sounds of Africa drifted over us-birds, hooting, grunting. We heard a lion roar as we sat down to lunch and all living things suddenly went silent.
To be continued...
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Power of One (bout of stomach ailments)
"I can eat 50 eggs"
Ugh. The 'dodgy chicken' I alluded to in my last post became full blown stomach issues. I've felt nauseous for days now, been off work for a bit...oh well, maybe its good for weight loss...shooting myself up with random antibiotics our volunteer organisation gave us.
I first felt really ill trying to do a short run on Saturday. And no, it wasn't solely due to the (actually fly blown) dead dog lying on the path as we jogged past, gagging. That's when I thought 'yeah, nah' I ain't going to Arusha this weekend.
We spent the weekend quietly helping our American friends pack up and sadly seeing them on their way. Franatee is devastated the dog she pooch-sat on numerous occasions is off. I'll miss some good people who have been great to road trip and just chill out with.
Bye 'Dragline', my good ole Southern Boy!! Cool Hand Doug will come visit you and mke wangu in Mwanza baadaye!
"City Hall"
Got back to work today (still feel queasy) to find one of my workmates (he's a good guy, I enjoy working with him) has been elected a MP for the ruling party. I had no idea he was even interested in politics!Wow...how did he get time for 2 months of campaigning as well as working here? He will resign in the next day or so and move to Dar Es Salaam to be sworn in and begin receiving his 7 million shilling per month salary.
I hope his good heart will survive the corrupting influence of what passes for politics here. I'm confident he will prove an ally to health causes in this country.
I'm just ecstatic he got elected as opposed to the other person at work. Staff seem scared of that person and their connections-that person gets away with (metaphorical as far as I am aware) murder. The person is a weird mix of strident political ambition, arrogance, misogyny,laziness, atrocious work and utter idiocy. He is easy fodder for mocking...I'm trying to be on my best behaviour eg this person loves Robert Mugabe and how he deals with Europeans.
I have seen the banality of evil and it is this Muppet and I pray he is never in a position of power in Tanzania.
"Onwards and upwards"
With our new MP on the move, our staff is looking a little depleted of late. We have food, medicine, water purification kits etc all piling up in the warehouse either due to bureaucracy or lack of people power to get it moving.I'm getting some steam on my legal rights work and I hope not to get pulled into (admittedly important) business as usual too much.
Wifey and I are supposed to be off for a few days near Tarangire National Park tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll finally bag my trophy tusker. Expect pictures and war stories soon.
Ugh. The 'dodgy chicken' I alluded to in my last post became full blown stomach issues. I've felt nauseous for days now, been off work for a bit...oh well, maybe its good for weight loss...shooting myself up with random antibiotics our volunteer organisation gave us.
I first felt really ill trying to do a short run on Saturday. And no, it wasn't solely due to the (actually fly blown) dead dog lying on the path as we jogged past, gagging. That's when I thought 'yeah, nah' I ain't going to Arusha this weekend.
We spent the weekend quietly helping our American friends pack up and sadly seeing them on their way. Franatee is devastated the dog she pooch-sat on numerous occasions is off. I'll miss some good people who have been great to road trip and just chill out with.
Bye 'Dragline', my good ole Southern Boy!! Cool Hand Doug will come visit you and mke wangu in Mwanza baadaye!
"City Hall"
Got back to work today (still feel queasy) to find one of my workmates (he's a good guy, I enjoy working with him) has been elected a MP for the ruling party. I had no idea he was even interested in politics!Wow...how did he get time for 2 months of campaigning as well as working here? He will resign in the next day or so and move to Dar Es Salaam to be sworn in and begin receiving his 7 million shilling per month salary.
I hope his good heart will survive the corrupting influence of what passes for politics here. I'm confident he will prove an ally to health causes in this country.
I'm just ecstatic he got elected as opposed to the other person at work. Staff seem scared of that person and their connections-that person gets away with (metaphorical as far as I am aware) murder. The person is a weird mix of strident political ambition, arrogance, misogyny,laziness, atrocious work and utter idiocy. He is easy fodder for mocking...I'm trying to be on my best behaviour eg this person loves Robert Mugabe and how he deals with Europeans.
I have seen the banality of evil and it is this Muppet and I pray he is never in a position of power in Tanzania.
"Onwards and upwards"
With our new MP on the move, our staff is looking a little depleted of late. We have food, medicine, water purification kits etc all piling up in the warehouse either due to bureaucracy or lack of people power to get it moving.I'm getting some steam on my legal rights work and I hope not to get pulled into (admittedly important) business as usual too much.
Wifey and I are supposed to be off for a few days near Tarangire National Park tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll finally bag my trophy tusker. Expect pictures and war stories soon.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Finally a day with some wins in it!
We had a staff meeting today. Francoise and I with some good back up from other staff, forcefully argued to management that we cannot wait on reporting cycles/glacial bureaucracy to get our warehouse full of food moving to needy children.
The decision was handed down that any 'special cases' of malnourished kids can start getting the food immediately. Yes! Some of those kids are demonstrably at death's door so that's a small win.
I also delivered some gender norms/rights training to staff today to glazed faces...sigh. Oh well, gotta start somewhere.
But the thing I'm most happy with is that a local legal aid NGO reviewed a heap of material I had crafted on Wills, Property and Inheritance and given it the green light. Was so happy, as Tanzanian inheritance law is a frickkin nightmare both to interpret and in application to people. Basically the default position is-if you are a widow, you get no inheritance, it all goes to male relatives/children. So women need wills to opt out of that system.
Can start rolling that training out to people soon.
So despite stomach cramps due to dodgy chicken and a lack of sleep lately I'm feelin chipper now. Hope to do a run this weekend and pop back to Arusha Sunday to welcome a new kiwi volunteer coming in.
"good doug!"
The decision was handed down that any 'special cases' of malnourished kids can start getting the food immediately. Yes! Some of those kids are demonstrably at death's door so that's a small win.
I also delivered some gender norms/rights training to staff today to glazed faces...sigh. Oh well, gotta start somewhere.
But the thing I'm most happy with is that a local legal aid NGO reviewed a heap of material I had crafted on Wills, Property and Inheritance and given it the green light. Was so happy, as Tanzanian inheritance law is a frickkin nightmare both to interpret and in application to people. Basically the default position is-if you are a widow, you get no inheritance, it all goes to male relatives/children. So women need wills to opt out of that system.
Can start rolling that training out to people soon.
So despite stomach cramps due to dodgy chicken and a lack of sleep lately I'm feelin chipper now. Hope to do a run this weekend and pop back to Arusha Sunday to welcome a new kiwi volunteer coming in.
"good doug!"
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Starter for 10
So which chronological order do you think these activities should go in?
1) Malnourished children
2) A warehouse sitting full of donated nutritious porridge supplement for malnourished children
3) Criteria selected carefully to determine which children do or do not need porridge
for their livelihood anymore
4) Decision made to not make porridge deliveries to some or all of malnourished
children
If you said 1,2,3,4 you have never worked in Africa. The actual order is 4,2,1,3
It'd be kinda amusing...if it wasn't for the fact children are potentially at risk of death due to bureaucratic madness. Sigh, mke and I will do what we can..
1) Malnourished children
2) A warehouse sitting full of donated nutritious porridge supplement for malnourished children
3) Criteria selected carefully to determine which children do or do not need porridge
for their livelihood anymore
4) Decision made to not make porridge deliveries to some or all of malnourished
children
If you said 1,2,3,4 you have never worked in Africa. The actual order is 4,2,1,3
It'd be kinda amusing...if it wasn't for the fact children are potentially at risk of death due to bureaucratic madness. Sigh, mke and I will do what we can..
Sunday, August 15, 2010
A quiet one
Nothing much to report this weekend. I had contemplated a trip to a lake but felt lazy, plus mke had been in the field all last week so we thought we'd just chill.
Mke and I were on dog sitting duties for our American friends. They are leaving soon to live near Lake Victoria, sob, it has been nice to have neighbours to hang out with...
um um
Ramadan is underway so extended calls to prayer booming out sporadically around the neighbourhood.
um
Saw a pair of emerald green sunbirds eating (drinking?) nectar off the flowers near work. Much cuter than the pterodactyl-like Maribou storks flapping their 2-3 metre wingspans over the wife and I and scaring the hell out of us.
er
Avatar is not as mindblowing in 2D on a laptop screen...
that's all I got...
Mke and I were on dog sitting duties for our American friends. They are leaving soon to live near Lake Victoria, sob, it has been nice to have neighbours to hang out with...
um um
Ramadan is underway so extended calls to prayer booming out sporadically around the neighbourhood.
um
Saw a pair of emerald green sunbirds eating (drinking?) nectar off the flowers near work. Much cuter than the pterodactyl-like Maribou storks flapping their 2-3 metre wingspans over the wife and I and scaring the hell out of us.
er
Avatar is not as mindblowing in 2D on a laptop screen...
that's all I got...
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A good yet depressing work chat
Typing after a fascinating chat with a co-worker who is demoralised as to why the HIV/AIDS infection rate in sub-saharan Africa remains above that of the number of people treated. Why is the prevention message not working here? AIDS is not a new thing...Uganda has been hitting the epidemic with all guns blazing since the 1990s, a success story in a lot of ways.
I liked being able to give my frank (condescending?) muzungu perspective. My glib answer is that many of (if not the majority) women here are still not empowered to say 'no' to dangerous situations. That's a polite way of me saying I am unhappy with how women are traditionally treated here. Add this to a culture that traditionally lauds men who have multiple, concurrent partners and...off you go. It aint rocket science to me.
My co-worker wholeheartedly agrees with my detached assessment. I mean I am detached. I get to go home to lattes, healthcare and movies after this short stint.
I bought and drank 2 red bulls in a row yesterday. That is an unthinkable luxury to my co-worker and the other staff.
He has to live with an ongoing nightmare epidemic in his country, that is not abating. He told me he is scared in 50 years, all the Africans will be gone due to AIDS. I'm not sure of his maths but I dunno...where does this all end? Its such a vile, expensive, gradual, horrible, wasteful way to die. Lets not forget that as we focus on the positives of helping people with HIV/AIDs have a good quality of life.
We need a vaccine like now.
I liked being able to give my frank (condescending?) muzungu perspective. My glib answer is that many of (if not the majority) women here are still not empowered to say 'no' to dangerous situations. That's a polite way of me saying I am unhappy with how women are traditionally treated here. Add this to a culture that traditionally lauds men who have multiple, concurrent partners and...off you go. It aint rocket science to me.
My co-worker wholeheartedly agrees with my detached assessment. I mean I am detached. I get to go home to lattes, healthcare and movies after this short stint.
I bought and drank 2 red bulls in a row yesterday. That is an unthinkable luxury to my co-worker and the other staff.
He has to live with an ongoing nightmare epidemic in his country, that is not abating. He told me he is scared in 50 years, all the Africans will be gone due to AIDS. I'm not sure of his maths but I dunno...where does this all end? Its such a vile, expensive, gradual, horrible, wasteful way to die. Lets not forget that as we focus on the positives of helping people with HIV/AIDs have a good quality of life.
We need a vaccine like now.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Rwanda's voting 'largely accurate'
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/08/10/rwanda.election/index.html?hpt=T2#fbid=78I3E4PCL7H&wom=false
Stability for Rwanda's economic growth is important. Very pleasing to see the election is ticking along peacefully. I still hope to pop into Rwanda before I'm done in Africa, so Im happy if its all peaceful.
I couldn't possibly comment on actions the leading party is alleged to have undertaken to stifle opposition parties and retain control in the run up to the election. Where ethnic/political dissent can end in violence and the self-destruction of nations in Africa, it does provoke an interesting question:
what is more important for an African nation in the long run-stability,iron control and engrained corruption or fractured ethnic/political viewpoints which can mean free expression but also can mean civil unrest and bloodshed.
But as said I can't really comment.
Monday, August 9, 2010
BIRTHDAY MISSION
Survived the daily almost-getting-creamed-by-a-bus on the bike and a power blackout yesterday to resume da blog today.
Last week, a kiwi volunteer was celebrating her birthday in Arusha with some other Kiwi youngsters, so the wife and I thought what the heck-ROAD TRIP. Despite misgivings about turning up to the A-Town bus terminal at usiiko ie night, we jumped on a bus after work Friday. A nice dusk drive with a good view of Mt Meru as we got nearer. We got in around 7pm, met one kiwi at the stop, grabbed the beers, got round to the party, grabbed the guitar, turned on the tunes and got down to celebrating. The birthday girl in question actually turned up fashionably late, having to motorcycle/speed taxi down from her digs in Kiratu (near Ngorongoro Crater).
I begged...I mean we all decided to go out to Colobus, the local karaoke bar. We rolled there, hooked up with more Kiwis and others from the language school at USA river (ie the school my wife and I went to in April) and off the night went. Pulled out some karaoke favourites...gotta love the local karaoke hog who told Franatee a song was hers when I had in fact picked it for us. Ugly. Not as ugly as watching my wife and female chums on the d-floor get swarmed by local guys. Ah, all pretty harmless, I like to play the part of the ultra possessive hubby and have Tanzanians come up to me to apologise solemnly for dancing with my wife. We stayed out till 4am, then crashed on the floor of the flat on cushions, ah student days...
Woke up to a cold shower and randomly ACDC's 'Thunderstruck'. After a Chipsy Mayai for brekkie, wifey and I went and saw 'Toy Story 3' at the Arusha cinema. There were a wazungu volunteer couple taking a lot of street kids to see the movie. Not sure if I think that's an awesome gesture or whether it creates a positive yet passive experience for the kids involving an American film (about toys none of those kids will ever be able to afford) hosted by the whitey volunteers. Would a Tanzanian hosting a Tanzanian film be more empowering? Or am I over thinking it? Ah, development.
er...Rex the dinosaur is my favourite.
After the film, bused back to Moshi (enduring an all too common fist fight between the bus driver and guy on the street that almost ends in the pedestrian dying when the driver of the bus drives off dragging the pedestrian by his shirt in the way of oncoming traffic).
Sunday, chilled most of the day playing the Nintendo DS, did one gutbuster 30 minute run that day so I didn't feel too guilty for playing Mario games all day.
So a fun weekend, gotta love those kiwis.
Also, a workmate saw I was a bit dejected yesterday about a piece of work that was not moving anywhere and said to me 'this is just me friendly speaking...but you have done a lot. you have done a lot' Got a bit misty, nice to know I'm not a complete waste of a volunteer branded tee shirt.
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Doug Knight
"I keep this city safe…even if it’s safe by just one person…and I do not ever give in or give up” Detective Comics 853
It's been a tough week. A lot of introspection as to 'what am I actually achieving' versus the enormity of the ingrained apathy, poverty and maddening bureaucracy here. Not to lay blame on external forces and duck responsibility but man, its taking a lot longer than I would like to get some key things done.
Yet some fundamental things keep me going:
-that I am sharing the good and bad times with my wife.
-a belief (however deluded) that I am here because I am meant to be here.
-the exponential amount of life experience, dare I say personal growth, I am getting from this time even from the daily frustrations
-that the good always counterbalances the bad here. For every instance of corruption or negligence, there is a smiling child, locals sharing a joke with us, a beautiful sunset or a fun time on safari.
-finally, small positive changes can always be made to anything. One thing I am proud of achieving here so far involved directly improving the quality of life for just one sick young girl who may have otherwise fallen through the cracks. Just one amongst thousands. But Im very proud of dat.
Bring it on Africa, Dougman is still standing!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Through the Looking Glass
`But I don't want to go among mad people,' Alice remarked.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
Alice in Wonderland
Just sat through an extended meeting discussing how to spend thousands and thousands of donor dollars as fast as possible to targets/activities that no one seems to know how to achieve in the local context. Not a lot of interest in monitoring or evaluation either- an uncharitable viewpoint would be that once a body gets the $$, the incentive for follow up isn't that strong.
I have heard horror stories from people not given to exaggeration of aid not going where it should and the resulting human cost. Its all a bit surreal.
So, if you can't tell I'm feeling a bit low today. But I guess in response to some hits you either throw in the towel or keep taking da punishment like Rocky and moving forward. Some days you feel like 'We are the World' here, others you feel isolated..least mke and I are here for each other.
`Oh, you can't help that,' said the Cat: `we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'
`How do you know I'm mad?' said Alice.
`You must be,' said the Cat, `or you wouldn't have come here.'
Alice in Wonderland
Just sat through an extended meeting discussing how to spend thousands and thousands of donor dollars as fast as possible to targets/activities that no one seems to know how to achieve in the local context. Not a lot of interest in monitoring or evaluation either- an uncharitable viewpoint would be that once a body gets the $$, the incentive for follow up isn't that strong.
I have heard horror stories from people not given to exaggeration of aid not going where it should and the resulting human cost. Its all a bit surreal.
So, if you can't tell I'm feeling a bit low today. But I guess in response to some hits you either throw in the towel or keep taking da punishment like Rocky and moving forward. Some days you feel like 'We are the World' here, others you feel isolated..least mke and I are here for each other.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Weekend that Was
Uganda's Got Talent
Saturday, I spent a bit of time just reading a novel on the Kindle. That night we went out with some friends to Glacier, an outdoor bar, for a drink...only to find an exorbitant cover price on the door. We were assured an amazing Ugandan dance troupe was performing tonight and it would well worth our time and pesa. Once we got inside what we found was a near deserted amphitheatre, a pregnant half starved dog and a crude stage with some bedsheets as a back drop. We were the only wazungu at a local talent contest proudly put on by 'Empire Records'...no Ugandans in sight.
We were 'entertained' by some horrifically poor-even for the developing world-hopefuls including out of tune crooning love singers, break dancing that looked like the result of needing to go to the bathroom really badly and Eminiem rapper wannabes. Maybe it was the fact we were lied to to elicit our cover charge that made me a little bitter. At least Franatee got applause doing some impromptu moves coming back to our seats from a visit to the bathroom.
As I went down to the river to pray
Much better singing at the local church the next morning. One of the things I will miss most when I leave here is the churches packed with young people and the amazing singing of the congregation (to the tribal drums!) that accompanies the service. Bliss.
Brains.....Brains!!!
It drizzled on Sunday-no epic runs sadly-so stayed indoors and read (by read I mean played my Nintendo DS all day).
Had a doctor friend over for dinner that night...It was a relaxed night EXCEPT I really wish we had not discussed cerebral oedema at length (at my continual prompting). If a person ascending Kilimanjaro does not make an effort to take it slow and acclimatize to the lack of oxygen at thousands of feet above sea level,one of the risks they face is their brain swelling. Basically, if you start getting signs that this condition is happening (constant vomiting, disorientation-please no drinking jokes)you either descend rapidly or you die pretty quick. Or maybe just get paralysed from hernias to your spinal chord if you are lucky.
I thought the daily physical exhaustion, lack of air to my lungs, temperatures that can be anything between 1 degree below to 25 degrees below near the top (with wind chill) would have been enough to worry about without my brain re-enacting the scene from 'The Running Man' with the exploding neck collars..
Two final creature related updates
-Saturday I heard word on the street a 2 metre croc was seen in or near the hot spring Franatee and I swam in a month or do ago. Crikey.
Finally, I head in Sunday's Paper that local authorities in the Manyara region are pleading with locals not to succumb to hysteria and blame the actions of a group of rogue hyena on sorcery. The hyena have attacked/mauled a few villagers recently. Yes, it must be witchcraft, not the fact of humans encroaching ever increasingly on the habitat of the established wildlife. That's just crazy talk.
Saturday, I spent a bit of time just reading a novel on the Kindle. That night we went out with some friends to Glacier, an outdoor bar, for a drink...only to find an exorbitant cover price on the door. We were assured an amazing Ugandan dance troupe was performing tonight and it would well worth our time and pesa. Once we got inside what we found was a near deserted amphitheatre, a pregnant half starved dog and a crude stage with some bedsheets as a back drop. We were the only wazungu at a local talent contest proudly put on by 'Empire Records'...no Ugandans in sight.
We were 'entertained' by some horrifically poor-even for the developing world-hopefuls including out of tune crooning love singers, break dancing that looked like the result of needing to go to the bathroom really badly and Eminiem rapper wannabes. Maybe it was the fact we were lied to to elicit our cover charge that made me a little bitter. At least Franatee got applause doing some impromptu moves coming back to our seats from a visit to the bathroom.
As I went down to the river to pray
Much better singing at the local church the next morning. One of the things I will miss most when I leave here is the churches packed with young people and the amazing singing of the congregation (to the tribal drums!) that accompanies the service. Bliss.
Brains.....Brains!!!
It drizzled on Sunday-no epic runs sadly-so stayed indoors and read (by read I mean played my Nintendo DS all day).
Had a doctor friend over for dinner that night...It was a relaxed night EXCEPT I really wish we had not discussed cerebral oedema at length (at my continual prompting). If a person ascending Kilimanjaro does not make an effort to take it slow and acclimatize to the lack of oxygen at thousands of feet above sea level,one of the risks they face is their brain swelling. Basically, if you start getting signs that this condition is happening (constant vomiting, disorientation-please no drinking jokes)you either descend rapidly or you die pretty quick. Or maybe just get paralysed from hernias to your spinal chord if you are lucky.
I thought the daily physical exhaustion, lack of air to my lungs, temperatures that can be anything between 1 degree below to 25 degrees below near the top (with wind chill) would have been enough to worry about without my brain re-enacting the scene from 'The Running Man' with the exploding neck collars..
Two final creature related updates
-Saturday I heard word on the street a 2 metre croc was seen in or near the hot spring Franatee and I swam in a month or do ago. Crikey.
Finally, I head in Sunday's Paper that local authorities in the Manyara region are pleading with locals not to succumb to hysteria and blame the actions of a group of rogue hyena on sorcery. The hyena have attacked/mauled a few villagers recently. Yes, it must be witchcraft, not the fact of humans encroaching ever increasingly on the habitat of the established wildlife. That's just crazy talk.
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