Back to work! (Kind of...)
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 19/Jan/2009 05:16, 34 days ago
Its Monday 19th January the students are back and they have exams. I have written a short practical word processing exam for them to do. Tomorrow I am invigilating, not sure what subject or where so better find out!Here is the update from the past week...All last week at work there were no students so I used the time to organise and make more resources for the ICT team to use. In between doing that I also update my blog and added lots of holiday pictures to facebook.Thursday (15th) I got my 3 way service agreement signed (basically my VSO contract) this means I should be getting my 4 months back pay from the ministry! It also states that my contract ends on the 20th October 2009 unless I extend.On friday I went to the NMB bank to pick up my atm card. Words cannot describe how much I hate the NMB banks in Tanzania, the staff are rude and very unhelpful, the queue system is no existent and to top it all off the atm machine swallowed my card on Saturday when I tried changing the pin! I was not suprised, I think I am going to ask for my wages in cash... I wish there was another bank in Mpwapwa, NMB have the monopoly so have no motivation to improve their services...On friday evening I decided to climb the telephone mast hill behind my house, I wanted to get a nice view of Mpwapwa (It is also the smallest of the mountains surrounding me, you have to start somewhere...) I only took 30 minutes to get up to the top and it was pretty steep in places but the view was fantastic, especially with the sum setting. Would have taken some pics but did not want to take camera up the first time as was not sure how safe it was at the top.Saturday I got up early to water my garden as that is the only time of day I have running water. My plants are starting to recover but we really could do with a few days rain... In the afternoon I did some shopping and met Peter in town. We went to the Safi Duka (Good shop) and sat down with a drink for a chat, Peter was frustrated that at his work (St Lukes Hospital) they had a big meeting and even the people who worked at the hospital where able to claim 22,000tsh for expenses despite only working down the corridor! (Min wage is 80,000tsh a month!) If you add all the money for expenses it came to about 500,000tsh for all the people present, this money has come from donors and aid agencies... Peter did not take his expenses and I said next time he should say that he wants his expenses donating to his patients in the villages. I really do not like the per diem culture here (per diem is where people are paid and can claim huge sums for attending meetings or training) we both agreed that the system is a form of corruption.Saturday evening I decided to live dangerously and went for my dinner in a tiny little place just down the road from me. I washed my hands before I left and in my best Kiswahili asked the cook for a chipsi mayai, I sat inside a tiny box shaped room, the other people inside were staring at me but I did not mind, I was hungry. There were flies buzzing and ants on the floor, I had a little rickety chair and table to eat from. The chispi mayai was tasty and I watched the guy cook it, he even got me some chilli sauce to put on it. I wish I could have taken a picture of the place, I may go back, eat again and ask if I can take one. Would I ever have eaten in a place like that in England? No way but here you get what you can here!Sunday I got up at 5.30 as was meeting Peter on the bus for our trip to Dodoma. This time we wanted to do a short day return trip (still 3 hours each way!) In Dodoma we each bought a blender, I bought some sausages, mixed herbs, raisins, noodles and wine all which are unavailable in Mpwapwa. After a veggie burger and ice cream in Aladdins cafe we went to see the other VSO volunteers as they were having a late birthday party for Corrie. It is always nice going to Dodoma because there are many volunteers and each time I go I seem to meet more! We had to leave at 2pm as our bus was going back to Mpwapwa at 3pm. For dinner I had pork sausages which were yummy and would have upset some of the local Muslims... They call pork here kiti moto (meaning hot seat... which means its dodgy to eat if around Muslims!)This week should be busier and more productive, I suppose at some point I need to try and get my bank card back from NMB...The sun is shining and I still am suprised at how nice weather is each day (guess I am a typical Englishman) But is must be hot if the locals are saying it is hot too!Have a great weekTake care