Home to Mpwapwa, teaching (well a little…) and some guests!
on Kev in Tanzania (Tanzania), 23/Sep/2009 05:32, 34 days ago
This entry brings me right up to date now - it is also not as interesting as the travel ones but stick with it!Wednesday 16th SeptemberGot the bus back to Mpwapawa it was crowded and took an hour longer than normal.Once back home I rested a little, admired photos, had a nice dinner and watched Enemy of the state.It felt quiet without the two Aussie girls chatting away in a corner but I was happy to be back with the last few weeks here in Mpwapwa coming up.Thursday 17th SeptemberWent into college today and it was great to see that the students were back– maybe I could do some teaching again! I updated my blog a little and tried putting some photos onto facebook but the internet was very slow…I took a class, it was one of Lubuva’s as he is out of town but it was great to back in front of the students. I took them in the smaller class with no projector so it was a bit of challenge with instructions but we all got logged on and did some practical word processing.There was no mail which was annoying but I got to see Matayo and we chatted for a bit at work.In the afternoon I did some well needed washing and then power went at 6pm so I had an early night!Friday 18th SeptemberToday was student elections so there was no teaching– that was frustrating as I had just got back and I wanted to get back into the swing of things. Even worse news (from education stand point) it was Eid and the college is due to be shut all next week… Great come beck and want to work only to find its another holiday…In the afternoon Thad and a friend were running a networking training session (Computer networking) so I stayed around to give a little assistance. Typical Tanzania the session started an hour late but it fun and informative. I did a demonstration on how to make a CD cover and business card using a new program we have installed.Saturday 19th SeptemberToday I had 3 guests coming to stay today, Sandra who has not moved to Morogoro and Renee and Frouke from Dodoma.I got up early and did some food shopping as needed to stock the fridge up. I posted lots of postcards from Zambia and had a chat with Matayo at the market.Sandra arrived at 2.30pm and the Dodoma girls just after. They loved my house and had a late lunch. The Dodoma girls bought some cheese, olives, bread and wine!We chatted and I showed them my holiday photos. We also played some monopoly cards and Sandra taught the others how to play‘café international’ another fun card game.For dinner we went to Central Garden to meet Matayo and we had chipsi and Nyama (meat– possibly cow…) it was a good evening and we were lucky on the way home not to see any dogs.It felt nice to have guests again and due to having 3 I slept on the couch.Not sure what my guard made of me having 3 girls in the house with me– probably thought I was being a good typical Tanzanian with my 3 new wives!!Sunday 20th SeptemberWe all had a lie in and after a snack for breakfast we went to get tickets for the buses. Sandra get her ticket for Monday, Renee and Frouke could not get a ticket for today and had to go Monday as well. They were both apologetic but I was happy with guests and did not mind.We bought some more supplies– these girls are snack machines!! It was nice showing them around the town and they agreed with my comment about Mpwapwa being like a Wild West town. We had a late lunch and then a lazy afternoon with more card games – those Dutch (all 3 are) do love their games!For dinner Renee and Sandra prepared Potato salad and tuna salad– there was plenty and we gorged ourselves along with some nice red wine too!Monday 21st SeptemberGot up early (seems to happen a lot here…) and took Sandra down to catch the 6am bus to Morogoro, did the same for Renne and Frouke at 8am. Once the girls had left it was a little lonely as I had spent so much time with Liz and Jo and then the weekend with the Dutch girls.I did more washing to take mind of things and tidied up the house. In the afternoon I went to try and upload some photos but the internet was running at snails pace again, very frustrating but similar to what it will be like when on Pemba.In the evening I watch I am Legend and I, robot a very entertaining evening– for a man alone Mpwapwa!Tuesday 22nd SeptemberHad a lie in today and got out of bed at 9.30. I wrote a couple more postcards and went for a walk. On the way I posted postcards and went to TANESCO to pay my electric bill. There was a massive queue but did the Tanzanian thing and shoved my in. Had to wait about 20 minutes but that was impressive considering the size of the queue!After that I went home and cooked up a nice lunch, I was half expecting the power to go off at any moment as it is no power Tuesday but it was fine.After eating lunch I finished typing up this blog on my laptop and relaxed on the porch enjoying the national holiday and view.So there it is, life is back to routine (ish) for now and I am still enjoying running water at home!Take care all