Day 124 – Monday 31st May 2010

The first day of my school holiday, and so a nice lie in or breakfast in bed?

Neither.

We had a very bad night’s sleep with dogs going mad for several hours and so woke before seven in such a grump that we both got up.

The morning didn’t get much better.

Luckily time went by quite quickly without much incident, and we were soon heading home, via the post office.

We have a package. It looks like Armorel’s birthday present from her parents has arrived, but we can’t quite get it yet.

First we take the notification slip from our box to the post office.

We then are sent across town to the Tanzanian Revenue.

Here we explain we have a package that we would like to open.

We then drive a customs officer back to the post office.

The customs officer and Armorel open the package together and look at the contents. (Luckily he was in a good mood, and as you can see from the pictures, he didn’t make us open everything.)

When he was satisfied we weren’t smuggling anything in, we received our bill and import tax duty.

50p.

We then, with our package, drove the customs officer back to his office, said our thanks and headed home.

A interesting interlude, and for a bill of only 50p I think we won’t complain.

As you can see, it was well worth it, an emergency box.

And the day has continued to get better, a phone call from my brother and sister-in-law, and occasional sentences from our niece Eva, and then a phone call from Arm’s parents and Gran.

Thank you all so much. They mean so much, and on a day like today it is so appreciated.

Day 123 – Sunday 30th May 2010

What a beautiful morning!

We cycle to church under a perfect blue sky. Armorel spoke excellently on the trinity, producing a 3 braid woollen bracelet / bookmark (for the large wristed) to remind us of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the whole congregation.

Very powerfully spoken.

We planned to have lunch with Jim and Margaret who are the couple that were here when we first arrived, but then headed back to the UK. Jim is a retired doctor who comes to help at the clinic, and they had arrived in Tabora today.

However, they hadn’t, their flight was delayed so they didn’t make lunch but we had a lovely time anyway, and in fact spent all afternoon at the hotel, relaxing and chatting, and managing to watch the England vs. Japan game out the corner of one eye.

This evening we chatted to my folks on Skype. They are coming to visit next week, so we were busy trying to sort out travel arrangements. It is proving complicated.

We are so excited.

Planet Earth is nearly over, but tonight’s episode was a challenge. We go to bed feeling slightly ashamed to be a human and to be part of the destruction of our planet.

What are we called to do?

Day 122 – Saturday 29th May 2010

We always like heading to the market early on Saturday morning. It has a wonderfully relaxed feel to the place, where we manage to have fun, chat with the sellers and receive much less hassle. It is also significantly cooler.

This morning we took Yvonne along with us to show her around and help her get one or two bits and pieces. You could easily get lost and spends days in the market if you aren’t careful.

We have bought the largest Avocado we have ever seen. Sorry that we didn’t take a photo. The lady selling it, whose stall is a regular on our shopping route, told us we had to buy it because it was fat like her.

We obliged.

We spent the early afternoon relaxing at home. Armorel is preaching at church tomorrow and so was preparing, whilst I read my book and snoozed in the sun.

At 4pm Baraka and Zawadi came over for an English lesson and we then watched ‘Charlotte’s Web’ together. Well Armorel did. The rest of us got distracted in a game of tickle and missed most of the film. Which if you have not seen is nowhere near as good as the book and not worth it.

Day 121 – Friday 28th May 2010

Today is the last day of school, and I am a little scared. The reason for this fear was a simple comment from another teacher,

“Make sure you are ready. This is not like England.”

He was right. At 9am we were all called together for an assembly. After 30 minutes the head of the school board and the manager got up to go. I naively thought that this was the end of the assembly. Everything was in Swahili so I was completely lost.

“What’s happening now?”

“The meeting is now officially open.”

This could be a long one.

Suddenly an hour in, as I am staring into space and dreaming of a Mr Whippy with Flake, I hear my name being called.

“Mr John, come and speak to the students about the importance of school.”

I kept it brief. It is a shame everyone else didn’t.

2 hours 28 minutes. The longest assembly of my life. We even had a student question and answer session, mainly about the toilets. It is always about the toilets.

Armorel’s day at the clinic wasn’t much better, and I think it is safest to leave it at that.

This afternoon I headed to Friday football in the hope of a change in my fortune. I dug out my old Yeovil shirt and headed off.

4-1 up inside the first 30 minutes and I had scored two, including a belter for 25 yards.

The rest of the game is a blur, and somehow it finished 4-4.

Tonight our family came over for dinner and John and I talked about pig enclosures.

Yes, we are getting pigs! Two piglets are on their way when their house is completed. 

Baraka and I played around with the cut grass this afternoon. This is the moment we attacked Armorel with great handfuls!

Day 120 – Thursday 27th May 2010

There are only two more days of term left, and so today I had to finish off all the reports. It makes a change to only have 80, and not the 350 I am used to writing and checking. However, the added complication was the requirement to complete in Swahili.

Luckily fellow colleagues gave me some good lines to use.

“Dhaifu sana”

“Fanya bidii kwenye somo la sayansi”

Shame I used the first one a lot. It means ‘very poor.’

Anyone fancy trying to translate the second?

Armorel had nearly as an exciting day. She spent over 7 hours sat listening to an AIDS prevention organisation explaining how to apply for grants and funding. It was worth the torment, if the clinic is successful, but I did feel sorry for her.

Tonight we have Yvonne over for dinner. She is a student studying the relationship between hygiene and health in HIV patients, and is based at the clinic.

A lovely evening was had, though we are flagging.

Bring on Friday.

Day 119 – Wednesday 26th May 2010

I leave the girls sleeping as I dash into work this morning. I am not teaching but am running the morning assembly. I change the content at the last moment and speak about ‘how we should all behave.’

My main aim is to direct my comments at the teachers who have an obsession with the cane. I felt I was challenging and provocative.

However, two teachers left the assembly only to find another punishable student.

I do not get this! It makes me so angry!

It is sick and wrong!

Alex and Armorel had a last dash around the market to see if there were any souvenirs, and they also needed to restock on tea bags.

Her flight left just after lunch, for a trip via Nairobi, thanks to BA cabin crew. All seems to be going well.

Armorel headed into work this afternoon, whilst I designed a new clinic brochure and helped write some patient information leaflets. I now know all about gout!

Thank you Alex for the visit and all the goodies.

It seems quiet already!

Day 118 – Tuesday 25th May 2010

On my cycle to work this morning I came across a most amusing site.

A man sat in the middle of the road, holding a large pig by his tail.

The pig, screaming, decided to show his disgust by relieving himself on the sat man.

At which point his friend appeared, grabbed the pig’s ears and tried to drag the big down the road. The man holding the tail, now pushing the pig’s backside, joined in as the pig continued to scream.

Armorel and Alex saw no pigs on their tour of the Catholic mission clinic on the other side of town this morning, though by Alex’s reactions, the state of the delivery table was just a shock.

We headed out for dinner for Alex’s last night, and the slow service was even slower than usual. Tired and exhausted we headed home for an early night. Alex leaves tomorrow lunchtime.

Day 117 – Monday 24th May 2010

A new week of work and I have no idea what it will bring. The exams have finished but we still have a week of school. Alex is joining me today to try and get a taste of school life.

Well, I am not teaching today. The Bishop is arriving later to bless the schools new computer and printer, so the kids are preparing a special song and making sure the school is tidy. They seem to just be sitting around to be honest, but I have been told this is more important than lessons.

After an amusing hour or so and the blessings complete my school day is finished. Alex and I headed into town and confirmed her flights home and then offered our services to the clinic for the afternoon.

Armorel had been busy doing a load of promotional and information leaflets. We joined her in the office and I tried my architectural skills in designing some houses for the shamba.

An early evening tour of the shamba followed with thunder and black clouds on the horizon, before we headed home for chapatti and beans and a film.

Day 116 – Sunday 23rd May 2010

Alex came with us to church on a very strange day. The cloud is heavy and grey. It feels like England.

After church we had a communal meal for the congregation which was good fun though hard work. We had no power so cooking took that much longer.

Not that I did any cooking. I was banished from the ladies only cooking zone. Instead I played with the kids and taught them draughts and push penny football. Now that was amusing.

After a large lunch we had a treat. There are 2 swimming pools in Tabora. Luckily we have managed to chat up one owner and he kindly let us spend the afternoon at the pool. What a treat. Shame about the weather.

A quite evening of Planet Earth and ER followed, just to make sure Alex received a real taste of our life out here.

Day 115 – Saturday 22nd May 2010

Armorel and Alex were running an STI training session for all the clinic staff this morning (below). I am glad that this day has come. I don’t think I can stomach any more discussions or pictures about such topics, especially whilst enjoying my Saturday morning tea.

The crossword and I were forced to escape outside.

They were heading to the clinic at 11am, and we had a number of jobs to get done first. After 8 visits to the Air Tanzania offices to try and book tickets for my families impending trip we had success. Well, we had partial success. I have tickets in my hand but they have decided to change the flight times!

I dislike all airlines at this current moment!

We then visited the phone company who are trying to fix our phone which has developed the irritating habit of constantly ringing. They are taking their time, and each time we speak to them they explain they didn’t know there was a problem. However, I have mastered my impression of a phone constantly ringing. I don’t know the Swahili for it.

A quick visit to the market for some fruit and then it was time for work. Well for the girls, I was heading home for a date with the new newspaper that arrived today.

We had a typical lazy afternoon, drinking tea and reading in the afternoon sun. This evening we are home, with no engagements. We are all very excited.

Film and food and then an early night.

Day 114 – Friday 21st May 2010

Armorel is a cardiac doctor.

Today she was running the cardiac clinic by herself. Very scary, yet also very impressive. She would have benefitted from a translator but without compliant she toughed it out and muddled through.

My day was spent finishing the marking and doing some whole school data analysis. The English grades were not as good as I would have hoped, but we are still improving.

The entertainment of the day was when I returned the exam papers to the students. I had watched with interest the same event with the other teachers. Without fail, within two minutes of the papers being given out you had a queue of students at the door wanting to complain, and trying to persuade you to alter the marks or fix a perceived mistake.

I decided I should entertain this tradition, though felt like telling them that I don’t make mistakes.

By the way I don’t and didn’t.

Most pupils were good natured and cheekily looking for an extra mark here or there, though one or two had a grievance to bear.

“The answer is breaks as it is plural and not singular.”

“No.”

“No, that is the answer so you don’t get a mark.”

“No I am right I need a mark.”

“Who is the teacher? Who speaks English?”

“I need a mark”

“You will get a zero for the whole paper soon!”

“I am right”

“Go away, you are wrong!” (Broken Swahili used. He got the message, only to be back within two minutes trying to convince me that his spelling of stoped was correct.)

I spent the afternoon working in the clinic office helping with some filing and trying to work out a billing system, before we headed off to Friday football.

A good turn out this week, but that didn’t seem to change my fortune. As the sun blazed down my team got weary and soon could only be found sitting by the goal. A 5-2 defeat!

This evening we went to Liz’s house, a UK nurse who is leaving this weekend, for a goodbye dinner. A lovely evening of glorious home  cooked Indian cuisine was had, though again we ate far too much.

After complaints from many of you. This is the view on our way to work in the mornings. We can’t complain!

Day 113 – Thursday 20th May 2010

Happy Birthday Armorel!

We woke early and had tea and presents in the morning, with Armorel getting a number of goodies from the UK, including a small mountain of chocolate. Thank you everyone!

Armorel and Alex headed off to the clinic for a tour and introduction. They started with staff devotions where the ladies of the clinic sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and presented Armorel with a birthday kanga.

Aluminous green and yellow.

Interesting. We will see how much use Armorel gets out of it.

The rest of the day they saw the workings of the clinic.

Today was the English exam so I went in early to encourage the students for the hour and a half exam.

We had mixed results.

I started to mark the papers in the afternoon, using a lot of red pen and quite a few crosses. Half are done, I will finish tomorrow.

We all finished early and headed home for a relaxing afternoon before heading out for a birthday BBQ. We had organised a BBQ at our regular hotel and invited a crowd of about 20. The BBQ was and excellent feast of fish, chicken, beef with a range of salads and breads. A very enjoyable evening was had by all.

Happy Birthday Armorel!

Day 112 – Wednesday 19th May 2010

Praise the lord for the BA lawyers! Alex arrives today.

It has been a rollercoaster of emotions over the past week, of will she or won’t she arrive, but thankfully a text late last night confirmed the plane took off.

We headed into work for the morning but our minds were certainly on our guest arriving.

The plane touched down at just after 1pm. We are so excited.

We had a lazy afternoon of catching up and getting some goodies, followed by an early evening stroll around the block.

Tonight we were doing the entertaining. The vicar and his wife are coming over. They are a young couple around our age and great fun.

We had a wonderful evening of fun and laughter; some real friends are being made.

We are all shattered, bedtime!

Day 111 – Tuesday 18th May 2010

Without having to go into school, I decided to spend a day with my dam.

I left Armorel at the clinic and headed off with my spade into the country. My task was to find, buy and add small stones to my dam. I luckily picked up my band of men and relied solely on them for this adventure. My swahili is not up to standard yet, mind you nor is their English.

We ended up miles away, half way up a hill on a very interesting track, negotiating with a 10 year old boy for a pile of rocks on the side of the road.

After a quick negotiation and a refusal to let the boy go to school until we had collected all the rocks we started loading the truck.

3 loads later we had finished but so had the day. I will return next week for the next step.

Armorel had another busy day at the clinic. She is creating everything for these wards; even I feel as though I would know what to do if I worked there with all the manuals and instructions created.

This is a social packed week. Off out tonight to the Canon of the Cathedral’s house for dinner.

No power, so we ate in candlelight a selection of delights, and tried to improve and use our Swahili. We are getting there!

Day 110 – Monday 17th May 2010

This week is exams week at school. This means no lessons and I am only required when I am scheduled on the invigilation rota.

Mr John - Wednesday morning – History Exam.

That is all I am needed for, so eager as ever Armorel has booked me to create a ward admissions database.

Using a small laptop with a mind of its own, and then having to learn how to use ‘Open Office’ software I set to work and after some small frustrations I had success. I hope.

Armorel also had an admin day, sorting out staffing rotas and writing best practice documents and guidelines.

We have also started doing English lessons for Baraka and Zawadi afterschool, which is hilarious. Trying to explain Kings and Queens was fun!

This evening we were out for a surprise birthday party for Emma, a local ex pat. We had a lovely evening where we met a Brazilian whose daughter lives in the small town we visited back in 2005. The place of the chess set for those that know.

Day 109 – Sunday 16th May 2010

The entertainment at our church never stops. Today the service only lasted 30 minutes with a long 3 minute sermon.

It did mean we had more time for a pleasant cycle ride home through the town.

This afternoon we pottered, read and snoozed, while we waited for the power to return. Just after 4pm the power was back and I set to work on a batch of cookies.

A great success!

This evening we had dinner in the dark at Christopher’s, the school manager, and were offered a piglet, which Armorel told me I couldn’t have.

Well tonight anyway. We are going to see about a pen of some sorts tomorrow.

Coffee and a planet earth before a new week begins. It is exam week at school so I will be spending half my time at the clinic, planning, learning how to build and trying to understand basic farming principles.

Exciting times ahead.

Day 108 – Saturday 15th May 2010

Today we are building a dam.

I am taking on a new role to go alongside my current teaching one. The clinic that Armorel works at runs a project supporting and looking after the poorest and most vulnerable families. Part of this project called ‘Familia Moja’ (One Family), is the running of a farm. You may remember us visiting the ‘Shamba’.

Well I am now working on a project to develop the ‘Shamba’ into more than just a farm but a community. We will be building houses, providing water, organising groups and their storage and starting a small livestock farm. I am very excited by the prospects!

So today we started on a dam across a small ravine which fills with water after it rains. We hope this will provide the farm with small pond of water for irrigation.

Having never built a dam before we started with a small team (below and Armorel and two others) on the construction with my basic hand drawn plan. The big rocks are down and I return on Tuesday to finish.

Exhausted from a hot and hard day we returned home for Zawadi’s 8^th birthday. Sadly her dad John has malaria, so could not join us but we enjoyed a lovely evening with birthday cake and popcorn.

Day 107 – Friday 14th May 2010

Thank goodness it is Friday. We need the weekend.

I am fortunate I always have short day on Friday, but my kind heart pushed me towards the clinic and I worked on designing an admissions database. Still I managed to be home early which was nice.

Unfortunately, I left Armorel at the clinic having a shocker of a day, which ended with a dog biting her. Not badly, no skin puncture but still.

I think it best we don’t talk about it.

This afternoon I went and played football with about 35 kids from a vulnerable child day centre. Great fun in the sweltering afternoon sun. We even attracted a small crowd.

My team, consisting of all those under 10 and the street kids, took on the older, larger and well fed boys from the day centre. It was a close game until the last 10 minutes when tiredness kicked in.

We lost 7-1.

I did score our only goal , and received boos from the crowd. No appreciation for the lung bursting run, the dummy, a drag back and side foot passed the keeper and last defender!

Day 106 – Thursday 13th May 2010

Thursday is always a busy day as I teach pretty much non-stop for 4 hours. The morning however is free and I headed into town to try and sort out some flight information.

Not only have the greedy striking BA cabin girls and boys caused chaos and anger, but our Air Tanzania flights are being affected by a cracked windscreen and so are not flying.

However, I couldn’t find anything out as the power was out and so systems down. I will try again tomorrow.

Armorel had an interesting patient today. A 29 year old male arrived at the clinic yesterday because he was being constantly sick, and nothing would work to help. This continued overnight and today, and he was getting worse. This afternoon the patient suddenly went a ‘little crazy’, Armorel’s technical diagnosis, and had to be taken to the hospital. He was in a serious way.

However, he was seen at the hospital and promptly sent home. Not a good decision and so we pray he will be ok. He needs it.

Tonight, we were out for dinner at the headmasters’ house again. We were being treated to Kittimoto, which directly translated means ‘Chair of Fire.’

It isn’t a wooden dish at all but the name given to pork so as not to offend any Muslim.

Very tasty!

Day 105 – Wednesday 12th May 2010

Today was a beautiful sunny day and hot. Very hot!

Armorel spent the day hiding from the ward and catching up on admin and paperwork things. She had a very productive day and is currently sat making something.

I am not allowed to know what she is making, but it involves material, needle, thread, screams of both despair and joy, and what looks like an elephant.

I am intrigued.

I spent the morning at school preparing end of term reports. Teachers be thankful. These are handwritten!

This afternoon I went with Dr Ruth and a surveyor to the shamba. There are plans afoot and it looks like I may be doing some project management. Watch this space!

It is still over 26 degrees so maybe a juice and ER instead of a coffee.

Day 104 – Tuesday 11th May 2010

Only one highlight today.

A wonderful phone call from my niece Eva. She is nearly 2.

It wasn’t the deepest conversation ever but I don’t mind.

Thank you Eva for making us smile!

Day 103 – Monday 10th May 2010

A cloudy Monday morning greeted us as we headed to work.

I have been summoned to meet the Bishop at 11:30am.

After a morning of teaching I headed off to see what was in store for me. Luckily I had not offended anyone and was not being kicked out of the country. The Bishop just wanted to see how I was doing and how he could help in my frustrations at work.

Not the best outcome but better than nothing.

Armorel was a doctor’s scribe today as Dr Ruth managed to get the top of her finger bitten off by one of her dogs. I am told I must not laugh!

She found it a very interesting day and seemed to learn a huge amount. Especially useful when she is going to become the Paeds and Cardiac doctor!

Great career progression for her!

This evening we went and had dinner with Ruth and then headed to bed early.

Day 102 – Sunday 9th May 2010

The service was due to start at 8:30am. We had decided we would try to arrive a little late, firstly to ensure we weren’t the only ones in the church and secondly we wanted to sneak in the back and make sure we couldn’t be up front as guests of honour.

It worked.

We found a nice seat next to lovely lady and her little girl, who managed to keep us amused and entertained throughout. We were also supplied with sweets and water, though were rationed to one sweet an hour. We had no idea how long this service would be.

Luckily we finished at 12:45, so only just over 4 hours, and had sweets to spare. It was actually a great service, really interesting and fun, and great for our Swahili as we had no interpreter to help.

At the end of the service you leave and shake everyone's hand, see above. There were about 900 people!

We then rushed off as were we guests at the fun bit, lunch. We had a nice spread of rice and chicken, and managed to fill our stomachs.

The challenge was then trying to stay awake for the afternoon, which we both failed to do, but then headed to the pub to watch the final day of the football season with a pizza. Disappointing results but good fun, and certainly amusing watching the arguments ensue about Chelsea’s diving and cheating.

Day 101 – Saturday 8th May 2010

I wake with a spring in my step, so I strapped on my running shoes and headed out into the morning sun.

I only got slightly lost, so went a bit further than intended, but had a lovely blast of fresh air.

It is still before 9am.

We had a very lazy morning, reading and taking some photos, and then headed into the market just before lunch to get some bits and pieces for tonight. We are having our family night a day later than usual.

This afternoon we have been quite lazy but also cooking for tonight. We are having a Thai green curry with homemade naan. Just washing, peeling and preparing your veg adds at least 45 minutes to any cooking time.

John and his family arrived and we had our experimental curry which was ok. The naan on the other hand was fantastic.

The internet is being ridiculous. I have no idea when I will even get to post this but hey, we are getting used to the frustrations.

Day 100 – Friday 7th May 2010

One hundred days! We feel we should celebrate or something.

We celebrated with an early alarm call and drive to work.

It was a day of interesting patients at the clinic. Armorel started by seeing a two week old baby with severe pneumonia who they admitted to the ward. Then followed a man with a GI bleed and then a lady arrived with a ruptured placenta. She was 7 months pregnant and had lost her baby. Armorel and another doctor had to rush her to the large hospital. She is in a very bad way and needs our prayers.

Armorel also visited her palliative care patient Charlesiku, who she has been caring for since we arrived. Her health has deteriorated over the last week and she is now suffering greatly. We received a phone call when we arrived home tonight to say that Charlesiku had died.

Tonight we went out for dinner with a group of ex-pats at the Tabora. It was cold. We have noticed a change in the weather recently, with increased winds and a drop in humidity. Armorel arrived home and had a hot chocolate. It is still mid twenties!

Tomorrow we have no plans. No work, no jobs to do, no nothing.

Lovely!

Armorel and Charesiku last month.

Day 99 – Thursday 6th May 2010

Today at 10:24, after 312 games, Spider Solitaire was conquered!

Never to be played again.

We woke to a complete water shortage.

We have none.

No reserves no nothing.

This is of great worry as the dry season has hardly started. We are fortunate. We phoned a man and had some delivered, though expensive, we can afford it.

Many people cannot. This is going to be a long, hard dry season.

Tonight we were out for dinner at the Headmasters house with Peter. We had a lovely evening, with many dishes galore.

Tired and full we are going to bed.

Day 98 – Wednesday 5th May 2010

An early start for Armorel this morning as she was off for a village clinic. She was being picked up at 6:40am.

Today she was ‘Paediatric Doctor’ seeing 26 children with various illnesses and complaints. A steep learning curve, one she is climbing well, but a thoroughly enjoyable day. This was helped by a glorious journey home in the afternoon sun, across beautiful plains and the occasional band of monkeys.

My day was less than exotic. I am trying to teach the students about their families and how if their uncle has a son that they are not your brother. We are getting there slowly.

One amazing thing is that one student wrote down their mothers name as ‘Armorel’. I am going to investigate tomorrow. Surely this cannot be.

I spent the afternoon faffing and waiting for Armorel to return home, doing crosswords, code-words and a Sudoku or two. I gave up with the Kenken. Its too tough!

Day 97 – Tuesday 4th May 2010

It is raining!

It poured with rain last night from about 10pm and it is still falling. It’s meant to be the opening today.

We arrive at the clinic to a mud pit, and struggling to see where our hard work has gone. Please stop!

The rain availed for most of morning but bang on 3pm, the heavens opened and people ran for cover. The opening is beginning in 30 minutes.

One thing we have noticed out here is that if it is raining everything is off. People just do not go out. Nothing would ever get done in England. So the clinic team sat waiting hoping some brave souls would face this oh so vicious rain.

Luckily the downpour was brief and slowly people started to arrive. The bishop spoke. He was followed by some other men and women. We sat, got lost in translation and sat some more.

Up we then got and cut the ribbons, had a tour of the wards, and returned for more speeches with accompanying nibbles and drinks. The whole event seemed to go well, and with the press present, we hope for some good publicity. The only problem with the event is that they forgot to thank the people who actually made it happen, namely Armorel and her team.

We don’t do it for the praise, but it would be nice if the at least the right people got it.

Armorel boosted her spirits with a quick phone call to Gran. So lovely to speak to her, and then it was off to bed.

Day 96 – Monday 3rd May 2010

Today it has been a tough morning. If you add together the busy weekend, with the general Monday lethargy and then multiply it by waking to find we had completely run out of water, you will understand why we were less than enthralled by the start of a new week.

Our goodbye to SOMA last night was not our goodbye. We worked the morning and then headed into town at 11:30am as their tour guides and personal shoppers around the market. It made us realise that we are becoming less out of our depth, and that our Swahili is improving.

‘Its certainly not a tourist market.’ Really sums up our market in Tabora, no frills.

This afternoon I opened my little school library and lent out 47 books. Not bad for day one. Armorel was busy preparing for tomorrow, with a varied list of jobs from weeding to picking up 60 plastic chairs.

We sat and had a cup of tea watching a heavy but brief rain storm, the irony is not lost. Finally we have some rain, but no water to shower in.

An early night tonight, and we would value your prayers for the opening tomorrow. Armorel is sure all will be fine, but there is a still lot to do, and the guest of honours attendance has just dropped to a 30% chance of happening.

This is Africa!

And sorry Zara we can’t make the 3rd, the RSVP will be in the post but probably won’t reach you till next year. We are gutted but send our love and prayers in these coming weeks and months to both you and Will.

Day 95 – Sunday 2nd May 2010

Off to church this morning, the bishop is speaking, so we better not be late.

We were late, but not as late as everyone else, so no one noticed.

It was a busy service with over 35 people!

Today another English guy called Peter is meant to be arriving. He is the man linked with the school, and we hope will be a catalyst to get things moving.

His plane has been cancelled.

This allowed us a small window in our schedule to complete a daring task. A haircut!

Sat outside we prayed for safety and survival and headed in to the aptly named ‘Best Cuts’. We were greeted by a poster titled ‘Cutz for the Boyz’, which I leave to your imagination as to what it entailed, and a TV blaring out American wrestling. We sat and waited, and waited a little more. Then, I was next and jumped into the chair.

We had no common language, so pointing of fingers, expressions and frowns were used and the clippers began. There were no scissors.

I am impressed, and even more of a surprise is that Armorel has not laughed or cried. Maybe I should get my haircut here all the time. After all it has only just cost me a £1 and that is the white man rate.

So with my new short hair we headed off for lunch with some friends, a BBQ chicken with fresh salad. A very pleasant afternoon.

Soon it was evening and we were heading out for dinner to say goodbye to the SOMA team. Tonight the service was particularly slow; we had arrived at 6:45 and managed to start eating at 8:55pm. We were very glad we had a sneaky snack before we left this evening.

We arrived home to the phone ringing and a lovely chat with my mum, before heading to bed and seeing what the new week will bring us.

Day 94 – Saturday 1st May 2010

Today is not a rest day. With the grand opening of the ward on Tuesday there was plenty to be done at the clinic, predominantly, making the place look a little bit nicer.

Ironically today is a national holiday called ‘Workers Day’, when no one is meant to work.

I was recruited, and off we headed in the morning sun. The first job was to clear the ground, rake it and make it look a lot nicer than it was. With all this green waste, we soon decided constructing a compost area would also be beneficial. So with the few words of my mum’s composting genius plucked from distant memories, I set to work and constructed a three bed compost area (on your right). I am very proud of myself. I have no idea if it will work, but that’s not my concern today.

We then got stuck into building a couple of paths and a good general tidy up. It was a long and exhausting day, but enjoyable. 

Back in the UK today would be the first day of ‘Ready4Action’, which is a three day event where Guildford churches join together to work in the local community helping sort out people’s homes and gardens. This is the first year I have missed it in 6 years, so felt I was doing my bit overseas. If you interested I am sure someone will post a web link or contact about Ready4Action.

We treated ourselves with a cold drink at the Tabora, with some football on in the background, and managed to rehydrate and start our recovery.

We watched ‘Open Range’, a good but rather long and slow cowboy film with spicy spaghetti tonight. It was a lovely evening apart from the chilli that I managed to get up the nose and in my eye. The pain and frustration finally left about 3am.

Day 93 – Friday 30th April 2010

The plan today was to work the morning and then in the afternoon finish off our driving license quest. By mid afternoon we both were ready to kill someone or something!

The morning had been fine, yet uneventful. I read some of my new books for school and am worried about their content. I think maybe I should write some educational books whilst I am here.

We then headed for our eye test, which was quite a surreal experience. In the back room both Armorel and I sat as we went through the eye exam. Armorel went first and proved she has nearly perfect vision. Whilst I sat and watched and thought about cheating and memorising what she was being asked. It was then my turn, first without my glasses and funnily enough I couldn’t see anything. Then with my glasses and surprisingly I could then see all I was meant to.

Eye tests – Passed and Done!

The next task was a trip to the local authority building.

There were no staff.

We sat and waited until a man appeared. Frustrations growing.

“Not here!”

Was his response to our questions about getting our license. This was not meant to happen. He then sent us on our way to the police station.

“Not here!”

Was their response. Instead the policeman kindly wrote down everything we needed, to get a license. The list is getting longer and more expensive by the second. So frustrated we headed off to the driving authority as we now need to get a driving certificate, whatever that is. It is meant to be tsh6000.

“60,000 each, what?”

We are getting nowhere, we have had enough, so are heading back to work. Next time we are bringing a local. Nothing is simple.

You would think driving for 10 years in a country with millions of cars would be enough to drive in a town of 20 cars, where the average driving ability is less than a goat. I am struggling to change my mindset!

Luckily I arrived home and played a game of football in the garden with Baraka. I am again at peace with the world.

Tonight is family night with John, Joha, Zawadi and Baraka. On the menu this week was Pizza, rice and beans, followed by popcorn and an introduction to ‘Where’s Wally?’ They were all hooked, especially when the magnifying glass came out. They had never seen one before.

Also a frog came to visit us tonight. He had managed to pick up a trail of dust. I promise you are house is clean.

Day 92 – Thursday 29th April 2010

Hold the front page, John has had a productive day at school.

An end of term English test is written, 97 books are labelled and ready for his reading library and his classes embarked on a speaking test, to varying success.

Armorel continues to work with the ward and sorting it out. They now have a very organised office, organised paperwork and spotless rooms. It helps that there are currently no patients, but that’s beside the point.

Tonight we arrived home to the realisation that our Swahili still has a long way to go. I thought I had said to our house lady we wanted a curry with rice tonight, but we ended up with spinach and rice. Not quite so appealing.

Luckily we have just been asked if we can help take and provide food to the group of English vicars. The ones who came to Nzega are part of a group of 7. So we headed off with our spinach and managed to get ourselves fed. They are a wonderful bunch of eccentric English men and women, and a fun evening was had by all. And John managed to get some much needed male conversation. Even if most of it was about birds! There are not many men around!