Changes

Why should young people go to a country like Africa? This is a question that could be discussed for hours and which would probably be suitable for a late-night talkshow on TV. People mostly want to do social work. There are endless projects with children, invalids, medical prevention etc. The project which exited me though was about wildlife. Finally I found something different. To be honest I am not the person which gets involved in those social things. That does not mean that I am not interested in the third-world drawbacks but normally I am not particularly interested in social work. Normally…

After the boys and I got back from the bush last Thursday we allowed ourselves some relaxation and luxury. While the other Volunteers were working in their projects we drove to a tourist centre called Slipway. There one can buy souvenirs, there is a supermarket with imported goods from Europe, an expensive hotel and evenan English bookshop. We rummaged around the supermarked and the bookshop had a look at all the things we could buy for the right amount of money and decided that 12 Euros for a bar of Lindt chocolate was far too expensive. After that we went to the restaurant of the Slipway hotel and had some very nice food. The prices were of European measures but we enjoyed our dinner anyway. You could order baguette with cheese, fresh vegetable and even coffee! After we were full we went tot he pool and if somebody asks: no we did not leave our towels there in the first place. The pool is located on the roof terrace oft he hotel from where you can see the sea. We enjoyed the abundance of water until our skin was completely crinkled. Sometimes it is great to be a tourist.

At the weekend we did not do too much. Athough we went to a bar on Saturday it was mostly too hot to even move. Also, we still had to resolve the issue of our project with our organisation as we still had no idea how we should continue. First, we had to talk to the main office in Tanzania. The three boys and I sat in front of the computer and skyped with the person in charge. The whole conversation was very tough as we had problems understanding one another and we were not coming to any conclusion. So we had cancelt he conversation and demanded to talk to the German office. There we were finally understood. The German office told us that they were really sorry that our project had been a complete desaster and they wanted to find a solution fort he problem. The next day the Tanzanian office was informed about what was said from Germany and we were promised that we can either change our projects or get our money back.

Now that I was already in this country and I already looked forward to this stay I did not want to go home already. What was there for me to do anyway? Although the project had not worked out so far there was still so much to see, the people were really nice and Imainly came here for the experience. The only problem was that there were only social projects that were offered by my organisation. To do a medical job I would need a special permission which I did not have. So I guess the lions and elephants have to survive without me as I am going to save the world. I have planned, as far as you can speak of planning in this country, to stay in Morogoro until christmas and work in a centre for disabled children. For the next year I will go back to Dar es Salaam and from there I will go travelling a lot. Presumably I will return back home in spring.

Amazingly, I was able to put my plan into action first thing on Monday. I went to Morogoro together with Anna, a new volunteer. Although I have only been to Morogoro for a few days before I was still excited to see the mountains. Anya, who has been working and living in Morogoro for a long time now greeted us heartily and also her Dad and brother who were there for a visit from Germany welcomed us. Together we went to town to fetch some food and to do some shopping. As we went tot he mobile phone shop to top up our credit a huge woman invited us to visit her one day. I guess the Tanzanian people are very open and whites always an attraction.

The next morning all three of us went to the Amani Centre. Immidetely, the children came running to greet us, grab our hands and to draw our attention. After a short introduction by Anya we went to the office to introduce ourselves. The reaction we received could have been predictable in a way. New volunteers? What? Of course nobody knew anything about us or had been informed about us coming. Before we were allowed to work we had to talk to our supervisor in Morogoro. For that day we were only visitors. I should get used to how things are handled and organised here by now. Together with the social workers and therapist we went on home visits today. Children that cannot come tot he Amani Centre or who have been in therapy before are monitored and checked on those visits.

Back in the hotel I had to decorate my room. Although we do not have a student house in Morogoro and the feeling of sharing a flat is therefore minimized I have my own little room. While putting Music on loud I unpacked a few things, shifted some furniture and put pictures on the wall of my friends back home. I even invented a kind of spider web of strings to either put up my mosquito net but also to hang wet clothes that have been washed. Washing clothes is complicated too, as most of my T-Shirts already look disgraceful and will never get clean and stainless again. I will donate them before going home, for sure.

To mark the occasion of moving in Anna and I bought cool drinks at the hotel bar and streamed German TV in the evening.

Still, I am in contact with my organisation as they will not agree to any more compensation but I am sure that we will agree on that matter soon.

For now I am in Morogoro, I found a project which I can start hopefully soon and which could be fun. Of course this is not for what I came to Africa for but Africa holds just so many uncertainties. All I wanted was an adventure and a challenge and both I will get together with a lot of different impressions and experiences. And who knows what happens next, as nothing happens without any reason…