This post is more personal than any other probably will be. This is the reality what I have already experienced here and this just may be the reality what one might get into when arriving here.
When I decided to come to Tanzania, I’ll be honest with you I did not have a first clue where I was coming to. It was more or less a 5 second decision. I had an idea that working here would be completely different than what I am used to. Back home one usually has plan A and maybe plan B, but usually there is only one job at the time and you do it and then move on to the next one. When you come here, be prepared that first week or two might go just for figuring out what you actually are going to do for rest of your time. After this you may think you know what you are doing, but then again we are not at home and things will change.
What I have learnt here is, that if you have to use the internet make sure you have a plan what to do when connection is off or it runs so slow that using it is next to impossible. Also it is good to have a plans A, B, C, D, E, F and probably G, because most likely at least A, B, C, and D are not going to happen when you assume they happen or you are hoping for them to happen.
There are several mentions about how one should be self-sufficient when coming here and that is true. You just have to be able to do things solo or at least you have to kick some ass if you want something done. If you come here and expect that there is same kind of structure than back home you will end up doing nothing and that hopefully is not your goal.
So you might feel very frustrated in many occasions when it comes to work, but then again there is one thing what you cannot find anywhere else and that’s the people. One of the volunteers said: you have to be certain kind of person to be able to come here. We all have something in common and outside we may not be the same, but there are things that unite us into a one very confusing, ever changing “family”. The old saying that people make the place is very true. You will live with people you hardly know and odds are that you experience things that you remember rest of your life.
I have been here 44 days and I have still 50 days to go, and already have met people that have given me more than they probably even realize. I am not very good with spoken words, so I hope that most of them will read this because I really want to thank them. Special thanks to make my birthday so awesome!!!!
By:Tia Maria(Mary Poppins)