renovating...or rebuilding?

Repairs are underway on my house, and I've been pondering the above title since we started yesterday; some of the things we're doing (like hammering iron bars into the aging brick and mortar infrastructure) make me think there's something more substantial going on. Despite my doubts of its structural integrity, I'm quite confident the fixes we're making now will keep the house standing at least until I leave, if not for the duration of the TZ21 project (which is the ultimate goal). There's also nothing stopping the utter excitement I feel about beginning my second life in Peace Corps, in a brand new setting with new people, and (hopefully) with a fresh perspective. My house has been a big part of this so far, acting as the gateway at which this new life starts.

The video above is just a sampling of the various things that have happened over the past two days. In it, you can see the roof being patched and painted, the interior wood frame being coated with used motor oil (natural termite repellent, apparently), cracks in the concrete being fixed inside and outside, ceiling boards finished in the living area, etc. In addition (not in the video), mosquito nets are in the windows, the electricity has been rewired, and the light fixtures are working as of this evening!

I'm pretty amazed at how fast things are getting done, but there's still plenty left to do. More ceiling boards, more concrete work, stuff in the bathroom and the kitchen, the other side of the roof needs to be painted, among other things. I honestly think moving in by Christmas is a real possibility; as long as I get a bed with a mosquito net in my bedroom, locks on the doors, and we make sure the choo is functional, I would consider it safe to spend the night inside.

A house would be a nice Christmas present, I have to say. But I've already got a plan for the Christmas present I want to give to myself. It has something to do with my living area. I'll share more details in another entry in relatively short order, just be patient!

annual conference

I got back from the annual conference last Thursday, just in time to celebrate Tanzania's 50 years of independence not in Dar, which I'm convinced was probably a good thing. The traffic there was even more unbelievable than usual leading up to December 9th, and the rains that fell during the week certainly didn't help (the road from my hotel to the annual conference flooded BIG time on Thursday). In any case, hongera to Tanzania for being free for 50 years! It's funny to hear some other volunteers are running into Tanzanians that honestly believe they were better off as a colony of western countries; I've heard one or two people broadcast that same thought.

As for the annual conference, it went as well as it could have, considering the schedule set for it. We accomplished most of our objectives, and it was helpful for me to learn more about the Implementing Partners involved with the project (except for Agile Learning, who's in charge of the Education Management Information System; they didn't show up). Unfortunately, we really didn't get to deliberate on what Creative calls "emerging issues," or perhaps this is a generic real-world work term that I hadn't heard before. They're basically roadblocks and problems that keep us from getting things done. For example, one of our current emerging issues is getting electronics through customs; the pilot equipment arrived in Tanzania at the end of September, but wasn't cleared to leave the airport until the week we installed it. And that was just kid stuff compared to the procurement of equipment that will happen early next year.

In any case, the venue for the conference was the gorgeous Double Tree hotel in Oyster Bay. We didn't actually stay there (it costs ~$255/night), but we got to hang out by the pool and eat at the buffet. I definitely felt a little mshamba (like a yokel, redneck) in the midst of such luxuries. They had these glasses of red and green...something scattered across the tables, and I was endlessly fascinated with them until I finally summoned the courage to pour some of it into my glass of water. Turns out it was some kind of concentrated syrup that was supposed to add flavor to water, but it was honestly pretty gross. Mshamba-ness aside, I think it's a good thing I'm still a ways removed from the finer things in life (like strange, high fructose corn syrup-based water flavor enhancers). I'm starting to see that the big danger in international development work is losing touch with who you're trying to help. Even just being in Mtwara town I've noticed it's a problem, so I can't even imagine trying to do it in a place like Dar.

random synapse

We just finished a workshop out in a village called Lukeledi. I don't know why, but I really like this place. From what I can tell, or from my very limited perspective of the area around the primary school, the village itself has nothing. It does have korosho (cashew nuts), but that's about it. Despite how impoverished it is, I still find myself wanting to stay here. Not forever, but at least a little while.

Why do I feel this way? Is it guilt, for being one of the lucky few born in the richest country on the planet? Is it the desire to help, and to improve the lives of the people here? Nope. I just wish my life was simpler. The people here are simple. They live simple lives. I'd like to think if I was boiled down to my essence, I'd find the same thing within me. But it isn't true. My life is complicated. Really complicated.

I suppose it's ironic then, that the reason I'm here is to make their lives more complicated; having computers in their community certainly won't make them any easier. Well, at least not yet.