Friday, November 29, 2013

International Staff Weekend Away

Last weekend we had the chance to go away for a couple of days with nearly all of the other MAF International Staff and their families ... some of whom we hadn't even yet met. We have come from all over the world to work together as a team here in Tanzania; England, Northern Ireland, France, Holland, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and America. 


It was a central location ... Morogoro, a three and a half hour drive for us. The team are spread out across Tanzania in four bases, Dodoma, Arusha, Mbeya and Dar Es Salaam. Here is one of the photos we took on the journey there. It is a straight forward drive (just one road between here and there!) except for the oncoming overtaking buses that you have to swerve to avoid! Yes, really!


The setting was amazing. After living in a flat, dusty, dry Dodoma, we were staying at the Highlands Camp at the base of some lush, green mountains. A real change of scenery for the Dodoma-ites among us!




It was a real chance to spend some time together, over food, in the pool ... just generally hanging out!


We also enjoyed a few different sessions, led by a fellow missionary in Dodoma, Andrew Jones who is from Australia and serving with SIM with his wife and children. As well as a business meeting, bringing updates from throughout the programme ... and on Sunday morning 'church'!


While the more serious sessions were happening, different parents took the kids off for some fun and games. The children just loved the fact that they got to hang out with their friends all weekend long (and were exhausted by the time we got home!!).



Then there were the bigger kids ... who got to 'play' together too! These water balloons are a clue as to what they got up to!


A giant slingshot! Loads of balloons were sent flying and there were many attempts to catch them up the hill too ... with only a few successes but lots of fun in the process!


The weekend was a good chance to get together as a team, catch up, meet newly arrived families and say farewell to those on their way out ... in a great location.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

You know you live in Africa when ...

When we were living in Ohio we shared some of the differences about life between there and what we were used to in the UK. Some we could have anticipated and others that were a real surprise! Having spent just over 3 years there, a lot of those differences became part of normal life for us.

Now we've been living here in Dodoma, Tanzania for 9 months ... here are some of the differences that we've found about life here. A lot of them are already becoming more and more normal for us as we go about our day-to-day lives. Of course there are many many more ... this is just a sample!!

  • You check the pool for water scorpions before jumping in!
  • Anybody and everybody greets you (especially if you have little white children with you!)
  • You make sure there are no stones or grit in your sugar, flour, rice or beans ... it can hurt your teeth!
  • Your daughters have a 'pet' gecko in their bedroom that they love
  • You are used to being randomly stopped by police on a regular basis when driving ... for no reason at all
  • The amount of meat on a whole chicken here is probably less than that of a single chicken breast that you can buy in the States!
  • If you see something in the shops you like, you know to buy it then and there ... as it may not be there again for 6 months ... or ever!
  • There is often the smell of burning rubbish/plastic wafting around your house from some random person who has lit a fire on the side of the road somewhere
  • If you need the loo when you're out, it's more likely to be a 'squat' than a 'sit'!
  • Ants find their way into ... well ... everything!
  • You have to filter ALL your water ... drinking, brushing teeth etc etc
  • You drive down the road and within a hundred metres, see someone in Masai clothing, someone in traditional Tanzanian dress, someone in full Muslim gear, someone in a business suit, someone in western fashion ... the list goes on
  • The trees bloom just before the rains in anticipation ... not after they've been watered! (See photo below ... dry and dusty Dodoma full of bright red Flame trees!)
  • When you're in the middle of nowhere you find people just walking from A to B ... even if both A and B are nowhere to be seen!
  • Seeing a properly tarmac-ed/sealed road is a novelty
  • Your nearest 'real' supermarket is a full days drive away
  • Putting either sunscreen or bug spray on when you leave the house becomes second nature
  • Your children think wearing socks is like wearing dress-up (fun and not necessary in 'real' life!)
  • You have to wash all fruit and veggies ... who knows what has been on them before you get them!
  • When something electrical doesn't work your first thought isn't 'is it broken?', it is 'is the power off again?'!
  • You often see men proudly riding around on pink bikes! Proud because they own a bike ... they have no understanding of the 'pink is girlie' western thing, a bike is a bike whatever the colour!
  • Climbing in and out of a mosquito net in the middle of the night when you need the loo becomes second nature!
  • There is a layer or dust over everything you own both inside and outside your house!
It's strange what becomes 'normal' ... we love it though!