Sorry, sorry, sorry and Happy New year

Sorry it's been almost 2 months since the last blog. Time just goes so quickly.
First of all a belated Happy New Year to everyone, I hope that you enjoyed the festive season and that 2015 will see everyone healthy, happy and have a £/€/$/shekel/shilling more coming in than you need.
I have decided to give the teaching thing a go. I have 2 great people looking for a house for me, I'll spend 2 or 3 days a week in Monduli and 2 days at Walk In Love. It should be a good mix, I love being at the centre and teaching first aid but this will give me another interest and bring me into contact with more people.
It's been great meeting up with my old friend Susan who arrived in Tanzania a month earlier than expected, sadly she had to go to the UK in December but, fingers crossed, she'll be back at the end of the month.
Said goodbye to my American 'daughter' Brianna who has returned to Texas but I did get to meet up with her mum again, this time with dad in tow as he was doing some medical work in Monduli. Great family but this is the life of a volunteer, great people pass through our lives so we just enjoy the moment for what it is. We may never meet up again but we share some great memories.
Met a local family who really need help, mum and 3 kids live in a shed made from tin sheets. They now have a water filter giving them clean drinking water for 5 years, also found some clothes and bits and pieces for them.
I spent Christmas and New Year in Israel where both are none events, I thought that Nazareth would be busy on their famous son's birthday but no, it was a normal working day.
2015, I wonder what else it will bring? New home for certain as the lease is up on my current house and the land lady is not renewing. I have found a great place near a market, lime green lounge but that's OK. A trip to the UK in July and I want to take time to explore Tanzania. I haven't seen much of it in my first year so I must make the effort to take long week ends and find out about the country which is my second home.
I continue to have 'pinch me' moments when I can't believe how lucky I am to be living my dream. I miss my daughter and friends so much that, at times, it physically hurts but it's a small price to pay. Thankfully there's Skype and email but it can't make up for the times when they need a hug and I can't be there to provide it.
Here are some of my favourite pics from the past year, enjoy xx

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Decision, Decisions, Decisions

People come into our lives for a reason, we may not always know why or recognise that this is what has happened at the time, some come to test us, some to improve our lives in a greater or lesser way, some so that we can help them. People who know me know that I am pretty much a fatalist, certain things in one’s life are predestined although the way that we arrive there is largely a matter of the choices which we make. I am fortunate to have had many such experiences in the 5 decades which I have been around for and my life is pretty good.
Recently I went to Monduli, a small town an hours drive from Arusha. There I met an amazing woman called mama Junior who has set up an English medium school to educate the local children. She asked the folk what was needed and they all said an English Medium School. Job opportunities are far greater if you can read and write English.. She has used her own land and money but is due to retire from her job as a school inspector soon so will only have her pension to live off. She employs 1 teacher, has had to get rid of the cleaner and cook as she cannot afford them. The 24 kids aged 3-6 pay 20,000 Tsh per month for uji-porridge and to help with the teacher’s salary, the 1^st term 70% paid, 2^nd, 50%, 3^rd only 1 paid, but what should she do? The children need an education. I suggested that she get the parents to cook/clean/garden in rotation therefore reducing their liability for fees and helping her out. This had never occurred to her. She desperately needs a native English speaker to help the kids with their English . Herein lies the dilemma, I am a native English speaker, I was impressed with what she is doing but I have a job which I enjoy and love the people I work with. I went as far as looking at properties in the area but nothing was suitable. Fortunately school closes for December so I have time to think about it. Monduli is 90 minutes by dala dala, the school is not in the centre of town and the road to it in the rainy season would be hell but the kids manage to walk it so that is no excuse. The dala dalas run from 05.30, school starts at 08.00, am I trying to talk myself into a job?

The area has many needs, fortunately there is a government hospital and a Christian clinic so health needs are, at least partially, covered. There are government schools but these are taught in Kiswahili and the need is for the kids to learn English, also the classes can be as big as 80-120.

A friend is looking at a way to help the local Maasai population before harvest time they, like many others, struggle to feed themselves and their children. She made 12 bags of basic items, spoke to a local elder and gave them to the 12 most needy families, he did not take one for himself. She is looking at doing this once or twice weekly with his help so that she can alleviate the hardship in the hunger months

Lots to think about in the next 2 months, I will go again but this time on the dala dala to see how long it takes

Pics from Monduli

 

Thank yous, visits and the rains have come

Yet again it's been a busy time, I went out to Karatu to visit Mama Teddy, Teddy and Irene, they loved the new clothes, lollies and hairclips. Thanks Sue for the hairclips, the girls don't have much hair but they loved them all the same.
Next was a visit to Baraa school to hand over a second hand computer bought with ££ from Annie and Anne in Lancashire, Thank you ladies. The school is government run, has classes of over 80 and has a great team of volunteers from all over the world some are teachers others do admin and fundraise to get much needed equipment.
Friday I went to SOS children's village to see some of the children who I looked after on my first trip to Tanzania, 2 years ago they went to live at SOS which is run on the principle of a 'mama' in a house with 6-10 children. The site has 11/12 houses. They keep sibling groups together and leave when they are 18/19. The children have a great environment, will attend school and will be supported to go to university or train in a trade. Sorry no pics of the kids-SOS policy but they look great and have grown so tall.
Met Melio, his son is at SOS as he has no wife, cannot take care of him but visits regularly. He has a 2-3 hour journey to get there. Thanks to a generous donor I am buying him a water filter for his family so that they don't have to spend hours boiling water to make it safe enough to drink. He could ask his family to care for his son but he knows that the child will have a good life and an education at SOS which he could not give him, brave man to take such a decision.
The centre is as busy as ever, Juma is walking now so that just leaves Peanut and Emmy. We have had 2 births, teacher angel had a little girl and Riziki-who is part of the new welcome home project had a boy. Mums and babies are doing well
Now that the short rains appear to have come power cuts are frequent and, bizarrely, so are water cuts. Had to resort to filling bottles at the centre for ELF-emergency loo flush! Having no power is not too bad but no water for more than 18 hours can be tough. We can get a tanker to fill the tank but they will only deliver 10,000 litres, our tank is 3,000 and there's no way that we will waste 7,000 litres of the precious commodity.
Lori and Ben have arrived from USA bringing me an adult resus dummy which will make the first aid teaching so much easier, thanks L&B
Went for a great walk with Twende hiking group last w/e, walked along a river, through paddy fields and over a disused railway bridge. Tough in places but a great way to spend a Sunday morning.
Again I realise how lucky I am to be able to live here, I have everything I need and so much more than many people
picture time

Home and back home

I've been back just over a week, the journey was ok but not easy with over 60kg of luggage. The kids at the centre love the musical instruments which were kindly donated by Lisa, Linda, Jill and others. Have used some of the donated ££ to pay for the excess luggage to get the, much needed, nappies here, will let folk know what I do with the rest soon
It was great being back in the UK, caught up with lots of friends and it made me realise how precious their friendship is even though I am now many thousand of miles away, but with these folk miles don't matter.
Picture time

sorry still no pics

I've been back in Blighty for 4 weeks now and I'm making plans to return to Tanzania. What a busy 4 weeks it's been catching up with folk who hold a very special place in my heart, I can't always be with them but, thanks to the electronic medium, I am only a click away.
4 days in London were particularly special connecting with old friends and my daughter. She is the number 1 person in my life and is fully supportive of my decision to tread an alternative path in my retirement, it also means that she gets her Christmas present at weird times of the year, 2013 it was November and September this year. 2 great meals with her, one vegan and the other in a completely blacked out restaurant where the waiters are blind and you are told at the end what you have eaten. A fantastically weird experience.
My house has now been sorted out, stuff moved into storage, estate agents visited and lots of bits of paper signed. I have asked that a photo be taken of the 'sold' sign if this happens before I return in July 2015. I am not presuming anything, it could take a week or a year to sell, who knows? It feels odd that it doesn't feel odd if that makes any sense. I am not materialistic so not owning a house is just not important to me although it has been hard deciding what to keep and what to give to charity shops.
This last week is going to be filled with more catch ups and some sad good byes, packing and repacking to make sure that I'm not over weight, double checking that everything re the house is in order and wrapping the marmite jar in superstrength bubble wrap.I do not want that exploding all over my luggage. What fun that would be struggling with 46kgs of luggage only to have half of it ruined by thick, black, salty gunk. I really need to wean myself off it
Am I sad to be leaving Blighty? In many ways yes but in equally as many ways no. My life has moved on from working in the NHS and I intend to embrace any experience which may come my way.
Lots of pics when I can access them, hopefully, next time
Thanks for reading x

drival but no pics, sorry

I've been back in Blighty for 6 days, managed to lose my phone en route but it was a cheapie with 2 quid credit on it so I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
The journey was pretty uneventful, taxi to the bus, bus to the border, duly handed over £10 for my transit visa, dropped off at the airport and a taxi to the hotel. Fortunately I'd asked a Kenyan on the bus how much the taxi should be, they asked for 1500 KES and settled for 600, the advice was 5-600 so I did OK. The 'hotel' was a converted block of flats on a housing estate,no sign posts, a 6 lane motorway close by with 2 extra lanes either side with no visible means of crossing. The receptionists were less than helpful although the bed was clean and the shower very welcome.
Went for a walk to try to find some nourishment, found a decent looking local restaurant, african and european dishes. Things were looking up, no they weren't! 'Sorry no samosas, beef, omelette, rice, only chicken and chips' It was edible and cheap, the bananas and watermelon slice bought from a duka were better
Breakfast in the morning was inedible, dry sweet bread, the instant nescafe was ok bought to the room on a tray which they then took away so food was balanced on the bed. Transport was late going to the airport but I shared with a young American guy who became my nephew for an hour so that we could queue separately for checks and passport control then join each other at the front of the queues talking about non existent family members who would (not) be waiting for us. Worked well, I'll probably never see him again but who knows?
Life has been hectic since Friday, loved meeting up with some very special people, more meet ups to come. Oh how I have missed these people. I have some lovely folk back in Arusha but our memories are recent, with Gill, Tracey, Wendy, Lou, Rachel, Jill, Mags and Lesley I can say 'do you remember when?' which then leads on to other memories. Who needs a gold ring when I have these diamonds in my life? I am a very lucky person indeed
Sorting the house out has been relatively easy, I really don't need 'stuff'. I've been putting photos onto the computer and keeping only very special things. I am limiting myself to 1 large box. Plates can be replaced but a cushion which Meg made many years ago can't.
Hope to be able to post pics next time as I do now have a camera, no idea how it works though
I did get my bag of walkers cheese and onion crisps, they were pretty good too
Bye for now and thanks for reading x

Funny couple of weeks

First the bad news, my computer stopped working, found out that the new battery bought in February no longer holds a charge for more than 40 minutes, my camera shutter lens wouldn't open, got it fixed but now it's broken again. Not cost effective to do another repair so I'll have to wait until I go back to the UK to get another camera. It's still cold, Getting fed up with it now especially when I see UK friends posting on FB how warm it is there, it just isn't fair, moan moan moan!
Now for the good stuff
The centre was closed for 2 weeks so I had 3 of the kids here for lunch one day, a bit crazy but they loved the chocolate cake

We welcomed 2 new volunteers Themi and Ada from Nigeria, they were only with us for 2 weeks but they loved the kids and were kind enough to buy 2 tables and 2 benches for the school room, sorry no pics due to the broken camera but thanks Themi and Ada, hope you can come back in 2015

Sadly said goodbye to Ilse from Holland, she has been a may zing at the centre, the kids loved her enthusiasm, dancing and art, She will be missed                                                                               

The tailors are working on some new products, one great idea is an infinity scarf with a hidden pocket for a passport, also some new designs for quilts. They are a great bunch of women
We welcomed 8 new kids at the centre, Neema our social worker's 3 boys, one is there only when school is off, her youngest is clingy with mum but he will settle in I'm sure. Brighton and Bryson are twin boys aged 1 year 2 months so we now have 7 babies! plus Jessica and Isaac brother and sister, Jovan and Prisca That makes 32 on the register......HELP!!
I finally have my 2 year visa, thanks to Kelvin and his hard work. Actually I only have the visa number and not the stamp but it counts from the date on that receipt so I can stay here until 24/07/2016. It only took 7 and  half months!!
Look at this slightly odd but effective baby walker. I am getting a local fundi to make 2 thanks to a kind donation from a friend, it will help the wobblers to progress to walking.

Moving house on Monday, trying to sort out my trip home, went to Karatu on Wednesday to see one of our outreach families even though it was a public holiday, sorry no pics but the great news is that both girls tested negative for HIV, plus 2 days teaching First Aid. I'm busier now than I ever was when working full time for the NHS. So much for retirement! I'm not complaining, this is the life I choose and I am so very lucky to be able to live it.
Lastly, pic of the new house, I'm renting a room from a friend who is actually renting the house but I am setting it up because she is out of the country. Things move slowly here, 48 hours before moving in and there are no wardrobes or water, fingers and everything else crossed that it is all sorted out if not I'll be wearing crumpled clothes for 2 weeks, hang on I've been wearing crumpled clothes for 8 months because ironing was one of the things that I gave up on retirement

The next blog may be from Blighty or I may just squeeze one in before I go.