Arrived in Dar es Salaam

After an uneventul flight arrived in Dar ( a haven of peace!) in the early African dawn. It was a great relief for both of us to eventually get to Africa and we had a warm welcome by Jane and Maurice. There were 12 of us Volunteers on the flight , all from Britain except a Dutch girl. We were to be joined by 3 Kenyans, 4 Phillipinos and 1 Ugandans later in the day.
We were taken to Vso headquaters for introduction and then settled into a simple hotel, Econolodge in the Asian quarter. .
Annie and I then walked down to the harbour front, past the RC and Lutheran churches and then up Samora Avenue to the Museum. On the right was Annie's Primary School that she attended for a year in 1960. We then walked down the rest of Samora road and found Annie's old family house. It was still standing! It was being converted into an official building for the Ministry of Housing but fortunately they were retaining the exterior. Annie could identify her bedroom windows but part of the garden where she loved to play had been built over!
Further down the street was the building where her brothers were born, now a medical research establishment.
On the way home we paused in the Botanical gardens which has been encroached upon by the Holiday Inn. Fresh orange juice was lovely and we made our way home.
Next day we started four days of induction into Tanzania and the work of VSO. The staff of 4 expatriates and about 7 Tanzanians were smiling and helpful. We were guided round the eating places near the hotel by a ever cheerful Kenyan Maurice and a rather jaded Alan, both volunteers on Zanzibar. The street side barbequed goat and chapati was delicious washed down later by a couple of Kilis ( Kilimanjaro beer).


We are being made to work quite hard in typical VSO fashion, being reminded of the jargon that seems to go with Development but most of it is very interesting and we are enjoying getting to know our fellow volunteers pretty well.
We were treated by VSO to a meal at the beachside with all the staff last night: sunset in a warm breeze, rolling Indian Ocean waves, white soft sand to sink the feet in.....delicious buffet with Tanzanian food (spicy rice, beef, Kuku (chicken), spinach and ocra in coconut, banana, and of course fish...Yummy)
Today we found out a bit more about our placements. Good and bad... at least we have been promised a house, outside loo and kitchen. However, it will be another 3w before we see it as we have 2w in Morogoro at a language school to learn Kiswahili, then a week local induction into the job with another volunteer.
Sorry no photos yet, we keep forgetting the camera!