First day / night in my new home

Had breakfast at the hotel this morning then around 11am myself and Aive left Frank and Eve and made our way (by taxi) to Kamachumu. I made the school boy error of not using the bathroom before we set off a subsequently spend the whole hour n half journey bursting for a wee (which really wasn't helped by how bumpy the roads were!)

When we arrived we went straight to our office, KAVIPE (Kamachumu Vision for Poverty Eradication) I was shown around and introduced to the staff, none of which speak much English which means my Swahili should improve really quickly. The office is approximately 20 mins walk from my host home which is cool although I've learnt I won't be spending loads of time at the office as most of my work will be based in the field (in other words all over the show). A main part of my role is of course to support, manage and supervise the ICS volunteers so will be spending time visiting them at their host homes and attending there events which will take place across the community where we are living. 

I can't tell you how amazed I am that I have 3G access via pay and go sim!! It's just madness and its super cheap. I'm loving it though. I'm here right now lay in bed, fully aware of the fact of how far I have travelled and how far away from 'built up civilisation' I am - literally in the middle of the East African wilderness and yet I am blogging direct from my phone!! Seems unreal.

It does however mean that I should have no excuse for not putting regular updates on here. And I hope none of you will get bored of reading.......

I don't yet have my work permit so I've been told by my boss that I should declare for now that I am here in Tanzania just visiting friends (not a very likely story really) lets hope i don't get into any bother and the permit comes through soon!

Tomorrow I'm going to visit the hospital and sign the visitors book at the local government office as I have been told that this will give me official permission to be in Kamachumu. I'm hoping when I visit the hospital I can get some advice from one of the doctors there as I have started with a cold and have not brought any medication for that kinda thing. Have got tons of other stuff but absolutely nothing for colds. 

My host family seem really lovely and the two meals I've eaten with them today have been lovely too. Smashed Matoke which is my favourite was on the menu this evening which i was very happy about. It's seems my plan to lose weight out here will be rapidly going out of the window unless I plan on taking up jogging or something though as my host mother has a different agenda and has said I must get fat whilst living here!She wasn't very impressed when I only took a small amount of food this evening, but hopefully we will reach a compromise. 

Was quite funny when I arrived as me and Aive set straight to work putting up my mosquito net and I was stood on a plastic chair which unfortunately slipped from underneath me resulting in me falling flat on my face, fortunately I wasn't hurt but it must have looked hilarious!! Note to self.....don't stand on plastic chairs you've only just met!