Thanks everyone for their messages, in particular Martin, good to hear from you mate, hope you are well and glad to hear that you are taking an interest. Also hello Miriam, thanks for your message too, yeah, those two are the cutest things, swinging on the gate all day long, running around in circles in the wind, and it's one of my favourite things to walk to work and as you walk past their house, you hear a sweet "Mambo?", the way she extends it so its more like mambooooo, so cute! I think everyone wants to take her home.

Also, news on contacting me, two of my messages state a way you can do it, it shouldn't be more than 15p per minute, and if you text me a day before you call, i can arrange being in the right place at the right time. Just click on some of the messages to the posts for details.

I am starting to get myself a few nick names out here too, i have now become camp chief so some of the locals call me mtemi (Swahili : Chief) and my technician calls me translucent because i take the mickey out of the colour of the paint we use out here... as you can guess, i call it translucent. I'm still absolutely loving it out here, but we are getting new vols tomorrow and old ones leaving today, so emosions are up in the air and i would dred to think how i am going to be in six weeks!

Keep the messages coming... x

PHOTOS!

Hey everyone, got some photos up for you. The one directly below is the school, as you can see it is now complete, we start work on the staff house on Monday, and toilets later. The huger pile of bricks in front are the ones i have been making for the staff house, we have made about 2,000 so far and need another 1,200 roughtly. It's very hard work, but i am enjoying every second of it.

The photo below now is my camp, sleeping tent on the left, kitchen is center. I realise the pictures are poor quality, but wanted to get some up on here and new i would have more chance with poor photos. With success, i will try for some better ones next week maybe.

Hope everyone is well, will try update again later or tomorrow.

Singida And Camp Life- (what was to be)

I've just wrote a huge post but lost it because the power went...I'm vexed! Oh well, will have to wait till next weekend. Really eager to hear from everyone else, what their thoughts were and what they're up to, so please message!

Two Weeks At Camp...

Hello all again, two weeks atcamp have gone now, things really beginning to settle in.

My Tanzanian sim number is 0785151707, i think you will have to phone +255785151707 (that is add the +255 and drop the first 0) however, if you do need to contact me, you need to try give me a weeks notice, i know that seems funny, but it's rare i will have my phone on and be in an area with signal. If you fancy chancing it, you are best to call English time between 7 and 10 pm. Rates are expensive, but if you search on google "call tanzania cheap" or something to that extent, i hear you can call me for as little as 10 to 20 pence a minute by calling a special number and then they call me... something like that. If i find details, i will post them up, or if someone else does, message me and i will post your message.

Anyway, back to the important stuff, as usual, alwaystoo much to say, but it's been a great week. Work has got harder, making bricks, moving bricks, varnishing desks, digging VERY large holes and the old painting experience again. The wind has really picked up this week, it continuously sounds like a freight train passing through our sleeping tent, and we even got a spot of rain this week to... thats going to be interesting to see it's affects on the local houses made of mad when the rainy season properly kicks in!

I also went to a wedding yesterday... that was on of the most interesting experiences ever, certainly pushed on my comfort zones, and being a guess meant in their culture it is rude not to accept anything they give you in their home... so to put in short, i have eaten foods most reading this wouldn't even dream of let alone actually eat it. I have drunken two of the local beers... and they are easily worse that any beer i have every seen/heard or... (Byrne, i think it even puts you mixed grill drink with rum to shame!!!!) there were bits swimming around in it i swear! Thankfully i have had no serious side effects yet... will update on that one! Other than that, the whole thing was great, singing, dancing, we were treated like kings.

By the way, does anyone have any questions in particular? And i will try get a picture up here next weekend. No promises though, as connections are slow and a bit of the dodgy side. Will try update again tomorrow. Oh, and i have sent out postcards too, so expect them in about twelve years, lol, no, no idea how long they will take, hopefully about four weeks at most... we will see.

First Week in the Village

Hey everyone, thanks again for the messages if you've sent some, i am getting them eventually. I have bought a Tanzanian SIM and occationally get signal, so i will post a number up hopefully next week if people would like to contact me. Internet is slow as usual so this will not be a big post.

I've started working now in the village, it's been an amazing week and a real eye opener! The nearest house to me is made of old wood and mud, the children out here wear the same clothes day in day out, and some of the cloths are so ripped to shreds you question why they wear them at all! Progress on the school is going well, the Africans work very slowly, but we are very far behind schedule, so i've been told to expect long hours in the coming weeks. The school itself is almost done from previous volunteers, left is the staff house and the toilet block, with eight weeks left of the program, its going to be a push!

As for my B'day, it's been great, we walked to a local rock in the middle of nowhere about 100 ft tall. It's called Mampando Rock and the views from up top were breathe taking, though getting back from any walk is fun as everything looks the same, so easy to get lost.

As for living out here, I love it so much, it's so much fun! At night the wind only allows me a couple of hours sleep, not to mention the wild dogs, crickets and hyeanas. The toilets... haha... i'm not even going to bother describing that, and food wise, i'm eating well, though very very little meat as we have no way of storing it. The water we have to collect every morning from the local pump, filter it and then purify it.

Anyway, my stories could go on, but i don't have the time i'm affraid. Sending my love from rural Tanzania.

In Singida, Tanzania

Hello everyone, my first post while here, internet VERY slow, but will try keep at it. I'm in town every Friday night shopping for the weeks shopping, so hopefully update it then if it's up and running.

Just a quick thanks to Dan K & B and Kate, got your messages.
And thanks to Josh for his update on Facebook.

I'm surprised i got here, the bus journey here was one to remember, roads you couldn't even comprehend in Briton. I already have loads of stories, i don't even know where to begin.

I have not started on the Volunteering yet, currently staying in a Salvation Army Hostel in Singida (sing-gee-da) while they teach me Kiswahili and about the culture of the tribes here. Everyone is so friendly but doesn't stop me from feeling nervous around them.

Culture shock is a lot more extreme than i thought, i don't really know what i expected, but even in Dubai, it was fascinating to see such a different world they live in in comparison to us! The other shock is the state of living and the extremes i have to go to to keep health... poverty has really hit me in the face, but i do get the impression that things are being done about it, on the 12 hour journey inland i could see a lot of new buildings being developed, but without any health and safety rules, things are just comical!!!

Anyway, not on for long this time, but will get back soon. Best wishes to all, and i send my love from Tanzania, i start in my Village, Mghumbu (M-goom-boo) on Saturday.