9 Back at base camp

It has been, as is becoming usual, an interesting few weeks since I last wrote. VSO’s favourite adjectives that are necessary for their volunteers are ‘flexible’ and ‘adaptable’; and I can see why. After returning on a Sunday evening from our 30-day road trip visiting 5 of our 6 colleges in the Southern Highlands region and anticipating having the week to process our data and compile our reports, we met on Monday for a brief ‘touch-base’, and arranged to have our first proper meeting the next day. Tuesday morning came along with an emailed request for Carla & Juanito’s presence the next day in Dar to assist with baseline observations in other parts of the country. Baseline observations that might have been better carried out at the beginning of the project, but there you go. So there was quite a lengthy discussion about what they might be required to do, how much travelling it looked like it would entail (details were not very forthcoming in the email), and whether they felt up to it. I would be staying behind in Iringa to complete the administration that we needed to do that week. It was decided we had enough time for a productive meeting that morning, and so Wim went to buy two bus tickets to Dar for the following day while we steamed through what our findings were, how we would present them, and how we would begin to prepare for our second visit to the colleges. Two and a half hours later we breathed out again, and it was good to know we work well together under pressure! It seems that all three of us work better that way: when there’s a deadline we just get on with it! I don’t think we even stopped for coffee...

With Carla and Juanito off to the northern-most and southern-most parts (almost anyway!) and me in front of the computer I was mighty relieved to know Bart was visiting Iringa before his projects really take off in December, so the ensuing two weeks was a nice combination of work, rest and play with visiting Ruaha National Park and actually doing some sight-seeing of our base town. And some healthy breakfasts with lots of delicious fruit. As is common with any ‘down time’ after an intense period of work I came down with a (bad!) cold and exhaustion, which I shared with Bart ;-) but I don’t know how Carla and Juanito managed to pull through those next two weeks of more work and travel. It’s the same with teaching: at the beginning of each holiday when the body can finally relax is when the teachers usually get sick! If they’ve lasted all term that is... Anyway, what I do know is it’s great to have the team back. And so on Sunday we start our second round, although we will be back in Iringa mid-way this time which will break it up a bit – or make it feel longer, I’m not sure yet. And the travel dates may still change as our principals have to check with the principals of the private TTCs in case there are any meetings looming up. Flexibility and adaptability. Totally necessary. But I guess that’s also what makes it more interesting.