Tanzania Volunteers

Because we will also use this blog as part of our thesis, the next text will be a little bit more formal.

We came to Tanzania through an organization called Tanzania Volunteers. We thought that’s the easiest (and safest) way. There has been other students from our school with TVL  so our school could recommend to go through this organization. Tanzania Volunteers organizes voluntary work and internships in Tanzania, mainly in Moshi. Besides all this they also arrange trips to Safaris, Hot Springs, Mountain climbing etc.

Two founders of TVL, Hanna and Louis, launched their first program in December 2007. One of the best things organizing this internship was the possibility to communicate in Finnish with Hanna. We didn’t have to stress about misunderstandings. It was also a relief that TVL takes care of all paper work and contracts and picks the best place to do the internship (depending on the internship).

TVL’s program fee includes personal pre-­arrival support and advice, paper work and contract making, airport transportation (two ways), accommodation, 3 meals a day, drinking water at TVL House, 3 days of Swahili language training and orientation about Moshi town and Tanzanian culture,daily one-way transportation to the placement, 24/7 personal support and guidance from TVL-workers  and free Wi-Fi in the TVL-house for the whole trip.

During our stay we live in the TVL house in Shanty town, Moshi. We have 6 bedrooms, a big living room, 4 western toilets, 4 showers, hot water and a kitchen. The house can accommodate up to 16 people. There is also a smaller house that sleeps up to three people in the yard. In the main house there is two bedrooms for 4 people, two bedrooms for 3 people, one bedroom for two people (where we live) and one one-person bedroom. Bed sheets, towels and mosquito nets are provided by TVL. When we arrived there was 12 Finns at the house and now there is 8 of us in total. So we have a little Finnish commune here. In a good way you always find company but on the other hand it means that there’s not much privacy at the house.  Wi-Fi is achievable at the house and you can use it either with your own laptop or with TVL’s computer.

TVL employs 9 local workers. 3 dadas, 3 gardeners/guards and 3 office workers. Dadas (=sisters) clean the house and prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner every day considering special diets. The food has been delicious and it includes both, Western and African dishes. We have always cold drinking water in the fridge. Even tho the tap water in Moshi  (which comes from Kilimanjaro) is considered clean, they boil the water for us just to be safe. At the house there is also a fridge where you can buy sodas, beers, ciders and chocolate.

TVL house has a fenced yard with a beautiful view of Mount Kilimanjaro (on a clear day). You can also find a real Finnish-Tanzanian sauna from TVL’s yard. We haven’t tested it yet but we are planning to do it sometime soon. There is also four turtles, two dogs and a cat. In the back of the yard there is a little garden where you can find banana and mango trees, lettuce, pumpkin, cassava etc.

Arriving here one should be prepared to wash laundry by hand. There is a little washing-spot and clotheslines at the backyard. When the weather is sunny your clothes dry in a few hours but if you are unlucky with rain, your clothes can hang there for days.

And when in Africa, power cuts are quite common. Luckily there is a generator at the TVL house so the power cuts haven’t really been a problem. Cold showers have been refreshing when we run out of hot water, yet it’s better than run out of water during taking a bath. Been there done that. Before coming to Africa that would have been a disaster but now we just laugh and say ’better luck next time’.

During your free time you can find different activities at the house. Books, games, movies and other peoples company. Time flies at the house… We haven’t been bored here. Not once.

 

”When you come with open mind, when you ask, when you wonder and when you look around you will get unforgettable experience from Tanzania and from Tanzanian culture” – Tanzania Volunteers