Saturday, January 08, 2005
Tanzania is classified as a multi-party democracy. It has been at peace since it clobbered Idi Amin in Uganda in, I think, 1997. That is about as good as it gets in Africa. By way of reference the leading party, CCM, won 96.6% of all seats in civic polls. This is a multi-party democracy?
The front page story in The Citizen today leads off with "President Benjamin Mkapa has assured the international community that the ruling CCM does not need to rig this year's general elections in order to retain power. The President ... said that his party stands to gain more by winning peacefully, fairly and squarely."
So are we to assume that if the CCM was NOT sure of the election results, vote rigging would be in order?
I've been in Dar es Salaam all this week. It is the mid-point of our service, and all the Education volunteers have been here this week for medical exams and two days of meetings to review how things have been going, with suggestions on how we might work HIV/AIDS education into whatever else we are doing. It has all been pretty low-key but relaxing, and good to spend time with friends not seen for a long time. I'm surprised at how many volunteers we've lost - 23 of our original 87 education volunteers - 26%.
Last night another couple, Deena and Kent, and I were invited to dinner by Nancy and Mike. Nancy is the PC Financial Officer, really outgoing and witty, and her husband spends his time managing the money he has made, and writing. They have traveled widely, have two fabulous kids who are very welcome participants in the dinner conversation, have two homes in Costa Rico. The both are tremendous fans of Africa and life here. The food was as interesting and delicious as the conversation.
One of the things I really wanted to do this week was to meet with Atiba, of TechnoServe, the NGO that says it will provide the books and training of trainers instruction for the economic empowerment program I've been promoting. We finally were able to set up an appointment, for dinner at Addis in Dar this evening. Addis is a fabulous Ethiopian restaurant here, and my mouth waters just thinking about it. Hopefully we will have a chance to work out a lot of the loose ends on who will do what, when, over the savory smells and tastes.
So far, the prospects for the project look astonishingly promising. Peace Corps Tanzania has $12,000 for Small Project Assistance, and it sounds as though they will support my request for $3,100. I've been going to the low-end hotels to get prices on bringing 12 instructors here for a week's instruction in February.
Then tomorrow, early, I get myself to the bus station for the 26-hour ride back to Mwanza, via Nairobi, Kenya. By taking the bus instead of flying, I get to pocket the difference, and that will be a big help to me right now. I still haven't recovered from the trip to London and having had my VISA card blocked there by a hungry ATM machine.
When I get back to Mwanza I will have to find out what is going on at the school. I am pretty sure that I will be teaching Form IV Chemistry (equivalent to USA 11th grade), but I don't know my schedule, or even when the school opens for the New Year. Could be this Monday, or could be next Wednesday.
I'm going to have to re-think my social activities now. Without the constant communications with Myrna, I will be making many fewer bike trips to internet cafes in Mwanza, and I will replace my interest in Spanish with valid (instead of my previous halfhearted) attempts to learn Swahili. I have no doubt that efforts to organize my new chemistry course and promote my project will absorb my time and energy.
Onward and Upward.
The front page story in The Citizen today leads off with "President Benjamin Mkapa has assured the international community that the ruling CCM does not need to rig this year's general elections in order to retain power. The President ... said that his party stands to gain more by winning peacefully, fairly and squarely."
So are we to assume that if the CCM was NOT sure of the election results, vote rigging would be in order?
I've been in Dar es Salaam all this week. It is the mid-point of our service, and all the Education volunteers have been here this week for medical exams and two days of meetings to review how things have been going, with suggestions on how we might work HIV/AIDS education into whatever else we are doing. It has all been pretty low-key but relaxing, and good to spend time with friends not seen for a long time. I'm surprised at how many volunteers we've lost - 23 of our original 87 education volunteers - 26%.
Last night another couple, Deena and Kent, and I were invited to dinner by Nancy and Mike. Nancy is the PC Financial Officer, really outgoing and witty, and her husband spends his time managing the money he has made, and writing. They have traveled widely, have two fabulous kids who are very welcome participants in the dinner conversation, have two homes in Costa Rico. The both are tremendous fans of Africa and life here. The food was as interesting and delicious as the conversation.
One of the things I really wanted to do this week was to meet with Atiba, of TechnoServe, the NGO that says it will provide the books and training of trainers instruction for the economic empowerment program I've been promoting. We finally were able to set up an appointment, for dinner at Addis in Dar this evening. Addis is a fabulous Ethiopian restaurant here, and my mouth waters just thinking about it. Hopefully we will have a chance to work out a lot of the loose ends on who will do what, when, over the savory smells and tastes.
So far, the prospects for the project look astonishingly promising. Peace Corps Tanzania has $12,000 for Small Project Assistance, and it sounds as though they will support my request for $3,100. I've been going to the low-end hotels to get prices on bringing 12 instructors here for a week's instruction in February.
Then tomorrow, early, I get myself to the bus station for the 26-hour ride back to Mwanza, via Nairobi, Kenya. By taking the bus instead of flying, I get to pocket the difference, and that will be a big help to me right now. I still haven't recovered from the trip to London and having had my VISA card blocked there by a hungry ATM machine.
When I get back to Mwanza I will have to find out what is going on at the school. I am pretty sure that I will be teaching Form IV Chemistry (equivalent to USA 11th grade), but I don't know my schedule, or even when the school opens for the New Year. Could be this Monday, or could be next Wednesday.
I'm going to have to re-think my social activities now. Without the constant communications with Myrna, I will be making many fewer bike trips to internet cafes in Mwanza, and I will replace my interest in Spanish with valid (instead of my previous halfhearted) attempts to learn Swahili. I have no doubt that efforts to organize my new chemistry course and promote my project will absorb my time and energy.
Onward and Upward.
