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Photo Opportunities

2010-05-13T07:11:00.000-07:00

I knew before arriving in East Africa that I would have plenty of unique and incredible photo opportunities to look forward to. All of the mental images of Africa from years of National Geographic, friends' photographs, and the romanticized images you get from movies like Out of Africa were stored in my head like a database of what I envisioned this place to be like...I planned to take photographs that could live up to those personal expectations.

A difficult task. The reality of work in Africa is that it still just that, work. I imagined spending entire weekends walking or traveling with my camera, documenting all of the things I find so captivating about this place. Instead, I think I have spent 80% of my weekends working.

This is unfortunate, but at the same time it has been more than necessary. The scope of the project is so large, and our team and the time we have to complete our project so small that I don't think this could have happened any other way.

I cannot wait to return to this continent when I have more time to truly indulge in my photography.

But of the hundreds of photo opportunities I expected to have during my time here, I was recently presented with one I never expected. The First Microfinance Bank opened in Pemba this past weekend, a project developed by the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance, and the first of its kind in Mozambique. I was asked to do the photography for the event.

In addition to the presence of various higher ups in the Aga Khan Development Network, I received word that the President of Mozambique would be leading the inauguration ceremony! I was the only photographer, (not that there were that many), that was given more or less carte blanche to go wherever I needed and get as close to the president as his security would allow.

So.....I'll let the photos tell their own story

The president is wearing the blue shirt

It was amazing to watch the hubub that ensued before the President's arrival, not to mention to general chaos that surrounded his tour of the Microfinance Bank. All in all, it was a truly fascinating experience, albeit a bit stressful.

More than anything else I appreciated his participation in the ceremony because the opening of this bank was a truly important day for a lot of local people who until now were unable to get loans for small, but critical financial resources.

New internet and videos

2010-04-22T03:52:00.000-07:00

WOW! Just got a new internet connection here at the office and what a difference. Ten times faster than anything we had previously.

Anyways, in light of the new internet I thought I would try to post another video.

This is a video of Mikindani, a coastal town in Tanzania, at sunset.

An Observation on Work and Gender

2010-04-22T02:39:00.000-07:00

There is one thing that immediately stands out to me every time I drive through Pemba or its surrounding districts:

For all the hard working people who inhabit these areas, there are easily 5 times that number who sit around, completely unoccupied by anything except lounging and socializing. At first I didn’t really notice it, or when I did I just assumed that these people must be having lunch or something of that nature.

It wasn’t until about a month ago that I realized two things. First, these people are sitting around because they either have no job or because their jobs do not keep them occupied for very long.

Second, the vast majority of these individuals are men.

So I ask myself, why are so many thousands of men sitting around, doing almost nothing in the poorest region of Mozambique where the majority of all people rely only on farming for their survival? Why are women doing what appears to be ALL of the work?

At first this observation angered me. Women here have a lot to deal with and I rarely see them relaxing until well into the evening. I have lost track of the number of times I have witnessed women cooking, cleaning, and looking after their children while a group of men sit twenty feet away doing absolutely nothing. But women’s responsibilities extend well beyond the home as well.

Last week I drove out to Murrebue, a town roughly 40 minutes from Pemba by car. As I left Pemba I remember passing five women, all with babies slung across their backs and massive piles of firewood stacked on top of their heads. (I’m still amazed by how much women are capable of carrying in this manner)

Several hours later I returned from Murrebue and passed the same group of women, still walking, still carrying the same load. During the same drive I passed dozens of men who could have been their husbands, waiting for their firewood to return. This is a scene I have become all too familiar with…

The other thing I notice is that it is always men who ask you for money. Its not that women here are too reserved to ask, I honestly believe they are simply too busy with being productive to do so.

I really began to resent the behavior of men the more I thought I about these realizations. In a country that is so poor yet has so much to potentially do to alleviate this problem, how could so many capable men be content with sitting around for 90% of their lives?

I can’t remember when I began to consider other reasons for why this is the case, but I do remember why.

Gerald Erchak was a professor of Anthropology at Skidmore ( I hope he still is) and I took several courses with him during my time there. If he was reading this post, I know he would be preparing to tell me that I am making too many assumptions and applying too many of my own cultural standards to accurately understand the situation. He would tell me that perhaps there are many reasons for why men are doing nothing.

So for the sake of anthropology and my own desire to believe that its not simply an issue of work ethic, lets consider some other reasons for why so many men seem to be so idle.

First, the population of Cabo Delgado has been steadily migrating to the coastal regions of the province since the decline of colonialism—and especially during and after the civil war in Mozambique—and this has noticeably changed the way in which people work (or do not).

In the case of colonialism, many families shifted away from a reliance on agriculture during the middle of the century when Portuguese industries and plantations were employing large numbers of people all throughout the country. When the Portuguese left Mozambique in—and civil war broke out between Frelimo and Renamo (the two forces vying for control of the country)—the majority of these people were left without a job.

One tragic outcome of war is the number of people who are displaced from their homes and livelihoods; the civil war in Mozambique gives us no reason to believe that it was an exception. As Frelimo and Renamo fought for control of an independent Mozambique, tens of thousands of civilians were forced off of their productive land. Most of them were never able to move back. The majority of people now live clustered along the roadside, living several miles for arable land or clean water.

This displacement has caused a decline in overall agricultural productivity, forcing many families but most often then men to leave their villages in search of work elsewhere. As these individuals arrive in places like Pemba—with few professional skills other than their experience with farming—many are unfortunately lost in the shuffle with the other thousands of people who are looking for jobs.

In urban areas such as Pemba, the lack of employment opportunities is clearly evident in the number of citizens who are visibly unemployed.

Yet in rural areas where the vast majority of locals derive their tiny income from localized agriculture, I have more difficulty understanding why women seem to be doing almost everything. I see them working in the fields, collecting water, cooking, cleaning and caring for their children. More often than not, the village men can be found huddled in the shade playing checkers, smoking, and talking with friends.

To be fair there are certainly a good number of men who work their socks off. Take this guy for example:

Now other than reminding me of my typical experience on the golf course, this photo always serves to remind me of how hard most people do work. If you haven’t figured it out, the man in the photo is cutting the grass on the side of a road. I have often seen groups of men cutting entire 20 km sections of roadside using only a modified machete.

The import of a dozen sizable lawnmowers would probably result in several hundred men being left without a job.

So women do not do everything. I have seen numerous men working in the fields alongside their families or walking dozens of kilometers with a heavy load. For example, I passed this group of people on a road which climbed 1000 meters before arriving in a small village, which I imagine was their destination. Looks like anything but an easy days walk.

I do not want to convey the impression that my observations somehow portray an entirely accurate picture of the reality here in northern Mozambique. These are simply observations, but I believe they hold some truth. I have discussed this topic with many NGO workers who have worked here for a lot longer than I, and the general consensus seems to be that the women work twice as much and are twice as easy to work with.

I’ve never been a person to focus on gender issues, but these observations have captivated my interest and emotions more than almost anything else. I am not going to suppose that anything I am doing here will necessarily improve this situation; perhaps I occasionally overestimate the ability of our work to affect conditions which are more likely the result of cultural tendencies.

But I frequently think of what it would be like to return to this country twenty years from now. After all, the project in which we are currently involved seeks to implement sustainable changes which are unlikely to yield immediate results. The conditions in northern Mozambique 20 years from now will provide an accurate measurement of this project’s success.

There are many things I hope will have changed in this twenty year period, but I hope, perhaps more than anything else, that the men of this country will be as actively involved in the day to day work as their female counterparts.

A day in the life of a sweaty Vermonter...pleasant image eh?

2010-04-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

The alarm goes off at 6:30 and let me tell you, there are few things I hate more than that bloody ringer.

I crawl out of bed not feeling like I've slept. Mefloquine--the antimalarial medicine I've been taking once a week since my arrival--is notorious for its ability to interrupt your sleep with a litany of wild, vivid, and sometimes terrible dreams. I'm not convinced its worth the trouble or the feeling of intense exhaustion it causes me to deal with on a daily basis.

As if tossing and turning while dreaming about six foot tall toddlers isn't disturbing enough, sleeping (under a mosquito net) in 85-90 degree heat with nothing but a junky chinese fan makes me feel like a participant in some strange psychological experiment.

But the day gets better! By 7:30 I've successfully showered, but I'm already breaking a sweat as I grab my things and head out the door to catch the AKF truck to work. On a good day the cab is already full which means I get to hop in the back and bounce along for the 15 minute ride to the AKF offices on the other end of Pemba peninsula. Let me tell you....getting blasted with 60 km/hour wind as we race along the coastal road is better than a cup of coffee.

It's always some what of a toss up when it comes to predicting your productivity for the coming day. Electricity in all of Pemba is sporadic and the cell and internet networks are anything but reliable. Furthermore, there are roughly 50 people who work in the Aga Khan Foundation complex and all of us share an internet connection which is roughly the speed of dial up. When you split that fifty ways, I might as well be sending homing pigeons instead of emails. I've lost track of the number of times I've wanted to throw my computer into Pemba bay!

Patience is key.

I must admit how happy it makes me to hear that you all enjoy the photographs I've been able to post....as each one can take up to an hour to download....and these are photos I've resized to the absolute smallest size I can get away with. The two videos I posted a while back took the entire day!

Ok ok enough complaining, let's get on with the story before the internet cuts out and I lose all I've written so far.

I have hesitated to write much about what I've been doing over here because truthfully I'm not allowed to discuss much of it until the project is complete. But in a sentence: We are working in northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania--the two poorest regions of their respective countries--in an effort to assess their regional qualities so as to determine the key areas in which improvements and investments can be made in order to boost the standard of living for all.

Hmm, sounds pretty vague. Nevertheless, it's a massive project and one I look forward to discussing with all of you.

So without getting in to too many details, I spend much of my day doing research or summarizing/analyzing our numerous trips into the surrounding districts in Mozambique and Tanzania. It's incredibly interesting work as everyday I feel as though I'm truly beginning to understand the regions in which we are working on a more intimate level. After about four cups of instant coffee, not even a pokey internet connection is slowing me down.

Lunch. I love lunch....hmm, what will it be today? Starfish Restaurant? Cemar? Pemba Take-Away? All three are heavy on the stomach but light on the wallet. This country seems to believe that french fries should be served with every dish, but alas, I must say that this country has instilled in me a deeper appreciation for seafood! This is perhaps the only thing that makes up for Pemba's painfully slow service. There is no such thing as a quick bite to eat in this country.

By the way, even the act of eating makes the sweating begin again! It would be difficult to imagine going on a first date here and the entire time looking like you're in the depths of a sauna. What a nice first impression that would make.

Anyways, back to work we go and work we do. I generally don't leave the office until 7 or 8 at night, leaving just enough time to once again indulge in some food a la perspiration. Should we hang out with the South African oil workers at Bar 556? Or should we try our luck at Pieter's Place or Russels, two of my favorite restaurant/hostels in Pemba? It's a toss up between Pieters and 556...the pumpkin stuffed with prawns and sauce at Pieters is incredible, but Spanish soccer is calling my name from the TV at 556. Today, the prawns prevail.

The amazing thing about the ex pats who work here is their tolerance. We work with each other everyday, generally eat at the same places at lunch and more than likely we'll see each other that night (There aren't many places to hang out at night and relax). I've met some great people here and all of them are doing exceptional work in incredibly difficult circumstances.

There's Sarah, (my housemate), and Badran; they are working to help local craftsman to refine their production process and expand the availability of their products to the international market.

There's Arne, a German architect who is helping to build schools using advanced techniques with local materials. (Imagine trying to stay on track when a third of your work force is sick with malaria!?)

The list goes on. While the days are exhausting, and the nights even more so, in the end its all worth it because you are constantly involved... You are constantly surrounded by people who are dedicated to helping other people. And in a world where everyday you see more and more depressing headlines in the news, it's great to be a part of something that is moving in a positive direction.

Even if you are always sweating.

PIKA PICHA! PIKA PICHA!

2010-04-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

I have been doing work in southern Tanzania for about 10 days now and for the most part, I am ashamed to say that I haven't used my camera all that much except for documenting some of the places in which we work.

I did have a run in with a mob of local kids in a town called Mikindani. Generally people in Tanzania are more reserved and are less interested in having their photograph taken, but these kids wouldn't leave me alone until I'd photographed them a million times over.

They all ran up and continuously recited "PIKA PICHA, PIKA PICHA!" (Picha being the swahili word for picture).....

And so I did.

What mayhem!

I'm not one to gush over cute kids, but this girl got to me......

I have more photos of these kids than I know what to do with, but I will continue to sort through them as the weeks progress.

I have been thinking about my blog a lot recently. I admit that it is difficult to decide which direction to take these posts in...do I stick to the day to day aspects of life?....the humorous side of things?....the broader issues I encounter while working here?....

Truthfully I have not written this much in a long time and I suppose this dilemma is not all that surprising in light of my rather long hiatus from writing. Either way, I appreciate all the feedback and comments you have provided so far and believe me it helps.

For example, I was recently cued in to the fact that I have done a relatively poor job of describing what it is that I do here in Mozambique and Tanzania. So....stay tuned.....readers with Attention deficit disorder beware!....the next post will be a long one.

In the meantime, I hope all of you are well and thoroughly enjoying the pleasant weather that finally seems to have arrived in the US....I miss you all.

"Go on take the money and run...." Until you ask again

2010-03-27T06:11:00.001-07:00

With a quick word of "espera", the kid takes off running. As I wait per his instructions, I wonder where my new acquaintance Killas is off to in such a hurry.

Until a few minutes before, I was relaxing on Wimbe, Pemba's main tourist and public beach, enjoying the beautiful day and doing my best to avoid the constant stream of beach merchants who attempt to sell their various crafts to anyone and everyone who isn't a local. Most simply leave you alone after you communicate the familiar phrase: "Nao, obrigado" (No thanks).

But Killas is persistent. While only 14, he goes to school in Pemba and sells his various necklaces, bracelets and sea shells during the evenings and on weekends. He is a permanent fixture on Wimbe beach as tourism services are concerned. Unlike other merchants, this kid is difficult to shake and I was curious what enticed him to leave in such a hurry. But after a few minutes I spot him jogging down the beach in my direction.

He plops down beside me and reveals his aging school notebook. He pulls out some papers and begins babbling on in portuguese as I try to comprehend what I'm looking at. I quickly realize that he is showing me his grades from the 25 de Junhio Secondary School in an effort to convince me that he is indeed a fine student. But as with many interactions in Pemba, this is not the primary goal of his boasting and after a few minutes I begin to understand.

He is showing me his marks in an effort to persuade me to buy him four school books: Portuguese, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics. After several weeks of failure in his efforts to sell me his trinkets, Killas has changed his tactics. A rather small investment, 300 metz (roughly $10), I cannot help but consider it.

In the end I agree to buy him his school books, yet with several conditions. First, I tell him that I want to see the books or the receipt. Second, I don't want to be pestered about buying relatively useless jewelry--those of you who know me probably understand that I'm not one to wear gigantic sea shell necklaces...--every time I see him. He agrees.

This exchange took place a few weeks ago and to a certain degree Killas has kept his part of the bargain. Well, not exactly...I still haven't seen any proof that he actually used this money to buy his books, although he assures that he did. Believe me when I say that I was well aware of the the fact that I was probably getting played from the very beginning. Truthfully, I didn't really care if I was if it meant that he would stop trying to sell everything to me and in that regard he has kept his word. Best case scenario, he actually bought the books and I helped the kid out.

But now I have entered a realm where I encounter new and even more frustrating requests from Killas. True, he no longer try to sell me things but now I seem to be his primary target for financing any of his personal needs. He wants money to cut his hair, money to buy clothes, money to buy his school uniform...he asks if he can have my Ipod and even the clothes off my back! I realize now that I made a mistake.

A principal goal of the Aga Khan Foundation and Development Network is its commitment to creating sustainable development and atmosphere of individual and community empowerment for the purpose of creating self sufficiency. They aren't in to giving hand outs. While I might be working with this in concept in mind, clearly I didn't apply this standard on a personal level.

In our culture, there seems to be an understanding that it isn't necessarily kosher to ask for favors--especially of the financial nature--over and over again (although many parents out there, mine included, might dispute their children's ability to refrain from doing so).

Here, its the opposite. Once your wallet has been opened, in many peoples' minds its always going to be open. Now, I'm not generalizing based on this one experience. I have helped out several people from time to time and rest assured they always come back asking for more. (Perhaps another glance into the life of parents) In a country where roughly 60% of the people live on $2 or less per day, a little goes a long way.

I hope I do not sound bitter. I enjoy Killas even if I think he might be taking me for a sucker. But I realize that in the end, this type of personal assistance doesn't do anything to help the problems of this country. Unemployment is a major problem, but people work hard without much reward. The life expectancy is just under 40 years of age and as I mentioned in a previous post, Mozambique has one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the world. Life. Is. Hard.

Developing an atmosphere of reliance will not change these conditions.

My experiences here have not hardened me or left me impervious to the sad and desperate faces of many of the children and adults who frequently ask me for money. But it has strengthened my belief in what I'm doing here. It has convinced me that the only way to bring Mozambique out of the depths of decades of war and poverty is to develop an environment where the people of this country have the knowledge and resources to take the reins and guide themselves to a successful future.

In the meantime, Killas has continued selling his trinkets and I have resumed my usual string of friendly "no thank yous" to his humanitarian requests.

For the moment at least.

Paquitequete

2010-03-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a considerable amount of field work in a neighborhood called Paquitequete since my arrival in Pemba. When you see it from the ocean, it honestly looks exactly like the romanticized version of what you might expect a tropical, seaside african village to look like. Mud huts with palm thatched roofs, dug out canoes, arcing palm trees, women in brightly patterned kapilanas....Aside from the occasional Nike T shirt or small outboard motor, it probably looks exactly like it did several hundred years ago. Indeed, this is the point from which all of Pemba town would eventually grow.

Paquitequete represents the most serious problems confronting Pemba and its citizens. It is undoubtedly the city's poorest Bairro, with mud huts stacked on top of each other, no sanitation or running water and the recipient of much of the cities trash and dirty water. Not surprisingly, this neighborhood currently suffers the highest rate of Cholera in all of Mozambique. To add to their woes, the wet season and tidal cycles have been wreaking havoc.

It is easy to discuss the issue of climate change and imagine that we in the United States occasionally encounter bizarre weather due to its effect. When we hear about the potential rise in sea levels around the world, truthfully I have faith in our ability to adapt to this coming change. Paquitequete, on the other hand, seems doomed in so far as its ability to resist the rising tides.

I spent several hours the other day in Paquitequete documenting the flooding--both tidal and from rain water--that they are currently dealing with. Although the pictures show it better than I can possibly describe, I must admit that I was overcome by a sense of pity for the people who live there.

When it rains, all the trash and human waste that sits out in the open in the hills above Paquitequete gets washed down into their streets, inundating their neighborhood with the most foul mixture imaginable. To make things worse, their is little education regarding the dangers of contaminated water, so mothers and father sit and watch as their children play, splash and drink water that undoubtedly contains vicious bacteria, sediment and, Im sorry to say, human excrement.

To make matters worse, this neighborhood sits almost exactly at sea level so when the tides are high, literally half of its residential area sits under at least six inches of water...in some places three feet or more. A tragic, tropical venice; people were using boats to get from their houses to houses of friends or local shops. The photos below show some of this predicament...

Now, I'm not here to get up on my soap box and lecture on the dangers of global warming and how the developed world's consumption of natural resources and resistance to come together and fight climate change is condemning the third world to a murky future. (ahh, but I guess I am!! )

I mean seriously, our country has enough difficultly even agreeing on the existence of climate change for goodness sake...

But the truth is, at a localized level it is incredibly evident that our climate is changing. Whether its the struggling maple sugar industry or waning VT Ski industry...the old timer in Paquitequete telling me that every year the tides come a little higher and the rains become more severe, or the millions of people who are effected by the greater intensity and frequency of hurricanes and earthquakes throughout the world....Is our world not changing?

Perhaps as I sit here, 8300 miles away from those I love, I cannot help but think about our ability to adapt to climate change in comparison to those who struggle to feed themselves and their family on a daily basis. As the countries of the world bicker over who is more obligated to address the issue of climate change, every month the tides climb higher and the problems multiply in Paquitequete and every other village in the world whose names and struggles are not important enough to sway the global effort to combat this truly global problem.

For those of you who have google earth and are interested in seeing both Pemba and Paquitequete...... 12 57' 32.65" S, 40 29' 18.31" E. Type in those coordinates and you will see Paquitequete, zoom out to see the entire peninsula on which Pemba is located.

Some random photos

2010-03-12T06:21:00.003-08:00

Its been a while since my last posting of photos, so I thought I'd share a few of my most recent.

They are pretty self explanatory, but the moth clinging to the light in the second to last picture was enormous! The seashell light provides some sense of scale, but this moth was more like a bat or a freaking predator drone than anything else. The pattern on its wings was absolutely incredible.

The last few pictures are documentation of our trip to the border....our unsuccessful trip that is. We encountered more mud than I'd ever seen--the very thing to bedevil our unsuccessful attempt-- and in the end we spent more time pulling this local transport truck out of the mud than anything else. In spite of local guys running in front of every vehicle to show everyone the best spots to pass through the mud, this unlucky trucky ended up in three feet of mud and water. I couldn't believe we pulled it out....

Brooklyn to Mozambique Express

2010-03-10T08:15:00.000-08:00

When I was in Palma this past weekend I ran into this guy wearing a shirt with the Brooklyn to Queens subway routes printed on it. Although its not a great picture, you get the idea.

As you can tell, this guy loved it!

Its incredible what you see people wearing over here......for example the woolen Michigan State Hockey jersey that I saw a local fisherman wearing while working on the beach....I cannot imagine a worse choice for working in 90+ heat

MUZUNGU

2010-03-08T23:20:00.000-08:00

“Muzungu! Muzungu!”….A phrase I won’t forget….

For the past several days I traveled with the Brian and Pat Gault--two other members of Dobbin International--to remote parts of northern Cabo Delgado, (the most northern province in Mozambique,) with the hopes of collecting various types of data critical to our project.

The drive itself was often the most interesting, if not a bit tiresome. There is an almost complete absence of infrastructure and the most obvious sign of this is the condition of the roads. On one stretch of road it took us nearly three hours to travel fifty miles on what is considered the best road in that region. Electricity is almost nonexistent…hardly surprising in a country where only 10% of the population has access to power.

This is a region of Mozambique that rarely sees white people. For many in the older generations, their experiences with westerners has mostly been limited to colonial oppression and war with the Portuguese. The look in their eyes as they gaze in your direction—and no one has any problem staring—can be both unnerving and powerful. I have rarely seen such intensity.

This intense stare is something I experienced with almost every person regardless of age. Although the somewhat intimidating look is rarely altered by a wave and a smile when it comes to the older people in these villages, the children are an entirely different story. The stare at you, but as soon as any of us would wave their faces would light up with the biggest smile and laughter and excitement would spontaneously erupt from every one of them. Its amazing to see how much pleasure they derive from such a simple acknowledgment.

Now I come to the title of this posting….Every time we walked through a village or local market we’d hear “Muzungu, Muzungu!” or “Wzungu!” Everywhere we walked people seemed to address us with these phrases. In fact, it was used just as frequently by locals as they grabbed on the shirt of a friend to point out the “Wzungu.”

I first heard this word in Tanzania and it exists in various forms and spellings throughout the many Bantu languages spoken in Sub Saharan Africa. Muzungu is the Swahili word for whites—wzungu being the plural form—and I wish I could say I’ve gotten used to this expression, but I still find it rather bizarre and discomforting. Perhaps not surprising coming from a resident of one of the least diverse states in the US, but I’m not exactly used to people addressing each other based on their race.

Muzungu is derived from a word meaning to go round and round, yet a friend in Tanzania told me that it means “The man who walks in circles.” It’s interesting to imagine how this term was first applied to Europeans exploring Africa….

Europeans came here to explore and for the most part extract as much of value from this continent as possible. As European traders of all kinds returned again and again to the same places to secure their livelihood, its no surprise that whites received such an odd title.

So…as we raced around the countryside, driving from one village to another collecting information—and sometimes back to the same village several times—I could not help but wonder: “Are we the men who drive in circles”?

Introductions

2010-03-02T09:10:00.000-08:00

Introducing yourself is an interesting part of life. I think we can all agree that introductions can be enjoyable, stressful, awkward, or perhaps even hysterical? Well, I have always enjoyed my name and perhaps more importantly the bizarre looks I often get, the..."come again?" expression of mild confusion.... with the wearer of this expression clearly not sure if what they had heard was indeed my name. I willingly submit that Rollie is not a common name in the United States, but its transformation into "Raleigh" is one that I've never quite grasped....

I'm straying from my point. My introductory anecdotes have increased ten fold in the time since arriving Africa. In fact, it seems as though Tanzanian and Mozambique locals are more comfortable with an entirely new name for me.

Almost daily I have this encounter....

"How are you? My name is Rollie...."

Local: "Ahhh, Oldie, good to meet you."

(I always like Oldie but at this point I generally switch to something perhaps a bit more familiar, (or not), like Roland......)

"Yeah close, you can call me Roland too"

Local: "Ah ok, Orlando....You are Portuguese?!"

"No, no....Roland...."

"Yes yes, Orlando. Good to meet you...."

I'm not sure how I feel about Orlando Kielman circulating throughout the AKF offices here....but it sure has made introductions a consistently pleasant and often hysterical interaction!

Mosquitos, Cholera, Parasites and Plane Rides

2010-02-16T06:47:00.000-08:00

It seems like everyday someone is sick. Bacterial and parasitic health problems inflict massive delays in every sector of the Pemba Aga Khan network and everyone I talk to has been very ill at least once. Thankfully, most of these problems rarely amount to anything more than a nasty case of food poisoning....(I never thought I would ever write a sentence like that with the word 'thankfully' in it..) I hate to say it, but I'm just waiting for my turn...

The wet season is approaching and this is generally the worst time for malaria as mosquitos are breeding in every corner of eastern africa. Oddly enough, I'm somewhat impressed by the mosquitos here...a worthy enemy! They're nothing like the large noisy mosquito's we have back in the states which you can hear from a mile away. Mozambique mosquitos are tiny, quick, practically noiseless and, surprisingly, quite painless. Not a good combination considering they can carry malaria as well. There have been a few cases amongst the Aga Khan employees here, but only within the circles of people who have been here for so long that they no longer take malaria pills. Let's hope Mefloquine is worth all the nutty dreams it makes me have....

I can't imagine the health problems that people in the poor neighbors experience. Often without mosquito nets or clean, reliable water, its clear that these areas are hit really hard during the several months of frequent rain. Many of these neighbors are located in regions that often become inundated with rain or seawater, compounding their struggle to stay healthy.

Hearing about a rapidly developing cholera outbreak in these neighborhoods is enough to chill you to the bone. I will spare you the unpleasant details of Cholera, but its an extremely dangerous and unpleasant illness that--like many other health problems in Africa--is transmitted mainly through contaminated water. It makes you appreciate the ease with which we bath, brush our teeth, etc in the western world.

So....what a pleasant topic eh?! It's just a reality that I have to come to terms with here, but a reality that I hope I never come too close to, in a physical sense. Perhaps this is overblown idealism talking, but I hope that our work here will someday change the lives of some of the people most affected by these terrible problems.

So, to brighten your day, I'm really psyched about the photos I took from the plane to Pemba

2010-02-11T02:06:00.000-08:00

And our good friend Simba....lazy as sin....

Elephants are the most interesting animal to watch

2010-02-10T22:23:00.000-08:00

Not to sound like a complete geek, but I could have watched elephants all day when we were in Tanzania. They're extremely expressive and clearly not always happy with your presence. When they get upset, this is more or less what they do....enjoy....

Working for the Aga Khan Foundation

2010-02-10T04:56:00.000-08:00

Work has kept me very busy this week, which is nice because it makes the days pass quickly. Still haven't had the opportunity to enjoy the great beach that they have here, but that's what weekends are for.

There are a ton of ex pats here that are also working on various development projects for AKF, especially a lot of Canadians, so its nice to have some people around who also speak english and miss the same things back home. Our offices are located in a small compound that sort of looks like a gated condominium community and its terrific because all of the buildings look out over the bay. Being able to enjoy the view for even a few moments makes you a happier and more productive worker I think.

Anyways, not much else to report, but as usual I have plenty of photos to share with you. These are left overs--of which there are hundreds!--from my time in Tanzania.

Ciao (man portuguese is bizarre, I continue to butcher it daily. I've created my own ugly spanish hybrid)

My first Adrenaline Rush

2010-02-08T07:44:00.000-08:00

I realized that I failed to tell all of you about two wildlife encounters. First of all I should say that every time we have been near a lion, we have literally been within five or six yards and they could care less. It is clear that they truly believe--along with everyone else--that they are the King and no one can mess with them. Its amazing what they could potentially do to you, but instead they look at you with more curiosity than malice.

Having said that, water buffalo scare the crap out of me more than anything else. That and I guess Hippos...they both seem so cranky all the time, and while Buffalo are stupid, hippos dont give you that impression. They seem fairly crafty in addition to being ornery. Not a good combinations when you weigh a few tons and have two foot long daggers for teeth.

My first adrenaline rush. We were out on a walking Safari with two local guides and a park ranger armed with a elephant gun. Our mission was to walk roughly 10 kilometers on trails that guests might one day enjoy as well. Anyways, we spotted a lone water buffalo from about 200 yds away--a dangerous situation as the lone bull buffalos tend to be even more angry at the world, (much like any other single, ugly, horny male)--and stopped to take a look. Knowing my interest in photos, the ranger encouraged me to come with him. We proceeded to creep within a hundred yds or so of the angry giant, still oblivious to our presence, with those small quiet footsteps you might use when trying to sneak out of your house during high school or something. Anyways, I got a few decent shots, but all of a sudden a new buffalo charged out the bushes a great deal closer. Clearly, we were spotted! One thought went through my mind as I looked through my lense at this angry buffalo staring right at me: SHIT! I turned around and the ranger was already preparing to fire. In the end, we stood still and slowly backed away with the rest of our crew, never knowing if it was we or the buffalo who was more lucky to escape. I will never forget that moment.

One more thing

2010-02-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, if you have any questions, please send them my way. I realize it's not always entirely clear what I'm up to.

Best

Rolando

2010-02-08T06:05:00.000-08:00

2010-02-08T05:45:00.000-08:00

2010-02-08T05:36:00.000-08:00

Pemba

2010-02-08T04:58:00.001-08:00

I arrived in Pemba yesterday evening and was greeted at the airport by Jim Dobbin and Brian Gault, both of whom are ultimately responsible for what I'll be doing here in Mozambique. Had a nice time getting to know some of the other people who are working for Aga Khan and I'm actually living with some of them for a short period of time. Im staying in a guest house for a while, but it sounds like I will be moving in ten days or so. From the sounds of it I will still be right across from a carribean-like beach. I hope I'll have enough time to enjoy it.

I went to my first day of work today in Pemba and spent the majority of the day summarizing my work in Selous and Ruaha with Pat. We are more or less trying to come to a conclusion on the pros and cons of every site we visited as well as compiling the GPS data we collected.

I wish I had arrived here on a Friday or something so I could have explored the town for a few days before jumping straight into work, but oh well. I'm sure I'll get to wander around this old town soon enough. It's kinda funny, this place seems like it hasn't changed much from when it used to be an old Portuguese swashbuckling town. I'll post some photos of this place soon, but I hope you enjoy some of these other shots from Selous Game Reserve in the meantime.

Hot is an Understatement

2010-02-03T19:57:00.001-08:00

Hello all, I've been here in Tanzania for a few days now and I've been having a great time getting started with our work. We spent the first few days in Ruaha National Park before traveling to Selous Game Reserve where I am now. Both locations are unbelievably beautiful and the sheer number of wildlife is staggering. When we landed in Ruaha in a small seater airplane the airstrip was surrounded by dozens of elephants and giraffes. Over the course of the next several days we saw probably 1 or 2 thousand elephants in additions to lions, giraffes, hundreds of zebra and every other animal you have ever seen on Nat Geo.

Our work involved traveling to remote hilltop sites inaccessible by road to analyze their potential for eco tourist lodges and camp sites. Very hard work in heat that rarely dips below 90 degrees, but exhilarating to be bushwacking through the wild with park rangers with AK-47s in case of a chance encounter with poachers or lions or what have you.

Anyways, Selous is the first place i've been able to use the internet, (or much power for that matter), so its been difficult to work on any of the 900 photos I've already taken. I really look forward to sharing more, but for now I hope you enjoy these three.

Rollie

Logan

2010-01-29T13:10:00.000-08:00

So I'm hanging out in Logan airport in Boston with plenty of time to kill. I've decided to turn over a new leaf and try to see the utter comedy in the whole process of the security check. I particularly enjoyed the very angry german woman who didn't want to take off her shoes.

Anyways...It feels good to sit down and take a deep breath. The last two weeks have been absolutely nutty and I would not recommend planning for a job/trip like this in less than two weeks. I still feel like I lost a boxing match with a mountain gorilla because of all of my vaccinations.

I cannot wait to have something more engaging to write about--and I'm sure thats going to be happening in less than 24 hours!!-- and I thank my three followers who have hung in with my jabber thus far.

Here comes Africa...

2010-01-25T07:31:00.000-08:00

For all of you who are interested in a bit more detail regarding my employment in Mozambique and Tanzania, below you will find links to both the Aga Khan Development Network and Serena Hotels. We will be working to assess several environmental development issues in Ruaha National Park and the Selous Game Reserve, both of which are located in Tanzania.

www.serenahotels.com

www.akdn.org

Logan, Amsterdam, Dar Es..

2010-01-24T18:34:00.000-08:00

After a few days of back and fourth with the travel agent and our team members in Tanzania, the group decided to fly us out the following day although going directly to Dar es Salaam instead of Pemba. I think flexibility will prove to be a valuable virtue throughout the next several months.

Apparently we will have roughly a day to acclimatize ourselves to our new location before heading directly to Ruaha National Park to begin our field work.

I like that I'll be getting to work right away. I cannot wait to get there and meet everyone and see what this part of the world is all about.

Flight

2010-01-20T14:25:00.001-08:00

I bought my plane tickets today and I am so psyched for what is to come. I can't wait to get over there, but I know that the next week is going to be a bit difficult in many ways.

JFK to Johhanesburg, Johhanesburg to Pemba

It will take me more than a full day to get there, but I know that everday after that will probably pass by in a gigantic and unbelievablly ridiculous blur.

Thats all for now.

packing list

2010-01-19T04:50:00.000-08:00

I couldn't sleep last night, I'm feeling pretty anxious about my trip. There is still so much stuff to do. And I certainly know its going to be hard leaving my life behind for a little while.

I loved getting my packing list from the other, more experienced members of our team. Items to note...mosquito net, snakebite kit, tennis racket....lets hope they are never used in the same incident. Mask and snorkel, however? Awesome. Camera? Perfect. Safari Shirt? Yep. This is going to be great.