Yesterday was a very stressful day. Again I went to church in the morning, hoping for the first time that I would last the full service, and I lasted 40 minutes, but again during the sermon I had to leave, this time not to go to the toilet, but because I needed to drink. The temperature was in the high thirties yesterday, and it was very hot in the Church. When I left I went to the restaurant and drank a soda and a bottle of water (500ml), before then needed to go to the loo. (I am really fed up [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday I visited the Doctor, and had a malaria blood slide test. It came back negative. Given that my symptons were just tiredness and diarrhoea, the doctor has given me some ciproflaxin (an antibiotic) to try to stop the diarrhoea, as well as another drug to calm the digestive system. With my antimalarials at breakfast as well I seem to be taking my fair share of drugs. I guess I'm just not used to taking drugs much, in Britain I would only take the occasional paracetamol. I felt pretty rough yesterday morning, with several visits to the toilet but after the [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday was Uhuru (independence day) in Tanzania, so no work! Except I did some reading for my English teaching anyway. They held a parade in Dar Es Salaam (and broadcast on TV) of the soldiers, airforce, marines, navy, national service, police and prisons forces. It seemed as if they inherited some of our military tradition. I used the opportunity to explore the more local shops near to where I am staying, and get some sodas and a newspaper. I brought The Citizen, the sister publication to a Swahili newspaper (Mwananchi). The Tanzania General Election is coming next Wednesday, so the pa [View Full Entry]

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My Swahili continues to improve, although I am still not at the point where I could enter a conversation and understand it all (or even much of it at all). A lot of it still continues to go over my head. Unfortunately my digestive system is still not used to Zanzibar, and for whatever reason: food, water or bacteria, I am still not right in that department. I am keeping my fluids intake high (and I am being careful with my food and water). I am also feeling a little bit tired, even though I am getting 9 hours sleep a [View Full Entry]

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I managed to attend the morning worship for the first time yesterday at the cathedral. Unfortunately I had exactly the same problem as I did on Sunday, and again had to leave partway through the sermon. How long will it be before I can last an entire service? It wasn't as bad as on Sunday though, and I felt much better afterwards compared to then. I have theorised that part of my problem may be a lack of fibre in my diet (white rice and white bread) so I have asked for extra fruit at lunch and brought a packet of [View Full Entry]

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Paperwork finally caught up on me yesterday, I need to get a residential permit, so I have begun this process. Fortunately Nuhu (the Diocesan secretary) knows someone who works in immigration, so he got him to bring the forms over and worked out what I will need. I will get a residential permit, as this will allow me to open a bank account as well as remain in Tanzania for the entirety of my stay. It does however, cost 100 dollars. I continued with work on the website. I will get to go and photograph the first bunch of tourist sites [View Full Entry]

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I was feeling fully recovered, so I was about to work again yesterday. I had a meeting with all of the department heads in the Diocese, so I have been able to plan out what I will be doing. I will be doing a mixture of computer work and teaching. So at the moment I am doing websites, and preparing to teach both English and IT (not at the same time). I have now developed a new way to help me learn Swahili, I write down all new words in a notepad. This foolproof way should help me remember new words, [View Full Entry]

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It was my first Sunday in Tanzania, and therefore my first church service here. There was a new priests house opening in small church in the countryside (Sw. shamba), so it was my first experience of Africa outside of a town or city (Sw. Mji au Jiji). The countryside of Zanzibar is actually very green with coconut palms everywhere, and the roads were actually in better condition than in Zanzibar Town (although somewhat narrow). A whole group of us went from the cathedral, and some locals to the village met us. The church was actually a St Andrews (Sw. Andrea), and [View Full Entry]

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They work, as in Britain, from Monday to Friday, so Saturday is my day off. So I went into Stone Town again, so I have now got a mobile phone (as well as a mouse and some postcards). This time I was shown around by David, and I didn't get my camera out, so sadly no pictures. Anyway my mobile number is +255 (0)787 739358 if any of you want to call or text me. I think texts (and international texts) are very cheap in Tanzania, however I don't have my British phone (with all the mobile numbers I know on [View Full Entry]

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Yesterday I continued working on the website, making lots of progress. Stanislaus brought me some Jack Fruit (something else in Swahili) to try, which is very nice, not like any fruit I have eaten in Britain. The fruit itself is huge, and we only ate a piece of it. It tastes a little bit like banana, and a little bit like mango, and it is very nice. I am learning lots of Swahili at the moment, and people are very helpful when they find out I am learning it, but I cannot understand the normal flow of conversation, and I have [View Full Entry]

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