So, it’s been a while since my last blog post and it’s crazy that I’m writing this at the end of my 7th week in Zanzibar. Sometimes it feels like I`ve been here ages, and other times it feels like we arrived on the ferry just yesterday. It`s funny how quickly a place can become home. I often forget that I`m living in a tropical paradise, although I now completely understand the concept of `island fever`. There are definitely a lot of advantages and disadvantages to living in such a beautiful place and there`s a strange feeling that comes with living on an island, almost like you`re not completely grounded. The island is so small that there are constantly airplanes coming and going, which you can hear and see from pretty much anywhere surrounding Stone Town. It`s strange to think of how this is such a common and unnoticed part of the environment here, especially when you consider that the majority of people living in Zanzibar will likely never experience travelling by air.
 |
| Waiting out the rain |
 |
| On the shore in Stone Town |
About a month ago Lisa and I moved into our new apartment, which I must say is so much more than I ever expected to have here. We have 3 large bedrooms, a huge living room, dining room, kitchen, hot water, air conditioning, and believe it or not... a washing machine. I`m sure my clothes are eternally grateful that they will not have to endure 8 months of hand washing! Some of them may even make it back to Canada in somewhat the same state as when they left.
 |
| Going on an adventure |
 |
| The beach about 30mins walk from our apartment |
My work with Umati has been moving at a relatively slow pace. I`ve essentially spent the first month of work getting to know the staff members and developing a clear understanding of the goals and objectives for the Zanzibar location. UMATI works throughout the country and as a national organization is very well established. Countrywide they have many locations that are fully functional with numerous projects and services on the go. Unfortunately, the Zanzibar location is relatively new and still needs some time to develop greater capacity. As of right now they are extremely limited in the services they can provide to the community, mainly due to a general lack of funding. This has made my role here somewhat difficult to solidify.
 |
| The view from outside of my office |
Over the Easter holidays (we got the Friday, Monday and Tuesday off) I travelled to Dar es Salaam to escape island fever, do some much needed shopping for the apartment, and to visit with some friends. Until this trip I have to admit that my desire to spend any time is Dar has been pretty much non-existent. Dar, like many large African cities, is extremely busy, dirty, and jam packed with traffic. All of which creates a less than desirable picture for a weekend getaway. However, I must admit that I’ve warmed up to Dar after this little trip. This is probably because I had the opportunity to wonder around the city and came across some fantastic places to shop and eat. I have a feeling that Lisa and I may be ‘escaping’ to Dar on a regular basis once our resident’s permits come through and travelling back and forth is much more affordable!
 |
| Pretty Sunset |
During my trip to Dar I also had the opportunity to meet up with a fantastic organization, Tuwapende Watoto (TW). This Swiss run organization is based just outside of the city and operates as an orphanage and school. I spent 3 days in total at TW and had a great time getting to know the children, staff and some of the board members from Switzerland. The compound is beautiful and the children are extremely well loved, educated and cared for. It was inspirational to see and I`m already looking forward to my next visit.
 |
| The Beautiful Vanessa |
 |
| Tuwapende Watoto |
 |
| Going for a Drive |
Well, I suppose that’s all for now. Jamie, another YCI IYIP intern, is currently visiting us in Zanzibar so we’re headed to the beach this weekend for some sun and relaxation. I’ve yet to be up north to the beaches so I’m really looking forward to it. I’m sure I’ll have all kinds of pictures and stories to share when we get back.
~Sabrina
xoxo
