I have now been in Tanzania, or more specifically Dar Es Salaam, for three days and I already have more stories then I could possibly fit in one blog post. The trip here was very long to say the least (30 hours) and the airplane hopping was an adventure in itself. Our flights took us from Portland to Chicago to DC to Ethiopia, and finally Dar Es Salaam. The flights taught me a lot about international travel, most importantly, US airlines suck. All the united flights were cramped and crappy, yet the Ethiopian airline flights included individual LCD screens with a large movie selection, authentic meals, and free drinks (including beer and wine). To add to the Ethiopian airlines lure, our plane was struck by lightning upon takeoff and we continued on for the next 12 hours unfazed. Despite the high quality international flight, I was more than relieved to land in my new short term home, Tanzania.
I was greeted at the airport by Lura (Solar Hope’s program director) and our ever faithful Tanzanian guide, Peter. We arrived in the afternoon and after we dropped our bags off at the hotel we were taken to a coco beach restaurant for our first authentic Tanzanian experience. I ordered a delicious fish dinner that included fried rice, steamed vegetables, and fresh tuna. Dr. Petrovich, Solar Hope’s founder, met us at the beach to welcome us to the country. The atmosphere was jovial as everyone was relieved and excited to finally have arrived in Tanzania. Soon after dinner Roxanne (Roxy, a US and Tanzanian citizen that will be accompanying us for parts of our trip), took a group of us out for some group bonding at a hooka bar. Overall, I had a great time my first day and I was immediately reassured of my decision to volunteer with Solar Hope.
Despite my pleasant experiences on the first day, I do not want to glamorize third world living. The roads here are terrible and the drivers are worse. Traffic laws are non-existent and drivers scurry around the city franticly without concern for others on the road. Homeless Beggars line the streets, some handicap and some merely children. The poor stalk any Mazungu (white people) they see hoping for charity and you cannot blame them. The living conditions here are terrible and many Tanzanians are in survival mode, relying on an average of US $600 a year to support their families. Due to a lack of police officers, petty criminals are subject to the punishment provided by their fellow citizens. For example, peter told us to yell “Maweezy” (thief) if we are pick-pocketed and everyone will stop to look around for the criminal. However, one must be careful not to wrongly accuse. The punishment for petty theft is death and when a Maweezy is caught an old tire is placed around them and lit on fire.
To say that yesterday (the 19th of August 19, 2011) was more rewarding than most would be an understatement. I was scheduled to perform a site evaluation and maintenance check at an installation that was completed last year. Upon arrival, our team (3 engineers, 3 technicians, and myself) learned that the roof the solar panel was originally attached to had completely blow off last February. The villagers had salvaged the materials from last year’s installation and already picked out a new building for their system. Thus, what was supposed to be a routine system check turned into an 8 hour complete system installation. I was team leader this trip and immediately divided the team into 2 groups. One group was designated the solar racking and charge controller and the other group was assigned the electrical wiring and lighting. They were many unforeseen difficulties that were overcome through engineering improvisation and as the sun set on the African horizon Paul and Cayleigh tied the last lighting wires together. We all held our breath as the battery was plugged into the charge controller and we cheered in relief as the building lit up. That moment was more than worth any sacrifices that I made to come to Tanzania. The villagers rushed to the building and were cheering us on as we worked and congratulated us when the lights came on. It was amazing to see how happy a simple lighting system made the townspeople. Outside of sports I had never experience the emotional high that you get from that level of accomplishment. The best way that I can describe it is the feeling you get when you hit a home run or when you score a bunch of points in a basketball game.
My three days in Tanzania have already taught me many lessons. Most importantly, be grateful for what you have and keep things in perspective. Despite all the hardships they face, the majority of the people here seem just as happy as Americans. Living here has made me realize just how good I have it and how lucky I am to have friends and family to support me. I will report back again soon and I can only hope that the next few days will go as well as the last few.
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