Back in Action

Example of Pit Latrine

Well, I have become a social bunny once again.

Had a great night on Thursday. Went out to SoleLuna with Cathryn & Giudi, who were both very tired, what with having proper jobs and all. So, I went it alone to the bar opposite Amani to meet up with some of the new vols. I wanted to go to welcome them because I hadn't been to the VSO Family Dinner (ironically because my Family were here), so I didn't know them so well.

It was just Ruairí when I first arrived, who I'd been in touch with before he came. Really lovely guy (who is probably reading this lol). Then some more joined later, with Han and Mans who were also training.

Really nice crowd. It ended around midnight with Ruairí, myself and Steve, sat around a bar stool in stitches over Steve's skinning-a-rabbit story (don’t ask!). Really good night.

Sadly, the bar there is still using pit latrines. It was a memorable experience, topped only by the one my boss took me to my first week at work, which was a mud room stinking of ammonia with a plank of wood you had to lift across the entrance to stop people staring in, which also blocked off the only air supply - it brought tears to your eyes, and the floor was sloppy with pee.

This time, I had to borrow another vol's torch. Thankfully, I was wearing my roll-up trousers, so I took them up above my knees. It was pitch black in there. When you shone the torch, you could see hundreds of huge cockroaches crawling up the wall of the pit - the wall was alive. Someone had also been sick, so you were squelching about in flip-flops wondering if a cockroach was going to fly up your butt whilst trying desperately not to pee on yourself. It was an experience... I am proud to be able to say 'I did that!' - there's a real sense of achievement.

Anyway, I washed my feet down afterwards and used the luxurious Amani toilets before I left.

Then, last night, was an Obama celebration party at Giudi's boss' house, where Anjah also lives. Really nice night, but terribly upper-crust in comparison to volunteer gigs. Tons of free booze, and food to die for. Ate myself silly. Met loads of interesting people. Had a good natter to Hirut, who I hadn't seen in ages - she’s just got back from America. Sierra Leone is on for Christmas, and she mentioned some interesting work her company is doing that I might take a look at on a voluntary basis. It's extremely difficult. I do feel a deep sense of loyalty to VSO, and will stick out my second year, but it's hard with the financial squeeze of inflation, and some of the other frustrations that go with being a volunteer. I've put a ban on myself looking at job sites and newsletters for the next six months, then I can start thinking about lining something up for my end of placement. Ideally, I'd like to head home for a really traditional Christmas in '09, have a couple of months bumming around on my end-of-service grant before flying off to wherever. I don't want to return to the UK without something lined up.

But it becomes increasingly hard not to fall into temptation's way here. The more people you meet, and the more you network, the more jobs suddenly appear on the platter. Loads of ex-VSOs: Jo, Giudi, Cathryn, Lies etc. have all stayed on in cushy jobs, most for consultancy companies working on policy and ministry documents. Very nice for the CV, and certainly not bad for the bank account.

But, with that comes a lot of hard work and stress. The nice thing about being a volunteer is that you do have a lot of free time and a lot less stress. It's a nice pace of life, and you have huge autonomy a lot of the time in how you approach problems and the methods you employ to achieve results. That's really nice. The more money you accept, the more stress you take on, I suppose.

But at the moment I'm a little underwhelmed at work. I'm waiting for my one-year review, where I can hopefully clarify my role and work something out. I'm officially a Researcher, but the research finished six months ago. I feel like inventing a really nice job title for myself, like Capacity Building Executive Project Manager lol But, seriously, I'll be looking to change to Capacity Building. I thought about Funding but, until their capacity is built, it would be irresponsible to try and bring in new funds. The problem is that the capacity building I've tried to implement thus far has been met with complete despondency. I do wonder whether doing more of it will just become more apathy.

Anyway. Sure it'll all work itself out, and it was really flattering to be asked to take a look at this stuff on the side. It'll be funding strategy stuff, so interesting, especially after training the arts organisation's Funding Officers :)

The Electrogaz situation has become ridiculous. The Programme Office's complete lack of support in this matter has been quite a drain on my emotional reserves of late, and I'm apparently having my water cut off on Monday. So, I'm asking for an audience with the Country Director to go through the entire issue yet again. I think he'll be more supportive, or at least listen to what I'm trying to say is wrong with the bill. But, anyway. It's been going on now for almost a year, so what's a few more months? I'm used to washing from a jerrycan.

Off to the paralympic international sit-ball competition soon with Florence. Last game, so should be a good crowd.

[NB 2013: This is an interesting e-mail for me because it mentions a few turning points for the future. I didn't know at the time, but you'll find out later, that the feud with Electrogaz indirectly led to losing my home. It's one of the first times I met up with Ruairí, who went on to marry by best friend Martine in April 2013 - I was one of the witnesses! And it was one of the things I went to do with Florence, who sadly passed away in March 2010. I still have e-mails from her to the Disability Working Group on my Google account. Very sad. As for not returning to the UK without 'something lined up' - well, that's exactly what I did. Oh, and the Rwandan sit-ball team made the London 2012 Paralympics! :) ]