Sorry for the lack of updates on the blog, this past month has not treated us well. We've been busy taking antibiotics and anti-ameba medication.. A little bit of work too but much of the energy has gone into getting well again. Now we have one more week left in Zanzibar, hopefully we'll stay well!
Although we've been sick, we've also managed to make a bit of progress. The brochures are ready and printed now, next week we'll take one day to go visit some hotels if we have time. We've visited travel agencies and left them with cave brochures, hopefully some tourists take interest and go visit the caves. We've got an estimation after estimation for fixing the road and finally we have something reasonable. We'll try and get things started there next week before we leave. We've also planned and bought materials for new signs at the caves. On Monday we'll go to Kiwengwa, paint the signs and put them in their places. We've also attended some study visits and trainings organised for the livelihood groups. We have the intention of making sure the rest of the study visits and trainings will have set dates before we leave. Also the guides at the caves will get some training: we've been planning on sending them to Jozani for a week to get trained by the guides there. There has been progress on the online promotion as well: TIES published an article on the Mchekeni coral caves that Elina wrote.
Next week is our last one at work and it seems that it's going to be a busy week. Visits to the caves and hopefully some hotels, some work at the office, training on book keeping and business management and then finally a seminar on our and Elina's reports before we leave.
The past few days it has been raining and raining. Ramadan started yesterday and we're trying to get used to the changes it brings along: most of the shops and restaurants aren't open during the day and people aren't supposed to be eating in public. We're interested in seeing what else Ramadan is going to change.
Irene and Kaisa
Friday, August 13, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Work continues..
Last week we have been working mainly with our reports. On Wednesday it was Sabasaba and we got a day off from work. Wednesday was also Elina’s last day in Zanzibar. Ever since we’ve been trying to get used to the life without her, feels odd when she’s not here!
Our reports are coming together a bit by bit, sometimes it’s difficult to continue writing when we haven’t managed to make any progress on other fields of the work. Last week we put together a summary on the trainings and study visits planned for this year and this week we’ll try to come up with some sort of schedule for them. Nora did some GIS magic and created a map of the GPS points we’d collected during the village visits. Everybody at the office seemed very pleased with the map (and everybody definitely saw the map and got their own copy since we had some "challenges" using the printer).
This week we’ll try and get a new estimation for fixing the road to the Kiwengwa caves. The estimation we have now is way beyond the project’s budget. We think for the time being it’s enough to do the minimum to make the road accessible. Later on when there is more money then the road can be fixed properly. On the things to do list for this week are also the brochures. We want to get them printed out (finally) and then discuss the hotel visits to improve the marketing of the products.
Even though last week was easy on the work, we were kept well busy with moving around Stone Town. On Wednesday we moved into a place with a unique cave-like atmosphere. Darkness, moistness, cockroachness.. Yesterday we moved out into a great place with lots of fresh air, open space, a roof terrace, a shower with hot water and a toilet that FLUSHES. We’re also very pleased with our new neighbours from South Africa, Germany, Kenya, Tanzania and Holland.
With the new home we are ready for the work this week!
Irene and Kaisa
Our reports are coming together a bit by bit, sometimes it’s difficult to continue writing when we haven’t managed to make any progress on other fields of the work. Last week we put together a summary on the trainings and study visits planned for this year and this week we’ll try to come up with some sort of schedule for them. Nora did some GIS magic and created a map of the GPS points we’d collected during the village visits. Everybody at the office seemed very pleased with the map (and everybody definitely saw the map and got their own copy since we had some "challenges" using the printer).
This week we’ll try and get a new estimation for fixing the road to the Kiwengwa caves. The estimation we have now is way beyond the project’s budget. We think for the time being it’s enough to do the minimum to make the road accessible. Later on when there is more money then the road can be fixed properly. On the things to do list for this week are also the brochures. We want to get them printed out (finally) and then discuss the hotel visits to improve the marketing of the products.
Even though last week was easy on the work, we were kept well busy with moving around Stone Town. On Wednesday we moved into a place with a unique cave-like atmosphere. Darkness, moistness, cockroachness.. Yesterday we moved out into a great place with lots of fresh air, open space, a roof terrace, a shower with hot water and a toilet that FLUSHES. We’re also very pleased with our new neighbours from South Africa, Germany, Kenya, Tanzania and Holland.
With the new home we are ready for the work this week!
Irene and Kaisa
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
My last day in Zanzibar
Hi all!
Sadly I'm (Elina) heading to Finland tomorrow, and my time in Zanzibar has come to an end. It has been great four weeks and there would still be a lot to be done in the project as well as exploring the beautiful nature in Zanzibar. Hopefully I will get a chance to visit Zanzibar again some day. Working in the project has been very interesting and I have learned a lot. I hope the work we've done has contributed the project, all though one month is not a very long time. Fortunately Kaisa and Irene will stay here for six more weeks and continue with the LIVE-project.
At home I will finish my report and send it to Kaisa, Irene and the staff for the final seminar. Gladly TIES will publish an article on Kiwengwa caves as an ecotourism destination. Last weekend we went to the Prison Island and it was a great experience with the giant tortoises and snorkling to see the coral. Today we are still going to have a last night's dinner and then I start preparing myself for the long journey back home. Tutaonana and stay tuned for updates from Kaisa and Irene!
Elina
Sadly I'm (Elina) heading to Finland tomorrow, and my time in Zanzibar has come to an end. It has been great four weeks and there would still be a lot to be done in the project as well as exploring the beautiful nature in Zanzibar. Hopefully I will get a chance to visit Zanzibar again some day. Working in the project has been very interesting and I have learned a lot. I hope the work we've done has contributed the project, all though one month is not a very long time. Fortunately Kaisa and Irene will stay here for six more weeks and continue with the LIVE-project.
At home I will finish my report and send it to Kaisa, Irene and the staff for the final seminar. Gladly TIES will publish an article on Kiwengwa caves as an ecotourism destination. Last weekend we went to the Prison Island and it was a great experience with the giant tortoises and snorkling to see the coral. Today we are still going to have a last night's dinner and then I start preparing myself for the long journey back home. Tutaonana and stay tuned for updates from Kaisa and Irene!
Elina
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Sun sun sun!
Hello!
This week we've mainly worked at the office. On Monday we visited three more villages and the rest of the week we spent working on the reports. What makes working at the office interesting are the cows and chicken trying to get into the building :P Irene was sick with a mysterious tropical disease and stayed home for a few days checking out the walls. Now the antibiotics are gone and can be replaced with something more refreshing :D
Today, we decided to go to the beach. For the whole day. Now we know this was a bad idea. We have some pictures but they aren't good for publishing. In short, we can't really be called mzungus anymore because of our new complexion.
Next week some more villages and Jozani forest reserve!
Irene, Kaisa and Elina
This week we've mainly worked at the office. On Monday we visited three more villages and the rest of the week we spent working on the reports. What makes working at the office interesting are the cows and chicken trying to get into the building :P Irene was sick with a mysterious tropical disease and stayed home for a few days checking out the walls. Now the antibiotics are gone and can be replaced with something more refreshing :D
Today, we decided to go to the beach. For the whole day. Now we know this was a bad idea. We have some pictures but they aren't good for publishing. In short, we can't really be called mzungus anymore because of our new complexion.
Next week some more villages and Jozani forest reserve!
Irene, Kaisa and Elina
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Working with the project
Hi!
The first week has passed by at work. It was very interesting to visit the villages, and there are still three more to visit on monday. People in the villages have been very friendly and happy about the LIVEproject. Some of them have relatively small hindrances from better production, and some have bigger ones as in Kiwengwa the road construction and getting a generator. Yesterday we went to the caves, and they were fascinating, but bats and spiders were a little bit scary.
In two days we have been accompanied by Abo Akademi student Elias, who is writing an article about biodiversity. Unfortunately we didn't see the Red Colobus monkey yesterday when at Kiwengwa. The staff in DCCFF has been great and they have been very patient in translating our questions and the answers.
In our freetime we have gone to the beach and swam in the salty but warm Indian Ocean. The tides are unpredictable for us, so sometimes when we go there, the water is far away from the beach.
To be continued...
Elina, Kasa and Irene
The first week has passed by at work. It was very interesting to visit the villages, and there are still three more to visit on monday. People in the villages have been very friendly and happy about the LIVEproject. Some of them have relatively small hindrances from better production, and some have bigger ones as in Kiwengwa the road construction and getting a generator. Yesterday we went to the caves, and they were fascinating, but bats and spiders were a little bit scary.
In two days we have been accompanied by Abo Akademi student Elias, who is writing an article about biodiversity. Unfortunately we didn't see the Red Colobus monkey yesterday when at Kiwengwa. The staff in DCCFF has been great and they have been very patient in translating our questions and the answers.
In our freetime we have gone to the beach and swam in the salty but warm Indian Ocean. The tides are unpredictable for us, so sometimes when we go there, the water is far away from the beach.
To be continued...
Elina, Kasa and Irene
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Mambo!
Greetings from Zanzibar! It's hot, moist and amazing. We arrived a couple of days ago and so far we've just been adjusting to the weather, culture and people. We've been walking around Stonetown and enjoyed (sometimes cursed too) the sun and the extremely hot weather. The soccer worldcup has started in SA and it shows: people are sitting and cheering in almost every corner of the labyrinth of Stonetown. Work starts tomorrow, more news will follow.
Hakuna matata!
Irene, Kaisa na Elina
Hakuna matata!
Irene, Kaisa na Elina
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