Back to Tanzania

Right! Time to stop procrastinating and start packing.

In a fortnight I leave for Arusha flying via Bangkok and Nairobi.

I have a 12 month placement with the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) program to work in teacher training and curriculum development in Arusha, Tanzania.

I will be working at Umoja, an NGO which helps youngsters who have had to leave school early, usually because of poverty, get back into education and improve their life chances.

This volunteer placement will be different from the one in Bukoba on many fronts. This time I will be without Steve - he can't take 12 months off at present. I will be working with a much smaller group of teachers and I won't be in the government sector.

Arusha is a much different prospect to Bukoba - larger and more 'touristy'. I will have to be more conscious of personal safety than in Bukoba where we were quite relaxed. On the other hand I am more likely to have visitors as Arusha is definitely on the tourist trail with Mt Kilimanjaro just around the corner.

This time I have a luggage allowance of 40kg compared to 23kg last placement. This is a huge responsibility! I estimate I'll need around 20kg for me so I'm prioritising what I should take in the 20 kg for Umoja. I have put out a call among friends and work colleagues for the items on Umoja's wish list.

If you'd like to know more about Umoja look here.

So, Karibuni, welcome again to my journey. I hope you will join me in this small part of the fight for social justice worldwide.