15 Days pre-World Cup

Today was a long day of travel!  I left my apartments at 3am (2am SA time) and set off for Joburg.  It was quite exciting to see that the main road towards my apartment has been fixed...and by fixed I mean they have added huge piles of dirt and smoothed out most of the giant potholes!!  


En route to the airport I realized that the data on my BB was not working - this is not too surprising as I am pretty sure that the network is down between 2am - 6am most days.  I had a smooth check-in and by 430 was half asleep on the plane waiting for take-off to Nairobi.  We arrived just before the sun came up but parked really, really, really far from the terminal.  This mean a 15 minute wait on the plane while waiting for the stairs and then a bus to arrive.  I had a quick run through the NBO airport and then sat down to wait to board the next flight.  It was another smooth flight but much longer and there were no tvs (personal or overhead) which was probably good so I could get some more rest.


As we approached Joburg I began to get excited - not only to see the prep for the World Cup but also to be in a 'real' city!  The difference is noticed almost right away - when getting off the plane you don't go outside.  That being said shortly thereafter I was brought back out of my bubble and realized that yes - I am still in Africa.  The power went out!!  This caused all sorts of issues from people not being able to get their bags (luckily I had only carry-on) to not being able to change money to not being able to exit the parking lot!


For me it all worked out and by shortly after noon I had arrived at the hotel and was ready to head to Nelson Mandela Square and the Sandton Mall for a little bit of shopping.  While there the exhaustion from the early flight set in.  I wandered in search of a Football Jersey as that is the attire for the lunch I am attending on Friday.  I had decided if I was going to spend close to $100 on a football jersey it had to be a team that would make it to the second round (not knowing much about the teams I assume the US won't make it so ruled them out!).  I also wanted a nice colour and this ruled out South Africa and Brazil as I didn't want to be in fluorescent yellow.  I decided to try on England, Spain and Argentina jerseys and decided to support England because it was the best fit!!


I was once again reminded about the kindness in Joburg today - in my state of exhaustion I left my passport at the place I changed money - shortly after my return to the hotel I received a call from them to come pick it up!!  I am not even sure they knew exactly where I was staying but they found me!!  I am lucky:)

The beginning of the end...

The excitement/ planning started in the middle of last week.  Over the past five months I have hung out with a core group of 5 (Janet, Sonia, Trude, Peter & Thomas) and all have hosted dinners.  At one of the very first dinners Thomas volunteered to cook one evening....well that had yet to happen and we decided it was his turn.  (Note: I never committed or suggested that I would host as there just isn't enough space in my apartment....I just planned to help Thomas!).  On Wednesday I sent out the invitations for dinner Saturday and quickly the dinner grew from 6 people to 9.  On Thursday Thomas found out he would have to travel to Zambia...leaving for the airport at 230am on Sunday morning...not ideal but he said the dinner would still happen.


Now neither of us are big into cooking so there were some arrangements to make.  Thomas had decided to cook a dish he used to eat in Tanzania and we would need re-fried beans and chapatti.  We spoke to our drivers and colleagues and he found a place to buy the beans and found someone to make the chapatti.  I had decided to make a greek salad and gingerbread (I had been looking for an occasion to make it since US Thanksgiving!).  By Friday night we were set, had bought all the ingredients and had a preparation plan - I would make the gingerbread in the morning and then head to Thomas' at 430 to cut all the required veggies for the salad and entree. 


But then Saturday morning came and TIA!!

11am - My kitchen - getting ready to make Gingerbread (remember that I had wanted to make this since late November...when I bought the flour!)

330 pm - fresh start to making gingerbread.  Note the black shopping bag with new, non bug-infested flour

mixing ingredients and carefully following the instructions from my Dad

mixing in the flour and water

finished pre-baked product

5pm - Thomas prepping in my Kitchen

(His flat lost power at 10am and it had not returned so we had to move the dinner!!!)

yummy salad

chapatti and beans

prepping the food

(it was chapatti baked with beans, veggies and cheese and then topped with guac)

the crew in the living room...with some extra borrowed chairs

Trude, Janet, Dada and Sonia

Thomas and Peter 

So even with the TIA issues dinner was a success - that is the great thing about Africa...it seems that somehow everything works out....just not always as planned.

This week was a busy one - I booked my ticket to Ethiopia (this took half a day!) and I spent two days participating in a workshop on partnership building!  There were some great ideas and I am excited to continue the discussion in Joburg next week.

In planning for the dinner and over the past week I really realized that it is the beginning of the end.  While I am not sure when I will leave many of my friends will head to their respective homes over the next 5 weeks.  We have already had to book a final farewell dinner for June 10 as the departures will begin.  While I must admit that I am excited to go home it is a bit sad to see the time come to an end.  It really hit home with the arrival of Janet's boyfriend Scott - we had a dinner last night and today they head on an African Adventure.  Sonia and I will meet up with them at the Entebbe airport when we return from Ethiopia....but it really means time here as I have grown accustomed to it is coming to an end.

Janet & Scott

me & Trude

Sonia & Janet

I know that I will enjoy and treasure the rest of my time in Kampala (and Joburg and Ethiopia) and will keep you all posted on my return.

Best wishes this weekend to my cousin Daniel and Marika who are getting married tomorrow!!  Sorry that I cannot be there to help you celebrate.

Not much new....

Not much new to report in Kla but I figured it was best I posted something before I heard about it from my mom!


The rest of my week in Dar was good.  While I didn't actually get to go to WEF it was still pretty cool to be on the periphery of it and to feel the energy and excitement.  I did go to a WEF party - there seem to be a lot of them and I am guessing that this is where many of the connections are made.  This was the first time Africa WEF was held outside of South Africa and though I think the organizers faced a whole new set of challenges I hope that they continue to explore venues outside of Cape Town in the future.

A Bajaj in the rain

Flooded Road

This was the main road to the office - traffic was only a bit worse than normal!

Not a great pic - but they had a raised path to get from the truck to the store

En route to the airport

more traffic

Cyclist along the road to the airport

I was home just in time for the weekend and to catch up with some friends.  We had a great dinner of Korean food at Sonia and Janet's (unfortunately no pictures...but the food was really good!).  I also went to a house party - only my second this year.  It was quite something with a DJ and big bar.  I may have to wrangle invites to a few more of these before heading home.


Heading home....for those that are wondering I am not quite sure when that will be but will keep you posted.  I will still be working with RTP in a role at our Headquarters in Toronto.  All of the details are still a bit in the air and I am working on being patient (definitely a skill I have slowly but surely acquired this year).


Before I go home there are a few things that I have planned!  I am aiming to head to Northern Ethiopia for a week in June - if you have any tips let me know.  I had been contemplating it for a while but after seeing Angela's photos I decided it was a must do!  Luckily there are two public holidays in Uganda so I will take three vacation days and travel for a full week!  I also have to white water raft on the Nile.  I am hoping this will happen just after Ethiopia.


I heard there was snow in Toronto for Mother's Day....there is something crazy going on with the weather!  It is STILL raining in Kampala - it started in November!!  (That being said there are still some gorgeous days but the weather is pretty unpredictable so have haven't spent many weekends poolside). 

WEF so far....

Friday morning I left Kampala to head to Dar es Salaam to support the team during Johann's visit and to do some work on the UAM campaign.  Upon arrival at the airport I was a bit worried as the security lines was HUGE.  UN troops from Jordan were getting on a flight - I am not sure where they were coming from or where they were going.  Luckily they let me jump in front of them.  The Air Uganda direct flight was sooo much better than connecting through Nairobi which I did on my previous trip and by 130pm I was at our office in Dar.


Friday consisted of some rushed meetings - first at the office and then at Uhuru Girls Primary school with some colleagues that are part of the UAM campaign to discuss our event that would take place on Monday.  Dar is super hot and humid so it was a great relief to get to my super air conditioned room late in the day.  In the evening I went to a birthday party and then called it an early night.


Saturday was a free day so I set off to explore a bit.  I am staying on the Maasani Pennisula and I had read about the Slipway - a collection of shops and restaurants on the water.  I walked there and promptly searched for a store with AC to cool down.  I spent a good half hour in the bookstore an bought a new book on Africa.  (yes - I know books are heavy and am a bit worried about how they will weigh me down when its time to come back to Toronto).  I had a frapuccino...though it was not what I expected it to be.  After some shopping I enjoyed a sushi lunch!!  Yes I had sushi and tempura!!!

Simon, the Tanzania Country Manager picked me up at 945pm and we headed to the airport to pick up Johann.  He arrived without a hitch, we dropped him off at his hotel and I was back at mine by midnight!


Sunday was a busy day.  We had a staff meeting at the office, a press conference, a field visit and then an interview.

Johann and Simon ready from the Press Conference

Children warming up at PASADA

PASADA is an RTP partner that provides HIV and AIDS treatment - all of the children participating are HIV positive

Cooling down post-activities

post-activity discussion

this girl had a great story about how participating in RTP games had given her the confidence to tell her parents about a family friend that was abusing her - she is 11 years old

Johann and the PASADA group

Chicken Tikka Subway Sandwich I had between the activities and the interview

(only the second time in 9 months I have had Subway!!!)

Upon returning to the hotel I had time for a quick shower and a skype chat with my familiy prior to a dinner meeting to review the plans for the next day with the UAM Africa co-ordinator, publicist and cameraman!  (I should mention that this was only the second skype chat in 9 months and that it was a first for my mom....I think she is still getting over the 'cool factor' of being able to see me!)

Monday was the big event.  We hosted 20 World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders (YGLs) at one of our schools, Uhuru Girl's Primary School.  In addition to the YGLs, members of the Twiga Stars (Tanzanian Women's Footballers) and Yvonne Chakka Chakka participated.  We had 150 children playing malaria games and each received a mosquito net that was donated by A to Z textiles, a Tanzanian company.  Overall the day was a great success - it was amazing to see the pride that the school and staff had in RTP!!

climbing a pole - coconut style- to hang a banner

sign made by the school to welcome the YGLs

Activities underway

Head teacher, Yvonne Chakka Chakka and Simon

Johann playing

YGLs discussing challenges with mosquito nets

Johann addressing the YGLs and some teachers

(note the baloons and RTP pictures - the TZ team decorated the classroom)

Uhuru School Staff

Today has been a bit of a catch up day.  Due to the extreme WEF traffic and road closures it was decided that I would work at the hotel as opposed to spending an hour plus each way to get to the office.  Tomorrow we will attend some meetings and in the evening I will attend a Standard Bank event.

I know there are no pictures of me....I have been busy trying to capture all the events and get pictures of Johann for the website and annual reports.  I will try to get some before the week is out!