Introduction TVE will help you make the most of your time spent volunteering in Tanzania. Whether you've traveled extensively in developing nations, or are having your first experience thereof, we'll be here to provide you support for a memorable stay. Your coordinator will be your key contact, and will be readily available to assist you anytime during your stay. Orientation During your first 48 hours in Tanzania we'll get you settled-in and introduce you to your new environment. During this period you'll spend most of your time with your coordinator. Here's what that entails; • Airport pick-up • Introduction to the volunteer house & neighborhood • Swahili lessons (2 hours/day) • Walking tour of Arusha town • Introduction to placement • Local customs • How to best get to the places you want to go • Health & safety The orientation program is about learning by doing. You can put your travel book down, and instead join your coordinator as they escort you into your environment and show you know how to navigate it. Once you've completed the orientation program (and you've had a chance to shake-off some of that jet lag), you'll start off on your volunteer assignment. You'll also have a much better understanding of your home-away-from-home. Accommodations Volunteers will stay in the volunteer house which is located about 7 km east of downtown Arusha. The house has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a large living room and patio, and is gated. Its a western style house with flush toilets and electricity (240v). There's limited hot water for showers, but then it can get rather hot out anyways! A computer with internet is available though service can be spotty. We have an on-site staff that will cook, clean and take care of the grounds. We also have a Masai guard during the evenings, and a watchdog (he's really just a pup at this point) named Scooter. You'll stay in shared room and sleep in a bunk-bed under a mosquito net that's provided. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily and the staff will wash your clothes for a nominal fee, or you can give a shot yourself! You'll want to bring your own toiletries, medicines, music and reading material. Volunteers should bring money for bottled water, dining out, excursions and entertainment. Volunteering During your volunteer period you'll typically work 4-5 hours per day on your assignment. The actual time you spend working may depend on the nature of your assignment(s). TVE's staff will accommodate, as best as possible, your desires to work in excess of 5 hours per day. There's plenty of need in the community, and spending more time volunteering would be much appreciated by community organizations. We do ask our volunteers to follow through on their base assignments, as the people and organizations you've agreed to serve will be expecting to share in the benefits of your time spent together! We understand that there is much to see in Tanzania. Treks up Mt. Kilimanjaro, walks though Stone Town, and touring the safaris are certainly encouraged. However, we do ask that you let us know in advance when you plan on being away from your assignments so that your placements can be informed. Upon completion of your volunteer assignment we'll ask you for feedback on your experience. We'd like to know the highlights of your stay and which experiences were the most meaningful to you. We'd also like to know any ways we might improve our programs on service to you. After Returning Home Once you're back home, you'll still have TVE here in Tanzania to help you keep in touch with the people and organizations you've come to know during your stay. You will have use of our P.O. Box to mail parcels, and we can make deliveries on your behalf to any of our placements. We can shoot video and send it to you, and otherwise continue to be your bridge with those you couldn't otherwise keep in touch with. Talk with us about any specific needs, and we'll let you know how we can help.