Clients at TECC – 24 April 2016

Dear muzungu,

The rain season has officially started in April. However at TECC, we do not experience much rain. We go without the rain for a week and then it rains maybe 1-2 hours. In Ruboni, the river has been flooded twice and taken the bridge away, which makes it impossible to cross from the camp to the village and back. But I am fine, rain or no rain. How is it there?

At TECC, we expected seven clients to arrive on the 19th of April. On the 17th of April, we received a call of an intern willing to start directly and staying at TECC for a month. As Felex thought it might be useful, we accepted the call. The lady called Elisa came directly to TECC and has not yet left. She only does not know much in terms of running a campsite. She is a student studying as a birding guide in Kibale. As we had a full two days ahead of us, we, Yason and I have tried to train her in terms of presenting herself towards clients. Basically, the cleaning of rooms, she could do when she was helped by Yason or our nightwatch Costar. I was organising and labelling the crafts as well as preparing service and arranging the water for the tanks to be filled. I even went to Kasese town to get food while Yason took care of the preperations of rooms and food.

As the clients arrived late on the 19th of April, they only took dinner. I was serving, while Yason was cooking and explaining Elisa how to cook. She cut the vegetables. The next morning, they had breakfast at 6am and dinner at 8pm. The full day was a bit more relaxed except during meal time as it was crowded in the kitchen in terms of preparing food/serving food etc. The day of departure of the clients was a bit more relaxed as we gave them breakfast and sent them on their merry way.

Yason liked to discuss the money received and what had to be bought next. We agreed upon spending money on variable cost such as toilet paper, payment of night watch, water etc. We also made a planning in terms of investing money (in a second gas cylinder, two matrasses (to finish the room and not borrow matrasses from neighbouring communities), jerry cans etc.). As we had also received a tip, I was surprised that Yason also handed me a part of the tip. It was a nice gift in terms of the hard work I had done but on the hand that’s part of my internship.

I have a few trips in the coming weeks. Tomorrow (25th of April) I will hire a boda driver for the entire day and travel to Katwe, the Flamingo Lake, Kikorongo Lake and fishermens’ village. Katwe is known to be the city which supplies the Salt in East-Africa. I would like to see this as it is supposed to be amazing. On the 26th of April, I will head to Ruboni and will return on the 30st of April to TECC. On the fourth of May, I will leave Uganda and travel into Rwanda (for around a week) to extend my visa. Here I will purely have a holiday. It’s not meant to distract me for any work duties. I am planning to visit Lake Kivu, Kigali (capital of Rwanda) and Gicumbi. Lake Kivi is the biggest lake within Rwanda and known to international and local tourism. Kigali has a rich history in terms of the war and has many memorial sides. Gicumbi is rich in terms of the views and tea plantations. Along the way I will visit the biggest waterfall of Rwanda as well as the kings ‘palace. Let’s hope this will be an interesting and worthwhile experience. I will keep you up to date on both trips.
You will hear from me soon.

Love,

Joëlle