Update: First VSAT set-up
Jeff November 5th, 2007
Well things are rolling along here. We set up our first VSAT at the Africa directors conference at White Sands resort in Dar es Salaam. It was good practice in getting everything set up properly and the resort is also very nice. I definitely didn’t think I would be setting up a VSAT at a 4-5 star resort looking out at the Indian Ocean when I first left for Tanzania! 
(Still haven’t gone for a swim yet but that should be coming soon; although I have heard that the Indian ocean is ridiculously full of sharks.)
The project is moving along a bit slower than expected do to some unforeseen delays with the equipment getting out of the ports etc. I am not sure when I will be heading to the field for installs; it may be as early as next week. It has still been very educational working with Greg in going to the meetings with the vendor who will do the VSAT installs, meeting with the logistics (trucking) company, and helping to plan/write the documentation for the installs. It has really shown how important communication is and yet it is the hardest thing to do because of accents, languages, and even simply different names for things. (For instance, Tanzanian’s call a surge protector an extension cord and Australians call it a power strip. We went round and round on that one for about 15 minutes before we figured it out.) There is also a tendency when you are working with some people to have them say yes I can do that tomorrow, even when they may not be able to do it. (I had a friend tell me that in some African countries it is rude to say no).
Being here is still a bit crazy. Hard to imagine I have been here for almost 2 weeks already. I think I am also really adjusting to life here because even if something ‘different’ does happen, I may not notice until later. Here are some random things to entertain/inform you about this place:
* I still have not seen a speed limit sign.
* It is a surreal feeling to hear the Muslim call to prayer. (It is a very upsetting feeling when it wakes you up at 5am)
* Life here is really slow. Things that would take you an hour back home (such as ordering lunch) take 2 hours here. People are definitely not in a rush.
* There isn’t any social program for people who are handicap so they stand in the median between the streets and beg.
* When we were unloading the 5 semi truck loads of equipment, we hired ‘laborers’. These are people that hang out near the warehouse, waiting for work as they know that trucks show up every now and again and they can be paid. When they aren’t working, they are sitting around waiting for work. I still have not really seen a ‘residential area’ yet.
* I have been brushing up on the Swahili; I can say hello, how are you doing, ask for things and I know when people are talking about me as they say (Mu-zuung-gu); it means: white dude.
* There are many unpaved roads in Dar (read: dirt with hug dips and trenches in them that would excite even the most experienced 4×4 enthusiast). We took one home from White Sands the other night and hadn’t taken that route home before. The combination of it being late at night, the lack of street lights and the condition of the road suggested that the taxi driver was taking me out to the middle of no where to kill me until I saw some kids running around the road and figured it was ok.
As far as the weather is concerned, it is hot and humid. It was pretty lame at first but you just kind of get used to sweating and it isn’t too bad. 
At least I am still in a hotel so I get AC and a shower every night. Although if I am here for too much longer, the locals tell me that it is only going to get hotter so I am hoping to move out of here and to a higher altitude soon. Getting a nice tan though!
I have been posting pics to my site but I have not taken a whole lot of photos as I still don’t know if it is really safe to be walking around with a camera. I have taken quite a few from the taxi rides I go on as you see the strangest things on the road. Even if I had taken lots of photos at this point I don’t think I can take enough pictures of this place to show people what it is really like.
Before I left I had intended on writing more but I have been working really long days and combined with the heat/humidity it really takes it out of a person. I just want to go to bed when I get home in the evening.
