The determination of my site will not be made until I'm almost through training, after PC staff members have had an opportunity to match my strengths and capabilities with the needs of a host community or school. So stay tuned for a description of my actual living situation, once I've moved into my house and community!
In the meantime, this is what I know...
Education Volunteers are posted at or near secondary schools in rural areas or near districts or regional towns. Volunteer sites are located anywhere from a few hours to a few days from Dar es Salaam, with travel time to more remote sites exascerbated by poor road conditions, especially in the rainy season. Volunteers generally are placed in a community alone, with varying proximity to the nearest fellow PCV, and typically live alone (as opposed to with a host family). This may sound misleading, however, because Tanzania has a collectivist or group-based culture; American concepts of privacy and personal space are neither understood, nor always respected. Neighborhood children will be in and out of the volunteer's house on a regular basis, and adult neighbors and colleagues will be part of the volunteer's daily life.
Education Volunteer housing is provided by the school where they are assigned, and it is likely to be on the school campus. Volunteer housing, which is usually similar to that of Tanzanians living in the same community, is generally modest but comfortable. Housing varies in size, but all houses are made of either cement block or fired brick with tin or tile roofs. Houses have at least two rooms and are sometimes furnished with a bed, a table, chairs, and possibly other items. Some Volunteers have electricity and running water, but the quality and reliability of both are often poor. These services become scarcer as sites become more rural; in these areas, water may come from a community well or river, and evening light is often limited to candles and lanterns.
On a semi-related note, many people have asked me about money. Because I'm a volunteer, I will not receive a salary. The Peace Corps' philosophy is grounded in the belief that development and mutual learning are achieved most effectively when people live and work together, and I am expected to live modestly and at the same living standards as the people I serve. The Peace Corps will pay me a modest living allowance (currently about $180 per month) to cover food, utilities, household supplies, clothing, recreation and entertainment, transportation, reading materials, and other incidentals. I will also receive a small settling-in allowance when I first arrive in my community to purchase furniture and other household necessities. Peace Corps pays for my flight to and home from Tanzania, but any other travel is on my own dime. I will also accrue a small amount of money every month, called readjustment allowance, that I will receive upon completion of my service; this currently totals around $6,000 (before taxes) and is meant to buy me a bit of time after I return home to find a job, pay for a place to live, etc.
