What not to do in Africa:
Build a house.
At least this is how we feel much of the time. Materials are way too expensive, workers are way too unreliable, theft is endemic, and (thus) progress is slow.
Oh, the days of Home Depot, Lowe's, and McCoys. Mwanza has probably 500 tool stores. Most have about $100 worth of incentory, but the bigger ones have a fairly decent selection, but quantities are limited. And you don't browse around, you ask the person working if something is available. That person also determines the price (no price tags).
So, if I have twenty things to buy, 15 I find fairly easily. The other 5 take all day. "Yeah, we have that... we'll get it for you". 15 minutes later they come back with the wrong thing. "yeah, but it's just as good". When are you getting it? "tomorrow."
Since there are no phone books, no supplier warehouse nearby, no inventory control systems, you don't know when something will come available. So shopping around is taking a risk; you may have found the only one available, and someone else may buy it while you are looking around for prices.
There are no bulk discounts, as everything has already passed through countless middle men. There is no returning defective items. Quality is low.
The highlight of my day yesterday was successfully identifying imitation wiring. I told a salesman I needed MCL wire, and he returned, with wire labeled as such, but it didn't seem right... I confirmed it later, it was fake.
However, we are learning--the hard way. It is a bonding experience that we share with many others here, tanzanian and expats alike. And sometimes, it can be fun, especially when Josiah is over at the house, grabbing tools and working away.
++++++++++
update:
We are doing all the electrical work now. Chiseling into cement walls to place conduits for the wiring, switches, etc.
Hiring a plumber to put in bathtubs, sinks, toilets, put in pipes, and finish the sewage/drainage system.
Always looking for carpenters. The windows are wood, and we can't seem to find a good carpenter who will stay and work.
Build a house.
At least this is how we feel much of the time. Materials are way too expensive, workers are way too unreliable, theft is endemic, and (thus) progress is slow.
Oh, the days of Home Depot, Lowe's, and McCoys. Mwanza has probably 500 tool stores. Most have about $100 worth of incentory, but the bigger ones have a fairly decent selection, but quantities are limited. And you don't browse around, you ask the person working if something is available. That person also determines the price (no price tags).
So, if I have twenty things to buy, 15 I find fairly easily. The other 5 take all day. "Yeah, we have that... we'll get it for you". 15 minutes later they come back with the wrong thing. "yeah, but it's just as good". When are you getting it? "tomorrow."
Since there are no phone books, no supplier warehouse nearby, no inventory control systems, you don't know when something will come available. So shopping around is taking a risk; you may have found the only one available, and someone else may buy it while you are looking around for prices.
There are no bulk discounts, as everything has already passed through countless middle men. There is no returning defective items. Quality is low.
The highlight of my day yesterday was successfully identifying imitation wiring. I told a salesman I needed MCL wire, and he returned, with wire labeled as such, but it didn't seem right... I confirmed it later, it was fake.
However, we are learning--the hard way. It is a bonding experience that we share with many others here, tanzanian and expats alike. And sometimes, it can be fun, especially when Josiah is over at the house, grabbing tools and working away.
++++++++++
update:
We are doing all the electrical work now. Chiseling into cement walls to place conduits for the wiring, switches, etc.
Hiring a plumber to put in bathtubs, sinks, toilets, put in pipes, and finish the sewage/drainage system.
Always looking for carpenters. The windows are wood, and we can't seem to find a good carpenter who will stay and work.
posted by Kevin at 4:10 AM
1 Comments:
hate to break the news to you, but getting good contractors and keeping them is an issue in california too.. good luck!! bet you find yourself thinking, "if i only knew how to....." didn't you wish you learned how to do some of this stuff before going to africa??? and with no internet you can't even check out one of my resources... www.bejane.com
enjoy!!!
mom
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