I am a young Photographer from Cape Cod/Boston, Ma. armed with a Fulbright Scholarship and a Canon 5D Mark II. For 10 months I will living in Arusha, Tanzania working with various research projects and NGO's to make a documentary on human/wildlife conflict.

11/10/09

I'm stiiillll heeerreeee.....

Okay, I haven't posted in so long because I am stuck here, on Cape Cod! I am STILL waiting on my Costech research permit, but I just found out that in order to get a Costech permit, I need to apply for another Tawiri (Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute) permit that will run me $1,800!!!! I have no idea why I need such an expensive permit...a Tawiri permit is for researchers doing projects in highly protected areas or parks. The KERCP camp is in West Kili, but is not within any park boundaries. PLUS I am just a PHOTOGRAPHER...documenting research that is already happening in that area, it's not like I am going to be changing anything that isn't already occurring! WHYYYY do I need an $1800 permit just to photograph pre existing research projects?!?

So, KERCP already has a Tawiri permit...I'm hoping I can just piggyback on their permit and get my Costech permit and get on with it! I have already delayed my departure by 2 months..now it looks like I'll be here till xmas.. :( If I leave here in January, I'll be arriving right in the middle of the mid-rain tourist season..(between the short rains and the long rains, there's a little break around January-Feb. it's a mini tourist season for a lot of Europeans) I'll have to compete with tourist air-fare and spiked prices of everything!!! Plus, it means I won't be back till next October..garrr

SO,...the GOOD news is...

I have more time to fund raise..
I am going to try to do a little enrichment night at Nauset High..
I am going to write to Canon to try to get some free equipment out of them..
I may be able to meet with Allison Argo, award winning wildlife documentary filmmaker, right here on Cape Cod!...
I'll be here for xmas....ehhh...yay?
I get to wear my winter clothes and boots for just a little longer... :)

So, until further updates...here's a little Zen monkey for you..enjoy!