By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:45 AM on 10th October 2008
A British teacher is set to up sticks and move to a tiny village in Africa - after striking up a romance with a tribal elder.
Intrepid Carole Woolgar, 51, will jet off in November to live with partner Amri Shimata in Mahenge, a village in a remote part of Tanzania.
She will swap her comfortable home in Southampton, Hants, for a humble hut with a tin roof and no electricity or running water.
Far-flung love: Intrepid Carole Woolgar, 51, will jet off in November to live with partner Amri Shimata in Mahenge, a village in a remote part of Tanzania
Their only toilet is a 'long drop' loo, which is nothing more than a hole in the ground, and all cooking in the village is done on an open fire or a charcoal stove.
Natives from the village have a life expectancy of around 45 but that hasn't put off Carole.
Adult education teacher Carole, who worked at Peter Symonds College, in Winchester, first visited Mahenge five years ago when she travelled to see a friend who was working there.
And she immediately fell for 56 year old Amri, who is a Porgoro tribal elder.
She said: 'Since meeting Amri for the first time I have been back to the village two or three times a year - and our romance just blossomed.
'Over the years I have got involved with various projects in the village and eventually I decided that it was time for a change in life.
Mahenge village has a humble existence, with no electricity or running water and a low life expectancy, but it is 'friendly and welcoming'
'The college where I worked was looking to re-structure so it was the perfect opportunity to do something different.
'It had just become harder and harder to say goodbye to Amri when I came to leave so I decided I had to do something.
'I have no kids to worry about so that made the decision easier. I think my parents and my brother will be sad to see me go.'
The village of Mahenge lies in the Ulanga District, in the Morogoro region of Southern Tanzania.
Surrounded by herds of elephants, zebras and giraffes, the village even has its own 'guard' leopard, who sleeps on a rock overlooking the community.
It takes more than two days to drive to the nearest airport, which is in the country's richest city, Dar-Es-Salaam.
The locals speak Swahili and Carole has been taking lessons so she can fit in as best she can.
Together: Carole Woolgar and Amri Shimita are looking forward to a happy existence together
She said: 'The village is tiny but the people are so friendly.
'They have absolutely nothing - you go to a house and people are sleeping on an old mat with a few plastic plates and cups to eat and drink from.
'They get up as soon as it is light, work in the fields and then go to sleep when it gets dark - but they are so so welcoming.
'The thing I'm going to miss the most is my washing machine. The women have to walk to fetch water in buckets and then wash everything by hand.
'The cooking is very primitive too but I think I can cope. If not I'll come back to my washing machine and fully fitted kitchen in my comfortable house in Southampton.
'I have been trying to learn Swahili but luckily Amri speaks very good English - he even beats me at Scrabble when we play. He's a very intelligent man.
'Amri is really looking forward to having me over there.
'I know it is going to be a shock to the system but it's an exciting challenge for me and one I'm really looking forward to.
Carole is flying out to Tanzania at the end of November.
Comments (17)
I clicked on this story and fully expected to find another idiotic middle aged woman stood grinning inanely next to a bored younger guy about to milk her for all she was worth. How nice it was to be pleasantly surprised to find a man of a similar age. Hope it all works out for them.
- Geoff, Sudbury Suffolk England, 10/10/2008 13:16
I was born on the slopes of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Having lived in Belgium for the past 36 years, still nothing compares to home. There are problems but people are happy. They make do with what they have and for sure, they cope with what they have. Tanzanians are warm and welcoming people and very down to earth.
I wish Carole blessings and happiness in her new life.
- TESSY1956, BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 10/10/2008 13:25