From Shell: I have to say the trip to the Serengeti NP and back was one of the best travel experiences I have ever had. It was rough, dirty, tiring, confronting and great fun. I'm still dreaming about it 2 weeks later. Things that stick in my mind are: - how fertile the land was in Western Kenya - answering Marja's call for me to open the window in my campground shower and looking straight in the eyes of a huge bull elephant - the interest and/or excitement from local kids (even the teenages that yelled "piss off" and threw rocks [View Full Entry]

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After two years of study, writing, memorizing, and reading a group of men are about to go forth to preach the saving message of Christ! Seven men have proved their determination by diligence in their studies. I must say that the hours invested in these men at the Andrew Connally School of Preaching has been challenging for them as well as their instructors. Even though instruction has been giving in the English language, English is not the native language for any of these men. Also, there is a wide range of abilities within this group. But it is thrilling indeed to [View Full Entry]

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Dear Friends and Family, Another Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and we know how busy everyone is at this time of year. Please know that we wish you all a very happy day and we'll be home for the next one. In the meantime we will host, as we did last year, our local celebration. We expect 13, but we'll feed whomever shows up. The menu stays the same (you can check out last year's blog) with 1 major improvement: pumpkin pie! Theresa went home for her brother's wedding last month and returned with the pie fixings and tins. So, as everyone [View Full Entry]

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In the heat of the day, it feels as though my skin is melting off of my body. But I'm not complaining, I know that soon enough I'll be back in NYC shivering, wishing for a good sweat. I'm spending a few days in Stonetown before I head north for some beach time. I arrived here yesterday, exhausted after my early morning balloon ride, rising up with the sun over the Serengeti. (It was spectacular!!) I had a nice rooftop dinner under the stars at my hotel lastnight, and then went to bed nice and early. While I was eating (yummy [View Full Entry]

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To go to the Serengeti we had to split up into 4 jeeps and leave the truck behind in Arusha. It was a long enough drive to the Serengeti so we stopped off at the Ngorongoro crater for our lunch and a few photos. Lunch was difficult as there were some black kites in the area that wanted our food just as much as we did. On the way we also had an unexpected break when one of the 4 wheel drives broke down. We found some Masai men to build us a new part for the vehicles suspension out of [View Full Entry]

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This past Friday, we put together a girl's football match between the preform girls (the class I teach the most) and the form 1 girls. Well, what a showdown it was. The competitive side of me came out in full force although I know absolutely nothing about coaching soccer but unfortunately, the preform girls lost in a sudden death shootout. It was overwhelming to see how the girls responded to the excitement of the game and having their peers watch them, especially the boys. I was blown away by the boy's excitement and positivity in cheering on their girl counterparts. School [View Full Entry]

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The middle of October, 2009 brought the end of my first term of this school year, 2 teacher-in-service days, and Denia! My sister came to visit me for a quick but wonderful 10 days, during my week off from school, and together we terrorized (read: photographed and sang to) the Northern circuit National Parks of Tanzania. Denia arrived on a Thursday evening, and we had a quiet night in together, catching up and letting Kibo get to know another one of her Aunts. After work on Friday, we did a little tour of Dar and that evening we went out for [View Full Entry]

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In the center of Moshi, there are many volunteers and tourists so seeing them on the street is very common. However, when you go into the residential areas, there is sometimes great excitement from the children on seeing a "mzungu" (white foreigner). Most will automatically assume that you are a teacher and many "wazungu" - the plural form of mzungu, are called mwalimu (teacher). Many of the children have had experience with volunteer teachers in Moshi urban, but that quickly drops off when you enter into Moshi rural and once you get outside of Moshi district in the Kilimanjaro region, thei [View Full Entry]

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Four volunteers including myself went on safari to Ngorongoro Crater today, and saw lots of great animals! Elephants, lions, hippos, zebra, hyenas, wildebeests, buffalo, gazelle, ostrich, crowned crane, flamingos, warthogs, jackals, baboons, and a serval cat. Here are a few highlight pics! [View Full Entry]

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Habari Rafiki? Today I will start publishing photos that I have taken from various spots in Tanzania. I will start off with a picture I took while on safari near Lake Eyasi, on a visit to the Hadzabe tribe. I had heard contrasting opinions about visiting the Hadzabe, whether it was in their best interest or not to have outside influences enter into their lives. After visiting, I am not opposed to visits. They are a very friendly people and quite fond of their lifestyle. What is threatening them is loss of habitat for the animals that they depend on for [View Full Entry]

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