http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Ariel-Wolpe/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Ariel Wolpe en-us Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:38:22 +0000 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:38:22 +0000 Hello my fellow volunteers and supportersI have some important updates in regard to GohechiGohechi orphanage has now grown to 135 children.Peter has created a website and blog to keep people informed of the orphanage and get some publicity. The links are belowwebsite httpwww.gohechi.orgblog www.gohechicentre.blogspot.comOn his blog Peter talks about the march fundraiser they did with th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Georgia/Atlanta/blog-460197.html I've posted Pictures of Gohechi Orphanage along with some other pictures of my travels.https681.photobucket.comalbumsvv179aWolpeGohechi20OrphanageEnjoyAriel http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Georgia/Atlanta/blog-439684.html hey everyoneim back at emory and too busy to write a real entry btu im trying to put up some pictures. i have the first 200 up none of gohechi yet tho here is the linkhttps681.photobucket.comalbumsvv179aWolpenewest1ill let you know when they are all upyoursariel http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/blog-435566.html Hello allThe fundraiser was a wonderful success. All of the donated art was beautiful the company couldnrsquot have been better and we had a special presentation by the Cheltenham acappella group Up The Octave who sang wonderfully. From donations and the auction we raised over 500 This is wonderful since there are still donations on the way. I have many elephant packets left over tha http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/blog-409523.html Kwa HeriI am now sitting at the Dar Salaam airport waiting for my flight. The ferry ride this morning was even worse than the ride to zanzibar despite the fact that i sneaked into an empty first class seat. I showered this morning but im already dirty from ocean water spraying into m face and hair as i leaned over the edge of the boat in quiet desperation. the rushing air and water did help but http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-429170.html HujamboIt's been a crazy last few days which all of my entries say but it's often true I had to pack up all my things in Arusha say goodbye to friends and placements through tears and take a 9 hours bus ride to dar salaam. this followed by a two hour sickening ferry ride i made the last one by 5 minutes thanks to my speedy taxi where one of my bags got robbed...thankfully i had locked up http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-428412.html I've been living in Oozoongooni Arusha long enough that people are starting to remember this particular mazoongoo.To some I'm known as the girl who walks to work alone every morning like clockwork. To some i'm the girl who sings on her way into town. At uncle's shop I'm the girl who uses an insane amount of toilet paper. To mama I'm baby and when i speak swahili or wear a kanga african woman. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-425773.html MamboI just typed up a very long entry for over an hour and the unreliable internet deleted it. Tarter sauceI'll just sum it up This weekend I did some gardening at gohechi with two close friend from the maasai market and we prepaired a lot of ground for planting. Today i brought the kids from uhurupeak to help me with the kids at the orphanage and they were great. My article about gohechi wa http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-424976.html JamboHave i mentioned how happy i am to finally have been connected with Gohechi In case i didn't mention it earlier Gohechi stands for God Help the Children. Peter thinks that God has helped by sending me to the orphanage. I think that Peter is doing the majority of the work with his amazing devotion and strength. Maybe God had something to do with that as well.Each day Peter and i sit down an http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-423420.html JamboI am so happy I have finally found what I've been searching for an orphanage in a remote area that direly needs my help. Though I wish i could have been there to help earlier I think that my experiences living in Arusha and teaching at the primary school have better prepaired me for this placement. The orphanage is really struggling with no constant donors or considerable donations. But http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-422619.html JamboThis past weekend I climbed Mt MeruIt was by far the hardest physical thing i have EVER done. the last day was the killer we woke up at 1230 at night to reach the summit by dawn and then hiked down the rest of the day. My legs are still throbbing and all feelings of invincibility shattered. I made it to the peak but at a price and it was a close call.Meru standing at 14980 feet i http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Arusha/blog-420934.html Jambo RafikiThe last week has been a wonderful whirlwind. This past weekend i went on sarafi for three days and it was absolutely magical. I saw the big fve which consists of the cheetah lion buffalo rhino and elephant. but they were not the most exciting. the first animal i saw when entering the park was a giraff andsoon they were so numerous it was just part of hte scenery. i got some won http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/blog-418854.html JamboI have now been in Arusha for one week. Things are going wonderfully but I find myself looking for more things to do. Every morning i wake up to toast and a mile walk to the dala dala where i squeeze in for a 10 minute drive down the street. Today on the way home there wasn't even enough room in the dala dala to close the door It was very alarming at first...the dala dala started drivin http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/blog-416475.html JamboYesterday i had my first day of teaching at the ahuropeak elementary school. It is a private school where the kids have to buy school uniforms so the family is decently well off. But during recess when they kick off their shoes and run around you can see most have holes in their socks and shoes that do not quite fit. and at the end of school you see seven year olds began the long walk h http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Arusha/blog-415072.html Jambo I'm in TanzaniaI completely cannot believe that i am here I am so excited and filled with this energy I've never had before. I don't want to sit anywhere but run around and see everything meet everyone. I've only been here two days and i feel like my entire life is different like I've already done so much. But the first few days do take the most adjusting.The flights took a day and a ha http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/North/Arusha/blog-414429.html JamboMy last day in the good olrsquo USA is coming to a close. Tomorrow morning I leave for Tanzania with a layover in Detroit and Amsterdam. Itrsquos been tiresome packing my bags and checking my to do list and Irsquom relieved to finally be leaving. I will arrive in Tanzania on the 30th and have a day of introduction by my program before being put to work. There are internet cafes in A http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Pennsylvania/blog-413162.html Hello everyone and welcome to my blog I am currently in preparation for my fundraiser which I am hosting this Sunday and am very excited and nervous about it. I just picked up some beautiful pieces of art from Betsy Teutsch and Mordechai Rosenstein and have gorgeous cards by Roz Epstein. I still need to go pick up pieces by Devorah Greenberg Barbara Smolen and my art school friends. I am s http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Pennsylvania/Philadelphia/blog-407646.html