Hi everyone! I guess it’s been a while since I posted… I’ve been in the field the last several days where I got to chase a bunch of elephants (yay!), and also- just as fun, to take all my field assistants into the park, just as a thank you for all their hard work. These are the field assistants who collect data on elephant raids in the villages where they each live- one in particular is from a very remote village that is some distance from the park, but still gets elephant raids. Everyone was very happy for the chance to [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi everyone, First I have to say, I have the best field assistant on Earth. I am just so happy to have such a trustworthy, hard working guy looking after things out here! I am back in the field and have a little portable modem with me this time, so I can access the internet (if briefly), which is very exciting and luxurious! I’ve spent the morning meeting with field assistants who are supervised by the superstar mentioned above, each of whom collects data on elephant raids in their own village.. it seems people are having even more problems this year, [View Full Entry]

---

---

Ahhh, this country. It feels like so many things have happened since I last posted, I don’t know where to start! Lots of ups and downs… I’ll start with what’s freshest in my mind at the moment, and which I will warn you is very sad- at least it was for me. On the way back from the field 2 days ago we stopped by a village where a field assistant I worked with last year lives (one fun piece of news- she named her daughter’s middle name after me!!! I am feeling very honored and excited about this). The man [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi everyone! Just want to let those of you who worry know that I'm heading into the field tomorrow morning and am hoping to stay out there for at least a week, so it will be that long before I post again. I'm so excited to get back out there! I'll be staying at the camp where I stayed last year, and where they have evidentally left my tent all set up right next to the river, and still refer to it as "Sarah's place" :). This makes me feel quite special! :) Will be wonderful to be out in the [View Full Entry]

---

---

It was about a 10 and 1/2 hour bus ride from Arusha to get to Dar es Salaam- I got in last night around 7pm. First thing is always to find a taxi to take me from the bus stand to a hotel. There is always a throng of waving taxi drivers waiting to catch you as you get off the bus, and I usually just choose the first one I see, so that the harrassement will stop asap! So after I did this, I did my usual negotiating for price- where we both acted incredulous at the other's absurdly high/low [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi everyone! Quick update- I'm in Arusha, which is the northern most town of any size in Tanzania- I've managed to make contact with the people I need to in order to get permission to carry elephant poop out of the country (quite the political process)... so that is very good news and a huge load off my shoulders... I wasn't totally sure how that would go until I got here. So I'm off to Dar es Salaam tomorrow morning.. a long bus ride, but I'm expecting a hot shower at the end, so it will be worth it! Then if [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hmm, I feel some pressure to make this remotely interesting.. but all I really have to say at the moment is that I've made it safely to Nairobi, and now I'm ready to get out of here! Not that there's anything wrong with the city- I have all the best spots for good Indian food and coffee, etc scoped out.. but I'm SO ready to be in the field!! I got my first "mama" taxi driver EVER to take me from the airport- she let me know I was "very lucky", as she is 1 of only 4 female taxi drivers [View Full Entry]

---

---