I can't believe it is Christmas Eve and I spent the day in shorts and a tank top riding bikes with twenty African kids. Without family and the snow it doesn't quite feel like Christmas, but I am really excited to hang out with all the kids tomorrow.
This morning the Center Coordinator, David, and I went through Operation Christmas shoe boxes and personalized them special for the kids to open tomorrow morning. Only 18 kids are still at the center compared to the almost 30 when I arrived. Many of the children still have families to go home to for the holidays so it has been sad to see them go; however since I am the only volunteer remaining, the smaller number of kids is a little more manageable.
The past two weeks here at Living Waters Children Center have been exhausting (lots of crafts, bicycle riding, frisbee and soccer playing, and helping with letter writing and reading), but the kids are fantastic and I am having a great time. I spend most of the day up at the center with kids trying to organize craft projects or just helping them swing. All the kids are really sweet, but as you can imagine when you have over twenty kids together ranging in age from 2-15, things get pretty crazy.
Because it is the holidays and there were a lot of volunteers here who have now left, we have been lots of parties and celebrations. It has been a lot of fun to see the kids getting treats and playing games. On Sunday we spent the entire day at the new school that is being built outside of Arusha. The new school is going to be so great for the kids because they will have so much more space and freedom to play. We just had a huge meal and rode bikes, and played frisbee it was awesome.
Basically everything is going very well and I am getting along great with the kids and family. I will have a Christmas tomorrow and I hope you all do too!
Talk to you again soon!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Kilimanjaro
My 5 day trek up Kili was perfect! Eight out of Eight of us made it to
the top, Uhuru Peak, at 7:15am on Dec. 9th Uhuru Day (Tanzania's
Independence Day). The entire trip was really fun and I am so glad I
did it.
We left the ridiculously nice hotel on the morning of the 5th and
traveled (in an over priced 6 seat taxi with eight of us and all of
our bags) to the Marangu Hotel at the base of Kili. The hotel was so
nice with big grounds and cute cottages with amazingly warm showers.
All day we just sat around the hotel preserving our energy for the
19,340ft mountain we were preparing to climb. It was a lovely day
topped off with an amazing four course meal complete with a gourmet
cheese platter! I must say the cheese was quite a treat because cheese
doesn't seem to exist in the African diet.
Day 1 was a little slow to start, but as we have all adjusted to
Africa time it didn't bother us that it took about two hours to sort
out our payments or that our briefing that was supposed to take place
at 9 happened at about 11. It was quite amusing to watch all the
other wazungu get antsy as we sat around waiting to get started.
Finally after noon we loaded up the truck and set off for the entrance
gate. Four of us (Charles, Rachel, Adam, and I) decided to carry our
own bags instead of just a day pack. Our guides thought we were a
little crazy, especially Rachel and I, but I am sure the porters
appreciated the lighter loads. After a quick lunch at the trailhead
we started our 7K hike. Although the hike wasn't long it took a while
because we had to practice our Pole (very slow) pace for
acclimatization. It took about 3.5 hours to reach the first camp,
Mandara Huts, and we gained about 1000m elevation. The hike took us
through rain forest that was actually quite reminiscent of Portland.
Although it was a pretty easy day, I was exhausted by the time we
reached camp and very appreciative of the tea and popcorn upon arrival
because it was getting late and chilly. Our dinner was also so good,
but we had to wait for the dining hall to clear out the group of 48
Aussie teens before we got to eat. It was crazy how busy it was, but
still quite enjoyable. Also on this day our guide started calling me
Witness, which everyone started calling me by the end.
Day 2 was a longer hike, 11K, that went into the alpine zone with the
funkiest looking conifers I have ever seen. All morning there were
great views of Kili and near by Mawenzi until it clouded over in the
afternoon. Hiking up to Horombo Hut, 12,370 ft, I definitely started
to notice the affect of altitude on my breathing, but it was a nice
hike and we made it to camp by 2:30. This camp was really cool with
views of the most magnificent sunset and sunrise above the clouds.
The trees around this camp were by far the weirdest because they
looked like something out of Super Mario. We went to bed after
another delicious dinner at about 6:30 to prepare for the next epic 24
hrs.
Day 3 was on of my favorite hikes because we took the upper route to
Kibo Hut, the last hut at 15,520 ft, which was completely empty and so
beautiful. It went up between Kili and Mawenzi and then dropped into
a valley that when we crossed it felt like we were walking on Mars.
We arrived at Kibo at 3 or so and rested until 5 o'clock dinner and
then bed. We tried to sleep (difficult because of the altitude and
noisy Aussies) until 11pm when we had to wake up and get ready to make
our assent.
Summit Day! When I woke up at 11 and ran to the bathroom (combination
of staying super hydrated and taking Diamox, and altitude sickness
preventative drug, made all of us pee about every hour) I discovered a
completely snow covered winter wonderland and it was still coming
down. I was so happy to see snow! After a cup of tea and putting on
so many layers we started climbing at midnight. After about 10
minutes I was overheating so we all stopped and delayered. Luckily
for me the proceeding 6 hrs were actually quite enjoyable, but a few
people in the group were feeling quite sick. By the time we reached
the half way point we were high enough above the clouds to see the
stars. They seemed so close, it was phenomenal. So finally after
almost 6 hrs of steep uphill we reached Gilman's Point on the crater
rim at 5:45 am. It was amazing, there was enough ambient light to
see parts of the magnificent crater and it felt so good to finally be
close to the summit. Although the first 6 hrs were tough, the easier
1.5 hr walk up to Uhuru peak actually gave me more trouble. The first
part was amazing because the sun was coming up and revealing some of
the most breathtaking views, but after about an hour the altitude
finally stated to get to me and I got a head ache and felt a little
nauseous. However once I saw the top, my symptoms disappeared and I
enjoyed a giant feast for my eyes. There was even a faint rainbow
above the peak. After taking a lot of pictures we started back down.
I thankfully still had quite a bit of energy and enjoyed the amazing
360 degree views and had a great time skiing down the skree. I made
it back to Kibo a little after 10 and got to rest until lunch, but
after lunch we still had to get back down to Horombo. 14 hrs on trail
was extremely tiring, but I loved almost all of it.
That night after a snickers bar and some dinner I slept so well, but
we had a long way to go down the next day.
Day 5 was my least favorite because I got so sick of walking downhill.
My knees killed and by the end I felt like a cripple, but it was
worth it. When we got back to the hotel we had a couple rounds of
drinks with the crew and then headed back to Arusha. That night we
all went out to dinner and stayed in a hotel. In the morning everyone
else left while I moved to the Orphanage. It was scary to say
goodbye, but it has been a great first few days volunteering.
the top, Uhuru Peak, at 7:15am on Dec. 9th Uhuru Day (Tanzania's
Independence Day). The entire trip was really fun and I am so glad I
did it.
We left the ridiculously nice hotel on the morning of the 5th and
traveled (in an over priced 6 seat taxi with eight of us and all of
our bags) to the Marangu Hotel at the base of Kili. The hotel was so
nice with big grounds and cute cottages with amazingly warm showers.
All day we just sat around the hotel preserving our energy for the
19,340ft mountain we were preparing to climb. It was a lovely day
topped off with an amazing four course meal complete with a gourmet
cheese platter! I must say the cheese was quite a treat because cheese
doesn't seem to exist in the African diet.
Day 1 was a little slow to start, but as we have all adjusted to
Africa time it didn't bother us that it took about two hours to sort
out our payments or that our briefing that was supposed to take place
at 9 happened at about 11. It was quite amusing to watch all the
other wazungu get antsy as we sat around waiting to get started.
Finally after noon we loaded up the truck and set off for the entrance
gate. Four of us (Charles, Rachel, Adam, and I) decided to carry our
own bags instead of just a day pack. Our guides thought we were a
little crazy, especially Rachel and I, but I am sure the porters
appreciated the lighter loads. After a quick lunch at the trailhead
we started our 7K hike. Although the hike wasn't long it took a while
because we had to practice our Pole (very slow) pace for
acclimatization. It took about 3.5 hours to reach the first camp,
Mandara Huts, and we gained about 1000m elevation. The hike took us
through rain forest that was actually quite reminiscent of Portland.
Although it was a pretty easy day, I was exhausted by the time we
reached camp and very appreciative of the tea and popcorn upon arrival
because it was getting late and chilly. Our dinner was also so good,
but we had to wait for the dining hall to clear out the group of 48
Aussie teens before we got to eat. It was crazy how busy it was, but
still quite enjoyable. Also on this day our guide started calling me
Witness, which everyone started calling me by the end.
Day 2 was a longer hike, 11K, that went into the alpine zone with the
funkiest looking conifers I have ever seen. All morning there were
great views of Kili and near by Mawenzi until it clouded over in the
afternoon. Hiking up to Horombo Hut, 12,370 ft, I definitely started
to notice the affect of altitude on my breathing, but it was a nice
hike and we made it to camp by 2:30. This camp was really cool with
views of the most magnificent sunset and sunrise above the clouds.
The trees around this camp were by far the weirdest because they
looked like something out of Super Mario. We went to bed after
another delicious dinner at about 6:30 to prepare for the next epic 24
hrs.
Day 3 was on of my favorite hikes because we took the upper route to
Kibo Hut, the last hut at 15,520 ft, which was completely empty and so
beautiful. It went up between Kili and Mawenzi and then dropped into
a valley that when we crossed it felt like we were walking on Mars.
We arrived at Kibo at 3 or so and rested until 5 o'clock dinner and
then bed. We tried to sleep (difficult because of the altitude and
noisy Aussies) until 11pm when we had to wake up and get ready to make
our assent.
Summit Day! When I woke up at 11 and ran to the bathroom (combination
of staying super hydrated and taking Diamox, and altitude sickness
preventative drug, made all of us pee about every hour) I discovered a
completely snow covered winter wonderland and it was still coming
down. I was so happy to see snow! After a cup of tea and putting on
so many layers we started climbing at midnight. After about 10
minutes I was overheating so we all stopped and delayered. Luckily
for me the proceeding 6 hrs were actually quite enjoyable, but a few
people in the group were feeling quite sick. By the time we reached
the half way point we were high enough above the clouds to see the
stars. They seemed so close, it was phenomenal. So finally after
almost 6 hrs of steep uphill we reached Gilman's Point on the crater
rim at 5:45 am. It was amazing, there was enough ambient light to
see parts of the magnificent crater and it felt so good to finally be
close to the summit. Although the first 6 hrs were tough, the easier
1.5 hr walk up to Uhuru peak actually gave me more trouble. The first
part was amazing because the sun was coming up and revealing some of
the most breathtaking views, but after about an hour the altitude
finally stated to get to me and I got a head ache and felt a little
nauseous. However once I saw the top, my symptoms disappeared and I
enjoyed a giant feast for my eyes. There was even a faint rainbow
above the peak. After taking a lot of pictures we started back down.
I thankfully still had quite a bit of energy and enjoyed the amazing
360 degree views and had a great time skiing down the skree. I made
it back to Kibo a little after 10 and got to rest until lunch, but
after lunch we still had to get back down to Horombo. 14 hrs on trail
was extremely tiring, but I loved almost all of it.
That night after a snickers bar and some dinner I slept so well, but
we had a long way to go down the next day.
Day 5 was my least favorite because I got so sick of walking downhill.
My knees killed and by the end I felt like a cripple, but it was
worth it. When we got back to the hotel we had a couple rounds of
drinks with the crew and then headed back to Arusha. That night we
all went out to dinner and stayed in a hotel. In the morning everyone
else left while I moved to the Orphanage. It was scary to say
goodbye, but it has been a great first few days volunteering.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Safari Heaven
Well I am back to civilization after an unbelievable month of sleeping out under the bright stars of the Tanzanian sky, learning more about East African flora and fauna than I will ever know about American animals, and having more fun than you should have in a lifetime. To describe this epic trip is a daunting task, but i will do my best to cover most of the highlights.
Well we rolled out of Arusha in the giant Unimog trucks (that we have come to know and love after countless hours of wildlife viewing and moving camps) on November 6th and since then have been moving every 2-4 days to places of unbelievable beauty. It was a long journey and we underestimated the travel time because we arrived at Oldonyo Sambu (an awesome place outside of Tarangire Park) after dark and had to set up camp in the rain. We stayed at Oldonyo Sambu for three nights and went on many nature walks and even walked to the top of Oldonyo (mountain in Maasai) Sambu. These frist few days were so exciting because we spotted our first zebra, elephants, Hartebeests (my favorite antelope), Dik Dik (the cutest antelope ever), girrafe and so many birds. MOst of the animals we saw from quite a distance because we were on foot and the animals from inside the park are used to vehichles, but not people on foot.
We also spent time talking in small groups with the four local Maasai men that stayed at camp with us and were our guides during the day. Our trusty Dorobo guides (Douglas, Maggie, Kilerai, and Zac) translated for us while we learned about Maasai culture and the effects the national park and government education requirements have had on their pastoral way of life. It was a lot of fun and a good start to safari.
Ok so it turns out that I really need to go pack and get ready to leave for Kilimanjaro I don't have time to explain all the awesomeness I have experienced over the last month, but I will give a outline of where we went and will elaborate when I get back from Kili
Tarangire National Park: beautiful dry season park, saw so many animals, the best sunrise I have ever seen, started really appreciating bird watching (and received the nick name Bird Princess) and the beginning of Team Discovery (about 12 of us who continuously rode in the same truck specializing in discovering and fun)
Nou Forest: amazing 4 nights in the forest with a hike to an amazing waterfall, lots of free afternoons for sunbathing, excellent birding except it was hard to see them through the lush foliage, and so nice to be at elevation and experience coldness.. something rare in Africa
Yaida Valley: Wow this part of the trip deserves so much description, but to sum it up we stayed with the Hadza people (hunter gatherers who speak a click language) and got to go bow hunting, make arrows, and hike a lot
Ngorrongorro Crater: The most visited protected area in Tanzania, but we saw so many animals and had an awesome day driving around in land rovers discovering as a fragmented group of Team Discovery called Alpha squad
Serengeti: Here we finished up our biology class and stayed at the most amazing campsite. I even got to go rock climbing. We also went on a night drive where we chased down hyenas, porcupines, and spring hares
Maasai Homestay: Wow, all I can say is I lived in a house made of sticks and dung for three days and it was a phenomenal experience. My host mom didn't speak swahili so there wasn't a lot of communication, but I got up at 5:45 am every day with her and began the day by milking cows. The rest of the time was spent gathering water and firewood and many other duties, but I will go into more detail soon
My return to civilization has been crazy especially because I have now spent two nights in one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. My room has warm running water, a kitchen, a leather couch, and a flat screen tv (all things I have not experienced for about 3 months). Now I am getting ready to climb Kilimanrao and looking forward to volunteering when I get back to Arusha.
Sorry I can't elaborate more now, but just know that safari was unbelievable, I am alive and healthy and will write again soon.
Well we rolled out of Arusha in the giant Unimog trucks (that we have come to know and love after countless hours of wildlife viewing and moving camps) on November 6th and since then have been moving every 2-4 days to places of unbelievable beauty. It was a long journey and we underestimated the travel time because we arrived at Oldonyo Sambu (an awesome place outside of Tarangire Park) after dark and had to set up camp in the rain. We stayed at Oldonyo Sambu for three nights and went on many nature walks and even walked to the top of Oldonyo (mountain in Maasai) Sambu. These frist few days were so exciting because we spotted our first zebra, elephants, Hartebeests (my favorite antelope), Dik Dik (the cutest antelope ever), girrafe and so many birds. MOst of the animals we saw from quite a distance because we were on foot and the animals from inside the park are used to vehichles, but not people on foot.
We also spent time talking in small groups with the four local Maasai men that stayed at camp with us and were our guides during the day. Our trusty Dorobo guides (Douglas, Maggie, Kilerai, and Zac) translated for us while we learned about Maasai culture and the effects the national park and government education requirements have had on their pastoral way of life. It was a lot of fun and a good start to safari.
Ok so it turns out that I really need to go pack and get ready to leave for Kilimanjaro I don't have time to explain all the awesomeness I have experienced over the last month, but I will give a outline of where we went and will elaborate when I get back from Kili
Tarangire National Park: beautiful dry season park, saw so many animals, the best sunrise I have ever seen, started really appreciating bird watching (and received the nick name Bird Princess) and the beginning of Team Discovery (about 12 of us who continuously rode in the same truck specializing in discovering and fun)
Nou Forest: amazing 4 nights in the forest with a hike to an amazing waterfall, lots of free afternoons for sunbathing, excellent birding except it was hard to see them through the lush foliage, and so nice to be at elevation and experience coldness.. something rare in Africa
Yaida Valley: Wow this part of the trip deserves so much description, but to sum it up we stayed with the Hadza people (hunter gatherers who speak a click language) and got to go bow hunting, make arrows, and hike a lot
Ngorrongorro Crater: The most visited protected area in Tanzania, but we saw so many animals and had an awesome day driving around in land rovers discovering as a fragmented group of Team Discovery called Alpha squad
Serengeti: Here we finished up our biology class and stayed at the most amazing campsite. I even got to go rock climbing. We also went on a night drive where we chased down hyenas, porcupines, and spring hares
Maasai Homestay: Wow, all I can say is I lived in a house made of sticks and dung for three days and it was a phenomenal experience. My host mom didn't speak swahili so there wasn't a lot of communication, but I got up at 5:45 am every day with her and began the day by milking cows. The rest of the time was spent gathering water and firewood and many other duties, but I will go into more detail soon
My return to civilization has been crazy especially because I have now spent two nights in one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. My room has warm running water, a kitchen, a leather couch, and a flat screen tv (all things I have not experienced for about 3 months). Now I am getting ready to climb Kilimanrao and looking forward to volunteering when I get back to Arusha.
Sorry I can't elaborate more now, but just know that safari was unbelievable, I am alive and healthy and will write again soon.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Fun in the Sun
Well I spent all of free week on the beach in Nungwi. It was nice to have a relaxing week, but I must admit I was glad when it was over because I was starting to get a little bored of laying on the beach. We stayed in bungalows on the beach for about ten dollars a night for the first six nights and then went to near by Kendwa for our last night. All week my day pretty much consisted of walking up and down the beach, swimming when the heat was unbearable, and working out when I got bored. The entire week all I could think about was all my friends back at home taking midterms while I got to relax on a gorgeous beach all week long.
One day a few of us went on a fishing trip which was fun, but I was rather sea sick the whole time. I didn't catch any fish, but as a group we caught quite a few that we had for lunch when we returned to shore. Despite my nausea the trip was fun because we saw some dolphins and sea turtles.
One night we also went on a sunset sailboat ride with a bunch of crazy Rastas who played drums and guitar the entire time. We left on the boat around 4pm and got to go snorkeling for a while before we sailed back at sunset. It was so fun because we got to eat fresh fruit and drink beer while being entertained by some Rastas rapping in Swahili. After the boat ride they provided us with a big kingfish dinner that was delicious.
Free week was really fun, but last week was heaven. We left Kendwa by boat on Monday morning and went to Pembe Abwe to stay at our safari leaders' private beach paradise. We stayed in little A-frame bandas all week and went snorkeling everyday. Every morning I woke up and watched the sunrise up over the beautiful Indian Ocean and walked along a piratically deserted beach. This private beach was so nice after my tourist filled week in Nungwi. The snorkeling was fantastic I saw so many cool fish, some octopi, some sea turtles, and dolphins. We learned about a few different indicator species and conducted a Reef Check which is done world wide to track human impacts on coral reefs. The whole week was so much fun between snorkeling. walking around mangrove forests, and playing soccer on the beach in the evenings. I didn't want to leave, but now that we have come inland I am really excited to start safari.
Yesterday we took an epic bus ride to Arusha where we are now camping at the Peterson brothers' (our safari leaders) fantasy home. Between their coastal homes in Pembe Abwe and their homes outside of Arusha they essentially live at summer camp year round. The drive here was amazing because we drove along the Usambara Mountains which were beautiful. Luckily right outside of Moshi the clouds parted and we got to see the top of Kilimanjaro. I am now super excited to climb it in a month!
Today I visited the orphanage that I am going to volunteer at in December and I am really looking forward to it. David, the man who runs it, is really nice told me all about the organization. The place I will get to stay is really nice and I met a lot of the kids and other workers and volunteers. It looks like it will be a great experience.
Well we leave on safari on Thursday morning so I wont be able to write again until December, but i will be sure to take lots of pictures of lions and zebras. I had better go so I don't miss the bus back. Take care and have a happy Thanksgiving! Miss you all!
One day a few of us went on a fishing trip which was fun, but I was rather sea sick the whole time. I didn't catch any fish, but as a group we caught quite a few that we had for lunch when we returned to shore. Despite my nausea the trip was fun because we saw some dolphins and sea turtles.
One night we also went on a sunset sailboat ride with a bunch of crazy Rastas who played drums and guitar the entire time. We left on the boat around 4pm and got to go snorkeling for a while before we sailed back at sunset. It was so fun because we got to eat fresh fruit and drink beer while being entertained by some Rastas rapping in Swahili. After the boat ride they provided us with a big kingfish dinner that was delicious.
Free week was really fun, but last week was heaven. We left Kendwa by boat on Monday morning and went to Pembe Abwe to stay at our safari leaders' private beach paradise. We stayed in little A-frame bandas all week and went snorkeling everyday. Every morning I woke up and watched the sunrise up over the beautiful Indian Ocean and walked along a piratically deserted beach. This private beach was so nice after my tourist filled week in Nungwi. The snorkeling was fantastic I saw so many cool fish, some octopi, some sea turtles, and dolphins. We learned about a few different indicator species and conducted a Reef Check which is done world wide to track human impacts on coral reefs. The whole week was so much fun between snorkeling. walking around mangrove forests, and playing soccer on the beach in the evenings. I didn't want to leave, but now that we have come inland I am really excited to start safari.
Yesterday we took an epic bus ride to Arusha where we are now camping at the Peterson brothers' (our safari leaders) fantasy home. Between their coastal homes in Pembe Abwe and their homes outside of Arusha they essentially live at summer camp year round. The drive here was amazing because we drove along the Usambara Mountains which were beautiful. Luckily right outside of Moshi the clouds parted and we got to see the top of Kilimanjaro. I am now super excited to climb it in a month!
Today I visited the orphanage that I am going to volunteer at in December and I am really looking forward to it. David, the man who runs it, is really nice told me all about the organization. The place I will get to stay is really nice and I met a lot of the kids and other workers and volunteers. It looks like it will be a great experience.
Well we leave on safari on Thursday morning so I wont be able to write again until December, but i will be sure to take lots of pictures of lions and zebras. I had better go so I don't miss the bus back. Take care and have a happy Thanksgiving! Miss you all!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Tropical Paradise
Well we left Nairobi and have since traveled to Mombasa, Malindi, Zanzibar, and Pemba... all of which are on the beautiful Indian Ocean. It is super hot and humid, but I have been having a great time.
We had an eleven hour journey to Mombasa that was pretty interesting. We drove through Tsavo National Park, famous for man-eating lions, which was really beautiful. I only saw two giraffes, but I am sure I will see plenty of cool animals on my soon approaching safari. The bus ended up breaking down so we had to kick it on the side of the road for a couple hours waiting for a new bus that was supposed to arrive in a half hour. It is now a running joke that "Africa time" means at least double any estimated time of arrival of departure.
We stayed in Mombasa for a night and went to Fort Jesus and Biashara Street where we bought some kangas to use for appropriate Muslim dress. Mombasa was pretty cool, but definitely more tourists than Nairobi. I became so used to knowing all the wazungu I would see that it is now hard to adjust to seeing other wazungu.
We next stayed at a beach resort for a couple nights, which was so nice. I woke up to watch the sunrise both mornings to enjoy the nice cool morning air and because I can't seem to sleep past six on this continent. Each morning there were little monkeys scampering around the resort. It was so surreal to have class while geckos crawled along the walls and having an amazing view of the beautiful ocean.
We then went to Malindi and Mambrui where we went to a mosque college. They spoke to us about Islam which was interesting, but the headmaster of the school would speak for several minutes in Swahili and then a student would translate very briefly. During this time I was also had my head wrapped and an extra kanga over my already hot skirt. I was melting, but everyone at the college was very appreciative of us dressing appropriately. This was the first of what is now many times that I have dressed like a muslim and I felt like it made me act more reserved. Overall it was a good introduction to Islam, before our homestays with Swahili familes in Pemba.
We to Zanzibar last Friday and have been pretty busy since. We are in Stonetown now which is cool because of the Arab influenced architecture and the many winding small streets. After a long day of trekking around Stonetown, we took an all night ferry to Pemba. Arriving at the port in the dark with so many people bustling about trying to get on the boat, I felt like I was trying to illegally immigrate or something. From the time we arrived I could tell that it was going to be a crazy experience. To get on the boat it took at least a half hour of herding and pushing. We then made it to the first class cabin that was luckily air conditioned. We got to sit in airplane like seats, but the cabin was filled over capacity with people sprawled all over the floor. The entire boat was filled with people and random cargo. I saw on man trying to carry a door amid a sea of people searching for a small square of ground on which to spent the long nine hour ride. Unfortunately right when we got on I had to use the restroom... I have never been so hot and sweaty while being pushed from all directions as when I journeyed to the restroom. Thankfully I survived and made it back to my seat where I spent the remaining nine hours trying sleep and not think about the severe safety code violations of the ferry. I remember waking up at 2 am suffocatingly hot and thinking I would not make it the next four hours while the boat was rocking back and forth. Luckily I fell back asleep and we made it to Pemba at 6 am. Needless to say we did not take this crazy boat back. It was definitely an experience that I am glad I had, but I am very thankful that I did not do it twice.
Once we finally arrived in Pemba we went on a little Spice tour. It was so fun and cool to see everything from cinnamon and cloves to starfruit and pineapples growing right next to each other. The guide would just casually point to a tree that would end up being nutmeg or vanilla and then list all the different homeopathic uses each plant has. It was really fun.
We then went to meet our homestay families in a small village called Tumbe. The homestay was only two nights and it was a great experience, but at times it was challenging because most people spoke little to no English. The small all Muslim village was a amid a tropical paradise where almost everything the community needed was right there. Most everything seemed at the subsistence level except for cloves and maybe a few other spices. Most of my time was spent getting paraded around to various houses where I would do the same 10 Swahili greetings and then not be able to understand much else. During my stay I also got henna all over my arms, hands and feet. The process took several hours as many people gathered to watch while I stuggled to keep my arms out and feet up while it dried. The henna apparently is actually for marriage ceremonies or those who are already married so for the rest of the stay everyone asked me if I was married. When I would tell them how old I am and that I am not married they were always very surprised and would ask why not. It was hard to explain in Swahili, but I usually ended up saying I wanted to finish school first. The whole stay was crazy and it was so amazing to see this rural village and to be welcomed into their homes. I would love to explain more, but I really should get going.
The flight back from Pemba was only 35 minutes but it was gorgeous to fly over the lush island and beutiful ocean. This week have just been in Stonetown and we finished up our history and Islam courses. Free week of travel has now started and I am going to head up to the northside of the island and relax on the beach for a week! I am so excited to not worry about any school and just read and go on long walks. Next week we start our reefocology unit and go snorkling all week.
Well I better go, but I will try and write again after my relaxing week on the beach.
We had an eleven hour journey to Mombasa that was pretty interesting. We drove through Tsavo National Park, famous for man-eating lions, which was really beautiful. I only saw two giraffes, but I am sure I will see plenty of cool animals on my soon approaching safari. The bus ended up breaking down so we had to kick it on the side of the road for a couple hours waiting for a new bus that was supposed to arrive in a half hour. It is now a running joke that "Africa time" means at least double any estimated time of arrival of departure.
We stayed in Mombasa for a night and went to Fort Jesus and Biashara Street where we bought some kangas to use for appropriate Muslim dress. Mombasa was pretty cool, but definitely more tourists than Nairobi. I became so used to knowing all the wazungu I would see that it is now hard to adjust to seeing other wazungu.
We next stayed at a beach resort for a couple nights, which was so nice. I woke up to watch the sunrise both mornings to enjoy the nice cool morning air and because I can't seem to sleep past six on this continent. Each morning there were little monkeys scampering around the resort. It was so surreal to have class while geckos crawled along the walls and having an amazing view of the beautiful ocean.
We then went to Malindi and Mambrui where we went to a mosque college. They spoke to us about Islam which was interesting, but the headmaster of the school would speak for several minutes in Swahili and then a student would translate very briefly. During this time I was also had my head wrapped and an extra kanga over my already hot skirt. I was melting, but everyone at the college was very appreciative of us dressing appropriately. This was the first of what is now many times that I have dressed like a muslim and I felt like it made me act more reserved. Overall it was a good introduction to Islam, before our homestays with Swahili familes in Pemba.
We to Zanzibar last Friday and have been pretty busy since. We are in Stonetown now which is cool because of the Arab influenced architecture and the many winding small streets. After a long day of trekking around Stonetown, we took an all night ferry to Pemba. Arriving at the port in the dark with so many people bustling about trying to get on the boat, I felt like I was trying to illegally immigrate or something. From the time we arrived I could tell that it was going to be a crazy experience. To get on the boat it took at least a half hour of herding and pushing. We then made it to the first class cabin that was luckily air conditioned. We got to sit in airplane like seats, but the cabin was filled over capacity with people sprawled all over the floor. The entire boat was filled with people and random cargo. I saw on man trying to carry a door amid a sea of people searching for a small square of ground on which to spent the long nine hour ride. Unfortunately right when we got on I had to use the restroom... I have never been so hot and sweaty while being pushed from all directions as when I journeyed to the restroom. Thankfully I survived and made it back to my seat where I spent the remaining nine hours trying sleep and not think about the severe safety code violations of the ferry. I remember waking up at 2 am suffocatingly hot and thinking I would not make it the next four hours while the boat was rocking back and forth. Luckily I fell back asleep and we made it to Pemba at 6 am. Needless to say we did not take this crazy boat back. It was definitely an experience that I am glad I had, but I am very thankful that I did not do it twice.
Once we finally arrived in Pemba we went on a little Spice tour. It was so fun and cool to see everything from cinnamon and cloves to starfruit and pineapples growing right next to each other. The guide would just casually point to a tree that would end up being nutmeg or vanilla and then list all the different homeopathic uses each plant has. It was really fun.
We then went to meet our homestay families in a small village called Tumbe. The homestay was only two nights and it was a great experience, but at times it was challenging because most people spoke little to no English. The small all Muslim village was a amid a tropical paradise where almost everything the community needed was right there. Most everything seemed at the subsistence level except for cloves and maybe a few other spices. Most of my time was spent getting paraded around to various houses where I would do the same 10 Swahili greetings and then not be able to understand much else. During my stay I also got henna all over my arms, hands and feet. The process took several hours as many people gathered to watch while I stuggled to keep my arms out and feet up while it dried. The henna apparently is actually for marriage ceremonies or those who are already married so for the rest of the stay everyone asked me if I was married. When I would tell them how old I am and that I am not married they were always very surprised and would ask why not. It was hard to explain in Swahili, but I usually ended up saying I wanted to finish school first. The whole stay was crazy and it was so amazing to see this rural village and to be welcomed into their homes. I would love to explain more, but I really should get going.
The flight back from Pemba was only 35 minutes but it was gorgeous to fly over the lush island and beutiful ocean. This week have just been in Stonetown and we finished up our history and Islam courses. Free week of travel has now started and I am going to head up to the northside of the island and relax on the beach for a week! I am so excited to not worry about any school and just read and go on long walks. Next week we start our reefocology unit and go snorkling all week.
Well I better go, but I will try and write again after my relaxing week on the beach.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Goodbye Nairobi!
Well today I said goodbye to my host family which was sad because I will certainly miss them. Jamaa yangu wakenya (my kenyan family) was so hospitable and great. I can't believe I have been here a month. Everything is going great and I am looking forward to the beach tomorrow. We are taking a bus to Mombassa and then we will fly to Zanzibar on Friday.
The past month has been fabulous! Yesterday we had a party with all the host families. There were lots of people, tons of delicious food, and jugs full of homebrewed honey beer. Everyone's favorite bartender, Freddy, even made a guest appearance at the party. Friday we finished our Swahili class with a very long written test, but it wasn't too hard. Although we are now supposed to be Swahili masters I somehow doubt that I will be able to understand all the fluent Swahili speakers along the coast and in Tanzania because my family's helper, Jane, said that she even has a hard time.
While staying with my family I have learned how to cook a few African dishes, become an expert at hand washing laundry, and become very good at taking basin baths. I always helped Jane with the dishes while she talked to me about different Kikuyu traditions, Kenya, America and usually ended up laughing at me and making fun of her crazy mzungu. This morning she said she was going to be lonely without her mzungu assistant. I also spent a lot of time playing with the two little boys, Koki and Steph. This morning I gave them both little pairs of sunglasses and they loved them. The way they strutted around the house was adorable. I will also miss chatting with my host mother because she always gave me excellent advice as if I was her ninth child.
Besides getting to know the wonderful Munogoki family and learnign some Swahili and history, I have also got to travel a little outside of Nairobi. Last week we went to Embu, Meru, Isiolo, and Nyanuke. The trip was excellent because we got to see so many different sides of Kenya between the towns and the changing landscapes. My favorite parts of the excurison were going to see a small rural secondary school where we played volley ball with a buch of kids who had never seen so many white people in their life (it was a very interesting but fun expereince) and seeing the sunrise over Mt. Kenya.
Another one of my favorite experiences was going up into the Ngong Hills to eat Nyama Choma (grilled delicious goat meat). My host brother, Ricky, took Rachel, Steph, Koki, their mother and I out for a nice Sunday afternoon. That was the first time I really got out of the city and it was lovely.
I have way too many stories and experiences to explain right now, but I have had an excellent stay in Nairobi and will try to update soon about my adventures on the coast.
The past month has been fabulous! Yesterday we had a party with all the host families. There were lots of people, tons of delicious food, and jugs full of homebrewed honey beer. Everyone's favorite bartender, Freddy, even made a guest appearance at the party. Friday we finished our Swahili class with a very long written test, but it wasn't too hard. Although we are now supposed to be Swahili masters I somehow doubt that I will be able to understand all the fluent Swahili speakers along the coast and in Tanzania because my family's helper, Jane, said that she even has a hard time.
While staying with my family I have learned how to cook a few African dishes, become an expert at hand washing laundry, and become very good at taking basin baths. I always helped Jane with the dishes while she talked to me about different Kikuyu traditions, Kenya, America and usually ended up laughing at me and making fun of her crazy mzungu. This morning she said she was going to be lonely without her mzungu assistant. I also spent a lot of time playing with the two little boys, Koki and Steph. This morning I gave them both little pairs of sunglasses and they loved them. The way they strutted around the house was adorable. I will also miss chatting with my host mother because she always gave me excellent advice as if I was her ninth child.
Besides getting to know the wonderful Munogoki family and learnign some Swahili and history, I have also got to travel a little outside of Nairobi. Last week we went to Embu, Meru, Isiolo, and Nyanuke. The trip was excellent because we got to see so many different sides of Kenya between the towns and the changing landscapes. My favorite parts of the excurison were going to see a small rural secondary school where we played volley ball with a buch of kids who had never seen so many white people in their life (it was a very interesting but fun expereince) and seeing the sunrise over Mt. Kenya.
Another one of my favorite experiences was going up into the Ngong Hills to eat Nyama Choma (grilled delicious goat meat). My host brother, Ricky, took Rachel, Steph, Koki, their mother and I out for a nice Sunday afternoon. That was the first time I really got out of the city and it was lovely.
I have way too many stories and experiences to explain right now, but I have had an excellent stay in Nairobi and will try to update soon about my adventures on the coast.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Finally Here!
Hi everyone!
I got to Nairobi on the 2nd at about 6am. Flying in the horizon was streak with bright orange, pink, yellow, and blue.. it was beautiful. We then stayed in a Guest House until Saturday and started classes. Swahili class is really fun, but I am still not great at speaking. My other class is a social history of East Africa and it is interesting.
I am now staying with a family in Riruta Satellite, a village on the outskirts of the city. I am about a ten minute walk from the school house. My family is awesome! My mom, Priscilla is very nice and a grandmother to about 9. In the house there is: two of Priscilla's daughters Ruth and Evelyn, three of her grandsons Ian age 20, Steph age 4, and Koki age 6, and a house worker, Jane. The two little boys are adorable.
I have my own room in the house and the house has electricity (when not blacked out) and running water (about once a week when the city turns it on). So on Saturday when I got there they fed me too much food and then I helped stock up on water for the week. The food is really good and they want to feed me all the time. I luckily pack my own lunches so I don't have to eat that much for lunch or breakfast. The yard is big and has a pond, a garden, chicken coup, and a rabbit house.
Kenyans are super friendly and offer great hospitality. Our Swahili teachers are great and school is enjoyable because we break for tea twice a day (a result of British colonization). People here really support Obama. When I was in a little shack of a bar last weekend I had a very interesting conversation with a woman who is a nurse here. She told me that Obama's father stayed right in the area we were that night and that he went to the same primary school she went to. We had a lovely chat and everyone in the bar was impressed that us wazungu (white people) knew any Swahili. It is definitely shocking just how much we all stand out when walking to school, but most people are very welcoming and friendly.
I am having a great time and will try and write again soon. The internet in Riruta is very slow and goes out frequently, but today I came closer into the city center because we didn't have class this afternoon. I probably wont upload pictures for a while because it isn't really smart or appropriate to take many pictures where we are right now. I want to behave as a student rather than a tourist so I wont have many pictures for a while, but I will definitely have some pictures of my homestay family eventually.
I got to Nairobi on the 2nd at about 6am. Flying in the horizon was streak with bright orange, pink, yellow, and blue.. it was beautiful. We then stayed in a Guest House until Saturday and started classes. Swahili class is really fun, but I am still not great at speaking. My other class is a social history of East Africa and it is interesting.
I am now staying with a family in Riruta Satellite, a village on the outskirts of the city. I am about a ten minute walk from the school house. My family is awesome! My mom, Priscilla is very nice and a grandmother to about 9. In the house there is: two of Priscilla's daughters Ruth and Evelyn, three of her grandsons Ian age 20, Steph age 4, and Koki age 6, and a house worker, Jane. The two little boys are adorable.
I have my own room in the house and the house has electricity (when not blacked out) and running water (about once a week when the city turns it on). So on Saturday when I got there they fed me too much food and then I helped stock up on water for the week. The food is really good and they want to feed me all the time. I luckily pack my own lunches so I don't have to eat that much for lunch or breakfast. The yard is big and has a pond, a garden, chicken coup, and a rabbit house.
Kenyans are super friendly and offer great hospitality. Our Swahili teachers are great and school is enjoyable because we break for tea twice a day (a result of British colonization). People here really support Obama. When I was in a little shack of a bar last weekend I had a very interesting conversation with a woman who is a nurse here. She told me that Obama's father stayed right in the area we were that night and that he went to the same primary school she went to. We had a lovely chat and everyone in the bar was impressed that us wazungu (white people) knew any Swahili. It is definitely shocking just how much we all stand out when walking to school, but most people are very welcoming and friendly.
I am having a great time and will try and write again soon. The internet in Riruta is very slow and goes out frequently, but today I came closer into the city center because we didn't have class this afternoon. I probably wont upload pictures for a while because it isn't really smart or appropriate to take many pictures where we are right now. I want to behave as a student rather than a tourist so I wont have many pictures for a while, but I will definitely have some pictures of my homestay family eventually.
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