These past three and a half months have been an incredible journey for all of us. It was a journey where each of us became best friends through all the challenges, scary moments, exciting times and pee in our pants laugh out loud moments :)We enjoyed every experience across East Africa and have all come out of this experience in our own way, transformed from trying new things, challenging ourselves, taking up group leadership roles, going to new places, volunteering, forming relationships with the local people, and pushing our comfort zones.
Here are some of everyone's experiences, highlights and most memorable moments from the trip:
Chris enjoyed working with the kids at Edirisa where he made connections with the teachers at Lake Bunyonyi and loved the experience of living with the Maasai. At Esilalei Village with the Maasai, Chris tried out the traditional dress in Maasai blankets and played soccer. Chris also challenged himself with trying a healthier eating habit and had a lot of fun getting a lot of soccer jerseys.
Taylor formed lots of little friendships from all the kids at the school in Lubani to all the small Maasai warrior children in Tanzania. With some last hugs and many exchanged goodbyes at the airport, Taylor set off to Morocco on another adventure.
Becca enjoyed living in Esilalei with the Maasai where she fell in love with a little baby named Baracka, a pudgy cheeked, ambitious little girl who takes after cow herding from her mother.
Izzy brought a lot of laughs on the trip. A big highlight of his was encountering a little boy named Mzee Delta that made nothing but "baaa" sounds like a goat. Throughout the trip, he created more Mzee Deltas in the places we traveled to at the Maasai and at the UAACC.
Karen took a big leap in exploring art and education at Y.E.S., Edirisa and the UAACC. She created fun art projects from making candles with beeswax to sweet potato stamps and paint. One of her biggest highlights from the trip was hiking Mt. Sabinyo and creating art with the children at Lake Bunyonyi.
Alexa's best experiences were at Lubani, spending time at J.J.'s house and Peace Kawomera Coffee Co, volunteering with Edirisa, living with the Maasai and scuba diving in Zanzibar.
Vicky pushed her comfort zone to greater heights. Some of the best times were rafting on the Nile, working at Edirisa, the Sipi Falls Hike, Halloween at Lake Bunyonyi, dinner at the Mille Collin Hotel in Rwanda, going on runs across the savanna, safari, mountain biking, living with the Maasai, swimming in the Indian Ocean and dancing in Zanzibar.
Will's highlights of the trip were hiking to the summits of Mt. Sabinyo and living with the Maasai. Will also grew from being one of the quiet ones in the beginning to the most sassy.
Charlotte- "My most memorable moments are looking back at the things we accomplished: painting at Lubani, conquering Mt. Sabinyo, scuba diving in the sparkling Indian Ocean, and many more".
Jessie pushed her comfort zone numerous times and brought a lot of support to activities when she was captain during free travel in Uganda. Jessie enjoyed swimming in Lake Bunyonyi, jamming with Mama Charlotte at the United African Alliance Community Center, climbing Sipi Falls, dancing with the Maasai, and loved swimming in the Indian Ocean with dolphins!
Zoe brought a lot of musical fun to the group playing guitar and singing during jam sessions. Her highlights of the trip was every moment hanging out with the group laughing and just growing and changing together.
Cliff gave a lot of encouragement and support to the group on all the challenging hikes and climbs. His best memories are with the people we've met on the journey: Salim, Padi, Carol Adams, Mzee Delta, and Emsea. Cliff also enjoyed the picture pals project with Roses family when we were with Y.E.S. in Uganda and flagging down transportation with the help from a young boy with a machete and an old man on a bicycle back in Fort Portal, Uganda.
Much love and many, many smiles as we return to the states for the winter holidays and go onto our next adventures accross the globe. CARPE DIEM!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
More from Zanzibar!
Hello again!
We are taking advantage of the close-by Internet cafes to squeeze in a few more blogs before the semester ends...
Today, the divers completed the underwater portion of the scuba certification process, while others did cultural things around the amazing island of Zanzibar. I (Zoe) was part of the diving group, while Vicki did the Spice tour and checked out some museums, so we'll each have good input to the blog.
The diving was amazing, we lugged our diving bags onto the boat and once again headed out into the impossibly clear ocean. Once we arrived, we got in the water, and finished up some of the required skills needed for the certification. These include mask clearing, emergency swimming ascent, finding the regulator if it falls out of your mouth, and using your buddy's air source if you run out. And a whole lot more. We were split into pairs, each pair went with an instructor. The groups of three split and even though we weren't far apart, there's so much to see that we all saw different things. For example, Taylor and I were lucky enough to see a sea turtle and a ray! Everything about both dives today was amazing. After a lunch break on the boat, we set out for yet another dive, the fourth one of the required four to be certified as an "open water diver." When we surfaced, we all got high fives and congratulations. It was all very exciting. So now I'll let Vicki take over, so she can tell you about the other awesome stuff that is happening on Zanzibar!
OKey dokey peoples! Yesterday, Taylor, Izzy, Becca, Chris and I went to the Palace Museum after their scuba dive and it was pretty cool. The Palace Museum is like a "kingdom by the sea" with views of the ocean outside of the royal bedrooms, balconies and windows. One of the most fascinating things we learned was about Princess Sayyida Salme of Zanzibar and the many different cultural ties she had.
Today, Karen, Becca and I went on the Zanzibar Island Spice Tour and we got to see, taste, smell and take back some of the spices and fruits. On the first stop of the tour we saw Persian baths and then drove out to the spice farm where we walked around smelling and tasting nutmeg, cardamon, starfruit, Jack-fruit, cloves, cinnamon...
We also received some hand-made bracelets, rings and necklaces from the local guys who also came on the tour- one of which proposed to Karen with a coconut leaf ring. LOL. We were also given lunch which was absolutely delicious- rice cooked with cloves, coconut sauce, spinach and chapati. After that, the last part of the tour was time spent swimming in crystal clear beach waters!
We will continue to update you all with the events of our last few days together! we can start by saying that tomorrow we leave the beautiful island of Zanzibar and we head back to Dar Es Salaam, where we will spend the rest of the time (all of a day and a half) before we say our goodbyes to Africa!
Much love from Zanzibar!
Zoe and Vicki! <3
We are taking advantage of the close-by Internet cafes to squeeze in a few more blogs before the semester ends...
Today, the divers completed the underwater portion of the scuba certification process, while others did cultural things around the amazing island of Zanzibar. I (Zoe) was part of the diving group, while Vicki did the Spice tour and checked out some museums, so we'll each have good input to the blog.
The diving was amazing, we lugged our diving bags onto the boat and once again headed out into the impossibly clear ocean. Once we arrived, we got in the water, and finished up some of the required skills needed for the certification. These include mask clearing, emergency swimming ascent, finding the regulator if it falls out of your mouth, and using your buddy's air source if you run out. And a whole lot more. We were split into pairs, each pair went with an instructor. The groups of three split and even though we weren't far apart, there's so much to see that we all saw different things. For example, Taylor and I were lucky enough to see a sea turtle and a ray! Everything about both dives today was amazing. After a lunch break on the boat, we set out for yet another dive, the fourth one of the required four to be certified as an "open water diver." When we surfaced, we all got high fives and congratulations. It was all very exciting. So now I'll let Vicki take over, so she can tell you about the other awesome stuff that is happening on Zanzibar!
OKey dokey peoples! Yesterday, Taylor, Izzy, Becca, Chris and I went to the Palace Museum after their scuba dive and it was pretty cool. The Palace Museum is like a "kingdom by the sea" with views of the ocean outside of the royal bedrooms, balconies and windows. One of the most fascinating things we learned was about Princess Sayyida Salme of Zanzibar and the many different cultural ties she had.
Today, Karen, Becca and I went on the Zanzibar Island Spice Tour and we got to see, taste, smell and take back some of the spices and fruits. On the first stop of the tour we saw Persian baths and then drove out to the spice farm where we walked around smelling and tasting nutmeg, cardamon, starfruit, Jack-fruit, cloves, cinnamon...
We also received some hand-made bracelets, rings and necklaces from the local guys who also came on the tour- one of which proposed to Karen with a coconut leaf ring. LOL. We were also given lunch which was absolutely delicious- rice cooked with cloves, coconut sauce, spinach and chapati. After that, the last part of the tour was time spent swimming in crystal clear beach waters!
We will continue to update you all with the events of our last few days together! we can start by saying that tomorrow we leave the beautiful island of Zanzibar and we head back to Dar Es Salaam, where we will spend the rest of the time (all of a day and a half) before we say our goodbyes to Africa!
Much love from Zanzibar!
Zoe and Vicki! <3
Friday, December 3, 2010
SCUBA! SCUBA! SCUBA!
We've finally completed our certification classes for open water scuba diving! Yay!
Here's how the journey started:
On Thursday morning, we all went to the One Ocean Dive Centre and got signed up! It was a long, long, long day filling out a ton of forms, watching videos, reading and taking tests. The whole process took about 9 hours...yup, getting open water scuba certification is a loooong process! :)
For Charlotte who already had scuba certification, she got to go on her own dive adventure while the rest of us had class. Charlotte went with a couple of scuba guides to do a wreck dive! Under the glimmering blue waters, she saw sting rays, a ton of tropical fish (and a few rare ones), sunken ships and porcelain plates scattered all across the ocean floor. Charlotte also got a bit sun-burnt from this experience but it was "amazing!"
That night, after completing the classroom part of scuba certification, many of us got henna art drawn on our skin and had dinner at the seafood night market. The sight of lobster, king fish, crab, shrimp, prawns, clams, octopus, squid, shark, tuna, and a bunch of other tempting delicacies from the sea grilled right in front of us smelled and looked absolutely delicious. IT tasted soo good and we also had some cats purr at us annoyingly to get a bite of our meal. Lol.
The next morning, we took a 10min float and a 200m swim test, tried on scuba equipment and hit the pool to test them out! It was quite an experience getting used to breathing under water and using giant flippers. We were taught some basic skills and signals (since we can't communicate verbally under water) and some of us stayed under water practicing with the dive master for over half an hour.
Charlotte also got to go on another dive, and Karen also went on a dive on the northen part of Zanzibar Island. Yay!
AND TODAY.....with our official open water scuba diving certificates, almost all of us will dive into the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean and explore life under the sea discovering the different ship wrecks, coral reefs and marine animals! We are all very excited and it is going to be one unforgettable adventure! Yay!
Stay tuned to hear more soon about our first scuba dive in the ocean!
Here's how the journey started:
On Thursday morning, we all went to the One Ocean Dive Centre and got signed up! It was a long, long, long day filling out a ton of forms, watching videos, reading and taking tests. The whole process took about 9 hours...yup, getting open water scuba certification is a loooong process! :)
For Charlotte who already had scuba certification, she got to go on her own dive adventure while the rest of us had class. Charlotte went with a couple of scuba guides to do a wreck dive! Under the glimmering blue waters, she saw sting rays, a ton of tropical fish (and a few rare ones), sunken ships and porcelain plates scattered all across the ocean floor. Charlotte also got a bit sun-burnt from this experience but it was "amazing!"
That night, after completing the classroom part of scuba certification, many of us got henna art drawn on our skin and had dinner at the seafood night market. The sight of lobster, king fish, crab, shrimp, prawns, clams, octopus, squid, shark, tuna, and a bunch of other tempting delicacies from the sea grilled right in front of us smelled and looked absolutely delicious. IT tasted soo good and we also had some cats purr at us annoyingly to get a bite of our meal. Lol.
The next morning, we took a 10min float and a 200m swim test, tried on scuba equipment and hit the pool to test them out! It was quite an experience getting used to breathing under water and using giant flippers. We were taught some basic skills and signals (since we can't communicate verbally under water) and some of us stayed under water practicing with the dive master for over half an hour.
Charlotte also got to go on another dive, and Karen also went on a dive on the northen part of Zanzibar Island. Yay!
AND TODAY.....with our official open water scuba diving certificates, almost all of us will dive into the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean and explore life under the sea discovering the different ship wrecks, coral reefs and marine animals! We are all very excited and it is going to be one unforgettable adventure! Yay!
Stay tuned to hear more soon about our first scuba dive in the ocean!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Free Travel-Moshi and Tanga!
Hello!!
We just had an amazing and exciting past few days of free travel. We started our free travel journey on Thanksgiving at the United African Alliance Community Center. The group ended up deciding to split up into two groups, a group of five and a group of seven. We all traveled from Arusha to Moshi together and stayed the night at a backpackers hostel in Moshi. The next morning, the group of five left for Tanga (Karen, Izzy, Becca, Charlotte, and Will) , where they explored caves and ruins. They got to go to the beach, and tried to go dancing, but the club was closed. The two of us (Vicki and Zoe) were in the larger group with Cliff, Taylor, Chris, Alexa and Jessie, so we don't know much more detail on that, because we stayed in Moshi to explore the city. Vicki, Jess, Alexa, and Cliff went on a hike to Ndoro Waterfalls, where Alexa and Cliff jumped off the waterfall, and Cliff gracefully slipped and hit the water face first. It was classic. The group also got to see and hold a horned chameleon, which the waterfall guide was scared of-he was hiding behind Vicki!
That same day, Chris and Zoe stayed in Moshi to do a little more exploring, and Taylor even got to go to Arusha and see family that was there! That night, the seven of us decided to go dancing. Before we type this, we had to take a break for laughing. At the dance club, we ran into the most enthusiastic middle-aged Indian men. They had a few interesting signature moves, and one of them danced with a 1.5 liter water bottle on his head for a good 15 minutes. Classic. It was definitely one unforgettable night.
The next morning, before our departure from Kilimanjaro Backpackers, we got to see the actual mountain from the third floor of our hostel. It was beautiful! It was a good start to a long day of traveling. We caught the Dar Express bus-a luxurious coach from Moshi to Dar Es Salam, complete with air conditioning and complementary sodas and movies-for a nine hour ride to Dar! It was actually very enjoyable and comfortable! Vicki, with the role of "Cribs" (our accommodation leader), found us an amazing campsite at Makadi beach. We stayed in bandas that were raised from the sandy beach on stilts. It was like a Corona commercial! A beautiful beach with aqua blue water complete with hammocks! The next day, when most of the seven of us went back into Dar to explore, the Tanga group arrived at the campsite! The whole group went into the Indian Ocean for a reunion swim-the first time in the Indian Ocean for a lot of us! Anyways, we enjoyed two more nights at the campsite with the group, and this morning, we caught a ferry to Zanzibar! Tomorrow we start our Scuba class, so Vicki and I will do our best to keep you updated with how that goes!!! We are enjoying our last week together, and will see you all very soon! Much love!
Zoe and Vicki!!
We just had an amazing and exciting past few days of free travel. We started our free travel journey on Thanksgiving at the United African Alliance Community Center. The group ended up deciding to split up into two groups, a group of five and a group of seven. We all traveled from Arusha to Moshi together and stayed the night at a backpackers hostel in Moshi. The next morning, the group of five left for Tanga (Karen, Izzy, Becca, Charlotte, and Will) , where they explored caves and ruins. They got to go to the beach, and tried to go dancing, but the club was closed. The two of us (Vicki and Zoe) were in the larger group with Cliff, Taylor, Chris, Alexa and Jessie, so we don't know much more detail on that, because we stayed in Moshi to explore the city. Vicki, Jess, Alexa, and Cliff went on a hike to Ndoro Waterfalls, where Alexa and Cliff jumped off the waterfall, and Cliff gracefully slipped and hit the water face first. It was classic. The group also got to see and hold a horned chameleon, which the waterfall guide was scared of-he was hiding behind Vicki!
That same day, Chris and Zoe stayed in Moshi to do a little more exploring, and Taylor even got to go to Arusha and see family that was there! That night, the seven of us decided to go dancing. Before we type this, we had to take a break for laughing. At the dance club, we ran into the most enthusiastic middle-aged Indian men. They had a few interesting signature moves, and one of them danced with a 1.5 liter water bottle on his head for a good 15 minutes. Classic. It was definitely one unforgettable night.
The next morning, before our departure from Kilimanjaro Backpackers, we got to see the actual mountain from the third floor of our hostel. It was beautiful! It was a good start to a long day of traveling. We caught the Dar Express bus-a luxurious coach from Moshi to Dar Es Salam, complete with air conditioning and complementary sodas and movies-for a nine hour ride to Dar! It was actually very enjoyable and comfortable! Vicki, with the role of "Cribs" (our accommodation leader), found us an amazing campsite at Makadi beach. We stayed in bandas that were raised from the sandy beach on stilts. It was like a Corona commercial! A beautiful beach with aqua blue water complete with hammocks! The next day, when most of the seven of us went back into Dar to explore, the Tanga group arrived at the campsite! The whole group went into the Indian Ocean for a reunion swim-the first time in the Indian Ocean for a lot of us! Anyways, we enjoyed two more nights at the campsite with the group, and this morning, we caught a ferry to Zanzibar! Tomorrow we start our Scuba class, so Vicki and I will do our best to keep you updated with how that goes!!! We are enjoying our last week together, and will see you all very soon! Much love!
Zoe and Vicki!!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Did pancreas just explode on my leg
Hello! Happy Thanksgiving!
We are still in Arusha, but no longer with the Maasai anymore. We have been staying with Black Panther, Pete O'Neil for the past 3 days. For everybody who doesn't know who Pete O'Neil is, he started the Black Panther Kansas City chapter. After being exiled from the United States, he and his wife Charlotte moved to Tanzania and started the United African Alliance Community Center. We have been catching up on some much needed rest and relaxation.
For all of you who are wondering what the title to this blog means, well...it's a tribute to our goat. Six days ago, we had the opportunity to sacrifice a goat that we had bought previously in the market. After a long day of swahili class and numerous hours of playing soccer with the Maasai, it was "goat time." One of the customs to the Maasai culture is to sacrifice a goat and drink the blood.
The first step is to smother the goat so he can't breathe. Cliff volunteered to do this. After the goat died, you get a knife and stab the heart so the blood coagulates into the goats ribs. After skinning the goat, it was time to cut him/her open. Once the goat was cut open, it was time to take out the organs. It first started with the kidney. The kidney was offered to many of us to eat raw. Only a few of us had the stomach to eat it. Next, the intestines were taken out and put on the fire. Once they were smoked, the Maasai passed around the intestines for anybody who wanted to try. They were full of fat and I recommend not eating them! Next, we took out the liver and threw that on the fire to cook. While waiting for the liver to cook, it was time for the blood. I've never seen anybody drink blood of an animal before, but watching the Maasai drink the blood, it was like watching a savage eat/drink. They put the blood and a few other chunks into a large cup for us to try. Taylor, Cliff, Karen, Alexa, Zoe, Jess, Will, Izzy, Becca, Charlotte, and myself all drank it. Sadly, some of us even went back for seconds. It had a little barbecue taste to it, so it was a shock to me how good it was. After all the meat had been cut off the goat, they put it on sticks and let the fire barbecue it. Once it was done, it was chow time. I've never had goat before, but hey, there's a first time for everything.
One our final day with the Maasai, some people went to church while others went to herd cattle. After making our way back into Arusha, we decided to stay out a hostel called Backpackers. Everybody was happy because there were HOT showers which we had all missed. After a long night of rest, we were set to go to the UAACC. Godwin, drove us there and after telling us goodbye, it was home sweet home.
We've been watching documentaries on Pete O'Neil, participating in art classes, hanging out with kids, and even playing pool for hours. Well, it's Thanksgiving and we're all cooking different things tonight. So until next time...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
-Chris (HI MOM)
We are still in Arusha, but no longer with the Maasai anymore. We have been staying with Black Panther, Pete O'Neil for the past 3 days. For everybody who doesn't know who Pete O'Neil is, he started the Black Panther Kansas City chapter. After being exiled from the United States, he and his wife Charlotte moved to Tanzania and started the United African Alliance Community Center. We have been catching up on some much needed rest and relaxation.
For all of you who are wondering what the title to this blog means, well...it's a tribute to our goat. Six days ago, we had the opportunity to sacrifice a goat that we had bought previously in the market. After a long day of swahili class and numerous hours of playing soccer with the Maasai, it was "goat time." One of the customs to the Maasai culture is to sacrifice a goat and drink the blood.
The first step is to smother the goat so he can't breathe. Cliff volunteered to do this. After the goat died, you get a knife and stab the heart so the blood coagulates into the goats ribs. After skinning the goat, it was time to cut him/her open. Once the goat was cut open, it was time to take out the organs. It first started with the kidney. The kidney was offered to many of us to eat raw. Only a few of us had the stomach to eat it. Next, the intestines were taken out and put on the fire. Once they were smoked, the Maasai passed around the intestines for anybody who wanted to try. They were full of fat and I recommend not eating them! Next, we took out the liver and threw that on the fire to cook. While waiting for the liver to cook, it was time for the blood. I've never seen anybody drink blood of an animal before, but watching the Maasai drink the blood, it was like watching a savage eat/drink. They put the blood and a few other chunks into a large cup for us to try. Taylor, Cliff, Karen, Alexa, Zoe, Jess, Will, Izzy, Becca, Charlotte, and myself all drank it. Sadly, some of us even went back for seconds. It had a little barbecue taste to it, so it was a shock to me how good it was. After all the meat had been cut off the goat, they put it on sticks and let the fire barbecue it. Once it was done, it was chow time. I've never had goat before, but hey, there's a first time for everything.
One our final day with the Maasai, some people went to church while others went to herd cattle. After making our way back into Arusha, we decided to stay out a hostel called Backpackers. Everybody was happy because there were HOT showers which we had all missed. After a long night of rest, we were set to go to the UAACC. Godwin, drove us there and after telling us goodbye, it was home sweet home.
We've been watching documentaries on Pete O'Neil, participating in art classes, hanging out with kids, and even playing pool for hours. Well, it's Thanksgiving and we're all cooking different things tonight. So until next time...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
-Chris (HI MOM)
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Walk to "Lake Manyara"
Hello again!
Yesterday was an intense one. We set out at 8:15 am for a walking safari to Lake Manyara. We can see the lake from our boma, and a bunch of us were excited to finally walk out to it. We were led out by one of the leaders of our boma, "Emseea" (I'm not sure how to spell it...)
He showed us different plants and natural medicines, including one that had a root that could cure back pain... and gonorrhea. Another was a tree that gave you the munchies, in the event that you had killed a cow and didn't want to waste it. There was also an apple that cures stomach flu, and a whistling acacia... that whistles. =D Nearly 5 minutes into the walk however, we saw a heard of giraffes and several empala. It was beathtaking.
After a hot, but enjoyable 3 hours, we stopped at a baubab tree to rest. Rather than rest, Karen and Cliff immediately started climbing it. Becca, Will, Chris, Alexa, Charlotte and Vicki followed once they were told it was safe. After that, we headed out to the lake that looked somewhat closer.
The trees and bushes vanished, and we were surrounded by nothingness. The occaisional gazelle ran by, or a giant heard of cattle, but there was nothing around us. After another 2 hours, we stopped in a giant mud puddle and looked around. Emseea looked at us and said "This is the lake."
Yes. Lake Manyara is dry and we've been looking at a mirage for 5 days. It was frustrating, but funny. I'd never thought mirages could be so convincing.
We trudged on through the desert for another couple hours, and finally made it into town to get picked up and driven back to the boma. The rest of the night was relaxing after we scarfed down a speghetti dinner.
Today, we'll be having another truly Maasai experience. We bought a goat in the market earlier, and later, Emseea and some of the other local guys will show us how the Maasai kill a goat. We'll be drinking the blood traditionally and then having a barbeque. I'm sure there'll be a detailed update on this in a few days!
That's about it!
-Jess
Yesterday was an intense one. We set out at 8:15 am for a walking safari to Lake Manyara. We can see the lake from our boma, and a bunch of us were excited to finally walk out to it. We were led out by one of the leaders of our boma, "Emseea" (I'm not sure how to spell it...)
He showed us different plants and natural medicines, including one that had a root that could cure back pain... and gonorrhea. Another was a tree that gave you the munchies, in the event that you had killed a cow and didn't want to waste it. There was also an apple that cures stomach flu, and a whistling acacia... that whistles. =D Nearly 5 minutes into the walk however, we saw a heard of giraffes and several empala. It was beathtaking.
After a hot, but enjoyable 3 hours, we stopped at a baubab tree to rest. Rather than rest, Karen and Cliff immediately started climbing it. Becca, Will, Chris, Alexa, Charlotte and Vicki followed once they were told it was safe. After that, we headed out to the lake that looked somewhat closer.
The trees and bushes vanished, and we were surrounded by nothingness. The occaisional gazelle ran by, or a giant heard of cattle, but there was nothing around us. After another 2 hours, we stopped in a giant mud puddle and looked around. Emseea looked at us and said "This is the lake."
Yes. Lake Manyara is dry and we've been looking at a mirage for 5 days. It was frustrating, but funny. I'd never thought mirages could be so convincing.
We trudged on through the desert for another couple hours, and finally made it into town to get picked up and driven back to the boma. The rest of the night was relaxing after we scarfed down a speghetti dinner.
Today, we'll be having another truly Maasai experience. We bought a goat in the market earlier, and later, Emseea and some of the other local guys will show us how the Maasai kill a goat. We'll be drinking the blood traditionally and then having a barbeque. I'm sure there'll be a detailed update on this in a few days!
That's about it!
-Jess
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Maasai =D
We've finally begun our 10 days with a Maasai tribe in Esilalei, Tanzania!
I'm sorry it's been awhile since the last blog, but things have been pretty rustic lately. After leaving Kigali, we landed in Arusha, Tanzania full of excitement. Especially me and Becca, who were jumping out of our plane seats when we saw the familiar airport.
We stayed one night at an incredible hotel, complete with a swimming pool and some pretty epic bandas. All the luxury was followed by Terengire National Park. Only 10 minutes into our first safari, and we saw a cheetah! One of the most difficult animals to see and there it was. Just hangin' out under a tree. It was a jaw-dropping experience. We continued through and got up close and personal with giraffes, dik-diks, antelope, elephants, water buffalo, and squinted to see the lions. At the end of the day, we went to our first night in the safari tents, and prepared for the next day.
Ngoronogoro crater was gorgeous. The lake was low and the grasses were a classic African-yellow in the dry season. The zebras and wilderbeasts ran by us, and we saw THREE MORE CHEETAHS! Several people commented on the fact that in Uganda, a natural healer had predicted luck for our group. ... Maybe that was it!
After our animal filled days of awesome, we went to Esilalei, a small village inhabited mainly by Maasai. Our small troop of safari cars drove off the paved roads, and dropped us in the middle of nowhere with a cook and tents. It was one of the most surreal things I've experienced. Three mud huts surround our tents, and a few small bomas (clusters of mud huts) are near by. But otherwise, the desert-esque savanah surrounds us on all sides.
The Maasai have welcomed us with open arms. Our first day, we participated in a local dance (men seprated from women). Izzy and Chris decked themselves our in traditional Maasai blankets, and Alexa and Zoe became "Maasai Mammas" (as said by some of the local men) shortly after.
There isn't a lot of volunteer work to be done, but we're soaking up aas much culture as possible. Cliff hearded cattle with the men. Karen, Alexa, Zoe, Becca, Taylor, Vicki, and I learned traditional beaded and interviewed a few of the people. Charlotte, Izzy, Will and Chris went to a local church service and visted a few of the nearby homes.
The afternoons are scorching hot and it's hard to do anything but lie down, but people have been adapting. An intense sandstorm alomst hit yesterday, but crisis was averted.
Anyway! We'd best be getting back to the boma for dinner.
More soon!
-Jess
I'm sorry it's been awhile since the last blog, but things have been pretty rustic lately. After leaving Kigali, we landed in Arusha, Tanzania full of excitement. Especially me and Becca, who were jumping out of our plane seats when we saw the familiar airport.
We stayed one night at an incredible hotel, complete with a swimming pool and some pretty epic bandas. All the luxury was followed by Terengire National Park. Only 10 minutes into our first safari, and we saw a cheetah! One of the most difficult animals to see and there it was. Just hangin' out under a tree. It was a jaw-dropping experience. We continued through and got up close and personal with giraffes, dik-diks, antelope, elephants, water buffalo, and squinted to see the lions. At the end of the day, we went to our first night in the safari tents, and prepared for the next day.
Ngoronogoro crater was gorgeous. The lake was low and the grasses were a classic African-yellow in the dry season. The zebras and wilderbeasts ran by us, and we saw THREE MORE CHEETAHS! Several people commented on the fact that in Uganda, a natural healer had predicted luck for our group. ... Maybe that was it!
After our animal filled days of awesome, we went to Esilalei, a small village inhabited mainly by Maasai. Our small troop of safari cars drove off the paved roads, and dropped us in the middle of nowhere with a cook and tents. It was one of the most surreal things I've experienced. Three mud huts surround our tents, and a few small bomas (clusters of mud huts) are near by. But otherwise, the desert-esque savanah surrounds us on all sides.
The Maasai have welcomed us with open arms. Our first day, we participated in a local dance (men seprated from women). Izzy and Chris decked themselves our in traditional Maasai blankets, and Alexa and Zoe became "Maasai Mammas" (as said by some of the local men) shortly after.
There isn't a lot of volunteer work to be done, but we're soaking up aas much culture as possible. Cliff hearded cattle with the men. Karen, Alexa, Zoe, Becca, Taylor, Vicki, and I learned traditional beaded and interviewed a few of the people. Charlotte, Izzy, Will and Chris went to a local church service and visted a few of the nearby homes.
The afternoons are scorching hot and it's hard to do anything but lie down, but people have been adapting. An intense sandstorm alomst hit yesterday, but crisis was averted.
Anyway! We'd best be getting back to the boma for dinner.
More soon!
-Jess
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Genocide, Culture, and Quotes
It's been an intense couple of days.
On Friday, we all took our time to see the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The museum was really interesting to say the least. It walks you through the history of Rwanda in relation to the 1994 genocide. There was so much information is was nearly impossible to process it all in one sitting. Even today, a people are going back for round two.
Yesterday, we all took a two hour drive to Butare in one of the most hilarious matatu's yet. It was decorated in the rasta colors, with quotes like "One Love" and "Together as One" on the ceiling. Music was blasted the entire day, complete with a light strip in the back at night.
The plan was to go to the National Museum, but we ended up going an hour further to the Murambi Memorial and genocide site. It was a moving experience for all of us. After a brief summation of the events in 1994, the guide took us to a series of small buildings, each with 5 or 6 rooms. In each room, there were tables covered with preserved bodies of the victims that were buried in mass graves at the site. Just seeing the sheer amount of the bodies, and knowing they were barely a fraction of the total number of victims, was intense in itself.
After that experience, we drove back to Butare and the National Museum. Our spirits were lifted considerably with a jaw-dropping cultural dance performance. For me at least, it was the highlight of the day. After the dancing and drumming, we toured the museum. Many of us had no idea how complex and intricate Rwandan society was and is.
Some Quotes So Far!
Izzy- "You are all my puppets!"
"Look Tiger. I could be those 30 women."
Will- "You know what, Alexa? I can't wait to get my arm bitten off by a shark and then smack you with my other limb."
Jess- "She projectile drooled."
"Here you go, dumbass. That's how normal people poop."
Alexa- "We're just being Africa'd out."
Becca- "The petite!"
"I just want to squeeze you right now!"
Zoe- "Shit, Peter!"
That's all for now! Tomorrow morning at 6am, we'll be off to Arusha, Tanzania!
-Jess
On Friday, we all took our time to see the Kigali Genocide Memorial. The museum was really interesting to say the least. It walks you through the history of Rwanda in relation to the 1994 genocide. There was so much information is was nearly impossible to process it all in one sitting. Even today, a people are going back for round two.
Yesterday, we all took a two hour drive to Butare in one of the most hilarious matatu's yet. It was decorated in the rasta colors, with quotes like "One Love" and "Together as One" on the ceiling. Music was blasted the entire day, complete with a light strip in the back at night.
The plan was to go to the National Museum, but we ended up going an hour further to the Murambi Memorial and genocide site. It was a moving experience for all of us. After a brief summation of the events in 1994, the guide took us to a series of small buildings, each with 5 or 6 rooms. In each room, there were tables covered with preserved bodies of the victims that were buried in mass graves at the site. Just seeing the sheer amount of the bodies, and knowing they were barely a fraction of the total number of victims, was intense in itself.
After that experience, we drove back to Butare and the National Museum. Our spirits were lifted considerably with a jaw-dropping cultural dance performance. For me at least, it was the highlight of the day. After the dancing and drumming, we toured the museum. Many of us had no idea how complex and intricate Rwandan society was and is.
Some Quotes So Far!
Izzy- "You are all my puppets!"
"Look Tiger. I could be those 30 women."
Will- "You know what, Alexa? I can't wait to get my arm bitten off by a shark and then smack you with my other limb."
Jess- "She projectile drooled."
"Here you go, dumbass. That's how normal people poop."
Alexa- "We're just being Africa'd out."
Becca- "The petite!"
"I just want to squeeze you right now!"
Zoe- "Shit, Peter!"
That's all for now! Tomorrow morning at 6am, we'll be off to Arusha, Tanzania!
-Jess
Friday, November 5, 2010
Goodbye Uganda, Hello Rwanda!
We arrived in Rwanda yesterday (some of us by foot!) and drove into Kigali. Of course, it wasn't a completely hassle-free experience. Chris was stopped at the Rwandan entrance. The man pointed at his signature in his passport, and the one on the form and said that the difference in the tilt of the "C" was suspicious. That, piled on top of the fact that Chris has cut his hair since his pass photo, and that he now has a beard, made the guard hold him back for awhile. Cliff stepped up though with the question, "Haven't you ever shaved before?" After some other forms of ID, Chris was allowed in.
Will got us a supremely awesome hotel-complete with western toilets in each room. After putting our things down and setting a time for supper, we all went our seperate ways to explore the city. Frankly, the difference between Kigali and the places we've been in Uganda is incredible. There are paved roads, a mall, several bookstores, a coffee shop, banks several stories high...
This morning, a few of us went to have coffee before we went to see the Genocide Memorial of Kigali. The Memorial was really moving. We learned the history of Rwanda, what led to the genocide, and the after-effects that the country is dealing with today. The final rooms displayed skulls, bones, clothes, and photos of the victims.
Until Monday, when we fly to Tanzania, we'll all be splitting up to explore Kigali, and visit several different sites and memorials.
More updates soon!
-Jess
Will got us a supremely awesome hotel-complete with western toilets in each room. After putting our things down and setting a time for supper, we all went our seperate ways to explore the city. Frankly, the difference between Kigali and the places we've been in Uganda is incredible. There are paved roads, a mall, several bookstores, a coffee shop, banks several stories high...
This morning, a few of us went to have coffee before we went to see the Genocide Memorial of Kigali. The Memorial was really moving. We learned the history of Rwanda, what led to the genocide, and the after-effects that the country is dealing with today. The final rooms displayed skulls, bones, clothes, and photos of the victims.
Until Monday, when we fly to Tanzania, we'll all be splitting up to explore Kigali, and visit several different sites and memorials.
More updates soon!
-Jess
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Free Travel-Edirisa
Hello from an internet cafe in Kabale!
We've been doing so much, I have a lot to cover-
Free travel was definitely a learning experience for all of us. Figuring out transportation was a bit of a challenge, but we ended up taking a public bus from Lake Nkuruba to Mbarara. The day was a stretch on our comfort zones but we all stuck together and worked things out. We also learned the crucial difference between "now" (anytime in the next 6 hours), and "now now" (actually now) while waiting for our bus. We also had time to buy juice and a Rolex (egg wrapped in chapati). It's recently been discovered that Rolexes only exist in Uganda, not in Rwanda or TZ, so we've been trying to cram them in before we leave. Our first stop was to Lake Mburo National Park where we went on a game drive and a boat tour. We were all really excited to see hippos (especially Jessie when she saw one "breech"). Next we headed to Mgahinga National Park by way of matatu (private taxi). Alexa, Taylor, Will, Chris, Charlotte, Cliff, & Karen climbed Mt. Sabinyo while Zoe, Izzy, Jessie and I went Golden Monkey tracking and Vicky went caving. From what I heard, climbing the volcano was extremely difficult but also incredible. It was an all day climb that involved ladders, rain, and lightning, so needless to say we were all very impressed! There are only 500 golden monkeys left in the world so it was amazing that we got to see some of them. It's awesome that Vicky did what she wanted to do and went caving. After Mgahinga we took another matatu to Kabale to start volunteering with Edirisa. We all slept in one dormitory and it was cute because we haven't done that since painting at Lubani. There were also hot showers which was much appreciated. The founder, Miha, gave us a presentation on what Edirisa's all about. Here's the link to the website if anyone's interested in learning more: http://www.edirisa.org/. We stayed 1 night at "The Home", and then moved out to "The Heart" on Lake Bunyoni. Unfortunately uploading pictures is not working, but here's a google image pic: http://images.travelpod.com/users/nat_yeo/africa-2005.1164927900.lake_bunyoni.bmp. Our first day on the job we split up into 2 groups, one went across the lake to a school, and the other worked with the school next to The Heart. In the morning we played with the kids in the Nursery (entirely run by Edirisa), and in the afternoon we sat in on some Primary School classes (government run, but enriched by Edirisa). The next day we went to SNEC (Special Needs Education Center) to work on some projects with the kids. We split into groups again and half of us worked with the mainstream school and half worked with the kids with special needs. Alexa, Zoe, Taylor, Charlotte, and Vicky made texture collages with the kids at SNEC, and picked up a bit of sign language. Chris, Izzy, Will, Jessie, and I taught a lesson plan on habitats to Primary 6. Yesterday we went to Nyakasiru Primary School and taught the habitat lesson to P4, P5, and P6. We also played Duck Duck Goose and Red Light Green Light with the P1 students (so cute). Today's our day off so we're just kind of chillin in Kabale, going to the post office, buying food, etc. Tomorrow we're canoeing around Lake Bunyoni which should be amazing! That's about it for now I think, thanks for reading.
-Becca
We've been doing so much, I have a lot to cover-
Free travel was definitely a learning experience for all of us. Figuring out transportation was a bit of a challenge, but we ended up taking a public bus from Lake Nkuruba to Mbarara. The day was a stretch on our comfort zones but we all stuck together and worked things out. We also learned the crucial difference between "now" (anytime in the next 6 hours), and "now now" (actually now) while waiting for our bus. We also had time to buy juice and a Rolex (egg wrapped in chapati). It's recently been discovered that Rolexes only exist in Uganda, not in Rwanda or TZ, so we've been trying to cram them in before we leave. Our first stop was to Lake Mburo National Park where we went on a game drive and a boat tour. We were all really excited to see hippos (especially Jessie when she saw one "breech"). Next we headed to Mgahinga National Park by way of matatu (private taxi). Alexa, Taylor, Will, Chris, Charlotte, Cliff, & Karen climbed Mt. Sabinyo while Zoe, Izzy, Jessie and I went Golden Monkey tracking and Vicky went caving. From what I heard, climbing the volcano was extremely difficult but also incredible. It was an all day climb that involved ladders, rain, and lightning, so needless to say we were all very impressed! There are only 500 golden monkeys left in the world so it was amazing that we got to see some of them. It's awesome that Vicky did what she wanted to do and went caving. After Mgahinga we took another matatu to Kabale to start volunteering with Edirisa. We all slept in one dormitory and it was cute because we haven't done that since painting at Lubani. There were also hot showers which was much appreciated. The founder, Miha, gave us a presentation on what Edirisa's all about. Here's the link to the website if anyone's interested in learning more: http://www.edirisa.org/. We stayed 1 night at "The Home", and then moved out to "The Heart" on Lake Bunyoni. Unfortunately uploading pictures is not working, but here's a google image pic: http://images.travelpod.com/users/nat_yeo/africa-2005.1164927900.lake_bunyoni.bmp. Our first day on the job we split up into 2 groups, one went across the lake to a school, and the other worked with the school next to The Heart. In the morning we played with the kids in the Nursery (entirely run by Edirisa), and in the afternoon we sat in on some Primary School classes (government run, but enriched by Edirisa). The next day we went to SNEC (Special Needs Education Center) to work on some projects with the kids. We split into groups again and half of us worked with the mainstream school and half worked with the kids with special needs. Alexa, Zoe, Taylor, Charlotte, and Vicky made texture collages with the kids at SNEC, and picked up a bit of sign language. Chris, Izzy, Will, Jessie, and I taught a lesson plan on habitats to Primary 6. Yesterday we went to Nyakasiru Primary School and taught the habitat lesson to P4, P5, and P6. We also played Duck Duck Goose and Red Light Green Light with the P1 students (so cute). Today's our day off so we're just kind of chillin in Kabale, going to the post office, buying food, etc. Tomorrow we're canoeing around Lake Bunyoni which should be amazing! That's about it for now I think, thanks for reading.
-Becca
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Hello!
We're stopped in Kabale to pick up some fruit at the market and some cookies at the bakery while en route to Edirisa's Special Needs Education Center (SNEC). I'm sort of short on time but here's some stuff everyone had to say:
Chris- I got to teach 2 classes in primary school. I taught science in P3 and social studies in P4. I love the entire Edirisa program and what it has to offer. I've been eating a lot healthier and have not had bacon in a month.
Izzy- The lake is beautiful and Miha and Edirisa make me optimistic about Uganda's future.
Zoe-Halfway through the trip and I already feel like I have changed so much. I can't wait for the amazing experiences of the second half.
Jessie-Kids from the school attacked my back yelling "mkoko! mkoko!" (chicken! chicken!), trying to scratch off my tattoo.
Alexa- The Edirisa program is absolutely amazing. I hope I get to come back here someday because they truly are making a difference. I also got to play with the babies in the nursery and help out. Playing and being with them just made my day. They are so cute!
Vicky- These past few days have been so awesome! I loved our "free travel" to Lake Mburo and Mt. Mgahinga National Park. I can't wait for the rest of the activities we will be having with Edirisa. Yay!
Will-Visiting all of the national parks (and climbing Mt. Sabinyo) was absolutely stunning and really helped give me a new perspective on the diversity of Uganda's landscape. Also, I am really excited to be working at Edirisa, they seem to be making a big difference in the community.
Taylor-Having a great time...learning a lot, seeing and smelling a lot. The landscape is pretty breathtaking. Will never look at lightning the same. Lake Bunyoni is really peaceful. Feeling very lucky. Love to everyone at home in the states, you're all in my thoughts. I have never eaten so many bananas in all my life. And also.. Trick or Treat! Smell my feet.
Charlotte- Uganda offered a wide array of experiences and opportunities that we took full advantage of. As we pass the halfway point, we are excited for what lies ahead. Love you Mom and Dad!
Karen- Never in my life has the responsibility to fulfill opportunity meant so much to me. I firmly believe if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen; however, it is so difficult to accomplish with the lack of loyal, honest and compassionate community. Africa is beautiful and needs love just like the rest of our globe.
Cliff- "As you start on your way to Ithaca, then pray that the journey is long..." Time is flying by, as usual. Even as the adventure takes on a life of its own, the next adventure is already beginning to take shape. Sleeping under mosquito nets reminds me of the bed-tent I had as a child, and learning every day means that I sleep soundly at night.
Hopefully we'll be able to get another blog out on Friday to tell you all about free travel and what's been going on so far at Edirisa. Asante sana for reading!
-Becca
We're stopped in Kabale to pick up some fruit at the market and some cookies at the bakery while en route to Edirisa's Special Needs Education Center (SNEC). I'm sort of short on time but here's some stuff everyone had to say:
Chris- I got to teach 2 classes in primary school. I taught science in P3 and social studies in P4. I love the entire Edirisa program and what it has to offer. I've been eating a lot healthier and have not had bacon in a month.
Izzy- The lake is beautiful and Miha and Edirisa make me optimistic about Uganda's future.
Zoe-Halfway through the trip and I already feel like I have changed so much. I can't wait for the amazing experiences of the second half.
Jessie-Kids from the school attacked my back yelling "mkoko! mkoko!" (chicken! chicken!), trying to scratch off my tattoo.
Alexa- The Edirisa program is absolutely amazing. I hope I get to come back here someday because they truly are making a difference. I also got to play with the babies in the nursery and help out. Playing and being with them just made my day. They are so cute!
Vicky- These past few days have been so awesome! I loved our "free travel" to Lake Mburo and Mt. Mgahinga National Park. I can't wait for the rest of the activities we will be having with Edirisa. Yay!
Will-Visiting all of the national parks (and climbing Mt. Sabinyo) was absolutely stunning and really helped give me a new perspective on the diversity of Uganda's landscape. Also, I am really excited to be working at Edirisa, they seem to be making a big difference in the community.
Taylor-Having a great time...learning a lot, seeing and smelling a lot. The landscape is pretty breathtaking. Will never look at lightning the same. Lake Bunyoni is really peaceful. Feeling very lucky. Love to everyone at home in the states, you're all in my thoughts. I have never eaten so many bananas in all my life. And also.. Trick or Treat! Smell my feet.
Charlotte- Uganda offered a wide array of experiences and opportunities that we took full advantage of. As we pass the halfway point, we are excited for what lies ahead. Love you Mom and Dad!
Karen- Never in my life has the responsibility to fulfill opportunity meant so much to me. I firmly believe if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen; however, it is so difficult to accomplish with the lack of loyal, honest and compassionate community. Africa is beautiful and needs love just like the rest of our globe.
Cliff- "As you start on your way to Ithaca, then pray that the journey is long..." Time is flying by, as usual. Even as the adventure takes on a life of its own, the next adventure is already beginning to take shape. Sleeping under mosquito nets reminds me of the bed-tent I had as a child, and learning every day means that I sleep soundly at night.
Hopefully we'll be able to get another blog out on Friday to tell you all about free travel and what's been going on so far at Edirisa. Asante sana for reading!
-Becca
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sorry it has been so long since the last blog! We have been doing so much in these past 10 days that we have hardly had time to get into a town with internet.
So since the last blog by Izzy we have completed a major part of our semester; the R&R weekend ! Our R&R weekend took place at one of the beautiful Crater Lakes called Lake Nkuruba where we got our first taste of wildlife. Every morning we woke up to a plethora of monkeys playing at the lodge. It was fun sitting back and watching wrestle, groom each other, and occasionally take the banana peels from our hands. Many of the students also enjoyed swimming in the small lake during the free time we had.
As a group, we focused on personal growth and reflected on the great things that we had accomplished. Everyday, we attempted to meditate and we even had the incredible opportunity to visit a nearby lodge that offered yoga class. Everyone participated in at least one class at this incredible spot. The class was on the top of an isolated ridge overlooking rolling hills, lakes, and small villages on all sides. Overall, the teacher Claire received rave reviews from all us as we stretched ourselves to the limit.
The other highlight of the trip was the composition of our I AM poems. Each student filled in this particular format to create a beautiful poem about themselves. I highly recommend that you request to read them when your child, friend, or family member returns home.
Many of the group members had been relocated into tents. The four girls that remained in the banda awoke to a great surprise. Zoe, Becca, Vikky, and Jesse were under attack by fire ants! They ran out of the hut screaming and shouting except for Jesse who remained standing on her bed in fear of stepping onto the ground that had turned an ominous shade of black with the thousands of fire ants that were swarming the banda. She was rescued immediately. It did not take long for the girls to look back and laugh at it although they would have preferred not to endure the painful bites.
From there we were off to our first stop for Free Travel that Jesse and Becca worked very hard to coordinate for us. I am sorry to say though that you will have to wait just a bit longer for that completely summary.
Charlotte
So since the last blog by Izzy we have completed a major part of our semester; the R&R weekend ! Our R&R weekend took place at one of the beautiful Crater Lakes called Lake Nkuruba where we got our first taste of wildlife. Every morning we woke up to a plethora of monkeys playing at the lodge. It was fun sitting back and watching wrestle, groom each other, and occasionally take the banana peels from our hands. Many of the students also enjoyed swimming in the small lake during the free time we had.
As a group, we focused on personal growth and reflected on the great things that we had accomplished. Everyday, we attempted to meditate and we even had the incredible opportunity to visit a nearby lodge that offered yoga class. Everyone participated in at least one class at this incredible spot. The class was on the top of an isolated ridge overlooking rolling hills, lakes, and small villages on all sides. Overall, the teacher Claire received rave reviews from all us as we stretched ourselves to the limit.
The other highlight of the trip was the composition of our I AM poems. Each student filled in this particular format to create a beautiful poem about themselves. I highly recommend that you request to read them when your child, friend, or family member returns home.
Many of the group members had been relocated into tents. The four girls that remained in the banda awoke to a great surprise. Zoe, Becca, Vikky, and Jesse were under attack by fire ants! They ran out of the hut screaming and shouting except for Jesse who remained standing on her bed in fear of stepping onto the ground that had turned an ominous shade of black with the thousands of fire ants that were swarming the banda. She was rescued immediately. It did not take long for the girls to look back and laugh at it although they would have preferred not to endure the painful bites.
From there we were off to our first stop for Free Travel that Jesse and Becca worked very hard to coordinate for us. I am sorry to say though that you will have to wait just a bit longer for that completely summary.
Charlotte
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Fort Portal
Last Tuesday we arrived in Fort Portal after 13 hours of traveling.
We have been staying at a hostel run by Youth Encouragement Services. YES was founded 15 years ago by Carol Adams, an American. Her organization now takes care of over 300 kids who came from elderly-led families, child-led families, or orphanhood.
Throughout the week we have been working at the Manna Rescue Home where 30 kids with HIV (28 have AIDS) live.
We spent most of our time assisting them with maintenance projects (fixing ceiling tiles, putting up mosquito nets, painting signs, concreteing goal posts, and tearing up cement). In the aftrenoon, however, and especially the last few days, we have focused more energy toward playing with the kids. We started arriving and leaving later in the day, and Karen organized a candle-making activity for all of us.
As elsewhere, we worked alongside very interesting people who were very willing to tell us about themselves and Uganda. On Saturday we visited the house of one of Carol's office workers, Rose. Her mother adopted all 27 of her grandchildren after 12 of her 13 sons and daughters died. Together with Rose and a daughter in-law, the grandmother cares for all her residents in the "House of Kids." When we arrived, teh kids gathered int he backyard to give us a proper greeting. They sang and danced as one sat on a jerry can and beat on a bucket. A popular song among them is a sadly cheerful tune about family members' dying from AIDS.
On Monday our foreman, Paddy, was willing to talk with us about his life in Uganda. Though only ~36, Paddy has been involved in the Ugandan turmoil since he was 10. While in primary school, Obote's government burned his town. Paddy fled and joined the guerillas where he served under Musseveni throughout the Civil War and Musseveni's early years. After recounting his early years, Paddy fielded our diverse questions on resources, foreign policy, and politics.
With our free time this week, some of us visited teh chimps, botanical gardens, a local market, and the tombs of the Kingdom of Toro.
Since we have been staying at a hostel, many of us have opted to cook for ourselves. Our meals have been jsut bread, salty peas, mac and cheese, egglplant with tomato and cheese, and lots of eggs. On Friday night, we had a very special pizza dinner before acquainting ourselves with East African culture by watching the "Lion King." (On Monday we wathced "Hotel Rwanda" while we had the opportunity).
In just over an hour we will had tour to Lake Nkuruba for some R+R after oru very busy week.
We have been staying at a hostel run by Youth Encouragement Services. YES was founded 15 years ago by Carol Adams, an American. Her organization now takes care of over 300 kids who came from elderly-led families, child-led families, or orphanhood.
Throughout the week we have been working at the Manna Rescue Home where 30 kids with HIV (28 have AIDS) live.
We spent most of our time assisting them with maintenance projects (fixing ceiling tiles, putting up mosquito nets, painting signs, concreteing goal posts, and tearing up cement). In the aftrenoon, however, and especially the last few days, we have focused more energy toward playing with the kids. We started arriving and leaving later in the day, and Karen organized a candle-making activity for all of us.
As elsewhere, we worked alongside very interesting people who were very willing to tell us about themselves and Uganda. On Saturday we visited the house of one of Carol's office workers, Rose. Her mother adopted all 27 of her grandchildren after 12 of her 13 sons and daughters died. Together with Rose and a daughter in-law, the grandmother cares for all her residents in the "House of Kids." When we arrived, teh kids gathered int he backyard to give us a proper greeting. They sang and danced as one sat on a jerry can and beat on a bucket. A popular song among them is a sadly cheerful tune about family members' dying from AIDS.
On Monday our foreman, Paddy, was willing to talk with us about his life in Uganda. Though only ~36, Paddy has been involved in the Ugandan turmoil since he was 10. While in primary school, Obote's government burned his town. Paddy fled and joined the guerillas where he served under Musseveni throughout the Civil War and Musseveni's early years. After recounting his early years, Paddy fielded our diverse questions on resources, foreign policy, and politics.
With our free time this week, some of us visited teh chimps, botanical gardens, a local market, and the tombs of the Kingdom of Toro.
Since we have been staying at a hostel, many of us have opted to cook for ourselves. Our meals have been jsut bread, salty peas, mac and cheese, egglplant with tomato and cheese, and lots of eggs. On Friday night, we had a very special pizza dinner before acquainting ourselves with East African culture by watching the "Lion King." (On Monday we wathced "Hotel Rwanda" while we had the opportunity).
In just over an hour we will had tour to Lake Nkuruba for some R+R after oru very busy week.
Monday, October 4, 2010
The crew just left JJ's and is getting ready to spend a night in Mbale before heading off on a 9 hour bus ride to Fort Portal tomorrow. To recap, after leaving Jinja last week, we caught a ride into Mbale where we celebrated Zoe's 18th birthday! We had a nice dinner at an Indian restaurant and enjoyed an East African supermarket cake. The next morning we met up with JJ and his family. JJ founded the Mirembe Kawomera fair trade Coffee Cooperative so we got to learn a lot about the process behind the growing and marketing of coffee. The Coop has greatly improved the quality of life for participating farmers by allowing them to earn up to 5 times as much as they would otherwise earn selling locally or through non-fair trade organizations. The other cool part about Mirembe Kawomera is that it's an interfaith organization, peacefully uniting Jews, Christians, and Muslims in an area high with religious tension.
We got to participate in and witness the first Jewish Shabbat of the year at the local synogogue with JJ's friends and family. The service was beautiful with many amazing songs and afterwards, there was a really interesting discussion which provided a space for everyone to question and talk about the service and the faith.
We went on some really cool hikes while we were there - one of which was to the rock cave where JJ used to secretly practice his religion before Uganda became more religiously tolerant. The other was to Sipi Falls, about an hour out of Mbale. The hike took about 4 hours and provided us with amazing close up views of 3 different waterfalls... it was pretty unreal. Overall, it was an amazing week. JJ's family really took us in and showed us some incredible hospitality for which we are very grateful. We look forward to traveling on to Fort Portal and doing some work at the Yes Uganda orphanage later this week. Thanks to all who showed us a lovely time in Mbale.
- Will and Taylor
We got to participate in and witness the first Jewish Shabbat of the year at the local synogogue with JJ's friends and family. The service was beautiful with many amazing songs and afterwards, there was a really interesting discussion which provided a space for everyone to question and talk about the service and the faith.
We went on some really cool hikes while we were there - one of which was to the rock cave where JJ used to secretly practice his religion before Uganda became more religiously tolerant. The other was to Sipi Falls, about an hour out of Mbale. The hike took about 4 hours and provided us with amazing close up views of 3 different waterfalls... it was pretty unreal. Overall, it was an amazing week. JJ's family really took us in and showed us some incredible hospitality for which we are very grateful. We look forward to traveling on to Fort Portal and doing some work at the Yes Uganda orphanage later this week. Thanks to all who showed us a lovely time in Mbale.
- Will and Taylor
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Next Chapter
Greetings from Jinja! Weve just returned after spending a week volunteering at the Lubani Primary School with NGO, Soft Power Education. Everyone is pretty spent and ready to relax after a week of intense painting. The week started with a visit to a local art festival in Kampala, where Izzy bought a cool pair of sandals for the good Mzungu price of 28K. Afterward we went white water rafting in the Nile River down class 5 rapids! A few people were pretty nervous beforehand but everyone conquered their fears and enjoyed the adrenaline rush and beautiful scenery. Zoe got a pretty BA bloody nose while Becca was burnt to a crisp by the hot sun... her skin is nicely recovering.
Afterward, we caught a bus to the school and got acquainted with Soft Power Education. SPE is an organization that focuses on improving education in Uganda, both via hands on teaching and improvement of local school facilities. They have worked on over 500 classrooms.
Accommodations included a sea of foam mattresses and a jungle of mosquito nets.. Things got pretty cozy in the shared classroom we inhabited. Day 3, Vickys bag arrived!
During the mornings and early afternoons we worked on priming and painting the four classroom school building and the late afternoon was spent learning Kiswahili with our awesome teacher, Roy. The language was really interesting but we will become much more prevalent when we get to Tanzania, where English is not as widely spoken. The whole time we painted, we were watched by kids who seemed particularly entertained by Chris and his sweet dance moves. It was really cool being able to interact with and get to know all of them. We miss them already, as well as Monicah, who cooked us amazing meals everyday, and Swaibu, who was an excellent foreman for the project and a good friend to have around. Meals included lots of starches and fruit.. One night we had chicken, which Charlotte so bravely butchered for us... and we ended up getting a good anatomy lesson out of the experience.
Weve been having a lot of fun playing games like Sniper, to which Alexa fell victim to first, and pushing our comfort zones, as Jess did with the squatty potty... Cliff and Karen also entertained us with some amazing pteridactyl impersonations. Tomorrow we will head off to work at the coffee plantation! Stay tuned...
Love Will and Taylor
Afterward, we caught a bus to the school and got acquainted with Soft Power Education. SPE is an organization that focuses on improving education in Uganda, both via hands on teaching and improvement of local school facilities. They have worked on over 500 classrooms.
Accommodations included a sea of foam mattresses and a jungle of mosquito nets.. Things got pretty cozy in the shared classroom we inhabited. Day 3, Vickys bag arrived!
During the mornings and early afternoons we worked on priming and painting the four classroom school building and the late afternoon was spent learning Kiswahili with our awesome teacher, Roy. The language was really interesting but we will become much more prevalent when we get to Tanzania, where English is not as widely spoken. The whole time we painted, we were watched by kids who seemed particularly entertained by Chris and his sweet dance moves. It was really cool being able to interact with and get to know all of them. We miss them already, as well as Monicah, who cooked us amazing meals everyday, and Swaibu, who was an excellent foreman for the project and a good friend to have around. Meals included lots of starches and fruit.. One night we had chicken, which Charlotte so bravely butchered for us... and we ended up getting a good anatomy lesson out of the experience.
Weve been having a lot of fun playing games like Sniper, to which Alexa fell victim to first, and pushing our comfort zones, as Jess did with the squatty potty... Cliff and Karen also entertained us with some amazing pteridactyl impersonations. Tomorrow we will head off to work at the coffee plantation! Stay tuned...
Love Will and Taylor
Sunday, September 19, 2010
And the real journey begins
So today was the last day of a successful orientation! After 4 long days of scavenging, bonding, and team building the adventures begin! For now were going to back track to the scavenger hunt and tell you guys a little bit about Kampala. We were sent out in groups with a list into the city, with each group having there own special tasks. The city of Kampala is absolute madness. There are no traffic lights, no stop signs, barley any sidewalks, and no crosswalks. Just walking was a task, because you have to cross at your own risk. The city is FULL of people. We had to squeeze our way through every crowd. A couple of kids almost got pick pocketed, but luckily nothing was taken. Some of the things we had to find were prices of bus tickets, the currency exchange, and the post office. OH, the post office, which took everyone forever to find, but luckily in the end we all made it. We (Zoe and Alexa) won the scavenger hunt and won very interesting prizes. So cheers to that! That’s just one of the crazy and exciting days that we’ve had together as a group. And by the way have we told you guys yet that this group is AWESOME? Everyone is getting along so well and we’re all having a great time. Some of us have hit some speed bumps along the way. Vicki’s bag was lost in the airport or somewhere along the way that contained all of her stuff for three months and she has been amazing. Rebecca got sick for a day or two and now she is back in action and ready to go. She didn’t complain once. Taylor missed her flight to Amsterdam and had to meet the group a day late. She had to join after everyone knew each other, but we all accepted her with open arms. Despite the speed bumps the group has also been having the greatest time with each other. Jess is amazing at drawing and uses the best adjectives to describe things such as “spectacular” or “precious.” Izzy sings Taylor Swift songs and keeps everyone laughing and entertained when he is awake. Chris has the best accent and eats so much bacon it’s just astonishing. He had bacon for breakfast lunch and dinner, no joke. Will is hilarious and is the sweetest. Charlotte has the cutest laugh and it’s very contagious, the whole room cant help but start laughing. Everyone contributes something positive and makes the group that much better. We couldn’t have asked for better people to spend three months with. Tomorrow we’re going white water rafting on the Nile! We are all super stoked yet a little nervous, but it proves we’re ready to dive into adventure and excitement that the semester will bring. We miss you and love you all! We’ll be keeping you updated!
-Zoe and Alexa
-Zoe and Alexa
Friday, September 17, 2010
Habari!
Hello fellow parents and friends! After 2 long days of traveling we have finally arrived at the Kampala backpackers hostel. In the morning we got together, had orientation and were sent out in the city for a scavenger hunt! We have been scavenging all day and have learned some words of the local language. They seem to enjoy trying to watch us speak and we laugh with them. I (Alexa) got white person and thank you confused while trying to say thank you, so they got a good laugh out of that. It’s scorching hot but we are all happy to be here! Well we need to go and we will keep you updated.
Love you all! – Zoe and Alexa
Love you all! – Zoe and Alexa
Thursday, September 16, 2010
East coast meets West coast in Amsterdam!
HQ is pleased to announce that the Africa group has re-grouped! The group is together, well, for the most part. Due to a missed flight out of Portland, Taylor will join the rest in Entebbe in just 24 hours. Stay posted as the next blog entry will come directly from the Africa Fall 2010 group! Safari njema everyone!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Godzilla Attacks Portland; Students Flee to East Africa
Karibu - Zoe, Taylor, Rebecca, Charlotte, Will, Izzy, Alexa, Chris, Victoria, and Jessica!
Welcome! This is the blog through which you'll be sharing your adventures with friends and family from across the globe. It will be a place to post photos, tell stories and store memories as a group. And it will become a place where your loved ones will come to find out where in the heck your adventurous spirit has taken you since you saw them last.
Each of you will take turns documenting our shared experiences and posting these journal entries for the world to see. Blogger will be one of the roles that each member of our traveling family will rotate through as we journey in East Africa. These roles will help each of you build the skills to become independent travelers in the developing world. At the same time, sharing responsibility will help our group build a tight-knit community that will quickly come to resemble a family.
We're looking forward to an educational journey with you, full of adventure, smells, toil, sights and laughs. In the meantime, we're anxious to discuss the details of our first in-person meeting in Portland or Amsterdam, so keep your eyes out for the 503 area code on your cell phone. Hopefully you've already had a chance to pore through the itinerary, pick up a phrasebook, and read up on the history and culture of East Africa. For now, enjoy your last week in the States: Eat the foods you love, hug your families and pets, and pick up those last minute travel-essentials. Next stop, Uganda.
Salama,
Karen and Cliff
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