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