Today, I write to you from Kampala, Uganda - my 40th country, which means I've finally reached the countdown to 50! I am a list-maker and a count-keeper at heart and my competitive spirit grinned upon crossing the border :). So far, I've met a very friendly pair of couchsurfers that have opened their beautiful home to me as well as helped me shape the next stage of my journey. It is so nice to be in a home especially since I was feeling a bit under the weather with a cold and a sore foot (reason soon to be revealed ;).
Kampala, besides being a capital city is nothing like Nairobi. Nairobi surprised and impressed me with it's relative calm and order. The instant that I stepped off the train (after being given ample time to gather our things as opposed to rushed out) I noticed the platform was clean and there was a conspicuous lack of touts and cab drivers vying for our attention. Luckily, Arthur had a Kenyan friend from University here that came to pick us up and we walked into the city center to check out the business district as well as take in the view from a helipad atop a beautiful conference center. At the ticket desk, Arthur's friend Kigen and one of his friends tried to persuade the stoic man to let us in for the resident's price since we had been living in Tanzania and it was half that of the foreigners ticket. The man said that we had to convince him that we had been living there, so I tried some of my best swahili - to no avail. Suddenly I asked if we could sing and Arthur and I broke into the church song that we had learned in Mongola Ju village. There, in the midst of people in business suits and chandeliers, we sang for our supper and the ticket man, cracking a smile, gave in.
Over the next few days, we got an insiders view of Nairobi and the surrounding area. We tasted the night life including the strip of bars and clubs aptly named 'Electric Avenue' and Rafikiz (Friends) where we danced to a rhythmic mix of live and recorded East African hits. We visited Kigen's development project, were mobbed by more adorable children, drove through enchanting Kenyan countryside over more of the deeply saturated rust-red roads that I had come to love in Tanzania. We spent a night in, treated to a feast by Kigen's girlfriend Rachel - seriously the best meal that we have had in Africa and one too many glasses of wine to count inducing passionate discussions about life and travel and gender roles around the world - It was a splendid evening ('til 4am)!
The next morning, after about an hour and a half of sleep, I bid a fond farewell to Arthur who opted to spend his last few days relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar and I joined Kigen in a drive 5 hours west to attend his friend's wedding. Another African wedding! This one was a lot different and since it was being held in quite a rural setting, I was probably the first white person that many of the kids had ever seen. Ha, the wide-eyed stares were amusing and I imagined what it must be like to see someone of another race for the first time... In America, I just grew up assuming everyone was American unless I heard an accent. I would never think of addressing someone by their skin color, but here, we have people shouting "Mizungu!" even in cosmopolitan Nairobi!
That night, after a nice meal of local food, Kigen and I met some of his buddies in his home town and after drinking my very first energy drink (I'm working on an hour and a half sleep remember, plus a couple brief dozes in the car), we hit up a place called Signatures - and ROCKED it! :) We claimed an area and the group of us danced until about 6am!!! Being the only white person in the club for most of the night, I had a plethora of people interested in dancing and/or speaking with me. Kigen and a couple of his friends declared themselves my personal body guards which was sweet and even then, I managed to have a handful of hilarious interactions. One massive bouncer took my hand as I passed by and said "I wish to be your very best friend". After dancing with one fellow several times he said, "I wish you were mine... I would have given you a heroic welcome" - Ha! One younger guy 'spelled my name' on his heart by holding my hand to his chest while he flexed his pec muscle and another older guy said that he really enjoyed speaking to... people of my... community, clearly struggling to be politically correct, which I gave him props for, however amusing the comment. Racism is a strange beast... a subject that deserves it's own blog entry at some point.
Needless to say, upon waking up around 8 am in order to visit Kigen's parent's orphan project, I was a bit tired. My left foot was tender to walk on - too much dancing? Never! ;) - and my voice was wavering. The facilities for the children were amazing and I enjoyed touring the compound, but waiting until midnight to catch the bus to Kampala, it was hard to muster much energy. So many nights out (not to mention those with Arthur in Mombasa and Mtwapa) in a row were beginning to take their toll and as I said, after bidding adieu to my new friend Kigen and an over night bus into Uganda, a day off to recover was much needed!
Now, after a day or two of relaxing and exploring the city (a chaotic cluster of crowded streets, cars and trucks and speeding motorcycles causing a choking amount of pollution, a golden mosque, a peaceful cathedral and a fascinating, but somewhat disconcerting market, all bunched together amongst an impressaive amount of green on 7 rolling hills), I'll take a jaunt out to the city if Jinja (love that name), one of the 3 places that claims to be the source of the mighty Nile and then I am organizing my next big adventure - a trek into the jungle to visit the endangered silverback gorillas! I cannot wait to track them deep into the lush flora, bushwhacking our way to observe one of the few families left. Just a couple months ago, Kampala's sole UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kasubi Tombs, were burned down due to civil violence which makes me sad that I came just a little too late and reminds me why I want to see as much as possible, before it's too late!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Safari Njema (Bon Voyage)
Wow. There is something so quintessential about journeying by train across the African landscape. Arthur, who has been an amazing travel companion, and I booked a compartment on the overnight train from Mombasa to Nairobi after spending 4 glorious days exploring Mombasa and relaxing on a beach north of the city in our own private cottage on the waterfront. We swam in the Ocean a couple times a day, wandered the rural villages through mud huts and forgotten pathways and even discovered an abandoned resort (an eerie shell of what was once perhaps one of the largest resorts in the area, ceilings deteriorated from mold, the pool quarter-filled with a mysterious golden liquid, spiral staircases covered in dust and broken glass and the most impressive building, built directly on a cliff above the ocean, a three bedroom house with a 270 degree view of the turquoise waters below. We bought bananas, avocado, tomatoes and a loaf of bread for about a dollar, snuck up to the master bedroom's balcony and served up a picnic with a five-star view - paradise!)
At night, after sharing a few drinks with a pair of fellow Irish travelers, I was rocked to sleep by the gentle creaking of our train car, my top bunk actually quite comfortable - like a swaying cradle. The morning suddenly began with the clanging of a bell announcing breakfast and we lifted the shade to scan for wildlife. Zebras and Gazelle were the first to be spotted :).
It feels so good to be back on the wild road. Day one of the adventure was Friday the 13th and although I am only mildly-stitious, the run of bad luck was quite obnoxious. Arthur, Dan and I had gone out dancing 'til late (highlight of the club was dancing to pop music with a Masai man decked out in full traditional dress including beaded bracelets up his arms and around his forehead :) so we pulled an all-nighter and upon arriving at the train station at 5:30am I could not find our train ticket. After a distressing period of looking for it and looking for our bus, we got everything situated and were heading north on what was supposed to be a 6hr express bus. There was no express about it. It stopped constantly, the entire journey actually took us nearly twelve hours and in the process, my shoulder bag's zipper ceased working, my flip-flop broke so I walked barefoot through Mombasa and the bus put a new hole in my backpack! What a day.
Amazingly, that night I was able to find a pair of used reef flips at a street stall for about $5 and the next day, without any fiddling, the zipper began working again! We also found some great food and a couple decent places to stay - thank goodness for Saturday the 14th :)
This summer of working for Rustic Pathways was brought to a close with a couple epic experiences. Three days of safari in the Serengeti, three days spent relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar and two weeks of building classrooms in a tiny village near Karatu were simply Amazing! Not to mention hunting with the bushmen, participating in a local wedding and dancing at a club with a Masai warrior!
For safari (the Swahili word for journey), we packed our things onto one of the ubiquitous safari vehicles, old time landcruisers retrofitted so that the roof can raise to allow us to stand and take photos as we rumble past photogenic wildlife set against the legendary African backdrop of Acacia and Baobab trees. Even when the animals were hidden away and the landscape flattened into a broad expanse of dried grasses, it was incredibly inspiring to stand up, arms resting on the roof, camera in hand, Ancient African air whizzing around us and working it's way through my system... Searching for the actual pride rock and suddenly we would slow, shhhh, a lion, no two, no four, look at the two cubs! Truly, there is nothing like spotting these beautiful creatures in their own land. Watching them stretch, stroll, stalk and sleep - in the wild!
We slept in tents in a campground and the first night, just as I snuggled down into my sleeping bag I heard an elephant sound his trumpet not far off - SO cool! We went on game-drives twice a day for a few hours each time. One morning we awoke before the sun rose and drove to an open area to witness the day begin. A pack of spotted hyenas were already there, prowling for leftovers and our driver waved a red shawl so that they would approach us expecting meat. They were surprisingly cute! In just three days of hunting, we tracked down elephants, lions, leopards (one of which had dragged a gazelle high up into a tree for an evening feast), zebras, giraffes, ostriches, hyenas, warthogs, crocodiles, hippos, tens of thousands of gazelle, migrating herds of wildebeests, hartebeests, impalas, mongoose, jackals, waterbucks, Elands, and water buffalos! One of the highlights was visiting a hippo pool, severely receded in dry season, there must have been at least 75 hippos puzzle pieced together in a reduction of putrid sludge - approximately 4 parts waste, 4 parts rotting refuse and 2 parts leftover river-water. Hippos are apparently one of the most aggressive animals and we watched them fighting over the limited space, their massive maws emerging from the soup, stretched nearly 180 degrees, teeth bared, issuing gurgling growls and chomping down on each other. It was nice to be out of the cruiser for a time, observing the animals up close. The only animals that we wanted to see and were unable to find were cheetahs and the endangered black rhino (which I was lucky enough to spot on my next safari in the Ngorongoro Crater).
Once back to camp on our last evening, after hours sitting and standing in place, we decided to put on an impromptu Zumba session. Our guide and the other groups watched amusedly as we laughed our way through the songs. The following morning, we left camp early in order to get to the airport in time - at least a good 7 hour drive. Unfortunately, our safari vehicle had had enough and it broke down no less than four times and got a flat tire! On about our third surprise stop, we climbed out and into the middle of nowhere. As far as one could see, there were only a few speckled trees off in the distance and a nearly deserted road. Stuck in the Serengeti. I brought out catch phrase and we began passing it around in a circle. One by one, Masai began appearing on the horizon and drifting towards this strange group of wazungu (the swahili term for foreigners) passing this obnoxiously beeping plastic disc around between themselves shouting at eachother - what they must have been thinking! Soon, there were about ten adults and children standing just 5 or so feet away from our group staring at this crazy scene. Suddenly I thought, why don't we put on a show for them! We are always playing the tourist, wanting to see locals perform, why not the other way around?? I grabbed the speakers and my ipod, selected 'Shake Senora' which is an easy zumba routine and there, in the middle of the Serengeti, we shimmied and shook for a random group of Masai! It was epic.
We raced to the airport and our luck failed us once again. We narrowly missed the plane. But, our luck immediately returned when there happened to be a flight just thirty minutes later, so voila! Next thing you know, we were settling into our posh hotel rooms, canopied beds sprinkled with flowers, hot showers and balconies - fabulous! The hotel had a private beach, infinity pool facing the sunset, sports bar and fancy restaurant (that served the most delicious continental breakfast), live traditional music in the evenings, a spa (which I splurged on a special swahili scrub massage for my birthday) and a turn-down service. It was such a treat!
We spent the first day exploring Stone Town, famous for it's ornately carved wooden doors, and shopping, returning in time to take a dip in the Indian ocean, relax by the pool, watch the sunset and enjoy a candle lit dinner on the beach (I had the grilled ostrich steak :). The next day was one of pure bliss. We spent the day sailing on an African dhow to a couple different small islands including a pristine white sand bank that, by the time that we returned, had been completely submerged due to the tide. We snorkeled around coral beds through schools of shimmering fish that swirled around you like iridescent tulip petals caught in a breeze and making sure to avoid the menacing pitch black sea urchins the size of basketballs. Lunch was nothing short of manna from heaven - an all you can eat seafood selection including lobster, calamari, tuna, cod, scallops, local sauces made with tamarind and coconut and for dessert? An exotic array of fruits from the island that our guide cut open right in front of our table, one by one so that we could try them all. Sweet grapefruit, oranges, custard apples, rambutans, lady-finger bananas, red bananas, two different types of mango, passion fruit, star fruit, pineapple, sugar cane and even baobab seeds - Ahh, I'm salivating just remembering it! To wrap it all up, we were offered coffee and amarula, a sweet African liqueur and then given time to either sail on another type of boat or sunbathe. Sublime.
That night, we visited the fish market where the local fishermen BBQ their catch of the day, bake up special breads and display them in hundreds of stands set up by the waterfront. The lights and the people and the smell of BBQ make for an enchanting atmosphere. The winner of the evening was the "Zanzibar Pizza", a dough ball flattened and fried with several combinations of ingredients, my favorite being nutella and banana (the caramel mango was a close second :).
Alas, all good things come to an end and the next morning we were en route to Arusha. Yet another set of goodbyes and another set of new students arriving and just like that, another stage of the summer had begun. A whirlwind week of tasting the exotic side of Africa and my next charge was to spend two weeks living on a coffee plantation, working in a small village about 40 minutes away finishing new classrooms for the school with a group of ten students. An equally inspiring experience in an entirely different way.
I have now just arrived in Uganda and will hopefully post another 'catching up' entry soon - so many incredible experiences!
At night, after sharing a few drinks with a pair of fellow Irish travelers, I was rocked to sleep by the gentle creaking of our train car, my top bunk actually quite comfortable - like a swaying cradle. The morning suddenly began with the clanging of a bell announcing breakfast and we lifted the shade to scan for wildlife. Zebras and Gazelle were the first to be spotted :).
It feels so good to be back on the wild road. Day one of the adventure was Friday the 13th and although I am only mildly-stitious, the run of bad luck was quite obnoxious. Arthur, Dan and I had gone out dancing 'til late (highlight of the club was dancing to pop music with a Masai man decked out in full traditional dress including beaded bracelets up his arms and around his forehead :) so we pulled an all-nighter and upon arriving at the train station at 5:30am I could not find our train ticket. After a distressing period of looking for it and looking for our bus, we got everything situated and were heading north on what was supposed to be a 6hr express bus. There was no express about it. It stopped constantly, the entire journey actually took us nearly twelve hours and in the process, my shoulder bag's zipper ceased working, my flip-flop broke so I walked barefoot through Mombasa and the bus put a new hole in my backpack! What a day.
Amazingly, that night I was able to find a pair of used reef flips at a street stall for about $5 and the next day, without any fiddling, the zipper began working again! We also found some great food and a couple decent places to stay - thank goodness for Saturday the 14th :)
This summer of working for Rustic Pathways was brought to a close with a couple epic experiences. Three days of safari in the Serengeti, three days spent relaxing on the beaches of Zanzibar and two weeks of building classrooms in a tiny village near Karatu were simply Amazing! Not to mention hunting with the bushmen, participating in a local wedding and dancing at a club with a Masai warrior!
For safari (the Swahili word for journey), we packed our things onto one of the ubiquitous safari vehicles, old time landcruisers retrofitted so that the roof can raise to allow us to stand and take photos as we rumble past photogenic wildlife set against the legendary African backdrop of Acacia and Baobab trees. Even when the animals were hidden away and the landscape flattened into a broad expanse of dried grasses, it was incredibly inspiring to stand up, arms resting on the roof, camera in hand, Ancient African air whizzing around us and working it's way through my system... Searching for the actual pride rock and suddenly we would slow, shhhh, a lion, no two, no four, look at the two cubs! Truly, there is nothing like spotting these beautiful creatures in their own land. Watching them stretch, stroll, stalk and sleep - in the wild!
We slept in tents in a campground and the first night, just as I snuggled down into my sleeping bag I heard an elephant sound his trumpet not far off - SO cool! We went on game-drives twice a day for a few hours each time. One morning we awoke before the sun rose and drove to an open area to witness the day begin. A pack of spotted hyenas were already there, prowling for leftovers and our driver waved a red shawl so that they would approach us expecting meat. They were surprisingly cute! In just three days of hunting, we tracked down elephants, lions, leopards (one of which had dragged a gazelle high up into a tree for an evening feast), zebras, giraffes, ostriches, hyenas, warthogs, crocodiles, hippos, tens of thousands of gazelle, migrating herds of wildebeests, hartebeests, impalas, mongoose, jackals, waterbucks, Elands, and water buffalos! One of the highlights was visiting a hippo pool, severely receded in dry season, there must have been at least 75 hippos puzzle pieced together in a reduction of putrid sludge - approximately 4 parts waste, 4 parts rotting refuse and 2 parts leftover river-water. Hippos are apparently one of the most aggressive animals and we watched them fighting over the limited space, their massive maws emerging from the soup, stretched nearly 180 degrees, teeth bared, issuing gurgling growls and chomping down on each other. It was nice to be out of the cruiser for a time, observing the animals up close. The only animals that we wanted to see and were unable to find were cheetahs and the endangered black rhino (which I was lucky enough to spot on my next safari in the Ngorongoro Crater).
Once back to camp on our last evening, after hours sitting and standing in place, we decided to put on an impromptu Zumba session. Our guide and the other groups watched amusedly as we laughed our way through the songs. The following morning, we left camp early in order to get to the airport in time - at least a good 7 hour drive. Unfortunately, our safari vehicle had had enough and it broke down no less than four times and got a flat tire! On about our third surprise stop, we climbed out and into the middle of nowhere. As far as one could see, there were only a few speckled trees off in the distance and a nearly deserted road. Stuck in the Serengeti. I brought out catch phrase and we began passing it around in a circle. One by one, Masai began appearing on the horizon and drifting towards this strange group of wazungu (the swahili term for foreigners) passing this obnoxiously beeping plastic disc around between themselves shouting at eachother - what they must have been thinking! Soon, there were about ten adults and children standing just 5 or so feet away from our group staring at this crazy scene. Suddenly I thought, why don't we put on a show for them! We are always playing the tourist, wanting to see locals perform, why not the other way around?? I grabbed the speakers and my ipod, selected 'Shake Senora' which is an easy zumba routine and there, in the middle of the Serengeti, we shimmied and shook for a random group of Masai! It was epic.
We raced to the airport and our luck failed us once again. We narrowly missed the plane. But, our luck immediately returned when there happened to be a flight just thirty minutes later, so voila! Next thing you know, we were settling into our posh hotel rooms, canopied beds sprinkled with flowers, hot showers and balconies - fabulous! The hotel had a private beach, infinity pool facing the sunset, sports bar and fancy restaurant (that served the most delicious continental breakfast), live traditional music in the evenings, a spa (which I splurged on a special swahili scrub massage for my birthday) and a turn-down service. It was such a treat!
We spent the first day exploring Stone Town, famous for it's ornately carved wooden doors, and shopping, returning in time to take a dip in the Indian ocean, relax by the pool, watch the sunset and enjoy a candle lit dinner on the beach (I had the grilled ostrich steak :). The next day was one of pure bliss. We spent the day sailing on an African dhow to a couple different small islands including a pristine white sand bank that, by the time that we returned, had been completely submerged due to the tide. We snorkeled around coral beds through schools of shimmering fish that swirled around you like iridescent tulip petals caught in a breeze and making sure to avoid the menacing pitch black sea urchins the size of basketballs. Lunch was nothing short of manna from heaven - an all you can eat seafood selection including lobster, calamari, tuna, cod, scallops, local sauces made with tamarind and coconut and for dessert? An exotic array of fruits from the island that our guide cut open right in front of our table, one by one so that we could try them all. Sweet grapefruit, oranges, custard apples, rambutans, lady-finger bananas, red bananas, two different types of mango, passion fruit, star fruit, pineapple, sugar cane and even baobab seeds - Ahh, I'm salivating just remembering it! To wrap it all up, we were offered coffee and amarula, a sweet African liqueur and then given time to either sail on another type of boat or sunbathe. Sublime.
That night, we visited the fish market where the local fishermen BBQ their catch of the day, bake up special breads and display them in hundreds of stands set up by the waterfront. The lights and the people and the smell of BBQ make for an enchanting atmosphere. The winner of the evening was the "Zanzibar Pizza", a dough ball flattened and fried with several combinations of ingredients, my favorite being nutella and banana (the caramel mango was a close second :).
Alas, all good things come to an end and the next morning we were en route to Arusha. Yet another set of goodbyes and another set of new students arriving and just like that, another stage of the summer had begun. A whirlwind week of tasting the exotic side of Africa and my next charge was to spend two weeks living on a coffee plantation, working in a small village about 40 minutes away finishing new classrooms for the school with a group of ten students. An equally inspiring experience in an entirely different way.
I have now just arrived in Uganda and will hopefully post another 'catching up' entry soon - so many incredible experiences!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Catchin' Up
Phew! Do I have some catching up go do! I can't believe that it's been more than a month since I stood on top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and watched the sun rise over Africa. This summer has flown by with such vivacity - a veritble whirlwind of different programs, hundreds of kids in and out of country, smiling children like autumn leaves jumping and dancing around you, football matches, mountains and rainforest and islands and vast arid planes, delicious foods including more fresh-off-the-tree avocados and bananas than you can count (actually, I have a running tally of bananas consumed, just to satisfy my curiosity :).
After Kili, I spent two weeks in the village of Poli, about 45 minutes outside of Arusha. It's a small village of approximately 2,200 people spead throughout banana groves with giant avocado trees and a few coffee bushes mixed in here and there. Most of the houses are hidden amongst the banana trees and kids would materialize, seemingly right out of said trees, to peer questioningly at the odd group of "wazungu", the swahili term for foreigners, traipsing by or to offer a cheery "Jambo!" and a wave. Often the kids would be drawn like magnets from their homes and before long we would have ten to twenty of them tagging along, listening intently to our conversations, asking and repeating our names over and over again and holding our hands. Children are just so lovable!
This was a one week program designed to connect well with either Climbing Kilimanjaro or Safari so the students can also take part in some community service and get a glimpse into Tanzanian life. Every morning, we drove from the base house to the village, the latter part up steep and deeply rutted dirt roads that turned into slip and slides any time that it rained. On more than one occasion we would have to pile out and push the bus or make the muddy trek up on foot.
We have worked closely with the directors of the school and the chairman of the village to assess the projects that will most benefit the community in the time that we have and our students have already finished and patched the veranda for the school so that the kids and teachers can pass easily from class to class when it rains, built a protective fence around the water pump, finished painting the kitchen that was built last year, stabilized and rendered walls around the school and have dug the foundation for an office building to house the village delegation.
It's a lot of hard work, mixing cement, carrying buckets of water and wheelbarrows of sand and rocks, but when the village kids pitch in, it makes everything seem easier and our students quickly gain an appreciation for this rustic way of life.
Each Saturday we joined the local football club in a rowdy match, chasing the ball up and down the uneven and pitted field, somewhat more reminiscent of of pinball machine than the smooth passing of the World Cup teams that we watched nearly every evening. High fives and tid bits of swahili were exchanged, friends and memories were made.
The first week, I had a group comprised entirely of girls and at some point, it was discovered that I had taught Zumba. Next thing you know, they all woke up early for an introductory Zumba lesson with me on the front lawn! The next week, we had a couple boys that joined in, one of whom reluctantly tried a step or two before getting into his own work out :). It was fun leading a 'class' again and getting in a little extra excersize besides the service work and occasional morning jog. The students also get to spend an afternoon with one of the families cooking traditional food, which is one of the highlights of the week. They are invited into Poli homes, stir locally grown beans and corn with utensils carved from the local trees and eat 3 different dishes out of these unique, beautiful little bowls with handles. I even commissioned one from the lady that teaches the students how to weave baskets out of banana tree skin (I got one of those as well! :).
Throughout my time working with Rustic Pathways, I cannot help but be a wee bit envious of these teens. I have been so blessed myself, with everything that I have been able to do and see, but just imagine if I had been able to begin my exploration of the world when I was sixteen! It is so nice to work with kids that really recognize the opportunities that they are being given and are in awe of the experience and likewise, it is equally distressing to meet kids that are already jaded at such a young age with a been-there-done-that, 'when do I get to go to my summer house in the Hamptons' mentality.
Speaking of the kids though, every summer I learn how far out of the teen loop that I've become. I like to think that I stay up on popular terms and I'm aware of current websites/youtube videos/pop culture (except when it comes to hollywood), but each year I am proved sadly out of date. Did you know that "wheeling" meant making-out or that "mobbin" meant going really fast? "Mons" means really big (as in short for monstrous), "witchita" is used for give me as in "witchta the eggs please" and words like jank, and bomb are the new over-used slang. Ha, what an entertaining education I get as each group exchanges the latest lingo from their respective regions.
Highlights from my three seperate Safaris, Zanzibar Paradise and my last two weeks of community service in a village up north soon to come!
After Kili, I spent two weeks in the village of Poli, about 45 minutes outside of Arusha. It's a small village of approximately 2,200 people spead throughout banana groves with giant avocado trees and a few coffee bushes mixed in here and there. Most of the houses are hidden amongst the banana trees and kids would materialize, seemingly right out of said trees, to peer questioningly at the odd group of "wazungu", the swahili term for foreigners, traipsing by or to offer a cheery "Jambo!" and a wave. Often the kids would be drawn like magnets from their homes and before long we would have ten to twenty of them tagging along, listening intently to our conversations, asking and repeating our names over and over again and holding our hands. Children are just so lovable!
This was a one week program designed to connect well with either Climbing Kilimanjaro or Safari so the students can also take part in some community service and get a glimpse into Tanzanian life. Every morning, we drove from the base house to the village, the latter part up steep and deeply rutted dirt roads that turned into slip and slides any time that it rained. On more than one occasion we would have to pile out and push the bus or make the muddy trek up on foot.
We have worked closely with the directors of the school and the chairman of the village to assess the projects that will most benefit the community in the time that we have and our students have already finished and patched the veranda for the school so that the kids and teachers can pass easily from class to class when it rains, built a protective fence around the water pump, finished painting the kitchen that was built last year, stabilized and rendered walls around the school and have dug the foundation for an office building to house the village delegation.
It's a lot of hard work, mixing cement, carrying buckets of water and wheelbarrows of sand and rocks, but when the village kids pitch in, it makes everything seem easier and our students quickly gain an appreciation for this rustic way of life.
Each Saturday we joined the local football club in a rowdy match, chasing the ball up and down the uneven and pitted field, somewhat more reminiscent of of pinball machine than the smooth passing of the World Cup teams that we watched nearly every evening. High fives and tid bits of swahili were exchanged, friends and memories were made.
The first week, I had a group comprised entirely of girls and at some point, it was discovered that I had taught Zumba. Next thing you know, they all woke up early for an introductory Zumba lesson with me on the front lawn! The next week, we had a couple boys that joined in, one of whom reluctantly tried a step or two before getting into his own work out :). It was fun leading a 'class' again and getting in a little extra excersize besides the service work and occasional morning jog. The students also get to spend an afternoon with one of the families cooking traditional food, which is one of the highlights of the week. They are invited into Poli homes, stir locally grown beans and corn with utensils carved from the local trees and eat 3 different dishes out of these unique, beautiful little bowls with handles. I even commissioned one from the lady that teaches the students how to weave baskets out of banana tree skin (I got one of those as well! :).
Throughout my time working with Rustic Pathways, I cannot help but be a wee bit envious of these teens. I have been so blessed myself, with everything that I have been able to do and see, but just imagine if I had been able to begin my exploration of the world when I was sixteen! It is so nice to work with kids that really recognize the opportunities that they are being given and are in awe of the experience and likewise, it is equally distressing to meet kids that are already jaded at such a young age with a been-there-done-that, 'when do I get to go to my summer house in the Hamptons' mentality.
Speaking of the kids though, every summer I learn how far out of the teen loop that I've become. I like to think that I stay up on popular terms and I'm aware of current websites/youtube videos/pop culture (except when it comes to hollywood), but each year I am proved sadly out of date. Did you know that "wheeling" meant making-out or that "mobbin" meant going really fast? "Mons" means really big (as in short for monstrous), "witchita" is used for give me as in "witchta the eggs please" and words like jank, and bomb are the new over-used slang. Ha, what an entertaining education I get as each group exchanges the latest lingo from their respective regions.
Highlights from my three seperate Safaris, Zanzibar Paradise and my last two weeks of community service in a village up north soon to come!
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