Skipped Highlights

I've missed a couple major stories, so here is a quick synopsis:

The wedding in Arusha

The most random series of events that I have ever witnessed. Dan and I, dressed to the nines in our new, custom tailored African duds, danced and laughed our way through approximately 8 hours of one odd tradition after another, an absolutely stoic, straightfaced wedding party, standing in the back of a truck with the band as we circled the prominant round-a-bouts in town and stopped to take pictures in the middle of one, watched 60+ yr old ladies popin' their booty like they were 40 yrs younger, were called to dance down the aisle to the front and then fed bits of cake in front of everyone and watched strange performances including a man with socks on his hands dancing on his knees with empty glass bottles in his hands and mouth! This was one of the highlights of my time in Africa!

Hunting with the Bushmen

We awoke very early in order to find the Bushmen around dawn. Our lug of a bus trundled through the bush until suddenly we spotted a fire just off the way and could just make out figures hidden behind the brush. Once we disembarked, they wasted no time in frivolities, handed two of us bows (I got one! :) and began jogging away - no words necessary, we were off! To be honest, "hunting" with a bunch of tenderfoot westerners loping behind, I can't imagine they really expected to make a kill, although I have heard of others getting lucky. There was one point in which some little furry animal rushed by and although I drew my bow, there is no way I ever would have let an arrow fly. I ammused myself quite contentedly running around and shooting at random targets, developing quite a good aim if I do say so myself ;) Those trees and bushes didn't see me coming!
We visited the blacksmith in his shop made of twigs and branches. He showed us how he melted scraps of metal into bracelets and arrowheads and we took turns trying out the airbags and stoking the fire. The man commented that I was very good and that I would make a good wife - I'd better make sure to let my next suiter know!
Finally, following Dan's lead, I climbed onto the roof of our bus, while it was moving mind you, and we were soon joined by a couple of the other staff for some bus surfing and the very best way to take in the African countryside! The boys even got some mid-air high-fives with other buses!

Final Final Ceremony

The last ceremony in Mongola Ju was a day filled with both joy and early-onset nostalgia. They had set up a volleyball net and we played a few rounds surrounded tightly by the children who would squeal anytime a rally would end. We played a million hand games and danced and sang with the students. A group of older students sang several goodbye songs in english and it was so lovely and sad that it brought tears to my eyes. They unveiled a sign commemorating the work done by Rustic Pathways and gave us not one, but two gifts. Each of the female staff got kitenges, the cloth wrapped around by the women and the guys got super tight TShirts that said Dubai on them, ha! Then we were presented with a couple gourds on strings and were told that this was the traditional "lunch box" taken on long journeys. Wonderful! We then shared boxes of donations made by the students with the heads of the school as well as a big pot of Guacamole accompanied by their rice and chicken - An African Thanksgiving :)