Homeward Bound pt. 2

Dear Reader,

I survived the wait in Dar without having to go back outside for a drink.  I was disappointed when I realised the price of Tanzanite in the duty free shops was almost double the cost in Moshi. Good thing I'm  going  back to Moshi (smile).  I saw a cute Tanzania tank top, typical tourist wear, which I figured would be a nice article of clothing to remind me of my time here.  It was $30... as in US dollars.  I probably wouldn't have paid Tsh 30,000  for it on the street so I had to walk away from that.  I have many memories that I'm positive will last a lifetime so ridiculously overpriced tourist trap, you may keep your shirt!
The flight to Dubai went faster than expected. After some rest and a refreshing shower I'm ready for my day of wandering around the Dubai International Airport. Maybe I'll find a camel for Baby Oz... it is Hump Day after all!

Homeward Bound pt. 1

This morning we left the resort at 8:30am for the first leg of our journey home.  After a quick 20 minute flight to Dar es Salaam we were not thrilled to find out that check in for our Dubai flight wouldn't begin until 1pm... that left us with about an hour an a half to sit in limbo. We're currently in a seating area between security and the check in desks.  There are no shops (tragic) or anything. Having ditched all liquids back in Zanzibar I'm feeling a little parched and now debating if I feel like going out and looking around (which may lead to hassle from local merchants) and then coming back through security... we'll see what happens

Hakuna Matata -15/08

Today was a lazy day.  I pigged out on breakfast, went for a swim on the beach, enjoyed a late lunch, took a swim in the pool, got a henna tattoo in a thatched hut on the beach, had dinner on our patio and watched some of the Olympics before packing and getting ready for bed.
Nzuri sana! (Very good).

Prison Island - 14/08

Word of the day: recalcitrant.
Prison Island was originally used to detain recalcitrant slaves before being a quarantine station.
I took a guess using context clues and then looked it up... my first thought was I'm pretty good, second was wondering if I could use that word in either parent communication or report card writing hehe. I doubt either one would be given the okay.

The main attraction on the island these days are the giant tortoises which we were able to feed.  Aren't they cute in their own special way?  {{Photos to follow}}

Next up: Next Paradise - 13/08

Yesterday we checked in to Next Paradise Beach Resort... it's a big change from our time in the bush!  Things like air conditioning and continuous power supply were amenities I'd forgotten all about over the past month.
The resort is beautiful, our bungalow looks out to the pool and just over the hedge- the white sand beach.  I've already dipped my feet into the Indian Ocean! 
Rest and relaxation will be the name of the game for this leg of the trip. I'm looking forward to it.

The Nature Walk - 12/08

At 6:30am this morning Neka and I went for a nature walk/walking safari with Eric and an armed guide.  I have forgotten how to pronounce his name so we'll call him Mr. M. We were given clear instructions to stay behind Mr. M. at all times and to let Eric know if we wanted to stop to take photos- basically for safety reasons we needed to stay as a group. 
We learned a lot about trees, animal habits, dung, insects and birds. My nerd side was in its glory. We were able to get a lot closer to the giraffes and impala than we were in the jeeps.
There's a reconstructed hippo skeleton set up which was interesting to see. I picked up one of his thigh bones and a tooth for closer inspection. You can tell it is the skeleton of a male by the narrow pelvis.
{photo will go here}
Still no leopard, but I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be with a leopard without the safety of the jeep. Eric says if I saw all of the Big 5 I wouldn't need to come back, so this means I'll definitely want to come back to Africa.  He's so right.

Fine Bush Dining pt. 2 - 11/08

This morning we headed out for an early morning game drive.  We shared the drive with a French couple and it was our first shared drive of the trip - we've been pretty blessed to have private drives.  That Maasai bracelet must work for some things 😉.
We drove through an area that the leopards apparently like with no luck and then Eric got notice of a lion with a young buffalo kill.  We we heading to see that when instead we got the treat of finding two lionesses and two lion cubs!!!! Who was excited - me, of course!  Neka was too. The lions were literally walking on the road and we followed them.  The road was my least favourite type in the Park- black cotton soil that is sticky mud during the rainy season.  Thanks to the countless hippos and elephants that trudge through the mud, it dries as a ridiculously bumpy and hard surface.  There's no rushing on these roads.  Eric always jokes that we are getting a free massage...I guess that's one way of looking at it.
Back to the matter at hand we followed the lions until they stopped for a rest in the grass.  I can't wait to share the photos with you! Thanks again to my Auntie and Uncle for my amazing camera!  I can't imagine my trip without it.
Once it was clear that the lions were settled in we continued on our way... the only thing growling now was my stomach!  Eric took us to a picnic area near a giant baobab tree and set up our Fine Bush Dining breakfast. I was happy to see that pancakes were on the menu.  They were a hit with everyone - between the five of us we devoured all of them.
We checked in on the lion and his buffalo before driving back to camp for our siesta  and lunch. 
In the afternoon Neka and I had another drive, this time around two of the lakes.  We got up close and personal with some hippos, saw plenty of crocodiles, a wide variety of birds, vervet monkeys and the usual giraffes and impalas. This will be our last safari drive. 
Tomorrow morning we're heading out on a nature walk before breakfast and we leave camp after lunch to continue our journey to Zanzibar.

Fine Bush Dining -10/08

Today we experienced what I have dubbed "fine bush dining". Typically my previous safari drives came with a packed box lunch including a sandwich, fresh fruit, veggies, hard boiled egg, snack (i.e. cookie), juice box and often a piece of chicken or some other savory baked item like quiche or samosa.
I was in for a surprise today with our personal table, chairs and proper plated meals!  Thankfully they also got our meal restrictions correct- no pork or pineapples for me, no meat for Neka. We enjoyed our meal and conversation with Eric while taking in the beautiful surroundings.

{{Photo to follow}}

Almost Kind of Counts 10/08

This morning we *almost* saw a lioness hunt a zebra. She was hunched by a tree intently watching the zebras grazing nearby and calling for her pride.  We waited for a while, drawing the attention of a few other safari jeeps but despite her calls the other lions did not come... I think it's because there was so much traffic. So even though the saying goes "almost doesn't count," for today I'd have to disagree. I, for one, enjoyed my almost-kill experience.

{{Gorgeous photo of lioness to come- check back in a few days}}

Baadae Ruaha -09/08

Today was our last day in Ruaha. The lions had killed a buffalo and were guarding it.  The kill was fresh so it did not have a smell.  Word on the bush-vine was that there were some lion cubs around but we were unable to find them.  Apparently we also missed two leopards who had disappeared into the bush. Honestly these leopards are so elusive! We were able to see some ostriches though so that was nice. We ended our game drive at the airstrip.
We took our packed lunches on the plane and headed for Selous. I had taken some motion sickness medication in addition to my usual strategy of wearing my acupressure bands.  Thankfully we were the first stop on today's flight route.  I slept through most of the flight and awoke in time to see our approach to Selous Game Reserve.
We were greeted by Eric, our new guide,  who happens to be friends with Doto! After a very short drive we arrived at the camp where we met Henri and Pita. Once we had checked in, completed the safety and information introduction we dropped our belongings off in our tent (yes, tent.  I'll post photos later) and then set off for our afternoon boat safari.
We saw plenty of hippo, crocs and a wide variety of birds.  One of my favourites so far is the bee-eater. It's not as stunning as the superb starling, which is my new favourite bird, but it is quite beautiful.
We're all set for a full day safari tomorrow but for now- dinner and then bed!
Oh,  I should mention that the service isn't great here so I'm planning on being off grid for the next three nights. Try not to miss me too much!

{{Photos to come}}

Circle of Life - 08/08

This morning's game drive started with a visit to the hippo and crocodile pool.  We were able to see many hippos and crocs basking, swimming, eating and sleeping before continuing our drive. 
We saw some vultures circling and a few others perched in a tree so Doto, our driver, took us to check out the area.  When we arrived we saw jackals and hyenas hanging around as well.  Doto pointed out the lion prints to us and said by the amount there was a large group of them.  We soon found a young male lion guarding the kill- another giraffe. We spotted more lions in the bush and when we got closer I was amazed at the sight of the largest pride I've seen so far!  There were 9 lions resting in the shade and another male resting in a shady spot a little further away.  I got some great photos!  So even though I haven't found that leopard yet I've had some really priceless moments on this safari already.  One day left before we head to our next camp... I hope they can meet the high standard set by Candy, Graeme and the Ruaha River Lodge team!

{{Photo of lion and the kill to follow}}

Simba Sunday -07/08

Today's game drive got off to a slow start but by the afternoon we had seen 9 lions!  For those of you blissfully unaware, simba is the Swahili word for lion.  As such I've decided today was "Simba Sunday"...
Yesterday the lions killed a giraffe and today we saw the hyenas, jackals and vultures taking advantage of the spoils.
Did you know:- hyena droppings are white because their diet contains a lot of bones.
You probably could guess:- that a decomposing giraffe smells foul!

The Chunder Bag - 06/08

Last night I met my friend Neka in Dar es Salaam. This morning we were scheduled to fly into Ruaha National Park for our first safari. The flight was delayed and when we finally took off I wasn't as nervous as I expected to be.  The flight was going to take us group by group to the different parks. I was unaware of this arrangement.
For the first two stops I was alright but by the third stop I was not feeling good at all and wondering what I was going to do as I didn't have any plastic bags. Thankfully there were some bags in the seat pocket labelled "The Chunder Bag" in English and "Mifuko ya kutupikia" in Swahili which apparently means "vomiting bag".
I used all three and was feeling less than fine when we landed in Ruaha. I wanted to cry when Doto, our driver, said we'd be going on safari before heading to the camp. I wanted to go to bed!
The drive was good though- saw a few elephants and lots of Maasai giraffe.
The lodge is breathtaking.  Our banda  (room) is quite impressive. Minus the unwanted guest - two geckos that Neka has named Tim and Albert, I have no complaints. I'll be sure to post pictures at some point.

{{photo to follow}}

It's So Hard To Say Goodbye - 05/08

Starting yesterday with Mama Thea's heartfelt thank you to all volunteers during reflection session I've been fighting off tears but this evening I couldn't hold it any more. 
The goodbyes to my students went pretty well - most  of them didn't understand that I was leaving.  Many of them calling out "See you tomorrow!" as I walked out the door... I wish that were true my little love bugs!
The goodbyes to my CCS Karanga Familia were notably harder... I'll truly miss everyone there.  Lots of hugs and well wishes were exchanged.
This was a lot harder to walk away from than CCS Bangkok... and I loved it there.  Is there anything deeper than love??
I'm not sure, but I think it's fair to say I left a bit of my heart in Moshi...

Farewell Friday - 05/08

This morning was a bittersweet one... the children are used to my style of teaching now and they've really made progress with the goal I set of being able to identify and not just recite the numbers through 100.
Unfortunately because it was so cold and overcast there was no assembly this morning, which meant no chance for me to record the children singing the national anthem for you. There was some playtime which was good fun. 
I had a special treat of chocolate pinwheel cookies for the children- they had to answer a question correctly to get them but of course I matched the questions to their abilities so it all worked out.  I was a little sad that Jesca and Julias were still out sick so we didn't get to say goodbye.  I gave Karim a hug when I saw him in the morning but unfortunately I didn't see my little darling Makee.
After lunch Teddy washed my hair for me before we practised baby wearing.  I'm feeling confident about my ability to wrap my future niece or nephew when they arrive (please wait a few more weeks, Baby Oz).
Once I finished packing I took a few more photos of Home Base and then played cards with the boys until dinner...

{{Photo with class to follow}}

The End Approaches - 04/08

Don't be sad that it's over, be happy it happened.  - Tasha, my favourite sister

It's her take on the Dr. Seuss quote "don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened".
It's starting to sink in that my time at CCS is quickly ending.  Even though I have an awesome follow up vacation planned, I'm still too caught up in this moment.  In actual fact, I'm almost 94% sure that if I wasn't meeting a friend for the next leg of my adventure I'd probably have cancelled it by now and figured out how to stay here in Moshi longer!
Here are a few updates:
* The number lines are being used with success by more students (yayness!)
* The teacher seems to like and have embraced the phonics based method for reading English
* Snapchat filtered selfies make excellent time fillers at the end of lessons but before lunch
* I know most of the words to the National Anthem of Tanzania and thanks to the local volunteers I understand the meaning (Shout out to you guys- Keydo, Nixon, Lordy and Teddy!)
* I have given suggestions on things I would do if I were staying at the school... hopefully some are feasible and practical and can be implemented
* I have once again fallen in love with the children and people I've worked and lived with for the past three weeks...

The Day I Was a Failure - 03/08

Okay - I know that title sounds harsh!  But man, oh man, was it intense! 
Picture it, Moshi, 2016...
A group of 8 volunteers is ready for the dancing lesson, accompanied by local volunteers.
Well... this little island girl stands out amongst the 'mzungu' {foreigners}... and for today not in a good way.  I guess the assumption was I would have a really good sense of rhythm and be able to pick up the steps easily... (not exactly). As we were learning the steps I was following along, marking the steps. I guess the correct thing to do would have been to go all out each and every time because I was soon yelled at for standing too stiffly... holding my hands across my chest...
Things got worse when we switched over to the singing part of our lesson. It appeared the assumption this time was I should know the words to the Swahili song we were singing! It was kind of funny the way the older man was getting frustrated with me. Oh well. .. Hakuna matata!
Even though it was good fun, I'll stick to my F3 classes instead of picking up African dance!

Visit with Bibi - 02/08

Today we had our community exploration outing. Lordy, Keydo, Teddy and two mamas from the village led the way as we walked to the nearby water source which provides water for our neighbourhood as well as Moshi town. 
The scenery was absolutely beautiful!
Our next stop was to see Bibi. Bibi is Swahili for grandmother and we had the privilege of meeting with the eldest couple around to hear about traditional marriage.
After the initial pleasantries, we sat around  Bibi on a selection of wooden benches abs stools. Keydo did a fantastic job translating for us. 
Bibi is now 100 years old. Her and Babu had 12 children, yet sadly they only have three living children. They also have many grandchildren.  He didn't talk but he kept the goats under control while Bibi told her story.  Perhaps that's the secret to a long and happy marriage!

{{Photos to follow}}

One Drop - 02/08

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. -Mother Teresa

Today Lewis completed his addition sums using his number line! 

You might be thinking that isn't a blog-worthy post, but it was a huge deal for me. 
It was the only thing I was holding on to about today because as a teacher it can get you down when things don't go as planned- with a little pep talk from my sister friend Jasmine, I was reminded that no matter the outcome in regards to my goals, I'm still doing a great thing by being here.
{{Photo of Lewis to come soon!}}

Amani means Peace - 01/08

Today we visited the Amani Centre for Street Children.  It is very close to our Home Base and can actually be used as a reference point for locals. 
We drive across it often but today was the first time inside for many of us. 
It was an impressive facility once you entered the main building, but it was the programme itself that blew me away.
The goal of the Amani Centre is to reunite children with their families and they have an over 90% success rate. 
Children are expected to follow the rules and schedule of the Centre while there and they have a team of social workers, teachers, staff and volunteers supporting them. Along with their education and basic needs, the children also develop life skills while in the programme.  Families of the children receive support to help achieve the goal of reuniting the children into their families - either immediate or extended.
After our tour we had time to hang out with the children.  There was a football match, some magic tricks and lots of selfie action! 
I am really interested in the 6 month English teacher/librarian position that's available... I'm just going to leave that there and see who actually reads the blog ;)

Pole Pole -30/07

In Swahili 'pole' means sorry,  'pole pole' means slowly.
Today I set out on a mission to hike to the first base camp of Kilimanjaro. For those of you who are not geography buffs, Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa and the highest freestanding mountain in the world. 
We set off as a group of 8 volunteers and 2  guides but Kacie and I started hanging back a bit from the other group. At first we were busy stopping to look at monkeys and waterfalls but soon enough I was struggling to breathe at the altitude and Kacie was kind enough to wait with me.  Our guide, Dismas,  was great! He talked to Kacie and I, showed us things we would have otherwise missed and shared his wealth of knowledge about the Mountain.
Minus the asthma attacks, I had a really wonderful day.  The scenery was beautiful and the company was fabulous. I enjoyed getting to know more about Kacie while experiencing my first mountain hiking {walking}.
I should have somewhere in there mentioned that Kacie and I got dressed in completely different locations... the West Point group had spent the night at a lodge while Phoebe and I hung out at Home Base... this is important to note because we were both dressed in the same outfit!  So between that, the fact we hiked together and both struggle with motion sickness, we have adopted each other as twins!  We're pretty sure that a few people we passed on the hike thought we planned to match for the day lol.
{{Picture won't load, will post at another time}}

The Side Effects - 28/07

Did you know that the side effects of Malarone  (anti-malaria) medication can include nausea, upset stomach, loss of appetite or headache? But did you know it can also reduce red blood cells and cause nightmares or hallucinations?
Well today I had my first and hopefully last encounter with these side effects.  Last night I forgot to take my pill with dinner for the first time.  No big deal right? I remembered shortly after eating so I took it with water.  I have been taking iron tablets with the malaria medicine just in case the red blood cell thing was true (I'm anaemic) but since I don't always need them daily I figured one skipped iron tablet wouldn't make a difference.
WRONG WRONG WRONG.
I was extremely lethargic with anaemia body ache in the morning. I got up and brushed my teeth but felt too yucky to fake it through the morning.  I went to the main house and found Romana (one of the local staff). I let her know I wasn't feeling well enough for placement and I also let Virginia (fellow volunteer at my placement site) know before climbing  back into bed... where I stayed for the next 4 hours or so experiencing weird dreams!
It was an experience to say the least!

The Chagga - 27/07

Today we had a day trip to the Marangu area. We stopped at a Chagga Village for an informative tour.
The Chagga were brilliant.
Really.
The Chagga are the indigenous people of Mount Kilimanjaro who created an intricate system of life below ground as a response to attacks from other lowland tribes like the Maasai. The way they designed their cave dwellings and their plan of action for attacks was impressive.  I encourage you to read more about these interesting people.

Do Good, Feel Good - 25/07

Today I wasn't feeling 100%. You'd think after last year's experience with germy volunteers I'd have learned my lesson and carried some cold medicine. Alas, I didn't.  So after spending the weekend in a safari truck with someone who covered their cough only 70% of the time, and 80% of THAT coverage was done with the inside of her hand, I was bound to be affected by the cold that is going around the group.  Gross. I've been taking cod liver oil capsules and airborne in attempts to prevent illness and I like to think they've been pretty effective.
Last night I had a slight headache and sore throat.  I took some Tylenol and a Strepsil before bed.  This morning I felt like my health was fading a bit but I knew if I could make it through the morning I could pick up medicine during our afternoon town trip.
Today was my first day with the 4 year olds.  Our morning started with assembly outside next to the play yard. The children were too cute singing the national anthem!  They practised 'attention' and 'at ease' and sang more songs. The teachers checked their uniforms and general cleanliness before dismissing them to class. 
Today the 4 year olds reviewed their numbers to 100, alphabet song, long O sound and basic addition facts.  Their snack break is a little later because of the staggered times as the dining room is shared. It works out that my tea time is closer to their snack time. With our tea today we had samosas and a deep fried hard boiled egg... I tried my best to eat it but I am no fan of boiled egg!  At least I tried.
The children copied down a few addition sums and some consonant-longO combinations in their copybooks. By the time they had all finished that it was almost their lunch time and time for me to head back to Home Base. 
After lunch I took a quick nap during siesta time.  I still wasn't feeling great but I didn't want to miss our scheduled visit to a local orphanage. After a few reminders not to come back home {Bermuda} with a baby, I headed out ready to pick up some supplies for the orphanage as well as something to fight this sore throat before it gets any worse.
I filled up a shopping cart with things I thought would be helpful, practical and fun.  Joseph accompanied me and Teddy helped to provide some suggestions.
I also grabbed some fruit juices, Strepsils and all natural medicine for me.
Once my groceries were all boxed we headed out to the van and Papa John helped put the box in his van. 
It was a bit of a drive out to the orphanage so I got some rest on the way.  When we arrived I instantly felt welcome.  The children came out to meet us and took the donations inside to a table.  Then they sang a few songs for us.  It was beautiful.  Nixon, one of our local volunteers, (not to be confused with the safari driver) translated the story of the orphanage as given by the Mama.
The orphanage began when they found a little boy sleeping in the sewer drains. They had a small wooden house but they took him home.  It wasn't long before they had more children.  The husband is a guide at Mount Kilimanjaro and one day he must have told a tourist about their children.  In 2006 they received a donation from that tourist to start building a bigger home and by 2007 the house was finished. 
The first boy they had is now grown up and working at the Tanzanian Revenue Authority and another is a teacher.  Many of their other children are in university. They have quite an age range in the house now and two little ones with special needs. The other children interact nicely with the children with special needs.  You can see the love, patience and understanding they have.
After a tour of the property we went out to see their church where they sang a few more songs. We then played some games outside until it was time to go. 
It was great to see them all living happily as a family. They were so appreciative of our time and gifts but really I was grateful for the experience of being with them and getting to see how they live first hand. It sounds cliché, but I really did feel warm inside 😊❤.

Home of the Elephants - 24/07

Today we headed out to Tarangire National Park (the real park, not my bedroom at Home Base). From my pretrip reading I knew that this was the place to go if you wanted to see elephants - so obviously it was on my to do list!  In case I had missed that tidbit of information, there was a sign announcing we were entering the home of elephants as we approached the park. I later found out that Tarangire means River of the Warthogs and NOT elephants  (elephant is Tembo, FYI).
As a group we had a goal- spot the leopard, the final animal on our Big Five list. A few of the volunteers were also looking forward to seeing giraffes. I have to admit they weren't really on my list but they were beautiful to see. I snapped some good giraffe shots if I say so myself. 
Nixon and Hillary  (the driver for the West Point volunteers) spotted a leopard in the high grass and we could tell the giraffes were on alert but try as we may we could not find the leopard. Some of the West Pointers said they saw the tail though!  That's pretty cool. 
We had lunch in the picnic area before heading home. We were warned to watch out for the cheeky vervet monkeys.  As we were eating someone, I think it was Becky, wondered if monkeys actually like bananas or if that was just something people said. Not a minute sooner did a monkey scoot down a tree and grab Andrew's banana that was sitting on the table next to mine!  There was a brief moment of madness as we screamed, laughed and jumped out of the monkey's way! The monkey made his way to a branch near the top of the tree  and enjoyed his free snack while we continued to laugh and settle back at the table.  We were able to take a few monkey selfies before leaving the lunch area. Another cheeky monkey stole a chocolate bar from someone else's lunch as we were on our way out.  These monkeys must really enjoy the safari visitors!
After lunch we drove around by the river before heading out of the park and back home.  We didn't have any luck with the big cats, but all in all it was another beautiful day on safari.

Luck of the Maasai - 23/07

Today we departed camp just after 7:00am heading for our destination of Ngoragora Crater.  The crater was once an active volcano and is now home to many members of Tanzanian wildlife, including all of the Big 5. For those of you unfamiliar with African safaris, the Big 5 are lions, leopards, water buffalo, rhinos and last but never least, elephants. The other inhabitants of the crater are members of the Maasai as they will live peacefully with the animals without hunting them... which sadly can't be said for all humans. There are rangers patrolling the crater rim on guard for would be poachers.
When we reached the top of the crater we saw a few baboons. Nixon  (Nick) informed us that we should keep our windows closed because the baboons can be quite dangerous. While we were waiting for our park pass we also saw some ants working away at something.  They were huge!
It was quite a drive getting to the crater's rim and then driving down to enter the park but it was about to be worth it.  I felt the anticipation a child does when they're about to visit Disney for the first time - was it going to be everything I hoped?!
I'm pleased to tell you it was an AMAZING experience!!! The roaming zebras and wildebeest were abundant as well as the warthogs and gazelles. There was an enormous flock of flamingoes in a salty lake, stretching further than the reach of my fancy camera lens.  We saw an elephant on its own (guess who spotted that first?),  which seemed a bit strange to me. Nick said it's herd was probably nearby. One big highlight was seeing lions mate!  There could be 2-4 little simbas running around the park in approximately 110 days! We spotted some water buffalo and those things are huge! They were mainly relaxing, hanging out, not up and about much.
Like I said, it was an amazing day. I'm sure you can tell by my overuse of exclamation marks ;). On my first ever safari experience I saw FOUR out of the Big Five!  How cool is that? Wonderful. Seriously wonderful. The group of volunteers that safari-ed before us had told us they saw a rhino in the crater and since that I was hoping I'd get the opportunity to see it.  I know- you're surprised I didn't say elephants.  Don't get me wrong. The ellies will always be my favourites, but at the rate life/humanity/human-animal interaction is going, who knows how much longer rhinos will be found in the wild. When we entered the park I asked Nick about the chances of seeing the rhino and he said he couldn't promise any sightings but we'd need to be pretty lucky to see a rhino. I joked and said the Maasai told me my bracelet was good luck.  When we were finishing up Nicole mentioned that maybe my bracelet is in fact lucky. Either way, tonight I am thankful for this amazing opportunity to see these wonderful creatures of God's creation. Asante.

Safari means Journey 22/7

We have booked our safari with Pristine Trails.  Edward, the owner, has a relationship with CCS. His mother used to work with CCS and from his interactions with volunteers asking what to do he decided to open Pristine.
Here's the plan for the weekend:
Friday afternoon- depart from Home Base at 1:30pm and drive through Arusha to the Maasai camp for an evening visit.
Friday night: Dinner and local entertainment at Haven Nature Safari Camp (think glamping... glamorous camping).
Saturday: breakfast at camp followed by early morning departure for Ngoragora Crater. Back to camp in the evening for dinner.
Sunday: breakfast and early morning departure for Tarangire National Park. Drive back to Home Base in time for dinner.

The Maasai - 22/07

This evening we stopped in a Maasai village just past Arusha. We met Lucas, son of the chief who welcomed us to the village.  We were covered in Maasai cloth for a more authentic experience! There was an initial welcome dance by some members and then we went inside the village for more dancing, a tour of the homes and chance to buy handmade his goods to support the village. A few of the girls were donned in beaded neck pieces when we joined in on the dancing and the guys had a chance to jump with the warriors.
We learned that Maasai diet consists mainly of cow, goat and sheep milk, blood and meat.  Some Maasai eat fruits and vegetables but this particular group do not. 
The variety of beaded jewellery and other items were amazing. I wanted so many things but I ended up choosing two bracelets for myself and coasters for my mom. I had picked up a necklace made from a giraffe hoof that I loved but it was a bit out of my budget. Lucas said because they liked me they wanted me to have it and so he gave it to me!  I was touched by their generosity. All in all it was another great experience!

Day 5 - Bye Bye Baby

Today was my last scheduled day with the babies *cue tears here*... actually not yet!  The school is so small and intimate that I know I'll still see my littlest lovebugs over the next two weeks.  (Only two weeks left?! Anybody else feeling like time is flying by?)
Yesterday evening I went to town in a mission.  My goal was to find toy cars, crayons or markers and tape. I had seen a cute activity on Pinterest where you tape a colouring device to the back of a toy car and let the child "drive" it over paper to make a picture. How cute right? I was thrilled to find everything I needed at Nakumatt (local Walmart-ish type store but on a smaller scale).
I was a bit bummed when I got home and realised the tape was that cheap not-really-sticky tape. My teacher friends will know what I mean, the one school supplies you with as if it's God's gift to your yearly supply stock but it's so worthless you'll give up a week's lunch to buy real Scotch tape to replace it. I tried but I couldn't get the crayons to stick to the cars. Anyway, this morning I came to school with two boxes of crayons and a few sheets of chart paper. Instant success!
There were less than a dozen students in class when I arrived so I gave them each a crayon and sat them on the floor around the chart paper.  They were so cute!  Even Angel got in on the action! I put a few extra crayons in the middle for them to share and change their colours, but we're still working on the sharing aspect. ;)
The teacher wrote a few numbers on the page and pointed them out to some of the students. Inspired by that I quickly did up a chart that said "numbers" in my worse handwriting EVER and the numbers from 1-10. Knowing that I couldn't afford to waste the paper, I tried to ignore the fact that title was below my own standards. The teacher seemed to like it.  She taped it on the wall and one by one I had some of the students come up and review numbers with me. As the class started to fill up I also went over body parts with them on a one by one basis. The crayons were packed away and the balls were brought out for indoor play.
I took a few photos of the students - well, I tried to.  They were all so eager to see themselves I couldn't get any good photos.  They much preferred the front facing camera and they ALL wanted to be in EVERY picture.  I have a few cute (but blurry) ones to share with you.
Soon it was time for porridge. At least I thought it was.  On Fridays the children have tea and scones.  A few of the students still had porridge sent from home.
After snack it was time for me to have tea with Evarist and the volunteers. It was Karen and Maddy's last day so it was a little sad for them.  I remember my last day in Thailand so I completely understand. Today we had samosas with our tea. They had ground beef inside and were served with lemon and lime wedges.  It was a nice mixture.
I had fun playing with the children after tea.  I was finally able to get a group of them  to sit in an almost-circle and throw/roll the ball to each other.  Sweet success!
I tried to take a few more photos but the results were the same.  I'll see if I can go back with my camera during the last week of placement.
I was helping prepare the lunches when Papa John arrived to pick us up.  We were heading back a little early to prepare for safari. The volunteers who were finishing up today were not happy about leaving early and I don't blame them.  I felt we should have left as close to our scheduled time as usual. I had packed my things the night before in anticipation of a short turnover time between arriving home from placement and going out on safari.
It's a shame that some of the volunteers are finishing up this weekend.  They seemed like really cool people and I would have liked to hang out with them a bit more. Since we are on the safari all weekend they'll be gone when we get back. Well... that was the first part of my day. Up next- an evening with the Maasai!

Day 4 -The Shuffle

Today was a little bit sad for me. There was a classroom shuffle today. Any student who was ready for the next level moved up a class.  Just like that.  If they were ready, the teacher confirmed for the director and that was it. 
I lost some of my darling love bugs - one almost broke my heart when he cried because he was leaving the class.  The positive side is that now there's a smaller group size and they're all at a similar ability level as far as their English. Our snack time is the same as the next class (they come in a few minutes after we've settled) so the children still get to see their friends. It was like a reunion for 1.5/2 year olds! So cute!

Day 3- 20/7

This morning the children played with blocks again; however, today they had duplo-style blocks.  So even though there aren't any supplies in the class there's obviously some storage place somewhere!
The babies are so welcoming and loving! I adore them already and I think it's going both ways. Today Karim insisted on giving me kisses! I let him do both cheeks but had to stop him there- such a ladies' man that one will be! I got a few kisses from some of the others as well as lots of hugs.
Today at snack I fed Angel her porridge. She is so easy going. She sat there and ate it all with no fussing... But apparently she wasn't feeling well. I had no idea until the entire bowl of porridge came flying back up!  The poor little love bug!  I was worried about her and the teachers were apologising profusely to me!  We finally got it all cleaned up before I headed over to tea.
Our treat today was a sort of lentil pastry, reminded me of Indian food.  I'll need to find out the name. It was yummy.
After snack the babies had play time with the balls.  We couldn't go outside because Karen and Maddy were working on a mural on the playground before they leave.
I copied down the names of all the students in the room.  I have a thing about making sure I call people by the correct name and seeing spelling sometimes helps.  I also have noticed that every day before snack they have to count how many students are present.  I have an idea to help with that but I'll need some supplies to make it work.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Day 2 - 19/07

I was a little nervous about day 2. More so than day 1! Thanks to my amazing nap, I didn't sleep much last night.  The benefit of this was that I was able to get on Pinterest which I haven't been able to do because of the internet connection.  I saved some ideas for a Montessori inspired infant /toddler space with hopes of sharing them with Evarist. I had checked the supplies earlier in the evening and didn't see anything I wanted for the babies.
7:00am (1 o'clock Swahili time) came before I knew it.  After some eggs, chapati, banana and mango juice it was time to hit the road.
When I arrived there were only a few students in class. I brought out my number cards I had brought with me so the children could practise their numbers using something other than their fingers.  It was fine until more children arrived. One of my little loves, we'll call him Kee, was hoarding a bunch of the cards and ended up ripping one.
The teacher brought some lego-style building blocks which got the children's attention.  They also had some balls to play with and the teacher wowed us (okay, me) with her juggling skills. The introduction of the toys made the morning more productive and manageable in my opinion. The first part of the morning really sped by and before I knew it, it was snack time.  We headed down to the dining room for porridge. After snack it was time for our volunteer tea break with Evarist. Today we had chai, chapati and a donut. It was like a full size donut ball without the sugar coating; I enjoyed it!
After tea I showed Evarist some of the ideas for a more hands-on classroom for the babies. He wasn't sure what he would be able to get in terms of supplies but he said to give him two days to do some homework for it. Hopefully we can make at least one activity for the babies before I leave. That'll make my whole trip worth it to me.
The weather was considerably warmer today so we took the babies out to the playground.  They had a blast!
When we went back inside they all wanted help taking off their sweaters and jackets. I started with two little ones and then others were circling around calling out "Mimi" which means I or in this case, me indicating their desire to be next... they haven't quite gotten down the idea of a line.
A teacher came to give them water before singing and dancing with the class. Our van was a little later than yesterday so I was able to help set up the mattresses for sleeping before the children went to lunch.  There were about 5 single size mattresses and the one from yesterday which is a little bigger but not a double size. 
After that playtime this morning I'm sure they slept well!  I know I should tonight!

Jambo Means Hello

Prior to my trip my mother asked if I had practised any Swahili. I replied with "Jambo means hello," little did she know I picked up that tidbit years ago thanks to a book my Auntie had entitled Jambo Means Hello! We used to read it all the time when we went camping. Of course my Swahili knowledge goes further than that; on my first day one of the local volunteers asked me if I knew what "rafiki" meant and I replied without missing a beat. He wanted to know how I knew- my reply? "I've seen The Lion King!" It is also to thank for my understanding of Simba  (lion), Asante Sana (thank you very much) and of course Hakuna Matata (no worries/problem). I'd  like to think I was off to a good start!
Feeling exhausted, my would have been power nap turned into a full blown nap going through both lunch and siesta time. I got up and ready in time for our first official Swahili lesson.
During our first lesson we covered basics for self-introduction. By the end of it we needed to recite our names, where we are from, our nationality, where our  placement is and our volunteer role. It was pretty good.  I'm finding Swahili a lot easier than Thai. I'll keep you posted, sawa?
(Sawa? Means okay? And then you say "sawa," which means okay.)

Mimi ninafanya kazi Hope Haeva

That is Swahili for I work at Hope Haeva. Mimi ni mwalimu - I am a teacher.

At 7:30am this morning we headed out for our placements.  This week I'll be in the baby class and when Karen and Maddy leave I'll take over the Four Year Old classroom from Karen.
It's been a while since I've worked in daycare - that was back in Halifax 2001-2005. I must say I'm aging like fine wine! But I digress... it's been a while since I've been in a class full of one year olds! I actually think I worked with 2 year olds in Halifax, but I could be wrong.
Anyways, I expected energy and these little lovebugs  delivered! They went above and beyond my expectations of high energy.  When talking to my darling sister about my day I believe I told her they were adorably cute and equally energetic.  I've already made some friends... teacher friends, you know the ones I mean!
The students began their day with a review of body parts and numbers to 10. After that... the real fun began. Apparently the babies typically spend most of their time playing outside.  You might remember me saying it's chillier than I expected. I'm not the only one who feels that way! My adorable babies are bundled up for winter!  One little girl had on a big pink, bubble jacket which she kept on all morning. Many other students had on heavy sweaters or tights or sweat pants under their uniform. One of the teachers had on a turtleneck! So due to the "cold" weather it's not seen to be a smart choice to have the babies out on the playground. Quite a few of them already have runny noses and are taking cough medicine to fight their colds. At one point I had to save my sweater from being used as a tissue by a particularly charismatic yet tricky little boy! Note to self: take an airborne in the morning.
Instead of outdoor play, the students played in the classroom... unfortunately there weren't any toys or materials, just one foam mattress, a few wall charts and a TV.
At 10:00am, which is actually called 4 o'clock Swahili time (more on that later), the children had a snack break. We went over to the dining room and they all had a cup or bowl of uji (porridge). Porridge is pretty popular out here, it's offered every morning for breakfast at Home Base. I haven't tried it yet, it reminds me of Cream of Wheat and I'm more of an oatmeal kind of girl.
After snack the children went back to class and the teacher put on a DVD which reminded me of an ESL Sesame Street.  You could tell which songs they preferred! A handful of students napped on the mattress while their friends either continued watching the show or made their own fun running around the perimeter of the room. I was the centre of some attention, as a kind of life sized doll.  The babies enjoyed touching (and at some points pulling) my hair, looking closely at my pink sand necklace, investigating my motion sickness bands and clothing. The most popular item was definitely my glasses! I meant to bring my all black frames but I have my black and gold ones so I don't blame the children for being distracted by them.
Evarist, the owner and director, had all of the volunteers in for a tea break. Apparently this is something he does most days.  He wants us to go home with a true taste of Tanzania. Today we had chai and a muffin very similar to pound cake. We talked for a bit before heading back to our classrooms.
The morning ended before I knew it. Papa John picked us up first then we made two other stops on the way home.  I realise I haven't introduced you to Papa John! I'll need to do that soon.
I was pretty busted after the morning so I took a nap before our scheduled siesta. What can I say?  I was tired so I slept, seems logical to me 😆😆
Time will tell if this was a good choice...

Orientation - 17 July

Dear Reader,
You'll be pleased to hear I slept well under my princess canopy (aka mosquito net). I woke up earlier than necessary at 5:00am so I checked my messages and did some reading before drifting back to sleep.  Breakfast was at 8:00am so I was able to get some rest before I needed to get ready. 
Breakfast was yummy - we had omelette style eggs simply called eggs, a pastry similar to a donut but better, boiled sweet potato and fresh local bananas.  We also had fresh mango and passion fruit juice- delicious! You're missing out on that one for sure.
After breakfast we had a full group introduction including all CCS volunteers, CCS in- country staff and local volunteers. As volunteers can choose their placement length there's a good overlap - this group's placements range from 2-7 weeks. After all introductions were made the new volunteers stayed behind for orientation with Mama Thea and George. I won't go into detail as it was a very thorough orientation meeting.
Orientation was followed by lunch.  We saw (and smelled) our chef Andrew cooking it while we were in the tour of the house.  We had beef stew, rice, lentils and veggies. Another satisfyingly tasty meal!
After lunch we met with our placement partners. I was pleased to meet Evarist, coowner of Hope Haeva Daycare. Evarist and his wife Haika started the school three years ago. Haeva is a combination of their names. He told us all about the history of school as well as their schedule.  I'll fill you in on that later.
I'll be volunteering at Hope Haeva with a family group that came on the same day as me- young Ben, his mother and grandmother. We'll be joining Karen and Maddy, a mother daughter duo who have already been volunteering at Hope Haeva for 2 weeks. This will be their last week. 
Once all formalities had been taken care of we headed into town.  I withdrew some Tish  (Tanzanian shillings) and picked up a pair of Moshi pants since it's a lot cooler than I expected and I can wear pants to work. We priced a weekend safari then stopped at the grocery market.  I picked up some hand soap as it wasn't provided in our bedrooms. I have been leaving my bar soap at the sink and carrying the container to the shower but for about  $2 USD I got a bottle of soap that will last longer than my three week placement- well worth it. I also topped up my snack supply with some cookies, banana chips and ice cream.
As mentioned it is cooler than I expected so grilled cheese and mushroom soup was a welcome dinner.  We also had pumpkin, green beans and onions and salad. Have I mentioned I'm pleased with the food? 😉
It was a full day with the promise of an exciting morning ahead so I decided to get everything ready and have an early night!

Here

On our descent for landing I admired how all I could see was grass and trees. So simple yet so beautiful. I thought to myself that I've never seen anything quite like it and a smile grew across my face as I realised - I haven't set for on this continent before; Welcome to Africa!

Safe and Sound

After almost 24 hours of traveling I've settled into the Home Base in Moshi, Tanzania. It's one of those places off the beaten track you'd never randomly decide to come for vacation but already I think I'm going to love it here - provided the mosquitos and lizards leave me alone!
I had a short tour of the main parts of the house, claimed my bunk and unpacked some of my belongings. I've met two roommates so far.
It's almost time for dinner then I'm going to try and have an early night so I can be rested for tomorrow morning.  We gave breakfast at 8:00am followed by orientation.
I look forward to sharing more information with you tomorrow! 

Off I go!

At 12:48pm Bermuda time my flight pulled away from the gate at JFK. We were scheduled to leave at 11:15am NYC time (12:15 Bda time) but apparently the aircraft was late arriving into JFK. I was tired for some reason, which may work out because it's currently 6:50pm Tanzania time.  After I eat and take my malaria tablets I should be able to sleep. 
Back to the flight business- this time I'm traveling on Qatar Airlines for my first time.  One of these days I'll be able to fly in luxury with those enviable bed seats but for now I'm in economy class with the normal folk ☺. I was not thrilled to see that I somehow had a middle seat (aka the worst seat ever for solo travel) but thankfully the window seat was empty so I shuffled over when the cabin doors closed, giving myself plenty of leg room.  My compression socks are on,  Swahili learning app and dictionary ready to go and I have no shortage of snacks thanks to my dear friend, Danielle!
Well, we're in the air now, I've chosen my first movie and soon it will be time for lunch/dinner. Here's to a smooth and safe flight!

In-flight Update

My watch says 6:10pm, which means it's ten minutes past midnight in Tanzania. I was sleeping.  But as you can tell, now I'm not.  😕
The reason being there are some cute little children two rows ahead who have NO IDEA that we're meant to be sleeping right now.  I wish their parents would clue them in on why it's so dark and why the flight attendants have asked them to leave their window shades closed (more than once).
On the upside, they really seem to be enjoying the flight.
Alright, I'm going to try for more sleep. Oh, wait!  I meant to tell you, I'm currently somewhere over England. Shout out to my family across the pond!  🇬🇧 👋 Hiiiii guyssss, love you!  😘