7/10/2015

We all arrived safely to homebase. This is us in the stairwell on the way to our first mentor meetings (minus Lee and Francesco, who were tired from travel and fell sound asleep after dinner!).

Today after arriving and orientation we spent the afternoon having lunch together, taking a walk around the neighborhood, playing name games and getting to know each other, and then planning for tomorrow. We get up at 5:45 and will go to a mountain village and spend the day with local families, getting to know them and learning about life in rural Peru. Can’t wait!

7/11/2015

Today we woke up our peers at 5:45AM to some rockin tunes. We then made our way to breakfast and scarfed down the Peruvian specialty: omelets. Next, we loaded up the vans and traveled to the small village of Patabamba. Once there, we divided into groups and completes chores for local families such as shucking corn, sorting lima beans, cutting grass and more. The families kindly prepared us quinoa soup, salted cheese and potatoes. Sumaq mijuna (Quechua for tasty food)!!

After that, we played soccer with a few of the local kids. It was a blast! Around 5pm, we returned back to home base and organized a fun “speed dating” exercise to get to know our peers better. Finally we had dinner and mentor meetings which sparked many debates and discussions.

Goodnight from the “Leaders of the Day”: Lily, Sabine, Abby and Lauren!

7/12/2015

We were so excited to start our first week of service today! We arrived to the town of Chocco at 7:30, and after a hectic game of tag, started working at 8. The previous groups before us had already created the base of the greenhouse, so our job was to continue building up the walls. During today’s service, we pick-axed dirt, sifted it, made ‘barro’ (a mud mixture made with our feet), and sculpted/moved adobe bricks. Halfway through the morning, we took a break to play games with the school children as well as a group game of Frisbee! After a long, fulfilling morning of work, we returned to the hotel, only to leave a little bit later to walk around Cusco in search of pharmacies and a supermarket. While exploring, we went into an arcade, and played intense games of basketball and air hockey.

Throughout the afternoon, we were a part of three presentations. First, we learned all about what we should bring on the hike to Machu Picchu, which begins Wednesday, and talked about what we would experience on the hike with Richard, our guide. Later, we watched an eye-opening presentation about the socio-economic realities of Peru. The main thing we took away from that presentation was that the traditions and culture of the Cusco community are beautiful, but while appreciating that, we should not forget about the poverty here. As the day closed, we watched a TED Talk about how no culture, place, or person has a single story.

Adios y buenas noches from today’s group leaders: Hannah Steele, Joel Cruz, Grace Buono, and Isaac Hoehn.

7/14/2015

Today we went to the city of Cusco and explored local markets, went on a scavenger hunt, and got a chance to experience the culture first hand. While in the city we went into a market and purchased different foods, clothing, jewelry, touristy items etc. Then we were sent on a photo scavenger hunt with a list of items to take pictures of including: a 12 sided stone, Japanese tourists, an alpaca, a sign with the local dialect (Quechua), and dancing in front of a ‘discoteca’ and more. Next in preparation for our trek, which is tomorrow, we went to a market called ‘El Molino’ to buy any last minute items necessary for our hike. Today was a well needed chance to prepare and rest before leaving for our trek tomorrow.

Blog written by the leaders of the day: Bella, Hannah, Erin and Francesco

July 15-17, 2015

These past three days have been equally challenging and magnificent. First we hiked up the Andes mountains in the snow, and by the time we finished, we had reached almost 15,000 feet. Our guide, Richard, led us through his own trail through the snowy mountains, which although it was beautiful, it was also a very strenuous hike. That night we camped in the snow and the temperature was below freezing. The second day, our route was cut short due to dangerous snow conditions. We descended down the mountain and waited on the road for our vans, and along the way we saw many llama and sheep. Some of us were even able to feed trout at a local house! The buses took us to the railroad track, where we hiked 8 miles to the town of Aguas Calientes. This is the town at the base of Machu Picchu. We ate dinner at a local restaurant, Hot Springs, where many of us got wifi for the first time. That night, we walked to our hotel room and immediately went to sleep to prepare for the next day. On the next day, many of us woke up at 4AM to climb the stairs up to Machu Picchu. It was especially challenging because many of us were sore from the previous day’s hike, but some of us were able to keep up with Clint and make it up to Machu Picchu in under an hour. Others took their time and enjoyed the sunrise along the hike. Once we reached Machu Picchu, we explored until meeting up with those who took the bus up. At 8am,we began a two-hour long tour of the Lost City. The tours were very interesting and educational, and we learned a lot about the temples and the sacred animals. We then took a group photo before leaving to catch the bus back down to Aguas Calientes. In Aguas Calientes, we had lunch at Hot Springs and shopped at the local markets. We then boarded the train back to Ollantaytambo. The views from the train were spectacular; we were able to enjoy the jungle scenery and comfortable seats. When we arrived, we boarded the buses and drove back to the home base and had dinner. Although the drives were long and the hikes were strenuous, we will never forget the incredible moments in the Andes mountains and in Machu Picchu.

Written by: Hannah Riedy, Cindy Chen & Annie Manella

7/18/2015

Howdy folks! Today was our first day back after the trek, we got to sleep in an extra hour. After tasty pancakes for breakfast, we began our day by heading off to the service site. Work included gardening, digging trenches for a water pipe, and continuing to stack adobe bricks. In the afternoon, we took part in a traditional shaman experience. There we had the opportunity to have our coca leaves read, in which many learnt about things such as love lives, career paths, and future health. What a time we had! Tonight, dinner was a delicious chicken dish. After mentor meetings, we are now off to bed.

From the leaders of the day: Kate, Zoe, Paige, and Isabella.

All of our shoes neatly stacked at the homebase.

7/19/2015

After recovering from our three day hike and a day of service, we were able to sleep in an extra 2 hours. Our day consisted of a city tour around Cusco. We split into two groups and enjoyed the morning in the sun visiting different Incan ruins. At one of the Incan sights, we were able to slide down a rock “slide” naturally created from sedimentary rocks. We also visited a beautiful Catholic cathedral located in the central plaza of Cusco. We then proceeded to end our day with a TED talk about leadership skills and qualities. We will now be able to use the ideas from the video as we work at the service sight tomorrow and the following days. Today was another great day!

From your leaders of the day,
Grace, Joel, Yadi, and Lily

7/20/2015

Another day at the GLA Peru home base goes by, and as on any other day, there was never a dull moment!

6/24/2015

Today was a beautiful, sunny day to begin our second session! We are super excited for Marlo and Hiba to arrive bright and early tomorrow morning. Everyone else spent a fun day getting to know each other while resting and adjusting to the altitude. After a delectable lunch some students ventured out on a group walk to explore the neighborhood. We then spent some time learning über cool new handshakes, playing fun name games, and getting to know the local staff. Our lovely mentor Dani spent time making a great video about our service project which we watched together and discussed the tasks ahead for this week.

After dinner, mentors Dani, Emily, and Bianca gave a lovely theatrical production on healthy bathroom habits which Matt, Marisa, and Charlotte bravely re-enacted for the group. Finally, we met for a short meeting with our mentor or “family” groups to chat about our expectations and our upcoming days ahead. We look forward to a great 2 weeks!

6/25/2015

Today, we began our first day of service. We began in the city of Chocco and moved adobe bricks and created mud to solidify the foundation of the greenhouse. We finally met our last arriving travelers, Marlo and Hiba who arrived safely this morning. We became more acclimated with each other through fun games and activities, and discussed further implementation of technology in today’s world. In the afternoon, we had a Cusco native give an in depth presentation about life in Cusco. He described the disparate cultures even within the providence of Cusco, and challenges that the natives face. This further knowledge gave us a better understanding of the community in which we will be serving so that we may understand them better.
We look forward to more fun tomorrow!

Written by the Leaders of the Day; Tamera Travis, Julia Britto, and Chris Gaines, Roberto Grazzini
Photo Cred to Nathan Genstein

6/26/2015

After two grueling days of manual labor, our bonds with the community and peers have grown immensely. Today at the work site we were surprised by the locals of Chocco, having a community picnic called a watia. Throughout this time, we were playing with the children, this included teaching American football, playing soccer and many other fun activities. During the morning, we continued to work on the greenhouse and laid the first adobe bricks. After a long morning of hard work and a solid lunch, we headed out to immerse ourselves in the musical aspects of Peruvian culture. We learned about instruments dating back to Pre-Inca times. Following a demonstration we all got to try instruments and learn a song. Once the group returned to the hotel, we had time to relax, eat dinner, and watch a TED Talk about “The Danger of the Single Story.” We then discussed it in our mentor groups. Above all, it is really cold.

Written by the leaders of the day; Eva Shimanski, Olivia Thonson, Grayson L., and Parker Shaffer

Photos by Nathan Genstein & Eva Shimanski

PS. Shout out to Isabel, Christiane and Charley, I love you all! – From Eva

6/27/2015

Today we woke up at the usual time, 5:45, and after a delicious breakfast of eggs we took an hour drive through the scenic mountain roads up to the village of Patabamba. This village is located 3,600 meters above sea level. Here, we split into five groups and helped different families with everyday chores. For example, we shucked corn and sorted beans! It was interesting to see the daily life of these people and we got to share a common snack of potatoes, local cheese, and quinoa soup. After helping, we went to a cliff-side soccer field and had a small tournament against the locals, including the president of the village and many children. Being our favorite so far, the entire day was incredible. Shout out to the leaders of the day, Matt, Stephanie, Noah, and Tariq for planning and facilitating a great day. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow and the rest of the trip has in store! p.s. love you mom

-Matt Duffy, Stephanie Dewald, Noah Roper, and Tariq Foraida

Photos by Julia Britto & Eva Shimanski

Day 5: June 28

Waking up at 7:45 was the most rad feeling of the week. We, the amazing group of leaders, woke everyone up with the infamous Rihanna song, “Pour it Up”. They were mildly irritated, but it got the job done. After breakfast, we split into two groups to depart on our adventures of the city. Our tour guides were well informed about all of the local history. We visited four Inca remains: Tambo Machay, Puca Pucara, Q’enko and Sacsayhuaman. The rock formations were mind blowing, perfectly aligned, and could weigh around 15 tons! The abundance of new knowledge about the history of the Inca’s astounding remains kept us interested to learn more and more. Looking out over the city below us was so fascinating, and we were looking forward to tour the buildings and cathedrals below. After our sight-seeing, the two groups met up at a traditional restaurant with a breathtaking view of the city. Those adventurous enough even had alpaca meat as a main course, and taking the risk was definitely worth the delicious meal. The meal ended with ice cream galore, which kept the group satisfied and ready to continue our tour around the city. In the afternoon the magnificent cathedrals pulled us in and made us feel the sacredness surrounding the places of worship.

Overall it was a great day of cultural immersion and historical sightseeing. We got churros.

Best regards,

Amber Clement, Kayla DeWitt, Emily Chisholm, Charlotte Kolada

Photos by Nathan Genstein

June 29, 2015

Today we woke up bright and early and were surprised with crepes! After a yummy breakfast we headed to the service site. To warm us up we played colors, simon says, and tag. The children were not at school today because of festivals, but some of the local children accompanied us while we worked. Lunch was served back at home base and after we headed to a llama/alpaca farm where we fed and took selfies with llamas. The bus then dropped us off in town where some opted for wifi at a local cafe while others shopped the small markets in town. We then walked back to home base during which we got to see the beautiful city of Cusco at night. We arrived back at home base to eat dinner and watch a TED Talk on leadership. We ended our night with our mentor meetings and all-in-all had a successful day.

Written by Leaders of the Day:

Addie F., Marissa M., Shea W., and Hiba P.

Photos by Nathan Genstein

6/30/2015

We started our day by playing an intense game of Capture the Flag at the worksite. Then, we all worked hard at our respective jobs in order to continue our progress on the school’s greenhouse. Now, our main focus is building the walls with adobe bricks and mud. In the afternoon, we all visited a local foster care home and played a game of soccer with the kids – our GLA group was generous enough to contribute soles (money) in order to buy hygiene products that really benefited the kids at the home. After our return to Home Base, we began to pack for our upcoming trek – our mentors checked our duffels and daypacks and there will be a trip to the store tomorrow to pick up materials we don’t have. We ended our night with an intense game of hugging that left friends turning against friends. We’ve also begun our journey to becoming the perfect Word Assassin.

Written by Leaders of the Day: Katie Glew, Maggie Cusack, Sydney Hayes, and Marlo Garrison

Shout out to Mom the Provider chillin’ like a villain in PA.
Also, shout out to all the homies in Natick Mass.
This one goes out to some special folk in Fleming Island.

Photos by Eva Shimanski

Day 8: July 1

Happy July 1^st! Today some of us woke up to do an early sunrise yoga class. We had breakfast and left at 7 am per usual to go to our service site.  We continued to build up on the walls of the greenhouse and frolic with the children. At 1pm we came back to home base to have lunch and continue preparing for the trek. Many of us were missing things for the trek and so we went to a market to buy needed supplies.  Others went to the grocery store to stock up on snacks. We got back and had a nurse come and speak about public health in Peru. After dinner we continued to pack and we are all excited about tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Written by: Eva, Olivia, and Helene.

Leaders of the day:  Livia, Susy, Emily K. and Grayson

Day 9: July 2

Today we embarked on our journey through the Andes.  We woke up, and after a great breakfast, we began our two hour bus ride to Ollantaytambo.  We began our hike and were quickly amazed by the incredible scenery.  After a few hours of hiking, we ate lunch at the top of a peak, almost 15,000 feet above sea level!  We continued on, trekking until we reached our campsite, which had an amazing view of the snowy peaks of Mount Veronica.  After watching the beautiful sunset, we enjoyed a tasty dinner, and then we went back to our tents for a cozy rest.

Photos by Eva Shimanski

Day 10: July 3^rd

We woke up early in the morning to watch the sunrise on Mt. Veronica, ate a breakfast (with a birthday cake for Tamera!), and took off for the second leg of our trek.  We were surrounded by more beautiful mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and llamas.  The hike was muddy, but we had a great time bonding and testing our comfort zones on this challenging adventure.  When we finally made it to the buses, we all felt extremely accomplished.  We rode the buses to the train tracks that would lead us to Aguas Calientes. As we hiked along the railroad tracks, we felt the change in climate and altitude, as the air was warmer and it was easier to breathe.  When we reached Aguas Calientes, we enjoyed a great dinner of pizza at a restaurant.  We arrived at our hotel, very happy about our experiences hiking, and excited about our trip to Machu Picchu in the morning.

Day 11: July 4^th

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!

The group started off on the 1,640 steps up to Machu Picchu bright and early at 4:30 a.m. as it down poured. Most of us were convinced that we had done something to upset the rain gods, but after the long hike, we all felt very accomplished. Later on we went on a tour through Machu Picchu while representing our favorite home country by wearing star spangled shorts. After the tour we went back to the same restaurant and had a nice lunch (which some of you probably knew because we had wifi). Following our fabulous lunch we went to the market for a little bit before we had to catch our train back to Ollantaytambo. We then got on our beloved Mercedes buses and started our 2 hour journey back to home base.

Photos by Eva Shimanski

Day 12: July 5^th

We continued today on our service at the worksite, and enjoyed a long break watching an official soccer game.  We made great progress­­– we are on our way to achieving our goal.  We returned to the Home Base for lunch, and then we left for our visit to the Shaman.  He performed a “pago a la tierra,” an offering to Mother Earth, the “Pachamama”.  The Shaman read our coca leaves and answered our personal questions pertaining to our futures, families, and health. In the evening we watched a TED talk about how to start a movement and discussed leadership and where we go from here.

Day 9-12 written by our sweet leaders of the day: Julia, Stephanie, Hiba, and yours truly Noah.

Day 13: July 6th

Today marked our final day of service. We began the day with hug tag and a friendly game of World Cup in which Chile, represented by Tamera and Noah, proved victorious. We went on to exceed our goal of 5 rows of adobe bricks around the greenhouse. Later in the afternoon, the group took a 4 hour trip to the market where we all had the opportunity to buy any last minute gifts or souvenirs for family, friends, and ourselves. The trip then diverged as some students went to a traditional Peruvian Catholic mass service while others went back to the base to pack and/or write compliments for other students. Afterward, both groups reconvened at a restaurant for our farewell dinner where we enjoyed such delicacies as Cuy (guinea pig), alpaca, and other foods while we enjoyed other forms of entertainment such as live bands, multiple varieties of dances, and a little fire show. Although the day proved to be a long and tiring one, for many, the fun didn’t stop there. Several students stayed up into the early hours of the morning to bid adieu to Matt and Emily. We had a great time in the previous two weeks, but we are very happy to begin our journey back home.

Written by Tamera

Day 14: July 7th

Early this morning, Matt and Emily left to depart for the airport. They were soon followed by Amber, Gigi, Marissa, Ava, Olivia, Livia, and Kayla.  Roberto and Sydney left around lunchtime.  The bulk of us left a little after lunch for our evening flights.  The struggle of having to say goodbye was evident in everyone.  It’s been a great two weeks and we wish everyone a wonderful summer.  Vive el Peru!

Written by Chris

New Photo:

7/7/2015

Hi families! On the service site there were lots of job opportunities. Students got to pick their first job (they will rotate each week). The site is called Q’ewar. It’s a project where women and men have job opportunities and children can go to school. On Tuesday we went to an Incan building, where we learned about architecture and their way of life. Then, as part of our Spanish immersion, we went to a market to gather ingredients for lunch. We went to Carmen’s house and learned to make traditional Peruvian cuisine.

It was a packed day, full of Spanish and food! ‘Till next time, GLA.

-Written by Lyra and Maggie

7/8/2015

8/3/2015

All students have arrived and are ready for their program!

8/4/2015

Mambo zenu? Today we woke up to a breakfast of doughnuts, fresh fruit, and eggs. Then, we exchanged money and learned that $500 can turn you into a millionaire in Tanzania. We went to two markets and purchased fabric to give to the seamstress to make into clothes for us later on. We practiced using our Swahili with the locals and met some cute kids. After we had lunch, a local professor came in to teach us about the history, cultures, and government of Tanzania. We played games such as “teapot” and “the wind blows for…” and hung out a bit before dinner. After dinner, we watched a Ted talk about stereotypes and assumptions and then played charades until we went to bed after another wonderful day in this beautiful country.

-Caroline and Zyler

8/6/2015

Today’s our fourth day in GLA and we headed to school firstly to see the staff and students. It took us long to reach the school and the trip here was obviously worthy. There are 25 teachers, mainly women. Everyone’s excited because the local welcomed us when we gave self-introduction. In addition, we went around the school and saw what the former GLA students did for the local school: they repaired classrooms, planted trees, and built fences for thee students. Since the students had examination, we paused our visit for the school and prepared to teach them later when they possess time. We can do great job later since the former GLA students did so well in teaching and building better study situation for them.

After we went to the school we returned to home base to have lunch consisting of beans, guacamole, some deep fried bread, and some other side foods. At the conclusion of lunch we got back on the bus to visit some more shops. These were more angled towards tourist than the other shops we had previously visited. These shops offered small carvings and unique pictures that were meant to catch the eyes of tourists. At these shops many of us were able to try our skills at bartering with the Tanzanian shop keepers. This was quite enjoyable and many of us came back boasting how low we were able to get our prices.

After the shops we went to Tanzanian super-market to buy packaged foods for our upcoming safari weekend. It was interesting to compare the differences between the stores many of us are used to at home. As we finished shopping we were corralled across the street to the internet café where many of the students got their first connection to internet in 4 days. After almost 2 hours at the cafe, many of the students had fulfilled their social networking needs and so we came back to home base where Mama D cooked a delicious meal for those who hadn’t already eaten.

– Jaxson and Hongrui

8/16/2015

All students have departed and are on their way home!

7/25/2015

All students are present and accounted for!

7/26/2015

The third session is off to a great start so far! All of the students arrived safely last night and in great spirits. Our small group is already very comfortable with each other, asking questions and displaying lots of excitement in spending three weeks in beautiful Tanzania!
We had a long day today with orientation, preparing for what’s to come. Our amazing local staff talked about cultural norms and gave us a Swahili crash course. The international staff talked about how to get the most out of our experience here and how to do it safely! Tomorrow we will spend the morning at the school we will be working at for the next three weeks, familiarizing ourselves with our students, classrooms, and service projects. In the afternoon, we will head to Arusha town and spend time exploring the town center and fabric shopping!

Lots ahead, missing everyone at home and excited for what’s to come!

Best,

Laura Chase, Mentor

7/27/2015

This morning we had a great Swahili lesson, learning many useful words and phrases we can use in our classrooms. Later we went into Arusha and went to a cafe where we got delicious ice cream and coffee. After the cafe we walked around the town and shopped for local fabric to give to the seamstress later this week to make us clothing. The material was so beautiful! We bartered for it with the help of Upendo, one of our local staff, and Kate and Laura, our director and mentor. Back at home base we ate supper and finally made lesson plans for our first day of teaching tomorrow! We are excited to meet our kids.

7/28/2015

Today we woke up at 7:15, which was very difficult for everyone. We then had a delicious breakfast as usual and we started off on a hike to Mt. Shimbumbu. We were led through a forest of many exotic plants including banana trees, and Chinese lilies. We went through a Meru village, hidden in the woods, and saw just about every farm animal Tanzania had to offer. We proceed to put on facepaint and continued to the view that overlooked our home village, and the valley that it is in. At the top we ate guavas and had a glamorous photo shoot. After the hike we ate lunch, and then went to our first day of teaching at the school. We all taught successful lessons, and had a great time singing songs, playing soccer, and letting the kids braid our hair. After the kids left, we helped paint the fence. We gave it a fresh new coat and went home for dinner. For our night time activity, we watched a TED talk on “The Danger of a Single Story.” This talked about the problems that come with most of the world seeing everything through a western lens. After that, we played cards, chilled, and then gladly went to bed.

7/29/2015

Written by Megan

We woke up today to greet two women who came to talk to us about FGM or Female Genital Mutilation. It was a heavy topic to listen and respond to so early I the morning, but we participated and I could feel jaws dropping inside. They showed us a model of a woman and showed us examples of each type of mutilation. Afterwards they opened up shop for us in support of the fight against FGM, and I couldn’t seem to buy enough.

After they left we headed to The Serena Hotel where we had the gift of Wifi, and we drank coffee and hot chocolate and beautiful scenery and wifi – a teenagers paradise.
We left and headed to the Akeri Secondary School to talk to kids our own age. We stood in front of the. Class as they all stood up and greeted us with “good morning teachers” – just as they do at Patandi. I could feel the collective feelings of surprise to see kids our own age greet us that way. We were separated into random groups to talk to whatever kids we wanted. I spotted two girls shyly smiling at me, and went directly in that direction. Soon two others followed. We laughed and talked about subjects like how they like tanzania, if I would sing for them, if they’d like to oive in America and the list goes on. We laughed a lot, And I could hear the other students laughing in the background. I realized how similar we are as people, and leaving was really painful. When I ever come back to Tanzania I am going to search for them all, no joke. Every Tanzanian I have met has made an immense impact on my life.

We left Akeri, and ate lunch and went to Patandi – which is always another adventure on its own. Me, Kaden and Michelle taught our students about verbs and nouns, but they were so restless-understandable because it was Friday.

After dinner we had a prep talk for the Maasai! Which no one could comprehend the amazing people we were about to experience. We went to sleep early for the 3:30 wake up call, extremely excited for the adventure waiting the next morning.

8/1/2015

Even though the wake up call was at 3:30 a.m., it was completely worth it because we were on the way to see the Maasai. We arrived just in time to watch the mesmerizing sun rise. Additionally, we felt privileged that the Maasai took the time to create a bathroom in honor of our arrival. Next, the Maasai showed us their goats and gave some of us the opportunity to milk their goats. Then, we began the arduous walking safari adventure. Throughout the safari we were able to see giraffes, zebras, and a few gazelles. We walked back to the bus and indulged in a delicious breakfast. Another component of our day was that we were able to witness the slaughter of two goats. The Maasai men performed this ritual in a way that was respectful and cultural rather than graphic. Furthermore, we learned about the sections within the boma’s house and certain characteristics about the daily life of the Maasai. All of the previously listed experiences were phenomenal; however, nothing could compare to learning how to throw a spear from the Maasai warriors themselves. Lastly, we watched the Maasai dance and sing various cultural tunes. We ate another appetizing meal and began our journey back to home base. Overall, this was one of the best days in the program so far because we were able to experience a culture that is so unique and rare to find within a highly globalized world. Today was truly an authentic collection of gratifying moments and opportunities.

Blog by Taylor

8/5/2015

Today, I woke everyone up through the sounds of my melodic tunes at 7:00 a.m. We had yet another splendid breakfast made from the cooking guru known as Baba Joseph. Then, we ventured to a place where our mentor Laura taught us the history of Tanzania in a concise matter. To close up the morning, the Kili Wizards performed cultural dances for us. The Kili Wizards are a successful dance group that have been together for the last 15 years. We were also given the opportunity to participate in a dance circle in which the members tried to show us how to dance like them. After the Kili Wizards left, we prepared ourselves for an afternoon of service. Instead of painting blackboards, we painted windows and poles. Next, we went back to home base and ate dinner. The evening activity involved personal reflection regarding each of our individual leadership styles. We had to move forward and backward on a line based on whether or not we agreed with the statement. At the end of the activity, all of us were in four different quadrants that represented aspects of our personalities and leadership abilities. The four sections were architects/analysts, relationship masters, spontaneous motivators, and the driver’s seat. For the most part, it was a valid representation of who we all are as people and as leaders. As a final statement, today was another exciting day defined by priceless experiences.

8/8/2015

Today was epic. We had our first day of safari and saw so many incredible animals so close to us! First two giraffes were eating from a tree right next to the path we were driving on. Then we saw multiple lions and one of them crossed right in front of our jeep, which is sort of rare. Personally lions are my favorite African animal and, needless to say, it was the most exciting moment of my life. From there we got quite close to many elephants, zebras, and wildebeest. We stopped and had lunch inside the park, where we had some interesting encounters with blackface monkeys. They walked right up to us and grabbed a muffin out of one of our guys’ lunches. Not long after, one jumped onto one of our girls’ shoulders and took her crackers! After lunch we continued to see more amazing animals, huge baobab trees, and beautiful landscapes. It was so surreal to see these animals in their natural habitat. Today truly was one of the best days of my life.

8/9/2015

Today was safari day 2. We woke up at the crack of dawn, 5:30 so that we could go to the Ngorogoro crater. This crater has a ton of animals but what they are known for are their huge number of wildabeast and zebras. They are also know for their hippos, hyenas and rinos. This national park allows for the Maasai to live among the animals. We drove in the middle of fog, past beautiful green trees. The fog caused for the weather to be pretty chilly so we were all bundled up in our layers. Thankfully, as the day went on the sun came out. It was incredible to be able to see these animals in their natural habitat. The park strives to keep the park as natural as possible so every animal that was in the crater went there on their own. At lunch we ate by hippos lying in a pond. After a couple group pictures we made our way back to the home base with a few stops along the way to see a nice view of the crater. The drive back home was about 3 hours which went by quickly considering that most people feel asleep.

Dinner was awesome, baba Joseph made a ton of food. There was soup, rolls, French fries, chicken, pasta, homemade tamato sauce and vegetables. After dishes we danced with Upendo and watched a video discussing the poaching of rinos. It’s sad to hear that there is a great number of rinos decreasing due to poaching that is driven by greed. At 10 it was lights out and we were all in bed within the next half hour.

Blog by Catherine

8/13/2015

Sadly, today was our last full day in Tanzania. It was the last chance for us to all be together at this time in our lives. We woke up at 6 in the morning and prepared for a scenic hike to the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Our guides led us to the picturesque waterfalls where we were able to take gorgeous pictures. Throughout the hike, we were fortunate to see the true aesthetics of Tanzania for the last time.

After reaching the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, we returned to the bus and ventured to the Moshi Market. This market was our last official chance to shop, browse stores, and buy souvenirs. Then, we journeyed back to Arusha. When driving back to home base, we saw Mt. Kilimanjaro in the best light. Furthermore, when we arrived back at home, we all dressed in some of our traditional African clothing that the seamstress had made. Our final dinner was an immaculate masterpiece by the one and only,  Baba Joseph. Additionally, all of us shared our  favorite moments throughout the trip. The evening proved to be final moments of reflection and appreciation. We performed our final jokes, tricks, and riddles to each other. Overall, the last day was bittersweet; however, we all knew that it had to come to an end. It’s up to us to cherish the memories we made during this program. As a final point, I can genuinely say that although this group was small, we became extremely close and resembled an actual family. This last day was the best way to conclude the trip and show us how we can educate our different communities through the experiences we made in Tanzania.