Time Capsule Letter

GLA Fam!!!!

The home base has felt far too quiet since you all left! We’re already missing the sounds of marathon games of spit (accompanied with the sounds of Jack Weinberg’s distraction tactic of squealing), french music, chatter and late night laughter.

We hope you all have adjusted well back into life in the US, Spain and France. Remember to cherish all the good things we have in life and keep spreading the tales of your adventures and first hand experiences here in Tanzania with friends and family. Your knowledge plus action is power. We hope you look back on this experience with happiness and love.

I’ve attached our One Meaningful Goal at the bottom of this capsule and I hope it still resonates with you all. We believe in you. We know you can keep up with your personal and group goals, and we wish you all the best of luck!

Some never forget moments from your three week Arusha adventure!
The amazing work you did at Patandi School. The paint on the walls and the connections you built with the kids will last for many days to come. I hope they still sing The Hokey Cokey and march through the playground like the days we were there!
The guacamole – cherish the taste of that sweet piece of heaven forever.
Zuwati – the cutest/strangest little kitty in the world.
When we put 240 bananas in Zach’s room – the banana hovering up by the ceiling was my personal fav.
The many hours spent outside playing with the neighbourhood kids. That time was special.
That time we thought covering the open bus windows with curtains would keep the dust out.. we were wrong.
The inquisitive and insightful questions you asked at the Masaai Boma, FGM workshop and HIV panel.
Singing “cutty… cutty…. cutty, CAKEY cutty” at the top of our lungs on Miles and Tatum’s birthday!
Don’t forget the Kili Wizard dance moves they taught us. Stop what you’re doing, count to seven and do those steps right now!
Auctioning for protein bars when snack supplies were low
And absolutely, for surely, don’t forget that each and everyone of you contributed to something wonderful while you were here, we hope you’re all keeping in touch!
I’d like to share my favourite quote with you all –
“You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes, you can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”

Best in all that you do special people,
Emily, Eunice, Zach, Lodrick and Sarah

 

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Thursday July 11, 2019

Hello families!

All students have arrived safe and sound, and are now resting after their long journeys to Tanzania! We are very excited about the next three weeks, and can’t wait to share more about our adventures. Stay tuned for more blog posts and photos coming soon!

GLA Staff

Friday July 12, 2019

Hello everyone!

Today was our first full day together as a team in Tanzania. As we got to know each other a little bit, we discussed our roles during these next three weeks. Our students are ready to be ambassadors, teachers, role models, and leaders.

We are all looking forward to contributing our unique skills towards our community project and creating lasting memories. In the next coming weeks students will be taking over many leadership roles including writing the blog and posting posting.

Keep up with our adventures during our time here in Tanzania!

Eunice, International Director

Saturday July 13, 2019

The foliage. The smells. The noises. For most of us, the first day of our program was definitely something out of the ordinary. On our morning walk to the local school, Patandi, we experienced the vibrance of Arusha firsthand. All around our group, motorcycles skittered past, merchants bartered on the streets, and wild dogs chased crows in the nearby bush. After meeting a project teacher, Mr. Marco, our group ventured into the bustling downtown area and went fabric shopping. All around, Kangas and Kitenges-traditional Tanzanian textiles-were draped from the ceiling to the floor.

I must say, the people in the small marketplace drive a hard bargain. Multiple times, I was dragged from store to store by a particularly eager salesman. Everyone in the group learned to not point at any pieces unless they were interested in buying them, or else they’d be the subjects of a very convincing sales pitch. Our fabrics bought, we left the market and headed back to our home base, where we were pleasantly surprised by a group of local children who wanted to play soccer with us. All in all, today a great way to kick off our trip!

-Jack McGlinn

Sunday July 14, 2019

Our day started off with some lesson planning for tomorrow as it will be our first day of teaching English at Patandi which took up the majority of the morning. In the afternoon we had lunch with host families who lived in the area. After a fulfilling lunch, the host families brought us to their homes where we learned about their everyday life and culture.

During my time with the host family, I was shown their animals which consisted of cows and chickens, and inside their home. Once we got back to home base, everyone proceeded to talk to the tailor about what we wanted to do with our kongas and kitengas which are commonly used fabrics in Tanzania. All in all, a day filled with action!

– By Jack Tinker

Monday July 15, 2019

Today was our first experience teaching 5th and 6th graders at the Patandi school. The communication barrier was difficult, but I think all of us got a better idea as to how we should teach in the future. My class was very eager to learn and almost all of them raised their hands to answer all of our questions. The highlight of the day for me was playing with the kids at recess. Each one of us volunteers had a swarm of children who either wanted to play soccer, teach us native games, or just to hug and hold hands.

All of the children are so sweet and loving. After recess we started the process of refurbishing a classroom. We began to sand the walls in order to prep for painting. We had a posse of students watching us and some even came up to wipe the dust off our clothes- so sweet. After meeting the children at the school for the first time it really hit how much potential there is for us to impact the lives of these kids and I’m super excited to build a relationship with them. It’s gonna be so hard to leave them!

-From Maya

Tuesday July 16, 2019

Today we woke up and had breakfast at 7am. We had toast, pancakes, and some eggs. Once we finished breakfast, we walked to the local school. We taught two 40-minute lessons to 5th and 6th graders. After that, we continued to refurbish the classroom by sanding the walls and prepping them for paint. We went back to home base and had lunch.

Afterwards, we explored a park/playground that we hope to take young kiddies to for hanging out and playing games. When we came back to home base, half of the group took a Batik painting class where we had the opportunity to purchase beautiful pieces of art! The other half of us took a cooking class and prepared our dinner! The groups will switch tomorrow. Finally, we had a discussion about an upcoming local Orphanage before climbing into bed at 10pm.

– from Dylan

Wednesday July 17, 2019

Today was a very exciting and memorable day for all of us. We started the beautiful, warm day by teaching the 5th and 6th graders at Patandi Primary School. Everyone can agree that today was a great lesson for both grades. All the students were engaged and eager to learn! After a quick visit to the market, where some enjoyed ice cream and coffees, we headed back to home base where a delicious lunch of Mac and cheese was waiting for us!

Later on we headed on our way to the Orphanage. We all knew this would be a very emotional and eye opening experience but when we saw the smiling, happy, and playful children all we could do was smile. Despite being thrown up all over by a 5 month year old baby, the time spent there was amazing. We all can hope that one day every single one of those children can have a beautiful life and a bright future.

-from Gabby and Momo

Thursday July 18, 2019

Today we started our day by going to Patandi where my group taught Adjectives and Verbs. The kids are super smart and pick up what we are teaching really fast. At recess we played multiple games with the children that we led. These games included ‘Head Shoulders Knees and Toes’, ‘Simon Says’, and ‘Ring Around The Rosie’. The kids had a great time and by the end everyone was laughing.

When the bell rang signalling the end of recess the kids expressed their love by giving everyone big group hugs. We then moved on to working on the classroom that we are refurbishing. Some of us sanded the walls and some of us plastered holes in the wall. At the end we walked back to lunch and many of the kids followed us and held our hands as we walked back.

Next, everyone who was cooking dinner yesterday did Batik and whoever did Batik, cooked dinner. The dinner was traditional and authentic Tanzanian dish that tasted awesome!

Friday July 19, 2019

Today we started the morning out with breakfast at 7:00. We were served a wonderful breakfast, that was followed by a nice rainy walk to the school where we taught. Then, we returned to home base where lunch was served at 12:30. A group of people came in who were living with HIV and shared their stories with us.

After some very eye opening stories we went to a nearby lake for a swahili lesson. We were then given some free time where some of us sipped sodas and others skipped rocks. We walked back to home base where a delicious meal was waiting for us. We ended the night by preparing for safari and are all looking forward to seeing the animals tomorrow.

Sunday July 21, 2019

I was greeted with a ‘good morning sunshine’ but it was still dark outside so many of us thought it was funny. Once everyone dragged themselves to breakfast at 5am we headed to safari day 2 at the Ngorongoro crater. During the safari, we saw lions, elephants, wildabeast, hippos, gazells, and hyenas as well as many other animals. My personal favorite was the little warthogs or ‘Pumbas’ which means ‘to be goofy’ in Swahili. We had lunch and then started our multiple hour journey back to the homebase.

On the way back we were able to go to a gift shop and get souvenirs. Also, everyone had to stop for about 20 minutes on the side of the road because the prime minister was driving through. When we finally arrived at home base, we had some free time and then dinner. Lastly we had our mentor groups where we talk about what we have done during the week and how we can make improvements within our communities. After that we had lights out. Peace!

-by Tatum

Monday July 22, 2019

Today we started the day volunteering by going to teach at Patandi primary school. After the lesson we got back to home base early and rested for a while. After lunch we went to a local high school and talked with the teenage students there about the history of Tanzania and life here and back in America. We went to play sports with them towards the end. A big basketball and soccer match. When we got back to home base we had a workshop on the coffee industry because we are going to the coffee farm tomorrow.

-From Soma and Vid

Wednesday July 24, 2019

We started the day by volunteering at Patandi. After chapati for lunch, we went to the Masai market. We bought lots of locally made goods. We then played soccer in a field with the local kids before retiring to home base for mentor groups.

– From Josh

Friday July 26, 2019

Hey fellas! how is everyone doing today??Today was good day and we learned a lot. We started off the day at Patandi where we taught 5th grade our lessons. The kids seemed to enjoy the lesson and learn from it. We also had a guest speaker come in and she talked about FGM (female genitalia mutilation). This is a problem in Africa and in other parts of the world and we are very thankful that we had the chance to learn about it. The dinner was fantastic we had the best food all trip! After dinner we had Massai prep for Massai day tomorrow.

-Miles and Raphaëlle

Saturday July 27, 2019

Today started off as a normal day, we woke up, went to school and taught. Later on in the day we went to the hotel (WiFi included) and relaxed and listen to Mama Oweza’s Speech.

Mama Oweza started the Tanzanian program of GLA, and owns the housing we are lucky to stay at. She taught us a lot with her speech, it was really inspiring and we learned a lot from it. The speech was primarily about being a leader and learning to cherish every moment.

Mama also told us about her life and her struggles, it taught us to be thankful for you all (our parents/sponsors for the trip) and our lives. The speech was a highlight of the trip and was amazing. 7/25 was a great day!

Have a good one,

Luke

Sunday July 28, 2019

As we head into our final days in Tanzania, the GLA students plunged into a day of bargaining, dancing, and playing games.

After a long Saturday, we all enjoyed our late breakfast at 8:00am, which gave us an opportunity to sleep in until 7:30. After a relaxed breakfast some GLA students decided to spend part of the morning at a Roman Catholic Church that is nearby home base. Once everyone was back together at home base at 9:00am, we headed out to the market.

At the market we practiced our somewhat assertive bargaining skills and used our new knowledge of Swahili market talk to gather items for our local kitchen staff. After the market, we enjoyed our delicious lunch and headed out to dance the afternoon away with the Kili Wizards. The Kili Wizards are the official dance group of Tanzania. The Kili Wizards performed their amazing dance routines for us, along with teaching us a few of their memorizing dance steps.

After the Kili Wizards danced away we all enjoyed playing games in the field such as tag and camouflage. We soon returned back to home base where we enjoyed our dinner and talked about the amazing adventures we had today.

– by Satya

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Waking up at 5:45 in the morning for this adventure was quite worth it. As we were approaching Mt. Kilimanjaro, most of us would soon be shocked to believe what was before our eyes. We hiked along steep paths, flat grasses, and surreal waterfalls with rocks as steps. The waterfalls were beautiful and the air was crisp and fresh. It was truly amazing to see parts of the most renowned landmark right in front of our eyes on this foreign continent. We saw two major waterfalls and several small ones.

Filled with many laughs and falls along the paths, the trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro and the waterfalls is one I will truly never forget. This day trip was a definite highlight and a perfect way to conclude our time in Tanzania. This trip has allowed me along with many other students to be subordinates, teachers, and siblings to the locals. Tanzania is filled with incredible sights, endless amounts of love, and peace. Asante sana Tanzania and GLA!

-by Sophia Stone

Time Capsule Letter

Dear GLA Young Leaders,

It is now many weeks after you have arrived home. Perhaps you are lying on your bed reading this (sans mosquito net). Perhaps you are sitting in class daydreaming about your time in Tanzania. Perhaps you are at your favorite coffee shop, drinking an amazing NOT instant cup of coffee with milk, meaning you are actually a baby calf! By now, you have acclimated to your regular life again. No more starch, no more 1,000 different ways to greet and respond! And yet, who you are and how you view and engage with this world has changed, and life, is just not quite the same.

There could not have been a more thoughtful, intelligent, hilarious, conscientious, and kind-hearted group of people to participate on the trip this summer. The energy you all brought during your service of teaching and painting, during the exciting activities, and when discussing powerful and thought-provoking topics contributed to the life-changing aspects of this program. We might have planned it, but you all made it.

You had Patandi students pull on your arms, students cry with you, students ask you for your bracelets, students write you love notes, and students inspired by your English teaching. You had dust in your lungs, arms screaming “stop,” and blue paint all over your clothes/body. You had fun excursions, evenings without the ability to stop laughing, and very long lectures from Lodrick!

Our trip was certainly packed with palpable contradictions and cultural juxtapositions. You were confronted by cultures and people with entirely diverging world views, and instead of shying away and feeling unbearable distress from these different perspectives, as young leaders, you welcomed the discomfort and played around with it by asking questions, being open-minded, and debriefing afterwards. You gave it your all and with each passing day, I saw in you new comfort-levels and leadership skills.

I hope you are all back in your routines, enjoying daily life, yet with a soft haze of leadership and cross-cultural understandings covering your view of the world. Keep teaching others, listening to others, caring for others, bringing your amazing positive energy, and questioning what is happening around you.

Remember the personal goals you created for yourselves during mentor groups and your group goal. Read your books, keep up with the book club, and continue to communicate with one another. Don’t forget that Eunice and myself will always be around. Anytime you want to reach out, we would love to hear from you.

All the best,

-Ariella, Mentor

“Lets go GLA!

We had such a memorable time in Tanzania this past summer and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of students to share my first experience around the country with. While I know we will never forget meeting the Maasai tribe in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, riding through the safari (spotting four out of the Big Five, might I add!), and trekking our way up the coffee farm, our most memorable moments were ones we spent at the dinner table, in our mentor groups, or lounging by the couches.

Our group had the best dynamic because we were willing to share our best attributes with each other. From the astrologist, who had us all stargazing, to our philosopher, who had us all pondering. I hope you all built the better parts of yourselves during your time in Tanzania and learned to share it with others when you got back home.”

-Eunice, International Director

Our OMG was an amazing collective of both your experience in the classroom and your understanding of growth. As a group, your goal was “to stay in perspective by reading more books.” You mentioned you realized the value of education because of your experience in Patandi and how you all wanted to remain aware of what’s going on around the world.

In order to accomplish this goal you had created a group chat where you were able to discuss the selected books and motivate each other. Your goal was to finish at least one book within three months.

The group would continue reading additional books with no set end-date. The books are a way to learn about social issues and broaden your perspectives but also a way to stay in touch with each other. Ariella and I recommended a list of books that the group could start off their book club with.

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Monday June 17, 2019

Hi families and friends,

Welcome to our group’s blog! Our international and local team have been preparing extensively for this day. We are extremely excited to add our students to the family. After a long journey from their perspective hometowns students have finally arrived.

As the first group exited the airport together they looked tired but very eager to get the ball rolling. As we made our way to our homebase we were blessed with clear skies and a beautiful view of Kilimanjaro. Two students arrived later on in the night and, while jet-lagged, had such positive personalities. Now we’re eagerly waiting for Tristen!

Our team has so many adventures to look forward to and we anticipate to make many new friends along the way. I hope you check in with us throughout the coming three weeks as we build as leaders and share in unforgettable memories.

Karibu! (Welcome!)
Eunice Cuevas
International Director

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Harabi!

Today our students settled into their homebase, meeting local staff, enjoying tasty meals, and getting to know each other. As we participated in a few team building activities, we shared amongst ourselves the unique qualities that not only make us leaders but valuable members to the team.

After a competitive game of GLA Jeopardy, to review all the information received during Student Orientation, students were ready to sign up for the Leadership Roles for the next few weeks. These roles include Leader of the Day, Blogger, Photographer, and Kitchen Crew. We are really thrilled that students are taking on these titles and putting their own spark and personality into completing their tasks.

Most of all, with the arrival of our team member Tristan, our group is finally complete and ready to visit out local school, Patandi, tomorrow.

-GLA Team

Wednesday June 19, 2019

After breakfast we went to the school and got to meet all of the kids. they showed us around the school for a while and then we played basketball with the kids. after we finished the game, 5 – 4, we were shown the rest of the school and learned about what goes on there. then we walked back to home-base, and just kind on hung out. then we went to the market and got to shop for food and some of us got ice cream. after that we came back to home-base, ate lunch, had some down time and then had a very intense debate about poaching in Tanzania. we had some more free time and discussed injuries, took naps and then ate dinner.

-Naeda

Thursday June 20, 2019

Today we woke up and had a great Tanzanian breakfast including toast, eggs, yams, and fruit. Then we went to the school and got to teach the kids two classes. The students learned about animals and adjectives in English. Their English abilities are really good and they are only in 5th and 6th grade! After English class, we went outside and learned some of their Tanzanian games, and we taught them American ones. Then we started sanding a classroom to get ready for painting. Then we went cloth shopping and picked different fabrics we wanted to design into clothes. A tailor came and measured us and asked us in detail what we wanted to make. Then we had dinner, which was burgers, fries, watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Then we had a group activity in which we wrote “Where I’m From” poems and read them aloud.

-Tristen

Friday June 21, 2019

Today we continued service in the morning, which included compound words, sentence starters, and letters. After that we went down to an orphanage where we got to tour it and play with the kids whose ages ranged from two months to 4 years. When we returned to home base we had a Swahili lesson to learn greetings, phrases, and words of fruits and vegetables we would be buying for the kitchen crew at the market. In addition to this we learned about the Maasai people and their culture for tomorrow when we will be with them the whole day.

-Alice

   

Saturday June 22, 2019

After a long week of teaching, sanding walls, lesson planning, exploring markets, playing with kids, and engaging in leadership activities, we finally had our first excursion to the Maasai Mara. The Maasai are an ethnic group native to Tanzanian and Kenyan land with around one million people, the largest group in Tanzania.

They are one of the most famous groups in Africa to foreigners, because they live in reserve areas (land designated for animals and humans to live together) and near many national parks in the Great Rift Valley area. They also wear distinct red clothes to symbolize the blood that is so representative of their culture of warriorhood. The Maasai is one large group with smaller organized communities, similar to America as one nation with many states. We had the incredible opportunity to visit one of these “bomas” or homes/compounds today.

We woke up at 3:30am ready to begin our adventure. Amidst the dark sky and windy roads, we first stumbled upon a giraffe taking part in its morning browsing for food. We then exchanged customary greetings with the elder of the “boma” and went straight to milk the family’s goats. Afterwards, we got acquainted to the Maasai way of life, in which we witnessed a traditional preparation of goat for feasting. We then headed straight through the expansive landscape, as we walked for around four to five miles, spotting giraffe, birds, and goats. After our long walk, we had a tasty lunch and got to hear the elder tell his story, expressing how the Maasai lives.

We got to ask many questions. It was very interesting. Once we finished eating and listening, we got a tour of a typical Maasai home. I think in that moment we all felt very grateful for the homes we live in, as the Maasai live very simply and bare bones from our perspective. Yet, as a student later remarked, that does not lessen their enjoyment of life. Perhaps even, quite the opposite.

Lastly, we all learned how to throw a heavy spear, again showcasing how important hunting is to the Maasai. We were told that our group was the first GLA group to have every member throw the spear correctly! We ended by watching the many women dance and sing, as we tried to dance along. The women then showed us their beautiful beadwork and we even bought some of their jewelry. It was a day of learning, exploring, and engaging in a true cultural exchange.

-Ariella Kirschbaum – Program Mentor

Sunday June 23, 2019

On our relaxed Sunday we got to take some time in the morning and go to a hotel on a beautiful property. The students planned their lessons for tomorrow with great success. They are starting to get the hang of it! We then got an hour of free time, in which we enjoyed access to WiFi, coffee drinks, and snacks. After our morning, we walked back to homebase where families were waiting for us to come take us for the afternoon. We ate lunch with them and then the students were off.

Each pair/small group went with a different family and they all came back enthusiastic with different stories. Some families asked the students a lot of questions about what life is like in America. Other families showed the students a tour of the town and their houses. Other students got to play with the little kids in the families.

When the students got back after their day with their host families, they learned about the Tanzanian education system and continued lesson planning. After dinner, we all watched The Ivory Game, a film about the poaching issues in Africa, a topic regarding human rights and wildlife/land conservation, which we continually focus on during this program.

-Ariella Kirschbaum

Program Mentor

Monday June 24, 2019

Service today was excellent. We taught verbs, nouns, compound words, and time telling; and saw a lot of improvement. We also continued sanding the walls of the classroom and playing English and Swahili games with the kids. In addition to this we learned how to do Batik, which is a form of tapestries made with wax.

-Alice

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Today we continued teaching our students. We taught topics like writing letters and adjectives. We also continued service. We are making good progress sanding the walls and getting them ready to be painted. When we got back to home base we got to cook dinner with the chefs. We made juice, salad, and “chips mi eye,” which is a dish of eggs and Irish potatoes. As the groups finished up cooking, we played jump rope and catch outside with some of our kids from school. We are all excited to continue teaching this week and learning about Tanzanian culture.

-Alyssa

Wednesday June 26, 2019

So today we finally finished sanding the walls of the classroom. It was hard work, but anything is possible with a team like ours. We got to painting the walls and we only have a few more layers of paint to go. After that we sat down for an HIV panel and learned a lot. Five people who are HIV positive and work at a non-profit that counsels people who have just discovered that they have HIV came in and told us their stories. After that, at the end of the day we had a nice time at the lake and it was splendid. We played games, drank soda, and had a Swahili lesson.

-by Alex

Thursday June 27, 2019

After teaching, we continued to paint another coat in the classroom. Later in the day we went to downtown Arusha. We stopped at the supermarket for snacks and a cafe. From there, we drove to the market. It was crowded, but we bought some fabric and jewelry. When we got back to homebase, we all participated in a short workout in order to prepare for tomorrow’s hike to the coffee farm.

-by Rayna

Sunday June 30, 2019

This morning we woke up to Alex’s much anticipated APE breakfast before starting our last day of service for week 2. At the school we were greeted by the usual crowd of smiling and waving students, just as eager to learn as they were on day 1. We made major progress on the classroom painting project as we finished the third layer of paint. After returning to the home base and eating lunch, we prepped for our hike to a local coffee farm. On the hike we were surrounded by beautiful plants and even more stunning scenery as we overlooked Arusha.

When we finally arrived at the coffee farm, we were welcomed with enthusiastic singing and dancing from a local group. Our guideshowed us the 12 step process for making the “best” cup of coffee, from picking the beans, to roasting, to boiling the grinds. We were advised not to use milk because we “aren’t baby cows”, but the coffee really didn’t need it because it was perfect on its own. Finally, we returned home and prepped for our first safari excursion tomorrow!

-Kat

Monday July 1, 2019

This weekend was indescribable, but i’ll do my best! Saturday morning we left for Tangire national park shortly after breakfast. While we were there we were able to be up close and personal with so many zebras, African elephants, giraffes, baboons, and impalas! These creatures were so beautiful and it was incredible to see them in their natural habitat!

After a long day we headed to our short term hotel where we ate dinner. Sunday morning we were up to eat breakfast by 5AM and leave the hotel by 5:45AM to drive to Ngorogoro national park. The drive there was beautiful, specifically the view of the canyon. Once we were in the canyon we saw many zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, baboons, silver back jacks, hippopotamuses, black rhino, hyena, lions, more baboons, and lots and lots of birds! The overall experience was incredible and so very unreal!

Today we started week 3 with an early 7AM breakfast followed by a morning of teaching, as usual! Thankfully our mentors allowed us to take a break from our painting project, as we were in need of some rest. After a 2 hour nap (thank you mentors) we had lunch followed by another hour of free time.

After our very needed rest, we headed to a nearby hotel to have a talk with Mama Simba! She went further into detail about her very intriguing life story and about her past struggles and present successes. We were all very inspired by her energy and thankful for all she does for GLA! When we came back to the home base we had more free time. After a few rounds of Egyptian Rap Slap we ate dinner and had free time until lights out!

-by Harmony

Tuesday July 2, 2019

As the sun sets on our time in Tanzania we rejoice in the light of the Tanzanian culture. The members of NAFGEM or Network Against Female Genital Mutilation came to address us about the horrific impacts of gender based violence, specifically surrounding female genital mutilation. At last, after we had gone to the market, picked out a number of festive fabrics, and got measured for an assortment of cultural clothing, TODAY we received our Tanzanian swag. Thanks GLA!

-by James

Wednesday July 3, 2019

After being here for two weeks we finally go to experience the market on market day. Although it was crowded and overwhelming, it was nice to see people in full action and to be able to see such vibrant colors in all directions. After that, we had the high school exchange in which we had nice conversations with local high school kids. For a light ending, we finished off with a game of “Would You Rather?” which was full of fun and laughter. We then ended with mentor groups.

-by Alex

Thursday July 4, 2019

Today we had breakfast and had some amazing food. Then we went to service we had two classes and then we painted some finishing touches. Then we finished up and went back to home base. Then we went to a Maasai market. Then we went back and some girls got their hair braided. Then we had dinner and chilled together, had mentor groups, and went to bed to be energetic for the next day.

-by Tristen

Friday July 5, 2019

First off I’d like to give a little shout to doug and thais, miss you! Love you! So um today was our last day at Patandi Primary and it was very bittersweet. Instead of lessons, we played games with the students but we made it sort of educational. We got to see the finished classroom that we had worked on while we were here which was really cool but we also had to say goodbye to all of our students who we had built relationships with. After our lunch, we went to see a performance by the Kili Wizards and that was really fun. And then tonight we roasted marshmallows and just hung out!

-Naeda

Time Capsule Letter

GLA FAM!!

We miss you guys here at home base! Bert is nearly a teenager, Ezekiel (airplane?) is still as food crazed as ever (Gertrude too), and chapati & beans is less exciting without the extra hype from you guys ): . We’re missing all the chatter and laughter, the late night football (soccer) games, and the intensely sweaty inducing spicy UNO rounds.

We hope you guys are adjusting well back at life in the states. Remember to cherish those ‘flushing toilet paper’ toilets, pants and shorts, and obviously, that big ol’ Starbucks (or Dunkin’ Donuts take your pick). Count your blessings y’all 😉 I hope you all look back on this experience with happiness, and I absolutely hope you all try and stay in touch with each other (and feel free to add Julie and I on social media). Most importantly, share your experience, knowledge, and skills with a neighbor. Your knowledge plus action are power!

I’ve attached our One Meaningful Goal at the bottom of this capsule, and I hope it still resinates with you all. I believe in y’all. I know you can keep up with your personal and group goals, and I wish you all the best of luck! Have a happy rest of high school and a wonderful adventure in everything and all that you do <3

Some ‘never forgets’ for your 2 weeks in Moshi!

•The unbelievable work you put in at the schools. That building is still shining with fresh paint and those kiddos are bright and happy as ever

•Mama D’s famous chapati is waiting for you any time you’d like to come for a visit

•Mommy (yes I said it..) misses all of her little babies

•The elephants when they stampeded the picnic area? Yeah. That was cool.

•Late night stargazing on the grass in the front yard

•And absolutely, for surely, can’t forget that epic, one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-forgotten final blog!

Much love,

Lena, Julie, Agape, Jackie, Uweza (and James!)

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Saturday August 3, 2019

Today was full of anticipation and excitement here at home base in Moshi, Tanzania as we put the finishing touches on our preparations for our fourth and final group of the summer.

Our small group of ten is still arriving bit by bit (first three, then four, then two later this evening and finally our last community member tomorrow morning at 4:05 am!). We will be posting a whole-group photo tomorrow as soon as we are all assembled.

We have two action-packed weeks in store for this lively bunch, and can’t wait to dive in with them tomorrow for orientation, a host family visit, and their first mentor group. The first days in-country are always a bit foggy and overwhelming thanks to jet lag and a lot of information to cover, but thanks to a couple of later mornings, we hope to all be rested and ready for our first day of service at Mnini and Matoli Primary School on Monday!

Sunday August 4, 2019

We started our first day with a delicious breakfast made by the awesome staff. Everyone enjoyed the amazing food and loved watching the four cats walk around the table. After clearing our plates, we headed to the parking space to play a game of 4 squares and chaos, getting to learn more about everyone. Then we head back to the dining area to have a lesson in culture and learn some Swahili.

After, we got ready to meet the host families we would be spending the day with. We greeted them in the front and had a wonderful lunch, getting to know the families and let them get to know us. We then left home base to see the houses of our host families.

The rest of the day, we sang, danced, and explored the area. We went to a local market and went to bridges that towered over flowing rivers. Sadly, we had to leave but we all got to have dinner, shower, and play card games with each other. All in all, our first official day couldn’t have gone better and we can’t wait for day 2!

Love, Madison

Monday August 5, 2019

Hi families!

Today was great! We went to the school for the very first time and played with the kids during their recess. They loved to hold our hands and play soccer with us. There were about 400 kids playing in one small playing area, but they were the happiest children I have ever seen. When we had to leave they did not want to leave our hands. We also went over a lesson plan for teaching the 3rd and 5th graders at the school tomorrow.

The 3rd grade teachers (Bella, Seth, Laura, Kate and Madison) are teaching the days of the week and the 5th grade teachers (Callie, Hector, Derek, Ellen and Natalie) are teaching time to the students. Afterwards, we sanded a classroom so we can paint it later this week. We wore dust masks and goggles to keep the dust out of our mouths and eyes, but our arms were coated in a fine layer of dust by the end.

Then we bussed to the market, souvenir shop, and grocery store. We had a seamstress come to our home base later so we could create clothing from the fabrics we bought at the market! Many people had bucket hats, scrunchies, and skirts made. Now we are all playing soccer together before dinner…we are having fish here for the first time!

– by Callie

Tuesday August 6, 2019

Hi families!

Today was really great! We taught at the kids at the school for the first time and it was successful. Bella, Seth, Laura, Kate and Madison taught the days of the week in a 3rd grade classroom. We taught the kids a song and had them come to the board and practice spelling and pronunciation. Callie, Hector, Derek, Ellen and Natalie taught in a 5th grade classroom and explained how to tell time.

After teaching in the classroom, we went to recess with the kids were we played soccer and they were all so excited to hold our hands. We then continued to work on painting a classroom at the school.

After lunch, we went to a coffee cafe were we ordered milkshakes and smoothies and heard Uweza’s (Mama Simba) inspiring life story. She taught us about her life philosophies and how she persevered through struggles growing up in a large family in Tanzania and how she continues to give back to those in her community.

We then visited a coffee plantation where we picked coffee beans and learned the process of making coffee here in Tanzania. We picked out the spoiled beans, crushed the remaining beans up, and and then boiled them and drank the coffee. The women at the Mze Maro Coffe Farm performed a Tanzanian dance and taught us all the dance and song. Now we are all relaxing, chatting, and playing games, getting ready for another eventful day…

– by Bella

Wednesday August 7, 2019

Hi families! Today was…FANTASTIC! We started off the day with service, one group teaching days of the week and the other group trying to master minutes on a clock. After teaching, the group had a great break time with the kids. As for the progress of the classroom, we sanded over the newly plastered portions of the walls. We finished off service by priming the walls.

Lunch was absolutely DELICIOUS! We had fried dough with assorted toppings such as guacamole, beans, and tomatoes. We took a trip to an art studio and made Batic art. Through many different steps with wax and ink painting! To end the night we played a few games of capture the flag. Exhausted, we went right to sleep!

-by Ellen

Thursday August 8, 2019

Hi there! Today for teaching many of our students were absent to attend the Farmers’ Day with the family (a holiday here), some still arrived simply for our lesson and recess; leaving afterwards. My group consisted of Derek, Natalie, Callie and Ellen and, due to the reduced numbers, we decided to have a slightly less intense day! As a result, we played a variety of interactive games; some of which became slightly chaotic, but ultimately fun and informative for the kids. The other group which is teaching 3rd grade went for a similar approach and ended up playing hangman and other classroom lessons. In recess, there was enough space to organize a football game which had previously been difficult because there were too many people.

When we reached the classroom, the sanding and priming was finally complete, so we made a start painting the window frames a bright blue. I think the consensus was that we hope our work will last for a long time; genuinely attracting kids to school with a more constructive and neat learning environment. After lunch, we sat down for a enlightening discussion about FGM (female genital mutilation). They taught us a lot about the issue and how awful it can be for women. For the last activity prior to dinner, we went to a park and watched a performance of some traditional Chagga dancing. As a treat, we were allowed to join in despite some people and my hesitations. In the end it was fun!

-Hector

Friday August 9, 2019

Hello Families!

Today was such an amazing day (as usual)! We started off the day as we normally do, at the local primary school. Both groups are doing a fantastic job at teaching, and the students are learning at a super fast pace thanks to our thought-out lesson plans that get better by the day. Recess was a hit, as the kids always love holding hands and playing games with us. Our time spent with them in the mornings has created such a special bond!

Afterwards we proceeded to continue painting the window frames of our designated classroom. It’s getting a bit messy, but such an awesome process nonetheless! It’s been so great seeing the progress thus far.

Later on, after a delicious lunch which included zucchini soup and AMAZING bread, we headed over to a private secondary school nearby. There we were able to meet Sister Dr Lucretia Njao and gain knowledge about her views regarding education in Tanzania, as well as how she started the school twenty years ago! We could not thank her enough for her time and inspiring words! There we also had the pleasure of meeting some of the students who were kind enough to show us around. They then finished off the afternoon with a surprise feast!

To wrap up the day, we shopped around a bit at the supermarket and got some down time at the internet cafe for some snacks. All in all, it was a very fun and educational day!

– by Laura

Saturday August 10, 2019

On Saturday morning, we got up early for 6:30 breakfast to could get on the road towards Tarangire National Park. Along the way, we stopped at a supermarket in Arusha and got snacks for the next two days. After about 5 hours of driving through towns, corn, and cattle, we reached the park and had a boxed lunch. On the safari, we popped open the roof of the jeep and saw elephants, giraffes, ostriches, zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, impalas, and a female lion. After the safari, we drove an hour to Twiga Lodge and had dinner there. We did yoga in the evening as our evening game. The next morning was even earlier for a 5:30 breakfast.

We packed up our stuff and drove uphill to Ngorongoro Crater through thick fog. It was super chilly at the top of the crater. The sun was coming out as we went in. The first animals we saw were female lions. They chased an elephant but weren’t successful. We went on to see more zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, elephants, and ostriches. Some new animals we saw were hippos, baboons, gazelles, and flamingos. We ate another boxed lunch in the crater then headed out. On our way home, we stopped at a souvenir shop then got to home base right at dinner. We were all exhausted from the safari and went to bed early.

-by Natalie

Monday August 12, 2019

Hi there! Today is 8/12/19 and today was a beautiful day, just like every other day. We had an exhilarating day that tired out the whole crew. The day consisted of service work, an HIV/AIDS panel, and visiting the Tuleeni Orphanage.

The day started off at 6:30 am with a magnificent sunrise. Breakfast commenced at 8 and we were served eggs, toast, yams, and some excellent juice. We then headed off to service. Sadly, we had smaller classes today than normal due to an Islamic holiday that most students had to attend to. For those that showed up, the classes were mostly made up of fun games, such as 4 corners. We then continued work on the classroom, by starting to paint the interior and exterior of the classroom.

We then headed back to home base for a delicious lunch prepared by Mama D, James, and the entire crew. We then had an HIV/AIDS panel where we got to meet real people who have HIV. It was a highly immersive experience that really opened everyone’s eyes as to how HIV can affect the average person. We learned about their stories and how they have dealt with the issues presented with the acquisition of HIV.

After the magnificent panel, we headed to the Tuleeni Orphanage. It really hit home for me because that’s where my first 2 years of my life were spent (hi mom and dad). Because of this connection I have with being an orphan, it was a special day to lead the day. It was really great to meet the kids and let them know that they also have the chance to do something great and be able to move past this hardship, just like I did.

I made lots of friends there and despite their current hardship, it was amazing to know that we were able to brighten their day. We then headed back to home base for a delicious dinner and finally we capped off the night with a wonderful leadership learning exercise that helped us all learn how we are as leaders and how we can use our leadership skills to our advantage. All in all, it was another great day in Tanzania and keeps us excited for another day of hard work and rewarding experiences.

-by Seth

Tuesday August 13, 2019

Dear families,

Today was yet another amazing day here in Moshi! We started off the day as usual with a 7:30 am breakfast, which today included toast, fried eggs, super delicious fried dough that we cannot get enough of, and some fruit. Following breakfast, we got into our teaching groups to begin lesson planning. Both grades (grade 3 and 5) have made so much progress since we’ve arrived! Every single day the students amaze us with their motivation and excitement to learn – it really gives us some perspective on our own education, one full of materials and resources that these children don’t have.

After another fun teaching session with the kids, we went to recess, which for me personally is my favorite part of the day! All of us love interacting with the students, whether their English level is conversational or minimal.

We’ve learned that we don’t need language to communicate – they are patient with teaching us how to play their games, “braid” our hair, or simply stand with us hand in hand. Following recess, we had a quick snack of bananas, bread, and peanut butter to give us an extra energy boost for the painting that was to follow. We’ve come so far with the classroom project (with the guidance of Mr. Limo, the local handyman!). It’s so great to look back and see what a huge difference we’ve made in the school. When it came time to go, the students, as always, bid us the cutest farewell of high-fives and hugs.

Lunch was a vegetable-filled take on mac and cheese, with Ugali and some yellow lentils. After, we had our GLA Capstone meeting, where we discussed ways to carry on what we have learned here in Tanzania as leaders. We settled that by the end of the year, we will donate supplies to the primary school that we are teaching at and/or volunteer at a non-profit. Shortly after, our host families came for a farewell get together. We walked to their houses and made some final memories – asking questions, playing games, and enjoying each other’s company.

Dinner tonight was some coconut white rice, peas, beef, and some fruit. After dinner, it was time for the evening activity, picked by the day’s group leader (which happened to be me!). I chose to play Sardines, which is reverse hide and seek, and we played for a couple of rounds. The days spent here in Tanzania never disappoint!

– By Kate

Wednesday August 14, 2019

Hi there!

The sun rose at a daunting 6:39 AM. The gang jolted up at the sound of the bell, barking dogs, and rooster calls. B-FAST consisted of toast, egg, and a sweet/sour type of Tanzanian bread. During lesson planning, we had to plan our last day of teaching the kids at the school (sad); however, we knew that our time was up and the kids retained the information well. During service, there was a multitude of goodbyes, hugs, laughing, music, and a goodbye presentation by the kids. I had the pleasure of speaking on behalf of GLA during the goodbye presentation. We finished and touched up the classroom we have been painting , and we could see the real progress right in front of us when I compared pictures of the building originally to the new touch ups.

After the last day of service, the gang came back to a lovely lunch consisting of eggs with fries, some vegetables, and delicious juice! We then went to the supermarket and souvenir shop to do last minute shopping for the KILI hike tomorrow and last minute gifts and goodies for family members and etc.. When we got back , the hair braider and seamstress came. The seamstress gave back our clothes that we requested to have made a week before, and the hair braider did a variety of braids to some members of the group.

After that was dinner! We had pasta with tomato sauce and fish. I could tell that everyone was famished after everything was gone to the last atom of food! Right after, Mama Simba graciously gifted us with a talk of inspiration before we went on to our final activity where we talked about impacts, feelings, and wrote personalized messages to each other. Overall it was a lovely day with so much fun and excitement; we can’t wait for the kili hike tomorrow.

-by Derek

Thursday August 15, 2019

Hey there,

Once again, despite the sleep-in option we woke up earlier to witness the magnificent sunrise for the penultimate time. Bella took photos that captured the essence of the sun. We then continued with our adventurous day with the procession to B-FAST.

The hike commenced with an exciting and jubilant bus-ride filled with the echoes of our laughs. The bus was certainly not silent. We arrived. Our guide introduced us to the surroundings. Although ‘Kilimanjaro’ was not visible from our location, @dshay258 (Derek Shay) was visible. Waterfall 1 approached with each step we took towards the waterfall. It was spectacular and unlike anything we could have possibly perceived. Water trickled down and splashed on the extremely unstable rocks. Ellen was there and despite best efforts did not take a tumble into the trickling water.

Then we strolled to waterfall 2 after Hector and Seth shared a bamboo walking pole. The inseparable and elusive pair Laura and Kate named the walking stick Quentin in a fit of wit. Waterfall 2 was identically beautifully to the first. The water tickled the rocks playfully yet simultaneously sentimentally. SHOCK! We unpacked our packed lunches, but Seth somehow managed to drop not only a hard-boiled egg, but also a delicious muffin prepared by Mama D, James and the entire crew. We can only say cheers for their illustrious endeavours. Muffin got soggily soggier as we finally mange to experience the infamous Tanzanian pterodactyl thanks to Natalie and her screeching vocal chords.

Inspired by the beauty of nature, Seth and Hector attempted the impossible and scaled 1/16 of Kilimanjaro [a precarious rock.] Fortunately, the hope that we may see a part of the real mountain spurred us on to the 3rd waterfall. This was different due to the location. The waterfall was in someone’s farm in a steep valley; challenging even self-proclaimed American Bear Grylls mountain expert Madison. This waterfall provided the backdrop to babymunishi (our local director Agape’s) latest Instagram post. Once everyone got their Instagram worthy photos, we climbed out of intrepid valley. Our guide continued to display his intense bravery and resilience to nature by guiding us to the Kilimanjaro gate. Later, our guide grabbed our attention by informing us that his bravery has surged him to the peak an absolutely astounding 51 times.

The first time he managed to accomplish this mind-boggling feat was when he was 15. To wrap up the trip, we stopped at the souvenior shop and we finally got to see Kilimanjaro. We had a final dinner that was beautifully prepared by culinary master James and Jaclyn. To wrap up our final day in this beautiful place, we had a lovely bonfire. We shared a final moment of laughs and memories around the magnificent bonfire. As usual, the multi-talented and self-taught James helped formulate one of the best built bonfires the world has ever seen. All in all, while we may shed a tear, we will always have this blog.

Cheers,
Hector & Seth

Time Capsule Letter

Hi all, remember us, your old friends from home base in Rau Village in Tanzania?

We certainly remember you all and the sweet, engaging energy you brought to this place during your time here. It was an adventure that kicked off with your host family lunch and village walk, followed by that first dusty day of sanding at Mnini and Matoli Primary School, the students’ chaotic welcome, and Starburst get-to-know-you mentor groups.

Of course the day I didn’t go for the internet and supermarket trip, you all got free ice cream at the internet café before heading to Moshi Primary sports field for a spontaneous sweaty soccer game with a few locals. That night you all dove right into a lively debate on Tanzanian economic policy followed by a spontaneous discussion about reproductive rights that got you all sharpening your listening and “agree to disagree” skills even further.

Freezing cold waterfall swimming and Ava’s birthday serenade at the Kilimanjaro hike helped get you up those steep hills so you could enjoy sorting rice and singing in a circle at Tuleeni orphanage the next day. The newlywed game and a pretty raging (by the sounds of it) home base dance party that night proved that you all still had energy to spare despite the pace of our itinerary, and thank goodness for that!

Dancing and twaga twaga-ing at the coffee farm the next day took all the energy you could bring, then gave a little back with those cups of steaming Arabica coffee at the end. I still remember you all making those little clusters at night while you listened to music and talked until we herded you to your rooms. Later, you cut a rug with the Kiliwizards and explored your inner artists at Sam’s batik workshop.

The day after figuring out our leadership styles, doing a little group therapy in the process and figuring out how to make them work for us, you all tried not to cut off any fingers or accidentally poison us all while making the community dinner for cooking class. Not everyone was up for a walk in the midst of that, but those who were apparently found some chocolate along the way (and managed to keep Agape from eating it all!).

Before we knew it, it was time for the long-awaited safari. After a pit stop to load up on snacks at the glorious Arusha supermarket and MORE DRIVING, we hit the dirt tracks of Tarangire for some zebra, elephant, and giraffe sightings, among many others. The yogis and Mafia alike had just a little sleep before our big day at the Ngorongoro Crater. Hats were lost and recovered, lions and hippos were seen, and juvenile wildebeests were eaten, which helped that long drive home past a little more swiftly.

Before anyone knew it, it was the last day at the school, the last night at home base, and the last chance to appreciate the dust, roosters, big-hearted folks, prowling cats, and each other in person before boarding your flights back to your respective homelands. From Uweza, Lena, Agape, Siima, James, Moyo, the Jacklines (both!), Nema, and myself, thank you for all of the ways that you enriched our time here in Rau Village. We hope you are all thriving where you are, staying connected to each other and your O.M.G.s, and remembering your time in Tanzania fondly.

Karibuni!

Julie and the Moshi Team

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Wednesday July 17, 2019

Hello All!

It’s a cool day here in the Kilimanjaro region, perfect for a comfortable welcoming atmosphere for all of our kiddos arriving here today! The first 5 arrived and we enjoyed some welcome juice, a tour of the home base in Moshi, and a nice walk to the local school in our village.

The rest of the group joined us around 5:30pm. The hour drive to Moshi is always a nice way to see some of the different landscape and beauty around, the students really enjoyed it! They too received their welcome juice and home base tour followed by a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, veggies, and ground beef. We all played a little get to know you game and then the students were off to bed to sleep off their long travels. Until tomorrow!

The loving Tanzanian staff!

Thursday July 18, 2019

Hello from Tanzania,

Today was our first full day here. Many of us started the day with jet lag and exhaustion from travel, but we quickly managed to prepare for the day with excitement.

Before we could meet our host families and explore the town, we had a morning of orientation and learned the ins and outs of the experience to come and basic phrases in Swahili.

Once lunch time came around, we had lunch with our host families, then left to visit their homes. With them, we explored the local town and crossed an old bridge over the river before coming back to the compound for dinner. After dinner we had a group discussion about Community Values and created a flag with symbols to represent the values we want to incorporate into our community life.

Friday July 19, 2019

Hi everyone!

Today we started our first day of service where we got to go to a school with 469 students and 15 teachers. We split into different groups to start developing lesson plans. We got to play with them and learned lots about the history of the school. We worked together as a team and sanded down the exterior and interior of 2 classrooms that we will continue to work on throughout the week.

Later, we heard from two speakers today. One talked to us about education in Tanzania and the second was Uweza who gave us a very heartwarming and inspirational speech about her life and her journey to becoming a leader. We ended the day with a nice dinner and fun group game.

Hi Mom and Dad- Brandon

Miss you friends/family-Ava

Saturday July 20, 2019

Hi all, today was our preparation day for the Kilimanjaro hike! This morning we woke up, had breakfast, and we went into town to shop for fabrics and food in the local markets of Tanzania. We started off by purchasing handmade fabrics which would later be used to construct different articles of clothing, and other items to be custom-made by a local tailor. After a quick bus ride, we found ourselves at a local Tanzanian market to purchase snacks for our long hike tomorrow morning.

We returned back to home base for lunch and had our measurements taken for our fabric of choice. We then walked to a park and started constructing our own field for football (soccer) due to the lack of equipment available. About 20 minutes into our pick up game, some local kids joined us and we began to play a competitive game which ended up being a highlight of the trip thus far.

We came home to a marvelous supper which was followed with some splendid lemon cake for Ava’s 18th birthday! Now time for an early night to rest up for tomorrow’s hike.

’twas an amazing day!!!!!! :)))))))))) 😀

Love,

Emerson & Yago

Sunday July 21, 2019

Hi All!

Greg and Sophie here J We had an amazing day full of fun, adventure, excitement, and lots of naps. We got up at 8:30 this morning and had a delicious breakfast of toast, eggs, and yummy local avocados and fruits. Then, we headed straight to the bus for an hour and a half long trip to the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. We were all eager and a little nervous for length and difficulty of the hike.

We picked up our two tour guides in the small town right before the mountain. They were very knowledgeable, friendly, and fun! We started the hike in a small village and walked through local farms to get to our first destination, the waterfall. The local people were very friendly and eager to welcome us into their amazing community. Next, we continued our voyage up the mountain to a small dip hole where we stopped to swim in the freezing water and have the delicious lunch that our amazing cooks packed for us. After lunch, we continued our hike and reached a beautiful valley of greenery with a waterfall. Don’t worry, we all took a lot of pictures J. We continued our long voyage to the gate of the mountain where we witnessed hikers starting their climb.

Our ride home didn’t seem as long as the trip there since most of us fell asleep. Later on in the evening we started our discussion about ethical photography and voluntourism. The talk was very interesting and opened our eyes to some controversy about volunteering. We had the space to really think about why we are here and how this trip will benefit the community and ourselves. We are excited to continue learning and growing throughout this trip.

Miss you all so much, hope everything is well at home! Say hi to Chloe and the cats, and Ruby, Bailey, and Olive too.

Love,

Greg and Sophie

Monday July 22, 2019

Hi families! Lisa and Isabella here, today was a really great day. Started off bright and early to prepare for our daily service, where we officially began teaching and painting today. Groups taught 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade; first lesson of the week went smoothly and the students are very eager to learn. Recess was fun and interesting, with many of us joining the students to play football (soccer) and play games.

Over the last couple of days, many students have introduced us to local songs and dances, and vice versa. A large chunk of our service time is dedicated to improving infrastructure around the school. Today was focused on painting walls, priming them for a real coat tomorrow. Following our service, we made our way back to home base to wash up and eat lunch. As always, lunch was delicious (thanks to our cooking staff!) and reenergised us for the rest of our day.

We were given the privilege to speak to four HIV positive members of the Moshi community, who were more than willing to answer our many questions. The panel was both informative and transformational, as it allowed most of us to learn about HIV/AIDS which many of us knew little about. We are beyond thankful for the courage of the local women, who were able to speak to us through our local staff. We then took a short walk to Tuleeni Orphanage, where we got to learn about its history and meet the children who stay there. Additionally, we were allowed to help the orphanage by sorting through rice for rocks and buying apparel and accessories made at the orphanage.

After showering and unwinding, we spent our time eating dinner and reflecting on the transformative day we had. An eventful game was played, allowing us to get to know each other better. To end our day, we had a relaxing time in the common area chatting and resting up for the eventful day ahead of us!

With much love and happiness,

Lisa and Isabella

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Dear families and friends,

Today we woke up early and had a nice quick breakfast. We then got into our teaching groups and planned our lessons for the day. We drove to the school and greeted the students. The lessons went very well! Although it was rainy out, we still had a blast playing outside with the kids. After recess we started painting the classrooms.

We painted the windows blue today and will continue painting the walls for the rest of the week. Next we went back to home base for a fried rice lunch. We then headed to the super market for some internet and snacks. After that we took a trip to a coffee plantation. We there danced, picked coffee beans, and saw animals. At the plantation we were presented with all the steps in making

Coffee. The Lambert’s and Young’s may be receiving some grounded coffee;) later we had dinner and had mentor groups that discussed cross cultural differences. Overall today was an amazing day, full of laughs, dances, and songs.

Hi Maisy and Lacey!

Love,
Josie and Maddie

Wednesday July 24, 2019

Hi families and friends!

Today was a very cultural educating day. We started off by eating breakfast and going over our lesson planning for the day in our grade-level groups. Next thing was going to the school and teaching the children, followed by sanding and putting the final touch on the blue windows! After our service, we came back to home base to eat some enchiladas and veggies. After some down time, we were visited by 4 guests, women who live here near the village who teach groups about female genital mutilation.

Although quite disturbing, it was a very informational talk teaching us how women around different countries in Africa go through very harsh procedures as a rite of passages into womanhood (ask your kid about it for more details… it’s very hard to think about). After the guests left, we were visited by Uweza, who once again taught each of us amazing life lessons on how to be a strong leader and how to give back to people in our lives. Following Uweza’s lesson, we went to the primary school and were met by the Kili Wizards who taught us their tribal dance!!! Following the fun dancing skills we learned, we came back to home base and for dinner ate chicken and fries and played an eventful game of charades!

Sending much love!!
Ella 🙂

Thursday July 25, 2019

Today we woke up and had a delicious breakfast of french toast, eggs, and fruit. We then got together in our teaching groups for a quick lesson planning session. We gathered up our belongings, and loaded on the bus for another day of fun teaching. Grade 3 learned more numbers, Grade 5 learned about past and present tenses, and grade 6 continued their letter writing lesson. For service, the group prepared to paint the classroom. After a fun few hours of painting (and a little bit of a dance break) we headed back to home base where we ate a filling lunch of pasta and beans.

We had about an hour of downtime, then headed over to a batic painting workshop. Everyone made a unique traditional painting using a variety of dyes, wax, and black ink. After the workshop, we headed back over to home base for dinner consisting of rice and beef. After, we had a little late-night mentor group talk about different types of leaders and their purpose in the world and characteristics and a late night group conversation was a perfect way to finish out our busy, yet fun, day. After that, we headed off to bed to get a good sleep for another day filled with fun tomorrow!

Hi Mom & Dad!

Carly B.

Friday July 26, 2019

Hi Everyone!

Today was such an amazing experience! We headed west of Moshi to Tarangire National Park for day 1 of our Safari excursion. We stopped at Arusha on the way for snacks at a large supermarket, it was delicious. After driving for a few hours, we ate a quick lunch and began the Safari. Today, we saw a wide variety of animals from zebras, to baboons, to wild boars.

Surprisingly, zebras are a lot more abundant than I had ever imagined. We even got the chance to see a cheetah, which is rarely seen in the area. It felt very rewarding to go on the Safari after such a great week teaching and working at the school.

-by Caroline

P.S. Hi Mom, Dad, and Family, hope all is well

Saturday July 27, 2019

Today we had an early morning breakfast at 5:30am. Then we had the the second day of safari. Today was definitely the best day of the 2. We saw many lions, hyenas, monkeys and elephants. To me, the best part was watching two female lions eat a wildebeest.

Their faces were covered in blood and the hole in the wildebeest was massive. I was in the “dude canoe” jeep and we had a great time driving home and out of the park while playing lots of music that Jackie loved. After the safari we had a long drive back to home base to eat dinner. So sad to be coming home in 2 short days.

Hi Ava, Mom, Dad and Annika
I kinda miss you guys I guess
Hugs and kisses Cole

Monday July 29, 2019

Hi families! Leila here.

So today was sadly our last day. We luckily had an extra hour to sleep in and so we had a late breakfast before heading to the school. There, we were warmly greeted by the teachers and students as usual and got to enjoy our last day with the kids during recess. Parting from the students was bittersweet since we got very attached to them and so did they. After the long huggs and farewells we headed back to home base. We got to say goodbye to our lovely host families and chat with them one last time.

After several leadership activities, we wrapped up the day with a bonfire and a friendship circle where we all complimented each other. Our last dinner was exquisite thanks to all the amazing staff. We are very grateful for being able to grow and have lifelong friends in an incredible place. Peace out Tanzania !

See you in 3 years everyone to summit Mount Kilimanjaro…

We miss and love you families

Cant wait to see you mama and baba -Leila

Time Capsule Letter

Dear GLA Students,

I hope that you are having an easy time settling back into your daily routines, and heading back to high school or starting college and getting back into life as usual. Things in Moshi are pretty much the same as when you left except it is a good deal quieter, especially after 9:30 pm, the baby kitten is almost starting to look like a cat now, and James still greets me with a smile every time I say hi.

Even though some time as passed, I think I can speak for all the Moshi team when I say we still look back fondly on all the experiences we had, and the impact you were all able to make here. I hope this letter serves as to remind you all of those times and to let you know we are all thinking about you here in Moshi.

Our time spent here together truly did make an impact, the classroom you refurbished has come a long way from that first day when you held a funeral for a dead mouse inside, and it is now a place where students will be able to learn comfortably and safely for years to come.

Almost more importantly is the knowledge you all gained from this trip. Hopefully you haven’t forgotten your one meaningful goal to talk to 2 people per month about your experience, and volunteer in your community once within the first two months back.

Another thing I can’t forget is all the fun times we had together here in Moshi. You guys were a huge part of that experience by forming such a close bond with one another and always being so inclusive in everything you did. From the first day playing salad bowl together, to playing manhunt on safari, it was a pretty memorable trip.

I won’t forget playing mafia, and dancing with you guys, and of course I can’t forget NDIZI! Well everyone, I hope you always remember to keep these experiences in your heart, and remember the good times you had as you move forward into the next stages of your life.

Sincerely,

Zack Maguire

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Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

Monday July 1, 2019

Hi, today the staff at the Moshi home base were hard at working making all the last minute preparations for the students arrival. The first two students Raymond and Jerome arrived from Hong Kong around one in the afternoon and went on a small walk around the village alongside some of the local program coordinators. The rest of the students arrived after the sun had already set and were all pretty tired as they headed off to bed getting ready for the big day of orientation tomorrow!

Tuesday July 2, 2019

What a day!!! After getting ready and finally meeting all the of new faces, we got to know each other over a nice Tanzanian breakfast. Once finished, we sat through a long yet very helpful crash course readdressing the code of conduct and learning about the cross-cultural Swahili language.

Then we met up with our host families and bonded over a meal consisting of rice, chicken, and delicious pineapple. While in our host families we toured the village and learned more about their cultural background. Later we discussed community agreements and bonded with our mentor groups. We looking forward to another action-packed day tomorrow!

-by Mamoun and Grace, the Moroccan and The American

Wednesday July 3, 2019

Hey hey!! It’s Kate Malnak and Ava Brody (otherwise known as kmal and brody) and we are your leaders of the day! Today was super fun, and we did A LOT of things and hopefully took some decent pictures for you all to enjoy.

First of all, we woke up and got a good breakfast of toast, eggs, fruit and some juice to get us ready for our busy day. Then, we took trek to the school that we would be working at which was a 10-15 minute walk. There, we met the kids, got assigned our grades, and started to plan our first lesson! To follow all of that super hard work, we got the reward of playing with the kids for a little more than 30 minutes. We played soccer, red light green light, sang songs, and played hide and seek. Next was the refurbishing of the classroom part where we got dirty, moving a bunch of trash, old desks, and a mouse out of a run down classroom. Once that was all out, we sanded the room and swept it out to make for a full days work.

Back at home base, we got lunch and then headed off to the market, after playing some uno and listening to a fellow DJ (olliePbeats on sound cloud). At the market, we bought fabrics, paintings, clothing, and other knickknacks to bring back home to y’all. When we got home, we gave our fabric to a seamstress who would then turn them into whatever we asked, super cool!! Then our favorite part of the night, fruit salad game and DINNER!!! We did an anchor activity before we went to bed where we practiced debating the issues surrounding poaching in Tanzania. We are super tired so we are going to sign off now.

Hi parentals I miss you and the dogs (and will) !! – Kate

Hi mom and dad, I miss you!!! – Ava

Talk to ya soon!

Kmal & Brody

Thursday July 4, 2019

Hi, this is Gemma and Danny.

Today, we woke up bright and early and had breakfast. We then went to service where we taught kids, grades 3, 5, and 6. Using the plans we made yesterday, we taught numbers, adjectives, and the difference between must and must not. This was such a rewarding experience and it was truly amazing to see all of the kids being so engaged and ready to learn. However, though we were teaching the children, they really taught us much more than we taught them. After, we played at recess and then continued to work on the classroom that we are refurbishing.

Once we got back to home base, we had the best lunch yet. Despite wanting to take a nap from a food coma, we met with a local educator who spoke about the history of education in Tanzania. We learned about the laws passed that are still in use today as well as getting questions answered about the system and structure. Following a small break, we met with Uweza, an empowering and vibrant Tanzanian community leader. She told her story about her life here in Tanzania and taught us about the qualities of leadership and how she has transformed into such an amazing leader herself. Her story is beautiful and has definitely made us think about what we take for granted and what challenges we can overcome as leaders.

Finally, we ate dinner and then broke off into mentor groups to discuss “voluntourism” and ethical photography. This made us think about how we should perceive our trip and how social media can play a role into misleading values.
Overall, such a great day! Can’t wait for more adventuring and learning.

Adios from Tanzania.
-Gemma Figer and Daniel Herrick

Saturday July 6, 2019

Safari day 1! All of us had packed day packs the night before as we filed into a single line to get our last meal in home base for this week. Breakfast was a little earlier than usual at 7 am so that we could get a head start on our long 5 hour voyage to the Tarangire National Park for our safari. Before we arrived, we stopped in Arusha at an International Supermarket where we were able to buy a lot of American and British snacks, making us feel right at home! 🙂 Our favourite snacks were “Walker’s” chips which were essentially the British version of Lay’s chips.

At the lunch area there were many baboons just waiting for an opportunity to snatch our food >:( However, they were really cute, especially the babies who rode on their mom’s backs, so we didn’t mind much. Once we got to the Safari, we were enthralled by both the desert landscape and the green thrush. When the car stopped for the first time, minutes after entering the park, we were greeted by a herd of giraffes eating at acacia trees. Not only did the height of the giraffes shock us but the fact that they were able to feed from such a spiky plant was even more impressive.

During the next three hours we saw zebras, baboons, wildebeest, ostriches, lions, impalas, and many more animals. It almost didn’t seem like they were wild! But the highlight of the entire safari was the herd of elephants crossing the road right in front of our safari jeeps! The animals weren’t phased at all by our presence allowing us to take amazing photos that will serve as a reminder of this beautiful country forever.

-by Bella Mendez and Angela Xie

Sunday July 7, 2019

Sorry if this blog is a brief one, its been a looong day! Today everybody had to wake up 4:30 for breakfast and an early start to the second safari day. We drove for a while to the entrance to the park, where the weather was very chilly and foggy. We saw baboons at the entrance and then had to drive to the bottom of Ngorogoro crater, seeing lots of buffalo on the way down.

At the bottom of the crater, we started seeing lots of wildebeest, zebras, flamingos, hippos, elephants, lions, and ostriches. Later we were lucky enough to see a male lion lying in the road!

On the way home we stopped at a souvenir shop and after a long day we arrived back at home base with sore bums and high spirits.

-by Morgan, Izzy, and Jerome

Monday July 8, 2019

Greetings y’all

First, we pleasantly awoke from a good nights sleep in our mosquito nets, and ate a delicious breakfast made by the amazing cooking staff. Next we went to school to teach our respective subjects that we were assigned. Most of the kids were vacationing the first week, and they returned. The sizes of the classes doubled. They were very excited. After class, we painted the windows of the building we were working on in light blue. Following this we returned back to home base and ate lunch.

Next, we split into two groups, with one group doing batik painting out in Moshi and the other cooking a delicious dinner of traditional Tanzanian cuisine, such as fried chicken and french fries. Following this, we proceeded to attend our mentor groups, in which we discussed how allowing one story to dictate the portrayal of certain groups and cultures is something we want to strive to work against. Afterward, we settled down to play card games before bed and the leaders of the day wrote the daily blog post that you are currently reading.

Yours Truly,

Olivia
Oliver – (my soundcloud is ollie P beats if you are interested)
Jenna C.

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Hello Parents! Today we started off with an amazing breakfast cooked by our wonderful kitchen staff. This included their version of French toast, Tanzanian short cakes, eggs and fruit. After breakfast we went to the school and taught our daily lessons before going to recess with the kids (our favorite part of the day), and starting our service work.

We finished sanding and smoothing out the walls after they had been primed and began our first layer of paint. Everything is coming together now and beginning to look really nice. At 12:15 we headed back to home base for lunch. Yet another amazing meal, and one of our personal favorites because of the delicious guacamole.

After lunch a small panel of people came to talk to us about HIV and AIDS. They all shared their stories about what it is like living with HIV here and how it has affected their lives in Tanzania. All of their stories were very moving and opened our eyes to the reality of what it is like to live with HIV.

In the afternoon we got the chance to visit the local Tuleeni Orphanage. At the orphanage we learned about how it was started and the service it provides the community. We also got the chance to play with the children and purchase goods whose funds went to supporting the orphanage.

In the evening after dinner all the students plus the mentors played a few rounds of the newlywed game. It’s hard to explain but everyone was laughing and had lots of fun.

Huzzah!

Jenna, Sutton, and Molly

Wednesday July 10, 2019

Today we started by a delicious breakfast followed by lesson planning. Our groups really focused on connecting with the kids since we only have two days left of service and teaching. For our service work we added another coat of paint on the walls and also another coat on the windows. We got one step closer to finishing off the classroom. One of the best parts of the day is playing with the kids at recess and spending time with them.

We came back to home base and had a delicious lunch and relaxed for a bit before heading out to the much anticipated internet cafe. The internet didn’t work as expected but we were still able to bond as a group in our final days here. We then visited a coffee plantation and we learned the intricate coffee making process.

Unexpectedly we were greeted by older women dressed in traditional style clothing, dancing and welcoming us. We then went back to home base and had a great dinner. We finished off the day with a bunch of group exercises that made us laugh a lot and brought us closer together. It was a great day and we are sad that we only have three more days together.

-Leyla, Kaitlyn and Moya

Thursday July 11, 2019

We woke up to a scrumptious breakfast after an intense night of heavy rain. After a diligent lesson planing session we headed on down to Moshi primary for the penultimate day of teaching and service. This was followed by an absolutely scrumptious lunch cooked by our amazing chefs.

We were then presented with an educational and eye opening presentation on female genital mutilation. We proceeded to head back to Moshi primary where we then watched and learned about the incredible dance troop, Kili Wizards. After some interactive dancing, we were able to catching up with some of the kids from the primary school. We headed back to home base to eat our last delicious meal of the day of pasta.

After dinner we had a super fun game of mafia, werewolf edition, and were in our rooms early from an exhausting day!

Peace,

Louis, Rory, and Kendall

Friday July 12, 2019

Today was our last day of teaching which means it was also the last day of seeing all the kids. [SPOILER: many tears]

This photo was taken from the 6th grade classroom; the students were hard at work learning the use of “unless.” During recess we crashed American culture into theirs as we played lots of dance songs. After, the students lined up and gave us a formal farewell. Then one student shared something along the lines of, “Many of us are filled with sadness but we must move on.” Let’s just say, no one needed to cut onions for tears to quickly flood our faces.

In the afternoon, we did a capstone which prepared us for the last day ☹. The mentors made sure we were able to apply what we’ve learned during this two-week adventure. As a group we brainstormed an OMG (one meaningful goal), one was to volunteer within the first two months after we return home and another was to share our experience with friends and family.

The boys got matching bucket hats from the seamstress and named themselves ‘NDIZI’ which means banana in Swahili. They also created a hand gesture for the holy belief they carry.Before the visit into town, the girls (and boys) had the opportunity to get their hair braided.

We then made the treacherous journey into town as we bought snacks for the dreaded Mt. Kilimanjaro hike (all the way to the top!). The NDIZI group was uncontrollable as they raided the store for snow sprays. They attempted to take a picture with the guard and his gun however, they were denied.

At night, we had our last mentor group. We talked about the culture shock and how a culture can be misunderstood easily with a substitution of words and phrases.

Meals

Breakfast: eggs, toast, crepe

Lunch: chipati (flaky flat bread), guac (everyone’s favorite), and an assortment of fruit and veggies

Dinner: Coconut rice with chicken curry

Saturday July 13, 2019

Our last day in Tanzania began with a beautiful hike at the base of Mt. Killiminjaro. We began our journey at 9:00 am. After a one-and-a-half-hour bus ride we reached the start of our hike and met our tour guides, Tom and Livingstone. First, we started hiking to a waterfall where we all took pictures. Then we started to hike towards another waterfall that took about an hour to reach. Once the hike was over we took the bus back to homebase and remet with our host families and said our final goodbyes. After our sad goodbyes we had an amazing dinner and then reminisced on memories. Final we all sat around a bonfire and bonded over our experience here in Tanzania.

-Kylie, Mercedes, Ogden