well i have officially made it through our second quarter of the school! this week marked week twelve of outreach and therefore, as a team, we spent a few days hanging out, discussing the last twelve weeks and reflecting on past times. we also had a personal one on one with our staff, so they could give us feedback on what they see in us and we had an opportunity to say anything on our minds. we had wanted to spend some time away from the base as a school but all the plans were failing, so we ended up doing one day trip to a really nice hotel that had a pool area and was on the beach. we spent the day swimming and playing games and got to order a nice lunch. i was very excited because they had a ham/cheese/tomato sandwich on the menu! so of course i ordered that. my fav! it was also one of the best i’ve ever had... and after having no cheese (now that i can eat it again without the stomach aches!) in three months it was amazing!
the next day we went to a buffet breakfast as a team! amazing! its funny how excited one can get over a cup of real coffee, or a piece of french toast! but we did, we must have been some entertainment for the staff there.
that same day (wednesday) we booked into the hotel, (only a few of us) for three nights. it was amazing, AC, tiled floors (opposed to concrete), a flushing toilet, hot water and an amazing bed to sleep in that you didn’t need a mosquito net for! we spent our time watching movies, hanging out by the pool and checking internet! then on saturday morning we were picked up (5 of us) for a safari! our guide, Afra, was one of the greatest guides you could ever ask for. it was a five hour drive to the national park were we’d see the animals. we stopped halfway for a picnic lunch and then hit the road again. it was quite hot, and long but when we were a few miles from the entrance we saw our first taste of safari, elephants! right on the road side! it was pretty neat, driving even further we saw a baboon and a giraffe off in the distant. safari had begun! Afra was amazing, his english was good and he had tons of information about all the animals and Tanzanian landscape. we got into the park and the roof of our land cruiser came off and with our heads sticking out we were in the perfect place to enjoy what the African planes had to offer. giraffes, elephants, impala’s, riedbucks, zebra’s, water buffalo, warthogs, baboons and LIONS!!!!! we nearly missed the lions but the last hour on sunday Afra got a call and lions had been spotted! we drove very quickly waving our hands in the air from the top of the vehicle having a grande ol’time! we got to the site and saw nothing... we drove back and forth and back and forth and then, we saw them. there were four of them laying on the ground lounging out. you could only really spot them with the binoculars. we were getting ready to leave when Afra gets this mischievous grin on his face and says, ‘i am about to make a foul’... we were a tad confused but then he started driving off the road (apparently not allowed) and before we knew it we were within feet of the lions! so neat! it was an amazing experience, the landscape was so different compared to where we live which was good to see the difference in Tanzania.
there was an over night in a little guest house that had a flushing toilet and hot water! and a chief that was there to cook for us prepared amazing food for dinner and then lunch the next day as well! after lunch on sunday we headed back to the city, and arrived late and Afra helped us find a taxi who would take us home. it was really nice to get out and relax and see more of the country that we’re living in.
next weekend is christmas.... not sure what i think about that. its hard but i think i’m also a little in denial... i’m listening to Celine Dion christmas right now, but the fact that im sitting on my concrete floor under a LOVELY ceiling fan trying to stay cool just doesn’t really encourage the ‘christmas spirit’, but we’re trying. we’ve planned a team breakfast/morning tea (i’m sad i’m missing sticky buns) and are doing stockings and a secret santa so hopefully we’ll have a fun morning!
well till next time....
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