The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

- Marcel Proust

My eyes have been wide since the moment I took off for this new continent. For having never been anywhere near Africa before, it felt strangely like coming home. But also carried a message that it has a lot in store for me, and I have a lot to learn.

The 40-something hour travels began in Sisters, Oregon, and took me to Seattle, Dubai, Nairobi, and finally Tanzania. 

I enjoyed window seats on each flight, catching views of sunrises, sunsets, mountains, oceans, plains, clouds, stars, and a perfect crescent moonset above Dubai city lights.

I had fourteen hours in Dubai to kill, so I decided to go explore for a bit. I took the metro from the airport to the fancy Dubai Mall. I pretty much bee-lined it to the aquarium (because Dubai has things like aquariums in malls) and was mesmerized by the creatures familiar and unfamiliar, massive and miniscule, aquatic and superterranean.

I wandered about and found myself in the plaza gazing up at the Burj Khalifa - yup, just the tallest building in the world. Nbd. Dubai is a crazy place, “like NYC on steroids," as my mom put it. I was happy to check it out for a short while before needing to take my delirious brain back to the airport for some rest.

I slept most of my flight and arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, AFRICA! A new stamp in the ol' passport and a bright, beautiful, and hot landscape. I began to realize how acclimated my body was to Japan, Oregon, and A/C, and how this was just the beginning of feeling perpetually overheated for the next few months.

My hour-long flight from Nairobi to Kilimanjaro took me by the big mountain herself, hidden in clouds. One day... I'll be up there.

It was evening when I stepped off the smal plane and took in the first breaths of this country that would be home for a while. I felt a peacefulness wash over me, after traveling through time and space for two days, I had finally arrived.

I waited in the small parking lot for boyfriend to show up, and before long this tan, windblown, handsome traveller was jogging down the road towards me. After a wild five weeks apart, Sam and I were reunited and that sweet “at home" feeling really shined. It was so surreal to be in this completely new environment with him and we celebrated the beginning of a new chapeter over beers on our Airbnb porch in Arusha (with a new little friend).

The Airbnb Sam found was absolutely perfect - a secluded cottage surrounded by a lawn, garden, and a perfect view of Mt. Meru.

We passed our time here so effortlessly, and I was grateful for a couple “days off" after a lot of go go go. We even had access to a nearby lodge where we could swim, sunbathe, and take in more views of this majestic peak. 

Africa was off to a pretty rough start ;)

After a couple days we made our way to the city center in Arusha where we'd be meeting the Red Sweater Project team. Sam connected with Ashley Holmer, the Founder/Director, in Oregon a while back and we'd been talking with her and coordinating our arrival for months. And there we were at last, all together in Arusha!

(To learn more about RSP, check out their website!: 

https://www.redsweaterproject.org/)

We loaded up on some groceries while we were in the “big city" before taking the 2-lane westward highway out to Mto Wa Mbu, the village we'd be calling home for the next three months.

We loaded up into the RSP Land Cuiser "Kifaru" ("Rhino") alongside Operations Manager Sheb, two other visitors from Oregon, Ashley, and a new refrigerator. 

The two-hour drive passed quickly as we took in visions of wide open plains, Masai cattle herders, and safari vehicles filled with "wazungu" ("white people"). This road is a major thoroughfare for people coming to Tanzania for any of the popular safari areas just west of Mto Wa Mbu, so safari tourism is very present in this region. 

Sam and I were dropped off at the staff house, which we were surprised to hear we would have to ourselves as there were no other volunteer teachers at the time. We got settled in and went with Ashley to her place which is more centrally located in Mto Wa Mbu. From there we enjoyed a warm welcoming to our new home away from home over drinks as the sun set over the escarpment. 

The next day was our first day visiting the Mungere School, home of the Red Rhinos (mascot) and the reason we were all there! We toured around and instantly became smitten with everything about it. Ashley introduced us in front of the ~100 students ("Samuely and Miss Carol") and we received a warm welcome from everyone.

The school has been developing building by building, and project by project, over the past seven or so years. While we are just jumping in for three months, Sam and I have gathered ideas of what we can help with to create some positive changes while we are here.

For one, we are focusing on improvements around the school farm, from compost to irrigation to planting to growing more nutritious food to be used to feed the students. We will be doing some general organization of the farm and sports equipment and help put in more effective systems. Sam wil be taking charge on helping put some more energy into sport programming overall. And whatever else comes up, we're here to learn and support however we are able!

Example of school lunch - rice, beans, and banana

Compost bin in progress!

Composting toilets and handwash spigot

Brainstorm sesh product... so much to do!

Girls playing “football" (soccer)

One of the pups on Ashley's property. My heart for animals is swelling big time here.

We have hit the ground running in this new little home away from home! More to come soon :)

Japan came and went in what feels like the blink of an eye! It proved to be a beautiful balance of self-exploration, teamwork, leadership, meditation, connection, skiing, yoga, food, culture, relaxation and fun. For how fast it went, we sure accomplished a lot. Too much to even write, so some pictures and stories will hopefully satiate the curious!

My adventure in Japan began the evening of Tuesday, January 15th, when I arrived into Narita airport. I shipped my ski bag and luggage to Hakuba so I could move with ease throughout Tokyo. I took a lightrail train to a stop 5 min. walk from my hostel and caught the last of the sunset as I crossed the bridge to my destination for the night.

I took a shower in my hostel and was able to fall asleep fast, thanks to jetlag, and re-woke at about 4am, thanks to jetlag. I did some phone-ing and then grabbed the free hostel breakfast of rice/toast before packing up to go explore. I walked to a large temple and shopping street for my first taste of Japanese culture.

I knew the sushi in Japan would be good - but I had no idea the first bite would be the best sushi I had ever had, and probably will ever have, in my life! This was a tuna sashimi assortment from a little hole-in-the-wall sushi place and I almost cried with joy eating it. YUM.

Afterwards I explored the Imperial Palace gardens while waiting for Maddie to arrive. Maddie is a friend who I met in college while I visited UBC in Canada where she was a student. We stayed connected over the years and she asked me last summer if I would be available to help co-host this year's retreats, which was an easy YES. 

I chowed down this delicious vegan ramen at Tokyo Station waiting for her arrival. Double yum.

We took a train and bus x2 to Hakuba Valley where we'd be living, hosting, and skiing pow for the coming weeks. The valley is pretty spectacular and consists of 10 ski areas and endless backcountry terrain. Wild to be in a ski area like this in Japan! It felt like a dream come true.

Maddie and I had a few days to prepare for the first retreat, and we spent a majority of it on the slopes. Maddie is an incredible skier so I quickly found I was pushing myself to keep up while also soaking in her expertise. I was instantly loving the Japanese skiing, especially skiing amongst so many unique deciduous trees. And of course the POW. The word "Japow" was hollered on average about a hundred times a day :)

Exploring some of the authentic Japanese cuisine... ;) These were called "long potatoes" from a food truck at the base of one of the resorts. Maddie loves her snacks!

On the 22nd, we got our rental van and made moves into our home for the week: the Momiji Lodge. It had good vibes from day one and proved to be the coziest, most perfect sanctuary for our Women's Ski and Yoga Retreat.

We had to do some rearranging to make the yoga space work, and the result was perfect. It was an honor to revamp my yoga teaching in such an amazing environment. I taught every morning at 6am, and again in the afternoon and/or evening. We came together for ceremonies, journaling, different kinds of meditations, yoga, and all around relaxation. 

After yoga every morning we had an amazing breakfast spread provided by the Momiji. Skiing fuel!

Just about every morning we came out to our van looking like this! The Japow is REAL. 

We skied our butts off and definitely earned our daily lunches (usually a big, warm bowl of ramen!).

We also indulged in going to onsen after skiing. Japanese onsens are traditional baths in mineral water, as hot (and sometimes hotter) than hot tub temp. There are certain customs to be followed in onsens - like these outlined in this cartoon :)

Our favorite was in this crazy hotel at the base of the Cortina ski resort. I constantly felt myself wondering where on earth I was! Japan was surprising and beautiful and funny at every turn.

Embracing my inner ski guide ;)

And even when the sun came out, everything was still perfect - if not more beautiful than before 

It was a bittersweet day on the 27th, saying goodbye to the ladies who we had grown so close with over the week. Luckily we are all able to stay in touch and who knows where we will find ourselves reunited again in the world someday.

After a quick turn around, Maddie and I moved into our new apartment and prepared to welcome the next round of women for the Ski Week!

Our new place was slightly smaller, but really nice and very comfortable for our group of 6 (badass skier women)!

We love snow! 

And mountains! This range is also referred to as the "Japanese Alps" which on a clear day is easy to see why.

WOW.

We also enjoyed going to onsen both out in the town, and also inside our apartment. No better way to relax and restore our sore ski legs :)

5 days of back-to-back skiing with these amazing, strong, talented, shredder babes!

 These women could really shred, and after 5 days of skiing hard we were already for some celebrating. We treated ourselves to some amazing dishes at an izakaya restaurant, including this beautiful sushi (and lots of sake).

And found some live music at a bar down the street!

The following morning came too fast. I shuttled everyone to their departure places and we shared some sweet, long hugs goodbye. I feel like we all now have a ski friend in each area of the country, and I have no doubt I'll see some of those sweet faces again.

The hardest goodbye was definitely to Maddie. We grew so close over our 2+ weeks of work, play, decision-making, communicating, skiing, and navigating the ups and downs of the retreat together. We couldn't have done it without each other, and I feel like I not only have a new friend after it all, but a sister. This isn't the last we'll see of this dynamic duo :)

With the retreats over, I decided to spend a couple of days to myself at a hostel with traditional tatami Japanese rooms. I was missing everyone but indulged in some much needed self-time and self-care. 

Before I knew it, I was on a one-way bus to the Tokyo airport. I enjoyed catching up on podcasts while taking in the scenery as we cut across the beautiful countryside.

By the end, I was filled to the brim with gratitude for how everything played out. We were all safe, healthy, happy, and skied the most amazing snow of our lives. And somehow I had to imagine that in less than a week I'd be in hot, sunny Africa! Travel allows for plenty of transition time thankfully, so over the mountains and oceans I let it all sink in, and began to turn my attention to the next adventure to come.