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!:
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 :)
