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Memories of Trip Oct-Nov 2011 Pt 1

We have been home 3 days now and are feeling the "sunshine withdrawals" of returning to Washington. I'm not saying that is isn't good to be home, but we experienced so many wonderful things while in Tanzania that I'll blog bits and pieces and also post pictures to share a little of our trip over the next few weeks.

As followers of the blog know, we dedicated the well at Ngateu on the first Sunday we were in Tanzania. The wonderful thing is that now the school has fresh, clean, cool water. Many of us drank from the well all three weeks we were there with no ill effects, a luxury that wasn't afforded us on prior visits.

Although the picture attached shows Larry filling his water bottle, we were so excited to see the students getting drinks between classes. All Safi members and friends need to extend a big THANK YOU for the gift of clean, healthy water that "our students" now share daily. The fact is, the whole community around Ngateu Secondary School are able to benefit from this gift. Thanks to all involved in the Safi/Ngateu well water project!

continued

we are all having great difficulty with the keyboard on this computer, so some was published and now there's a little more.

students are doing well - Christine is teaching with Mr. Freddy and reports amazing progress in the Form 2 class. teachers are happy and working hard.
Form 4 graduated, but several have returned with letters for their sponsors. English has improved with students and teachers.

softball game was a riot, as Marilyn reported. Rosie ( some of you know) got hit in the head with a well hit ball - gave her a wet cloth to keep the swelling down and she was fine the next day. sometimes we had we had 5 baserunners chasing each other around. they loved it.

volunteer house is wonderful!

Form 4 room is painted - David has to finish the mural. painters were not happy with the fumes from the paint - but it looks better.

all for now - many more stories, but the keyboard is driving me nuts. Love, Mary

birthday celebration and other favorite things

coffee at the bungalow at 6 a.m., dikdiks across the path, elephants everywhere, including a weeks old baby, happy birthday banner and balloons by Annette Simonson delicious breakfast with good friends and now a pool dip - it's a pretty good birthday so far.

relaxing is good after working hard at school - painting, cataloging books, teaching, reading groups, meetings, talking with kids and walking "home" in the HOT sun each day. And that's all been wonderful, with the possible exception of walking in the hot sun.

party with teachers, staff and us at Freedom Lodge after school Monday. big hit with all - smiles all around

Vivian, Goodliving, Innocent and new baby brother, Johnson - guard, Robert and Remanista's children -looking for Karen, but delighted with Marilyn and Jenny and elaine. ( gifts were very much appreciated,Karen)

Tarangire

The group traveled to Tarangire today. It is very beautiful.

We watched a group of elephants , no more than 50 feet away, as we ate lunch . We were able to go out on a afternoon safari , we saw many more elephants, dik diks and a pride of lions.

I want to say Hi to all my friends and co workers back in the states.

I am Having the time of my life.

Bye for now Jolene Barabe

from MarilynTanzanian

Tanzanian softball game was a riot.

We went across the street to the primary school and divided up into two teams. Ken led one and I the other.

There were 55 kids Some kids we are sure batted3-4 times before we discovered they had been up before.

After the game with the form 1 kids, we decided to let the primary kids bat (probably about 250 little kids) talk about trying to keep an order. A few of the teachers also pitched and batted. so much fun.

We also went to a place called Lake Natron and went on a 3 hour hike up to a waterfall. We had a local Maasae guide that warned me my tennis shoes were not adequate and I couldn't wear them. The next morning when I showed up in my tennis shoes he lectured me again and said I was going to get wet. Well, he was not kidding...We hiked up rocks like billy goats then down into the water, sometimes waist deep, then up the rocks, down the rocks, over goat, donkey and monkey poop, then washed it off by traipsing through the water for a bit.

It was hard work, hot sun and great fun. Everyone worked up a sweat, put our fears of height on hold, grabbed onto small ledges, hung onto the guides (there were 2) and all agreed it was worth it. Some went into the water fall and swam around with the guide, then had a water massage, and then down the rock slide and landed back on shore (should I say rocky ledge) with the rest of us. This along with the softball game has been the highlight of my trip. Although tonight we hosted the teachers and staff from Ngateu school at our lodge. We enjoyed getting to know each other on a social level. We truly enjoyed some of the staff that came in their Maasae dress. Most walked here and then walked home in the dark.... probably miles or so. This is what this trip is all about...getting to know our brothers and sisters half way around the world. So blessed.

Both Ken and I are missing families and our football teams...but after hearing the scores lately, we are kind of glad we weren't there to be so upset.

Time is going fast. Ken has been painting a class room with a couple of others and then David is going to paint a mural on one long wall. We don't know yet what it is going to be. hopefullly the blog will have pictures.
Marilyn and Ken Ahlf (forgive errors we are lucky to get to even blog....let alone correct spelling!!!)

So many adventures

Our first safari and each day a different experience - walking on the mud flats at Lake Natron at dusk and watching the flamingos take flight, then spending the night in a comfortable tent at Moivoru Tented Camp with donkeys grazing in front of our tents, and monkeys playing in the trees. Then next morning taking a 'little hike' to the Lake Natron waterfalls with guides Bura and Roco - the most strenuous and challenging exercise I have ever taken in my life! A quick and very necessary shower for some of us, and lunch, and we were off on a long and bumpy drive. Along the way one of the land rovers lost a bolt securing a running board. Drivers Kisana and Daudi announced that we could stop for repairs on the way to our next overnight stop - and we did - welding on the side of the street in Karatu.
The gate at Ngorgoro Crater closes at 6:30p.m. We arrived at 6:33 p.m after calling ahead, 'not bad' said Kisana, as we drove through headed for The Rhino Lodge, a comfortable, stopping place with good food and wood stoves in each room. The next morning John Stamm counted more than 150 cape buffalos thundering by the verandah at breakfast. Then it was down into the crater for more amazing experiences. So many male lions, including one who had decided to take a nap in the middle of the road in the shade of the safari vehicles. What an amazing thing - so close to a lion that we could count the fleas on his back! We saw a mother hippo with her baby out of the water, and we watched a male ostrich perform his spectacular (and successful) mating dance.
We headed out of the crater on a road none of us had driven on before and made our way to Lake Eyasi. The road down towards the lake was unpaved and a switch back, but the views were spectacular - more baobab trees together than we had seen before, many in leaf. Another tented camp was the stopping place for our third night - huge tents and very comfortable beds. The next morning we were up early to meet our guide and drive to the Hudatze village to learn about their lifestyle, try our hand at making fire by rubbing sticks, and follow the men as they hunted for birds and animals with bows and poisoned arrows. Later we had the opportunity to visit the blacksmith from a different tribe in another village who made the metal arrowheads for the Hudatze, using the most primitive equipment, and to buy beautiful bracelets, before driving back to Freedom Lodge and a meal of pizza, ordered in Arusha and delivered by the the taxi we hired for that purpose!