Yesterday afternoon, we met our new host families, with whom we will stay for about 2 weeks. We were all fairly nervous about being split up and leaving TCDC. Hugh (the only other male on in the program, and therefore my roommate) and I are staying with an extremely nice family near Arusha. Last night was our first night with them. The father works at TCDC and also owns a massive (from what I can gather) coffee plantation. I believe the mother works at home and they have three kids (Jane is 18, Beda is 13, and Ullrich is 6). They also have two "helpers," who stay with the family and help both inside and outside the house. This concept was new to both myself and Hugh, but it's fairly common for middle class families to have at least one (although I believe we're the only family with two).
Josephat (the father) was telling us how Ullrich, who is the six year old son, was so excited to have guests staying in the house. Even though he was excited, Ullrich was very timid our first night. Hopefully he'll get used to us as time progresses. The house has a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains - including Kilimanjaro, which I saw last night for the first time. It's only ten minutes away from TCDC (so not extremely proximite to Arusha), but it is nice to get outside of the campus. The environment here is exceptionally nice - but it was starting to feel a little too sterile, if that makes sense. I could very well have been staying in Atlanta, Georgia, instead of Arusha, Tanzania, in other words. I'm sure in two weeks time, I will have changed my mind.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Day 7
This weekend, we visited Ngorongoro Crater and Oldupai Gorge. It was certainly an eventful weekend, so I'll break it down by days.
On Friday, we had class in the morning and left TCDC (the compound where we stay) after lunch. We piled into two safari jeeps (Toyota Land Cruisers) and headed out past Arusha. I sat with three others in the back jump seats - the seats were great for a good view, but not the best for dodging motion sickness. We drove west for roughly an hour after reaching the Maasai Cultural Museum and the National Snake Park. The trip through the Maasai Cultural Museum was interesting. It had several exhibits about common Maasai life and practices. Afterward we went into the Snake Museum, which in addition to many snakes, also had crocodiles and turtles. It was a nice stop, but we left after an hour or so. We then continued to travel for about two hours to Karata, Tanzania, a small town close to Ngorongoro. The countryside was extremely beautiful but also dynamic. We started in rolling hills with trees and grass, then transitioned to dry plains and sparse vegetation. It was reminiscent of the southwest or eastern Montana. I was a little unsure of our living conditions when we arrived, but it turned out to be an amazing lodge. The view was spectacular, the beds were extremely comfortable, and the food was delicious. We were definitely spoiled. Unfortunately we arrived later in the evening, and had to leave in the early morning, so we couldn't stay at the lodge for too long.
Saturday morning, we got up early (though not as early as the drivers wanted), had breakfast, and left the lodge. We drove about 30 minutes to the entrance to Ngorongoro. Thus begins the single-most bumpy road I have ever traveled on. Words cannot effectively describe the bumpiness of this road. We drove for roughly two and a half hours (it felt more like two and a half days) through the reserve and finally reached the Oldupai Gorge lookout. Most people (including myself before the weekend) call it "Olduvai Gorge," but this is actually a misnomer. The gorge was named by the Maasai, for the plant that is found in the area - Oldupai. The German explorers, in their infinite wisdom, recorded the name as "Olduvai." Regardless, it was a fascinating site. We had a brief lecture, walked through the museum, recovered from our motion sickness, and returned to the jeep. We then descended into the gorge (another unbelievably bumpy and steep venture), and saw the site were the first Australopithecus Boisei fossil was found! There was a nice little monument on the site, although it was actually a few feet removed from the precise location (due to stream flow). It was incredibly dusty, as you can imagine, but unbelievable to be in the region where the human race began nearly 3 million years ago. After taking pictures we returned to the jeeps (a common theme throughout the weekend) and left the gorge.
We then retraced our path for about 45 minutes and came to the Ngorongoro Crater overlook. The crater is ENORMOUS. It was the site of a volcano (not unlike Crater Lake), which collapsed and only the perimeter remains - thus forming the crater. It is now home to tons of wildlife. So, we went down to the crater floor (enter yet another bumpy road) and drove across the crater. The view was absolutely incredible. We saw zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, hyenas, flamingos, lions, elephants, wildebeests, hippos... and I'm sure I am forgetting many others. We drove for a bit and had lunch at the bottom next to a small lake. After eating lunch, we drove out of the crater and went back to the entrance to the reserve. My car stopped at the entrance to wait for the other car, which was delayed for a bit. While we were standing outside waiting, we saw a baboon walking directly toward us. We were a little nervous, but didn't think much of it. It turned away from us, but then walked to the side of our car - where we had a side door open. Suddenly, it jumped into the car and stole a box of crackers! It then managed to rip the box and bag open and eat all the crackers. Another safari bus later parked next to us, and they too left their doors open. This time, however, the baboon wanted a little more. It jumped completely into the side of the bus (where people were still sitting) - causing everyone on board to scream and jump out. It was a little chaotic for a few seconds, until the baboon became scared and ran away. It was definitely funny.
We returned Saturday night extremely exhausted and incredibly dusty. I slept for at least 10 hours, and luckily we had today (Sunday) as a free day. I tried to upload pictures (nearly impossible with a slow internet connection), and later went into Arusha with a few other people on the trip. It was nice to get into town, although it's still hard to navigate on your own. Tomorrow we meet our host families, and move in with them for a few weeks.
Until next time!
On Friday, we had class in the morning and left TCDC (the compound where we stay) after lunch. We piled into two safari jeeps (Toyota Land Cruisers) and headed out past Arusha. I sat with three others in the back jump seats - the seats were great for a good view, but not the best for dodging motion sickness. We drove west for roughly an hour after reaching the Maasai Cultural Museum and the National Snake Park. The trip through the Maasai Cultural Museum was interesting. It had several exhibits about common Maasai life and practices. Afterward we went into the Snake Museum, which in addition to many snakes, also had crocodiles and turtles. It was a nice stop, but we left after an hour or so. We then continued to travel for about two hours to Karata, Tanzania, a small town close to Ngorongoro. The countryside was extremely beautiful but also dynamic. We started in rolling hills with trees and grass, then transitioned to dry plains and sparse vegetation. It was reminiscent of the southwest or eastern Montana. I was a little unsure of our living conditions when we arrived, but it turned out to be an amazing lodge. The view was spectacular, the beds were extremely comfortable, and the food was delicious. We were definitely spoiled. Unfortunately we arrived later in the evening, and had to leave in the early morning, so we couldn't stay at the lodge for too long.
Saturday morning, we got up early (though not as early as the drivers wanted), had breakfast, and left the lodge. We drove about 30 minutes to the entrance to Ngorongoro. Thus begins the single-most bumpy road I have ever traveled on. Words cannot effectively describe the bumpiness of this road. We drove for roughly two and a half hours (it felt more like two and a half days) through the reserve and finally reached the Oldupai Gorge lookout. Most people (including myself before the weekend) call it "Olduvai Gorge," but this is actually a misnomer. The gorge was named by the Maasai, for the plant that is found in the area - Oldupai. The German explorers, in their infinite wisdom, recorded the name as "Olduvai." Regardless, it was a fascinating site. We had a brief lecture, walked through the museum, recovered from our motion sickness, and returned to the jeep. We then descended into the gorge (another unbelievably bumpy and steep venture), and saw the site were the first Australopithecus Boisei fossil was found! There was a nice little monument on the site, although it was actually a few feet removed from the precise location (due to stream flow). It was incredibly dusty, as you can imagine, but unbelievable to be in the region where the human race began nearly 3 million years ago. After taking pictures we returned to the jeeps (a common theme throughout the weekend) and left the gorge.
We then retraced our path for about 45 minutes and came to the Ngorongoro Crater overlook. The crater is ENORMOUS. It was the site of a volcano (not unlike Crater Lake), which collapsed and only the perimeter remains - thus forming the crater. It is now home to tons of wildlife. So, we went down to the crater floor (enter yet another bumpy road) and drove across the crater. The view was absolutely incredible. We saw zebras, giraffes, water buffalo, hyenas, flamingos, lions, elephants, wildebeests, hippos... and I'm sure I am forgetting many others. We drove for a bit and had lunch at the bottom next to a small lake. After eating lunch, we drove out of the crater and went back to the entrance to the reserve. My car stopped at the entrance to wait for the other car, which was delayed for a bit. While we were standing outside waiting, we saw a baboon walking directly toward us. We were a little nervous, but didn't think much of it. It turned away from us, but then walked to the side of our car - where we had a side door open. Suddenly, it jumped into the car and stole a box of crackers! It then managed to rip the box and bag open and eat all the crackers. Another safari bus later parked next to us, and they too left their doors open. This time, however, the baboon wanted a little more. It jumped completely into the side of the bus (where people were still sitting) - causing everyone on board to scream and jump out. It was a little chaotic for a few seconds, until the baboon became scared and ran away. It was definitely funny.
We returned Saturday night extremely exhausted and incredibly dusty. I slept for at least 10 hours, and luckily we had today (Sunday) as a free day. I tried to upload pictures (nearly impossible with a slow internet connection), and later went into Arusha with a few other people on the trip. It was nice to get into town, although it's still hard to navigate on your own. Tomorrow we meet our host families, and move in with them for a few weeks.
Until next time!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Baboon Thief
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Day 4
Nothing too exciting to report today. More class in the morning. Afterwards I was going to nap, but a few of the kids asked if I was playing soccer again. I decided to join them even though I could hardly move today. Tomorrow, though, we leave for Ngorongoro Crater and Olduvai Gorge! We are staying through the weekend. I will be sure to update you upon my return (if not before).
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Day 3 - I'm out of shape!
I'll begin with a quick summary of yesterday's activities before discussing today. Yesterday wasn't incredibly exciting. Luckily our group of 14 split into two different groups, advanced and "less advanced." Needless to say, me and the "less advanced" students were glad to have our own class. Don't get me wrong - the classes are still intense, but at least I can understand the material. We had about three, hour and a half sessions and then free time after 4:00pm. After dinner a group of us went to study in the library.
Today we had class as usual. Instead of the afternoon session, we watched a play about a Tanzanian family. They weren't slowing down their speech for us, so I didn't understand much. We also began talking about our host families, where we will live starting next week for about three weeks. We ended the day a little earlier than usual, so me and three others decided to go for a run (finally!). We ran outside of the compound and around the nearby area for about 20 minutes. It wasn't a long run, but it was nice to leave the campus. We had a great view of Mt. Meru but didn't get a chance to see Kilimanjaro. After we returned, I took a turn on the treadmill for a bit. Then, I made a poor decision (which I will probably continue to make).
Every night, a group of local boys (aged 5-20) plays pick-up soccer at the basketball court on the campus. I've passed them a few times, but decided to join the game today. It took me a second to figure out "Ninaweza kucheza?" (Can I play?), but they were okay with it - although admittedly some had looks of disbelief on their faces. Most of them play without shoes (which is common), but some had sandles. Needless to say, I was keeping my shoes on. I was harassed at the beginning ("Mzungu? Hatutaki mzungu!" - White guy? We don't want the white guy!), but my knowledge of Swahili (and ability to make contact with the ball) won most of them over. Still, if I made a bad pass, it was because I was mzungu. If I fell, it was because I was mzungu. I was trying hard not to conform to the stereotype. They were good though. I became exhausted pretty quickly.
Even though they all knew English, they exclusively spoke in Swahili during the game. I had to translate soccer terms into Swahili, which was interesting ("Pass back" = "Kurudi," which means "to return"). By the end I met a few of them and will try to return tomorrow (if I can move). It was definitely fun, despite constantly being the center of attention.
After the game I took a shower, went to dinner, and am now going to the library! Have a good night!
Today we had class as usual. Instead of the afternoon session, we watched a play about a Tanzanian family. They weren't slowing down their speech for us, so I didn't understand much. We also began talking about our host families, where we will live starting next week for about three weeks. We ended the day a little earlier than usual, so me and three others decided to go for a run (finally!). We ran outside of the compound and around the nearby area for about 20 minutes. It wasn't a long run, but it was nice to leave the campus. We had a great view of Mt. Meru but didn't get a chance to see Kilimanjaro. After we returned, I took a turn on the treadmill for a bit. Then, I made a poor decision (which I will probably continue to make).
Every night, a group of local boys (aged 5-20) plays pick-up soccer at the basketball court on the campus. I've passed them a few times, but decided to join the game today. It took me a second to figure out "Ninaweza kucheza?" (Can I play?), but they were okay with it - although admittedly some had looks of disbelief on their faces. Most of them play without shoes (which is common), but some had sandles. Needless to say, I was keeping my shoes on. I was harassed at the beginning ("Mzungu? Hatutaki mzungu!" - White guy? We don't want the white guy!), but my knowledge of Swahili (and ability to make contact with the ball) won most of them over. Still, if I made a bad pass, it was because I was mzungu. If I fell, it was because I was mzungu. I was trying hard not to conform to the stereotype. They were good though. I became exhausted pretty quickly.
Even though they all knew English, they exclusively spoke in Swahili during the game. I had to translate soccer terms into Swahili, which was interesting ("Pass back" = "Kurudi," which means "to return"). By the end I met a few of them and will try to return tomorrow (if I can move). It was definitely fun, despite constantly being the center of attention.
After the game I took a shower, went to dinner, and am now going to the library! Have a good night!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Day 1 - Visit to Arusha
Today was the first full day in Arusha. I say Arusha, but we are actually about 15km outside of the town fairly close to Mt. Meru. The bathroom in my room has amazing water pressure and a great hot water tank, so I was pleasantly surprised this morning. We had breakfast early in the day (considering it was about 2am with jetlag). It seems every time I turn around they are feeding us - I definitely need to find an exercise regimen prior to hiking Kili. We then had an orientation of the compound. There are a lot of buildings in the proximity, including housing (for both visitors and the staff), a computer lab, library, diner, and many classrooms. There's also a basketball court and other workout facilities.
After orientation, we had a brief conversation in swahili and had oral proficiency examinations. It was rough! I definitely have some ground to cover in the next seven weeks. After lunch we traveled to Arusha and visited a bank, grocery store and phone store. It was funny getting hassled in the bus. Some people would wave, but if we were parked some would walk up to the window to try to sell different items. When we were in line at the phone store, a passerby just looked at us and said "Obama! Obama!" It was pretty funny.
After Arusha we had some down time, which I spent sleeping, eating, and studying. I also saw a group of monkeys running around the compound! Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, but they were quite the sight.
That's about all for now!
After orientation, we had a brief conversation in swahili and had oral proficiency examinations. It was rough! I definitely have some ground to cover in the next seven weeks. After lunch we traveled to Arusha and visited a bank, grocery store and phone store. It was funny getting hassled in the bus. Some people would wave, but if we were parked some would walk up to the window to try to sell different items. When we were in line at the phone store, a passerby just looked at us and said "Obama! Obama!" It was pretty funny.
After Arusha we had some down time, which I spent sleeping, eating, and studying. I also saw a group of monkeys running around the compound! Unfortunately I didn't have my camera, but they were quite the sight.
That's about all for now!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
First Night in Africa
I have successfully (and safely) arrived in Tanzania. We had a brief layover in Amsterdam and then another long flight to Arusha. Unfortunately it was dark when we landed, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning. We have Orientation tomorrow in the center. Its a very nice facility! Goodnight!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Welcome!
Thanks for reading my first post. Hopefully, I will be regularly writing on this blog with updates of my travels in Tanzania this summer. After a brief layover in Amsterdam, I will be in Arusha, Tanzania by early next week. I will also be providing pictures (the test picture below is not Africa, but rather the Student Building at Indiana University) - and have decently consistent e-mail access - both thanks to the wonderful world of Blackberry. Feel free to e-mail me or post onto this site. Unfortunately I will be unable to receive or return any phone calls or text messages.
For the first seven weeks, I will be studying Swahili and traveling throughout the country. The final week will entail climbing (and hopefully summiting!) Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa! Of course, stay tuned for more specific updates.
That's all for now. Let me know if you have any questions - thanks for reading!
Andrew
For the first seven weeks, I will be studying Swahili and traveling throughout the country. The final week will entail climbing (and hopefully summiting!) Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa! Of course, stay tuned for more specific updates.
That's all for now. Let me know if you have any questions - thanks for reading!
Andrew
Friday, June 19, 2009
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