Jump with your fears headfirst

sitting on the 'throne' getting my ankles strapped in

As my toes were wiggling over the edge of the platform and I was asked to bring my arms down to my side to get ready for the count down, I had a brief moment of wanting to turn around and walk back down the wooden steps I previously scampered up.  The guide had his hand on my shoulder to keep my balance while I tried not to look down.  Recognizing my doubt he said “don’t think about it, thinking and bungee jumping don’t go well together” and with that advice I left all my fears behind on the platform and jumped forward over the Nile River.  I fell down about 400 ft. looking directly at the calm beauty of Mother Nature only to later that afternoon feel her power and strength in the rapids. 

Africa always wins

I was in awe of Uganda’s beauty this weekend.  Never before have I seen such green green’s and red red’s.  The colors of Uganda could not have been mixed more vibrantly on a palette. 

Overall my weekend trip to Uganda went like this: 34 hours on a bus, 11 awesome people, 4 days, 3 countries, 1 ridiculous experience 

oh yeah and 1 man selling chicken sticks on the bus....

brilliant

Music For One's Soul

Sunset in Arusha

“Be the drum”- my mantra for the day as my fingers were close to bleeding from tediously stringing the cowhide onto the wahaya drum I was making.  We started the day at a bright and early 7 am and did not return home until 7pm- and still the drum is not fully complete.  Even though I feel as if my fingers are going crack and crumble to the ground at any minute, the end result (almost) and fun I had making it was well worth it.

Mt. Meru at the college this morning

The beginnings of a long day

Final image of drum- coming soon (maybe)

Awesome beats- coming now from my soul drum to yours 

A few more musical notes to spark your interest:  This past weekend I went to see Bi Kidude, the inventor of Taraab Music –yes, she is some where around 100 years old, no one really knows for sure.  I also saw a South African string quartet called Soweto- they were fantastic. Check them out- both are very interesting.

Beautiful times with beautiful people

This past weekend I had the opportunity to stay with a Maasai family that lives on the base of Mt. Meru- not far from where I am staying. Elija and his family were beyond hospitable and made me feel at home instantly.  While they lived in what many of us would consider 'poor' conditions their spirits were far richer.

The reason for our stay was for my music class to see their choir and the influences of music on everyday life. Even though my Kiswahili isn’t great and their English only a little better, we never the less bonded over singing Bob Marley- One love.  Later, one of the children of a teacher from America was telling me that her father spoke seven languages (yeah, pretty impressive). The last language she named was music. 

On Saturday we woke up early to go on a waterfall hike around the base of the mountain, which was absolutely stunning.  

A banana flower

Mt. Meru

Found these berries on the hike and they were amazing

On the way to the waterfall

Most of the group and Prof. Stubbs!

My host- Elija

“The eye that travels is the eye that sees”

It is Maasai tradition for the elder or leader of a tribe to leave his guests with a few wise words.  And this is just what Telipit Ole Saitoti – the author of The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior- did at the end of our visit to his village.  After reading his book, it was an incredible privilege to have the opportunity to meet this man.  In short- he grew up in a Maasai village near the Ngorogoro Crater and wrote of his youth in the village and the troubles he faced when going to school and in his decision to leave his home for Europe and then America.  He has since returned to his village where he has several wives and encourages all of children to go to school and travel.  His words are true- “The eye that travels is the eye that sees”.  We are blind if we only know of life on paper. 

After Visiting Saitoti’s village we went to the Ngorogoro Crater, which naturally consisted of breath-taking views, and of course ‘The Big Five’.

Driving through the crater at sunrise

Leaving the crater

It's a Big World After All

This incredible world we live in will never cease to amaze me. We are all so small yet each one of us can have as big of an impact on this world as we chose (for better or worse). 

Today I met a young girl named Hope.  She lives at The Cradle of Love – A baby orphanage that I will periodically volunteering at about 30 minutes outside of the city. When we walked in she came over and instantly put her arms out for me to hold her, she hugged me and talked to me as we walked around the building and proudly showed me a picture of herself on the wall.  I cannot wait to go back and see her as well as the 45 other children who, thanks to one inspiring woman named Devona, have a place to live.

Mzungu Wazimu (crazy white people)

A quick story:

I had a staring contest with a gecko/lizard (not completely sure which one, I was too busy to ask him) in the gazebo the other day.  I do not know who won - although I would argue it was me seeing as he was the first to scamper off.  Then I considered the possibility that the lizard/gecko was thinking what everyone else here laughs about-  ‘Mzungu Wazimu’.

We are crazy.  It seems our priorities got slightly distorted somehow and I cannot understand why.  Priorities are pretty clear here; in the midst of very little there can be happiness (one of the many reasons I love it here). I also love not know what time it is except for day or night, I love not knowing where I am going and when I will get there and I love not have a phone attached to my hand constantly fighting reality for my attention.  I think it is safe to say I have fully adjusted to ‘Africa Time’.

Thanks to this so-called ‘Africa Time’ on the way to our camel safari adventure our bus had to make a pit stop on the side of the road for a bit.  When we stopped a small boy came up to the bus and smiled, past him in an alley behind a few homes and some trees stood his older brothers.  We got out of the bus and hung out with these wonderful children for a while – this, along with riding a camel for the first time- made my day absolutely perfect. 

Little boy at our pit stop

The older brothers

Everyone, meet Herman

First week in Arusha

It has been about a week since I departed on a near 20 hour journey to Tanzania and it was well worth the travel time.  I love the city of Arusha, it is small but full of character.  The piki piki's (motorcycle cabs), however, might kill me...

Everything here is beautiful, particularly the rain.  After class today the sky opened and allowed everything to cool off.  My friend Innocent, who is from Arusha (and lives on a street that everyone around here calls the Bronx), told me that every time it rains and the sun is still shining, a baby lion is born. 

Out the window of the school house

My lovely friend Ida

The Rain