Sunday, March 7, 2010
March 7 Back from Serengeti
There were lions! sooo amazing. When we got back thursday the internet was down and the power has been going in and out since then.
Highlights of Serengeti: Lions! and 5 cubs, and 4 leopards! and Black Rhinos in Ngorongoro Crater!!! They're my absolute favorite. ooo and a ginormus monitor lizard, and hippos fighting, and crocodiles, and jackals and a serval cat! Everything was amaaaazing. I've decided that I need to live here for a sizeable chunk of my life.
Today was our last non-program day in TZ. We went to the Karatu market and I bought way too many things but I was super proud of my bargaining skills, the men treated me like Mbogo (a Tanzanian), and talked to me in Kiswahili cuz I totally know my numbers, and I had no idea what other words they were saying, but Festo told me I was a very good bargainer. So I got more beautiful fabrics cuz they don't have such nice colorful ones in Kenya, I got a sweet machete, like a real tanzanian would use, not a stupid touristy one, and I got a sick barack obama belt.
This week is gonna be really stressful because I have TONS of work to do and finals in less than a week. eghhh
Highlights of Serengeti: Lions! and 5 cubs, and 4 leopards! and Black Rhinos in Ngorongoro Crater!!! They're my absolute favorite. ooo and a ginormus monitor lizard, and hippos fighting, and crocodiles, and jackals and a serval cat! Everything was amaaaazing. I've decided that I need to live here for a sizeable chunk of my life.
Today was our last non-program day in TZ. We went to the Karatu market and I bought way too many things but I was super proud of my bargaining skills, the men treated me like Mbogo (a Tanzanian), and talked to me in Kiswahili cuz I totally know my numbers, and I had no idea what other words they were saying, but Festo told me I was a very good bargainer. So I got more beautiful fabrics cuz they don't have such nice colorful ones in Kenya, I got a sweet machete, like a real tanzanian would use, not a stupid touristy one, and I got a sick barack obama belt.
This week is gonna be really stressful because I have TONS of work to do and finals in less than a week. eghhh
Friday, February 19, 2010
February 19
Wednesday we spent the day in Tarangire National Park, about an hour away from camp. We were doing a wildlife count for Wildlife Management class. It was amazing, we saw over 300 elephants! around lunchtime we went to the safari lodge in the park and went swimming in the pool.
We took a game drive out of the park, and looked sooo hard for lions, but didn't see any. Then we stopped at Dr. Kissui's research station, where he does lion research for David Packer's Lion project in Tarangire. It was an amazing day.
African sickness that night and all day yesterday.So, when Sarah got up she gave me some Gatorade and told me I didn't have to go to class, and I just laid in bed all day. Thankfully it was only a 24hr thing, I feel much much better today. I actually asked Allie if I woke her up when I got up to go to the bathroom multiple times that night, and she said she kinda woke up, but she was dreaming about dinosaurs, so every time I got up she thought I was just going to battle evil dinosaurs. Thankfully, last night I didn't battle a single dinosaur.
Today we walked to people's farms interviewing them about human-wildlife conflicts. The last home we went into had an amazing poster on the wall titled OBAMA THE CHAMPION, and had pictures of winning athletes with Obama's head photoshopped onto them. Like, US Olympic runners, body builders, one of him boxing McCain..hilarious and amazing.
Now, I have 2 papers to write for Swahili and Environmental Policy.
Tomorrow we have a Non-scheduled Program day, and we're visiting an orphanage and then going to a lodge to go swimming and eat lunch.
We took a game drive out of the park, and looked sooo hard for lions, but didn't see any. Then we stopped at Dr. Kissui's research station, where he does lion research for David Packer's Lion project in Tarangire. It was an amazing day.
African sickness that night and all day yesterday.So, when Sarah got up she gave me some Gatorade and told me I didn't have to go to class, and I just laid in bed all day. Thankfully it was only a 24hr thing, I feel much much better today. I actually asked Allie if I woke her up when I got up to go to the bathroom multiple times that night, and she said she kinda woke up, but she was dreaming about dinosaurs, so every time I got up she thought I was just going to battle evil dinosaurs. Thankfully, last night I didn't battle a single dinosaur.
Today we walked to people's farms interviewing them about human-wildlife conflicts. The last home we went into had an amazing poster on the wall titled OBAMA THE CHAMPION, and had pictures of winning athletes with Obama's head photoshopped onto them. Like, US Olympic runners, body builders, one of him boxing McCain..hilarious and amazing.
Now, I have 2 papers to write for Swahili and Environmental Policy.
Tomorrow we have a Non-scheduled Program day, and we're visiting an orphanage and then going to a lodge to go swimming and eat lunch.
Monday, February 15, 2010
February 15
I'm doin great! the internet's been shotty the past few days and the powers been goin in and out too. totally Cranberry Lake flashbacks. I've been keepin pretty busy with classes.I just finished revising a paper for Wildlife Ecology and have 2 more due on Saturday for Swahili, about the Maasai Boma visit, and Envir. Policy, about a resource use activity we did where we went around talking to people about resources and issues they face. Wednesday we go to Tarangire National Park!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
February 7
I just had an amazing day! went to a traditional Iragw tribe home and learned their culture, danced, sang with the little kids, and then had an amazing cheeseburger at this awesome restaurant. went to the market which was suuuuper ridiculous! bought some really cool fabrics, went back to the restaurant for drinks and was taught dance moves by Festo... my most favorite tanzanian ever... it was pretty awesome.
The market was kinda overwhelming though, it was just this huge fair almost, where people had all their stuff laid out on tarps on the ground everywhere, everything from used shoes and clothes, fabrics, and hats to produce and livestock. We're totally a huge target here. Everyone just flocks to us and tries to get us to buy things. I had someone following me for at least 5 minutes trying to get me to buy his necklaces and statues. I did get some really sweet fabric though.
They really like Barack Obama like crazy here! and they try to sell us so many things with his face on it. bags, bracelets, tapestries... it's pretty funny.
Dance class from Festo was also pretty awesome. i wish you could meet him, i try to spend as much time as possible around him cuz he has a really dry sense of humor, and he's very subtle so if you actually try and listen to what he's saying it's absolutely hilarious. He told me today he that he has to listen to the news everyday because he has to hear if his president is going to kill him...so it is important to listen to the news EVERYday. haha and I know that sounds awful but he says it with such a straight serious face and then he just smiles and starts laughing, so it's hilarious. Sooo many Festo one liners, and videos of all the things we've been doing.
today was especially fun. I really like hanging out with Sarah and Erika the SAM and intern. we seem to witness the best festo moments. Yuda, my swahili teacher is also REALLY funny. he got down on the dance floor for us today also. he translates for us and laughs at our ridiculousness.
We had pizza tonight. sooooo good! not really like pizza at all, but still really good. for RAP (Reflection, Announcement, Presentation) Betsy(the other Betsy!... but she's really Elizabeth so she's totally a poser) had us split up into groups and write songs to the jingle of an existing well known song, about things we have encountered here in tanzania. liiiike, not having enough forks for our meals, and ppl having to eat spaghetti with spooons, or the acacia thorns that are everywhere and not so nice to run into, or people at the market trying to shove items on us at the last second, or Yuda's laugh and swahili class...stuff like that. It's pretty awesome cuz each day someone new has to lead RAP and we do all these crazy activities like different group games, or dance lessons, which was the other night and was pretty stellar. swing and salsaaaa.
ok time for reading and bed. cultural experience tomorrow with the Maasai! then i have to write a report about it. Good Night...or Good Afternoon.
Love, bets
The market was kinda overwhelming though, it was just this huge fair almost, where people had all their stuff laid out on tarps on the ground everywhere, everything from used shoes and clothes, fabrics, and hats to produce and livestock. We're totally a huge target here. Everyone just flocks to us and tries to get us to buy things. I had someone following me for at least 5 minutes trying to get me to buy his necklaces and statues. I did get some really sweet fabric though.
They really like Barack Obama like crazy here! and they try to sell us so many things with his face on it. bags, bracelets, tapestries... it's pretty funny.
Dance class from Festo was also pretty awesome. i wish you could meet him, i try to spend as much time as possible around him cuz he has a really dry sense of humor, and he's very subtle so if you actually try and listen to what he's saying it's absolutely hilarious. He told me today he that he has to listen to the news everyday because he has to hear if his president is going to kill him...so it is important to listen to the news EVERYday. haha and I know that sounds awful but he says it with such a straight serious face and then he just smiles and starts laughing, so it's hilarious. Sooo many Festo one liners, and videos of all the things we've been doing.
today was especially fun. I really like hanging out with Sarah and Erika the SAM and intern. we seem to witness the best festo moments. Yuda, my swahili teacher is also REALLY funny. he got down on the dance floor for us today also. he translates for us and laughs at our ridiculousness.
We had pizza tonight. sooooo good! not really like pizza at all, but still really good. for RAP (Reflection, Announcement, Presentation) Betsy(the other Betsy!... but she's really Elizabeth so she's totally a poser) had us split up into groups and write songs to the jingle of an existing well known song, about things we have encountered here in tanzania. liiiike, not having enough forks for our meals, and ppl having to eat spaghetti with spooons, or the acacia thorns that are everywhere and not so nice to run into, or people at the market trying to shove items on us at the last second, or Yuda's laugh and swahili class...stuff like that. It's pretty awesome cuz each day someone new has to lead RAP and we do all these crazy activities like different group games, or dance lessons, which was the other night and was pretty stellar. swing and salsaaaa.
ok time for reading and bed. cultural experience tomorrow with the Maasai! then i have to write a report about it. Good Night...or Good Afternoon.
Love, bets
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February 6
I saw lots of elephants today and took tons of pictures and video. It was our last trip to Manyara National Park. It's amazing there. tons of flamingos, giraffes, zebras, impala, buffalo, baboons, horn beaks, vervet monkeys, and hippos! didn't get to see any lions, but we did see a half eatten gazelle hanging out of a tree that was probably a leopard's lunch. It was really awesome. now i have swahili and environment policy class.
Safari etiquette was just the basics. be quiet around animals, if ur driver says to duck down in the truck, duck down...and a special request from the drivers that even though it seems windy up above when you're standing up out the hatch, it's still stuffy inside the truck, and we're all still adjusting to our new diets... so just bare that in mind.
haha today we did get really close to a herd of elephants though, and they were gettin a little annoyed at times. so that's when you just back out of their way... cuz they can actually flip your car...and they will. baboons are dangerous too if they see you have snacks..you're just supposed to give them whatever they want. They're EVERYWHERE.
We're going into Karatu tomorrow to the local monthly market. it should be pretty awesome. everybody's excited to wear there skirts. The clothes i brought are good, gettin a lot of use.
i've been us since a little after 5 tho so i'm super tired and don't really ever get much sleep. It's totally worth it though.
dogs and hyaenas and ppl singing is an amazing thing to fall asleep too, and wake up too! the birds start super early. i wake up to chickens and and cows and all sorts of birds, and the sunrise every morning.
Safari etiquette was just the basics. be quiet around animals, if ur driver says to duck down in the truck, duck down...and a special request from the drivers that even though it seems windy up above when you're standing up out the hatch, it's still stuffy inside the truck, and we're all still adjusting to our new diets... so just bare that in mind.
haha today we did get really close to a herd of elephants though, and they were gettin a little annoyed at times. so that's when you just back out of their way... cuz they can actually flip your car...and they will. baboons are dangerous too if they see you have snacks..you're just supposed to give them whatever they want. They're EVERYWHERE.
We're going into Karatu tomorrow to the local monthly market. it should be pretty awesome. everybody's excited to wear there skirts. The clothes i brought are good, gettin a lot of use.
i've been us since a little after 5 tho so i'm super tired and don't really ever get much sleep. It's totally worth it though.
dogs and hyaenas and ppl singing is an amazing thing to fall asleep too, and wake up too! the birds start super early. i wake up to chickens and and cows and all sorts of birds, and the sunrise every morning.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
February 4
i wish i had brought a book to just read. I have a ton of reading to do for classes tho so i guess it's ok. i think my schedule will normally be breakfast 730, 8-9am class, then 1030-12 class then 2-330 class and they rotate everyday. i'm not really sure tho, cuz it's only my second day. it kinda switches tho. This friday and saturday we're going to Lake Manyara national park! and Karatu on sunday, where there's a big market. I learned more greetings and counting and things to say in the market in swahili class this morning. we're learning safari ediquette this afternoon.
I share a tent with allie, she's very nice. I like havin her as a tentmate. I think our pictures should be up on the SFS website.
i learned how to say that in swahili today! Nime kupendo wewe mama!i love you momma!!! good morning is habari za habuhi. which really means news of the morning and is kinda a question or something so you respond nzuri sana (very good!) here, even if things are bad, you respond good first, and then say buuuut...my cattle all died, or maybe not something so awful.
but anyways, things are great! wildlife management and ecology, are pretty neat classes. and swahili is kinda challenging but fun, just lots of memorization of phrases. envir. policy readings are not fun...and i have A LOT of reading for every class, which i'm takin a break from now. blah, but yaaay Africa!
i wish i had brought a book to just read. I have a ton of reading to do for classes tho so i guess it's ok. i think my schedule will normally be breakfast 730, 8-9am class, then 1030-12 class then 2-330 class and they rotate everyday. i'm not really sure tho, cuz it's only my second day. it kinda switches tho. This friday and saturday we're going to Lake Manyara national park! and Karatu on sunday, where there's a big market. I learned more greetings and counting and things to say in the market in swahili class this morning. we're learning safari ediquette this afternoon.
I share a tent with allie, she's very nice. I like havin her as a tentmate. I think our pictures should be up on the SFS website.
i learned how to say that in swahili today! Nime kupendo wewe mama!i love you momma!!! good morning is habari za habuhi. which really means news of the morning and is kinda a question or something so you respond nzuri sana (very good!) here, even if things are bad, you respond good first, and then say buuuut...my cattle all died, or maybe not something so awful.
but anyways, things are great! wildlife management and ecology, are pretty neat classes. and swahili is kinda challenging but fun, just lots of memorization of phrases. envir. policy readings are not fun...and i have A LOT of reading for every class, which i'm takin a break from now. blah, but yaaay Africa!
February 3rd
OK, so i started writing this a few days ago when i actually got here, but there's tons of stuff and i'm failing at blogging. oh well.
Ha, good job momma. I'm here! FINALLY. sat next to a man from Nairobi who's name is Steve. He went to college for a few years in Pittsburgh. He was telling me all about Africa and differences in money and costs in the US, weird time zones due to different occupations and told me about all the places we were passing over. Made me try Kilamanjaro beer on the plane... it was pretty good. when we landed he gave me his card and a pin for the East African Union that he works for... made my first African contact, yay! haha
The five of us (who dubbed ourselves grp 3) landed at about 7pm last night and met up with charles and festo. We stayed in Arusha, about 45 min away from the airport. saw crazy night life and experienced CRAZY driving, on paved roads... thankfully. At the hotel Charles had to make negotiations in swahili at a hotel we had reservations at...but apparently that might not mean much here. Actually I have no idea what he was doing or saying cuz i understand about 4 words of the language.
BEDS! finally, and dinner...more negotiations, for the vegetarians... it's definitely a dad kinda place.... lots a meat and texas toast. It's cool tho cuz they still have coke and sprite and other soda in glass bottles, really big tall ones.
I fell asleep and woke up a few hrs later to the sound of bush babies...super weird freaky sounding creatures that sound like cats growling as tho they're about to fight, the cats, not the bush babies. so weird. Woke up at 6 and left for Havannahnature camp, about 2-3 hrs away. Most amazing drive ever! I thought Nairobi was awesome. Here It's so much more beautiful. It's so green, and mountainous, with Mt Mehru, and Kilamanjaro. Everything's so simple here, I absolutely love it. school children walking along the roads to school in their uniforms, women carrying buckets on their heads, farmers herding their goats and cows in the fields. completely free range during the day. still preeetty crazy driving. school children collecting buckets of water at the creek and taking it to their school. termite mounds all over the place. Everything you would picture seeing in Africa right along the main highway. giraffes, zebras, super close to the road. ELEPHANTS!!!! on the hillside and down in Lake Manyana Nat. Park from an lookout we stopped at. Two females with babies. Baboons crossing the road. Crazy, and yet such a normal site here.
So i learned about all the bad stuff to look out for and what can happen as far as sickness and such and lemme just say my africa buzz dropped pretty hard core. but it's ok, I'll be fine, and i'm still REALLY happy and excited and blessed to be here. I just really really really hope i don't encounter ANY snakes, at least up close, because i'm more afraid of them than any other thing here, like even lions. cuuuz apparently they don't have anti-venoms here, and there's really nothin they can do. I guess it should be semi comforting that no students have ever been bitten before, but still.
but anywhooo, I started classes today officially. yesterday i learned about all my professors. my Wildlife management professor, dr Kissui works for the lion research project that that Smithsonian articles about! super cool! And my wildlife eco. professor is from the US and has worked with chimps in africa for a really long time, worked for jane goodall, and then taught con bio in nigeria for a while and she seems pretty cool. Swahili is interesting, kinda challenging. there are a bagillion greetings and responses, but all te workers here will speak it with you and help you out so that's cool.
had my first encounter with tons of ppl trying to sell me things today. No matter how many times you say no thank you, they still are very persistent. even the really young kids make the money sign with their fingers. but the kids around the camp are really neat. when ur out walking or running on the path they run along with you or come up and talk to you. and NOT ask you for money.
It's definitely been an experience, and I'm lovin every minute of it, and appreciating it so much. I'm trying to interact with my professors and the ppl as much as possible. I also take moments to myself to just reflect and look out over the landscape and watch the different herders with their cattle and goats and ppl walking or riding their bikes along the road. were on a large hill so there's a place to look out pretty close to my tent and it's incredible.
I should be getting a phone tomorrow and about 5-8 minutes so that if i call or text someone i can give them a time to call me back and save my minutes. if you use skype to call my phone i guess it's pretty cheap too. so get skype! I'll write you a letter soon though. and try to send more emails. I might just post these on my blog cuz they're pretty much like journal entries.
I did cook crew today! woke up at 6am and made texas toast, with butter instead of oil, but still. The food here is sooo good. i thought i'd lose weight, but i totally don't see how that will happen. lots of meat and cooked veggies and potatoes and fresh fruit. dad would really like it here. Besides all the health ailments and dangerous creatures the people you encounter and the things you see are just so incredible. I realize i say that a lot. I really kinda wish i lived in a place where things are as simple and ppl are as friendly as they are here. here, you say hello to everyone you pass, and it just seems more welcoming and open. Things are also very hard at times tho and i've seen the effects of recent droughts that have taken their toll. in Nairobi there were so many cattle carcasses scattering the landscape due to the most recent dry spell.
well, for now i'm off to bed, to wake up to the sounds of cows and dogs and chickens and birds and a whole assortment of things tomorrow morning.
goodnight i love you, i miss you, i love getting your emails, and i'll write again soon.
loooove, Betsy
OK, so i started writing this a few days ago when i actually got here, but there's tons of stuff and i'm failing at blogging. oh well.
Ha, good job momma. I'm here! FINALLY. sat next to a man from Nairobi who's name is Steve. He went to college for a few years in Pittsburgh. He was telling me all about Africa and differences in money and costs in the US, weird time zones due to different occupations and told me about all the places we were passing over. Made me try Kilamanjaro beer on the plane... it was pretty good. when we landed he gave me his card and a pin for the East African Union that he works for... made my first African contact, yay! haha
The five of us (who dubbed ourselves grp 3) landed at about 7pm last night and met up with charles and festo. We stayed in Arusha, about 45 min away from the airport. saw crazy night life and experienced CRAZY driving, on paved roads... thankfully. At the hotel Charles had to make negotiations in swahili at a hotel we had reservations at...but apparently that might not mean much here. Actually I have no idea what he was doing or saying cuz i understand about 4 words of the language.
BEDS! finally, and dinner...more negotiations, for the vegetarians... it's definitely a dad kinda place.... lots a meat and texas toast. It's cool tho cuz they still have coke and sprite and other soda in glass bottles, really big tall ones.
I fell asleep and woke up a few hrs later to the sound of bush babies...super weird freaky sounding creatures that sound like cats growling as tho they're about to fight, the cats, not the bush babies. so weird. Woke up at 6 and left for Havannahnature camp, about 2-3 hrs away. Most amazing drive ever! I thought Nairobi was awesome. Here It's so much more beautiful. It's so green, and mountainous, with Mt Mehru, and Kilamanjaro. Everything's so simple here, I absolutely love it. school children walking along the roads to school in their uniforms, women carrying buckets on their heads, farmers herding their goats and cows in the fields. completely free range during the day. still preeetty crazy driving. school children collecting buckets of water at the creek and taking it to their school. termite mounds all over the place. Everything you would picture seeing in Africa right along the main highway. giraffes, zebras, super close to the road. ELEPHANTS!!!! on the hillside and down in Lake Manyana Nat. Park from an lookout we stopped at. Two females with babies. Baboons crossing the road. Crazy, and yet such a normal site here.
So i learned about all the bad stuff to look out for and what can happen as far as sickness and such and lemme just say my africa buzz dropped pretty hard core. but it's ok, I'll be fine, and i'm still REALLY happy and excited and blessed to be here. I just really really really hope i don't encounter ANY snakes, at least up close, because i'm more afraid of them than any other thing here, like even lions. cuuuz apparently they don't have anti-venoms here, and there's really nothin they can do. I guess it should be semi comforting that no students have ever been bitten before, but still.
but anywhooo, I started classes today officially. yesterday i learned about all my professors. my Wildlife management professor, dr Kissui works for the lion research project that that Smithsonian articles about! super cool! And my wildlife eco. professor is from the US and has worked with chimps in africa for a really long time, worked for jane goodall, and then taught con bio in nigeria for a while and she seems pretty cool. Swahili is interesting, kinda challenging. there are a bagillion greetings and responses, but all te workers here will speak it with you and help you out so that's cool.
had my first encounter with tons of ppl trying to sell me things today. No matter how many times you say no thank you, they still are very persistent. even the really young kids make the money sign with their fingers. but the kids around the camp are really neat. when ur out walking or running on the path they run along with you or come up and talk to you. and NOT ask you for money.
It's definitely been an experience, and I'm lovin every minute of it, and appreciating it so much. I'm trying to interact with my professors and the ppl as much as possible. I also take moments to myself to just reflect and look out over the landscape and watch the different herders with their cattle and goats and ppl walking or riding their bikes along the road. were on a large hill so there's a place to look out pretty close to my tent and it's incredible.
I should be getting a phone tomorrow and about 5-8 minutes so that if i call or text someone i can give them a time to call me back and save my minutes. if you use skype to call my phone i guess it's pretty cheap too. so get skype! I'll write you a letter soon though. and try to send more emails. I might just post these on my blog cuz they're pretty much like journal entries.
I did cook crew today! woke up at 6am and made texas toast, with butter instead of oil, but still. The food here is sooo good. i thought i'd lose weight, but i totally don't see how that will happen. lots of meat and cooked veggies and potatoes and fresh fruit. dad would really like it here. Besides all the health ailments and dangerous creatures the people you encounter and the things you see are just so incredible. I realize i say that a lot. I really kinda wish i lived in a place where things are as simple and ppl are as friendly as they are here. here, you say hello to everyone you pass, and it just seems more welcoming and open. Things are also very hard at times tho and i've seen the effects of recent droughts that have taken their toll. in Nairobi there were so many cattle carcasses scattering the landscape due to the most recent dry spell.
well, for now i'm off to bed, to wake up to the sounds of cows and dogs and chickens and birds and a whole assortment of things tomorrow morning.
goodnight i love you, i miss you, i love getting your emails, and i'll write again soon.
loooove, Betsy
February 1
Hey,
So we're staying in Arusha in a Hotel for the night with the mechanic named Charlie. Then we're going to the camp tomorrow morning . Molly, the Student Affairs Manager in Kenya, said we're the only students who have ever been there before...Score! haha so I guess it's all ok. It's definitely been an experience, but I don't really mind it because I'm in Africa, and that makes me extremely happy. Waking up at 5am wasn't even hard because I'm just so stoked to be here. Moses, our driver, is really cool. He remembers my name and it makes me feel special because he doesn't know many of ours, and I got to talk with him for a while.
We had a fire lastnight and eskari (security guards) spoke with us in swahiili and talked about the animals, and told us massai stories in english. Everything has been super amazing...well, besides being booted off a plane for stupid reasons, and then having to have someone find our group that already went through customs and get numbers from them for us to call that didn't work on the airport manager's phone...yeah, stressful. But then thankfully one of us had a cell phone and got a hold of Molly and it was all ok. phew.
Can't wait to get to the site and settle in and have orientation tomorrow. Molly told me one of the Professors does research with Lions in Tanzania and is really awesome to talk to...everyone's awesome to talk to. The kids are awesome and love the attention and are REALLY good at soccer.
We went for a walk outside the perimeter of the Park site yesterday evening that took us up onto a hill where there was a soccer field and basketball hoop, and a big herd of goats and sheep grazing. It looked out onto Nairobi National Park and was really gorgeous.
After we got back I took an open air shower on the site, and finally felt clean after 3 days of wearing the same nasty clothes and starting to smell. My conditioner kinda exploded on the way to Africa, but it was in a plastic bag thankfully. It probably just opened from getting squished. We had dinner and RAP, where each Eskari was introduced, and Molly read a poem previous students had written, and then the main cook surprised us with a cake with candles and a song sung in swahili.
It was really good, and was kinda like coffee cake. super delicious.
We were warned about black and green mambas, and red spitting cobras and adders. So we had to walk with flashlights everywhere we went at night.
You could hear the monkeys and some sort of creature that sounds like women screaming but is apparently really cute.
Lion noises were cool. like and oont oont sound that they make when they're hunting. It was fun having the Eskari imitate animal noises for us. One of them put his arms up in the air and kept on saying "yay for America!" when we first met him. They all were very funny and nice to interact with. Most of the time we had absolutely no idea what they said... But I'm so excited to learn! Twigga is giraffe, simba is obviously lion, and tembo is elephant, which I haven't seen yet, but I can't wait!
Alright my batteries almost dead, but I love you and I'll keep you updated, and i know you probably just woke up cuz we're 8 hrs ahead. So, have an awesome Sunday.
Tell the fam I say hey!
Love ya,
Bets
Hey,
So we're staying in Arusha in a Hotel for the night with the mechanic named Charlie. Then we're going to the camp tomorrow morning . Molly, the Student Affairs Manager in Kenya, said we're the only students who have ever been there before...Score! haha so I guess it's all ok. It's definitely been an experience, but I don't really mind it because I'm in Africa, and that makes me extremely happy. Waking up at 5am wasn't even hard because I'm just so stoked to be here. Moses, our driver, is really cool. He remembers my name and it makes me feel special because he doesn't know many of ours, and I got to talk with him for a while.
We had a fire lastnight and eskari (security guards) spoke with us in swahiili and talked about the animals, and told us massai stories in english. Everything has been super amazing...well, besides being booted off a plane for stupid reasons, and then having to have someone find our group that already went through customs and get numbers from them for us to call that didn't work on the airport manager's phone...yeah, stressful. But then thankfully one of us had a cell phone and got a hold of Molly and it was all ok. phew.
Can't wait to get to the site and settle in and have orientation tomorrow. Molly told me one of the Professors does research with Lions in Tanzania and is really awesome to talk to...everyone's awesome to talk to. The kids are awesome and love the attention and are REALLY good at soccer.
We went for a walk outside the perimeter of the Park site yesterday evening that took us up onto a hill where there was a soccer field and basketball hoop, and a big herd of goats and sheep grazing. It looked out onto Nairobi National Park and was really gorgeous.
After we got back I took an open air shower on the site, and finally felt clean after 3 days of wearing the same nasty clothes and starting to smell. My conditioner kinda exploded on the way to Africa, but it was in a plastic bag thankfully. It probably just opened from getting squished. We had dinner and RAP, where each Eskari was introduced, and Molly read a poem previous students had written, and then the main cook surprised us with a cake with candles and a song sung in swahili.
It was really good, and was kinda like coffee cake. super delicious.
We were warned about black and green mambas, and red spitting cobras and adders. So we had to walk with flashlights everywhere we went at night.
You could hear the monkeys and some sort of creature that sounds like women screaming but is apparently really cute.
Lion noises were cool. like and oont oont sound that they make when they're hunting. It was fun having the Eskari imitate animal noises for us. One of them put his arms up in the air and kept on saying "yay for America!" when we first met him. They all were very funny and nice to interact with. Most of the time we had absolutely no idea what they said... But I'm so excited to learn! Twigga is giraffe, simba is obviously lion, and tembo is elephant, which I haven't seen yet, but I can't wait!
Alright my batteries almost dead, but I love you and I'll keep you updated, and i know you probably just woke up cuz we're 8 hrs ahead. So, have an awesome Sunday.
Tell the fam I say hey!
Love ya,
Bets
January 31
So we got here yesterday morning and it is absolutely gorgeous! I'm in love. Spent the night at the National Park Site in Kenya. Saw zebras, giraffes, eland and antelope all along the way that were just chillin... they really are just like deer...tons! This morning on the way to the airport we saw hiennas and storks and more giraffes with babies, it's still like a dream. The lions were roaring last night as we went to bed, and there's monkeys! AMAZING!!!
Not so amazing...
Alright so, they took all of our large bags to the site in Tanzania, so that was nice, but then when five of us went to check in we had been bumped off of our 10am flight, because ppl who were s'pose to fly out yesterday got put on it and bumped us off. Soooo our group has boarded and is leaving soon, and we're left here until 6pm to catch another flight. But, there's free wireless! Yaaay. At least that's the bright side. We'll probably get to the airport in Kilimanjaro around 7 tonight go through crazy customs, and then it's a 4 hr drive to the site, so it'll be about midnite when we arrive. BUT IT"S OK. I'm in Africa, and I'm so happy, and feel extremely blessed, and wouldn't wanna be anywheres else. The people are amazing, the food is delicious, and the sites and sounds are indescribable.
I'm safe, I'm happy, and I'll make it to Tanzania eventually. I'm glad to be with a group. Evereything's good. I'm good and safe, and I love you, and I'll send another email soon.
So we got here yesterday morning and it is absolutely gorgeous! I'm in love. Spent the night at the National Park Site in Kenya. Saw zebras, giraffes, eland and antelope all along the way that were just chillin... they really are just like deer...tons! This morning on the way to the airport we saw hiennas and storks and more giraffes with babies, it's still like a dream. The lions were roaring last night as we went to bed, and there's monkeys! AMAZING!!!
Not so amazing...
Alright so, they took all of our large bags to the site in Tanzania, so that was nice, but then when five of us went to check in we had been bumped off of our 10am flight, because ppl who were s'pose to fly out yesterday got put on it and bumped us off. Soooo our group has boarded and is leaving soon, and we're left here until 6pm to catch another flight. But, there's free wireless! Yaaay. At least that's the bright side. We'll probably get to the airport in Kilimanjaro around 7 tonight go through crazy customs, and then it's a 4 hr drive to the site, so it'll be about midnite when we arrive. BUT IT"S OK. I'm in Africa, and I'm so happy, and feel extremely blessed, and wouldn't wanna be anywheres else. The people are amazing, the food is delicious, and the sites and sounds are indescribable.
I'm safe, I'm happy, and I'll make it to Tanzania eventually. I'm glad to be with a group. Evereything's good. I'm good and safe, and I love you, and I'll send another email soon.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Please send me letters!
My address in Tanzania will be
Betsy Holtz
SFS Center For Wildlife Management Studies
c/o Haven Nature Lodge and Campsite
P.O. Box 378 Karatu, Tanzania
Send me lots of letters! They said it takes about two weeks for mail to get there, so start sending them soon!
The address for Kenya is
Betsy Holtz
Center for Wildlife Management Studies
P.O. Box 27743 (Nyayo Stadium)
00506- Nairobi, KENYA
East Africa
But I won't be there until the second half of the semester.
Also please don't send packages because they are really hard to receive, and sometimes get taken.
Thanks so much!
Betsy Holtz
SFS Center For Wildlife Management Studies
c/o Haven Nature Lodge and Campsite
P.O. Box 378 Karatu, Tanzania
Send me lots of letters! They said it takes about two weeks for mail to get there, so start sending them soon!
The address for Kenya is
Betsy Holtz
Center for Wildlife Management Studies
P.O. Box 27743 (Nyayo Stadium)
00506- Nairobi, KENYA
East Africa
But I won't be there until the second half of the semester.
Also please don't send packages because they are really hard to receive, and sometimes get taken.
Thanks so much!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Yay blog!
So, I have just over two weeks to prepare myself for this crazy African experience I'm embarking upon. I've created this blog so that you all can follow along with me as I take what I can only imagine will be an absolutely amazing life journey. Thanks for all your support. Send me lots of e-mails, and letters too! My primary email address is bjholtz@syr.edu, I'll post the address for where I'm staying in Tanzania as soon as I find out what it is. Can't wait to be on my way!
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