Update

The past 3 weeks have been pretty crazy but amazing.  The school I am working at just opened a few months ago and is a mess.  This past week I have managed to create an entire curriculum for the school, assess the kids, and create progress reports.  Two other volunteers and I have also purchased them all desks, a chalk board, and their school supplies including a backpack.  My next project is to set up HIV testing for all the kids and create a sponsorship program so that they can be sent to an English Medium school so they can actually have a chance at secondary school.  I also got to visit 5 of the kids homes so far and are going to 5 more after school tomorrow.  It was heart breaking to meet their families, see where they live, and hear their stories.  The kids are so beautiful and so naughty!  There are two types of students in Africa, the amazing ones that stand and greet you when you enter the room and are amazingly well behaved and then the kids that I teach that beat the crap out of each other!  They want us to hit them with a stick but I refuse!

The house is still bonkers... living with 31 people!  We have not had water in days.  People think Im African but really Im just dirty!  This past week I have been on 4 modes of transportation that have either broken down or just kicked us out of because.  

Last weekend we all went camping and played soccer against an HIV team.  I am going to post some new pictures soon. 

Things people never tell you about Africa: Safari is freezing and bring laxatives

Days without a shower: 4 (not bad, my record is 10)

What I miss most: washing my hands

I miss you all and hope you are all doing well!

Volunteers vs. HIV

Emanuel (a director at one of our placements) started a soccer team for people living with HIV.  The goal is to promote a healthy mind and body to extend their lives.  It was super hot but amazingly fun!  When we got there and saw their uniforms we were scared we were going down but actually ended up winning 4-1.  Is that bad?  The team was great and we had a lot of fun!

Safari!

The giraffe that lost his legs

We could touch this guy from our Jeep

We saw the great wildabeast and zebra migration.  There were thousands and thousands for miles and miles as far as the eye could see.  

Leopard about to make an attack

We saw dozens of lions in the Ngorongora Crater

Hip-hip-hop-hip-hop-pamatopus

Tree of Life.  Also saw "Pride rock"

Looking out over the Serengeti

There were thousands of monkeys at Lake Manyara

All you ever needed to know about Safari I learned from The Lion King!  We literally saw the entire circle of life from lions mating, to a leopard making a kill, or a cow giving birth.  This is just a taste of Safari.  I have a about a zillion other pictures to add of worthogs, elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos, giraffes, hippos.......

Desks!

We are making progess at Cheka!  We have bought them desks and are waiting for the chalk board.

Field Trip

We took the kids to Lake Duluti for the day.  For a lot of these kids it was their first time in a car.  We packed two dala dala's full.  A few of the kids got so excited/nervous we had some accidents involving different bodily fluids.  I thought taking 60 kids to the zoo for the day was exhausting.  That is nothing compared to the 3 mile hike we did was 30 3-5 year olds.  By the end I had a kid on my back another around my neck and I was dragging two on each arm.  It was an exhausting day but definitely worth it because it was such a treat for the kids and they had a blast.  Can you imagine no seat belts or permission slips?

Good morning Mt. Meru

View of the mountain from our porch

Molly and Gavin. This is what we do to pass the time.

Masai Village

The Masai Village is about a 2 hour drive from the city of Arusha where I am living.  The Masai people are the northern tribe native to Tanzania.  In the village we met the chief who currently has 7 wives.  There are about 150 children that attend their two room school house.  We met a few warriors who told us about their experiences killing lions which they had to do in order to become a warrior.

Taking a nap in one of there homes

Masai warrior and Zack

There village is literally surrounded by nothing.  Just land for miles and miles.

One of the Chief's wives and child. 

Another one of the wives and child. She could not have been more than 13 years old.

The children's faces were covered with flies.  It never seemed to bother them though. 

It is hard to see in this picture but the warriors are killing a goat for us to drink the blood from.

We danced with the women.

My first dala dala ride (think old school toyota mini van).  It is quite interesting to have about 25 people on the bus with you.  Yesterday I sat next to my first chicken. 

Cheka "Smile" or "Laughter"

This is my school, Cheka.  There are two rooms and about 30 students.  I am with 3-5 year olds.  It is pretty tricky trying to teach the children when all you speak is English and all they know (if any) is Swahili. 

Right now we have no desks or chalk board but two other volunteers and I are buying them for the school. 

A lot of the children walk by themselves up to an hour on these dirt roads to get to school each day. 

Mambo!

This is the volunteer house I am staying in.  There are about 25 of us living here right now.  Most of the people are from Canada, Australia, and England.