Yikes. So, I know, it has been yonks since I last updated my blog but honest, I have been quite the busy bee.
Our time in Zanzibar was absolutely amazing and the bus journey down, all 8 hours of it, wasn't too bad - we were in quite a comfortable bus. We arrived in Dar es Salaam where we stayed he night and then caught the ferry across to Zanzibar at lunch the next day. We arrived in Stone Town and even from the sea it was a beautiful place, I loved the look of it. We were picked up and taken across the island to the town of Paje where we stayed at the guest house of the Arabian Nights hotel - we are also the last group to go through to Zanzibar as from now on the Camp will no longer send volunteers there, but to Tanga - yay for us, I loved Zanzibar!!
I snorkeled with dolphins on the Thursday after arriving which was ridiculously awesome - I was so close to them and I could hear them clicking and singing to one another which was a truly amazing experience to have and I wished I could have made it last longer, it was such a beautiful moment - you put our head under the water and all sound is suddenly erased, no more voices or anything, just silence - and then you are swimming above the dolphins, they swimming right past you, dancing and singing and out of the silence you can hear the distinct clicking, hear their voices. And it is mesmerizing. And as hard as you swim, they soon are beyond your reach and you watch them vanish into the water. But their voices can still be heard, if you listen really carefully
As much as I wish I could have made it last for hours, I also wish that I wasn't spending so much time being sea sick - I really need to develop my sea legs or I am going to be a terrible marine biologist :P the funniest thing was me being sick over the side, lifting my head and saying 'so totally worth it' before throwing my head back over the side of the boat. It was so worth it though. Every second.
We also got to explore Stone Town both on our own and with a guide, visiting the House of Wonders, The Palace Museum, the Old Fort and going to the night markets to try out the local catches and cooked food which was amazing and really nice. The colours and vibrancy of the market glowing in the dark is amaing as well, such an awesome atmosphere.
All too soon came the time for us to say goodbye - and let me tell you after spending 3 months living with them nd always having them around, goodbyes are a horrible thing. I hate goodbyes to be frank, worst thing ever invented. But I was always reminded hat saying goodbye to someone means saying hello to someone else.
The bus back left much to be desired in that it wasn't as nice as the bus there - but that I did not mind. I just didn't like people trying to scam us and stroking my head and the fact our driver drove like he was driving through a school zone the whole time which was quite different to the drivers we have experienced during our stay in Tanzania. In the end, it was al fine and we got back home to camp, admittedly very late at night, but to a warm welcome from Eliphas. The next day - even more goodbyes. It was like a symphony of goodbyes, horrible, really horrible.
Evenually, it was my turn to leave, and I went to my Fran and Rosa's house where I stayed until Monday morning - these friends I had met the last time I was in Tanzania and it was so amazing to caqtch up and to be able to spend some time with them I loved it. Got to see a private Zimbabwean sculpture exhibition, got to spend some quality time just chilling and got to catch up with my friends properly for the first time in 2 ears - was so wonderful to see them in the flesh again.
Sunday afternoon I went back to Tuleeni one last time. It was a sweet visit, as I left the kids sag to me and Mama Furaja gave me warm hugs and kisses. I will miss the children always, they were all so sweet. It was also a trip of revelations. Our group knew that there was one girl at the orphanage that was HIV positive and had AIDS. What i found out was that it was one of my best friends fro the orphanage, whom I had been talking to the whole time. I couldn't believe it, I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. It was really hard to take...
Monday morning, 3 am - more goodbyes, as I hopped in my taxi which took me to the airport. I was the first and only one there for a while, as the airport was on Tanzania ime and was therefore shut. But soon enough, more Mzungus were arriving and at 4:30 the airport was open - and I finally got the answer to my ticket mystery -
See, on the Saturday morning, Rosa's mum took me to the Precision Air office in Moshi just to confirm my place on the monday morning flight as it was a flight that was replacing my original one which was cancelled. Got to the office - oh look, no Annie on the passenger list - would you like to buy a new ticket ma'am??
After running around, calling people, getting my awesome mother to call agencies back home, it was finally confirmed that I was on the flight - hooray. It was very stressful though, 2 days from flying out and I had people telling me that I wasn't actually on the flight. Anyway, long story short, at the airport, the guy checking me in said the same thing, that he didn't have me on the list. But before I could either faint, throw a grade four hissy fit, tell him to look again, bol through to the plane or simply freak out, he said wait wait, you are confirmed on this flight - your ticket just hasn't been activated yet.
...........
ooooooooooh. gotcha.
So after a little scanning, hey presto I was on the list, and through immigration waiting in the departure lounge a 5:30 in the morning. I met some very nice people who were also on my flight to paris and whom I met up with again in Nairobi airport, where we got some food, looked around and then sat chatting waiting for our flight.
The flight from Tanznia, I must say, was very quick, and before I really knew it, I had left Tanzania - my home for 3 months and so much more - like a part of me being left behind, waiting to be picked up again when I go back someday. I was just so tired, though, being aake since 9 the previous morning, as i didn't want to go to sleep and miss my cab - it all passed in such a blur, like I was having an outer body experience. Before I really knew what was happening, I was in Paris, had my passport stamped, waited ages for my bag and then was out meeting my friend Chili. I also loved the fact there were no quarantine or customs to go through, like back home - made it so much quicker.
Tanzania was such a good experience, and while I had no delusions of saving the world when I left home, part of me wishes I could save the world or do something really ubstantial and useful to a huge number of people, to really make a difference. What we did was minimal, but hopefully it has helped some people back in Tanzania. It certainly helped me.
Paris is now where I am and it is absolutely amazing, like nothing I have seen so far, I really like it. I explored La Defence today and am heading into the city centre of Paris tomorrow - even as I write this, I am looking across to the Eiffel tower - a truly magnificent view and I am sill waiting to wake up back in my bed in our tent surronded by everyone in Moshi. I am getting quite a bit of reverse culture shock as well - being on tar roads all the time, paved streets, traffic lights, traffic jams, street lights, trains, shopping centres - it is all so amazing and so different to what I have been living with for 3 months. Very different.
Don't get me wrong, I am adoring travel, it is so amazing and so much fun. But Tanzania has become such a big part of my life. Just leaving it, in the dead of night, was so weird. And it was so quiet. Like watching a movie in silence, everything happening with no sound and in some kind of stupor.
I am also suffering from a bit of homesickness. Again, don't think 'you crayz idio you are seeing the world what is there to miss?' with everyone before leaving talking about going back home and seeing their family and friends and then coming into a family situation here in Paris, and after being away 3 months - well, you do start to miss home - simple fact.
Tomorrow and beyond are looking amazing - I have a beautiful, colourful and simply stunning city to explore, I am with a great friend and her family, I feel amazed at what I have done and seen so far and I have so many more adventures ahead of me, abroad and back home. To be honest, I have no idea exactly where I am going to be visiting between now and the time I come home - but that is even more fun! I have so much more exploring to do and I am really looking forward to it. The Tanzanian adventure is now over but still a powerful and strong memory - my next adventure one has begun.
I'll keep you posted.
Annie
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
So long, farewell........
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haev much to tell, so let me begin by firstly explaining that rather sudden outburst - on Sunday I am heading off to Zanzibar! Kinda crazy!
Ok, the last week has been, to put it simply, AMAZING!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!! STUPENDOUS!!!! etc etc etc. We went on Safari on Monday waking up at 5 am to head out with Bobby tours, driving six hours to the Serengeti! what a magical place it is, truly amazing!!!!! we also stopped at Oldupai Gorge which was great to see again.
As we entered the serengeti and were driving towards our campsite, we saw elephants, gazelle, giraffes and lioness' which was uberly cool! the next morning we headed out and were given one of the best experiences of my life - I saw elephants, a young elephant calf, leopard in a tree, a large pride of lions, hippos, a cheetah and then watched a lioness stalk and kill a thompson gazelle before taking off with her prize - it was truly amazing!!!!!
After we had finished with the Serengeti - though I could easily spend years there - we headed off to Ngorongoro crater, to Simba campsite where we spent the night. The next morning, we had zebras visit our campsite which was very cool and then we headed off into the crater where I saw more lions, elephants, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, gazelle, and then a lioness with her two cubs which were ridiculously cute!!! We also saw rhinos and as we were leaving the crater, had a very very close encounter with a fairly ticked off bull elephant who was rumbling and flapping his ears at us, walking straight at our car as we backed up but then decided we weren't worth it. phew. Was sooooo cool though!!
Safari was such an amazing experience that was over all too quickly. And it also marks the beginning of the end for my time in Tanzania - I'm not quite ready to leaving Africa again just yet. I head off to Zanizbar on Sunday which is ridiculoualy close, and today was our last day on project which was very sad - the last time I would walk up to the school and see the kids - it was a very nice morning. I am in town this afternoon so that I don't need to come in tomorrow as the other half of the orphans are coming to the radio station tomorrow and then I want to spend the afternoon at the orphanage, saying goodbye to them. They are such wonderful children and I am really going to miss them all :( it is very ahrd to say goodbye, but at the same time, saying goodbye to someone means saying hello to someone else. But it is going to be very hard tomorrow afternoon.
When I think back on what we've done here and people say how proud they are, I don't really think I have done anything to be proud of - what we have done is hardly going to save lives or anything like that, or change the world - but hopefully our small contribution, even though it is tiny in the greater scheme of things, has been able to do a little bit of good, like employing a fundhi (builder) to help us on outr project and maybe help that school out with a bit of extra income that the dining hall may provide. All in all, I haven't done that much - I haven't saved the world or saved lives (not that I had that idea when I left for Tanzania - I knew my impact would be minimal). But maybe to just a couple people it has made a difference. It has certainly made a difference to me - I have gotten so much out of this experience. It has taught me so many things I will never forget
until my next post
Annie
I haev much to tell, so let me begin by firstly explaining that rather sudden outburst - on Sunday I am heading off to Zanzibar! Kinda crazy!
Ok, the last week has been, to put it simply, AMAZING!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!! STUPENDOUS!!!! etc etc etc. We went on Safari on Monday waking up at 5 am to head out with Bobby tours, driving six hours to the Serengeti! what a magical place it is, truly amazing!!!!! we also stopped at Oldupai Gorge which was great to see again.
As we entered the serengeti and were driving towards our campsite, we saw elephants, gazelle, giraffes and lioness' which was uberly cool! the next morning we headed out and were given one of the best experiences of my life - I saw elephants, a young elephant calf, leopard in a tree, a large pride of lions, hippos, a cheetah and then watched a lioness stalk and kill a thompson gazelle before taking off with her prize - it was truly amazing!!!!!
After we had finished with the Serengeti - though I could easily spend years there - we headed off to Ngorongoro crater, to Simba campsite where we spent the night. The next morning, we had zebras visit our campsite which was very cool and then we headed off into the crater where I saw more lions, elephants, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, gazelle, and then a lioness with her two cubs which were ridiculously cute!!! We also saw rhinos and as we were leaving the crater, had a very very close encounter with a fairly ticked off bull elephant who was rumbling and flapping his ears at us, walking straight at our car as we backed up but then decided we weren't worth it. phew. Was sooooo cool though!!
Safari was such an amazing experience that was over all too quickly. And it also marks the beginning of the end for my time in Tanzania - I'm not quite ready to leaving Africa again just yet. I head off to Zanizbar on Sunday which is ridiculoualy close, and today was our last day on project which was very sad - the last time I would walk up to the school and see the kids - it was a very nice morning. I am in town this afternoon so that I don't need to come in tomorrow as the other half of the orphans are coming to the radio station tomorrow and then I want to spend the afternoon at the orphanage, saying goodbye to them. They are such wonderful children and I am really going to miss them all :( it is very ahrd to say goodbye, but at the same time, saying goodbye to someone means saying hello to someone else. But it is going to be very hard tomorrow afternoon.
When I think back on what we've done here and people say how proud they are, I don't really think I have done anything to be proud of - what we have done is hardly going to save lives or anything like that, or change the world - but hopefully our small contribution, even though it is tiny in the greater scheme of things, has been able to do a little bit of good, like employing a fundhi (builder) to help us on outr project and maybe help that school out with a bit of extra income that the dining hall may provide. All in all, I haven't done that much - I haven't saved the world or saved lives (not that I had that idea when I left for Tanzania - I knew my impact would be minimal). But maybe to just a couple people it has made a difference. It has certainly made a difference to me - I have gotten so much out of this experience. It has taught me so many things I will never forget
until my next post
Annie
Saturday, August 7, 2010
previously on Annie's Tanzanian adventure ...
Jambo sana!! It's been two weeks since my last post so I thought I would give you all a bit of an update
the last couple of weeks have been fairly standard, working on our Mbokomu project (the dining hall) for the time we have been back since Kidia. I managed to fall ill - again, and unfortunately it ended being long enough and serious enough for a doctors visit which led me to experience my first Tanzanian hospital - it was quite an experience, privately owned so much better off than the government hospitals, and I met a lovely girl called Anita who sat with me while I waited for the lab to send back my test results - needless to say I am fine now, all better, they didn't find anything abnormal.
yesterday (friday) was the end of last week of project, bit sad for all of us - I cannot believe how quickly it has flown by - we head off on safari to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti on monday and this time next week I will be packing for Zanzibar and then all too soon having to say goodbye to my family of 3 months - it's really depressing to be honest and I am not ready to leave Africa for a second time just yet. But I am very excited for the next phase of this year's adventure, which is Europe - and I am looking forward to catching up with some of my friends in the UK.
Today was really good fun as we had paid for some of the children from the orphanage (Tuleeni Children's home) to come to our camp and then go to the local radio station - Moshi FM - and be on a program. We got to sit in there with them and ended up being on it ourselves, introducing ourselves and saying something about the orphanage, which was heaps of fun and the listened and didn't understand a thing as they all talked in swahili. But the smiles on their faces and the laughs were enough to let us know they really enjoyed the morning :)
I met a really nice girl at the Tuleeni last visit, her name is Liliani and we sat for quite some time, talking and learning about each other's past. She is a lovely girl who has defnitely seen some heartache in her time. but she has such a beautiful spirit. Another girl who has HIV hides away from us as she doesn't feel she has the right to talk to us - it is really sad, just want to find her and give her a big hug.
That's about it for me for now, will let you all know how safari and beyond goes!
Amani na Upendo
Annie
the last couple of weeks have been fairly standard, working on our Mbokomu project (the dining hall) for the time we have been back since Kidia. I managed to fall ill - again, and unfortunately it ended being long enough and serious enough for a doctors visit which led me to experience my first Tanzanian hospital - it was quite an experience, privately owned so much better off than the government hospitals, and I met a lovely girl called Anita who sat with me while I waited for the lab to send back my test results - needless to say I am fine now, all better, they didn't find anything abnormal.
yesterday (friday) was the end of last week of project, bit sad for all of us - I cannot believe how quickly it has flown by - we head off on safari to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti on monday and this time next week I will be packing for Zanzibar and then all too soon having to say goodbye to my family of 3 months - it's really depressing to be honest and I am not ready to leave Africa for a second time just yet. But I am very excited for the next phase of this year's adventure, which is Europe - and I am looking forward to catching up with some of my friends in the UK.
Today was really good fun as we had paid for some of the children from the orphanage (Tuleeni Children's home) to come to our camp and then go to the local radio station - Moshi FM - and be on a program. We got to sit in there with them and ended up being on it ourselves, introducing ourselves and saying something about the orphanage, which was heaps of fun and the listened and didn't understand a thing as they all talked in swahili. But the smiles on their faces and the laughs were enough to let us know they really enjoyed the morning :)
I met a really nice girl at the Tuleeni last visit, her name is Liliani and we sat for quite some time, talking and learning about each other's past. She is a lovely girl who has defnitely seen some heartache in her time. but she has such a beautiful spirit. Another girl who has HIV hides away from us as she doesn't feel she has the right to talk to us - it is really sad, just want to find her and give her a big hug.
That's about it for me for now, will let you all know how safari and beyond goes!
Amani na Upendo
Annie
Sunday, July 25, 2010
the weeks are flying by
wow, it is crazy to think I have been away for over 7 weeks last Thursday - no idea where the time has gone.
Our week in Kidia was so incredible - we upgraded from massive tents to a two storey concrete building which was very comfortable and provided the perfect setting for many a game of murder in the dark - some of the boys are a little too good at that game.
The first day on project saw us beginning to work in pairs on the construction of our desks, and the girl I was paired with and myself were machines, we got it finished quite quickly and had a great time doing it. We kept on working on our desks until wednesday, when two of the boys and myself had finished and were offered a chance to teach a lesson. We snapped that up immediately and taught that morning as well as the next morning, teaching synonyms like big/large , little/small
it was sooooo much fun!
As well as working on the desks and teaching, we worked with the mamas in the tree nursery, packing dirt into plastic cylinders and putting clippings in to be sold on, for a mere 100 shillings (like, 10 cents australian)
We also had the opportunity to visit some of the Chugga mamas at their homes, and cook with them and pick coffee beans etc which was a fantastic experience. All the guys and a few of the game girls also played in a soccer match with the local school children - there were so many that wanted to play, they all split themselves up into 3 teams of 11 and after about half an hour would swap and let the others have a go - we were absolutely exhausted but it was gtreat! - Kidia was just amazing!
coming back to Moshi, we returned to our home sweet home via the most amazing truck ride ever, as our original transportation had broken down so the truck that usually takes all the equipment is what took us back down the mountain - the air we got on the seats, fantastic!!
this week just past I have been doing a lot of teaching and poster making for the staff as well as painting a diagram on a school wall with some of the other girls, so now I have my name on a school wall which is really cool to have something like that to contribute. Apart from that, the project site of the dining hall is looking amazing, the floor is not being cemented with about half of it done - I think we have done a very impressive job and our fundi, Jimmy, is more than happy with our work.
I have met up with Tess as well and had a fantastic catch up with her as well as meeting up with my friends with whom I shall be staying once my placement is finished. Safari is quickly closing in as well as our trip to Zanziar - and as excited as I am , getting to those activities means coming to the end of my time in Tanzania - not sure if I am yet ready to leave - I could easily see myself living here.
Anywho, that's just a brief update from me, hope all is well back home with whatever you may all be doing!
Annie!
Our week in Kidia was so incredible - we upgraded from massive tents to a two storey concrete building which was very comfortable and provided the perfect setting for many a game of murder in the dark - some of the boys are a little too good at that game.
The first day on project saw us beginning to work in pairs on the construction of our desks, and the girl I was paired with and myself were machines, we got it finished quite quickly and had a great time doing it. We kept on working on our desks until wednesday, when two of the boys and myself had finished and were offered a chance to teach a lesson. We snapped that up immediately and taught that morning as well as the next morning, teaching synonyms like big/large , little/small
it was sooooo much fun!
As well as working on the desks and teaching, we worked with the mamas in the tree nursery, packing dirt into plastic cylinders and putting clippings in to be sold on, for a mere 100 shillings (like, 10 cents australian)
We also had the opportunity to visit some of the Chugga mamas at their homes, and cook with them and pick coffee beans etc which was a fantastic experience. All the guys and a few of the game girls also played in a soccer match with the local school children - there were so many that wanted to play, they all split themselves up into 3 teams of 11 and after about half an hour would swap and let the others have a go - we were absolutely exhausted but it was gtreat! - Kidia was just amazing!
coming back to Moshi, we returned to our home sweet home via the most amazing truck ride ever, as our original transportation had broken down so the truck that usually takes all the equipment is what took us back down the mountain - the air we got on the seats, fantastic!!
this week just past I have been doing a lot of teaching and poster making for the staff as well as painting a diagram on a school wall with some of the other girls, so now I have my name on a school wall which is really cool to have something like that to contribute. Apart from that, the project site of the dining hall is looking amazing, the floor is not being cemented with about half of it done - I think we have done a very impressive job and our fundi, Jimmy, is more than happy with our work.
I have met up with Tess as well and had a fantastic catch up with her as well as meeting up with my friends with whom I shall be staying once my placement is finished. Safari is quickly closing in as well as our trip to Zanziar - and as excited as I am , getting to those activities means coming to the end of my time in Tanzania - not sure if I am yet ready to leave - I could easily see myself living here.
Anywho, that's just a brief update from me, hope all is well back home with whatever you may all be doing!
Annie!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
HALFWAY THROUGH MY TIME IN TANZANIA! where is it all going??
It is a good and safe rule to sojourn in every place as if you meant to spend your life there, never omitting an opportunity of doing a kindness, or speaking a true word, or making a friend. - John Ruskin
my mum posted this on facebook and it got me thinking a lot, especially during the last few weeks in Tanzania and the fact that it has now been over six weeks since my adventure began - the good things wizz by so quickly, you need to enjoy every minute and take every chance to have a good time.My week has been pretty awesome, living in Kidia and working in the local school, teaching english to the children and cooking and spending time with the Chuga mamas
it's been an incredible week, won't write more now as I don't really feel like it (sorry) and I am chatting with my mum :) but will update very soon!
Annie
Saturday, July 10, 2010
5 weeks, it's going so fast!!
well, it has been more than a week since my last post, as last Saturday saw a complete power outage in the town and then the server went down on monday - just wasn't a good few days for internet. So I now have a lot and a lot and a lot to catch you all up on. So here goes:
we have been working very hard on our project - building a stage, meshing our window frames now and still cementing - sigh, pillars are the worst. last week was filled with pranking the newbies and having pranks played on us by the boys, all good fun. Unfortunately, our 3 month group lost a member after one girl became really ill and in the end had to return home. She is greatly missed.
I met up with the St Paul's group, joining them on their waterfall work which brought back many memories, and also enjoyed chilling with the teachers and with Tess and Em at our favourite, El Rancho (the italian restaurant with a mexican name in an African country - love it :P)
But the week that has just been has been one of the best weeks - EVER! on Tuesday morning we left for Ndarakwai, which is a concervation ranch and is possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth. We arrived and had our briefing and went out on a walk that afternoon, on foot, coming close to zebra and giraffes, elands and baboons - I was in heaven.
The next day, we had our breakfast and headed off to work on the furrows that lead to the waterhole. It was quite cool which was nice and always was windy so even when the sun, ever so rarely for us, popped out, we stayed at a nice temperature. But the most annoying thing of that day would have to have been the ticks - we were viciously attacked, my tick count for that morning was something like 78 on my clothes - they were everywhere and we were all rocking the pants-tucked-into-socks look - it was really good fun!!! after coming back for lunch to our camp (the walk to and from takes about 30 minutes of walking through beautiful landscape) we got down and dirty making some elephant dung paper which on friday we made into little books - adorable!! it was heaps of fun, especially when you literally stuck your hand into a pile of boiled dung and washed it and washed it, and then chased after people with dungy hands - hilarious!
Thursday saw us working on the waterhole itself and many blisters later and falling into the waterhol or course, and being covered in mud, we had made quite impressive progress and our leader, Fabion, was very happy with our work - yay!! we then went into the treehouse to watch the animals, as we had quite the audience while we worked. Unfortunately, a jeep scared them all off, so we headed back and that afternoon we went out walking, and it was really good fun!!
Friday morning we made our way out to a masai boma and we learned about their way of life and then i was paired with a young wife who helped me make a necklace and a bracelet - even though we couldn't understand each other, we were still able to laugh and have a fantastic time - it was amazing! Then they danced for us and we did the hokey pokey for them! That afternoon, we made our elephant dung paper books and broke camp and headed home - bumpiest trip ever!!!
Tomorrow, we leave for Kidia, to live with the Chuga for the week, so I am really looking forward to it!!
Until my next update - who knows when, hahaah!!!
Annie
we have been working very hard on our project - building a stage, meshing our window frames now and still cementing - sigh, pillars are the worst. last week was filled with pranking the newbies and having pranks played on us by the boys, all good fun. Unfortunately, our 3 month group lost a member after one girl became really ill and in the end had to return home. She is greatly missed.
I met up with the St Paul's group, joining them on their waterfall work which brought back many memories, and also enjoyed chilling with the teachers and with Tess and Em at our favourite, El Rancho (the italian restaurant with a mexican name in an African country - love it :P)
But the week that has just been has been one of the best weeks - EVER! on Tuesday morning we left for Ndarakwai, which is a concervation ranch and is possibly one of the most beautiful places on earth. We arrived and had our briefing and went out on a walk that afternoon, on foot, coming close to zebra and giraffes, elands and baboons - I was in heaven.
The next day, we had our breakfast and headed off to work on the furrows that lead to the waterhole. It was quite cool which was nice and always was windy so even when the sun, ever so rarely for us, popped out, we stayed at a nice temperature. But the most annoying thing of that day would have to have been the ticks - we were viciously attacked, my tick count for that morning was something like 78 on my clothes - they were everywhere and we were all rocking the pants-tucked-into-socks look - it was really good fun!!! after coming back for lunch to our camp (the walk to and from takes about 30 minutes of walking through beautiful landscape) we got down and dirty making some elephant dung paper which on friday we made into little books - adorable!! it was heaps of fun, especially when you literally stuck your hand into a pile of boiled dung and washed it and washed it, and then chased after people with dungy hands - hilarious!
Thursday saw us working on the waterhole itself and many blisters later and falling into the waterhol or course, and being covered in mud, we had made quite impressive progress and our leader, Fabion, was very happy with our work - yay!! we then went into the treehouse to watch the animals, as we had quite the audience while we worked. Unfortunately, a jeep scared them all off, so we headed back and that afternoon we went out walking, and it was really good fun!!
Friday morning we made our way out to a masai boma and we learned about their way of life and then i was paired with a young wife who helped me make a necklace and a bracelet - even though we couldn't understand each other, we were still able to laugh and have a fantastic time - it was amazing! Then they danced for us and we did the hokey pokey for them! That afternoon, we made our elephant dung paper books and broke camp and headed home - bumpiest trip ever!!!
Tomorrow, we leave for Kidia, to live with the Chuga for the week, so I am really looking forward to it!!
Until my next update - who knows when, hahaah!!!
Annie
Saturday, June 26, 2010
3 weeks marker
Time really does fly when you're having fun, it is crazy to think that the Thursday just passed marks 3 weeks being in Tanzania - it is crazy!!
The week has been a pretty awesome one - Monday/Tuesday was our epic adventure to Arusha, heaps and heaps and heaps of fun - it saw us wandering around town, visiting markets, the Meserani Snake Park, riding a camel out to a masai village, having fun holding snakes, and just generally having an awesome time with our group
I am currently typing on what has to be the world's most irritating keyboard so this post is going to be short, sweet and to the point.
anyway, after returning from our road trip, we got stuck back into project work, this time starting on a new aspect of the building - constructing a stage. we lugged volcanic rock and have begun to brick the front of the stage - it is looking pretty impressive and we are all impressively buff now, and I can safely add 'bricklayer' to my resume
this keyboard is sooooooo irritating!!!
anyway, continuing on, life in camp is much the same, we pulled an epic prank on the boys last night so it is now officially war, but in a good way, cause they thought the joke was hilarious.
all in all, it has been a pretty quiet week, the hikers for meru and kili leave on monday and the two-monthers return today after their safari
I am off to meet the school group as well today, should be good fun
until next time (hopefully with a less annoying keyboard)
KWAHERI!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxo
The week has been a pretty awesome one - Monday/Tuesday was our epic adventure to Arusha, heaps and heaps and heaps of fun - it saw us wandering around town, visiting markets, the Meserani Snake Park, riding a camel out to a masai village, having fun holding snakes, and just generally having an awesome time with our group
I am currently typing on what has to be the world's most irritating keyboard so this post is going to be short, sweet and to the point.
anyway, after returning from our road trip, we got stuck back into project work, this time starting on a new aspect of the building - constructing a stage. we lugged volcanic rock and have begun to brick the front of the stage - it is looking pretty impressive and we are all impressively buff now, and I can safely add 'bricklayer' to my resume
this keyboard is sooooooo irritating!!!
anyway, continuing on, life in camp is much the same, we pulled an epic prank on the boys last night so it is now officially war, but in a good way, cause they thought the joke was hilarious.
all in all, it has been a pretty quiet week, the hikers for meru and kili leave on monday and the two-monthers return today after their safari
I am off to meet the school group as well today, should be good fun
until next time (hopefully with a less annoying keyboard)
KWAHERI!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxo
Saturday, June 19, 2010
More of the tales of moi
Jambo guys, once again, I find myself in the cosy Internet cafe I frequent after another amazing week in Tanzania, ready to tell you of my happenings, so please feel free to pull up a bean bag or something comfy and listen to my tales.
This week has been much like the last - we have fallen into a rhythmic pattern of life which I adore, the walk to project, chilling with the kids in the school while we work, mostly ending up in them laughing at our poor Swahili, returning for lunch and siesta and the once again at the project site in the afternoon, minus the children and we find ourselves quite content to be in each others company, often singing on the scaffolding on which we work to famous Disney tunes (of which, "I just can't wait to be King" is a favourite.) I am becoming quite adept in a majority of different tasks on project, including plastering, carpentry, cementing etc (Ruya, I am still waiting on a theme song :P). Of the jobs, plastering is by far my favourite, followed closely by carpentry. Plastering is smooth and rhythmic and very relaxing, and I feel like saying 'wax on wax off' nearly all the time. Cementing is in it's own league, it is (hands down) the most frustrating job. you pick the cement up on your trowel, hurl it at the wall praying as it flicks through the air, it will stick on the wall, while other people around you do the same and you find yourself coated in cement. Then, you continue, until, say, your pillar, that you have been working on all morning, nearing completion, decides that the last lot of cement you threw was jsut too hard or in the wrong spot and you watch as all your work comes tumbling down in a rather unflattering sound. The last and perhaps greatest insult is that it 99.99% of the time will fall smack into your face, making you a better choice for a wall that the wall you were meant to be cementing. Such is life. But it is all good fun!
We visited the local markets on wednesday to, as our fearless leader Tommie says, 'Go African' by picking out local fabrics and visiting the local mamas to have dresses and shorts etc made for us (which I am actually picking up this afternoon) The market and towns are so vibrant and alive, it's exactly what one would think of when imagining a Tanzanian market.
The Aussie girls have essentially begun a prank war with the boys which could potentially last the duration of the 3 months (it could get ugly :P) but hey, we are all getting along well, joking, having quiz nights, fighting over which gender is better at lighting fires (all the usual stuff)
The boys have also converted me to the World Cup and I frequently sit and watch some of the games (Australia's loss to Germany was embarrassing - many comforting pats on the shoulder from the blokes)
I am currently organising a trip to Arusha for the 3-monthers that will take place on Monday (ROAD TRIP!) we're all very excited. It will hopefully take us to the ICTR and to some other Arusha attractions.
That's about all for me for now, I am still alive and loving Tanzanian life and living the moments :)
hope you're all well, God bless and peace out!
Annie
This week has been much like the last - we have fallen into a rhythmic pattern of life which I adore, the walk to project, chilling with the kids in the school while we work, mostly ending up in them laughing at our poor Swahili, returning for lunch and siesta and the once again at the project site in the afternoon, minus the children and we find ourselves quite content to be in each others company, often singing on the scaffolding on which we work to famous Disney tunes (of which, "I just can't wait to be King" is a favourite.) I am becoming quite adept in a majority of different tasks on project, including plastering, carpentry, cementing etc (Ruya, I am still waiting on a theme song :P). Of the jobs, plastering is by far my favourite, followed closely by carpentry. Plastering is smooth and rhythmic and very relaxing, and I feel like saying 'wax on wax off' nearly all the time. Cementing is in it's own league, it is (hands down) the most frustrating job. you pick the cement up on your trowel, hurl it at the wall praying as it flicks through the air, it will stick on the wall, while other people around you do the same and you find yourself coated in cement. Then, you continue, until, say, your pillar, that you have been working on all morning, nearing completion, decides that the last lot of cement you threw was jsut too hard or in the wrong spot and you watch as all your work comes tumbling down in a rather unflattering sound. The last and perhaps greatest insult is that it 99.99% of the time will fall smack into your face, making you a better choice for a wall that the wall you were meant to be cementing. Such is life. But it is all good fun!
We visited the local markets on wednesday to, as our fearless leader Tommie says, 'Go African' by picking out local fabrics and visiting the local mamas to have dresses and shorts etc made for us (which I am actually picking up this afternoon) The market and towns are so vibrant and alive, it's exactly what one would think of when imagining a Tanzanian market.
The Aussie girls have essentially begun a prank war with the boys which could potentially last the duration of the 3 months (it could get ugly :P) but hey, we are all getting along well, joking, having quiz nights, fighting over which gender is better at lighting fires (all the usual stuff)
The boys have also converted me to the World Cup and I frequently sit and watch some of the games (Australia's loss to Germany was embarrassing - many comforting pats on the shoulder from the blokes)
I am currently organising a trip to Arusha for the 3-monthers that will take place on Monday (ROAD TRIP!) we're all very excited. It will hopefully take us to the ICTR and to some other Arusha attractions.
That's about all for me for now, I am still alive and loving Tanzanian life and living the moments :)
hope you're all well, God bless and peace out!
Annie
Saturday, June 12, 2010
it's me again
Jambo Jambo!!!
Just come into town for a bit of adventure this morning and got to meet up with Tess and Emily which was fantastic!!!
So glad it is the weekend, it's been an amazing week but it has been quite tiring! Our work at the project is going very well (though I am sure OHS would have a few issues with our scaffolding and general building procedures heehee) but I am becoming quite the handy-woman - plastering, concreting, building doorframes and mixing cement. Anyone needs a house built when I get home, I have good hourly rates :P
Life here is still just as amazing though I will admit I do miss some of my home comforts, like my horses and my cats :( not quite the same falling asleep without Jasper purring in my ear. On another note, the two monthers have shipped out of base camp and into the Kili foothills camp of Kidio, living for 8 days in a local village, helping with the mamas in their daily chores and really experiencing village life - can't wait for our turn!! but it means that base camp is very quiet, only 15 of us left. But it means I can have two mattresses on my bed - HEAVEN!! unfortunately the thin mattresses mean that you can feel the bed slats underneath you as you sleep and can get a little uncomfortable on your hip bones but two mattresses is quite the treat. Life is just sooooo good!!!!
miss you all and ninakupenda kwa moyo wangu wote!!!! (google translate :P)
Just come into town for a bit of adventure this morning and got to meet up with Tess and Emily which was fantastic!!!
So glad it is the weekend, it's been an amazing week but it has been quite tiring! Our work at the project is going very well (though I am sure OHS would have a few issues with our scaffolding and general building procedures heehee) but I am becoming quite the handy-woman - plastering, concreting, building doorframes and mixing cement. Anyone needs a house built when I get home, I have good hourly rates :P
Life here is still just as amazing though I will admit I do miss some of my home comforts, like my horses and my cats :( not quite the same falling asleep without Jasper purring in my ear. On another note, the two monthers have shipped out of base camp and into the Kili foothills camp of Kidio, living for 8 days in a local village, helping with the mamas in their daily chores and really experiencing village life - can't wait for our turn!! but it means that base camp is very quiet, only 15 of us left. But it means I can have two mattresses on my bed - HEAVEN!! unfortunately the thin mattresses mean that you can feel the bed slats underneath you as you sleep and can get a little uncomfortable on your hip bones but two mattresses is quite the treat. Life is just sooooo good!!!!
miss you all and ninakupenda kwa moyo wangu wote!!!! (google translate :P)
Thursday, June 10, 2010
the post you have all been waiting for - drum roll please
well well well, we meet again in the land of cyber space - for the last time (joking)
There is so much to tell, even though it has only been a week, there is so much to tell, so much has been happening. I suppose I will begin to bore you with the tale from the beginning, if it becomes to much of a pain to read feel free to bow out at any time
ok, flights over were, how do you say it, excruciatingly long but (and no matter how much you dis it James - brother) Thai airways was very impressive, it was nice to fly with them - watched Sherlock Holmes, was fantastic, want to see it again!!!
We finally arrived in Kilimanjaro airport after flying between Mt Kili and Mt Meru (hoorah, I hiuked meru does the dance) and was the most amazing sight. I nearly cried, I was finally back in Tanzania, after wanting it for so long and after planning it for so long
Home is Mbokomu Camp, Camp Tanzania, located across from the Keys Hotel in Annex, along Mbokomu road. there is a small toilet block, 4 showers, a small mess building, campfire and three large tents in which we all live in blissful harmony (well, so far, there are a few english/aussie rivalries but never fear, with frequent renditions by the 7 australians in camp of Down Under and Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gumtree, True Blue and of course, the national anthem, Aussie pride is staying strong. They just think we're really weird :P)
We started working in the school on our project on Monday, and a typical work day goes a little something like this:
7-9 am brekkie
9 am - leave for work, walk 15 mintues (10 if you're eager) up the road to reach the school
9:15am-12 pm work on the building, either cementing windows mixing cement, plastering etc
12 pm - head home for lunch
2pm - back to the school for work
4pm - home for the afternoon
6pm (monday and friday) swahili lessons
7pm- Dinner
and then the afternoon is ours, to go into town or just chill in camp and sing true blue
Tuesday was an interesting day for me as after dinner, I started to feel a bit funny and later proceeded to break the world record, or at least tanzanian record on how many times one human can vomit in the space of 8 hours (record now standing at 9) needless to say it was a miserable night, and I wasn't the only one, there were 5 victims, though my record stands. Whether it was adjusting to the food or food poisoning no one quite knows, but all better know which is the main thing to be honest.
And the most random things have been happening in between, like on Sunday, a few of us just went out for a walk and cam across a Catholic church procession featuring practically the entire district that apparently only happens once a year, and were invited to join in, so we all sang (as best we could in broken kiswahili) and clapped and danced our way up the slippery clay road all the way to the church. It was an amazin experience, something so random and out of the blue but incredible.
And today, proud me, I got to cement two window frames into their slots and have been doing a lot of carpentry etc. Seriously, this should count as an apprentiship! I'm like Bob the builder without the cheesy theme song! And even better, is we get sooo grubby! (sorry mum!!) but see, now, instead of just being grubby at home, now I am grubby for charity, so it's all good. But seriously, there's no word int he dictionary to describe how filthy we get but moreso how much fun we have doing it.
Well, that's about me for now, we're in this camp for a month and then we will be heading off to our wildlife camp and camp kili where showers are buckets and soap and oh, how shocked the boy's looked :P ooh, I have been doing my own washing by hand as well, very proud!! (though I am not sure if some things will ever be quite clean again :P)
I hope everything Down Under is going swell, miss you all like crazy!!!
until my next trip into town or to an internet point
Annie
There is so much to tell, even though it has only been a week, there is so much to tell, so much has been happening. I suppose I will begin to bore you with the tale from the beginning, if it becomes to much of a pain to read feel free to bow out at any time
ok, flights over were, how do you say it, excruciatingly long but (and no matter how much you dis it James - brother) Thai airways was very impressive, it was nice to fly with them - watched Sherlock Holmes, was fantastic, want to see it again!!!
We finally arrived in Kilimanjaro airport after flying between Mt Kili and Mt Meru (hoorah, I hiuked meru does the dance) and was the most amazing sight. I nearly cried, I was finally back in Tanzania, after wanting it for so long and after planning it for so long
Home is Mbokomu Camp, Camp Tanzania, located across from the Keys Hotel in Annex, along Mbokomu road. there is a small toilet block, 4 showers, a small mess building, campfire and three large tents in which we all live in blissful harmony (well, so far, there are a few english/aussie rivalries but never fear, with frequent renditions by the 7 australians in camp of Down Under and Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gumtree, True Blue and of course, the national anthem, Aussie pride is staying strong. They just think we're really weird :P)
We started working in the school on our project on Monday, and a typical work day goes a little something like this:
7-9 am brekkie
9 am - leave for work, walk 15 mintues (10 if you're eager) up the road to reach the school
9:15am-12 pm work on the building, either cementing windows mixing cement, plastering etc
12 pm - head home for lunch
2pm - back to the school for work
4pm - home for the afternoon
6pm (monday and friday) swahili lessons
7pm- Dinner
and then the afternoon is ours, to go into town or just chill in camp and sing true blue
Tuesday was an interesting day for me as after dinner, I started to feel a bit funny and later proceeded to break the world record, or at least tanzanian record on how many times one human can vomit in the space of 8 hours (record now standing at 9) needless to say it was a miserable night, and I wasn't the only one, there were 5 victims, though my record stands. Whether it was adjusting to the food or food poisoning no one quite knows, but all better know which is the main thing to be honest.
And the most random things have been happening in between, like on Sunday, a few of us just went out for a walk and cam across a Catholic church procession featuring practically the entire district that apparently only happens once a year, and were invited to join in, so we all sang (as best we could in broken kiswahili) and clapped and danced our way up the slippery clay road all the way to the church. It was an amazin experience, something so random and out of the blue but incredible.
And today, proud me, I got to cement two window frames into their slots and have been doing a lot of carpentry etc. Seriously, this should count as an apprentiship! I'm like Bob the builder without the cheesy theme song! And even better, is we get sooo grubby! (sorry mum!!) but see, now, instead of just being grubby at home, now I am grubby for charity, so it's all good. But seriously, there's no word int he dictionary to describe how filthy we get but moreso how much fun we have doing it.
Well, that's about me for now, we're in this camp for a month and then we will be heading off to our wildlife camp and camp kili where showers are buckets and soap and oh, how shocked the boy's looked :P ooh, I have been doing my own washing by hand as well, very proud!! (though I am not sure if some things will ever be quite clean again :P)
I hope everything Down Under is going swell, miss you all like crazy!!!
until my next trip into town or to an internet point
Annie
Saturday, June 5, 2010
first tanzania post
well, here I am, backin tanzania - WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is frickin AWESOME!!!!!!! it's amazing to be back, it'sexactly as I remember it :D flights in were killer, and I am still jet lagged, i keep thinking lunch is dinner, but am, slowly getting accustomed to the time difference. this will only be a quick post as it took forever to get onto my account but my next one will be longer and more substantial and probably cost more shillings lol. oh, and PASSION FANTA oh ow i have missed your passiony goodness :D it's amazing here, i love being back!!!!!
love you all, will post a more substantial post next week, after we start work at the school!!!!
ninakupenda, kwaheri!!!!
love you all, will post a more substantial post next week, after we start work at the school!!!!
ninakupenda, kwaheri!!!!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Single digits now!!
Wow, it's only 9 days until I set out on my epically epic adventure of epic proportions (too much??) It's incredible, once I leave these fair shores I shan't be returning until at least October 16th!!! wow! And I can honestly say - I am wigging out!!! eeeeeeeep, I mean, wow, I mean, sheesh, I mean.....Emotion overload to be honest lol, I am so excited but so nervous, ridiculously happy yet unexplicably scared - it's really quite intense, seriously, it's like an atomic bomb is going off within the confines of the supersonically paced messages that is my mind. (rambling again)
But in all seriousness, I am very very excited to begin this adventure, i miss Tanzania sooo much. There is an anonymous quotation that states that you 'go to Africa to heal the heart'. I think that pretty much sums up what Tanzania is for me, in a nutshell - there is something about being there, doing work there that is so spiritually and soulfully satisfying and fills you with a sense that I can't really put into words. I am just so excited!!!
peace!
But in all seriousness, I am very very excited to begin this adventure, i miss Tanzania sooo much. There is an anonymous quotation that states that you 'go to Africa to heal the heart'. I think that pretty much sums up what Tanzania is for me, in a nutshell - there is something about being there, doing work there that is so spiritually and soulfully satisfying and fills you with a sense that I can't really put into words. I am just so excited!!!
peace!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
What if...
I was listening to an awesome song over and over today, and thought I'd share the lyrics - yes, no witty comments or hilarious life stories, just some lyrics to contemplate and read and listen to the song if you can.
What if it makes you sad at me
And what if it makes you laugh no but you cry as you fall asleep
And what if it takes your breath and you can't hardly breathe
And what if it makes the last sound be the very best sound
And what if what I want makes you sad at me
And is it all my fault or can I fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
And what if it makes you lose faith in me
And what if it makes you question every moment you cannot see
And what if it makes you crash and you can't find the key
What if it makes you ask how you could let it all go
And what if what I want makes you sad at me
And is it all my fault or can I fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
And if this be our last conversation
If this be the last time we speak for a while
Don't lose hope and don't let go
Cause you should know
If it makes you sad
If it makes you sad at me
Then it's all my fault and let me fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
What if what I want makes you sad at me
And if it's all my fault then let me fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Copyright of Safetysuit, "What If" (I do not own this song in any way, shape or form, it belongs to Safetysuit)
peace
What if it makes you sad at me
And what if it makes you laugh no but you cry as you fall asleep
And what if it takes your breath and you can't hardly breathe
And what if it makes the last sound be the very best sound
And what if what I want makes you sad at me
And is it all my fault or can I fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
And what if it makes you lose faith in me
And what if it makes you question every moment you cannot see
And what if it makes you crash and you can't find the key
What if it makes you ask how you could let it all go
And what if what I want makes you sad at me
And is it all my fault or can I fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
And if this be our last conversation
If this be the last time we speak for a while
Don't lose hope and don't let go
Cause you should know
If it makes you sad
If it makes you sad at me
Then it's all my fault and let me fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
What if what I want makes you sad at me
And if it's all my fault then let me fix it please
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Cause you know that I'm always for you
Copyright of Safetysuit, "What If" (I do not own this song in any way, shape or form, it belongs to Safetysuit)
peace
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
...Why do you have a gazebo on your roof?
Now, I like to think that, even in my short 18 years, I have seen a fair few - interesting things. But today, I got to add to the list - ever seen an 18 year old and her grandfather try to pull a 3x3 metre gazebo down from a roof?? Yup, I thought you'd say no, hence the inclusion of pictures.
But yes, I was minding my own business, innocently cleaning through the bomb site that is my room when I realised the wind was picking up and gaining substantial momentum and remembering that the gazebo we had set up for lunch the other day had no weights on it, I made haste to get outside to pull it down before something crazy could happen.
Too late - I got to the door just as the gazebo quite literally took off, being lifted up and over the house. My stream of consciousness and actions in the next few minutes went a bit like this:
"huh - well there's something you don't see every day...would make an awesome kite...haha, that magpie just got wiped out!...wait, it's going over the roof...there's a road on the other side of our house....**#&$*#%@ -takes off running around the front of the house-...oh phew, it's caught on the roof, that was lucky!...wait...no, I can't reach it...do we have a ladder?...maybe if I make a lasso and get it round one of the legs and yank...epic fail...great, now what?...picks up phone and starts calling around to people in the area. Heya Cassie, you doing anything? I am currently at work, what's up? Oh, nothing, I was just wondering if you wanted to help me lasso a gazebo off my roof, but you're busy. Oh, that sounds...fun...Yeah, talk with you later, thanks anyway. Hangs up. Rings Pa. Hey pa, are you doing anything? Not at the moment, why? I am in a bit of a pickle; I have a gazebo on my roof. Could you give me a hand? Laughs, sure, I'll be right over...it really would make the most awesome kite...and to think, most granddaughters call asking their grandparents for help with a backed up loo...I call asking for help getting a gazebo of my roof....life is never dull...I smell something burning...aw man, there goes my lunch...maaaan..."
So, really, I guess the lesson from today's...uh...experience, is that you really should put weights on your gazebos people and make sure that in extreme wind, you get a kite that isn't liable to pull you away to some far away place like in Up.
Another random insight into my life :D
peace
Sunday, May 9, 2010
All Hell Breaks Loose II - A convention story
Those that know me, understand that I have a few...guilty pleasures - namely the tv show Supernatural that I like to indulge in, follow weekly and enjoy immensley. And what way to further enjoy ones's favourite show than to actually meet the actors that play said adored characters. Now, many may ask 'how can such a feat of daring be accomplished?'
It's simple - Convention!!!!! now, some words immediately come to people's minds, like 'nerd' or 'obsessed' or 'pathetic' but I prefer 'dedicated' and 'passionate' - the connotations are much more pleasant. So I hereby have my most excellent claim to fame :D once again, I attended the Supernatural convention held in Sydney, this year at UTS - and it was an absolutely fantastic day!
The line up was excellent, including Misha Collins (castiel) Rob Benedict (Chuck) Julie McNiven (Anna) Samantha Ferris (Ellen Harvelle) and Jim Beaver (Bobby). The day was filled with photo sessions, autographs and Question and Answer time with the guests and they were all awesome and funny, and my sides were aching after some of the stories told. So see, normal people attend conventions too!! well, if you consider me normal... teehee. The highlights definitely were many, but included meeting Misha (again :D) and meeting Rob and Samantha, both awesome, funny and remarkable individuals. For those of you out there who may be reading this saying "what is this Supernatural of which she speaks" then I truly do pity you for it is only one of tv's greatest creations! Eric Kripke is a master of storytelling, along with his minions of writers, plotting ways in which to make fans go crazy (not that we're not already crazy according to folk lore) but meh, everyone has their guilty pleasure :D except, it's not really a guilty pleasure for me, cause I don't feel guilty :P
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Africa - the return...and then some :)
It feels like a movie really, and this is the promotional video for the sequel soon to come. But yes, as the title dictates, I am once again visiting the African continent, and it really does feel quite surreal. But unlike many sequels, this trip isn't going to be a box office failure. I actually am very excited to begin my adventure and to once again spend time (and this time a very good amount of time) within one of the most incredible countries I have ever visited (admittedly, I haven't seen, you know, the WHOLE world, but I am working on it, never you fear!)
In other news, my art is starting to take off a little, so I am excited to keep going in that aspect of my life, it's quite a release and I find a lot of solace in being able to create something when so much of what we see in the world today can be about destruction. Life is very good at this current moment, as it has always been - I have a wonderful and supportive family and group of friends for which I am truly blessed. I have spent time stewarding for a horse show this weekend, and I gotta tell you people out there in cyber space, it's an experience, you see many things within the horse industry and you have the many different disciplines. Not different to the stereotypical view of teenage groups in highschool that are presented in modern films.
Firstly, there are the hackies -the cheerleaders. They work for hours on their appearance, every hair in the right place, every movement carefully calculated and any extra time spent on spying on the enemy and knowing your opponent so as to maximise the chance of walking out with an eighty-cent ribbon. But not all hackies fit this stereotype, as all stereotypes are indeed generalisations and generalisations are largely largely incorrect.
But then there are the show jumpers - the semi nerdy yet fairly cool and althletic group. They calculate the strides between jumps, judging the quickest way to get around the course clear and under the time, experimenting with different training methods in order to improve the ability of both horse and rider and to come together as a perfect combination to go forth and compete in the show jumping ring.
Then there are the cowboys, polo players, etc - the jocks. Spending as much time as they can showing off and trying to look good...need more be said?
Then, the racers - the rich popular kids buying their way through their grades. Always willing to flaunt what they have and never afraid of a little controversy - whatever they need to walk away with the ultimate prize and the imortalisation of being the best.
I could go on forever, there are so many ins and outs of the equestrian industry, but the point that hopefully was instilled within you as you read this is that it is a diverse and complicated industry and most definitely, despite what many PE teachers may believe, IS a sport. And a worthy sport at that, horse and rider come together in a partnership that involves stamina, strength, persistance, trust and cooperation. The ultimate test of any althete if I do say so myself, and eventing especially is a very physical discipline.
...I'm not actually quite sure what got me onto this, and I don't really know exactly what I was hoping to achieve by writing this but once again, I provide evidence for the title of my blog as I most definitely do ramble. But if you're still reading this, then surely you still find my words either inspirational, irritating or just plain entertaining. Either way, thanks :)
peace out :)
In other news, my art is starting to take off a little, so I am excited to keep going in that aspect of my life, it's quite a release and I find a lot of solace in being able to create something when so much of what we see in the world today can be about destruction. Life is very good at this current moment, as it has always been - I have a wonderful and supportive family and group of friends for which I am truly blessed. I have spent time stewarding for a horse show this weekend, and I gotta tell you people out there in cyber space, it's an experience, you see many things within the horse industry and you have the many different disciplines. Not different to the stereotypical view of teenage groups in highschool that are presented in modern films.
Firstly, there are the hackies -the cheerleaders. They work for hours on their appearance, every hair in the right place, every movement carefully calculated and any extra time spent on spying on the enemy and knowing your opponent so as to maximise the chance of walking out with an eighty-cent ribbon. But not all hackies fit this stereotype, as all stereotypes are indeed generalisations and generalisations are largely largely incorrect.
But then there are the show jumpers - the semi nerdy yet fairly cool and althletic group. They calculate the strides between jumps, judging the quickest way to get around the course clear and under the time, experimenting with different training methods in order to improve the ability of both horse and rider and to come together as a perfect combination to go forth and compete in the show jumping ring.
Then there are the cowboys, polo players, etc - the jocks. Spending as much time as they can showing off and trying to look good...need more be said?
Then, the racers - the rich popular kids buying their way through their grades. Always willing to flaunt what they have and never afraid of a little controversy - whatever they need to walk away with the ultimate prize and the imortalisation of being the best.
I could go on forever, there are so many ins and outs of the equestrian industry, but the point that hopefully was instilled within you as you read this is that it is a diverse and complicated industry and most definitely, despite what many PE teachers may believe, IS a sport. And a worthy sport at that, horse and rider come together in a partnership that involves stamina, strength, persistance, trust and cooperation. The ultimate test of any althete if I do say so myself, and eventing especially is a very physical discipline.
...I'm not actually quite sure what got me onto this, and I don't really know exactly what I was hoping to achieve by writing this but once again, I provide evidence for the title of my blog as I most definitely do ramble. But if you're still reading this, then surely you still find my words either inspirational, irritating or just plain entertaining. Either way, thanks :)
peace out :)
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