May 31st

Today was another great day of relaxing on the beach and by the pool. Most of us tried to stay out of the sun a little more because of our sunburns. For dinner we had a cultural experience with the local Masai. Tomorrow we pack up and start a very long day of traveling home. We have really enjoyed our time here in Africa and it is a blessing to have the opportunity to go on a trip like this. Thank you to all those back home who have made this possible!

Here are a few pictures from our trip.

May 30th

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. As I thought, we did not have internet in Dar es Salaam, and the internet here in Zanzibar is hit and miss. Yesterday I typed up the update for the last 4 days and then the internet crashed as I was posting so I lost it all. So here we go again.

May 26th
We made it to Dar es Salaam safe and sound. The place we were staying at was a Catholic complex. The hostel we stayed in was not quite what we were used to. It was just the bare necessities, although it was safe and fairly clean. We ate a lot of rice in the last couple of days. The hostel was very adequate for the very poor city.

May 27th
We had the chance to visit an orphanage in Dar es Salaam. We raised over $6000 for this orphanage before we came to Africa. We had quite a few gifts to give them as well, including soccer balls and jump ropes and frisbees. We had a great time at the orphanage interacting with the kids. We split up into groups and helped with feeding the pigs, cleaning the dormitories, planting trees, and taking care of the little kids. We had a lot of fun playing with the children, they were very fun and loving. It was amazing to see how grateful and loving they were, even with how little they have. They were so grateful that we took time out of our trip to visit them. We got to share lunch with them, and the food was very tasty. We had rice and beans and cooked plantains. As we left the kids were waving goodbye. There were a few children that latched on to a specific person and it was hard to leave them. We had a little time in the afternoon to relax or study for our final exam.

May 28th
We got to visit a couple more places in need in Dar es Salaam. The first place we visited was a public school that does not get visitors usually. Some of the kids that go to this school cannot even afford a pencil. We brought 24 soccer balls and a lot of pens and pencils to give to the children. They were very excited for us to visit them and for our gifts. The soccer balls they usually play with are made out of plastic bags they find on the streets. Most of the students spoke English pretty well. As we left our coordinator, Margaret, told them that we came because we cared about them and told them to study hard and go on to the universities. It felt good to give back to a community in need. The next stop was a church. This church focused on people with disabilities. It is very hard with people with disabilities to live in Dar es Salaam. The church we visited helps to house those people and find employment for them. We split up into groups and helped out with various tasks around the grounds. We helped to paint, weed, cut the grass, and bead bracelets. We also got to share lunch with the people in the church. More beans and rice, but the food was still good. After visiting the church, we headed to a craft market where some of us got to shop. We had more time to study and then took our exam after dinner. It went pretty well for most of us.

May 29th
We woke up early and left for Zanzibar. We took the ferry across to the island, and then had a drive to our resort. The place we are staying at is amazing. It is very beautiful here. The resort is right on the beach. The rooms are very nice and air conditioned. It is very hot and muggy in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. The food is very good here.

May 30th
Today we had all day to spend relaxing and exploring around the resort. Most of us spent our time lounging around in the sun. Some of us maybe a little too much. The tide was out most of the morning, and we had the chance to collect seashells and look at the tide pools. In the afternoon a few of us got the chance to go snorkeling, which was really cool. Overall it was an awesome day, and we have another day tomorrow to do the same thing. A few people are going on a tour of the island, but most of us will be relaxing. On Tuesday we start on our way back to U.S.A., which most of us are very ready for.

Thank you for your continued support.
Kwaheri!

May 25th

We left Ngorongoro Crater today. We first stopped at a Masai village to learn a little more about their culture. They are very interesting people and live a life very different from our own. They live in huts they make out of sticks and mud. Their lives are centered around their cattle. They are semi nomadic and roam all around the land. The men can take mulitple wives and this family unit makes up one of the little villages. We saw their traditional dancing and we saw them bleed a cow. They drink cow milk for extra protein and nutrients. We also saw them make fire by rubbing sticks together. Some of them spoke English very well, and some do not. One of the men I talked to was doing his grad school work in conservation ecology. It was very cool to learn about their culture.

After visiting the Masai village we had a long drive back to Arusha. We stopped at the Cultural Heritage Center which was a big place selling a lot of souvenirs. They also sold Tanzanite there and some from our group decided to purchase the rare gem. Our next stop was the Tanzanite museum. We learned more about the history and properties of Tanzanite. Then we made our way back to the African Tulip. The African Tulip is in fact a tree and not the tulip we see in Holland.

Dinner consisted of rice and chicken in coconut sauce, along with potatoes and soy beans and vegetable curry. It was very rich and filling. Those of us who planned on losing weight in Africa are finding the opposite to be true.

Tomorrow we fly out to Dar es Salaam in a little plane out of Arusha. We are going there to work at an orphanage and do some other activites. We will be staying a Catholic dormitory, which is safe and clean but very plain, especially compared to the places we have been staying. I don't think there will be internet there, so if I do not post for the next 3 days then that is the reason why. Please pray for safe traveling tomorrow and also pray for the orphanage we are about to visit.
Gonga!

May 24th

Today we woke up early for a game drive down in Ngorongoro Crater. Today was our last day for game driving. It was a really good day for game viewing. Not 10 minutes into the crater we saw a mother lion with 3 cubs walking right beside the road. Our driver said the cubs were probably 2 weeks old. They were so cute. We watched them for a while and then a group of 4 lions started walking towards us from the other direction. The mama hid her babies as the big lions walked by. We drove around some more and got really lucky to see a rhino with a baby very close to the road. Rhinos are rare animals to see, let alone right up close and with a baby. We also ran into a giant bull elephant in the forest and he was very close to our vehicle. It was very intimidating to look an animal that large in the eye. The view inside the crater was stunning. Mountains surrounded us on all sides and the sun broke through the clouds every once and a while.

This afternoon we visited a Masai school. We gave them a few soccer balls and $200 for textbooks. The children sang us a few songs and we attempted to sing the national anthem for them. We learned a little about their school and the great needs they have.

Tomorrow is our last day with our drivers and we are very sad to leave them. Our drivers have made this experience so much better and more memorable. We ate dinner with them tonight and the food was very good. The time is running out for my internet, but I will try to describe the food more tomorrow.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers!
asante!

May 23rd

We left the Serengeti today. On our way out we were trying to find the migration herd. It's crazy to think that we could drive around for hours and still not see a herd of a million wildebeest. That's how big the Serengeti is. We saw some lions waiting for prey by the rivers. We had a long drive from western Serengeti to Ngorongoro Crater. We had a game drive down in the crater this afternoon and had a chance to see the very rare black rhino way off in the distance. We also saw hyenas and lions being lazy in the afternoon sun. The animals in the crater are not shy and we got very close to the lions and a hyena today. We came back to our lodge and had another spectacular view from the lobby and dinner area. Dinner was great and we got a chance to dance with the performers after the meal. We have another day in Ngorongoro tomorrow and then we head back to Arusha the next day. After that we start the second half of our trip in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.
Karibu!

May 22nd

Another day in the Serengeti has gone by. We are continuing to enjoy ourselves and are learning a lot about the animals. We saw a lot of the same birds and animals today, but they more shy because not as many vehicles visit the western edge of the Serengeti. We saw a pride of lions sitting in a tree for shade. We also spent some time along the Grumeti River and saw a lot of hippos and nile crocodiles. They are both very large and powerful animals.

Last night a lot of us heard animals during the night. The insects are very loud, as well as the birds. There were some monkeys traveling through the trees, and a few of us heard hyenas and a lion roar off in the distance. It was a little scary but we are safe because the Masai men patrol the area. The view from our dining area never ceases to amaze us all. This place is a very cool place to stay on safari.

This afternoon we didn't have anything scheduled so we took the time to rest and relax. We are feeling refreshed for our long drive back to Ngorongoro Crater tomorrow. Please keep us and our drivers in your thoughts and prayers.
Hakuna Matata!

May 21st

We spent another day in the Serengeti today. We started out with a game drive in the morning and we saw another cheetah and another leopard, along with a bunch of other animals. We had a scavenger hunt challenge to see which vehicle could find the most animals. The rare ones got more points. We saw a lot of birds and they are all so colorful and different. After lunch back at the lodge we packed up and drove to the western part of the Serengeti to the Mbalageti tented lodges. It is really awesome here. The lodges we stay in are half rock wall and half canvas tent. They say we can hear the animals at night. It is a little scary because we must be accomanied by a Masai man with a spear. We ate dinner on a cliff overlooking the sunset over the Serengeti. It was a truly amazing view. Tomorrow we go on a game drive in the morning and have the afternoon off. The rest will be a great time to relax between these long drives. We are all having an amazing experience here in Africa and are grateful for all the support back home. Asante sana!

May 20th

Another day passed by here in Africa. We spent the day on the Serengeti searching for the big cats. It was a lot of fun searching the plains for any speck of movement, and it was so exciting when we either saw something or got a call that there was a cat sighting. We saw the same animals we have been seeing. Zebra, wildebeest, antelope, gazelle, ostriches, elephants, giraffes, hippos, and lots of birds. Most of us got to see the 3 big cats today. Lions sitting on the rocks and hunting in the fields, leopards sitting in trees, and cheetahs hiding in the shade. It was really awesome to see these animals. Leopards and lions are so big. The cheetahs were almost extinct a few years ago, so it was cool to see those. We also saw a few Nile crocodiles in the rivers. We had some time this afternoon to rest and relax and swim in the pool. Then we went out for the afternoon. The sunset on the Serengeti was very beautiful on our way back. After dinner we had a discussion on the relationship between science/evolution and religion. It was very interesting. We are learning a lot out here in Africa. Tomorrow should be another good day on the Serengeti and tomorrow night we stay in the Mbalageti Tented camps on the western edge of the Serengeti. This should be very exciting because they said we could hear the animals at night. It is actually a first class place to stay and an upgrade from what we were originally planning. Please continue to pray for our health and safety as some of our group are coming down with minor ailments. We are all starting to miss our family and friends and we are thinking about you back home. Hakuna Matata!

May 19th

I'm running out of words to describe our experiences here in Africa. Today was an amazing day. We started out driving along the rim of Ngorongoro Crater in the misty rainforest. We drove through the Ngorongoro conservation area, which is different from the national parks because the native tribe, the Massai, live there in huts and roam with their cattle and goats.

We drove to Olduvai Gorge on the other side of Ngorongoro. Ngorongoro used to be a volcano and it erupted a long time ago and collapsed to form the crater. The volcanic ash settled over the area, changing the landscape and creating the Serengeti Plains. Olduvai gorge is in between Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. Olduvai is known for the excavation that goes on there. Archeologists found one of the first hominid skeletons in this area. Then we stopped at the Shifting Sands, which is a small sand dune made of volcanic ash from a volcano that erupted a long time ago. This Shifting Sands travel about 15 meters a year, and it sticks together always in the same U shaped form.

After our stops we mad our way to the Serengeti Plains. Serengeti is a Massai word for "endless". After entering the gate we could see what they meant by this. There were miles and miles of grassland. We couldn't see the edges, only plains as far as you could see. There were tons of zebras on our way in. We saw some interesting birds, and ostriches in the distance. Our guide pointed out to us many different kinds of antelope and gazelle. We saw a herd of elephants way off in the distance. Then we got a call that there was a lion spotting. We could see two lionesses laying in the shade on a large rock formation that reminded me a lot of pride rock from the Lion King. A closer look and we saw a piece of the mane of the male lion. Another female was laying in a cave in the rocks. It was so exciting to see lions in their natural habitat. More driving brought a lot of scenic views, along with some hippos, giraffe, antelope, and more birds. Another call came on the radio that there was a lion kill somewhere in the park. We raced across the Serengeti and got there just in time. Just as we got there a lioness walked out of the grass towards our vehicles. Our driver said there might be cubs with her, and as we watched closely we heard a low rumble from the mother. Then two lion cubs hopped out of the grass calling back to her, and they walked across the road right in between our vehicles. There were a few more off in the distance, probably eating their kill. There's not much that could top that. We headed to the lodge and saw part of the great migration of wildebeest. There were wildebeest across the horizon as far as you could see it.

We checked in to our next lodge and had another amazing dinner. This place is a little scarier than the last ones because we have to walk with a guide to and from our rooms after dark because of the animals. The man said he has seen elephants, buffalo, hyenas, and lions right by the rooms. Tomorrow we get in the safari jeeps at 7:00 AM for more game viewing on the Serengeti. We have a break in the afternoon and then more game viewing before dinner. Each day the wonders of God are so apparent everywhere we go. Please keep praying for our health and safety.

May 18th

Hello everyone! It is getting harder to find internet out here. Today was a great day. It seems like each day gets better and better. We started the day off with a drive to a small village called Karatu. We stopped at a school there to visit the children. That was probably one of our favorite parts of the trip so far. The kids sang to us in Swahili and we sang them a song back. We gave them money for books and some soccer balls. They took off towards the field with the soccer balls and they really enjoyed that. We got a chance to mingle with the kids. They were a lot of fun and they really enjoyed looking at the pictures we took of them. After visiting the school we checked in to our next lodge. This is called the Ngorogoro Farmhouse. They grow a lot of fruits, vegetables and coffee and the food here is 85% organic. The gardens all around the land are very beautiful. The view from our room is of the mountains and it is amazing. This is my favorite place to stay so far. After checking in we had a delicious lunch. At 3:00 we went to a tribal village to see a demonstration of their traditions. They make their own beer, clay pots, and bridal skirts. A few of us got to wear the traditional bridal clothes and got "married". Don't worry mom it wasn't real. After that, some of the group went on a tour of the farm and saw how they grind their coffee. We had another delicious meal and got to eat with our drivers. Rafael, the driver of my group, shared how he met his wife and it was a very interesting story. We are learning more Swahili as we go. Lala salaama means "sleep well". Tomorrow we drive around the rim of Ngorogoro Crater on our way to the Serengeti. We are super excited for the Serengeti because we heard rumors the great migration of wildebeest and zebras were passing through. There is also a good chance that we will see the big cats. Now it is time for us to write in our journals. "Lala salaama!"

May 17th

Today was another great day. We left the African Tulip in Arusha at 8:00 for Lake Manyara. It was over an hour drive, but the route had a lot of interesting things to look at. The town of Arusha is full of colorful clothing and busy people. The women carry large loads on their heads. Although Tanzania is a 3rd world country, it is full of life. Outside of town we saw the Massai people. They are a native tribe. They are semi-nomadic and shepard cattle and goats. We saw giraffes on the side of the road and the really old and really big boabab trees. We checked in to our next hotel. The place is situated on top of a really big hill overlooking Lake Manyara. It is a really cool place. Right now I am listening to native African music being performed in the entertainment room. After checking in this morning, we left right away for Lake Manyara National Park. It started out as a dense jungle, and not far into our ride we saw elephants right in the middle of the road. A mother elephant and her baby passed not 10 feet away from our vehicle. We saw many animals in this park including impala, giraffe, wildebeest, buffalo, flamingos, hippos, elephants, dik dik, warthogs, baboons, and many interesting birds. There were a lot of hippos in the lake we saw, and they were huge! The elephants were my favorite. It was amazing to see them so up close. After a long day of safariing, we came back to the lodge and had a delicious dinner. Tomorrow we are stopping at a local school to visit with the kids and give away some of the gifts we brought along. Then we head to a farmhouse between Lake Manyara and Ngorogoro Crater. It is known for its coffee and beautiful gardens. Stay tuned for more and keep praying for our health and safety!

May 16th

Greetings from Africa! Today was an amazing day. We woke up early and ate breakfast at the hotel. The food was really good. Then we went out in the safari jeeps to Arusha National Park. This is a smaller park compared to the others, and the guides said today was an "appetizer". If that is true then I can't wait to see the main course. The jeeps were really nice with big windows and a pop up roof that we could stand up and look out. We didn't drive more than 10 minutes in the park when we saw giraffes right next to the road. Out in the small plains there were zebras, cape buffalo, giraffes, warthogs, and baboons. It was such an amazing view. All the vegetation and animals are very different and beautiful. It was cloudy in the morning but as the sun rose higher the clouds moved away to reveal Mount Meru and Mount Kilamanjaro on either side of the park. It was an amazing view. We drove around the park through different environments. Part of the park was a jungle area and we saw lots of monkeys in the trees. Some of us saw a Dik Dik, which is an antelope the size of a house cat. We also saw some really cool birds. It is so awesome to see these animals in their wild habitat. We all really enjoyed the day. The guides driving the jeeps were very nice and eager to point out to us all the animals. We learned some Swahili words. "Jambo" means "hello" and "twembe" means "let's go". We got back from the safari and had time to relax, eat dinner, and write in our journals. Tomorrow we head out at 8:30 in the morning for Lake Manyara where we hope to see elephants, hippos, flamingos, and maybe lions and leopards.

May 15th

We made it safely to Africa. It was a very long day of traveling but we are finally here. Stepping off the plane in Kilamanjaro you could feel, smell, see, and hear that you were in a different continent. It is almost 80 degrees and humid. There is a 7 hour time difference between Tanzania and Michigan. Since we are near the equator it was dark here at 8:30 when we landed. We had about an hour bus ride to Arusha where we are staying in a very nice hotel. Tomorrow we wake up bright and early to head to Arusha National Park for some game viewing. We are excited to wake up and see Africa, since we couldn't see much in the dark on the bus ride. The night sky is beautiful and there are SO many stars. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers for safe travel.

May 14th

Our dreams are finally coming a reality. Today we leave out of Chicago to Amsterdam, then from Amsterdam we fly straight to Tanzania. It will be a long day of traveling but we are so excited to go. We were in class Monday and Tuesday and learned a about the history of Tanzania and the culture of the people. We also each presented a little information about different aspects of the African savanna and the wildlife we will find there. We had an exam on Wednesday, then dispersed to pack. The bus leaves at 10:00 AM from Hope College. Please pray for everyone on the trip and for safe traveling. I will try to update this blog every day that it is possible. See you later!

May 3rd

Hello! This is the website we will be using to update everyone back home during our trip to Africa. We leave in 11 days and we couldn't be more excited!