Follow the Journey

Hello again! So much has happened since my last post…I don’t know where to begin. I guess I can start by saying that everything has been great so far! So many beautiful sights, people, and friendships have blossomed before our eyes during the past two weeks. Everyone on the trip is starting to feel comfortable with their surroundings, almost like a second home. A few days ago we climbed up the Uluguru Mountains – and it was breathtaking, both figuratively and literally. The hike took a lot of physical exertion, but everything around us, and the end destination, made the work well worth it. On the hike back down the mountain we made a conscious effort to keep space between each person and tune into everything around us more deeply. We all really enjoyed having time alone to reflect on the trip so far, take in the beauty, and think about our goals for the rest of the trip. The experience particularly benefited me because I stumbled across the most adorable baby chameleon! Animals are my biggest passion, so that was truly amazing for me. During the week before the hike we attended Swahili school and stayed with home-stay families. Every family was incredibly caring and fun to be around. It was interesting to see commonalities between each family we stayed with, from watching American TV, listening to a wide variety of music, putting a lot of thought into their religious and political opinions, and making the most delicious food. We had a really fun time staying on the Lutheran Junior Seminary campus in Morogoro. The group bonded over watching the Lion King, cooking a huge dinner together, and trying our hardest to learn this very foreign new language. Really, all I can say is that it’s only been about 15 days and this has already been a huge learning experience and a huge ball of fun. We’re all so excited to see where the rest of this journey takes us. Thank you for reading the blog, love to everyone, and baadaye!