Emails Home - Africa Study Abroad

E-mails Home

Students left the comforts of home to travel through Africa for a semester.  Their e-mails home are posted here as they were received.  

Check Doane's flickr site for photos.

I just chatted with Peter Reinkordt, coincidentally, because Swakopmund is one of the most German cities in the world---people say more so than Germany itself! Like the capital Windhoek, Swakop has German street names, brauhauses, German bakeries and restaurants, and Teutonic architecture, a vestige of the old German colonial days (pre-WW I). 

Hi all...

Posted Nov. 12, 2012

I am happy for Obama's win, as are most Africans we talk to. You probably saw the video clips of the Kenyans celebrating in the streets. We had planned an all-night election party, but even at 1:30 a.m. here, we couldn't get news. I called my son, Dan, and daughter-in-law, Karin, at 4:30 a.m. and again at 6:30 a.m. but it was still too early for results. Finally, we got CNN news on our lodge television and watched the Empire State Building go blue with their prediction. Sorry Bob Kerrey couldn't pull out the Nebraska race.

After class this morning, many students took to the lodge pool (it's hot and dry here in Livingstone). I took a nap.

I reserved two hours on our computer at the lodge tonight to load and send you some photos of our Halloween costumes and other activities (now writing from the Internet cafe). Meanwhile, I can't remember where I stopped on the email narratives---sorry for repetitions---please skip over the boring bits.

From Nkhata Bay, we got private transport for the day-long trip south and west to the border town of Chipata, Zambia. We camped at Mama Rula's guest house there, arriving in time for the 20 pizzas Carla had ordered in advance. Waiting for dinner, I  saw an overland truck pull into the campground. These are giant semi-trucks similar to 16-wheeler long-distance vehicles, not as big but nearly as high with upholstered seats, some facing sideways – like a huge RV with large windows. Travelers usually book month-or-more length trips on these vehicles that pack in tents, and include all meals and travel expenses.  I've watched the overlander arrival drill many times: setting up tents immediately, and prepping for dinner on a grill. Alisha was the first to check out the overlander folks and reported to me they were also on the way to Lusaka and actually had room for us to go along. In fact, the overlander was empty. Their clients dropped off to catch a flight back to the UK via Lilongwe, Malawi.

This is a long intro to our luck in finding the drivers: Linda Preston and Lamz and arranging a great ride on a large comfortable bus into Lusaka. Linda is from the UK, a former bobby (really!) who got hooked on overland travel and has been in the business for 10 years. To make a longish-story shorter, Carla, Brad and I negotiated a deal to stay with Linda and the overland vehicle throughout our time in Namibia. We feel really happy and lucky for several reasons, even though we've had to adjust our itinerary and budget to make things work out.

The drivers are the best – road-wise, experienced, and knowledgeable. Linda knows every pothole (and all of the sites) and Lamz is a top mechanic and driver. We're going to be able to visit Etosha National Park (two nights and two different camp sites), drive on to Swakopmund on the coast for 5 days.  Then we'll go to the dunes in Sossusvlei (Namib Desert) and stay with an expert on desert geography, wildlife, and history (whom Linda knows). We’ll see and climb the great dunes, visit Deadvlei and Sesriem canyon.  We had planned the dune excursion, but Etosha would have been beyond our budget and the dune excursion would have been more expensive and less inclusive. Wow… after the dunes, we'll go to Windhoek for a few days before we take an Intercape Mainline bus (overnight) to Cape Town.

For those of you who want the details, here's the itinerary:
Nov 11 – Depart Livingstone and drive to Divundu (camping) along the Caprivi Strip in Okavanga land (we're likely to see herds of elephants)
Nov. 12 – Drive to Groofentein and camp at Roy's Camp
Nov. 13 – Arrive at Etosha, Naumatoni Camp (water holes for game viewing)
Nov. 14 – Game drive to Okaukeujo Camp (water hole game viewing at night)
Nov. 15 – To Swakopmund (staying at Villa Wiese lodge, phone: +264 64 407106
Nov. 20 – To Sesriem/Sossusvlei, Boesman's Camp (my phone or Brad's phone)
Nov. 23 – To Windhoek, Puccini Lodge, +264 61 236355 (or my or Brad's phone)
Nov. 26 – To Cape Town for a few days, to Stellenbosch, for 3 days and back to Cape Town

On this new itinerary, we will not go to Lesotho.

We can be reached by my phone or Brad's phone while we are camping. I've given you my new Zambia phone number; I'll have to get another SIM card and a new number for Namibia.

We are busy enjoying the lodge, meeting lots of travelers and volunteers staying at the lodge. Also we are busy with writing and literature classes (conservation classes will start up again in Namibia). Tomorrow we'll go to the falls; Friday and Saturday, the so-called adrenaline kicks: whitewater rafting (8 are going), canoeing, excursion to the Devil's Armchair. Brad wanted to go up in a light aircraft over the falls, but the maximum weight is 220 and he said he hasn't been at that weight since high school. He might do the helicopter. I would like that as well, but opted to join eight of our group for breakfast at the Royal Livingstone Hotel followed by a hike and swimming at Devil's Armchair (a natural pool at the top, the edge of the falls).

Zambia is a culture shock after Malawi.  A laid-back, small fishing village with unpaved laterite roads. Except for the new ATMs and banks,  Nkhata Bay looks like it did in 1994 when I first visited and described the town as early 20th century –where carbon paper and rubber stamps are still the practice.  In Lusaka there are modern malls and box stores. Actual supermarkets. Livingstone is smaller, and more a backwater border town, but it still has big banks and supermarkets, nice restaurants and lodges. (Expensive, too, comparatively.)

Tonight I'll send photos. Hope you are well.
I'll check in a couple of times before we take to the road.
Best and love,
Brad, Carla, Betty and the 2012 Africa students

Hi everyone,

Posted Nov. 12, 2012

Tomorrow at 6 a.m. our guide/driver Linda will arrive at our lodge where we'll load our packs and gear and take off for the Caprivi strip toward Namibia.

We've had fun here in Livingstone (our backpacker's lodge seems to be the place to be, especially on the weekends. After whitewater rafting the whole day yesterday, our intrepid (tired) group returned with their stories and photos.  They were proud that their raft never flipped (one of the only ones), even though three ended up in the Zambezi when their raft tipped on its side. They complimented their guides for shaping them into an adept team of paddlers.  And they all said they'd had the best time of their lives and weren't afraid...hmmm. The three who went gorge swinging and zip lining also had a great time, as did those who went to swim at the top of the falls in the Devil's Armchair. Two more are riding elephants this afternoon. This is college in Africa!

We are also studying. Meeting locals and travelers is an education, aside from the course assignments.

I will be on the road for five days and will report on our Namibia travels from Swakopmund.

Take care. Hope you are all doing well. Send emails when you get a chance.
Love,
Brad, Carla, Betty and the team

Hi all,

Posted Nov. 6, 2012

So much news here and no time to fill you in until later this afternoon.  This is a check-in. We are all great after a long journey from Nkhata Bay to Chipata and Lusaka and now Livingstone.  Three days on the road – and lots of kilometers.

I have class in 30 minutes, and after that, writing conferences. I will get back to this Internet cafe later and provide details.  One is my new Zambia phone number, which I will give you now. Each new country requires a new SIM card and means a new number (crazy):
The country code is + 260 (from the USA 01 first and then the country code without the plus): 0976154779.

I am on pins and needles about the election and we're going to try to stay up until 3 a.m. here to find out results.

More soon...
Love Brad, Carla, Betty and the gang

Hi everyone,

Posted Nov. 5, 2012

Hope you are all doing well. I had hoped to attach photos of our Halloween costumes today, but we didn't have power for 30 hours. Once we got power, there was high demand on computer time.

We had our last dinner tonight (Mr. Chiumia, his daughter Monica, and two more friends joined us for dessert). We also gave out envelopes with our tips to the staff of 19.  We gave each one the same amount...about $26 (8,000 Malawi kwacha ). They were so excited (I don't think many guests leave tips), especially the watchmen, kitchen staff, and grounds workers, who make about $1 per day. Only the senior staff make more (about $3 per day). They hugged us each and shook our hands...and hugged us again.

Most are sad to leave Njaya Lodge and Nkhata Bay. Others are happy for the next adventure.

We’ll be on the road for the next three days, making our way to Chipata (Zambian border town), Lusaka (Zambia capital), and Livingstone (near Victoria Falls).  We'll stay in Livingstone about five days.

More soon and take care.
Brad, Carla, Betty and the students of Africa 2012

Hi everyone,

Posted Nov. 2, 2012

We've been following the hurricane news on the East Coast, and other weather west. Election news too, when we can get it.

Meanwhile, here in Nkhata Bay, we've been working to help Kennedy with his Chihame nursery school project.  The Njaya Lodge cooking staff and their cooking students made a cake.

We painted a world map, more animals, and an alphabet. We painted benches and a chalkboard. Outside, some of the students helped build a tunnel of tires, a see-saw, and a swing. Hundreds came for the opening: 40 nursery kids, many primary school kids, their moms, the village chief, Njaya staff, and us as volunteers.

Tonight we'll celebrate the opening of the school and Kennedy's receipt of his official charity status (after eight years of trying to get the paperwork through officialdom) It’s called Malawi Hope. Should be fun....I'll send more photos tomorrow.

Love to all,
Brad, Carla, Betty and the Africa team 2012

Hi Everyone,

Posted 10/30/12

Thanks for your emails. Life is good at Nkhata Bay.  With only one week left, people are busy finishing projects and apprenticeships. Brad and Cole have carved drums and Carla did some sketching. The students are doing conservation interviews/videos, attending conservation classes, and writing classes. In fact our computer is in high demand right now, with an hourly schedule. I trumped Sydney's time tonight to say a quick hello.
The lake is beautiful – great swimming – clear, calm (with a bit of surf) and smooth sandy bottom.  I hope not to miss a day of swimming.

As soon as we prevail against one adversary (such as lake flies or ants), we encounter another...Example: Tanner came upon a cobra in his banda. Yikes! We called our resident biologist, Brad, who managed to take care of the problem. (See the video he posted on our Africa page).

The nights are especially beautiful....moonrise over the lake and cooler temperatures.

More soon. Take care.
Brad, Carla, Betty, and the 2012 team

Hello Everybody,

Posted Oct. 23, 2012

Life is going well at Njaya Lodge in Nkhata Bay. Njaya is fully booked with guests from Wales, Zambia, Minnesota and others.  It's a lively place at the moment.

All the classes continue – writing, conservation, literature, and African studies.  The apprenticeships are also going well.  Students took a break Sunday afternoon for an excursion to an area where they could dive into the lake from cliffs and feed a fish eagle.

Hope you are all well. We are trying to follow the election by watching some of last night's debate. We still feel out of the loop in that area.

More soon,

Love Brad, Carla, Betty, and the students

Hi everyone from Nkhata Bay,

Posted 10/18/12
This small town on the north shore of the Lake of Malawi centers around a bay and a waterside market – shaped like an irregular quadrilateral, with the main shops and a few restaurants on the legs or segments and market stalls on perpendiculars, from the waterside.  There's always activity in town: people buying, selling, carrying, loading, unloading, going and coming. Also, there are people standing, waiting, or sitting in whatever shade might be available.

There are beautiful flame trees lining the waterside street and mango trees in various spots, now loaded with not-quite-ripe green fruits. We're all waiting, and we think in about a week, mangoes will be abundant. Just this morning a boy appeared at my banda door with five small mangoes and wanted 10 kwacha per...about 3 cents each.

Njaya Lodge makes a great place for our long stay, with its large main house with a dining area, lounge area and bar, pool table, and long veranda overlooking the lake. We are staying in stone and/or makuti bandas spread from waterside to hilltop, with shared bathrooms and showers for most. A few have bathrooms in their bandas. The owner Paul Norrish is here for a few months, which has been really helpful for us.  He and his two managers (John and Gilbert) have made us a great deal for accommodations and three meals a day.  Great food – breakfast today was lemon pancakes; yesterday, cornflakes; the day before porridge; the day before that , eggs on toast. We've had curries, spaghetti, stew, rice and beans, all with veggies and salad.  One night we had a barbeque with chicken and fish.  So we're hardly suffering in Africa.

Our challenges:  the heat – strong even at 5 a.m.; the ants – nature trying to dominate (same with the lake flies, which come in swarms and stick to everything flat, particularly white or light colored). Fortunately the flies come and go-- they came last night and are gone this morning. Little kids were wildly capturing as many flies as they could squash into their white pots (as others in town are probably doing) to eventually make into lake-fly cakes, a delicacy around here. I wrote about this in my book. As Paul said, "one person's annoyance is another person's good luck."

We are setting up apprenticeships and some are going well and others are a work in progress. We have several students in the schools; three doing forest mapping; two working with HIV/AIDS workers; two searching for midwives; two searching for local healers; two working with woodcarvers; one bar tending; two trying to hook up with local magistrates.... I may have missed a couple.

There are lots of distractions (and entertainment) competing with classes. (Writing class has begun on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; conservation continues on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. African literature continues and Africa Studies is 24/7 for four months).

Last night, a local singer/songwriter/guitarist played for us on the veranda (the flies were also trying to take center stage). On the beach, Paul built a makuti covered bar where four musicians sang the night before. Last weekend, five students, Brad, and Ann-Marie (Paul's girlfriend) went to a music festival an hour south on the lake. Then there's the magnificent lake itself – 1/7th of the country – a huge, wide sea-like waterway.  Looking out, the sea horizon reaches the sky at 3/4 of the visual plane.  Sometimes, the sea and sky are indistinguishable – a great haze of blue.

Thanks for your mail – I've more than used my share of computer time.
Love to all,
Brad, Carla, and Betty

(Without a good news source and limited computer time/or access, I feel out-of-touch with political events...the election in particular.)

Jambo everyone – or should I say "muli bwanji" – Shitonga for "How are you?"

Posted 10/15/12

We are not learning Shitonga, but since it's a Bantu language there are lots of shared roots with Swahili. I hope we can continue with Swahili...I'm sad to leave primarily Swahili-speaking East Africa.

Once we were safely in Malawi, I decided to reread Dark Star Safari (Paul Theroux's travel memoir about traveling from Cairo to Cape Town) about Theroux’s experience on the Tazara train. Whereas he devotes a chapter to each country, he gives the rail trip two chapters. Luckily, we had none of the horrors he described and the comedy aspect is easy to appreciate in retrospect. I expected the "24-hour delay as a rule" and decided we should check at the station to see if the train would even be there first, before supplying ourselves with food and water in the event of delays and shortages. And the train was there, in fact.

The First Class waiting room was the first of many "This-is-First-Class?" moments. Picture a 20'x20' room with chairs along the walls and little ventilation, filled with as many people as could stuff in, bags and all. The waiting room had private toilets –one stall for men and one for women –with a porcelain, seatless affair passing for a toilet.

When we loaded up our bags to board the train, I saw one train on either side of the tracks –which was ours?  Both looked like burned-out vestiges of a train – dusty, windowless, old. Not until I had walked the length of 10 cars and could see that the cars on the left side ended (without an engine) did I realize that our train was on the right.

We were four in our compartment, our window held open with a thick stick. The door lock worked from the inside, but we succeeded in locking ourselves in. Once the conductor was able to jam the door open again, he disappeared ... and then returned with a tool, a key of sorts, which was a four-inch nail we were instructed to jam into a small hole in the bracket.

Really, the train was fine; we departed 1 1/2 hours late and arrived 5 hours late. The toilet was even on the clean side, with a bucket of water and floating cup for flushing purposes, but the movement of the train would cause the water bucket to slosh over onto the floor. We could move around freely, making Jacob happy, who loved to float from one of our five compartments to another, visiting.  Someone came by with a plate of hard candies and a small bottle of water. (First Class.) We even got a light bulb for our broken one, and the train person simply tossed the burnt one out of the window.

 We dutifully closed our windows when the train stopped at night, which was often. Daytime, people in the villages ran up to the stopped trains selling all manner of items, biscuits, water, soda, bananas, tomatoes, candies, avocados…also lots of yelling greetings and waving.  Kids begged for our empty plastic water bottles and we obliged.

I must give the computer to the next in line. Just a note to say that I was greeted at Njaya like one of the family. All are happy to see Carla and me – and with such a big group.  Business has been slow...last year the worst on record.

More soon,

Love Brad, Carla, Betty and the 2012 Africa gang. 

 (Did I say it's HOT here?  Wow.)

Jambo everyone,

Posted 10/9/12

Stone Town fascinates most of us, but for some the amount of tourists (wazungu) detracts (although I haven't heard anyone complain). Some just prefer rural, small-town life wherever they happen to be.

Mostly we occupy ourselves in the tip of the city where the streets wind around in mazes of shops, much like Arabian places I have been in north Africa. The architecture is a mix of 19th century Arabic, 16th century Portuguese, and more modern interpretations of each.  The Arabic-style carved doors are beautiful and intricate. Last year, I stayed at a coffee house for an hour sketching one. 

The students are planning every minute of their last days here – even to their last bites at the night market. And their last purchases....more punjabi pants! I may even capitulate and buy a pair – cotton, baggy, comfortable – colorful or not.

This morning is the Swahili final, which took me two hours to write (and then longer to copy by hand even with Carla's help).  We're going to tape four copies of each of the four parts to a table for four and rotate the students as each table finishes a section of the test. Hmmmm....the semester without computers was my idea. (We have only this one – Brad's) Carla says I'll be grading the exams on the train across Tanzania and she's right. That journey begins Tuesday afternoon (we'll take the early ferry to Dar).

I am feeling great – whatever hit me hard three days ago is completely gone.

The students said we're 40 days into the semester with about 60 remaining. We think time is flying. The students are getting along well. Of course, with so many (17) there are old friends and cliques, but they are nice to each other, as our students tend to be. We three leaders are functioning well as a team, too...so far, so good. We think this would be a great place for a long stay on future semesters, especially if John Burney's idea to rotate professors every three weeks works out. Who wouldn't want a rotation in Zanzibar? We're meeting with someone this afternoon who is renovating a large house (20 rooms) for the purpose of renting to groups.

More soon – probably not until the next Wi-Fi – which may be in Malawi. I doubt the train will have access.

Love to all,

Brad, Carla, Betty and the team

Jambo everyone,

Posted: 10/9/12

We are dividing our eight days in Zanzibar between the city of Stone Town and this small fishing village on the east coast, about an hour across the center of the island.

On the way, our bus passed through Jozani forest, but we weren't able to see any of the colobus monkeys that we saw last year). When you see our photos, you will be amazed that the Sun and Sea View Lodge could accommodate our group of 20 on our "student" budget. The bandas are simple roundish structures with tin roofs set along a stretch of palm-lined beach with pristine white sand, each with beds, nets, bathrooms and hot water.

There's a very large central bar with comfortable sofas connected to a dining area -- all covered with the typical makuti umbrella-shaped roof held up by visible poles like a teepee (except huge....maybe 25 upward poles that meet at a point.)

Even on our budget, we have breakfast included (as most hotels here do): a fruit plate -- today, papaya and lime, oranges, passion fruit, and watermelon: colorful and delicious. The restaurant here is also great, with fresh-catch fish like baracuda, king, tasi, as well as octopus, crab and squid. Many of the students are enjoying these new foods.

We can walk into the tiny village of a few sandy "streets" with a few food stands and house, one "conventional" store called Mombassa's (where students found Pringles, of all things, and peanut butter and chili sauce. The latter two items spread on chapatis make good lunches. I supplement with tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.

Yesterday, students went out on two dhows (the ancient-design sailboats) to go snorkeling....they loved it. I was sick all day yesterday with some kind of stomach or intestinal issue. I don't know if it was food poisoning or the sun (I ate the same food as others and have been staying out of the sun). Happily, I'm fine today. Brad felt sick earlier in the evening. Both of us took our Lariam before dinner instead of with food and maybe that was the problem. He recovered in a couple of hours.

So far, my bout has been the only full-day misery among us. The five students who didn't snorkel walked to the village of Paje, just south of Bwejuu, and found the shop where women make soap from seaweed. They brought back beautifully wrapped square bars of lime-smelling soap. Glad I gave them money.

When the tide is out -- and it seems to recede for a mile --we can see the seaweed farms in the sand.

The water is as warm as bathwater and the sea is calm most of the time in this season, easy swimming.  A few of the strong swimmers have tried the sea kayaks.

Our Swahili classes are coming down to the last hours with a final set for Sunday. Some want to continue  with Swahili at designated mealtimes and some hope to continue studying when we return.  It's fun to hear everyone testing out their language skills as they meet people and negotiate in the markets.

We are also continuing with our seminars, a class structure I learned from Richard Hargesheimer in 2006 when he accompanied our Africa Semester for six weeks. The students form three smaller groups with one of three leaders in each group as official notetakers. The students first write their ideas, and then discuss them. Eventually, we regroup as one and continue the discussions. Seminars are a great time for everyone to speak and for everyone else to listen, especially the teachers. Topics and discussions have ranged from defining tourism (and our particular identity), bargaining, begging, travel days, and cultural politics.

The sun is strong mid-day -- just stepping in the shade feels 15 degrees cooler. I don't know the temperatures (I'm guessing only mid-80's), but the angle of the sun must intensify the heat. Breezes along the water make the air feel comfortable most of the time.

In a half hour, we'll take the bus back to Stone Town for another four days.
More soon....thanks for your mail. I love reading news from home.

Love, Brad, Carla, Betty and team Africa 2012

Jambo Everyone
Posted:  09/30/2012

We've shifted to another stark contrast---from the quiet beach town of Bagamoyo to the sprawling port of Dar---over three million,  and probably by a lot. Our bus ride here, a distance of 70 kilometers, involved an hour of steady going and an hour and fifteen minutes of traffic. One issue in reaching cities in most of Africa is that there is only one road in any direction....no bypass options for anyone (on a bike, cycle, cart, on foot, in a semi, bus or car.)

Al Uruba hotel, where we have stayed with students on other trips, is a cultural experience (ok--translate as not a western place--no wazungus in sight) in this primarily Somali neighborhood of Kariaokoo. Our friend Mohammad and his family have owned the popular restaurant on the first floor of the hotel for generations....open at 6 am and closes at 11 pm, always a hub of men in full-length caftans and kofia caps, fewer women, but  still a presence--some with head covers and others in kangas and/or dresses. Two men in typical red Maasai clothes are standing on the steps just near me, leaning on their sticks, as if they would do in their rural villages. The students appreciate beds (they've been in tents for nearly a month) and rooms with a shower and toilet, even though the rooms and beds are small.

We walked to the port yesterday in two groups with guides to check out the busy streets, sidewalk shops, cloth market, and Indian areas. While Brad and Carla went to the Azam office to buy our ferry tickets for Zanzibar tomorrow, the rest of us waited in the cooler temperatures of the Florida Pub.  It's hot here....close to the ocean, we have breezes. We'll spend this afternoon at Slipway, an area on the peninsula with shops (real shops with actual doors and windows), restaurants, a crafts market, along the waterside.

More from Zanzibar. Thanks for your emails,
Brad, Carla, Betty and the Africa team 

Jambo Everyone
Posted: 09/26/2012

I know there are other places in the world where you can bus for ten hours and get from 7,000 feet elevation to the sea, but it's still a shock to the system.  We were wearing all our clothes at night in the mountains and now we're breaking out the tee shirts and shorts. Of course, as expected, some are happier in the cold than the heat. Actually, our "extremes" have not been unpleasant.....and in both recent places, the country is beautiful.

Ok--now I am sitting at the outdoor restaurant at the New Bagamoyo Beach Resort----a makuti covered patio surrounded by palms and literally 200 yards from the Indian Ocean. Our bus ride took longer than expected because our drives left the lights on the bus the night before and by morning we had a dead battery. Imagine a typical scene in Africa where nine men hover around a vehicle for about an hour and a half---trying all manner of maneuvers---simply to jump start a diesel bus. The wiring apparently was faulty too (did someone say a rat chewed the wire?)....but we are here now that part of the journey is history.

Today after Swahili and Conservation classes, we and our 3 artist friends whom we brought with us to the Arts Festival from Mambo View Point trooped into town about 2 kilometers with our surprise guide RAY, who arrived from Arusha late last night. We found the ATM and the locale of the festival----a large open area with crafts tables and restaurants.  We checked out the new performance center ---an indoor amphitheater with good toilets (!) and a stage equipped for lights and sound. We ate lunch outdoors (chips mayai---eggs and fries for me and the students, ugali for our Mambo friend Isack, chicken for Carla, and greens and rice and veggies for Ray (and me). Several stayed in town for tonight's performances and others of us came back to our lodge to enjoy the sea.

All of us are going to several of the historical sites here tomorrow after classes---slave museum, church and cemetery....and then to the performances. It's great to be with Ray and our three artists who are visibly thrilled to be here with so many other artists and their work.

Baga (as it is called by locals) is a small town, but lots bigger than Mambo and the surrounding Usambara villages. A few streets with markets, shops, restaurants---all simple huts and street-front buildings---with friendly people and relatively low prices.  The students said that bargaining was lots easier here since starting prices were reasonable. Flat streets instead of steep hills....few cars, no paved roads. And the temps in the 80's. Sea breezes are nice here at the lodge.

More soon from Bagamoyo....
love to all

Brad, Betty, Carla, and the students 

Jambo Everyone
Posted: 09/24/2012

Our days are going well at Mambo View Point. We're still cold at night, but the campfires and fireplace help. We have met lots of interesting travelers and we are busy finishing our projects.

Going anywhere from our lodge means walking down the mountain through the villages, greeting the locals, and enjoying the beautiful views of the valley and mountains in the distance. Mornings are often misty, typical mountain climate, and then the fog lifts and the air warms. I've tried to describe the views but I don't think I've been able to characterize the other-worldliness of the mountains, mist, tiered farmlands hundreds of kilometers below, and also several lakes. We could see Mt. Kilimanjaro yesterday in the distance.

Yesterday Carla, four students, and I walked to the village of Mtae for their market day. This is about one and a half hours each way---mostly downhill en route and the opposite for the return. We can hardly believe the locals who do these walks on a daily basis usually with huge loads. Yesterday there were no vehicles on the roads but lots of people, a few bicycles, and a few motorcycles. The market was a simple one--much like the Mambo village market, with people sitting on the sides of the road with their produce in piles on their kangas. We ate lunch at Bushbaby Guest House restaurant, a long name for a simple plastered building with two rooms and about five tables.  We each had plates of rice, cooked cabbage, beans,and beef stew (I skipped that dish) and some peppers (for 2,000 shillings, by the way, which is about $1.75). The students had hoped to order chipsi mayai (french fries with eggs), but there weren't eggs that day. For some reason, eggs are few in the markets.  I see chickens around local houses, but when I tried to buy eggs in the Mambo village market last Thursday, I could only find six (which I cooked this morning with onions and we each had about a tablespoon).  Mtae is uniquely set on top of a mountain ridge, with views of the valleys on all sides -- a 275 degree panorama.

The students have been cooking a bit -- I mentioned Cole's fixings. He tried to make Runzas Thursday which took some doing. He bought corn, then went to the grinder for meal, bought 2 kilos of beef, onions, cabbage, and garlic. The fillings worked well, but the cornmeal was grainy and didn't bake well over the fire ...but we appreciated his efforts. (He spent 7 hours with help from Jacob). Some others made guacamole last night, which was great with the five freshly baked loaves of bread carried back from Mtae. Tonight some in the group are making salsa. And we arranged pizza to celebrate Emily's birthday.

On Tuesday, we'll take off for Bagamoyo, a town about 70 kilometers from Dar es Salaam, for an arts festival. This is the town where Ray Mlingi (Joyce Kimaro's son) went to art school. There should be dancing, art shows, and music. We're staying in the same lodge we stayed at in 2007 when we visited with our friends (and Ray).  They will remember the beach and the historical sites -- church, museum, burial grounds.  The town was a slave-holding village in the nineteenth century.  It's also where David Livingstone's body (minus his heart, which was buried in Zambia) was carried and shipped to London for burial at Westminister Abbey.

The students have logged many kilometers of mountain hiking, especially the story-collecting group and have made friends in three or four local villages.

We are excited to move on to warmer temps and a new place, but we won't forget this beautiful area and the people we've met. Now with Swahili facility building, the students are able to converse more. They'll continue to work on these skills as we move on through Tanzania.

I hope you are well. Write your news and greetings to me on my Doane email if you like. I can usually check mail every few days.

love and greetings...

Brad, Carla, Betty and the students.....Brad will be posting more photos to our link from the Doane web page. Hope you are checking these.....I haven't seen them except here and there in cameras, but I'm impressed with the images. 

Jambo Everyone,
Posted:  09/18/2012

Hope you are well and following our posts. I'm on a slow connection and while there's much to report, I'll try to be brief.

When our group of 20 stays anywhere, we usually fill the available space, but because we're camping, there are lots of spaces, which have been filling over the past several days. Meeting other travelers is one of the unpredictable wonders----and an amazing eye-opener for most of us. When we arrived, two couples--overlanders (travelers with their own self-contained vehicle---usually some kind of Land Rover or Japanese made camper with a pop-top. One couple (British and Welsch were on a three year venture across Africa and South America. A second is a Dutch couple staying long term to do volunteer work in the village and school (they were here a year ago and painted murals with the school kids).
An Irish couple on a 4 week vacation--Dennis and Dervla Murphy. They've joined in on conversations and late-nights, such as last night, when three from Australia arrived (a mom, daughter and friend) as well as an Israeli couple, and three from the UK. Cole and Lucy (Australian) played guitar and sang---well--we all joined in when possible. Dennis got out his Irish tin whistle. Great time.

Yesterday, four went off to Lushoto (2 and a half hours down the mountain) for supplies and information for projects--Carla and Brad and Tanner and Lauren.

Katie, Emily  Frease and Hilary said they had their best day yet at a day long excursion to a local primary school where they and the school kids and a local guide/artist called Moddy painted the alphabet on the walls. Brad will post the images this afternoon or evening. And the story collecting group is going great guns with lots of interviews, photos, and plans. Wow.

The weather has also turned warmer....so good news....nights are still chilly but the sun is shining.

More very soon....Let's see if this goes. Send news....you can send to my regular Doane email (betty.levitov@doane.edu). Tell others to log on to read our mail.

Love Betty, Carla, Brad, and the team (excuse the typos please--not taking the time to check)

Market Day
Posted:  09/13/2012

Today was the weekly market day in Mambo village. Three students went to the local primary school to see an art project started by two Dutch volunteers who taught the students techniques for painting murals. Those three students met four of us at the market. Getting to the market from Mambo View Point involves a 30 minute walk straight down the mountain with local kids and families greeting us.  The market is in the center of town --- from above the first sight is hundreds of multi colored kangas. At closer view, rows of women sitting on the ground or on low benches in front of geometric arrangements of tomatoes (a group of 5 for 200 shillings, about 15 cents), potatoes, avocados, cassava, bananas, onions, garlic, spices and lots of locally made utility items.  Cole bought guacamole makings and also stopped at the local butchery for a kilo of beef.  The shop consisted of a carcass of beef hanging on a hook in a tiny shack, with a table, a scale, and one knife.  Back at the lodge, Cole skewered chunks of the meat with tomatoes and onions which he cooked over an outdoor wood fire.  In addition to rice and greens and chipatis, the students had shish-kabob and guacamole.

Everyone is busy with projects and Swahili.  Another group and Brad went to a pump drilling project. Brad will send pictures.

Happy birthday to Henry O'Brien who turned 8 today.

More soon. Thanks for your mail,

Brad, Carla, Betty and the group 

Messages to the Gang
Posted:  09/10/2012

Dear Mwalimu Betty, Mwalimu Brad and Carla,

Am seating on a safari chair besides mara River in our Wild Eye camp  as i write this. There has been Lion roars all night right next to our camp and the leopard called twice before down. The migration has happened right at the camp twice and right now elephants are across the river minding their business. This is the month i would have had all the students here with me and experiencing this wonderful dream of the ultimate  camp and the world wonder that is the migration of the wildebeests. This week been very silent and we are only having one guests. It would have been great if you all met the wild Eye team leaders and all the happy team players. But this world is showing us a lot of its ugly face , hence the travel ban. As they say next time, there will always be next time.

The Wild Eye team leaders have given my family the chance to visit mara and Joyce and the girls are coming over today. Brian was here last two weeks before school was opened and he loved it. I think if there is another wildlife enthusiast in the family, it must be Brian. He texted me the four birds he will always remember...tropical bulbul,  Lilac breasted Roller , Egyptian Geese, and the secretary bird. I would say that is a good beginning!

Paul was with us for a month but only two of the weeks in the mara. He is currently located in Ireland and in charge of all Ireland operations with his company.

Many thanks to Rubys family for their help. I will thank them properly when am back in Nairobi. Many apologies too to all that i have been unable to reply to or write to. Things will be more on the easier side and i will communicate more.

Am sorry i was not able to meet you all in Arusha . Knowing Doane students, you all must be wonderful and i would have loved to see you and talk more about Africa. Do not forget my home is open to all of mwalimu , Carla and Brads friends. You all have my contacts and do not hesitate to visit if you have time. Am sure you are all having a wonderful learning time and Songota was as great as ever. Am not sure when we can meet but God willing, maybe in South Africa given the time am at the Mara etc.

I wish you all the best in the rest of your Africa visit
Isaac Kinyanjui 

Jambo All
Posted:  09/10/2012

Let's hope this slow connection works.....it's just after lunch at Mambo View Point. We had two and a half hours of lecture this morning from Herman, Marion, and Ndege, the owners/manager. We had two hours yesterday...all background information about new ways to fight poverty, about Tanzania as a developing country, Tanzania history and politics, and about the work and development of this eco-lodge. The owners are Dutch expats who settled here after selling their telecommunications business and who were looking for a way to integrate their entrepreneurial skills in development work.

We took village walks yesterday in two groups--3 hours down and then up the mountain---passing through clusters of makuti houses, kids yelling "wazungu, wazungu" and people greeting us with welcoming words---"karibu" and "jambo." There's no electricity or running water.  Mambo village itself is about 5,000 people (2000 of them are youths); there are some solar panels--not many, but many have cell phones. The area is primarily Muslim (we hear the calls to prayer); the whole country is about one third Christian, one-third Muslim, and one third indigenous.  We see women wearing kangas, usually carrying loads on their heads, and men wearing the typical Muslim kofia (pill-box cap) and caftan.
 
We are working hard on Swahili and the students are practicing with locals. We are dividing into several groups to work on projects---ecological (collecting info about preserving the rain forest), story collecting project, and a project to help market crafts.  Also we have plans to visit schools, dispensary (clinic), cheese and yogurt making, and well drilling.

The food here is excellent---of course fresh since there's not much refrigeration.  We have chapatis and yogurt cheese and bread. Beans, veggies, soup....even home made pizza.

I haven't found enough flat space for yoga yet. The soccer field is down the mountain and busy with kids and cows or goats. We go to bed early, partly because of the darkness and the cold. And so we feel like there's not enough time in the day to do everything. A few have had stomach issues, but nothing serious. We are well and appreciating this beautiful, very remote place. I image we make quite a scene, even split into two groups, as we hike through the villages.

I think Brad gave you the correct web address to look at images of Mambo View Point...it's www.mamboviewpoint.com.  We'll send more images (Doane's flickr site) and more email. Let me (us know how you are at home). You can tell others not on this list to go to doane.edu/africa for the links to emails.  I feel like I'm not doing a good job describing this setting---you need pictures....the mist and mountains, nearby forests and villages---hardly real. I wish I knew the names of the botanicals---trees, shrubs, flowers---and the birds. As I learn, I will let you know.

Best to all--love,
Brad, Carla, Betty and the crew 

Updates
Posted:  09/09/2012

Hello everyone,
Here is a group shot of us on our last night at Songoto Falls Lodge. I am currently sitting at about 7,000 feet on the edge of a 1,500 foot cliff and about 20 miles from the closest power grid.  I am sending this with a laptop and USB modem. (full bars).

If this e-mail/pic makes it, We will started sending more. At 12:00 noon today the temp was about 65 deg.

More soon,
Brad 

Jambo Everyone
Posted:  09/09/2012

Took a while to log on this morning....I may not be able to write many emails. But I hope you will Google or log on to www.mamboviewpoint.org to read more of the history and see the images here in the northern mountains of Tanzania. Last night the clouds and mist prevented a good view over the valley, but this morning we can see the forest, mountains across towards Mtae and villages.  We don't have a totally clear view yet. It's also warming up already at 8:10 am.

It's cold at night and even with the extra blankets, some were cold.  Cold feet especially--in their tents. Brad says he's going to do a keeping warm seminar after breakfast.

Half of our group and a guide will walk into mambo village this morning and then the second half this afternoon. Meanwhile Swahili and Conservation classes continue.  We hope to have more time here---it's beautiful hiking country.  I've already seen two colorful birds---I need my birder friends --but I think one was a bee eater. Maybe a sun bird too.

I'll try to write more. The lodge and grounds have a great back story. But let me send this and hope it goes.

Write news---Congratulations NICK and MELODY on baby Henry.

Best and love to you all...
Brad, Carla, Betty and the 2012 crew

Touching Base
Posted: 09/07/2012

Hi all,

I am having trouble logging on. Hope tomorrow is better. Using a student's iPhone. Spent 10 hours by bus from Arusha...last 4 hours winding up and around. Beautiful here. All well. Details tomorrow.

Betty and crew.

Animals Abound
Posted: 09/05/2012

Hi Everyone, We are all in Arusha today, doing errands before we take off on Friday for the Usambara mountains (and the remote village of Mtae near our lodge.  The link to our place is info@mamboviewpoint.org.)   We've been far busier than I'd like---where is all the down time I promised in Africa?

We took three Toyota Landcruisers and three driver/guides to Tarengire National Park on Monday---for a whole day of safari.  We had great weather---cool morning and sunny day--and saw lots of animals---good sightings of elephants (I remember Maureen saying she thought she saw each one of thousands of elephants). 

We saw only one female lion, one cheetah from afar, lots of zebra, wildebeest, giraffes, baboons, waterbuck, impala, warthog, ostrich, dik dik...many birds (my favorite Lilac breasted roller), an eagle owl, two fish eagles.   The most amazing sight in the park are the many unique baobabs....they mark the horizon.  Some of them show the work of elephants---with monstrous size holes.  Yet the trees thrive.   The grassland is dry this season (less rain than last year), but the water holes were full enough to attract game.  At one point in the late afternoon, we saw a herd of wildebeests headed for the water----hundreds of them.  

Yesterday Ray treated us all to a painting lesson.  He set up tables and spent four days preparing canvasses for each of us with predrawn images.  I had brought lots of paint for Ray, which he generously opened up for all.  You will see the results.....and we had so much fun.   This afternoon we need to hurry back to Songota Falls in time for Ray's big soccer match.   We have been lucky to have our old Maasai friend Baiki and a new friend Bariki to walk with us in town.  

We have Swahili class every morning (the students are bravely trying their new language skills out wherever we go) and then Conservation class.

So..we are busy and having a great time.

More soon from Mambo View Point, Brad, Carla, Betty and the 2012 TEAM AFRICA 

Jambo Everyone
Posted:  08/31/2012

Life is good at Songota Falls Lodge, just outside of Arusha.  We are staying in 4 bandas (octagonal wooden houses with makuti roofs) and 3 big tents, and our friend/host Joyce Kimaro (whom some of you met when she visited us in Lincoln and came to Doane in 2008) is treating us with her usual exuberance, great food, and hospitality.  

We had our first darassa la KiSwahili (lesson) and can now greet and  tell people our names. We could have used more language last night on our long walk in the villages near the lodge. People greeted us and welcomed us---"karibu" and "jambo."  

Today we twenty emptied the Standard Bank ATMs ---getting our first African currency---Tanzanian shillings---1570 to $1--for the crafts market and lunch. The market was intense, with vendors calling to us to see their shops, but some managed to buy a kanga and I don't know what else.  

In a bit, we'll pile into two dalladallas (minibus) to go back "home." Lauren left her camera (or someone lifted it) at O'Hare....she's been a great sport about it. Brad lent her his point-and-shoot.   We'll be in touch---Brad has a phone for emergencies.

Call Doane for any information you need. We're thinking about you all.   Did I tell you we saw ten camels en route from Nairobi to Arusha? Giraffes too.  

More soon,

love Carla, Brad, Betty and the 2012 Team Africa  

In Kenya
Posted:  08/30/2012

Hi everyone,  I'm checking in to you from the Kenya Comfort Inn --Nairobi.  We are all very well---all the bags arrived and Ray Mlingi met us at the airport with the Riverside bus. We're all great--some more jet lagged than others.  A few have gone off to bed, leaving ten students, Carla, Brad, Ray and me who are gathered in the restaurant. I'm trying to trick my body/head into thinking it's really nighttime and not 4:15 pm.  After breakfast, we'll have our own bus to Arusha, Tanzania...about a five hour ride, maybe 6, with a stop at the Namanga border. Then to Songota Falls Lodge. We are excited:  our semester in Africa begins.  Salama {peace) Thanks to all who came to Eppley to send us off.  

Brad, Carla, and Betty----and students  

We're Off!
Posted: 08/29/2012

Students taking part in the Doane Africa Semester Abroad departed from Omaha Tuesday, August 28 with connections in Chicago and London to Nairobi.

The group arrived around 1:45 pm and is just making their way from the plane to the visa desk.  Once the group clears passport control, baggage claim, and customs, they will meet their ride to the hotel.  The group will take some time to settle at the hotel, and it will be several hours  before we hear from them.  They will have a  brief rest before they meet their ride to their next stop.