September 11, 2015
This past week has been quite the whirlwind. On Tuesday, we took a break from our regular schedule of Swahili class in the morning and the late afternoon and went to Arusha National Park for the day. We took three cars into the park and explored several different areas of the park. As we made our way through the park, we saw several groups of baboons, including several baby ones clinging to their mothers. We also saw Colobus monkeys, which are black and white monkeys, with these long white puffy tails; they are nicknamed flying skunks for their coloration. We learned it was quite a treat to get to see these monkeys, as they are only found in Northern Tanzania and Arusha National Park is one of the few places to see them. We came across several Giraffes (Twiga), it was exciting to see them up close, but my fellow classmate, Camille and I could not stop laughing at how they ran and how these Giraffes at one point kept slapping their necks together.
Later in the afternoon, as we all were growing quite tired from all the excitement and on our way to leave the park, we came across a mother elephant and her calf. We watched them for awhile and then later learned that it was quite a treat to see elephants in this park, as the guides later told us that some of them had not seen elephants in the park for four years. The excitement only went up from there, we drove by this open plain, where baboons, bushbuck, and zebras were grazing.
Then, about five minutes later, we came across a heron with a snake dangling out of it’s beak. For the next fifteen minutes or so, my car and I were completely absorbed in the battle that ensued. Now, the snake as still alive, when we approached the scene, the heron strategically placed it’s beak right behind the snake’s head, so that it could not bite and inject the heron with venom. But, since the snake was still alive, it thrashed it’s body in the air relentlessly, in attempt to escape the heron’s strong grip. About eight minutes into it, the snake miraculously broke free from the grip and fell to the ground, but quickly the Heron snatched it back up. From there, it was a pretty even fight. However, the heron eventually was victorious and swallowed the snake down it’s throat and to our best observations of the gosling that persisted in the heron’s throat, we were convinced the snake was still alive after it was swallowed.
Well, now that I’ve given you the play-by-play of snake versus Heron, I’ll get to the rest of the week. On Wednesday, we rose early in the morning to begin our journey from our Dorobo base in Arusha to Mambo Viewpoint in the Usambara Mountains. We drove southeast, through the city of Moshi, and along the East Parre Mountain Range until we were at the base of the Usambara Mountains. Then, we took a road, well part road, part river-bed, part close-your-eyes-and don’t-look-down road up to the top of Usambara Mountains to the village of Mambo. As we ascending, the views got even more spectacular, until we arrived at the top to an incredible sunset. After, an all day journey, we arrived at Mambo Viewpoint to a delicious dinner and drink!
Thursday, Friday and Saturday each consisted of class with Dave Spurling in the morning and Swahili class in the afternoon, with time to explore and gawk the stunning views that surround us. Dave’s class, has collectively inspired and blown all of our minds. His incredible knowledge of Tanzania, specifically Swahili culture and Islam has been so useful in gaining a purer understanding and background of where are going to traveling to. On Saturday morning, Dave returned to Nairobi, where his teaching at the University, but will be joining us again next Saturday when we travel to Pemba Island.
On Saturday evening, after we had Swahili class, we went out the front of Mambo Viewpoint, where a group of kids from the village performed a circus for us. Afterwards, several of us got to chatting with the kids and though the language barrier was definitely present, each of us were able to find methods of communication. It was so much fun getting to interact with them, and even with broken Swahili, I was able to express that I like soccer to one of the young boys and soon he asked if I would want to play with him. So, we got our soccer ball and Nick, Sadie and I went out to the front of the lobby and played soccer with the kids until it got too dark and they had to go home and we had to go eat dinner. It was a total blast!