So much traveling! Once I got to Nairobi and waited all day for the rest of the group to arrive, we took a little plane over the border to Tanzania. Then we drove for an hour to a hotel. Since we boarded at dusk and drove in the dark, I was unable to see anything that surrounded me. The next morning, we got up early to leave and when I stepped out of the room I was so amazed by what I saw. There was a beautiful mountain and trees, mist was rising up from the ground and there was a cute bright colored caf�. My first real sight of Tanzania. It was perfect. Then we took the 4 hour drive to our camp site. On the way we saw giraffes and baboons and buffalos along the road. We stopped at a lookout over Lake Manyara and saw flamingos in the distance and so many flocks of birds. Everything was so amazing. And then when we got to the Center–SO AMAZING! It’s in this tiny town which is beautiful and when our land cruisers pulled in there were all these people waiting and waving to us. The camp is still under construction since it is the new site. But it’s incredible. They are making everything perfect for us. Our bandas are big, I only have to share with two other girls. We have our own bathroom with hot water. A volleyball court is being made. The chefs and cleaning people are all local and are so nice to us. I just can’t believe how wonderful it is here. Totally surpassed my expectations. Most all the students are great too. Still getting to know everyone. My roommates are Carrie and Arima and they are so much fun. We spent last night writing in our journals and chatting and laughing together. Today we had orientation for our classes: Environmental Policy, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Ecology, and Swahili Language/Culture. It all seems very interesting and our teachers are very nice. We will be going out into the field a lot with them too. Our first trip is to Lake Manyara National Park. We are doing that Saturday. Should be awesome. After orientation today, we went into the village to try our hand at greeting people. That was an interesting experience. We went off on our in small groups and practiced what little Swahili we knew from today and yesterday: hello (in a couple of ways), how are you?, I’m a student, what’s your name?, my name is… I was very nervous since I don’t like this sort of thing. But it was a lot of fun in the end. The townspeople are extremely nice for the most part. They like to smile and wave and help you with your Swahili if they can. They also like to laugh at you when you look stupid. But they are well natured. They are actually excited for us to be here. Foreign people pass through this town on the way to tourist spots like Serengeti, but they don’t really stay here. Our director and staff have worked really had to prepare the people for our coming, to ask their permission, to join their community board, and all that. So we are the first students ever to come here. It is so exciting. They keep telling us what an effect we are going to have on these people and how we are trailblazers for every other group of students that come here. So we have to make a really good impression on the town. We live so close to them, we are literally their neighbors. It won’t be like that in Kenya. That site is much more of a field station, we are told. Its surrounded by animals, not people. Which I am excited about. But it will be a downgrade in comforts. No hot water, apparently the internet is way worse there, and stuff like that. I’m excited to find out but I already know I will be sad to leave here in like 6 weeks. This place is beyond my wildest dreams. It is called the Moyo Hill Site, because we are located at the very top of the hill of town. Moyo means heart. Which is so fitting. Everyone has such a happy heart here 🙂 

Location: Karatu, Tanzania