Thursday, July 21

...and 30 hours later we made it home! I am back from a life changing and eye opening experience. I look forward to sharing it with all of you in person. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog. Sorry I was not able to update it while I was there. Also, I posted 500 photos on my Facebook page from the trip, so if you're friends with me feel free to look at them and comment if you want. Thanks again for reading!

Wednesday, July 20

We are all sad that we are leaving today. This morning Lukas, Drew, and Sameer walked to the coffee shop, Africafe. Brother Joe, Mike, and I walked to the grocery store and to the Masai market to do some last minute bargaining. Once we returned to the Spiritan House we said goodbye to Beatta (the house manager), Malachie (the chef), and Emmanuel (the guard and Masai Warrior! He showed me how to wear my shuka so now I can say I have been taught by a Masai warrior haha). We departed for the airport around 1. Let the 30 hour journey begin! We have stops in Addis Ababababababa, Ethiopia and Frankfurt, Germany (8 hour layover there) before we land in Newark, New Jersey.

Tuesday, July 19

Today was our last full day in Tanzania. We went back to the Masai market to do a little more souvenir shopping, and shortly after we went to the home of a Spiritan Priest, Doctor, and Pilot, (yes all three) Pat Patten for lunch. Fr. Pat runs a medical service in East Africa known as Flying Medical Services. Each week they run a clinic for two days offering vaccinations to remote areas of Tanzania and Kenya. They have two planes, one is used for the clinic, and the other is kept at the airport because another part of Flying Medical Service is emergency services. The service has about 4 other volunteer pilots. Additionally, Fr. Pat runs a school for physically and mentally disabled adults, who maybe never really had a chance to go to school. The school was not in session when we visited. Their operating budget is $100,000 per year, with the majority of their donations from the Dutch. 

The group meeting some of the other volunteers. 

Fr. Dr. Pat Patten telling us one of many medical stories. 

The school for disabled adults. 

After we ate lunch, we drove to a nearby collapsed volcano and climbed to the top.

The center of the volcano.

The group walking up the hill.

Italy!

Dennis, Drew, and Mike in the center of the volcano.

Sameer, Lukas, and Charles at the opposite end of the rim of the volcano.

Volcanic Rock!

Monday, July 18

Today we headed back to Arusha (about 200 km away). We visited one last Safari site, Tarangire National Park. Here are some photos and videos: 

Sunday, July 17

Today we went to a mass at a Masai Parish. The Masai is a tribe in East Africa, primarily in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania. The mass was 2 1/2 hours long, and was not the typical Sunday morning at St. Andrew's Parish. The mass was said by Fr. Joe. All readings were first said in Swahili, then were repeated in the Masai language. We didn't understand anything that was said haha! After mass the choir sang 2 songs just for us, and they even made us a goat! 

After the mass, we drove out to Olduvai Gorge, which is actually Oldupai Gorge (there was a mispronunciation by a scientist and since then it is always referred to as Olduvai). Here are some photos: 

Saturday, July 16

SAFARI! Here are pictures of the drive out to the safari:

Our safari Land Cruiser.

The teachers Land Cruiser. 

The group at the Lake Manyara overlook point

Lake Manyara. 

Lake Manyara. 

This reminds me of Italy?

SAFARI! These photos are from inside Ngorongoro Crater, which is a collapsed volcano: