Ngorongoro Crater

Hey everybody!  Sorry it's been so long but we have had three crazy days to Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and now packing for Serengeti National Park!!!  Although I am about to leave for expedition, in the coming minutes actually, until Tuesday night I wanted to share some of my favorite photos with you from Ngorongoro Crater.  Seriously, if you come to East Africa you have to go here!  It's my favorite spot by far!  And we saw hyenas, lions, rhinos (mating!), buffalo, leopards, elephants, and so many cool animals so one of the best safaris as well!  Oh and wish me luck on expedition because apparently herds of animals migrate through camp normally and there are whistle commands to see whether it is safe to get out of your tent at night to go to the bathroom.  When asked how much the tent really provided protection the answer was, "oh the animals aren't looking to eat you..."  See you in 5 days!

Happy Birthday!

Today we went to Lake Manyara National Park and tomorrow is Ngorongoro Crater so we are super busy but I just wanted to send a birthday shout-out to my best friend in the entire world, Kaitlyn!  Happy 21st and I love and miss you tons!!!!!

Karibu Tanzania

So my love for Kenya is definitely still there and always will be, but my love for Tanzania is definitely growing.  Today was a non-program day (aka a weekend) where we just had one class in the morning from 8-9:30 and then the rest of the day to do what we wanted.  I chose to go on a hike to the elephant cave which is a whole bunch of caves that have been carved out by elephants.  On the way we saw fresh leopard paw prints as well as humongous elephant tracks.  It was pretty cool and I was a little scared but the guide did not seemed panicked at all so that put me at ease.  In my mind I was thinking of ways to fend off the leopard with my walking stick.  But, needless to say it was absolutely beautiful and it reminded me of the rainforest feel in Costa Rica and I felt like I should be ziplining down the mountains. At the top we reached the elephant caves and then stood at the top of a waterfall that was 40 meters tall.  It was an unbelievable view and I'm so happy I went!  Tanzania is beautiful, it really is.  

And after the hike we went to the town of Karatu which is about 15 minutes from the campsite and hung out there for a little bit.  It was a huge success because I tried practicing my swahili.  Also, I had my pump site in my arm and after some guy asked what medicine it was I responded with that it helped keep my arm connected to my body and that sometimes if I take the medicine off in the shower my arm falls off.  Really funny to me, probably not so funny to everybody else.  Oh and we found an awesome music store that has agreed to blast our music when we do our flash mob in town ( way more on that later).  Lastly, good old Happy Days.  It is a pub where we got American food and have never been happier.  I split a hawaiian pizza and a cheeseburger and it was deluxe.  Except my stomach hurt after so it should be quite interesting returning to american food full time.  

Oh, and as if the day wasn't cool enough after the pub Joe and I signed out at the gate and went down into town to visit our neighbors and the most adorable kids ever!  I'm trying desperately to learn their names but there are so many of them it's crazy.  Of course pictures of their cute faces are on their way, but for now some pictures from today's hike.

Elephant caves in the back

beautiful waterfall

Diafail turns into a Diawin???

So once upon a time the whole group left for Tanzania at 6 am on Thursday morning, meaning we woke up at 5 to pack our last things and eat breakfast.  So, naturally I was quite tired and emotional from having to leave all of the staff, but excited for the new adventure to come.  We did a search of our banda like 25 times because my bandamate is quite the prepared one, and nothing was to be found except our pet mouse Martha so we were good to go.  Confident that I had not forgotten anything we set out for Tanzania with a strict timeline on meeting the Tanzania group at the border and about 1.5 hours in I realized something.  I had forgotten all of my insulin in the fridge in Kenya.  I quickly scanned my pump to see there were exactly 92 units left in my pump which would last me about 2 days.  Panicking, the following conversation occurred...

Me: Harrison (our driver), I need to talk to Molly (Student Affairs Manager aka most glorious person in the world) because I forgot something very important at KBC.
Harrison: What did you forget?  We can mail it to you.
Me: No, it's my insulin and I really need it.
Harrison (on the radio): Molly, please hold up in your car.
I roll down the window after pulling up to the car Molly was driving...
Me: Once upon a time I forgot all of my insulin back at camp.
Molly: Really? (puts her hand over her mouth) Well, we can't go back now but let me call Kioko and we will figure something out.
Me: Okay (I sink into the seat out of embarrassment...)

After a couple tears and a few, "Why am I so dumb?" statements we finally arrive at the border where I try and hide from Molly out of embarrassment and terror.  But, luckily she says that a guy will be returning from KBC to Tanzania in two days and in the meantime we can get insulin from the local clinic in Tanzania.  Thanking my lucky stars the guy with the insulin is coming in the next three hours because he got stuck in traffic in Arusha.  However, this morning we went to the clinic just incase, and guess what I came home with?  Good old Regular insulin.  Haven't used it since I was I think 10, maybe younger, but I'm feeling pretty cool right now.  It's even a little bit retro, if you will.  So I'm pretty stoked about that and the doses seem to be working, however, as if that wasn't a diawin in itself.  On the way back from the clinic me and the other two girls that came along got to go out to lunch with our new student affairs manager, Erica.  She is fabulous by the way.  And the lunch was even somewhat american involving a chicken caesar salad and pizza (kind of)!  Of course though it's a secret, but let's just say I might just have to run out of insulin another time.

So overall I would probably say that the largest diafail of my whole life turned into one of the biggest diawins including R and american food.  Just another reason why I love Africa.....tons.  

Update...finally!

Okay so sorry I'm horrible at updating.  The past week has been absurdly busy and so many changes have happened that I found it hard to post.  Also, the internet...subpar.  But yesterday evening I left the precious town of Kimana that I have absolutely fallen in love with in order to travel 10 hours to my new home in Rhotia, Tanzania.  Leaving Kimana was one of the hardest things I have ever done and it brought back memories of how I used to cry for two days straight after leaving a CBC session.  In fact, I'm actually having trouble accepting this new camp site (aka resort!!!) as my new home because I keep comparing it to Kenya.  I made so many friends, especially at the nearby secondary school that I will remember forever.  Luckily, I have gotten their addresses and even their one of their facebook pages (proof that facebook is taking over the world) so hopefully we will keep in touch as they go off to university next year.  They have taught me so much and really forced me to realize how much of a difference a positive attitude can make in someone's life.  They also taught me how important it is to not be afraid to interact with strangers.  I know that everybody's parents tell you to stay away from strangers so instinctually we become very shy, but this time I consciously made an effort to treat these beautiful kids just as I would my little sister.  So I bossed them around and was super sarcastic, sang songs, made fun of them, you know, the usual.  And of course a photo shoot was necessary.  

And although it wasn't quite as personal I will deeply miss the little munchkins at the primary school that were overjoyed by copying my every move.

And then, of course the other hard thing was leaving the staff.  The staff in Kenya are some of the most incredible people I have ever met.  I wish I could have stayed up all night listening to their stories and advice.  I now have such new ambitions and ways of seeing things and I can't thank them enough for giving me this experience.  So we threw a staff party for them which involved dressing up like Maasai, remaking Party in the USA to become Party in the KBC (Kilimanjaro Bush Camp), making a slideshow, baking cookies, making smores, a dance party and of course roasting a goat.  They said it's the best party they have ever seen from students and although I would like to believe them I have a feeling they say that to everyone because they are too precious to say otherwise.

My favorites, Ernest and Jackson

And so leaving Kenya and my favorite staff: Molly, Susana, Judy, Ernest, Mtero, Jackson, Daniel, and Shem was the hardest thing ever and although Tanzania (we call it the promise land) is beautiful I can't stop thinking about Kenya.  Don't get me wrong Tanzania is beautiful, there are hot showers that are indoors and attached to our bandas, there is 24 hour internet, the food is much better, and there is a separate classroom than dining room (minimizing the pots and pans banging during class).  But I can't get Kenya off my mind and how badly I want to go back.  I'm trying to convince myself to forget about it and see Tanzania as a whole new place and embrace the new amenities and the fact that we can leave camp and go into the community whenever we want which is new.  We'll see how it goes from here, but right now I'm missing Kimana like no other. 

Finals, say what?

So the past 4 days have been dedicated to finals/midterms/I have no idea what they are.  They are worth 35-40% of our grades but we have another set of tests in a month in Tanzania...so make what you want of them.  2 days of studying, 2 days of finals.  Well that was what was supposed to happen at least.  So studying....not my forte.  Procrastinator I think is an understatement.  Unfortunate, I realize.  But this time around it was a lot more fun than usual.  Like I didn't put it off for hours on end, well I did but not as many hours as usual.  Having 28 study partners for all of your classes is very convenient especially when out of a group that large there is bound to be someone who takes good notes...or even notes at all.  Also, having 20 people split a study guide makes it be created in like 4 seconds flat.  (that was an awkwardly worded sentence but I'm too lazy to fix it)  Moral of the story, studying and exams are actually wicked fun in Africa!  A couple of my favorite moments:

1. Tome (our man vs. wild professor): Even if you don't have any sort of idea what the answer to the question is at least write something.  That way I can interpret it to pick out the best things.
-to which I say.... Dear Tome, please put your interpreting skills to work when you grade mine.  Love                   always, Arianna

2. Right before our first exam one of my classmates Cooper puts this song on full volume on his laptop.  "Don't worry, bout a thing. Every little thing is gonna be alright" (at least I think those are the words)

3. The following statements were on some study guides

-This program is like a Mom.  She gives dual and equal love to her babies: biodiversity and development
-Important to provide tangible benefits to the local community aka. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!
-High potential to earn money from rich, fat, white European people (tourism)
-why was PRA adopted?  A whole bunch of other methods that were tried bombed.  Might as well switch it up, ya know?
-PRAs are like aquatic ninja warriors: they'll mess you up no matter where you are
-be flexible: roll with the punches, float like a butterfly, sting like a bee
-because it's ethical YA GERK
-make observations, hypotheses (scientific method, yo)

So these "finals or whatever you call it" were actually not anywhere near miserable and I think I did pretty well as long as some interpretation goes on.  And on a completely different note, Congrats to Sierra on rocking it at girl dancer in Guys and Dolls!!!! I'm positive you were the best one! Love you!

Eternally Grateful

Today I received a message from one of my best friends in the entire world and although it sounds like it is from a camp person a little bit, it's not, but it makes me love it all the more.  And from reading this message I've once again been reminded how grateful I am for the beautiful life that I have.  I am grateful for having the opportunity to travel, as it is probably my favorite thing to do in the entire world.  I am grateful for being able to get an education and a paying job.  I am grateful for Clara Barton Camp and all the friends and support it has given me.  I am grateful for my ability to not be stressed out (most of the time).  I am grateful for music, because I love it.  I am grateful for little munchkins that are either just too cute for words or so wonderfully sassy and lovely that you don't want to leave their side.  I am grateful for the University of San Diego and for it allowing me to make many friends and have such a different experience.  At the same time I am eternally grateful for Tolland, CT, particularly Tolland High, for giving me a strong sense of community and for allowing me to build friendships that I know will last a lifetime.  I am grateful for my family and for all the support they give me.  I am grateful for ice cream and all other delicious foods and the fact that they are almost always available.  I am grateful that I have not been affected by any natural disasters.  I am grateful for THS basketball and for giving me some of my best memories during high school and for teaching me to be a leader.  I am forever grateful for my beautiful baby sister and for her putting up with me ditching her all the time.  I am grateful for diabetes and how it has made me so much stronger and to appreciate life and of course the whole diabetes community.  But most of all I am eternally grateful for all of my incredible friends.  They have been there through all the crazy life choices I have made and continue to support me even during my rampages.  And there is no way I can pay them back for all they have done, but for all its worth.  Thank you.


And here is the sweet, hysterical, beyond lovely message that I got that made me realize just how important my friends are to me...and always will be.  

i love reading your blog! i am so glad you are having such a great time.. I feel like you are at camp only 10 times better and now it includes zebras :)

OH and a comment on the brushing your teeth thing... SO i think that I have become quite knowledgeable on the subject.. i mean i am a wannabetic! sooo.. THAT is so RUDE!.. i had never heard that! and I have no idea who would say that... ANYWAYS... there is this girl that lives in idk where.. not important... and she is in a sorority and her philanhropy is the diabetes association bla bla.. i dont know.. anyways they have bake sales... and she said that people always ask them.. "you are selling cookies for the diabetes association?" and i FLIPPED out! i was like.. HEY! THEY CAN EAT ALL THE COOKIES IN THE WORLD IF THEY WANTED TO! i left the part where you have to actually take shots for you not to go into a sugar coma but yeah... so she was like ..huh! and i was like YEAH!! so i talked about how i was an awesome roommate and learned that diabetes was actually contagious and i was trying to catch it...

hope that made sense!:)
bottom line.. i love you and its ok to hate diabetes once in a while.. but remember that you are awesome and that you are a champ and i hope you are still brushing your teeth:) 

R.A.P.

Every night here at 7:30 right after dinner we have a thing called R.A.P. which stands for Reflection, Announcements, and Presentation.  The M.O.D. (Mwanafunzi (Student) of the Day) is in charge of turning the solar panels, ringing the bell for meals and class, and then leading R.A.P. after dinner.  Sometimes R.A.P. takes 10 minutes and other times it takes an hour depending on what people choose to do.  Reflection involves either asking the entire group a question such as favorite childhood memory, most missed food, best halloween costume, best friend stories, etc.  or just simply a thought on how the day went.  Then announcements are done by the professors and the student affairs manager and then the best part comes....the presentation.  It is basically whatever you want to do, some people show pictures of places they have been, others play games, some show funny youtube videos, and lots of other cool stuff.  But for my rap I asked my friends (shocking I know that I have friends here), Crossley, Rachel, and Joe to help me rap for my R.A.P.  So we spent the last two weeks redoing the lyrics of Empire State of Mind so that they applied to Kenya.  Obviously costumes and choreography were involved and it was one of the best moments here so far.  Everybody loved it, there was a standing ovation, and it even got a "Shem clap" (more on that later).  But overall it was just completely awesome!  I wish I could post the video, but the internet says no to that one so a couple pictures will have to suffice.  And now there is talk about making a music video with the whole group...I'll keep you updated on how that goes.

Expedition Favorites

For the past 6 days I have been camping in Tsavo West National Park.  Although I have never been dirtier in my life, nor have I used that many baby wipes, it was an absolutely incredible experience.  Because it was so wonderful there are just too many things to talk about so I decided to highlight my favorites.  So here we go…

1.  Favorite Quote (talking with my professor after he assigned a group oral presentation):

Arianna: “Shem, is this presentation graded?”

Shem: “No.  Do bad.”

2.  Favorite Animal:

Lions!  We saw a female by herself right next to the road and then two males hunting a baby         buffalo.

3.  Favorite Game:

Mafia!  I got the whole group playing mafia almost every night by the campfire and it was a huge hit.

4.  Favorite Food:

Apples!  The last day we went to a tourist lodge for relaxing and swimming and after eating peanut butter sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, and watermelon for every meal it was wonderful to have their lunch buffet….which included the ever rarely found apples.

5.  Favorite Warning:

Sit down, the elephants are about to charge!  On a game drive we came across three male elephants and one of them was “eating” dust which apparently is a sign of aggression.  They kept coming towards us so that we had to turn our car around and hope that our driver didn’t stall.  Eventually the elephants             moved off the road, allowing us to pass but nonetheless giving us a scare.

6.  Favorite View:

Chyulu Hills.  We hiked up one of a huge series of hills for about 45 minutes until we reached the top and had the most amazing view yet.

7.  Favorite Drive:

To Chyulu Hills.  It included driving through grass that was as tall as the car because the “road was a bit overgrown”.  The cool thing is that SFS and KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service) are the only ones to go up to this part of the Chyulu Hills so it was quite the adventure with lots of driving on edges of cliffs and             bumpy rides including multiple “we need to get out and push” and “sit down and hold on”. 

8.  Favorite Attraction:

The gas station.  It was a gas station, kinda like America has.  We bought ice cream that was actually cold and waters/sodas that were also refrigerated.  It was a bit crazy.  Needless to say we made this trip twice with our free time :-).  

9.  Favorite Sunset:

One day as we were driving back from a game drive we saw the coolest "sunset" where the sun was shining through the clouds and you could literally see the individual rays.  The picture doesn't do it justice.

And a big congratulations to my cousin Elisabeth on her beautiful baby girl, Madeline!  She is absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to meet her!  Have a great first week home! 

It's like brushing your teeth...only not

Today I had a brief, but definitely there diabetes burnout moment.  Add on the fact that I was low and incredibly emotional and you've got a total disaster.  So I was laying in my bed having a diabetes sucks moment which have been coming frequently enough so that I don't go insane, but rare enough that everyone doesn't know I hate it.  Frankly, I just wanted to have it whether it was justified or not.  My beyond lovely bandamate Ana came to see what was wrong.  When I told her that I was upset with diabetes she resorted to the commonly used but ever awful brushing your teeth analogy.  I'm sure everyone with diabetes has heard it at least 10 times.  My family has used it, my friends back home have used it, now my friends here have jumped on the bandwagon.

What is the brushing teeth analogy exactly?  It's the "Well, you just have to do it" response to your diabetes burnout moment.  "It's like brushing your teeth.  You just have to do it and yea it sucks but you have to because it keeps you healthy."  And here is how I feel about the brushing your teeth analogy.  It is the most unhelpful, unjustified, frustrating response someone could give.  It is as bad as "well at least diabetes provides jobs" except without the shock factor.  I don't mean to be negative to the people who use it because clearly they are one of many and I know they are just trying to help.  But I want you to know that the only thing that is even vaguely similar between diabetes and brushing your teeth is that if you stop brushing your teeth for a while you get a cavity, and if you stop taking care of diabetes for a while you go blind or get kidney failure.  So either way there is a consequence for not doing it.

But without even thinking too hard I can think of numerous ways for which diabetes is quite different than brushing your teeth...
1)  You brush your teeth two times a day to keep your teeth healthy.  We check our blood sugar 6-8 times a day and think about diabetes probably half of the time we're awake.  Unless you're a little strange I don't think you think about brushing your teeth all day.
2)  You forget to brush your teeth before bed and your teeth feel a little nasty but can quickly be repaired by brushing them.  We forget to check before bed and it could result in a seizure or large ketones.
3)  You don't bring a toothbrush or toothpaste to your friend's house for a sleepover, or on vacation and you use your finger or borrow from somebody else.  We forget to bring our meter or insulin and back home we go.  Insulin isn't exactly a common household item.
4)  You pay probably less than $2 to keep your teeth healthy for an entire month.  I pay an average of $200 a month on diabetes supplies.
5)  Brushing your teeth does not determine when you can exercise, when/what you should eat (aka prevent you from eating when you are starving or force you to eat an hour after a huge meal), or require you to poke yourself all the time.
6)  Brushing your teeth makes your teeth look clean and white.  Checking our blood sugar gives us large calluses all over our fingers.
7)  You brush your teeth and nobody seems to notice.  We check our blood sugar or give a shot and it's a field day of curious people staring until we stare them back.
8)  If you don't brush your teeth you can still be in the army, fly a plane and scuba dive for long periods of time.  You may not be the most fun/attractive person to be around but you can still do it.
9)  If someone sees you brushing your teeth they usually don't tell you that their grandmother died of not brushing her teeth.
10)  Whether you brush your teeth before dinner or after dinner makes little difference.  Pre-bolusing vs post-bolusing can have huge effects on complications later in life.
11)  If you brush your teeth the same way every day you will get the same results.  If we keep the same routine, the blood sugars don't seem to go along with it.  I guess they just don't like routines.
11)  Oh and in case you haven't noticed....We have to brush our teeth too.  

Although the list could go on forever I think that the point was made.  I don't really like that analogy and paired with my other two favorites (think of all the people who don't have the supplies you do, and well at least it's not cancer) they aren't the most supportive responses.  Moral of the story, sometimes we just need to have a negative nancy moment and you telling us why we shouldn't have them isn't exactly helpful.  What would be helpful would be to acknowledge just how much effort is put into keeping ourselves in range and sometimes it is never enough.  But with your support and acknowledgement of all we do, life is a lot easier.      

Oh and on a totally different note I'm leaving for expedition tomorrow morning and so I won't be able to update my blog until the 15th.  But there will be a lot to tell because let's just say we have four armed guards with us at all times and "it's not uncommon to have elephants and lions around camp at night so don't ever go to the bathroom without a guard."  Wish me luck!

Oh Kenyans, how I love thee

The people here are seriously some of the most fabulous people I have ever met.  They live simple lives filled with more love and joy than I think my heart could even hold if I wanted it to.  Even with such little "western education" they seem so wise and ready for whatever life gives to them.  They are so welcoming that it would be almost uncomfortable if people in the U.S. were like that.  And they are proud, so proud.  I can't tell you how many times one of our cooks, Susana, has told me that Kenya is the best country (usually through song, hence why I'm so in love with her).  When we go out for interviews about human wildlife conflicts or conservation opportunities in the community people are begging to talk to you, to share their opinion.  And yet, one thing Kenyans are not afraid of is speaking their minds.  Some things they say would be totally unacceptable in the U.S. and at first took us off guard, but now we are so used to it that I'm pretty sure I'm catching onto some of it.  So I apologize in advance for any statements that may not seem "polite" in the U.S.  I've written up a couple of my favorite conversations over the past 5 weeks (still can't believe it, time is flying by).  These are just a few of the reasons why I love Kenyans, but I think you will begin to love them to by reading these conversations.

1.  Talking to a 20-year-old boy for an interview...

Me: How long have you lived here in Kimana?

Boy: I moved here about 5 years ago.

Me: Oh, why did you move?

Boy:  I was looking for life.

2.  Talking with a crowd of boys at the secondary school in Kimana...

Boys: What are those?

Me:  They are freckles.

Boys:  Are you sick?

3.  Talking with my host momma...     

Momma:  What is that?

Me: Oh its an insulin pump.

Momma:  Here, drink some chai.  It will make you feel better.

4.  Talking with one of our askaris (guards)...

Askari:  Is that a flashlight?

Me:  No, its my insulin pump

Askari: What is it?  A camera?

Me: No, its my insulin pump because I have diabetes.  It's attached, wanna see?

Askari: Ah, no that is too personal for me.

5.  Talking with the girls at the secondary school and Molly one of my classmates...

Them:  What is that???

Molly:  Oh that's a sunburn.

Them:  That is from the sun???

Molly:  Yes, I didn't put enough lotion on.

Them:  Does it hurt?

Molly:  Yeah, it hurts for a while but soon it will be better.

Them:  She must be lying, we are in the sun all day.

6.  While getting my hair done today...

Me: I would like little braids all over.

Lady: Oh no no no sugar, I put corn rows at the top.  It will make you look smart.

7.  While slaughtering a goat for dinner and talking with one of our drivers, Jackson (my personal favorite).

Jackson: Why aren't you going down there?

Me:  I need a break.  I'm a little overwhelmed after seeing that.

Jackson: Why are you overwhelmed.

Me:  Cuz its sad.  It was so cute and cuddly earlier.

Jackson:  No, its food.

And there are many more....but I can't think of any more right now.  Moral of the story: Kenyans are my new favorite and I so badly wish that all of you could be here with me because each day just keeps getting better.  Here are a couple pictures from our salon outing! Enjoy!

The classy salon...flies entertainment for free

The girls after our salon day

Africa, you're perfect

Trees reflecting the sun,

Providing an umbrella of shade,

Hosting adorable vervet monkeys,

That distract me from my grades,

No lights to be seen,

Stars shine brightly in the sky,

Kids waving on the streets,

Every time you pass by,

Thatched roof bandas,

With pet lizards and rats,

Becoming very comfortable,

With charging elephants and rats,

Mommas constantly harassing you,

Everywhere you go,

It’s hard to play volleyball,

With thorns stuck in your toes,

Things that were never normal,

Are now no big surprise,

Elephants and zebras,

And your face covered in flies,

Hot showers are a blessing,

But they come with scary things,

Spiders, snakes, and beetles,

And other crazy stuff with wings,

Giraffes blocking the road,

It’s no longer a big deal,

My pictures that look photoshopped,

I promise they are real,

The brilliance of professors,

The kindness of my SAM (student affairs manager),

The cuteness of the kitchen crew,

I’m proud they are my fam,

Then there are the askaris,

Carrying machetes all day long,

Protecting us from everything,

That could possibly go wrong,

Elephants breaking in,

Black mombas taking a bite,

Baboons camping on your porch,

Or forgetting your flashlight,

Africa I love you,

I wish you weren’t so far away,

Time is going by too fast,

I want it to stop today,

Africa you’re perfect,

But I’m not sure exactly why,

Is it your beauty or your love,

Or your super tasty chai,

Thank you thank you Africa,

For inspiring me to be,

Everything I’ve ever wanted,

And for showing me that’s me!

And because I'm obsessed with kids, here is another lovely picture!!!

Community Service

Yesterday we had our community service day which consisted of planting 300 trees at the primary school.  Although I have never been so dirty in my entire life it was once again a reminder that I LOVE KIDS! Okay, so with that being said we had to use our hands most of the time because there weren’t very many tools.  And guess who got stuck with the manure job?  Yup, it was just as disgusting as it sounds.  However, I was one of the only ones that got to wash their hands before lunch so that was thrilling!  But as you probably know the best part of the day was playing with the kids!  Now usually I prefer the sassy teenagers, mostly so I can sass them back.  But this time I had the best time in the entire world playing with kids ages 6-10.  They are seriously the cutest things I’ve ever seen.  I’m not even sure how it started but I got into a copycat game with an enormous amount of children (pictures below) and although the kids loved it I’m pretty sure I got more of a kick out of it.  It then turned into a parade later on in the day and then a large circle.  It was pretty crazy, especially because they don’t understand English.  During the copycat game I had them saying “say what”, “that’s right”, and “yea man” which I was pretty proud of myself for.  Although the video is epic, it can’t be uploaded due to the minimal internet, but hopefully a couple pictures will suffice.  And now I’m considering a new career.  Being a dolphin just doesn’t seem to be cutting it anymore.  Not enough kids involved…