East Africa Blog

Zanzibar

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 17:14:11 +0000

Written by Eli and Megan

After a smooth week of student directed travel, the group headed to the beautiful island of zanzibar. once we landed in stonetown, we were introduced to our final homestay families. After settling into our new homes for the week, we were lucky enough to be given a proper tour of stonetown by our contact, Faisal, and his funny sidekick, Ally. We learned about how some front doors have chains carved into them to represent that the original owners of the building had been involved in slave trade. Some doors were also decorated with flowers or vines, symbolizing that the previous owner had been involved in spice trading. Once we completed our tour of stonetown, we headed back to our homestays to enjoy a delicous homemade meal cooked by our mamas.

Our time in Stonetown was jampacked with adventures. Everybody chose an internship for the week, and we spent a few hours there everyday. Eli and Reid chose to do their internship with a local painter. They learned how to blend colors together and eventually created their own pieces of work. Reb, Eve, Ellie B., and Maddy decided on a relaxing spa internship, where they created tea blends, incense, body scrubs, and extracted their own coconut oil. Hanya, Lily, Ben, Ellie G. and Megan chose to learn the ins and outs of screen printing. They worked hard to create their own T-shirt design, and eventually got to print and take home their custom made shirts.

In between our internships and daily shopping sprees, we found time to take a boat out to Prison Island. This beautiful island is known for their giant tortoises!! After wondering around the tortoise park, some of us snorkled and some relaxed on the shore for a while. When the tide started to come back in, the group spent hours bridge jumping.. it was a blast!

On our final day in Stonetown, most of the group took part in Henna. We Henna’d our hands, feet, arms, and even nails. The designs were beautiful, but sadly they washed away once we got to our next stop- Matemwe- and started our SCUBA TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Follow up on next weeks blog to hear all about our SCUBA adventures.

Eli and Megan

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An extra blog post from Nkula

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 17:05:36 +0000

Written by Reid and Megan

Jambo!

This week we spent our days relaxing on the beach and learning how to SCUBA!! After two days of theory and skills in the pool we finally got to go out on our first dive on the third day! We started off with review of the important skills we learned then went on our first dive at Mnemba Atoll. We split into small diving groups and cruised along a huge reef and saw all sorts of beautiful fish and corals and moray eels. The underwater world was incredible we also heard dolphins talking bud didn’t see them sadly they were probably talking about how funny it would be avoiding us. We spent the nights talking before the trip was all over and enjoyed our buffet and cuddled with dogs Ganja and Hash and sat by a fire making new Tanzanian friends. Reid Hanya and Ben found dead puffer fish on the beach and even found a dead giant leopard moray eel.

On our fourth day we woke up early to prepare for another under water adventure! We took a bus to another beach where we were picked up by our boat and set sail for our final dive before earning our Open Water Certificate. We all back rolled into the clear deep blue and descended down 18 meters or 60 feet. We saw more beautiful and funny looking trumpet fish and needle fish and some big trigger fish who have buck teeth which they use to flip over sea urchins to eat at the less spiky belly. We encountered an octopus more eels and huge grouper and once again the dolphins came to taunt us but our SCUBA instructor saw them for a slit second I was busy filming the beautiful reef. At the last moments of our amazing dive we saw the beautiful endangered Green Sea Turtle which was found resting on the reef I got a video and pictures of our cute little friend.

It was time to end the dive only 40 bar left after taking a three minute safety stop we surfaced and finally became certified divers! After getting lunch on the boat and taking apart our BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) for the last time we took group pictures and went home. We ate our last dinner in Zanzibar and traveled back to Dar before going home. We said our goodbyes to Hanya at 2:00 AM and said our goodbyes to Ellie B and Ellie G at 12:00 PM and the rest of the group departs at 11:55 PM to finally go home after our 3 month adventure. We all had our ups and downs we started off as strangers but now we are more like family and this isn’t goodbye its only until next time.

I would like to thank Cari and Frederick from being great mentors and role models and teaching us so many things and making our trip amazing. Thank you Cari for your nonstop positive energy and support when some of the gang was down in the dumps you helped me when I was feeling down and thank you so much I will never forget you. Frederick I will never forget the strange funny moments and all the singing on the choo in Swahili and all the knowledge you shared us about plants and cooking thank you for being a good teacher and thank you for the frog napkins.

Kwaheri Blog and Cari and Frederick,

Reid and Megan

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Nkula final blog

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 02:09:53 +0000

Written by Frederick and Cari

Hamjambo! Oli otya?! Amakuru?

Choo kikowapi?! (Where is the bathroom?) is what we often questioned everyone, in a hurry, after we rushed off our never ending buses through East Africa…

Usually we found them in time and hoped that we remembered toilet paper. We say “usually,” because sometimes you get the travel gurgles and you have a whole new experience. The best part was our group is awesome and everyone took everything with a laugh and a grain of salt.

We bussed and flew through three countries, ate copious amounts of ugali, chapati, beans, rice, and yup even sugar pasta…oh and don’t forget the mandazi… gotta love that fried bread. We saw real live giraffes just outside our bus window on the side of the road… and this wasn’t even on safari! We bonded over food poisoning, trekked for ten miles and canoed like it was our own karaoke party on wheels, found Tom’s island, learned how to weave bracelets, lived with many different host families, bathed in buckets, practiced our best Swahili, went on a coffee tour, learned a lot about resources and where our own food comes from, farmed, snorkeled, boated to a sandbank, saw extremely large tortoises, had buses break down, made friends with many cows and goats, and did I mention we even tracked Rhinos, including Obama?

The reality is there are way too many things to list to sum up our trip. To sum everything up would be impossible, because our experiences are in our memories and they are our own. We each had a very unique and special experience that we can only put into words that describe how we felt, how we learned, experimented, challenged our own fears, tested our limits, expanded our perspectives and added questions to our lives to ponder. We grew as individuals and grew together as a very cohesive team. The cultures and communities became a part of us and now they will always be a chapter of our story, as we will be one of theirs. We will return home not just as another Muzungo standing out as a minority in a crowd, but as an outstanding member of our own community because that’s something we hope we all have learned and can take away. You are all leaders, life changers (even if it’s your own), and you have the power and capacity to develop yourself, your community, and create the life you want. This experience will affect us all differently but one thing that won’t change is that we did it all together, we all stuck with it, even when we were way out of our comfort zones and that is pretty epic. Congratulations Nkula on an incredible three months of travel!

Go do you! Keep in touch! Have fun and enjoy your beautiful lives!

“Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember everything you have faced, all the battles you have won, and all the fears you have overcome.” – unknown

Big hugs,

Frederick and Cari

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Student Directed Travel

Nkula Overseas Educators — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 18:23:20 +0000

Written by Eli and Lily

After our amazing home stays in Uwembe Village the group began student directed travel. With several weeks of stressful preparation we were finally on our way. A decision was made to make our way back to Iringa where we spent two nights. Whilst in Iringa we swung by the cinema to watch The Nun and The Spy Who Dumped Me. We woke early after the second night to hop on a bus that would take us nine hours to Mandizi. Ellie B. and Eve, the spectacular accommodations and transportation team found us another bus which we rode to Bagamoyo.

Bagamoyo, a port town, to which we researched has many beautiful beaches. The moment we saw beach, we all couldn’t help but run into the warm waters. The second day was a beach day and we must have all been too excited because by the end, the majority of people were badly sunburned. The following day everyone except a few ventured eleven kilometers off the coast to a nameless sandbar where they enjoyed a day of snorkeling. They saw many starfish, lion fish, jellyfish, and coral they had never seen before. If they were not sunburned before than they certainly were after coming back. Reid, sadly, got the worst of it. On our final night, the night of the 22nd, otherwise known as Thanksgiving we all came together for dinner at the Firefly Resort. We attempted to make a whirlpool in the small circular pool that was available. It didn’t work. Our food came, we shared what we were grateful for, and then we dug in! The evening wrapped up nicely with a fun group game.

Although we did not want to leave, we said our goodbyes and thus concludes our student directed travel.

Badai! (later!)

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Uwembe Village

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:20:12 +0000

By Ellie G, and LilyDear past family,
We’ve just returned from spending the week with our new families! After the time at Ohana Amani, our gang walked an hour or so to the nearest town, Uwemba, where we were welcomed with open arms and a fantastic surprise party! We shared a yummy first meal with our home stay mothers, and after a round of introductions, we headed off separately to begin the week in this joyful village.

Ben, Reid and Eli shared some quality time scooping goat poop and getting daily ice cream from a local bakery run by the Mission in town. They also had the unique experience of living with eight rabbits and building a coop to house them! As you can imagine, it was a great and smelly week for the three.

Ohana Amani proved useful for learning about farm to table vegetables, but Uwemba proved useful for Hanya and Ellie B. to learn about farm to table meat! They were able to watch their Mama kill a chicken by “sawing its head off.” Instead of deterring their appetite, the two were able to fully appreciate a tasty dinner of chicken and beans. Yum.

Rebecca and Ellie G. had a bit of a different experience. Unfortunately, their home stay mother had to leave Uwemba unexpectedly to tend to her sick daughter at university, however her sister was able to fill in as their make-shift mother. Without the OG Mama to provide them with daily tasks, these two got to chill hardcore and bond over bowel movements.

Maddy and Megan experienced a week in Uwemba “luxury” with a porcelain drop toilet and a backyard filled with various fruit trees and spices. They were able to graft avocado trees, clean out a chicken coop, and learn how to armpit fart around the dinner table thanks to their home stay father. The week was not complete without a few restless nights due to cries from their one-month and four-month old siblings.

Last but not least, Lily and Eve shared a home with an adorable puppy, funny looking pig, and an independent Mama who would literally stick her hands in burning coal without fear to prepare dinner. They were able to plant maize and potatoes, build a chicken coop, and watch Indian soap operas with the youngest daughter of the family.

We are so thankful to Mary for allowing us to be Live Dunia’s FIRST home stay group. We learned so much in this short week and are sure to remember this unique experience with love. It was sad to say goodbye to the Uwemba families, but with such a short time remaining in this adventure, we’re excited to be reunited with our families back home!

TTYL!

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Ohana Amani

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 17:18:24 +0000

By Ben
Kamwene friends and family,

Sorry it’s been a while since the last blog post. We’ve been on a holistic retreat in the Southern Highlands region of Njombe. We spent the week meditating, doing yoga, eating and cooking farm-to-table meals, and learning about ourselves.

At Ohana Omani we were greeted by an amazing pair of sisters named Chevy and Curry who led our activities for the week. Curry would start every morning with various yoga/meditation practices. Some days were basic sun salutations consisting of downward dog and cobra while other days we did hugging circles.

Chevy, an amazing cook, would teach us how to gather various vegetables from the garden and utilize them in the kitchen in meals such as coconut curry, savory bread pudding, and chili. Every meal we had fresh salad, which we missed, as fresh greens aren’t common in Tanzanian cuisine.

Each day consisted of conversation circles where we discussed topics from permaculture and sustainable living to our own emotions and aspirations in life. There were both tears and laughter and we were thankful for a safe place that Curry and Chev created to express these emotions.

We also did various projects on the farm such as pruning fruit trees and hedges, clearing space for pine trees to grow, and irrigating water to make a pond. This work allowed us to give back for all that Ohana Omani did for us. We also took a tour of the farm and learned more about living consciously and what it looks like living close to our resources.

The most challenging day was when we agreed to fast and be silent, while spending six hours alone in nature with no distractions (not even a watch to tell the time!). During this time we all self reflected and learned to enjoy our own presence.

Overall everyone thoroughly enjoyed our time spent at Ohana Omani and the sisters who ran it left a huge impact on all of us. As we were leaving we wrote a song to thank everyone at Ohana Omani and there were lots of tears as we made our way to the next home-stay in Uwembe.

Stay tuned to hear how the home-stays went!

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New Experiences in Tanzania

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 06 Nov 2018 21:19:37 +0000

By Ben and Rebecca

Hello Beloved Family,

Let us tell you about our crazy week! We arrived at the small village of Mufindi at around 5 on Sunday evening. We were thrown directly into a week of new experiences and a little bit of culture shock. We were to spend the next 5 days in homestays with the families of Mufindi. We would not see our fellow Carpe students until that Friday.

We all had very different but equally enriching experiences. Some of us were with farming families and spent some time in their fields, some of us attempted to carry firewood and water on their head with nothing but a kanga for support, and some of us were treated to a week of rest and relaxation. Depending on how involved our family wanted us to be they would either bring us along to work or leave us to read and contemplate life all day.

We were treated to three traditional Tanzanian meals per day. In a usual day, we would eat rice, beans, and ugali (flour mixed into boiling water to create a goo). For vegetables, we would usually eat potatoes, some sort of greens, and the occasional fruit. Some of us helped prepare the meals over a wood fire in our cleverly constructed outdoor kitchens.

Some unique experiences from the groups of people were: Megan and Ben spent 3 hours in church one afternoon, Ellie G and Maddy were bathed and hand fed by their house mama, Reb, and Eve spent afternoons pulling potatoes while fighting off biting ants, Lily, Ellie B, and Reid got experience pulling water out of a 60 foot well, Hanya and Eli learned how to make chipsi mayai (french fries and eggs).

After we had a tearful reunion with our group, we moved into houses on the campus of the Mufindi Children’s Home. This orphanage is targeted towards providing a home and education to children whose parents died of HIV/AIDS. We spent an afternoon helping children with their homework, playing games, or feeding the babies/toddlers. Following that we watched a spooky movie to celebrate Halloween with all the children. The next day we went on a hike to a dam that the Fox NGO made and spent the afternoon lounging in the grass and swimming in the water.

This week we learned some of the intense life stories of the children living at the orphanage, how this particular NGO is attempting to address the HIV epidemic in Tanzania, and the everyday life/ family structure of Tanzanian people in rural villages.

As we enter the last month of our journey we are trying to stay present and appreciate the rest of our time together. After a somewhat difficult week, we look forward to going to Ohana Amani this following week to learn about sustainable farming and do a bit of yoga and meditation. Check back in next week for Ben and Ellie G’s impressions from that experience!

XOXO, Gossip Girl

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Iringa, SAFARI!, and More

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 17:12:30 +0000

By Rebecca & Elizabeth

Hello beautiful family and friends,

We write to you from the depths of Tanzania in a small town known as Iringa. The air smells of eggs and french fries. We are sitting at an internet cafe in the post office, reflecting on our past week at Wildlife Connection.

On Monday we arrived at our campsite that was situated just 20 minutes away from Ruaha National Park. Luckily, your bloggers for this week, the majestic Ellie and superb Rebecca, got to share a tent for the week so we had plenty of time to write our update.

Our first day at Wildlife Connection was spent building roofs for beehives. Save the Bees! These roofs are now being used to shade the beehives that make up the fence around a village near our campsite. This village gets raided by elephants up to 200 times per year- decimating their crops. This creates tension between the farmers and their elephant neighbors- adding to the poaching problem in this part of Tanzania. The beehive fences are used to keep those pesky elephants out of the crops without harming the animals themselves. This then lowers the rate of elephant murders and makes everybody happy. AREN’T SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIPS AMAZING!?!?!?

Please excuse our tone- we are slightly delirious from travel and not showering for quite some time now.

After the beehive fences we went to a local school. There we taught a group of students about conservation efforts in America. Lily lead our lesson, and Ellie B, Eli, Rebecca, Frederick, Eve, and Ben told stories of saving animals and plants in their home states. We heard about everything from vernal pools to beach cleanups! The students rewarded us with a wonderful song. Thanks to Fredericki for translating- our Swahili has not yet reached maximum potential.

Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for………

SAFARIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!

We woke up at the crack of dawn on Thursday morning to begin our adventure into the untamed bush land. Within a few short hours of being in the park we were blessed by the gods. A leopard. Alive. In the flesh. In a giant tree. A baobab tree. Given that there are roughly 100 leopards in this park of 20,000 square kilometers, we were incredibly lucky. After that amazing moment, we went on to see so many more amazing animals. We saw lions, kudu, impala, hippos, crocodiles, elephants, zebras, giraffe, and much more. It was a day full of excitement and joy.

Overall our week with wildlife was one of our best weeks so far (in the minds of your bloggers). Our time here is speeding along so we are trying to enjoy every moment! Tune in next week for Rebecca and Ben’s reflection on the Mufindi Children’s Home!

Peace Out Girl Scout

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Kiswahili Language Classes

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 17:20:34 +0000

By Eve and Ellie B

Mambo!

We just spent our first week here in Tanzania taking Kiswahili classes at a language school at a Lutheran seminary in Morogoro. We also went on a beautiful hike up a mountain to get ourselves acclimated with the town. During our stay at the seminary, we lived with homestay families that live on the campus. Some of us were alone, while others stayed in doubles. Each morning, we would wake up and eat with our families, and then head off to class. Luckily, we had two chai (tea!) breaks to help alleviate our Swahili stress. We ate lunch together as a Carpe family before heading back to class. Afternoons and dinners were spent at the homestays, where we played cards, watched Tanzanian television, and danced in the living room. For many of us, we had to learn how to take bucket showers (some needed help shampooing) and said a prayer as we attempted to flush toilets without running water. For our last night, we decided to host all of our homestay families to an “American” meal with an Egyptian desert. We settled on a taco bar and rice pudding. However, we were unaware that “tako” means “butt” in Swahili; there was much confusion, and then a lot of laughter. A delicious evening!

The next morning, we said a sad goodbye and headed off to Iringa. Our 4-hour, 10 am bus, ended up leaving at 12:30 and arriving at 7 pm, after breaking down multiple times along the mountains. The long drive was enhanced, though, when we drove through a national park and saw giraffes, antelope, zebra, impala, and wildebeest from our windows! Baboons watched us from the side of the road. When we finally arrived in Iringa, we bonded with some Carpe alums at our beautiful hostel. Our rest day in Iringa (today) was filled with markets and some well-deserved relaxation.

Badaaye, friends and family!

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Adventures on Lake Bunyonyi & The Big City

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 16:08:23 +0000

By Eve and Hanya

Hey Everyone!

It’s currently our third day in Kigali, Rwanda. After an eventful and challenging week trekking the beautiful rolling hills of Lake Bunyonyi, it’s nice to be back in the city. In fact, we’re currently on the 13th floor of a plaza overlooking the hills of Kigali munching on some yummy Chinese food.

Eve took the photo, picturing Hanya, Ben, and Ellie G.

Our trek was definitely the most challenging part of the trip yet. Over the course of our three-day trek, we canoed around islands, climbed over the highest mountain on the lake (8,130 ft elevation!), and stayed with hospitable locals at night. Our guide, Owen, taught us the histories and different cultures surrounding the lake while we traveled around. For example, he showed us “Punishment Island”, a place where pregnant unmarried women were sent to starve and ultimately die.

Punishment Island.

On a happier note, we also learned about Dr. Sharp, the man who came to Lake Bunyonyi to help those suffering from leprosy. As a direct result of his work, the disease had been eradicated from the region by the end of the 19th century. We traveled around and “island hopped” in traditional dug out eucalyptus tree canoes.

For the hiking part of the trek, we passed through the Batwa people’s homeland. We were lucky enough to witness one of their traditional dances performed and even join in! The Batwa are one of the most ancient societies in Africa (and the world), tracing their lineage back for thousands of years. This same day we met the Batwa was the most demanding because we hiked a total of 11 miles over the steep Karembe Hill. Everyone went at their own pace and was cheering each other on and so supportive! This hike, although difficult, was rewarding due to its breathtaking views and cultural significance. We will definitely never forget this experience and Tom’s “superb” crayfish. Thank you, Owen, and off to Kigali!

The crew with Owen.

After being surrounded by nature for the past 2 weeks we’re finally getting to live the city life in Kigali. Our first day in Kigali was an emotional one as we began with a visit to the genocide memorial. The museum gave us a more in-depth understanding of Rwanda’s history leading up to the genocide, and then the horrors that occurred in 1994. Everyone was deeply moved and some of the visuals brought us to tears. This museum is special in that it allowed us to connect and empathize with a country that was completely foreign to us two days ago. During the lunch afterward we had an open discussion about what we had learned. That conversation really drove home the importance of the museum and brought our understanding about Rwanda and its future full circle.

To lighten the mood after an emotional day, we decided to eat ice cream and go to the movies. Watching Crazy Rich Asians and The Predator was so much fun!

The next morning we visited Cari’s old Co-Op from when she lived in Kigali. This organization “We Act” works with women living with HIV (a lasting reminder of the genocide) and trains them to make crafts out of brilliant kitange fabric. We supported these amazing women by buying some gifts for our families ;)….

Overall Kigali is a beautiful city with virtually zero trash on the ground, and the feeling of community in the air. In fact, all of our plastic bags were seized at the border because they’re illegal in Rwanda!

Until next time,
Bloggers Eve and Hanya

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An Exceptional Week at SNEC

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:07:19 +0000

By Maddie and Hanya

Hello family and friends,

It has been an exceptional week at SNEC (The School for Special Needs Kids here in Uganda). We met all different kids with many different disabilities whether that be mental or physical. Every kid stole our hearts. We loved being able to work with them and helping them with different school subjects such as Math and we even did some Art lessons.

Not only were we hanging with the kids we were also helping build the floor of the workshop classroom, which was a lot of manual labor but we did help get it finished! On top of all of that, we were able to stay in a house with an amazing view and live in the middle of the green hills for a few days. Since there are no take-out restaurants in the middle of the hills we had to cook all of our own meals for the week. We had different groups for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. A huge shout out to our OE Fredrick for his amazing cooking skills and leading us through a week of our own meal planning.

What goes in must come out and unfortunately for us it had to come out it an 8×5 hole in the ground in a small shed filled with wasps and flies. Please try to imagine how bad it smelled. This morning we had to say some very hard goodbyes with the new friends we made but our spirits are still high as we prepare for our multi-day trek through Lake Bunyonyi.

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Nile Raft Camp & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: Photo Story Pt. II

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 19:26:36 +0000

By Overseas Educator Cari Peck

Ellie B. And Lily stoked to be hanging out with Kori and her two year old baby, Ajabu.

Eli trying to make friends with a baby cow.

Eve celebrating her 19th bday at Ziwa.

Clearing invasive plant species.

Visiting the national mosque in Kampala.

Rebecca looks out at the view of Kampala from the top of the national mosque.

Lily, Meghan, Ellie, and Hanya getting ready for rafting.

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Nile Raft Camp & Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary: Photo Story Pt. I

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 19:24:06 +0000

By Overseas Educator Cari Peck

The whole crew headed to Nile Raft Camp after rafting.

Sunset on the nile.

The girls bonding at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Eli practicing his whistle during Bush skills (that way he won’t get lost). The others are making a shelter out of tree limbs and branches in case you ever get lost in the woods (but they will be left as shelters for the African bushbuck and other animals).

Building a shelter.

Heading out to monitor rhinos.

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Group Bonding at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 16:24:27 +0000

By Reid Cohen

Hello everyone!

Its Day 12 and so much has happened already! We went through our three days of orientation and started to learn about each other’s likes and dislikes and what everyone’s strengths and weaknesses are so that we are able to be there for one another in the upcoming months.

We are learning about all of the cultures here as well! It’s so much fun to talk to new people and hear about their lives. We were lucky enough to be able to go rafting on the Nile River, which for those of us who hadn’t been before either hated or loved it! Then we moved on to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary which was amazing for all of us. We got to do all sorts of fun volunteering activities such as monitoring a couple of the rhinos, Donna and Kori, who both have babies! We also had a chance to learn a hand whistle (which only Eli was able to master) while we learned some basic bush skills.

We were able to take a night walk and see the nightlife they have at the sanctuary. While we helped pull some weeds and paint some poles we were making connections with everyone and becoming even closer as friends. We happened to become very close as everyone except Cari, Lily, and Maddy all had to stay behind during some activities due to everyone becoming sick and throwing up. We definitely saw each other at our lowest point but that won’t make a difference in our friendship!

Jonathan has heard from the leaders that everyone is feeling much better and are ready to head to Kabale!

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Hanya has Arrived in Uganda!

Jonathan George — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 17:49:20 +0000

Hanya has met up with Cari, Nkula Overseas Educator, and they’ve headed to the hostel in Uganda to get some rest!

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Scavenger Hunt

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 16:09:06 +0000

By Maddy

Today is our last day of orientation and we have been sent off in groups to explore the streets of Jinja to locate internet cafes, shops, and markets. In orientation, we have been talking about ways to integrate ourselves appropriately into the cultures and customs of the area.

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Nkula welcomes a new student!

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 01:19:00 +0000

Nkula is growing!
We want to give the warmest of welcomes to Hanya, who has just arrived in Entebbe, Uganda. We have just got word that the leaders have met her, and they are heading to a hostel for well deserved rest. We hope this semester is full of growth and transformation for you all!
Welcome Hanya, and now Nkula is complete! Onwards!… Read More

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Nkula has arrived in Uganda

Nkula Overseas Educators — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 21:50:23 +0000

Dear Friends and Family

It is with a smiling heart that I say “Nkula has arrived!”. The group is safe and sound in Entebbe, road weary from an incredibly long flight, yet so excited at the adventures that lie ahead!

We hope that their travels are filled with the magic, kindness, and beauty!

Nkula crew: The blog is now yours!

Best wishes,

Jonathan

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Nkula meets in Amsterdam!

Nkula Overseas Educators — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 07:37:09 +0000

Greetings, friends and family!

We just received the news that the Nkula crew is united in Amsterdam, en route to Entebbe and the beginning of an exciting semester!

Thank you to everyone who has made this journey possible, and for the continued support throughout the semester. What a gift to for these students to be able to explore the world, develop new perspectives, and grow into ever more engaged global citizens!

Here’s to an incredible semester, and we’ll look forward to hearing about the adventures of Nkula…

The post Nkula meets in Amsterdam! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

“It’s time for Africa…”

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 10 Sep 2018 17:03:38 +0000

By Overseas Educators Cari and Frederick

Hey Everyone!

Aisei! Can you believe the future we’ve been stewing on is nearly here? In just a few days we’ll be boarding giant birds and flying together to begin our journey! Both of us, Cari and Frederick, have been camping in a lovely forest outside of Portland, sharing stories and getting ready for our upcoming adventure with all of you. We’re both excited to have awesome new experiences in some of our favorite places in the world!

Before you devour you last cone of frozen yogurt, a few reminders. We will be meeting in Amsterdam Schiphol airport at 9am on September 13th. Be certain to bring all of your valuables (documents, medications, etc.) in your carry-on bags. When your plane arrives, head straight to the gate for our flight to Entebbe, Uganda and we’ll see you there. You will recognize us by our bright colorful auras, and our Carpe t-shirts (or just check out our picture below). We may briefly take advantage of the abundance of waffle cookies, then head straight to Uganda.

We are looking forward so much to getting to know all of you as we travel across a land of welcomes, rolling hills, corn, charismatic megafauna, delicious fruit, chickens on buses and so much more. You’ll see! Enjoy your final days stateside by hugging your friends, eating 3 square burritos a day, or whatever that looks like for you. Pack a little extra fortitude in the bottom of your bag for when you need it most. Just be sure to save a little room for all the experiences we’ll collect along the way.

See you in the waffle cookie airport (AMS)!

Cari and Frederick

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Home Again

Nkula Overseas Educators — Thu, 10 May 2018 22:42:24 +0000

By Overseas Educators Rachel & Peter

Sitting on a wooden porch on a rainy afternoon in Nairobi, sipping some soups, we can’t help but notice something: it’s so quiet! Nobody around is playing cards, listening to music, or slurping passion fruit juice. The only other beings around now are just a fluffy golden retriever, an old white lab that seems to be blind, and a needy little cat. We invited them to sit in a circle to talk about their highs and lows of the day, but they all said they were busy with other plans.

It’s that most bittersweet time of the year. The day after the group leaves. That day when we make a pact not to talk about the group and the semester all day, and we still end up talking about the group and the semester all day. This is the unique attribute about our job. It’s more than a job. For three months, it’s our social lives, our entertainment, our education, our personal growth. But of course, we know eventually the group will split and everyone will go their separate ways. And knowing that this experience is impermanent is what makes the relationships and memories so special.

What fills the silence left behind by the group is a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for each group member we met in the airport on day one, for all of the wonderful contacts we heavily relied on, for all of the support from our families and friends and the dedicated folks in the Carpe Diem office. For the thousands of lives who played a part in our journey, in ways large and small.

But alas. No point living in the past. We hope that each of you who are returning home transition smoothly into a new chapter of life that is full of continual discovery, passion, and love.

See ya around.

Seize the day!

With lots of love,
Rachel & Peter

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Farewell From the Airport

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 08 May 2018 17:56:12 +0000

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Stonetown or Bust!

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 07 May 2018 18:22:04 +0000

By Kayleigh Lillethun

NKULA FANS!!

We’ve made it to Zanzibar! We’ve been here for about two weeks now and I think that we still love it just as much as we did when we first arrived. We started our Zanzibari adventure with our cultural immersion/homestay in Stonetown!

Stonetown is full of tourists from all over the world (including us). It has a very different vibe than anywhere else that we have been on our trip. There is a 99% Muslim presence so some of us have taken the initiative of buying headscarves and occasionally covering ourselves up more than usual. “When in Zanzibar, do as the Zanzibarians do.”

We stayed in homestays deep in Stonetown and had to find our way back to our meeting point every day in time for our internships. Some of us got lost a few times (Maytal and Mary Dudley)… The art internships were incredible! Morgan worked with a local wood carver. Mary-Dudley, Maytal, Kiara, and Jason all worked at a spa and made things like incense, face scrub, body scrub and coconut oil. I worked with a screen printer outside of Stonetown designing and printing my own t-shirts. Lastly, Rebecca and Tosca worked with some painters in town and learned how to make local paintings (they have lots of great stories!)

It was pretty hard for the group to meet up while we were in homestays because our internships all got out at different times and we had no way of contacting each other. When together, we would meet up and all eat lunch together at the local restaurants (usually Stone Town Cafe) and go eat gelato at an Italian restaurant.

On our second day in Stonetown, we went to Prisoner Island, where we were able to see tortoises that had been brought to Zanzibar from Seychelles as gifts way back when. The oldest was 190 years old! After visiting the tortoises we had the opportunity to go snorkeling! Almost all of us went in and had a great time… for five minutes. The guides told us “there are no jellyfish.” But three of us got stung by jellyfish and some still have a rash. Still fun though! On our way to Kiwengwa for scuba we got to experience the spice tour of Zanzibar! We saw so many spices I can’t remember half of them. We saw: nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, black pepper, ginger, ylang ylang, and lemongrass!

When the tour was over we took a bus to Kiwengwa to start our scuba adventures! The first day of scuba we got split into two groups. Group 1 was Peter, Rebecca, and Jason. Group A (because nobody wants to be group 2 apparently) was me, Maytal, Tosca, and Morgan. Mary-Dudley was by herself earning her advanced scuba training. Group 1 watched PADI scuba training videos and took a few tests. Group A was learning the same skills in the pool with the scuba gear on! The second day the groups swapped activities. The third and fourth day were the days for scuba diving! We had a really long and bumpy boat ride to our location, we were hoping to get tan on the way there but it was quite gloomy out. We got to our spot and I dove right in! I don’t know about anyone else but I was more scared to get into the water than I have been for anything in my entire life. I was literally crying on the way in. But we did it! Once we got in we were all so happy! Over the next day and a half, we dove a total of 4 times practicing all of the skills that we had learned. Now we’re certified PADI open water divers! Unfortunately, Maytal got a separate certification because she could only dive 2/4 times with us.

Now that all of our scheduled activities are done we’re onto our student-directed travel, then we will be on our way home! We will be swimming with turtles, visiting some caves, and going on a sunset cruise in Stonetown! We’re very excited to come home, some of us more than others. We will see you all soon and thank you for reading our blog this semester! We wouldn’t be where we are now without any of you!

Morgan working at her woodcarving internship in Stonetown.

Maytal, Kiara, and Mary Dudley at their spa internship in Stonetown.

Kiara with her new friend….a coconut.

The group on a trip to Prisoner’s Island.

Maytal on Prisoner’s Island.

Kiara on Prisoner’s Island.

Tosca hard at work at her painting internship in Stonetown.

Rebecca at her painting internship in Stonetown.

A stormy day during scuba in Zanzibar.

Jason swimming with turtles!

Maytal with turtles!

Mary Dudley at a sunset cruise in Stonetown.

All of the ladies!

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Lions, Mambas, and Illness, Oh My!

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 15:37:52 +0000

By Mary Dudley Berry

Hello to all of our fans out there!

As our time at Ohana Amani came to an end, the group experienced a few changes in our dynamic. We sadly said goodbye to one of our members, and happily welcomed a new temporary member. Jenny, the Executive Director of Carpe Diem, joined our group to experience the day-to-day adventures and challenges of a group semester. It seems like she came at the perfect time to truly grasp the ups and downs of our time abroad. In the vibrant town of Iringa, we were overwhelmed and delighted by all of the food choices (chocolate cake with ice cream, cinnamon rolls, roasted vegetable paninis, etc.) at a local cafe and craft store that employs people with disabilities. What’s better than delicious food and beautiful crafts for an even better cause?! Up: check! After these very welcome indulgences, we spent some time searching for a group member’s backpack and ultimately came to the conclusion that it was stolen. Peter and the member spent the rest of the evening learning the ins and outs of Iringa’s Law Enforcement Department and came back with lots of funny stories (there was a chicken in the interrogation room). Down: check.

We then took off into the Tanzanian bush for our grand safari adventure. Upon arrival, we were briefed on our friendly and welcoming new neighbors, the lion and the black mamba. We were told to “hoot” if we were concerned about any suspicious noises (growls?) during the night in our durable, lion-proof shelters: the backyard tent. I can’t speak for everyone else, but Rebecca and I sounded like a pair of owls by morning. The two following days, the group worked on various service projects and got the opportunity to visit a few different schools and play lots of games and activities with some very excited kids. Up: check! Unfortunately, I had a terrible case of What-The-Heck-Did-I-Eat-Oh-My-God-I-Think-I-Will-Explode-Maybe-It-Was-That-Weird-Smelling-Pizza, so I was unable to join everyone else. Let’s just say that this trip has redefined my idea of what being sick really means. If you have not “hooted” to a Masai man to escort (run) you to a compost toilet because there’s a possibility that it’s in use by a lion and you have to check every visible surface for a black mamba, have you ever even actually been sick?! (Probably, I’m just trying to make myself feel better). Down: check.

With lots of medicine in my belly, we went on our way to explore the natural wonders of Ruaha National Park. Our first morning was filled with rain but eventually, the sun made an appearance and so did many giraffes, zebras, hippos, cheetahs, impalas, elephants, baboons, and even a feisty pack of lions. Even more exceptional, we were the only people around, which was a major perk of going to a less touristy park. Up: check!

The following day we woke up at the prime time of 6:00 a.m. to embark on our second day of animal stalking. With excitement and anticipation flowing through our veins, we loaded into our trusty safari cars and took off. This lasted for a total of two minutes before we found ourselves and both of our safari cars stuck in rising pools of knee-deep mud. We evacuated the vehicles and let our guides work their magic. It was quite the picturesque scene: we waited, watched, and played homemade mud corn hole as about 20 Tanzanian men pushed, pulled, and even chopped down a tree in an attempt to get the cars out (Don’t worry, we offered to help). Their efforts were unsuccessful and they called in some reinforcements, which were stuck in the same mud shortly after. Two and a half hours later, the cars were freed and we were on our way. Getting stuck, down. Getting out, up! This past week perfectly encapsulates our semester so far: amazing triumphs, difficult challenges, lots of bugs, unreliable vehicles, mystery illnesses, kind and welcoming people, and lots of laughter.

While life in Africa is often chaotic and unpredictable, you can always count on it to be pretty dang good.

Jason, Kayleigh, and Maytal working in the gardent at Ohana Amani.

Saying goodbye at Ohana Amani.

Photo shoot during one of our many stops for car maintenance on our way towards Wildlife Connection and Ruaha National Park.

With some local youth learning to be Wildlife guides near Ruaha National Park.

Maytal, Kayleigh, and Tosca with Jenny during a day of learning at Wildlife Connection.

Morgan helping to build a beehive fence to prevent human-elephant conflict outside of Ruaha National Park.

Jason on Safari!

Mama and baby giraffe!

Sometimes our vehicles got stuck in the mud.

Saying goodbye to our friends at Wilderness Connection.

Morgan and Kiara on the beach at sunset.

Jenny with Wildlife Connect and the Nkula crew.

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Peace Between Those Who Breathe Together

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 16:08:11 +0000

By Morgan Kromer

Peace between those who breathe together,
Ohana Amani,
Peace within,
Peace throughout.

We helped to make a class in trees,
Chainsaws rolling,
Branches falling,
Learninng center,
Welcome space.

Others helped out in the garden,
Pulling weeds,
Turning compost,
Raspberries snacked,
Orchards tended.

Afternoons were filled with growth,
Quiet moments,
Laughter present,
Some reflection,
Our stories.

Our day of silence was a struggle,
Not for most,
But for a few.
Daylight fasting,
Enjoying nature.

Dowtime filled with lots of reading,
Many books,
Lots of stories,
Required reading,
Mystical lands.

Meals comprised with nourishing foods,
Fresh salads,
Homemade crutons,
Local Uji,
Yummy Pasta.

Sleeping outdoors in some tents,
Spiders crawling,
Headlamps glowing,
Late night screaming,
Tin roof rain.

Alas our time there is now over,
Lessons learned,
Memories grown,
Fresh food eaten,
Peace now made.

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Fox’s Farm in Mufindi

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 19:14:58 +0000

A fierce game of badminton at the Fox’s Farm in Mufindi.

Maytal enjoying the lush landscape in Mufindi.

Kiara got muddy playing soccer in the rain with some boys at the children’s village in Mufindi.

Hanging out with Mr. Fox, a British man who founded the NGO we worked with in Mufindi.

There were really cute dogs.

Saying good bye to the kids and house mamas of Mufindi.

The group in our last day in Mufindi.

Ellie and Kiara enjoying some well earned milkshakes on our rest days in Njombe.

Music night at Ohana Amani.

Stacking wood for the winter (postcard worthy?)

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Success Starts From Within

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 19:12:50 +0000

By Kiara D. Chavez, Tosca, Mary Dudley, and Maytal

Hola mis quieridos amigos,

Last week we finished staying at the Munfindi Children’s Home. It was amazing to experience bonding with the children and learning about the large presence of HIV/AIDS in the region. Tosca, Rachel and I even got the opportunity to play soccer in the rain with the older boys, best believe we were soaked by the end. While we did that, the rest of the group participated in the wonderful “baby power hour” at the nursery.

We also had the opportunity to celebrate Easter with a water balloon fight at the Fox’s farm. We learned about the history of the Fox’s NGO and how a tea farm transformed into an organization that works with vulnerable children, health care, and education.

While on a walk through the village, Rachel ran into another couple who has worked in the region for over 30 years. We had the amazing opportunity to visit their home and learn about their work. We even got to visit the clinic that they started, which is now fully-run by locals.

Throughout this week the concept of service has been brought up many times. We have learned that success starts from within and community and local empowerment is the key to improvement.

This week we are looking within and improving ourselves here in the Holistic Retreat and farm: Ohana Amani. Ohana Amani means “Peace Between Those Who Breathe Together.” As the trip continues we hope to carry with us these new tools we are learning here. I along with Mary Dudley, Tosca and Morgan have been working tirelessly to build an outdoor classroom. The rest of the group has been working in the garden weeding, turning compost, and eating as many fresh raspberries as they can find. Being here we have been eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables that are grown right here in our backyard! The farm to table lifestyle is INCREDIBLE in comparison to the normal rice, beans, and ugali.

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Practicing Positive Thinking

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 02 Apr 2018 15:55:40 +0000

By Rebecca Klane

Halfway through. Never before have I had such a mix of awe that it has already been six weeks and frustration that we will not experience the comforts of home for another six. Time has passed quickly but it still seems like there is such a long way to go. Though not logical, this juxtaposition between positive and negative mindsets matches up well with the mixture of amazing moments and times of extreme difficulty we have had recently.

These past few weeks we have been watching a series of TED talks about the huge effects of positive thinking, so I’ll start with the positive times we have had since the last blog.

We safely made it to Mufindi Children’s Village which houses and educates children from traumatic backgrounds in a more organized way than SNEC. Since this area has such a high level of HIV, the Children’s Village also provides medication in the on-site clinic.

While here, we have spent quality time with the children playing games and starting art projects. The age range from babies to late teenagers makes it easy to both get our fix of holding and taking care of very young children in the nursery as well as partaking in more involved activities with the older kids. But everyone seems to love duck duck goose no matter their age.

The opportunity for more cultural immersion arose in the unexpected two-day homestay which gave us a preview of the area. The scenery is breathtaking, as it has been in most of the places we have visited. Across the valley, we can see hills covered in green and scattered with different crops.

The most uplifting and exciting moment, at least in my eyes, did not take place while here, but on the drive over. Spotting a giraffe, zebra, and elephant from the bus was so unexpected that Maytal cried of happiness.

Highlighting the positive is beneficial in multiple ways, but it does not cancel out the few negative moments we have endured. However, I will do my best to change my usually cynical mindset to find a silver lining.

Many of us have gotten sick since the last blog post. Stomach problems, extreme colds, and what I hope is the last and only case of malaria in the group have forced a few of us to spend days in bed. Illness hasn’t stopped us from having good times with each other when everyone returns from the day. Lots of card games and some amusing team building activities have kept even the sick smiling.

One of the most unpleasant experiences was the bus from Morogoro, not including the animal sightings of course. Supposed to arrive at the station before 9:30, we boarded at 11:00. Not a surprise as timeliness doesn’t seem to be part of the culture here. So the bus was late.

The bigger issue was it also kept breaking down. It was fixed every time eventually, but one of those times many of us had not returned from a bathroom break. Excited that his bus was finally functioning properly, the driver sped away without us and only hit the brakes after a full minute of us sprinting back and waving our arms, and our peers on board objecting loudly. Stopping for us caused the engine to break down again.

Another hardship: one time we were offered only chips (french fries) for dinner.

It is hard to find a reasonable silver lining in these situations, but I am trying to apply what we learned about “synthetic happiness” to the bigger picture. Instead of thinking of the countless nuisances the next half of the trip will bring, the better way to look at it is with gratitude that we still have six weeks of the awesome moments left.

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Host Family Livin’

Nkula Overseas Educators — Thu, 29 Mar 2018 17:03:08 +0000

Kayleigh and Kiara relaxing on the top of a waterfall after a long hike near our Swahili School.

Group photo with our teacher from Swahili school.

Prepping to make pizza for our host families in Morogoro.

The proud chefs.

Kiara, Elle, and Tosca with their host parents.

Maytal and Kayleigh with their host dad.

Always waiting for a bus! (Mafinga, Tanzania)

Mary Dudley learning the art of whacking beans with her host family outside of Mufindi Children’s Village.

Sweet little butterfly on Kayleigh’s finger, Kiara glancing with glee in the fuzzy background.

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Carpe Diem Pizza!

Nkula Overseas Educators — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 17:51:55 +0000

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Habari gani ndugu?

Nkula Overseas Educators — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:31:19 +0000

By Maytal Agasi

Habari gani ndugu?
Tunajifunza Kiswahili Morogoro.
Tunasema Kiswahili kidogo.
Hali ya hewa ni joto na mvua.
Tunafurahia kunywa chai ya moto.
Tumekula mikate mingi.
Miti na maua ni mizuri.

How are you friend?
We are learning swahili in Morogoro.
We only speak a little Swahili.
The weather is hot and rainy .
We like to drink hot tea at tea time.
We eat a lot of bread.
The trees and flowers are beautiful.

Since our last blog post, a lot has happened. We flew from Kigali in Rwanda to Dar es Salaam by way of Burundi and Kenya. We spent a night in Dar which is one of the largest cities in all of Africa. There is a very large Muslim and Indian presence there which was very different than most of what we are used to. Seeing and experiencing new cultures is one of the most interesting parts of this program. The city was busy and very polluted in comparison to Rwanda. Rwanda is working very hard to preserve its environment and has even banned plastic bags in the entire country! Seeing so much pollution is very hard to see for the many environmentalists within our group. After a night in Dar we were very ready to go to the language school in Morogoro. We split up into three taxis to go to the bus station which was a little scary for the one taxi without an OE. Thankfully all three taxis made it safely to the same place and tears of joy were shed upon our reunion. Then we spent a long five hours in transit watching the scenic views of Tanzania go by. The landscape here is very different from the gorgeous rolling hills of Uganda and Rwanda. Here there are a few tall mountains accompanied by long spans of flat plains. Now we are spending our days in class and our evenings with our homestay families. The language of Swahili is full of many interesting sounds that we are not accustomed to but it makes speaking this new language all the more fun. Since our classes get out at four o’clock we have had lots of free time. We have been filling our time by playing cards and working out. At the very beginning of the trip, some of us decided to do a “mandatory” workout and now that we have increased what we are doing. For the rest of the week, we plan to continue our Swahili studies, hike to a waterfall, and cook a meal for our host families. From here we will travel to the highlands and stay at the Mufindi children’s home.

Badaae, see you later.

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Hiking & Volunteering in Southern Rwanda: A Photo Story

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 16:42:40 +0000

Meeting with the director of WeAct, an organization that provides health services and entrepreneurship opportunities for women infected with HIV/AIDS in Kigali, Rwanda.

Meeting with the ladies of the sewing cooperative in Kigali.

Freshly picked coffee beans at the Huye Mountain Coffee Farm.

Tosca learns how to roast coffee beans the old fashioned way in Huye, Southern Rwanda.

Morgan enjoying the view after a hike at the Huye Mountain Coffee Farm in southern Rwanda.

Mary Dudley at the Huye Mountain Coffee Farm in souther Rwanda.

Kiara looks out over the Huye Mountain Coffee Farm in southern Rwanda.

Maytal and Ellie are very excited for fancy ice cream treats in Kigali.

Morgan wearing a belt that was made by the women from the WeAct Cooperative in Kigali.

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New Week, New Country

Nkula Overseas Educators — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 15:56:01 +0000

By Tosca van Oostrum and Maytal Agasi

Last week we were in Rwanda and experienced a lot of emotions that we wanted to share with you.

Apprehensive for crossing our very first land border.
Thankful for better infrastructure in Rwanda.
Frustrated with the language barrier.
Clean due to the supposedly “free” laundry service.
Intune with the nature that surrounds us (even the bugs).
Shocked by the personal stories of the genocide but inspired by their growth and positive mindset.
Scammed by the taxi drivers who overcharged us.
Excited for the Black Panther film.
Full from all of the good food in Kigali.
Overwhelmed by the amazing aroma of the Huye coffee.
Deeper love for the amazing Carpe family.
Wiser on the way to Tanzania.

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Lake Bunyonyi: A Photo Story

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:54:19 +0000

Beginning the Lake Bunyonyi Canoe Trek.

Mana Bena’s on Lake Bunyonyi.

Maytal learning how to shoot a bow and arrow from the B’twa people.

Peter and Morgan doing headstands at the top of the mountain we climbed during our trek.

View of the coast of Lake Bunyonyi.

Learning how to make woven bracelets on Lake Bunyonyi.

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Trekking Lake Bunyonyi

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 16:29:54 +0000

By Jason Tyler

Hey! Hoping this finds everyone back home doing well!

We’ve had an eventful past few days at SNEC and Lake Bunyonyi.

We arrived at SNEC, a school for special needs students in Uganda, on March first. While there we volunteered in the classrooms doing activities with the students and helped rebuild a veranda around a classroom building. It was a lot of hard work but our group still finished strong!

While at SNEC, we had the added responsibility of preparing all of our own meals. We planned them out and went grocery shopping in town before going to SNEC, and worked hard making food over a gas stove three times a day! It was actually really good food, to be honest.

We left the school on the morning of March 6th and spent a day in town before driving to Edirisa that evening to prepare for our trek. Edirisa is located on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, which is probably one of the most gorgeous places in the world!

The first day of our trek started with canoeing. We stopped for fresh pineapple and passion fruit juice on one island, and for lunch on another. After lunch, we had the opportunity to use a rope swing! It was amazing, even though some of us (me included) barely made it over the water before falling off. Then we canoed to Mama Benna’s where we saw baby chickens (so adorable!), ate a delicious meal, and spent the night in tents.

The second day was easily the hardest! We trekked 12 miles on foot up a mountain. It took hours and included a lot of really steep uphill hiking. On the way up, we stopped to meet the Batwa. We shared a wonderful conversation and listened to their history. Then we danced together and learned archery! When we finally reached the top, we were rewarded with an amazing view and Snickers bars. Not the bite size ones, either, full-size Snickers. Totally worth it! Some of the particularly talented members of our group did headstands, and we ate a picnic lunch. Then we trekked all the way back down the mountain and canoed to Tom’s Island just before sunset. We had a meal of eggplant with peanut sauce and crayfish around a campfire and told stories before going to bed.

The third day, we woke up and walked to the highest part of the island with Tom to hear his, and the island’s, story. Then we started canoeing back. Before returning to Edirisa we stopped at Ann’s corner to visit a local craft maker. She taught us how to make beautiful braided bracelets out of papyrus! When we got back, we spent an evening swimming in the lake, catching up on showers, and resting before our trip to Rwanda the next day!

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Volunteering at SNEC: A Photo Story

Nkula Overseas Educators — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 01:18:38 +0000

Dressed up to visit the Gaddafi Mosque in Kampala.

Buying produce in the fruit market in Kabale.

Exploring the hills near the Special Needs Education Center outside of Kabale.

Goofing around outside of SNEC.

Kiara contemplating the hills of southern Uganda.

Saying goodbye on our last morning at SNEC.

The veranda that we helped build at SNEC. It’s not done yet, but our local carpenter friend Silas is finishing the job!

Jason enjoying the calm at Lake Bunyonyi.

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A Warm Introduction

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 19:35:04 +0000

By Ellie and Maytal

Hi family and friends!

Nkula 2018 wanted to start by introducing ourselves so that you have a better idea of who you will be reading about over the next three months!

Tosca – Known by the Ugandans as Jesca Vancostrum, the professional bird spotter and rhino ranger, represents Europe. She’s passionate about discovering new animals, especially black mambas and cobras.

Kayleigh – A true Portlandian, Kayleigh is excited about going to SNEC (Special Needs Education Center) and learning Swahili. She is passionate about the environment and never fails to make people smile.

Kiara – Small but mighty, Kiara is a professional negotiator. She got us free dessert at Ziwa Rhino Preserve. We all expect to vote for Kiara for president in 2034.

Morgan – A loyal Eagle County citizen and rodeo queen, Morgan enjoys the game awkward turtle and ketchup on her tomatoes.

Ellie – A recent high school graduate, Ellie shares her love of trekking with the group as we look forward to our week at Lake Bunyoni.

Jason – You can catch Jason doodling in his journal or petting flea-less dogs. Jason is excited for everything Africa has to offer.

Maytal – A yogi and permaculture master, Maytal is excited for the retreat at Ohana Amani in Tanzania. She guides yoga for the group in the morning and her positive attitude is contagious.

Rebecca – Harvard-bound and funny, Rebecca loves horror movies and adrenaline rushes, which is why she is super excited for rafting the Nile tomorrow.

Mary Dudley – A world traveler and experienced group participant, Mary Dudley is excited to venture through Africa with a new group of people and see everything this country has to offer.

Now that you know everyone, welcome to the blog! This last week, we spent time at Ziwa Rhino Preserve monitoring rhinos and helping with some maintenance. We saw a five-day old rhino, crocodiles, and bushbucks. We are adjusting to the blaring heat of the African sun, but everyone is loving our time abroad! Tomorrow most of us are rafting the Nile and then we will head to Kampala.

Sending love from Uganda to all our family and friends around the world.

Rebecca helping repair a washed out road at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary.

Walking into the bush to observe rhinos at Ziwa.

Mary taking out her anger on some rocks while repairing roads at the rhino sanctuary.

Just some rhinos feeding on the 150 kilos of grass they eat EVERY day.

Sleepyheads adjusting to the new time zone during orientation in Entebbe.

The post A Warm Introduction appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Nkula Arrival to Entebbe

James Simmons — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 01:27:29 +0000

Greetings, Families and Friends of the Spring 2018 Nkula group:

The Nkula group had a night in Dubai, had a successful rendezvous with Tosca, and are now safe and sound in Entebbe, Uganda. They will now start Orientation, getting to know each other, setting intentions, and learning about safe and mindful travel.

Nkula: everyone at home wishes you the very best! We hope that your journey is amazing and full of laughter; that you lean into the challenges; and that you treat each other, and those around you, with respect, gratitude, open minds, and open hearts.

The blog is yours….keep us posted!

Very best!

(The photo is of the whole group in Dubai)

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Team Nkula Together in San Francisco

James Simmons — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 20:25:47 +0000

Greetings, Family and Friends of the Carpe Diem Spring 2018 Nkula group:

We are happy to inform you that the Nkula group (minus Tosca, who will meet the group in Dubai….we can't wait, Tosca!) is united and already beginning to get to know one another at the San Franciscio airport.

They have quite a journey ahead of them, with a 15 hour flight, an overnight in Dubai, and a morning departure the following morning. However, they seem to be a group that is more than up to the task.

We will post another blog once we have confirmed that the group has landed safely in Entebbe, Uganda.

All the best!

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Before we begin…

Nkula Overseas Educators — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 18:26:44 +0000

By Overseas Educators Pete and Rachel

Jambo!

Rachel and Pete here at the Carpe Diem HQ in Portland! In just a few short days, we will be hopping on a plane to San Francisco (2 hours), then to Dubai (16 hours!), and finally to Entebbe (5 more hours!). We’ve been scheming and planning away here for the past week, and we are eager to meet you all and begin our semester.

As we reflect on the momentous journey before us, with a mixture of nervousness and imagination, we are called to remember the words of Annie Dillard, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” We are about to fill our days with exploration, deep friendship, full-belly laughs, cramped bus rides, new foods, and so many wonderful and as-of-yet unimaginable experiences. We can’t wait to share this portion of our lives with you all.

A few last minute reminders: we will be meeting up at the Emirates check-in counter in San Francisco Airport at 11:30 a.m. on February 14th (don’t check in without us! We will all check-in as a group). You will be able to find James from the Carpe Diem HQ staff in an orange Carpe Diem shirt. Make sure you have all valuables, medications, and items you will need for our overnight in Dubai in your carry-on bags. (Tosca, we’ll meet you in Dubai!).

Soak up your final few days before our semester begins by enjoying the creature comforts of home and make sure you leave some room in your pack for all of the items we find along the way.

See you at SFO!

The post Before we begin… appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Coda: Bear & Wolf

Nkula Overseas Educators — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 17:33:47 +0000

By Bear and Wolf

Bear & Wolf were friends. Bear preferred blueberries, Wolf had a proclivity for meats and they both liked falafel.* Bear was powerfully strong and Wolf was built for speed. Although Wolf roamed the Northeast and Bear denned in the South, both found themselves in a coffee shop in Portland late one summer afternoon in August.

Both agreed that Portland was most peculiar.

To wit: they observed a child dancing around making odd hand gestures around her face with her hands.

Wolf remarked, “What is that child doing? I think I want a snack.”

To which, Bear replied, “I believe she thinks she’s a rhinoceros.”

“What’s a rhinoceros?,” asked Wolf.

“A rhinoceros is a prehistoric beast that lives in Africa. It’s like a huge pig with face horns that can run really fast. Sadly, they are nearly extinct,” answered Bear.

“Sounds delicious,” said Wolf.

“You’re ridiculous,” Bear told Wolf.

“What’s up with Africa?,” mused Wolf.

“Good question. No one really knows, or cares to know. It’s from whence humanity emerged and some of the most incredible animals evolved,” explained Bear.

“Do you think if we start to understand Africa, we might understand ourselves slightly more and our place in the world a bit better?,” questioned Wolf.

Bear looked quizzically at Wolf and said, “When did you get all deep?”

Wolf bit Bear with a playful grip.

“Okay, looks like we’re going to Africa,” responded Bear.

“We’ll need a team,” added Wolf.

“For sure,” agreed Bear.

“We’ll call ourselves, Nkula,” she added.

*eatwolfandbears.com

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Onward

Nkula Overseas Educators — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 16:43:53 +0000

By Overseas Educators Matt and Michelle

The dala dala bounced down the sandy dirt road heading from Matemwe to Stonetown. We were crammed and complete; facing one another on the modified truckbed, small mountains of gear between us. Our journey was in Its final stages and scanning the sun soaked faces around us, happiness and appreciation welled within. It was a sense of contentment born from challenge.

The words of Hunter S. Thompson resonated: Buy the ticket, take the ride.

Seal your exit doors and lean in. And, lean in, we did indeed. It certainly was not easy at times, be we stayed the course.

The art of good living is crafted in the transitions; being able to flow with the constant vicissitudes of life.

Now, as you disperse to your next phase, we are confident in your ability to show up with strength, humor and integrity.

Big Love,
Matt & Michelle

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The Faces of Nkula

Nkula Overseas Educators — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 01:39:58 +0000

Photos and Story by Elle Nicholson

82 days at sea (well it felt like we were at sea). All trapped together on the boat of adventure going over every large or small wave.

These past three months have been nothing less then full of love, laughter, and the occasional hatred of all being crammed up sleeping in the same room. We have crawled around Lake Bunyonyi, drowned in sweat at Ruaha National Safari Park, dropped a bit too much cash on Zanzibar on mouth-watering food, and all scuba-dived to the depths of the Indian Ocean. This past week was student directed travel; we all headed straight for the beach and balled out on great food and the chance to rid ourselves of our two-month t-shirt tans.

To quickly sum it up, here are pictures of every beautiful smile that kept us going, but none of us would be smiling if it were not for our two OEs Matt and Michelle. Their smiles are the ones we will remember forever. Thank you to them and Carpe Diem for this life-changing experience.

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Xanzibar

Nkula Overseas Educators — Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:20:41 +0000

We made it to Zanzibar—finally! After another high-class night at EconoLodge (The Waldorf of Dar Es Salam), we moved in with our last home-stay families. Interesting internships arose, including a world-famous screen printing opportunity with a Rasta God named Omi. Incredible Zanzibar painting at the Old Fort, wood carving which proved too challenging for the students, one of the higher quality internships was pillow making at the Zanzibar women’s cooperative and last, as well as least, a local spa who didn’t seem to understand what it meant to have interns.

Beyond these internships we had our first taste of Zanzibar; food and culture combined. Living off our house mama’s world famous Ugali (a local food—ask your kids to make it for you at home) recipes in Mufindi, we were happy to have some of the incredible spices, which we learned more about in the spice tour. It was then time to meet Dave, who seemed to put an end to our plans for SCUBA diving. But some helpful doctors and parents at home came in clutch and got everyone into the deep.

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Artisan Classes in Stonetown: Photos

carpediem — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 18:20:19 +0000

Photos from Matt and Michelle, our fabulous Overseas Educators

A big thanks to our OEs for even more great photos. The Nkula crew spent a week in homestays in Stonetown, Zanzibar. They spent the days taking classes from local artisans and learning the basics of traditional woodcarving, “Tinga Tinga” painting, making natural herbal remedies and beauty products, and music. They also got to visit Prison Island (known locally as “Changuu”) with its famous giant tortoises. Enjoy!

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Scuba and Snorkel in Zanzibar: Photos

carpediem — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:09:13 +0000

Photos from the Overseas Educators Michelle and Matt

Our Nkula crew just spent 4 days snorkeling and/or earning their Open Water Dive certificates off of the Indian Ocean in Zanzibar. Enjoy these stellar photos!

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Spice Tour Photos

carpediem — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 18:56:10 +0000

Photos from Matt S. and Michelle N., the Nkula Overseas Educators!

Zanzibar is famous for it’s spices. Our Nkula crew recently got to visit a local spice farm to learn how vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and other tasty spices are grown. Thanks for the photos, Matt and Michelle!

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Safari in Ruaha

James Simmons — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:21:17 +0000

A safari through picturesque bush lands was the only way to end our time on mainland Tanzania. Ruaha National Park is a collection of conversations covering 40,000 square kilometers. It is home to largest game population in Tanzania. It hosts large herds of antelope, kudus, grants gazelles, and ostriches. The wildlife was almost as enchanting as a Planet Earth documentary. It started with the sight of the first giraffe head protruding over the tree tops, followed elephants stampeding towards our truck, and a river filled with hippos and crocodiles that showed the true cohabitation of all animals in the Ruaha national park. Although most members of our group were able to cross something off of our bucket list, we also faced a few challenges during our stay. While staying with Wildlife Connection, we were sleeping in tents that would only cool down from the 104 degree days in the early morning. The heat would then rise when we set out in our open roof safari vehicles. With the rather intimate environment in the trucks, the heat was exhausting. by the end of the last day we were all looking forward to our next stop in Iringa that offered air conditioned rooms, cats to play with, and western food to give us a break from our exclusive diet of rice and beans.

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Mitigating Elephant Crop Pillaging

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 22:01:50 +0000

By Overseas Educator Matt Shamey

Exploring bee fences as a means to mitigate elephant crop pillaging and doing some slashing of the grasses around the fences at the farm.

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Chakula Role Call

Nkula Overseas Educators — Mon, 06 Nov 2017 20:23:26 +0000

By Adele

Early Monday morning we left on our journey to Mufindi, the town where the children’s village is. It was a long day of traveling on public buses and a very crowded Dala Dala.

The next three days we dove into homestays in the village of Mufindi. During our respective homestays, we were able to practice our Swahili as well as teach our families some more English. Most of us also helped with chores or farming or just cooking. It was a nice, relaxing break from our group life.

We didn’t get to celebrate Halloween fully (although we all appreciated Matt and Michelle dressing up as M&Ms and visiting us all with lollipops) but we hope everyone at home had wonderful Halloweens!

From our homestays, we jumped back into some more structured days at the Mufindi Children’s village. On Thursday we moved into our house for the next week or so and met Lucy, an extended Peace Corps volunteer from Virginia, who gave us a tour of the NGO which includes six houses, a clinic, and a Montessori pre-school and kindergarten.

Friday was our first day of work here. We all woke up at 4:30 am (yes, it was that early) to help the primary school students here get ready for school and get on the bus. Then we continued to help the babies and toddlers to wake up and get all ready for pre-school and kindergarten.

For the rest of the morning, we split into two groups: Yina, Mali, and Lily helped in the garden while Finn, Ella, Karolina and I helped in the pre-school classrooms. The rest of our group has been feeling sick recently so they stayed home to rest.

In the afternoon people rested while a couple of us spent the afternoon taking care of the babies.

Saturday, part of our group hiked to a couple of dams and had a picnic while everyone else rested and recovered from sickness. On the hike we were able to meet Mr. Fox—a British man who owns all of the land the NGO is on—tour his home and learn about his journey to where he is today. Sunday has been a rest day once more which we all greatly appreciate while anticipating the upcoming week of more 4:30 am wake-ups. This week our group has gotten into the podcast Serial—thanks, Mali—and we gave Matt’s notoriously curly hair a makeover.

Our sick members are recovering nicely so there is no need to worry. We all love and miss our families a lot. We’re looking forward to this next week full of more kids and work before our safari!! Of course, we also have to give a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the one and only Ella!! We love you so much!

Love,
Adele

P.S. here’s a nice joke we found all the way back in Entebbe for a scavenger hunt:
Yesterday I went to a zoo. There was only one dog.
It was a shit-zu.

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