Submitted by Amanda Paul on the 2018 winter session program in Tanzania sponsored by the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology…
WE HAVE ARRIVED IN THE SERENGETI!!!!!!! Within five minutes, we were sitting next to an absolutely magnificent leopard. A group of giraffe came up to our car and a herd of elephants crossed the street in front of us – it was breathtaking. Everything about being here is just so incredible. The landscapes were stunning – the sky was so incredibly clear and vibrant blue. With a beautiful sunset behind this family of elephants on our last ride through the Serengeti we all just started to tear up. It was definitely a moment I am never going to forget.
The next day, we watched the sunrise on the Serengeti as we all ate breakfast around the campfire. On our way out, we got to see cheetahs, some really handsome ostriches and a hyena up close and personal! As a surprise, on our way to Arusha, we stopped at Olduvai. The museum was really interesting and had a lot of constructed remains, tools, animals,and a lot of information. Once we arrived in Arusha, we headed for the market, which was probably the most overwhelming part of the program. There were so many women that would rush up to you saying “sister, please come support please” and putting things in your hand. If you tried to give it back, they’d keep lowering the price. It was honestly really difficult. Once we adjusted, it got a little easier. At one store, a man at the register told me I owed more than double what I should have after looking up and seeing I was a woman. However, once the initial anxiety wore off and we adjusted to where we were it became easier to enjoy the market. Everything I bought was handmade directly by the person I bought it from.
On our last day, we were asked to think about what our favorite part of the program had been. I think mine is how much we focused on and interacted with the people here. I really was expecting to be raving about the animals when I got home, but this program has become so much more than that. The people we have been given the opportunity to meet here are so incredible and inspiring and I am so lucky to learn from them. From the tribes, to Dorobo Safari Company, to the students around me, everyone was so kind and taught me so much. I’m so grateful to have experienced the most incredible program in the world with the strongest and most inspiring people by my side.
