Sara Perricone- Going on this incredible trip has taught me to always take life as it comes and to appreciate the small things that come and go. One thing I appreciated on this was with getting the chance to live with my homestay family in Stahabu. Living with them made a huge impact on me by challenging me to talk more and to interact with not just my family but with the people on this trip. It also challenged me to reflect on myself and ideas by giving me a perspective of everyday life differences between the community in Stahabu and my community back home.
Despite the language barrier, my family and I found a way to connect with each other. Whether it was through games, dancing or even a quick lesson of “what’s this in English/Swahili”, we found a way to laugh and enjoy each other’s company.
My family has taught me how far the word “family” extends to. At a point during the homestay, I became slightly sick where I threw up during the night. My mother came out as soon as she heard me, followed by my two sisters and brother. From that point on during the night my entire family stood by my side.
They pulled a huge mattress out and as I slept, the five of them slept right next to me so that they would be right there for me. I never felt so much comfort given from a family other than my own before but as my mother rubbed my back/as my sisters held back my hair while my little brother slept beside me I never appreciated anybody’s comfort as much as I appreciated theirs that night and to this day I still appreciate them and love them.
Luke Gutierrez – When I was in Tanzania, one of my favorite parts was the safari. I was able to see many of the animals I could see in a zoo, but in their own environment. There is a completely different feeling seeing them in their own habitat interacting with one another rather than entrapped in a zoo. I am so thankful for this experience and I would truly recommend this trip for anyone who is even considering going on a safari because everything about it just takes your breath away.
Michelle Lee – Tanzania has taught me more than I could ever put my words to it. Living and experiencing the life of Tanzanian and Maasai life hands on. It’s like the roller coaster that Morgan and Carly (Group Leaders) have told us about and I promise each and everyone one of us went through it. Now that my trip has come to an end, I can say that I’ve learned more than I ever knew and experienced things I’ve never thought I had to do, like herding sheep, taking bucket showers, staying in a house with no electricity, getting sick abroad, and wearing the same clothes over and over again. I can also say that I’ve made very good friends on this trip as well, we’ve all taken care of each other at one point and we all bonded like we are siblings. We went through this process together as strangers and came out like family and I really couldn’t have asked for any better people to be here with. This Experiment and experience that I went through this month will forever carry with me and the lessons I’ve learned. Thank you EIL for giving me the opportunity to explore this part of the world. Asante
Our students working hard on the community service project in Maasai land of pruning acacia trees
