Continuation and up-and-coming attractions!

Baobob trees, endless miles of sky, baboons, a bird like no other, and what passes as a traffic jam in Africa...

So being back with the group is amazing, I forgot how much I missed everyone. We're actually on our own in Arusha this week, as a prep week for our independant research projects (which run April 13th to May 9th). Side note: We're currently all staying in a small hostel and not having everything done for us- we were given some money and sent out on our own for the week, and while we all ended up in the same housing its nice to once again be in control of our "destinies". Anyway, Since I missed the first half of this week, I've been using it to play catch-up on the work that I missed while in Nairobi, but have no fear- I will have research to do for the upcoming month! I have been in touch with an organization located on the coast in the city of Dar es Salaam, called the Lawyers Environmental Action Team (LEAT). They work pursuing various litigation surrounding land rights, conservation, urban pollution, misuse of government office, and displacement issues, working specifically with/on the behalf of small communities that could otherwise not get any litigation services. I plan to pursue some type of case study with them... I know, oh so specific... but I'm very excited and will write more when I have more information.

So, Arusha is growing on me. Its about as urban of an area as you get in Tanzania, though its nothing like a city as we'd view it in the states. There is nothing horribly charming about the area- people follow you trying to sell you tourist-trap gifts, children and adults laugh at you and shout "mzungu mzungu" at every corner, and the air "quality" is laughable... but yet, I'm starting to feel at home here. The open market, small groceries, and women selling peanuts on the street... the overflowing dala dala (local transportation, think VW van with 20 people in it), safari cars, and store owners who take time to learn your name and say hello to you daily... the interesting mecca of foreigners, The Patesserie (where I sit right now on wireless on my laptop)... everything has grown on me and I feel at peace here. I don't mind the cultural convention of the locals pointing out at every possible oppertunity that I'm white, and often referring to me as if that was my only defining characteristic... dala dalas are amazing, 20 cents to get anywhere in town.... and the people who I do get a chance to talk to put up with my poorly pronounced kiswahili.

On Sunday we leave again for safari- serengetti, ngorongoro crater, Lake Natron, and maasai homestay. Ngorongoro, being a crater, has one of the highest concentrations of animals to be found anywhere in East Africa, so we are guarenteed to see the last rhino in East Africa (not a good thing that they're the last, a population of 20 individuals can't be viable), lions, and every other big African postcard-worthy creature. Serengetti holds the migration of wildebeest, which should be breathtaking (imagine a line of wildebeest further than the eye can see)... and hopefully, I will make it to Maasai homestay and Lake Natron, a giant soda lake that borders the Mountain of God (a mountain where the Maasai believe that their female god lives). Its still undecided if I will be strong enough for that adventure, as women often walk 10km a day carrying water and firewood... but between you and me, I plan to be 100% by then so that I can laugh at this entire incident and meet God and tell her what I think ;).

Shoutout to my Alaskan counterpart, watch the stars...

So check out the pictures... more writing tomorrow... and I think I have my best friend travel buddy back for London, horray! So this summer is going to rock (not that I can think about it while in Africa)... if you happen to want to come to europe with me let me know, or if you know anyone in london looking for a roomate for the summer... hahaha now, back to the african sun...

You won't believe this

So, as you may have noticed, I've been out of communication for the past few weeks, after promising constant updates. Well, here's the story...

Last time I wrote, we were heading off on safari in Tarengerie National park. It was absolutely incredible. On our first game drive we saw giraffe, elephants, monkeys (who lived above our camp in the trees), impala, dik dik, and the most beautiful birds. A storm welcomed us the first night, as did a curious bat eared fox, trying to get into the tent nearest to mine. That was actually pretty frightening, as it let out a blood curdling 8 pound battle cry and charged my friend's tent, and we had no idea the size of the animal at this point so the thoughts of hyena were pretty prevalent. The same night, we heard lions a few km from camp.

The wonders continued. Every day was a new sighting- groups of elephants (and one single elephant close up informing us of the 65lb weight and prehensile nature of the elephant penis), mock-fighting young male giraffees, even a lone young lion male on one hot afternoon. Good food, good company, time spent around the fire singing american pop music at night...

Next, we were off to Lake Manyara National Park, located in an area known as Mtowambu, or the River of Mosquitoes. Thank goodness for malaria medication... the park was incredible, and we were blessed with baboon, hippo, flamingo, impala, buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, and a standoffish giraffe who blocked the road for a good 10 minutes one afternoon.

Now, during this entire time, an interesting battle was occuring in my right lower abdomen area, in the general location of my appendix. Increasingly, I was plauged by sharp pains and naseau, and by slight fever and bloating. Needless to say, it was insisted that I visit the doctor upon our return to Arusha, which in turn prompted the discovery of an "abnormal mass" in my side and an all-expenses paid trip (lies) to Nairobi, Kenya, to a world class hospital.

You must understand, this all occured within 12 hours of return from safari- we didn't eat much lunch, and just hopped in a car for the 5 hour drive. Upon arrival in Nairobi, and consultation with a doctor as he poked the sharp painful spot in my abdomen, it was determined that my only useless vestigial organ, the appendix, was horribly infected and destined to be removed from my body and sent to the useless organ pile in the sky.

Surgery occured within about 2 hours, at midnight on this lovely evening, and I proceeded to spend 2 weeks in the Nairobi hospital. "But wait", you say, "aren't you supposed to recover in 2 days from appendectomies? They aren't that serious of an operation!". And so God laughs at my stubborness, for I had put off the doctor's visit for about 2 weeks prior to the week on safari, inducing quite the extent of infection and therefore a more serious surgery. Snapshot: a normal appendix = 6mm long, jess's appendix = 23mm long. Any Questions?

So finally, after fighting fever, infection, naseau, new infection, and boredom (oh, the boredom), I was released from the hospital a few days ago, and have now returned to the group in Tanzania. And that, my dear friends, is why I have been MIA for the past 3 weeks. I'm doing fine now, feeling great and terribly bogged down by work... and I still love Africa!!

More to come...