Leely

Great report! I laughed. I cried. I spat coffee out my nose.

Glad you finally did this. An inspiration to many. I'm now off to view your photos. I know I'll enjoy them.

atravelynn

When I read the toilet incident I had flashbacks and not because of a similar personal experience. I think you wrote about that earlier. It was equally amazing reading it a second time.

I looked at the Kenya pics so far. Where were the elephants in the red mud? Those were great shots, especially the ones on the ground. Mother and baby giraffe was a lucky find. The dik dik picture is one of the best I've seen. They are so shy and elusive. That shot of hyenas at night does not look real. Excellent people pictures.

Ethiopia shots are next.

atravelynn

The children in your Ethiopia shots are wonderful. Those little ones in the cribs...That's a nice picture of you and the cab driver who you thought so highly of.

So now what for you and your daughter? Will you be sharing your journey and photos with your class? Have you talked to some of the naysayers? Do you have any more getaways (maybe not as far or remote) planned with your daughter?

twoteachers

Atravelynn, thanks for all your encouraging words. The elephants in the red mud were at the orphanage in Nairobi next to the Nat'l Park.
I did add a few more pics to my files tonight.
My daughter is now engaged to a man with a lot more money than I have, so I am sure she has a new traveling partner. I am very jealous.

I especially would love to go to Egypt--anyplace in Africa, for that matter.
Now that I have posted my pics I probably will give my students a link.
Something really got me geared up again today. I teach half-time at an African American college, and today I started talking to a man I have just been passing in the hall. I told him I wish I had been able to get more off the beaten path in Africa. He is from Tanzania, and he told me when I am ready to go, he will take me to his village and arrange places for me to stay in homes of his friends!! We ended up talking about it for an hour. Did that ever get my blood boiling! I have to find a way to go now.

Denbasking

Twoteachers:

>Now that I have posted my pics I probably will give my students a link.<

Lucky students!

>He is from Tanzania, and he told me when I am ready to go, he will take me to his village and arrange places for me to stay in homes of his friends!! We ended up talking about it for an hour. Did that ever get my blood boiling! I have to find a way to go now.<

Go for it!

You’ve attracted my attention once again!

Honestly, I have been thinking since I read your report how can I raise enough funds and then lure this woman (who was imprinted in Ethiopia) to Tanzania to utilize her writing skills for a few of the projects I am working on! Ya know how surrounding one with folks that have the talents one does not -- that is my greatest skill!

I already was going to suggest that whatever country you are interested on the continent there are many short and long-term opportunities for writers.

Before my trip to Africa, I started exploring some project ideas and received a lot of positive feedback on them while there and have been working 24/7 on them for over a year now. I am planning on moving there for a bit soon… it is taking longer than I had anticipated -- I am working on Africa time now! The concept is to do this before my adult sons marry and start breeding…

If you would care to connect, my public e-mail is Denbasking at aol dot com.

Yours in Service,

Den

Nyamera

The baby giraffes are lovely as are the faces of baby humans, and there’re even some topis in there! Thanks for sharing your pictures and congratulations to your daughter and her fiancé. The meeting with the Tanzanian sounds interesting.

annhig

ttt

ssloantwo

Twoteachers,
You have taken my breath away with your enchanting accounts of your trip to Africa. Although I do not sponsor kids through WV, I am an Operation Smile volunteer and have been on six missions with them, to date. I hope to do a mission in 2008 and have requested Kenya. So far I have been to Colombia, Nicaragua, Peru, China and Cambodia. No matter where you go the faces of the children are the same. So full of hope. Their smiles are infectious!
I wish I had your gift of writing. Please do something with your stories. This travel talk is great, but you deserve to be recognized for your ability to stir emotions and paint verbal pictures.
I am a lady about the same age as you. I love to travel and I do it often with friends and with mission volunteers.
You would love southeast Asia. I highly recommend it. And, I am seriously thinking of requesting Ethopia for a mission opportunity. Operation Smile does go to Addis Ababba.
What a wonderful trip for a mother and daughter. You and your daughter have made memories that will be with you forever. I traveled with my mom too and reading your journal I remembered some pretty wonderful times with her.
Thanks again!
Suzie

twoteachers

ssloantwo, I am so jealous of all your traveling and all your good work. I assume for Operation Smile, you have to pay your own way? Is that the agency that fixes cleft palates and dental problems? Thanks for all your kind words. I have always liked to write and wish I could find a way to use my writing.
Denbasking, I did respond to your email address, but since I have not heard from you, am wondering if my email got through or you have just been busy. I am very curious about your projects.
annhig, I hate to be Fodor's illiterate, but I do not know what ttt means. Thank you?
To any with WV kids, visiting the kids was a wonderful experience, and we certainly saw proof positive of the good work they do. WV USA did not seem to know anything about Africa, and they were frankly frustrating, but once we got there, I was somewhat embarrassed because we were treated like honored guests, and they provided staff to escort us. I figured out (thanks to google) the district in ET was Antsokia II or Kemissee, and they were 350KM NE of Addis. The Wv district in Kabernet, Kenya, clearly had fewer resources, but they were just as gracious. That's why they were so thrilled to get the cash for their water up the mountain.
I feel like I owe WV a good message to reassure others who sponsor (or might)that these kids are absolutely exactly as they are described to you. Kids are kids anywhere and all deserve to grow up happy and strong.

ssloantwo

Twoteachers,
Actually, Op Smile pays for the travel and the hotel. Breakfast and lunch are included too. Usually I need to take money for incidentals and any extracurricular travel. When I was in Peru I visited Cusco and Machu Picchu. In Cambodia I visited Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. All great places but in order to have the fun, we work very hard for a couple of weeks. It is very rewarding, but what you are doing is as well. Hats off to you and Dallas.
Suzie

twoteachers

ssloantwo,
I looked up Operation Smile and it was the program I was thinking of--such a gift to disfigured children. Are the only volunteers they accept the medical personnel? It sure makes me wish I were a doctor or nurse, but, alas, I am not. Any chance for anybody else?

bat

twoteachers:

I found your report inspiring and admire you and your daughter. The pictures of the children were very moving. Good luck with plans for a return.

atravelynn

Congratulations to Dallas on her marriage.

twoteachers

ssloan two,

I have been passing on the info about Operation Smile to the doctors and nurses I know. Each was excited and interested. The one is a new doctor who has been wanting to do something like that but is too broke right now, and her mother is a nurse, and they have been wanting to do something together. This is perfect for them, and I hope they are able to make the trip. Kudos to all the people at Operation Smile.

twoteachers

SHORT VIDEOS:
http://picasaweb.google.com/beachhouse2003
I tried valiantly to download some better ones, but they were longer than Picasa's 1 MB limit. I managed to shorten them, but for some mysterious reason, the MB went up instead of down. I did manage to get Picasa to accept the "fake" video of the little Ethiopian girl's (Ruth) song. There are two videos of the World Vision visit, several of the baby elephant orphanage, one just majestic and serene adult elephant,the Masai dancing at Mara Sopa, and the parade of wildebeast. Safe journey.

tennisbum

"The last paragraph of Part II: "I was surprised by the formality of the educated and English speaking Ethiopians who were all very articulate when they made speeches. I have taught mostly African American students in my career, many definitely without much academic interest or motivation, and I sure wish they could have seen how beautifully and with how much pride their people handled themselves verbally."

Thanks for the generilization...I hope one day you get to teach a group of motivated, passionate and articulate AA students like many of my friends do. I'll forgive you for the ignorance, its hard living in this country and not being inundated with negative stereotypes about African Americans.

By the way, your report was great. Africa is definitely a special place and I hope you can find away to make the Tanzania trip...its a beautiful country with warm and friendly people.

lincasanova

i think i am three quarters through.. but just LOVE this comment, among others!

“Mom, what would possess you not to have bought hiking shoes?” “Daughter, I ran out of money after all the immunizations.”

you have a real knack for writing.

lovely report..

twoteachers

Tennisbum, I have not been sure how to respond to your comment. What I said was never meant as a generalization about all AA students, and I should have made that clearer. I also believe you are making a hasty generalization about me. I happen to teach at a struggling African American college, and I choose to teach the developmental or remedial classes. I do that because I do respect their journeys. My PARTICULAR students are bright and passionate, and I have been moved by the ways I have been privileged to get to know and appreciate them. However, they struggle to envision themselves as writers or speakers. We made a documentary together because they do feel unheard. I did that precisely because they were telling me such important stories and because they were not accustomed to having a voice or being heard. I was only wishing this particular group of students of mine who do not envision themselves as writers or speakers could see the power of verbal communication skills. It has nothing to do with negative stereotypes; as a matter of fact, the investment in this college developmental program is motivated by the belief in the potential of all students and seeks to dispel the negative stereotypes. Come to my class at 8:00 AM tomorrow, and you will recognize the mutual respect and rapport in our classroom.

atravelynn

I've actually chuckled to myself about that immunization comment several times over the last few days.

Leely

twoteachers, thanks for clarifying that. I had sort of wondered about that (tiny) part of your report, regardless of your intention. Without context, it bordered a little uncomfortably on stereotyping. I am very happy to hear otherwise.

This is a briar path I probably shouldn't traipse down on this forum.

Thank you again for the interesting report.