Jess215, I actually appreciate silly threads, and not only because I think I can abuse them. :-D

Karibu nyumbani, Tom!

Time for me to shut up and just enjoy where this goes.
BTW am going mid-Jan on Heart of Kenya and Tanzania plus Zanzibar.
Jess

Hey there - Couldn't resist finding out what this thread was all about...!

Lynn - I think you are letting your dream invade reality. It's just Cooncat, Cooncat2 and cooncat3. ;-)

((@)) ((@)) ((@)) ((@)) ((@)) ((@))

I think if we are traveling to Africa, dreaming about it or just tlaking about it... we are all IN!

Jess - I did heart of Kenya and Tanzania in June 2006. It was fantastic. You will absolutely love it. It was my first trip to Africa, and I quickly became passionate about the whole continent as many others here have also testified. I now am constantly figuring out how to go back as often as possible. I am going to South Africa and Vic Falls in December 07 and back to Kenya and Tanzania in June 08. I feel like I work just to pay for trips to Africa, but am not complaining!! If you have any questions etc. feel free to email me or post. email address is annkowens at comcast dot net.

Supai Nyamera!

RE: Culture Week

Is there a possibility you na the Kirundi/Swahili speaking girl could plan and work the week together? Perhaps some of her family members would help plan or even come in and participate by sharing various topics/skills/food etc. about their culture as well? The language could be a small segment of each 2-hour session relating to the particular topic of the day…

RE: Extended earlobes

I am sure you’ve done this already but I just Googled those two words na quite a bit came up. You have my curiosity peaked about the reason for the subject matter…so they won’t be bored during the test?

Ashe, Den

Hi Jess215,

RE: Who's IN

The thought of innies & outies never occurred to me, from my experience (although it has been a while since I’ve been to Fodor’s) I think Cooncat has described the spirit of the majority this forum!

Enjoy your trip!

Nyamera,

If it is culture week, you don't have to make it Swahili week. Trot out all your Africa photos, experiences, inventory. Maybe the kids will buy something. Be careful about selling stuff in school, though. You can lean on the Swahili speaking girl for some language input and anything else if she would like to talk about it.

Here is you chance to talk about Africa and share your love of that place with them and have the kids look up things about religion, tribes, etc.

Though I realize you will be more enthused about it than they will be.

Feel free to chime in on my trip reports with a teaching or other emergency.

Have a good trip in Jan, Jess215.

If affected and acting odd you're IN, as this is the only place where we won't be shunned for manic Afree -kah rantings and obsessions.

p.s. We're all zillionares!

Nyamera -

Goodness, you have so many interesting experiences in Africa, you can certainly come up with a different subject for 2/hr segments. And, as mentioned above, do try to encourange the African girl to participate, even in the planning.

Just one of your stories might keep the kids enthralled for a few hours. Even something along the lines of "when you're on the road" - in other words, what it's like to travel outside one's comfort zones: airports, luggage, health, food, clothing, languages, sightseeing, etc......

You can do it!

Thanks Den, Lynn and Sandi. I knew you’d have ideas. The main problem with Culture Week is that I’m at the brink of disaster because I don’t have enough time for my regular work. I haven’t even discussed it with other teachers. The Burundian (if you’re IN you wink at Imelda now ;) )girl isn’t in my classes and only rarely do I get a chance to talk to her. I have been fantasizing about including her, but I don’t know how or when. There’re some Somalis as well. I’ve been thinking about cooking, but the kitchens are probably already taken.

Den, I thought about extended earlobes because there’s been some texts about piercing etc in their English book. It’s difficult to find something at the right level though. I don’t even know where that level is.

Jess215, don’t shut up if you want to be IN! You have to post something at least 10 times a day and write a 50-page trip report!

Now I have to go to bed. I’d decided to get some sleep this term …

Yes Jess215, there are two groups of people here, those who are in (Africa) and those who wish they were.

Jess

I.
<i>&quot;and since I am not much of a photographer, will probably become a &quot;lurker&quot; on this board </i>
I'm starting to get worried, since i shoot only slides i haven't sent any photos too... (does it count that i have linked to 2 of my daughter's pics??)

II.
<i>&quot;BTW am going mid-Jan on <font color="red">Heart</font> of Kenya and Tanzania &quot;</i>
Heart??
now i feel an outie again...
what kind of a Secret Society is it?
Micato's ???

aby

when i joined, i felt a 'gap' in language, culture &amp; mentality which you don't seem to have. after careful anthropological observations, i now have a better understanding of the (mostly) American <i>Homo urbanicus</i> and nowadays, only rarely am i shocked by questions posed...

Nyamera,
Why not dress up like a Topi - the children would love to see your horns or..............

How about a mini weaving, jewelry or similar project. Kids do not (can't) listen to anything for 2 hrs. but like to participate - no?
Good luck!

Thanks, Sherry. The children really need to see my horns, but I’m not going to start this again …

Yes, on the programme from last year I can see that it’s mostly projects where the children participate, but I don’t know how to weave or make jewellery. I have never felt the need for “hobbies” to make time pass and now I regret it.

A handicraft teacher will do a jewellery project (as every year) and as he’s from the north and have been showing me pictures of Sami handicraft (I don’t know why). I’ve thought about asking him if we could do some Sami/Maasai thing, but I have a list of people that I have to grab to talk about worse emergencies than the Culture Week that really is just a “fun” thing.

Hello Jess,

Thanks for your post -- it's nice to know that I've been missed! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) I've been very busy over the past few months and have been spending less time here lately (though I do lurk every now and then and check in to see how things are going).

Apologies to those who have been waiting for trip reports and photos -- I hope you can subscribe to the 'better late than never' approach and enjoy them when they come!

Cheers,
Julian

Hey Jess215,

I'm a lurker on this board myself with dreams/plans for a trip in 2010 to South Africa to coincide with World Cup. Your location caught my attention as I am also from Newton, MA. I'm posting my direct email in case you are interested in being in contact.
[email protected]

Jb04 - good idea!
Julian - good to hear from you.
Everyone - thanks,
Jess

Jess-

I am going to 'out' myself here. I am Andy Biggs, and I am an African wildlife photographer and safari guide/photo instructor. I lead about 6 safaris each year. I don't cover up my name with my login, but I do wish that the forum had some sort of capability of using avatars or signatures. I would make it easier for those of us who have permanent photo links or links to online resources that are beneficial to the community. I am 'in the business' and have a relationship with a few safari operators on the ground in Africa. Thomson Safaris in Tanzania and Wilderness Safaris in southern Africa. I usually speak my mind when people ask direct questions, as I enjoy helping others out.

AndyBiggs
Good info, as usual.
Jess

Ditto to what Sundowner and Cooncat said.